The Star Wars franchise is rich with mythos in mainline canon as is, but the Legends continuity has more than its fair share of epics that many longtime fans would likely enjoy seeing canonized. Marvel's current books are doing well critically and commercially in their own right, but many of these fan-favorite Legends stories come from the likes of Dark Horse Comics' non-canon series.
This continuity can admittedly be a mixed bag of quality that doesn't justify wholesale canonization. However, between the likes of Knights of the Old Republic and The Thrawn Trilogy, there is more than enough quality content that would surely earn its place in Star Wars canon.
10 The Thrawn Trilogy
Thrawn has proven himself to be one of the Star Wars mythos' most effective villains before his canonized reintroduction. Created by Timothy Zahn, The Thrawn Trilogy sees Luke, Han, and Leia plunged into war against the titular tactician as he attempts to overthrow the New Republic.
This saga was first printed as a series of novels, but the comic book adaptation did just as well to capture the atmosphere of this inventive post-Return of the Jedi story. Thrawn's current presence in canon has received plenty of deserved praise, but this trilogy (also known as Heir to the Empire) was acclaimed for how it introduced a convincing new threat for the Original Trilogy heroes without treading tired ground.
9 Knights Of The Old Republic
Loosely inspired by some of the greatest Star Wars video games to date, John Jackson Miller and a revolving team of artists penned an impressive Knights of the Old Republic for Dark Horse. It introduces Zayne Carrick as he's framed for the slaughter of his fellow Padawans and attempts to clear his name.
With more than enough content to justify a standalone universe, Knights of the Old Republic is a deeply immersive series characterized by action, revelations, political conspiracies, and a well-written original cast of characters. With its setting being far from the Skywalker Saga and its tonally mature approach, the gripping dark drama of KotOR could effortlessly carve its own space in the Disney canon.
8 By The Emperor's Hand
Mara Jade is undoubtedly one of the most beloved Star Wars Legends characters. Debuting in Zahn's Thrawn Trilogy, the Empire's former assassin returns in Zahn, Michael Stackpole, Carlos Ezquerra, and James Sinclair's By the Emperor's Hand to hunt down the man who defeated Palpatine - Luke Skywalker.
Mara Jade is among the most compelling Legends characters, and By the Emperor's Hand is a fantastic spotlight on her origin and growing dynamic with Luke. She would have been a thrilling addition to a canonical post-Return of the Jedi story, but not only for being in a romance with Luke. Mara is a complex character in her own right, and she's a welcome reversal of the "damsel in distress" trope.
7 Purge
One of the greatest Darth Vader-focused Star Wars comics in or out of continuity, Purge is an exciting post-Revenge of the Sith story. Set during the aftermath of Emperor Palpatine executing Order 66, this one-shot follows the Dark Lord hunting down a group of Jedi aware of Obi-Wan Kenobi's location.
Like many Darth Vader Star Wars comics, Purge is an incredibly visceral read. It demonstrates the ruthlessness (and obsession) of the Sith Lord when he sets his sights on a target. In just 32 pages, John Ostrander, Douglas Wheatley, and Ronda Pattison's one-shot perfectly conveys the elements of the character that make him a name spoken of in hushed tones across the galaxy.
6 Tales Of The Jedi
Tales of the Jedi is another worthwhile epic for fans of Knights of the Old Republic's lore. Created by Tom Veitch, Kevin Anderson, and a revolving team of artists, this sprawling series spanned an age of the Old Republic known collectively as the Great Sith War.
Chronicling a period when the Sith Empire relentlessly sought to expand its influence, Tales of the Jedi is a fantastic long-running series that depicts a fascinating bygone era of Star Wars mythos. The series' dark, grandiose sense of drama and interesting cast of characters (like the tragic Ulic Qel-Droma and the unapologetic ruthlessness of Exar Kun) would be another seamless fit into the canon as a standalone Old Republic saga.
5 The Crimson Empire Saga
Emperor Palpatine's Imperial Royal Guard has been touted as some of the most fearsome in the galaxy, but The Crimson Empire Saga was one of the few stories to showcase this. Set after the events of Dark Empire, this series follows Kir Kanos, one of the most formidable and loyal Royal Guards, as he escapes and thwarts an attempted coup by one of his former comrades.
The Crimson Empire could have a canon appeal similar to Disney+'s The Bad Batch, as Kir Kanos represents a remnant of a dark past trying to find purpose in a tumultuous galaxy. The series proved to be gripping supplemental material to expand on the Royal Guard's lore beyond simply being set dressing.
4 Dark Times
The spiritual successor to Dark Horse Comics' Republic series, Dark Times is set during the titular era of Imperial rule. Several artists contributed to Mick Harrison's long-running comic series, with the book opening as Jedi Master Dass Jennir leads a doomed rebellion against the Empire.
While the Rebelsanimated series did a thoroughly satisfying job of telling impactful stories in between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope, Dark Times told a refreshingly gritty interpretation of this bleak period in the Star Wars timeline. This point in history is admittedly heavily trodden territory even in canon, but this engrossing series could still comfortably be recontextualized to fit within this broad era.
3 Darth Vader And The Ghost Prison
Dark Horse Comics' Darth Vader and the Ghost Prison was a strong installment during the publisher's closing days with the license. After an attempted coup leaves Emperor Palpatine on the brink of death, Darth Vader embarks on a quest to the titular prison used by the Jedi Council during the Clone Wars in search for a solution.
Haden Blackman, Agustin Alessio, and Michael Heissler's Legends storyline is one of the most riveting Vader-centric stories in Star Wars comics, as well as unfiltered insight into Imperial hierarchy. Darth Vader and the Ghost Prison not only highlights the cutthroat atmosphere of the Empire's rank-and-file, but it also shines a rare spotlight on some of the Jedi Council's most morally reprehensible wartime practices.
2 Dawn Of The Jedi
Star Wars boasts one of the most expansive mythos' in fiction, and Dawn of the Jedi was the Legends' continuity's origin story for the prolific order. Written by John Ostrander and penciled by Jan Duursema, the long-running book is set 26,000 years before A New Hope and chronicles the predecessors of the modern Jedi Order.
Dawn of the Jedi is suitably grandiose in narrative scale and art thanks to Duursema's pencils and Wes Dzioba's colors, painting one of the most unique pictures of the Star Wars universe. It's a fascinating way to depict the origin of the Jedi's structure and philosophy, and fans may see elements of this comic get canonized in James Mangold's upcoming Dawn of the Jedi film.
1 Legacy
Ostrander and his team of artists' work on Legacy turned into one of the biggest fan-favorite comics. A distant sequel to the Original Trilogy set 137 years after Return of the Jedi, this saga follows Cade Skywalker and his band of bounty hunters doing what they can to survive within Darth Krayt's new Sith Empire.
Despite being initially controversial due to its audacious premise in succeeding the Original Trilogy, Legacy developed into one of the most creative post-RotJ stories. As opposed to another group of aspiring rebels, centering its story around a jaded descendant of Luke resigned to leave the galaxy to its own devices paved the way for some deeply fulfilling character growth for both Cade and his supporting cast.