Though Star Wars: Visions is largely a collection of one-off animated shorts exploring new corners of the Star Wars universe, one particularly memorable Visions story, “The Ninth Jedi,” will be further developed in season 3 and beyond. Though Star Wars’ canon timeline adheres to a (not entirely strict) set of rules, the galaxy offers plenty of room to exercise our imagination. How do different creators interpret the Force? What does it mean to them to be a Jedi or a Sith? What kind of new, exciting worlds can they produce?

That’s where Star Wars: Visions comes in, an animated anthology series that showcases international animation studios’ intricate styles and their vision of what Star Wars could be. Star Wars: Visions season 3 will return in October, but this season will function somewhat differently. While the bulk of the season will consist of new, independent short stories, a few familiar faces and worlds will be making their return, including the powerful “Ninth Jedi.”

The Ninth Jedi Is Set In A Timeline Where The Jedi Are Almost Extinct

In Star Wars: Visions season 1, episode 5, “The Ninth Jedi,” viewers are introduced to a far-flung part of the Star Wars timeline when the Jedi have all but disappeared and are hunted by Sith acolytes and their Jedi hunters. One Jedi Master, Margrave Juro, is intent on uniting the galaxy’s remaining masterless Jedi and reforming the Jedi Order. He enlists the help of a sabersmith named Lah Zhima to forge lightsabers for his new allies, whom he’s summoned to an old temple.

When two Jedi hunters arrive on Zhima’s doorstep, he tasks his daughter, Kara, who is strong with the Force but untrained, with bringing the completed lightsabers to the Margrave. Though reluctant to leave her father, she eventually makes it to the temple after deftly defeating her pursuer with one of her father’s blades. The truth comes to light when the summoned “Jedi” turn on their lightsabers for the first time: of the seven who answered the Margrave’s call, five are Sith acolytes. Their lightsabers turn red the second they ignite the plasma blades.

Though “The Ninth Jedi” told a semi-self-contained story, providing an interesting new perspective on the eternal struggle between the Sith and the Jedi, there was certainly room for more.

Kara’s lightsaber becomes green as the fight continues, signaling her strengthening connection with the Force. After the Sith are defeated, the remaining four Jedi, including Kara, become intent on saving her father and scouring the galaxy for the five remaining Jedi the Sith acolytes impersonated. As such, Kara becomes the titular “Ninth Jedi.”

What’s especially interesting about this episode is how it their lightsaber turned purple, signifying a different, more complex connection to the Force.

Though “The Ninth Jedi” told a semi-self-contained story, providing an interesting new perspective on the eternal struggle between the Sith and the Jedi, there was certainly room for more. Who were these missing Jedi? Would Kara be able to save her father? The ending was wide open. Thankfully, Kara’s and Juro’s story will officially continue.

The Ninth Jedi Timeline Will Continue In Star Wars Visions Season 3

Star Wars: Visions season 3 will feature three continuing season 1 Visions stories, including the sequels to “The Duel,” “The Village Bride,” and, of course, “The Ninth Jedi.” As revealed at this year’s Star Wars Celebration in Japan, the Kara-centric episode, “The Ninth Jedi: Child of Hope,” will follow Kara as she continues her quest to save her father.

Presumably, Kara’s story will be intertwined with the Margrave’s dream to unite the Jedi Order once more, though we’ll have to wait to see the episode to find out. Some footage was released at Celebration, including shots of Kara handling a droid companion, what appeared to be Jedi and Sith characters, and a discussion of a war before Kara’s birth.

Next Year's Visions Spinoff Will Continue To Explore These Sith Wars

That’s not all, however. Lucasfilm has faith in Production I.G.’s interpretation of Star Wars, as Kara’s world will not only be continued in Visions season 3 but also in an additional animated spinoff, set to premiere in 2026. The Ninth Jedi, a Star Wars: Visions Presents limited series, will further explore the state of the galaxy while the Sith reign supreme. Hopefully, it will also give us more answers about the Sith and Jedi war that allowed the Sith to take over.

The brilliance of “The Ninth Jedi’s” story is that, while it’s technically non-canonical, as all Visions stories are, it gives us a glimpse of a possible distant future rather than an entirely alternate reality. We can imagine which events led the galaxy to this particular timeline. What happened to the Jedi? How did they lose against the Sith (again)? How do they survive, and how will the galaxy change if the Jedi Order is restored? Production I.G.’s world in Star Wars: Visions is an endless well of opportunity, and I can’t wait to see it grow further.