The Star Wars galaxy is vast and ever-expanding, and few projects exemplify its boundless storytelling potential quite like Star Wars: Visions. This animated anthology series has consistently delivered unique, culturally distinct interpretations of the beloved saga, inviting a diverse array of animation studios to offer their fresh perspectives. Following the critical acclaim of its first two volumes, Star Wars: Visions made a highly anticipated return with Volume 3 on October 29, 2025, continuing its tradition of imaginative and compelling short films.
Fans eager to delve into new adventures and revisit familiar concepts found a treasure trove of stories in Volume 3, with particular interest surrounding specific episodes like the sixth installment.
What is Star Wars: Visions?
Star Wars: Visions is an animated anthology series produced by Lucasfilm for Disney+, offering original short films inspired by the Star Wars universe. Unlike traditional Star Wars narratives that fit into the established canon, Visions grants animation studios creative freedom to re-envision the saga’s ideas as they see fit, resulting in a diverse range of artistic styles and storytelling approaches. The first volume, released in September 2021, featured nine anime short films from seven renowned Japanese animation studios. Volume 2, released on May 4, 2023, broadened its scope to include animation studios from around the globe, showcasing an even wider array of animation techniques and cultural lenses. Both volumes garnered significant critical acclaim, solidifying the series’ place as a beloved, innovative corner of the Star Wars franchise.
Star Wars: Visions Volume 3 Confirmed and Released
The excitement for more distinctive Star Wars tales reached a fever pitch with the official confirmation and subsequent release of Star Wars: Visions Volume 3. Disney and Lucasfilm announced that the third season would return to its anime roots, featuring nine short films from various Japanese animation studios. The series premiered on Disney+ worldwide on October 29, 2025.
The lineup of contributing studios for Volume 3 included returning favorites like Kamikaze Douga, Kinema Citrus Co., Production I.G, and Studio Trigger. Additionally, five new anime studios—ANIMA (in co-production with Kamikaze Douga), David Production, Polygon Pictures, Project Studio Q, and WIT Studio—made their Visions debut, further diversifying the visual and narrative landscape.
Exploring Volume 3’s Episodes: New Tales and Beloved Sequels
Volume 3 offered a captivating mix of brand-new narratives and sequels to popular stories from the first volume. This approach allowed the series to explore fresh concepts while also satisfying fans who longed for continuations of their favorite shorts. Notable sequels included “The Duel: Payback,” “The Ninth Jedi: Child of Hope,” and “The Village Bride: The Lost Ones”. The new stories brought equally imaginative concepts, such as “Yuko’s Treasure,” “The Smuggler,” “The Bounty Hunters,” “The Song of Four Wings,” “The Bird of Paradise,” and “Black,” the latter of which explored the tormented psyche of an Imperial soldier in a psychedelic battle of past and present.
A Deep Dive into Episode 6: “The Lost Ones”
Episode 6 of Star Wars: Visions Volume 3 is titled “The Lost Ones” and serves as a direct sequel to “The Village Bride” from Volume 1. Produced by Kinema Citrus Co., the short brings back the enigmatic Jedi survivor, F, continuing her journey in a galaxy still reeling from the aftermath of Order 66.
Synopsis and Key Themes
“The Lost Ones” delves deeper into the theme of compassion and the enduring fight against oppression. The story finds F protecting a ship of refugees—people displaced and exhausted from a world scarred by Imperial carbonite mining. These survivors face a dire choice: submit to the Empire for a semblance of safety or resist and risk total annihilation.
The episode begins with a figure in a radiation suit examining a rock, observed by F. They return to a village only to find one of their members missing, discovered frozen in carbonite alongside his family. This reveals the devastating impact of Imperial mining, which has unleashed carbonite clouds capable of freezing all living things, prompting the group’s search for a reversal process.
When a carbonite cloud threatens, F and the group escape in a shuttle, boarding a large transport filled with refugees in orbit. F interacts with children who, influenced by Imperial propaganda, believe the Jedi started the war and that the Force is a myth. The situation escalates dramatically when a Star Destroyer arrives, demanding the surrender of the Jedi among them or face destruction.
F is prepared to sacrifice herself, but Ron, the leader of the planetary team, and his droid, Lulu, devise a plan to help her. They feign handing F over for a Jedi bounty. On the Destroyer, F encounters her former Jedi Master, now known as Zero, who has fallen to the dark side and works with the Inquisition. Zero attempts to recruit F to hunt other Jedi, but she refuses, leading to a confrontation.
Meanwhile, Ron and Lulu plant carbonite capsules throughout the Star Destroyer, creating a distraction that causes the vessel to spiral out of orbit. F defeats Zero by freezing him in carbonite, and Ron rescues her. They escape in Lulu’s shuttle as the refugee transport jumps to hyperspace and the Star Destroyer explodes on the planet below.
Critical Reception and Significance
Critics lauded “The Lost Ones” for its emotional depth and strong character development, particularly for F. The episode powerfully explores the idea of compassion as a contagious force, showcasing how one individual’s strength can inspire a community’s will to survive. It was praised for grounding mythic themes in human experiences, demonstrating Kinema Citrus’s ability to handle both the innocence of childhood and the gravity of endurance. Many reviewers felt that “The Lost Ones” made a compelling case for continuing certain Visions stories, as F’s journey felt “unfinished in the best way,” presenting her as an embodiment of what the Jedi could be if they learned to listen again. The episode underscored that Star Wars is more than just battles; it’s about good people striving to do right and inspiring others to be better.
