A new Star Wars book has revealed the official origins of Professor Huyang, the ancient droid who first appeared in The Clone Wars animated series. Having served the Jedi Order for thousands of generations, Huyang is a walking archive possessing centuries of the Jedi's history with particular reference to the lightsabers they wielded. Now, the droids' origins have finally been revealed ahead of his live-action debut in Ahsoka (where he'll continue to be voiced by actor David Tennant).
Thanks to the new Star Wars: Timelines book from Kristin Baver, Jason Fry, Cole Horton, Amy Richau, and Clayton Sandell, fans now have a fairly comprehensive reference guide for the Star Wars universe and its continuity. Not only does the book include key clarifications as to when certain events took place on the established timeline, it also reveals new insights into the ancient past of the Star Wars galaxy. As such, the origins and history of Professor Huyang and his work with the early Jedi Order have now come to light.
Huyang Was Created By The First Jedi Himself
As confirmed by one of the very first entries in the Star Wars: Timelines book, Huyang was created by the First Jedi himself, thousands of years before the Skywalker saga:
"c. 25,020 BBY: Professor Huyang powered up
The architect droid Professor Huyang begins training Jedi younglings in the delicate art of lightsaber construction."
According to the new reference book, Huyang was programmed very close to the Jedi Order's inception for the sole purpose of training younglings in the art of lightsaber construction, helping them find their crystals and guiding them as they created the primary tools that would aid them as future guardians of peace and justice. Likewise, this means Huyang continued to fulfill his directives for thousands of years.
Dating back just over 25,000 years "Before the Battle of Yavin", Huyang was active during the Old and High Republic eras, helping countless younglings just as he does in the Clone Wars season 5 arc where he and Ahsoka helped a group of younglings bond with their kyber crystals and build their lightsabers. It's also confirmed that Huyang helped both Master Yoda and Mace Windu when they were younglings. Thanks to his upcoming live-action debut in Ahsoka, it's now known that he survived both the fall of the Jedi Order and the reign of Empire, still active during the New Republic.
Will Huyang Appear In Star Wars' Dawn Of The Jedi Movie?
The specific timing of Huyang coming online 25,000 years before A New Hope is very significant given Star Wars' recent movie news. As revealed during Star Wars Celebration 2023 in London, director James Mangold is currently working on Dawn of the Jedi, a new movie showcasing the epic origins of the First Jedi set in 25,0000 BBY. As such, Tennant's Huyang could very well make an appearance in the upcoming Star Wars movie beyond his return in Ahsoka. It would certainly be exciting to see the ancient droid's origins revealed on the big screen.