As we all know by now, the future of the Star Wars Expanded Universe is very much alive and well according to last weeks press release from Lucasfilm. The sticking point for a lot of Star Wars Expanded Universe fans is the fact that previous stories will fall into a category outside of what is considered Lucasfilm canon. For some, that is a breath of fresh air as we prepare ourselves for a new era of Star Wars movies, television series, books, comics and video games. For others, there is sense of melancholy with the realization that stories, characters and ideas that we have embraced during the past 20 plus years will fall off the Star Wars radar.
But is there a way that we can appreciate and enjoy our current Expanded Universe while looking forward to what is now going to be Star Wars stories canonized by Lucasfilm?
I admit it...I’m a huge fan of the Star Wars Expanded Universe as it currently stands. And I think for most fans, the real era of Expanded Universe stories began with the Zahn Trilogy. There was a significant period of time between the release of Return of the Jedi and the release of these novels that almost seemed like the heralding in of a new era in Star Wars...and it was. Granted, there were certainly some great novels that came out during the years the Original Trilogy was in full “force” such as the Han Solo novels by Brian Daley, Splinter of the Minds Eye by Alan Dean Foster and the Lando Calrissian novels. But for the most part these were very much stand alone novels in the greater Star Wars timeline and even the most dedicated Expanded Universe fan accepts these as great stories that do not necessarily have a significant impact on the events of the movies or beyond.
Del Rey Books gave us such a plethora of stories spanning the New Republic era, the New Jedi Order, Legacy of the Jedi, Fate of the Jedi, Old Republic era and even stand alone novels set in the Original Trilogy era. Dark Horse Comics did such an incredible job giving us gorgeous and exciting art work along with amazing stories that filled in many eras of the Star Wars timeline. Who can forget classics story arcs as Dark Empire, the Crimson Empire, Knights of the Old Republic, Legacy and more recently the collection of Darth Vader stories.
Lucasarts was also a player in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. Their most well known contribution has to be the Knights of the Old Republic series. Not only is this a tremendously enjoyable gaming experience but it is one of the first times that a Star Wars video game contained such an enormous historical account of the Old Republic era from such varied angles. And while some may disagree with me, The Force Unleashed was also a very significant event in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. While this storyline will probably be written out of canon, I believe this story pulls together those gray areas of the story between Episode 3 and Episode 4 in a very strong and plausible manner.
And how can anyone forget such events in the Star Wars Expanded Universe such as the deaths of Chewbacca, Anakin Solo, Jacen Solo and Mara Jade Skywalker? What about the revelation that Darth Krayt is A’sherad Hett? Or how about seeing Luke as a force ghost in Legacy? Even some over-the-top-out-of-this-world infinity stories such as the time Indiana Jones comes face-to-face with Han Solo?
So in a nutshell, I am a huge fan of the Star Wars Expanded Universe. But does that mean that I am not going to enjoy the future Star Wars titles that are on the horizon? I highly doubt that.
I was very pleased to see that John Jackson Miller, who has been bringing us Star Wars Expanded Universe stories for so many years, is going to have the honor of authoring the first book in the new Expanded Universe called A New Dawn. This is going to be a backstory to the upcoming Star Wars Rebels animated series starting in the fall. And who would not want to hear about this era of the Star Wars timeline especially after the powerful conclusion we have all seen in season 6 of the Clone Wars? New characters and new adventures await us all in books, comics and video games about the new Expanded Universe.
But even with all this excitement on this fresh new era of books, comics and video games, it is never going to take away the pleasure I have and will always have for the stories and characters from our current Expanded Universe. No one will ever be able to tell me that a character like Mara Jade did not have impact on the Star Wars universe. No one will be able to take away my enjoyment of the Old Republic and the history of Darth Revan, Darth Malak and Bastila Shan. No one will ever be able to keep me from flipping through my collection of Crimson Empire and iconic images of the red helmeted royal guards battling it out!
As an Star Wars Expanded Universe fan, I am more than happy to “expand” my mind a little bit more to embrace the new stories that are on the way as well looking back at the legendary tales that are forever part of my Star Wars imagination and memory.
Let me know what you think about the state of the Expanded Universe. Write us at: jundlandwastespodcast@gmail.com
Keep on traveling the Jundland Wastes!
Mark
Co-Host TJW Podcast
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