Pre-Republic era

Initially, there was the Big Bang. As time passed, the galaxy and life on its planets emerged. Over billions of years, these species evolved, created civilizations, and eventually, a select few ventured into space. These original interstellar travelers are now forgotten, with their sole legacy being the large, artificial structures they left behind. The Corellian system was an artificially created system from that time, and the Drall and Selonians were relocated by one of these unknown species to planets within the system. The presence of specific flora and fauna across various worlds, like the bantha, likely resulted from the intervention of these advanced species. The ancient species also influenced the shaping of many worlds; Kashyyyk and Tatooine were two such planets whose biospheres were manipulated by these civilizations. Sometime later, the Devaronians became one of the first identified species to achieve space travel. For a period, little occurred on a galactic scale; species like the Gree and Columi briefly rose to prominence before fading away.

Following the independent discovery of a mystical power on several worlds across the galaxy, a group of enigmatic vessels gathered Force-sensitives and brought them together to the Deep Core world of Tython. In 36,453 BBY, the Je'daii Order was established to formalize beliefs and conduct research on the Force.

The Rakatan Infinite Empire was the first civilization known to gain power on a massive scale. By 30,000 BBY it reached its apex, encompassing worlds as distant as Dantooine and Honoghr, although the actual number of planets it controlled was relatively small. The Rakata utilized slavery to sustain their Empire, ruling tyrannically over many species, including the Ghorfa, Selkath, and Humans. As a symbol of their power, they constructed the Star Forge, an artifact of the dark side that fueled their extensive war machine.

Concurrently, on Tython, an equally significant event was unfolding. In 25,793 BBY, some of the mystics desired to use the Force to elevate their own status, and the followers of the Bogan, as they called it, soon clashed with the followers of the Ashla, leading to the Force Wars on Tython. By 25,783 BBY, the Ashla faction emerged victorious. In the aftermath of the war, they formed an order of monastic knights dedicated to principles of peace and harmony. The Jedi were created.

The Infinite Empire soon became overextended, and its inherent aggression turned the Rakata against each other. A slave uprising throughout the Empire, a plague affecting only Rakata, and a civil war on their homeworld of Lehon rapidly accelerated the Empire's collapse around 25,200 BBY. Freed from Rakatan oppression, the former slave species of Humans and Duros experienced rapid development, adopting abandoned Rakatan technology to accelerate innovation. Within 200 years, hyperspace travel enabled quick, affordable, and convenient travel between planets across the galaxy.

In 25,130 BBY in the Outer Rim Territories, the warlord Xim rose to power in the Tion Cluster. He unified its governments into a highly expansionist empire and began conquering neighboring territories. Upon reaching the Si'Klaata Cluster, he clashed with the Hutts, resulting in a stalemate at the First and Second Battles of Vontor. The Hutts signed the Treaty of Vontor with the native species of the Si'Klaata Cluster, enlisting them to fight Xim. At the Third Battle of Vontor, Xim was finally defeated and captured.

The species of the galaxy were prepared to unite. Hyperdrive technology had been perfected, and the Core Worlds became freely accessible. The Unification Wars represented the last major conflict before unification, and in their aftermath, the Galactic Republic was established with the signing of the Galactic Constitution. This marked the end of the Pre-Republic era and the beginning of the Expansionist and Old Republic era.

Numerous conflicting theories surround the origins of Humans, but prominent historians suggest that Coruscant was their most likely homeworld. The Zhell were the earliest known Human civilization, consisting of thirteen nations, but all that remains of them is the poem Dha Werda Verda, which describes their ancient battles with the Taung.

As Humans developed interstellar travel capabilities, they colonized numerous worlds, including the Core Worlds of Alderaan, Corellia, Axum, Alsakan, and Metellos. The presence of Humans on the Outer Rim world of Argai highlighted the extent of Human colonization efforts. During the rise of the Infinite Empire, Corellia and Coruscant fell under their control and were subjected to slavery until the Empire's collapse.

The pirate Xim, descended from early Coruscanti colonists, established an empire in the Tion Cluster in 25,130 BBY, conquering and unifying the cluster's numerous governments. To eliminate his empire's enemies, he established a secret police force, the GenoHaradan, which outlived the empire by over twenty thousand years. His imperialistic ambitions eventually led to conflict with the Hutts. He was defeated, and his empire was destroyed, at the Third Battle of Vontor.

The Azure Imperium was an empire of Core Worlds situated along the Perlemian Trade Route. Its capital was Axum, whose sister world Anaxes provided the shipyards and defenses that protected the Axum system. Hundreds of years before the Republic, the Imperium was peacefully annexed by Coruscant.

