The Knightfall Trilogy, planned as a component of The New Jedi Order series, was conceived as a set of three books with a projected release in 2001. Michael Jan Friedman was the author selected by both Del Rey Books and Lucasfilm Ltd. to pen this trilogy, which was intended to feature the titles Jedi Storm, Jedi Fire, and Jedi Blood. The narrative of Knightfall was designed to center around the scientist Danni Quee and the Jedi Knight Jorallen, both characters finding themselves embroiled in the ongoing war between the New Republic and New Jedi Order and the Yuuzhan Vong, a species of religious fanatics originating from outside the galaxy.
However, following the completion of Jedi Storm by Friedman, Del Rey and Lucasfilm Ltd. made the decision to discontinue the trilogy. With the impending death of the Jedi Anakin Solo in the forthcoming hardcover novel Star by Star, The New Jedi Order's creative team opted to prioritize books leading up to Star by Star that would primarily focus on Solo's character. Consequently, Greg Keyes was commissioned to author the Edge of Victory Duology, a pair of novels centered on Solo which took the place of Knightfall. Despite the completion of Jedi Storm, neither it nor any other book in the trilogy ever made it to publication.
In 1999, Del Rey books and Lucasfilm Ltd. initiated the publication of The New Jedi Order, a collaborative series of Star Wars novels that chronicled the events of an alien invasion. The storyline involved an extragalactic species of religious zealots, the Yuuzhan Vong, who invaded the galaxy, only to be met with resistance from the New Republic and New Jedi Order. The series was designed as a sequential narrative spanning five years of galactic history, with a new hardcover novel released annually to document a significant event in the war. Additionally, numerous paperback novels were scheduled for release throughout each year to enrich the narrative and address any narrative gaps. By the close of 2000, two hardcover and four paperback novels had been released.
Michael Jan Friedman, an experienced writer of Star Trek novels, was contracted in 2000 to develop a trilogy of books as a follow-up to Balance Point, the hardcover novel slated to conclude the year. While no official announcement of the trilogy was made on StarWars.com, information began to surface on various third-party websites when cover artist Terese Nielsen shared a preliminary sketch of the cover art for the trilogy's inaugural volume on her personal website in June 2000. She also revealed the title of the trilogy as the "Knightfall Trilogy." In the ensuing months, the titles of the individual books within the trilogy were disclosed via third-party websites and the Random House online catalog: Jedi Storm, Jedi Fire, and Jedi Blood. In August, Jedi Storm was listed in Publishers Weekly. The listing revealed the inclusion of scientist Danni Quee, who was introduced in Vector Prime, the first novel of The New Jedi Order; as well as Jedi Knight Jorallen, a newly created character. Friedman completed the writing of Jedi Storm sometime in 2000. All three books in the Knightfall trilogy were planned as paperback releases.
Around the time Balance Point was published, Del Rey and Lucasfilm Ltd. decided to alter the course of The New Jedi Order, which led to the cancellation of the Knightfall Trilogy. Due to the scheduled death of Anakin Solo in the 2001 hardcover novel, Star by Star, the planning team wanted to give him more attention before his demise. As a result, Greg Keyes, who was originally assigned to write a single New Jedi Order novel, was instead commissioned to write the Edge of Victory Duology, a pair of books focusing on Solo that would take the place of Knightfall. To allow Del Rey to showcase several novels set during the prequel era in their 2001 publishing schedule, no further New Jedi Order novels were released between Edge of Victory and Star by Star. Kathy Tyers, the author of Balance Point, also suggested that the cancellation was partly motivated by a desire to give more attention to the hardcovers of The New Jedi Order.
By October 2000, all listings for Knightfall had been removed from the Random House catalog and replaced with listings for Keyes's duology. At the end of the month, Tyers confirmed the trilogy's cancellation, and Nielsen reiterated it several days later, stating on her website that Lucasfilm Ltd. was dissatisfied with the trilogy's direction and had canceled it. Later that month, StarWars.com officially announced the Edge of Victory Duology, and Shelly Shapiro of Del Rey issued a statement regarding the cancellation of Knightfall, expressing regret over the discarding of a completed novel but confidence that the decision would ultimately benefit Star Wars publishing.
Jedi Storm, though completed, remains unpublished. It delves into the consequences of a declaration made by the Yuuzhan Vong Warmaster Tsavong Lah at the conclusion of Balance Point. Lah proclaimed that any worlds within the galaxy that had not yet been conquered would be spared the full force of the invaders' war if they delivered Jedi to him. Jedi Storm depicts Jedi Knights being hunted by both citizens of these worlds and a Yuuzhan Vong priestess. Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Leia Organa Solo, three central characters from the original Star Wars trilogy, are involved in the story, aiding in hiding the targeted Jedi from groups such as the Peace Brigade. Danni Quee, the scientist and former Yuuzhan Vong prisoner, hopes to avoid the invaders but becomes entangled in an investigation into missing Jedi after encountering the enigmatic Jedi Knight Jorallen. As the two venture deeper into enemy territory, Quee starts to uncover secrets about Jorallen.
Jedi Fire and Jedi Blood remained unfinished. They were intended to narrate Quee and Jorallen's investigation, which would lead them to the priestess, whom they would defeat. Meanwhile, Jedi across the galaxy would be slaughtered in an attempt to appease the Yuuzhan Vong.
When the planning team behind The New Jedi Order decided to prioritize Anakin Solo and cancel the Knightfall Trilogy, a storyline concerning the protocol droid C-3PO and droid sentience following the Yuuzhan Vong's harsh treatment of droids was ultimately abandoned. This narrative had begun in The New Jedi Order: Agents of Chaos I: Hero's Trial, the fourth book in the series.
Despite the Knightfall Trilogy never being published, some of its intended storylines were incorporated elsewhere. The Edge of Victory Duology addressed the public's reaction to Tsavong Lah's declaration and depicted a number of Jedi being killed by Yuuzhan Vong sympathizers throughout the galaxy. Simultaneously, Han and Leia Organa Solo began establishing a Great River as a refuge for Jedi. Danni Quee reappeared in Star by Star and played a significant role in subsequent books in the series. However, the subplot involving C-3PO and droid sentience was only briefly revisited.