Two big issues that can rear themselves in discussions that involve the use of material from the Expanded Universe are those of both 'Canon' and 'Continuity' materials.

The "Canon" rules used most often are those taken directly from Lucas himself. The standard, and widely accepted, order is as follows:

1. The movies as they appear on screen (with the Special Editions taking precedence).


2. The radio dramas and screenplays


3. Novelizations of the movies


4. All other official Star Wars derived material.

Now, each person is free to believe what they wish in this regard, but so that there are ground rules for discussions on events, and as this is a forum for the Expanded Universe, the above outlined guide should be considered the standard. That is, information in the movies takes precedence over all others, running on down.

For the purposes of the forum, all Expanded Universe material is accepted as having occurred, with the exception of those things marked as 'Infinities'.

Debates over what is/isn't or should/shouldn't be considered canon are restricted solely to this thread and all others will be locked and redirected there.


Due to the plethora of material that has been written in the Star Wars Universe over time, various slight "errors" have arisen though multiple means in terms of continuity, with some events being contradicted in various volumes.

Amongst the fans there are those that do not mind "living with" these errors, those that attempt to find "fixes" to these, and all points in between.

First and foremost, the Expanded Universe material is written so people can enjoy good stories. With this in mind, it is everyone's right to look at this issue in the way that they find most acceptable and enjoyable.

Please respect that.

Just because there is an inherent error of continuity in material being discussed does not mean that all parties in the discussion have to accept the most likely or logical 'fix'; and by the same token, this error does not have to be 'just accepted at its value'. Have your own opinion of that which with you are most comfortable with, and respect the same right of others to have a differing opinion.

EUers. No stating that EU is canon or the ONLY correct solution to a question. You may present an EU answer as an answer, but not the "right" answer. You may know everything about what goes on in the EU, but some people have never heard of it. They may be looking for a number of different theories on an answer, and to present yours as the absolute, is the wrong way to do things.


Purists. No rejecting theories purely because they are EU. If you see an EU idea presented as an answer, and you don't agree with it, politely state your disagreement. Say, "Well, that answer is from the EU, I think it happens this way instead..." Don't go off on tangents about how the EU sux, and how Zahn in a talentless hack, or how the NJO is destroying your life. Continue on with the discussion in a normal way. The EU is just another idea to be presented for discussion.

Any thread that breaks down into a debate about what is or is not canon will be closed. The thread starter is more then welcome to re-start the thread. But I'm getting tired of threads that after three posts break down into a debate about whether or not the EU is canon. If you have to debate it, take it to PM, or e-mail, I don't care, but keep all threads on topic. There are some good posts in certain threads, but they are ruined by off topic bickering. So no more. Threads stay on topic. If you repeadtly try and take threads off topic, and into this debate, you may be banned for it, no matter if you are an EUer, or a purist.

If someone from either side tries to incite a flame war, or a fight over this, just point them to this thread. If they still persist, PM a mod and action will be taken.

But to everyone, just remember that we're here first and foremost to have fun discussing movies. Use some common sense in what you're going to post.

Well, when you get right down to the basics of any expanded universe, such as that of Star Wars, Star Trek, or even Babylon 5, the questions are raised as to what items are considered a part of the overall story, which are "sort of" a part of it, and which just plain aren't part of the mainstream saga in the least. In a situation like this, the terms "canon," "official," "unofficial," "apocrypha," and "fan fiction" come into play.

As far as level of priority and officiality, the ladder, from greatest priority to least is...

1. First Level Canon


2. Second Level Canon


3. Third Level Canon


4. Fourth Level Canon


5. Official (Expanded Universe)


6. Apocrypha (Unofficial)


7. Fan Fiction (FanFic)

`CANON` is that which is undeniably part of the overall story, the creator's vision. In the case of Star Wars, this is broken down into four levels, with the lower levels being only canonical so far as that they do not contradict the higher levels. Essentially, the lower levels are only canonical where they agree with, or add to, the higher levels. `First Level Canon` is the highest level of officiality that something can receive. This term is reserved solely for Lucas' definitive vision and includes only these items:

• Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace


• Star Wars: Episode II - Attack Of The Clones


• Star Wars: Episode III - ???????????????????


• Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (Special Edition)


• The Star Wars Holiday Special


• Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (Special Edition)


• Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (Special Edition)


• Caravan Of Courage (AKA The Ewok Adventure)


• Ewoks: The Battle For Endor

`Second Level Canon` is the next level down from the creator's definitive vision. It basically consists of anything that the creator originally considered First Level Canon, but overwrote slightly. In this case, the original Star Wars film trilogy fits into this category. Second Level Canon information can only be overridden by First Level Canon (i.e., if an "official continuity" author had written that Greedo shot first in A New Hope, it would have not been the "way it really happened," but since Lucas overwrote that scene with his definitive, First Level Canon Special Edition, the old
version of events ceased to exist, and were replaced by those Lucas created with his First Level Canon). Essentially, anything in the original films is canonical, unless it contradicts the First Level Canon of the Special Edition. (The SE scripts are included in this category.)

`Third Level Canon` is the next step below the original films. This level includes the novelizations of the films themselves. This level can only be overridden by First or Second Level Canon. Thus, if awording is different in the novel than in the film, the novelization wording is not canonical. For example, in the novelization to The
Empire Strikes Back, Han Solo, while fleeing Hoth, states, "I know, I know, I see them," when referring to Star Destroyers. In the films (both First and Second Level Canon versions), he states "I saw 'em! I saw 'em!" Nitpicky, yes, but by the rules of canonicity, the film wording supercedes the novelization. (The original version scripts are included in this category.)

`Fourth Level Canon` is the final step down the ladder of officiality before one reaches simply "official." This level includes the radio dramas of the Star Wars films. Once again, it is a case of these events being canonical only so far as they add to or agree with the films and novelizations. The novels and both versions of the films supercede these. For example, the Battle of Derra IV in the ESB radio drama is canonical because it adds to, and does not contradict, the films or novelizations. The character of Heater in the ANH radio drama is not canonical, as that character is replaced with a different character name in the Third, Second, and First Level Canon.

`Official` is that which Lucasfilm has allowed to become a part of their "official continuation." George Lucas himself does not approve these stories and has stated that he feels no obligation to work any of these elements into his future films. This is essentially a collection of stories licensed by Lucasfilm and produced by Bantam Spectra, Berkley Boulevard, Del Rey, Berkley Boulevard, Berkley Jam, Dark Horse Comics, LucasArts games (in some, but not all cases), and other companies that Lucasfilm has allowed to contribute to the continuity. This is what most current Star Wars saga fans consider the timeline, although that may change if and when Lucas overrides them by producing a Sequel Trilogy, which would be First Level Canon.

`Apocrypha` (often referred to as Unofficial) refers to any and all Star Wars stories that are not a part of the "official continuity." The stories may form timelines unto themselves, but they are not Lucasfilm- approved for the continuity. It's safest to consider them "alternate reality" versions of the saga. They have no place in the
"official continuity."

`Fan Fiction` (or FanFic) is the term that refers to any creation by a Star Wars fan that is not sanctioned by Lucasfilm in any form. (Apocryphal items at least got permission to publish.) These are things like Troops and other fan-created videos, short stories like Bantha Squadron, etc. If you've ever written or created a Star Wars
story on your own, that item would be called FanFic, or Fan Fiction.

From the Star Wars Insider #23, an interview with Production and Continuity Editors Sue Rostoni and Allan Kausch:

"Gospel, or canon as we refer to it, includes the screenplays, the films, the radio dramas, and the novelizations. These works spin out of George Lucas' original stories, the rest are written by other writers. However, between us, we've read everything, and much of it is taken into account in the overall continuity. The entire catalog of published works comprises a vast history -- with many off-shoots, variations and tangents like any other well-developed mythology."

