Kids have always loved Star Wars, but now they have an animated series geared specifically toward them and it even has LGBTQ+ representation!
Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures debuted on Star Wars Day (May the 4th) this year, with six more episodes in the first season dropping on Disney + and Disney Junior starting on August 2.
Set during the High Republic Era, the show follows Jedi kids Kai Brighstar, Lys Solay, Nubs, and their friends as they hone their skills and embark on adventures across the galaxy.
Not only is the show a great entry point into the Star Wars universe for young viewers, but it has also subtly woven in some great queer representation. In the first short in the second episode, titled “Nash’s Race Day,” we find out that pilot Nash Durango has two moms. The couple is seen cheering on their daughter as she wins the race, and although they only play a small role in the episode, the matter-of-fact inclusion of gay characters will make queer Star Wars fans and kids with LGBTQ+ parents feel more accepted.
Courtesy of Disney+
While it’s great to see this on a kids show, it is far from the first example we have of LGBTQ+ representation in a Star Wars property meant for a younger audience. The burgeoning romance between Padawan Lula Talisola and the Force-sensitive Zeen Mrala's Force is a main plot point in Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures and Lula's Jedi Master, Kantam Sy, is also nonbinary. Plus, Justina Ireland's Phase I middle-grade and young adult novels star Vernestra Rwoh who is AroAce (aromantic asexual) and the character is set to be in the new show The Acolyte which will hit Disney + sometime next year.
The creation of diverse characters like these sends a clear message that all genders and sexualities are welcome in the Star Wars universe.
New episodes of Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures will be available on Disney + and Disney Junior beginning on August 2, 2023.