The Seoularians were a Human race from Seoul 5 whose civilization spanned multiple planets. The ruins of their garrisons could still be found on several planets eons later, after their extinction. They were technologically advanced and had created a set of crystals capable of amplifying mental energy and generating immense power, enough to destroy a planet when combined.

The Seoularians were wiped out in a massive war, which was mistakenly believed to have destroyed their homeworld. They worshiped the mother goddess Onrai, mistress of the planet Notron, their name for the homeworld of humanity. Humans sometimes felt a strange familiarity when viewing statues of Onrai.

The Duros were early pioneers in space travel. Similar to Humans, they spread across the stars of the Core, colonizing worlds such as Neimoidia. They were also enslaved by the Infinite Empire.

Duro's government was a hereditary monarchy. The last ruler of the Duros before the founding of the Republic was Queen Rana Mas Trehalt.

The Rakatan Infinite Empire encompassed a significant portion of the galaxy, although the number of worlds it controlled was limited. The Infinite Empire was built on the backs of slaves and powered by the Star Forge. The Rakata used the Force to establish their Empire, as it powered their hyperdrive technology and the Star Forge itself. This use of the Force for conquest transformed the Forge into an artifact of the dark side and may have caused their species to become blind to the Force. This, combined with a deadly plague that only affected Rakata and a sudden slave rebellion, ultimately led to the Empire's downfall, and the Rakata retreated to their home planet of Lehon.

Originating on Varl, the Hutts established their expansionist Hutt Empire in the Outer and Mid Rims. They colonized several worlds, including Ko Vari and Evocar, where they encroached on the native Evocii population and eventually became the dominant force in the galaxy for a few centuries, between the decline of the Rakata and the rise of the Republic. The Hutt victory over Xim's forces at Vontor and their recruitment of the Klatooinians, Nikto, and Vodran solidified their position as a permanent power in the region later known as Hutt Space.

The Sith species originated on the planet Korriban. While they practiced sentient sacrifice, maintained a strict caste system, and were in a near-constant state of war, their civilization was highly sophisticated; they viewed these acts as fundamental aspects of existence rather than as cruel or barbaric. Their social structure was highly rigid, and while many achieved the title of Sith Lord, only one, King Adas, attained the position of monarch. Around 28,000 BBY, Adas, recognized as a chosen one from a young age due to his unique black skin, united the nations and tribes of Korriban through violent warfare. He assumed the title Sith'ari, meaning "overlord," and was regarded by his people as an immortal being who would rule forever.

Eventually, the Rakata arrived on Korriban. Initially feigning alliance with Adas and providing him with holocron technology, they soon revealed their intentions and attempted to conquer the Sith. Adas and the Sith retaliated and drove off the Infinite Empire's forces, with the king sacrificing his life in the process. Without Adas's leadership, Korriban quickly descended into civil war, with many proclaiming themselves Sith'ari. The widespread infighting eventually forced the Sith to relocate their capital to Ziost.

Around 100,000 BBY, the Columi departed their homeworld of Columus and explored the galaxy, observing the civilizations of Coruscant and Duro. Finding nothing of particular interest, they returned to Columus.

In the Outer Rim, the Gree established their own interstellar civilization. Gree society was centered on innovation, with all major social castes, except administrators, involved in the design, creation, and application of new inventions. The Gree created numerous technological marvels, many of whose secrets have been lost to time. Like many other ancient civilizations, the Gree civilization eventually declined into a shadow of its former glory.

The Kwa, a reptilian species, inhabited Dathomir and constructed the Infinity Gates that enabled them to teleport between worlds. The Kwa civilization eventually collapsed, nearly exterminated by the Rakata.

The Sharu, a humanoid race native to the Rafa system, constructed colossal plastic pyramids and the Mindharp of Sharu, a strange object that constantly changed form as it shifted through dimensions. During this period, the Sharu developed an immense fear of something, believed to be the Celestials, and retreated underground, using mind-altering life orchards to diminish their intelligence and transform into the primitive Toka.

The insectoid Killik species, originating on Alderaan, developed space travel and eventually expanded to the nearby world of Alsakan. Around 35,000 BBY, the species was driven from the Core into the Unknown Regions by the Celestials.

When Human colonists arrived on these worlds millennia later, the only evidence of previous civilization was the massive mounds they had left behind, including the Castle Lands of Alderaan.