This is the end-all and the be-all of the Star Wars Universe. The original novels, comics, WEG material, etc. ARE "official," meaning that it has been licensed and approved by Lucasfilm. However, there are times when they have contradicted the canon sources, such as with the Death and Life of Boba Fett *See the Boba Fett question for clarification*. In such instances, the "official" sources are to be
disregarded.

Here is LucasBooks' Chris Cerasi's answer from the official site:

There's been some confusion of late regarding the 'Infinities' symbol, and Star Wars Expanded Universe continuity in general. Terms like "canon" and "continuity" tend to get thrown around casually, which doesn't help at all.

When it comes to absolute canon, the real story of Star Wars, you must turn to the films themselves - and only the films. Even novelizations are interpretations of the film, and while they are largely true to George Lucas' vision (he works quite closely with the novel authors), the method in which they are written does allow for some minor differences. The novelizations are written concurrently with the film's production, so variations in detail do creep in from time to time. Nonetheless, they should be regarded as very accurate depictions of the fictional Star Wars movies.

The further one branches away from the movies, the more interpretation and speculation come into play. LucasBooks works diligently to keep the continuing Star Wars expanded universe cohesive and uniform, but stylistically, there is always room for variation. Not all artists draw Luke Skywalker the same way. Not all writers define the character in the same fashion. The particular attributes of individual media also come into play. A comic book interpretation of an event will likely have less dialogue or different pacing than a novel version. A video game has to take an interactive approach that favors gameplay. So too must card and roleplaying games ascribe certain characteristics to characters and events in order to make them playable.

The analogy is that every piece of published Star Wars fiction is a window into the 'real' Star Wars universe. Some windows are a bit foggier than others. Some are decidedly abstract. But each contains a nugget of truth to them. Like the great Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi said, 'many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our point of view.'

Returning to the question at hand. Yes, "Star Wars Gamer" is part of continuity, though as game material, there is room for interpretation. Only specific articles marked with the 'Infinities' logo within the magazine should be considered out of continuity.

Fans of the old monthly Marvel Star Wars comic will be heartened to know that LucasBooks does indeed consider them part of continuity. Decades of retrospect haven't been kind to all the elements of the comic series, but the characters and events still hold weight and are referenced in newer material whenever possible.

In order to allow unlimited freedom of storytelling, the Infinities label has been placed on the anthology series, "Star Wars Tales". This means that not only can the stories occur anywhere in the Star Wars timeline, but stories can happen outside continuity. Basically, if an event happens in "Tales", it may not have necessarily happened in the rest of the expanded universe. For some stories, the distinction is largely inconsequential. For others, it's the only way they could exist.

Source

If you consider the Official Site to be offial, than yes, it is official. The "Databank Entries" are character, ship, planet, etc. biographies from the Star Wars universe. Click Here if you want a link to them.

In the ROTJ novelization Obi-Wan tells Luke that Owen is his brother. This is in most versions of the script, and is rumored to have been filmed but edited out of the final copy of ROTJ. The novelization is a canon source but can be contradicted by the movies.

In Jedi Apprentice #3: The Hidden Past, Obi-Wan is about to have his memory wiped. He has to hold on to his memories with the Force, and he has to think of good memories. His thougts arrive at a short visit he was allowed to have with his family when he was very young. He remembered a brother: named Owen. This was probably just a reference from the RotJ novel, but it was after TPM, and while GL was working on the AOTC script. So, he could have turned this down- but didn't.

When writing AOTC George Lucas made Owen Anakin's step-brother and now he is no relation of Obi-Wan's. From the offical site - "Owen Lars is the son of Cliegg Lars. Obi-Wan's parents are unknown, and he has little to no connection to them having grown up in the Jedi Temple."

Source

JMO note: There is still a chance that they could be brothers, however unlikely it is. It says that Obi-Wan's parents are unknown, which means that the Lars could be his parents and we wouldn't know. However, the events of Attack of the Clones make this appear as unlikely.