Star Wars: The High Republic is the next big project set in that twice-distant galaxy fans know and love. If most of the Star Wars stories take place a long time ago, The High Republic is meant to be a little bit longer ago than most, with a story surrounding events two centuries before the events of the prequel films.

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Of course, this is not the oldest time period explored. Many of the best Star Wars stories take place in the period of the Old Republic, thousands of years before the start of the Skywalker Saga. The best of these stories is The Knights of the Old Republic video game duology (widely known by the acronym KOTOR). Here are five things The High Republic should take from KOTOR and five it should leave out.

10 Take:  Inner Workings of Jedi Order

One of the best parts of KOTOR was how much of the Jedi Order was explored. The game looked at various classes of Jedi such as Guardians and Consulars who served different functions within the Order, while also exploring new Force powers.

While the prequels showed a time of decline among the Jedi, The High Republic is set at a time when the Jedi are at their peak and the Force had not yet been weakened. Seeing all of the potential of the Jedi Order would be the highlight of the series.

9 Leave Out: Sith

The Sith have long been the greatest enemy of the Jedi. While Darth Vader is the most famous Dark Lord of the Sith, KOTOR games introduced the Sith Lords Malak, Revan, Traya, and Nihilus. The games also referenced the great Sith leaders of bygone eras such as the lightsaber duelist Exar Kun and the master alchemist Naga Sadow.

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The High Republic is set during overlapped with the Rule of Two, when the Sith were in their millennium-long commitment to operating in secret. Leaving them in the shadows will add to the sense of mystery surrounding them, while allowing new enemies like the Nihil to take center stage.

8 Take: Ancient Temples

One aspect of Star Wars which has always appealed to fans is the sense of wonder and mystery that Lucas created. Ancient temples like the one on Yavin 4 are a classic part of the lore.

KOTOR allowed players to visit the Valley of the Dark Lords on Korriban, which would be a prime place to return to in The High Republic (showing what the planet looks like without any Sith present). Exploring ancient Jedi or Rakatan Temples would be just as cool.

7 Leave Out: Wound in the Force

A key feature of the plot of KOTOR 2 is that a Wound in the Force has been opened, caused by the tragic use of the Mass Shadow Generator at Malachor V. Similar Force wounds can be felt in the events of the Jedi Purge and the destruction of Alderaan, while the Sith under Darth Tenebrous began to tear a small wound in the Force to weaken the Jedi.

The High Republic offers a unique opportunity to show the Jedi at their full power. Damaging the Force would undermine this rare opportunity.

6 Take: Shadowlands of Kashyyyk

The home planet of the Wookiees is known for its treetop cities nestled in the branches of the Wroshyr trees. While part of the ground of Kashyyyk was featured during Star Wars: Episode III The Revenge of the Sith, the Shadowlands of Kashyyyk have rarely been seen.

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These dark tangled nests of roots and mist conceal dangerous fauna and ancient secrets. Even grown Wookies fear the Shadowlands, making this a perfect place for Jedi to confront a very different sort of darkness than most have ever seen.

5 Leave Out: Malachor V

Malachor V was the site of a massive fight during the Mandalorian Wars. The fallen Jedi Meetra Surik used the weapon known as the Mass Shadow Generator to defeat the Mandalorians, rending open the wound in the Force.

Malachor V is part of the new Star Wars canon. Though the nature of the calamity there remains a mystery, Star Wars: Rebels revealed that at the time of the Galactic Empire, the planet had a long-abandoned Sith temple surrounded by thousands of carbonized corpses. For now, the mystery is cooler than any answers could be.

4 Take: Unknown Regions

The part of the galaxy known as the Unknown Regions is an area difficult for spacecraft to navigate. It is located beyond the Outer Rim. Several alien species live there, among them the Chiss.

The climax of KOTOR involved Revan's return to the planet Rakata Prime, which was the former homeworld of the alien Rakata who once ruled the galaxy--a world that is currently part of the established post-Disney canon. There is so much story potential waiting to be discovered in this Unknown part of space.

3 Leave Out:  Mandalorians

Disney+ released the show The Mandalorian to critical acclaim. During the time of the Old Republic, the Mandalorian Wars nearly destroyed the Republic, who proved incapable of defending against these relentless warriors. Only when the Jedi Revan defeated the Mandalorians did they stop attacking Republic worlds. In the aftermath of the conflict, they were scattered and over the centuries were forced to change their identity.

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There is no denying that Mandalorians bring a cool factor that fans love. This is exactly why they should not be in too much material. Overusing this military society will lessen their impact.

2 Take: Organized Crime

The Exchange is one of many organized criminal empires to span the galaxy, being based on the smugglers' moon of Nar Shaddaa. They had bases of operations on planets in every major sector and at one point they warred with the Hutt Cartel over control of the criminal underworld.

Whether the Exchange, the Hutt Cartel, or some other group like the Black Sun, The High Republic needs to explore the seedier groups behind smuggling, trafficking, spice running, and other criminal activities.

1 Leave Out: Rakghouls

The Rakghoul Plague was a horrifying epidemic that turned anyone infected into a monstrous creature. It was originally created by the Sith Lord Karness Muur who would use his powers to control the minds of anyone turned into rakghouls. After his passing, the creatures were mindless savage brutes that attacked anyone who came close, as was seen when the wreaked havoc on the Undercity of the planet Taris.

The biggest problem with the Rakghoul Plague is that it has too much in common with a zombie outbreak. This is a tired trope in speculative fiction and one that seems like lazy writing. There are enough space zombies in Star Wars already. The High Republic is about giving life to new stories, not resurrecting old cliches. That is what makes it so promising and rife with possibility. In this unexplored period for the Jedi, anything could happen.

NEXT: Star Wars: 5 Things We Hope To See In The High Republic (& 5 We Hope They Stay Away From)