Editing Trilogy (section)

{{short description|Set of three works of art that are connected}}
{{Other uses}}

[[File:KingdomTales_Classic_Trilogy_Cover.jpg | thumb | right | alt=Tales of the Kingdom Trilogy Classic Edition | Tales of the Kingdom Trilogy Classic Edition]]
A '''trilogy''' is a set of three distinct works that are connected and can be seen either as a single work or as three individual works. They are commonly found in [[literature]], [[film]], and [[video game]]s. Three-part works that are considered components of a larger work also exist, such as the [[triptych]] or the three-movement [[sonata]], but they are not commonly referred to with the term "trilogy".

Most trilogies are works of [[fiction]] involving the same characters or setting, such as ''[[The Deptford Trilogy]]'' of novels by [[Robertson Davies]], ''[[The Apu Trilogy]]'' of films by [[Satyajit Ray]], and [[The Kingdom (miniseries)|''The Kingdom Trilogy'']] of television miniseries from 1994 to 2022 by [[Lars von Trier]]. Other fiction trilogies are connected only by theme: for example, each film of [[Krzysztof Kieślowski]]'s [[Three Colours trilogy]] explores one of the political ideals of the [[French Republic]] ([[Liberté, égalité, fraternité|liberty, equality, fraternity]]). Trilogies can also be connected in less obvious ways, such as ''[[The Nova Trilogy]]'' of novels by [[William S. Burroughs]], each written using [[cut-up technique]].

The term is seldom applied outside media. One example is the "[[Tribal sovereignty in the United States|Marshall Trilogy]]", a common term for three rulings written by U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice [[John Marshall]] from 1823 to 1832 concerning the legal status of Native Americans under U.S. law.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tm112.community.uaf.edu/unit-1/marshall-trilogy-1823-1832/|title=The Marshall Trilogy|website=Tm112.community.uaf.edu|access-date=2 December 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150107021630/http://tm112.community.uaf.edu/unit-1/marshall-trilogy-1823-1832/|archive-date=7 January 2015}}</ref>

Trilogies&mdash;and series in general&mdash;are common in [[speculative fiction]].<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.tor.com/2013/12/26/the-trilogy-why-for-art-thou/| title = Tor.com: "Trilogy, why for art thou?"| date = 26 December 2013}}</ref>