With most worlds existing in isolation, the technological history of the Pre-Republic era primarily involved the typical advancements required to establish an industrial civilization. Worlds likely experienced equivalents of the Stone Age, Industrial Revolution, and other similar periods. Eventually, each species developed the means to leave their planet and travel at sublight speeds, resulting in a Space Age. The first warships, primitive nuclear-powered rockets with basic laser weaponry, also appeared during this time.

During this era, countless engineering pioneers contributed to the development and refinement of the hyperdrive after the fall of the Infinite Empire. Their efforts culminated in the creation of the device that would remain the primary method of interstellar travel for over 25,000 years.

The discovery of hyperspace travel was the initial step toward the eventual unification of the galaxy by providing species with a means to overcome the light barrier. The hyperspace cannon, a device that accelerated ships into hyperspace, was the first technology to utilize this. However, it had significant limitations: the extent of travel was limited by the number of cannons, ships needed to induce drag to exit hyperspace at the correct time, and, most importantly, it was a one-way trip unless another cannon was built at the destination. These cannons initially connected the Humans and the Duros.

The peak of Pre-Republic innovation occurred with the invention of the hyperdrive, which finally enabled civilizations to freely traverse the galaxy by traveling at speeds far exceeding the speed of light. The hyperdrive facilitated the rise of the Galactic Republic by connecting and uniting species from worlds across the galaxy. The invention of the hyperdrive is sometimes attributed to the mysterious Celestials, who are said to have gifted it to other species, although it is now believed that Corellian and Duros scientists developed it by reverse-engineering Rakatan technology.

By the time of the Galactic Alliance, Pre-Republic myths included "dark knights" who fought mounted with lances, later compared to the lancer troops who fought in the Battle of Muunilinst. Whether these dark knights actually existed or were merely widespread folklore remains unknown.

One of the most significant developments of this period, based on its profound impact on galactic society, was the creation of artificial intelligence and the invention of droids. Droids had appeared in advanced civilizations for countless millennia, but they were first developed in what would become Republic space around 30,000 BBY. Some doubted that this technology could ever match natural sentience, a sentiment echoed by philosophers like Plaristes.

By precisely manipulating gravitational fields, the Celestials altered the orbits of the planets in the Corellian system, resulting in the unusual occurrence of five planets in the same system capable of supporting life. To aid in the system's construction, enormous planetary repulsors were installed beneath the surface of the five inhabited planets.

The extraordinary feats performed in the construction of the Corellian system were made possible by the massive space station known as Centerpoint, located at the L1 point between Talus and Tralus. Centerpoint's capabilities stemmed from its massive tractor-beam installation, capable of even moving objects through hyperspace. In later years, the Killiks claimed to have built Centerpoint; however, no evidence supports this beyond their claims. It has been speculated that the Killiks were used as manual labor by the Celestials to construct the station and that its purpose was to imprison the being known as Abeloth.

Similar to the Corellian system, the cluster of black holes known as the Maw was so precisely arranged that it likely resulted from the work of an ancient civilization. Similar gravitational technology was likely used to move the star-like masses of the black holes that composed the Maw. The Killiks also claimed to have created it, but, as with Centerpoint, no evidence supports their claim. Some theorized that the Maw's purpose was to serve as a prison for Abeloth.

The Star Forge was the pride of the Rakatan Infinite Empire, a colossal space station and factory that converted the raw plasma of Lehon's sun into ships and weapons. Fueled by their aggression and conquest, the Star Forge was transformed into an artifact of the dark side, further corrupting the Rakatan people. With the collapse of the Infinite Empire, the Star Forge was abandoned, its secrets locked within the Temple of the Ancients. Rakatan temples across the galaxy contained their Star Maps, built as testaments to the Infinite Empire's power.

The Star Temples were artifacts of the Kwa, constructed to house the power of the Infinity Gates. The Gates themselves were primarily a means of transportation between different worlds, although, as a last resort, they could also be activated as weapons that destroyed everything in their vicinity. The Star Temples protected the power of the Gates from being used by outsiders.

The term Pre-Republic was occasionally used by individuals such as Jedi Master Odan-Urr to refer only to the brief period between the discovery of the hyperdrive and the founding of the Republic. The end of the Pre-Republic era was known as the Expansionist Era.

Concepts from this era often use standard Earth terminology, such as Kossak and Condottiere. The word "robot" and the suffix "-bot" are preferred over "droid" when referring to Pre-Republic machines. Sleeper ships are also common in science fiction works dealing with potential future Earth technology.

Alien Exodus was a planned novel set in the Pre-Republic era, but since it was never published, its planned story developments remain non-canon.