What does BBY mean in Star Wars? Explained in depth as Andor Season 2 releases 

With the release of Andor Season 2, showcasing the gritty beginnings of the Rebel Alliance, fans may once again stumble upon a piece of Star Wars jargon—BBY. What does BBY mean in the context of Star Wars?

Simply put, BBY, in the context of Star Wars, means ‘Before the Battle of Yavin’ which notes the iconic destruction of the Death Star by Luke Skywalker in Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope. It denotes a calendar marker that splits the timeline of the galaxy into two periods: BBY (Before the Battle of Yavin) and ABY (After the Battle of Yavin).

This system of dating corresponds to BCE and CE in this galaxy, and while it has circulated in Star Wars media and fandom debates for years, it has only garnered an official explanation recently.

The release of Chris Kempshall’s in-universe history book, Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire, not only clarifies the nuances behind BBY but also the reason why that particular battle served as the focal point of the timeline.

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A galaxy marked by a moment of hope

The Battle of Yavin was more than just the ending sequence in A New Hope, it was a critical stage in the Galactic Civil War.

When Luke detonated the Death Star, he didn’t simply deliver a strike to the imperial forces; he single-handedly changed the paradigm of the struggle from anti-establishment guerrilla warfare to a full-blown military conflict with the approaching threat. The Dominion Empire used to have control over most worlds, came crumbling down.

Dr. Beaumont Kin, residing within the universe’s historical framework and later featured in The Rise of Skywalker, Kylo’s retellings provide the framework to understand why this particular event was christened as the foundation of galactic history.

In Kempshall’s novel (which in actuality uses Kin’s perspective as its narrator), Kin notes how after extensive discussions over other potential civilizational markers, such as the Empire’s formation post Order 66 and the Emperor’s death at Endor, it was ultimately the battle of Yavin that stood out for its significance and practicality.

“As my research progressed,” Kin writes, “it became increasingly clear that the history and activities of the Empire could be split into two different sections—those before the emergence of the Death Star and its destruction at Yavin and those afterward.”

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Why not the rise or fall of the Empire?

A hot debate certainly preceded the decision to select the Battle of Yavin as the milestone. As the book states, Palpatine’s combat historians considered the following:

• The Proclamation of a new order (When Palpatine named himself Emperor)
• The Battle of Endor (The Emperor was slain)
• The battle of Jakku (The civil war of the galaxy reaches its final battle)

All are immensely symbolic, ordered like so. The Rise of Palpatine marked the close of the Republic; his death happened during Endor, and the mark of the Empire’s feeble attempt occurred during Jakku.

However, they share a flaw; none of them has the uninterrupted, instant cleave that Yavin possessed. Unlike Palpatine’s, Yavin was a decisive event, filling the gaping void left by the political gradual rise and fall of the Republic. On the notice, Yavin also had a fracture- the clean separator with immediate aftermath.

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A narrative shift in galactic history

As with everything else, what makes BBY/ABY special isn't just chronology; it's symbolism. Imagine if historians picked Palpatine’s rise or fall as Palpatine’s epochal event.

History would have been centered around the Empire and its emperor. As Kin notes, that would have “made [Palpatine] a stand-in for the entire Empire.” The choice of Yavin marks a narrative shift toward the Rebellion, the people, and hope.

It reflects the timeline to mark oppression and not control, tyranny and not heroes, and resistance and not change.

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A Star Wars timeline to keep in mind for Andor

BBY is significant to comprehend as Andor Season 2 places the audience's attention just before A New Hope. The first season was set on 5 BBY, covering the growing rebellion and Andor’s development from a wanderer to a killer spy.

Season 2 is expected to bring the timeline almost up to 0 BBY, intending to position the final moments of the show right before the Battle of Yavin.

That all adds weight to every scene. Every sacrifice. Every mission. Every single galaxy-defining moment. Knowing the countdown to Yavin is ticking makes Andor not simply a prequel, but pivotal in the timeline that makes the galaxy go round.

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In summary

BBY denotes "Before the Battle of Yavin", and was first established in canon with The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire. It is more than a date marker; it captures the essence of the galaxy’s historical significance. Not the rise of oppression, but the inception of defiance.

As Andor deepens the exploration of the period preceding Yavin, the significance of BBY is emphasized even further– it reiterates that even in a galaxy filled with dread, the hope is ever-present.