In Star Wars Tales #19 (and later, reprinted, in the Star Wars Fan Club Special 2008), there is a
story called Into the Great Unknown. In the story, Han Solo and Chewbacca are aboard the
Millennium Falcon, when they are attacked by Imperials. They are forced to leap to hyperspace
blind and end up in our solar system, where they crash on Earth. Once there, Han is killed by
Native Americans and the mourning Chewbacca is believed to be a sasquatch (perhaps the
Sasquatch, AKA “Bigfoot”). Over a century later, the wreckage of the Falcon and Han’s remains
are found by the intrepid American archaeologist Indiana Jones.
We can infer a few dates from this, if we are so inclined. We can infer all of the following:
First, Han makes mention of America’s forest (probably in Humboldt County, California, or
somewhere close) as looking like Endor, which puts the story firmly after Han’s first encounter
with the forest moon in Return of the Jedi. Since the Empire seems to still be going after them,
we can also assume that the story is set before the events of Vision of the Future, when the treaty
with the Imperial Remnant is signed. Since Han also mentions that he always figured Chewie
would be killed saving Han or his kids, we have to conclude that the tale takes place sometime
between 9 (more likely 11) ABY and 19 ABY.
Second, the Indiana Jones portion of the tale, when he finds the wreckage, can also be dated. I
had once believed that it must take place somewhere around 1935, due to the fact that Short
Round, the little kid from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, which takes place in 1935, is
with him in this story but not in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1936). However, reader Avery Goodman
pointed out two things to me: first, Indy refers to Atlantis technology, placing this story after
Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis; and, second, Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis has
been set as taking place in May 1939 by Indiana Jones: The Ultimate Guide. Thus, I am agreeing
with Avery in placing Into the Unknown in 1939.
Third, the story tells us that the Indy segment is 126 years after the Han and Chewie segment.
So, if we assume a date of 1939 for the Indiana Jones segment, then the Star Wars segment takes place in 1813. If we then split the difference of the date for the Star Wars segment to be 15 ABY (halfway between Empire’s End and Vision of the Future), then A New Hope must take place (using how similar Earth and Star Wars years are in length) around 1798.
