When Does "Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens" (2015) Take Place?
"Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens" is a science fiction film written by Lawrence Kasdan with J.J. Abrams and Michael Arndt and released December 17th, 2015.
It takes place on the fictional Star Wars timeline in the year:
We know this because ALL the Star Wars franchise stories are simply set “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…”. As stated on Wikipedia, the final scenes of "Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope" (1977) depict a space dogfight and "This battle has become known as the Battle of Yavin, and its date is used as a place-marker for events in the expanded Star Wars universe. Events before the Battle of Yavin are marked by BBY ("Before the Battle of Yavin"), and events that occur after are marked by ABY ("After the Battle of Yavin")."
This film includes various references to the events of the original trilogy of films so it must take place after them, including the time of the Battle of Yavin.
34 ABY
We know this because ALL the Star Wars franchise stories are simply set “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…”. As stated on Wikipedia, the final scenes of "Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope" (1977) depict a space dogfight and "This battle has become known as the Battle of Yavin, and its date is used as a place-marker for events in the expanded Star Wars universe. Events before the Battle of Yavin are marked by BBY ("Before the Battle of Yavin"), and events that occur after are marked by ABY ("After the Battle of Yavin")."
This film includes various references to the events of the original trilogy of films so it must take place after them, including the time of the Battle of Yavin.
0 + 34 = 34.
Ben Solo was clearly not yet born at the end of the previous film, "Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi" (1983) but has grown to adulthood by the time of this film, meaning 20 years has passed, at least.
The entire plot seems to cover less than a month, meaning it is all contained within the 34 ABY calendar year.
This is the system most fans use as it was introduced first. It originates in a 1996 role-playing game. Wookieepedia includes an explanation entry.
There are also two more fictional calendars created for the Star Wars universe in the 2010s. By the CRC or Coruscant reckoning calendar, year 34 ABY is 8011. It's explained on Wookieepedia. By the Lothal Calendar, year 34 ABY is 3311 LY (for Lothal year). It's explained on Wookieepedia.
If you want to read a scientific attempt at making sense of an actual year on the Gregorian calendar when the Star Wars franchise takes place, there's an excellent article at Wired. Taking the "long time ago" part as gospel but recognizing the time it takes for any "galaxy far, far away" to form with stars and solar systems and planets with intelligent lifeforms. The author, Patrick Johnson, can only place it somewhere between 4.7 billion years ago to the more recent past something like 1,000 years ago.
It is a chronologically late film in the Star Wars universe and can be watched at its timeline point.
This is the system most fans use as it was introduced first. It originates in a 1996 role-playing game. Wookieepedia includes an explanation entry.
There are also two more fictional calendars created for the Star Wars universe in the 2010s. By the CRC or Coruscant reckoning calendar, year 34 ABY is 8011. It's explained on Wookieepedia. By the Lothal Calendar, year 34 ABY is 3311 LY (for Lothal year). It's explained on Wookieepedia.
If you want to read a scientific attempt at making sense of an actual year on the Gregorian calendar when the Star Wars franchise takes place, there's an excellent article at Wired. Taking the "long time ago" part as gospel but recognizing the time it takes for any "galaxy far, far away" to form with stars and solar systems and planets with intelligent lifeforms. The author, Patrick Johnson, can only place it somewhere between 4.7 billion years ago to the more recent past something like 1,000 years ago.
It is a chronologically late film in the Star Wars universe and can be watched at its timeline point.
