Star Wars just broke with nearly five decades of tradition by releasing information about a starship in Star Wars: The Acolyte before it’s appeared on screen. The Acolyte is the next release of Star Wars’ upcoming TV shows, and The Acolyte’s timeline suggests a particularly exciting update to Star Wars’ movies and TV shows. Set in the High Republic Era, approximately 100 years before Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, The Acolyte will reveal new details about the demise of the Jedi. Interestingly, Star Wars unveiled a new starship ahead of the show, an unusual move for the franchise.

Shared on the Star Wars databank page, the Polan-717 will appear in The Acolyte as a Jedi transport shuttle. Star Wars has confirmed that the ship was used by the Jedi Order throughout the High Republic Era and added details about the ship’s dimensions, along with the manufacturing company, Lantillian Shipwrights. The databank page also confirms that the Polan-717 was used for everyday and long-distance missions, which is vague enough that speculation about how the ship will be used in the show can only be limited.

Star Wars Understands That Starships Are Characters Too

Many of Star Wars’ most iconic ships are just as beloved as Star Wars’ most popular characters. Han Solo’s Millennium Falcon from the original Star Wars trilogy is perhaps the best example of how important a ship can be in the franchise. In fact, when Rey and Finn are running for a ship in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the excitement at the sight of the Millennium Falcon rivaled that of the appearance of the original trilogy’s three heroes. However, many ships have also become beloved in Star Wars, from Din Djarin’s Razor Crest to Luthen Rael’s Fondor Haulcraft.

Many of Star Wars’ most iconic ships are just as beloved as Star Wars’ most popular characters.

Given this substantial history, it’s clear Star Wars is aware that ships can act as characters, and the franchise takes advantage by giving the ships a life of their own. Presumably, this will be true with the Polan-717 in The Acolyte. Because Star Wars has highlighted the ship on a databank page before the show has even been released, it has already been imbued with some level of importance. Showcasing the ship in this way is particularly exciting because it’s clear the vessel is used for various purposes by the Jedi.

As The Acolyte is a thrilling new look into the Jedi Order’s past, the Polan-717 could play a pivotal role; however, what form that could take still remains a mystery. Although updates about the show are ongoing, every bit of new information is an exciting nod toward what could be to come in this new era of Star Wars movies and TV shows. It’s clear that the show will be revolutionary in a number of ways, and Star Wars is already signaling that by offering details such as a brand-new starship before Star Wars: The Acolyte even releases.