Lit Third Essential Guide to Characters (formerly "Who would you want to see . . . ?")

Guys this is hypothetical, first and foremost. But I'm interested in your feedback on what would make the New Essential Guide to Characters (released in 2002) a better resource if we had the opportunity to update it in some form.

Obviously lots of characters didn't exist at the time of the last edition's release, like General Grievous. And some candidates seem to suggest themselves from comics (Zayne Carrick, Cade Skywalker), books (Ben Skywalker, Lumiya), games (Starkiller), and the animated series (Ahsoka Tano, Cad Bane). I'd love feedback on the obvious "missed opportunities" as well as characters you feel are important but overlooked.

Here's the old lineup for reference. Some of these, like Durga the Hutt or Kueller, have (in my opinion) become less important over time and would be candidates for replacement if space were an issue.

1. Admiral Ackbar
2. Padmé Naberrie Amidala
3. Nom Anor
4. Wedge Antilles
5. Darth Bane
6. Jar Jar Binks
7. Bossk
8. Brakiss
9. Shira Brie
10. C-3PO
11. Callista
12. Lando Calrissian
13. Gaeriel Captison
14. Tycho Celchu
15. Chewbacca
16. Admiral Daala
17. Jori and Gav Daragon
18. Gavin Darklighter
19. Dengar
20. General Jan Dodonna
21. Count Dooku
22. Droma
23. Durga the Hutt
24. Kyp Durron
25. 4-LOM
26. Baron Fel
27. Boba Fett
28. Jango Fett
29. Borsk Fey'lya
30. Bib Fortuna
31. Rokur Gepta
32. Greedo
33. Nute Gunray
34. Corran Horn
35. IG-88
36. Ysanne Isard
37. Prince Isolder
38. Jabba the Hutt
39. Jedi Council Members
40. Jedi from the Battle of Geonosis
41. Jerec
42. Qui-Gon Jinn
43. Kir Kanos
44. Talon Karrde
45. Kyle Katarn
46. Obi-Wan Kenobi
47. Kueller
48. Exar Kun
49. Warmaster Tsavong Lah
50. Owen Lars and Beru Whitesun Lars
51. Bevel Lemelisk
52. Lobot
53. Garik "Face" Loran
54. General Crix Madine
55. Darth Maul
56. Mon Mothma
57. Boss Nass
58. Nien Nunb
59. Nym
60. Ric Olié
61. Emperor Palpatine
62. Captain Panaka
63. Admiral Gilad Pellaeon
64. Sate Pestage
65. Admiral Firmus Piett
66. Podracer Pilots
67. Ulic Qel-Droma
68. R2-D2
69. Dash Rendar
70. Naga Sadow
71. Thrackan Sal-Solo
72. Sebulba
73. Executor Sedriss
74. Senator Viqi Shesh
75. Darth Sidious
76. Raith Sienar
77. Aurra Sing
78. Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader
79. Luke Skywalker
80. Mara Jade Skywalker
81. Anakin Solo
82. Han Solo
83. Jacen Solo
84. Jaina Solo
85. Leia Organa Solo
86. Kam Solusar
87. Nil Spaar
88. Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin
89. Booster Terrik
90. Bria Tharen
91. Grand Admiral Thrawn
92. Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum
93. General Maximilian Veers
94. Vergere
95. Quinlan Vos
96. Watto
97. Zam Wesell
98. Mace Windu
99. Prince Xizor
100. Yoda
101. Warlord Zsinj
102. Zuckuss

Thanks!
Dan

 

Cal Omas! For the love of God, give us a picture of Cal Omas.

Oh, and if Legacy comics are included, I would die to see Gar Stazi. Stazi is the kickass "Bill Adama" of the Star Wars galaxy.

--Adm. Nick

 

Cal Omas! Definitely! But don't miss The Gryph, Jarael and Demagol!

 

The thing I'd most like to see is the removal of minor movie characters who are only included because they are movie characters - Sebulba? 4-LOM? Ric Olie? If the intent is to supplement the previous guide, do we really need more profiles of these people? Same deal as Durga and Kueller, really.

 

Zaarin. The guy almost overthrew the Emperor, was a Grand Admiral, and Thrawn's primary nemesis. (I know that's a long shot, considering he hasn't really appeared outside the TIE Fighter game...)
Cal Omas, definitely. Although I request that a picture not be provided, and instead have a reference that Omas looks almost eeriely identical to another character - Revan.
Yularen should get a full entry now.

 

There are too many characters I could name, so I'm going to say something more theoretical instead:

I'd quite like to see it include a combination of old and new information.

New information, I hear people say?! Yes, you heard me right. NEW.

I'm thinking in terms of along the lines of what the Essential Atlas did, i.e. 90% of it would be biographical of what we already know, but there would be enough nuggets of genuinely new stuff to make it worth buying. I mean, sure, I will buy it anyway, as I buy anything with the Star Wars logo like a good little fanboy. But for a large number of people I imagine Wookieepedia gives them all they need (and probably more), making some of these older Essential Guides largely redundant.

The Essential Guide to the Force and the Atlas evidently both realised this problem so presented themselves in a slightly more original way than the original EGs and NEGs. So on that basis (both for our benefit and for LFL's benefit, as I expect it'd up the sale potential) I'd like there to be more reasons than just the artwork (which we all know will make its way onto the Wookiee within a few days of launch) but for there to actually be some truly interesting nuggets of new information that the Wookiee can't really codify in as satisfactory a way as owning it for ourselves.

Suggestions in that vein? At the very least, I'd say perhaps include some of the lesser known characters who could use some background. For example, maybe flesh out the Dark Underlord or Darth Ruin, not the whole story (it'd be nice to still have a reason to buy a novel one day!), but more than we currently know; in effect, enough of a teaser to make people want stories about these characters more, the way the Chronology first kickstarted the Lord Shadowspawn fanfare that eventually led to Shadows of Mindor. (Mentioning that, Blackhole/Cronal would be a very welcome addition!)

Anyway, my interest in some bonus "new" characters like that aisde (obviously I'm not suggesting the whole guide be like that: I fully accept these sourcebooks are always going to include Luke's history again, and, really, I'm only suggesting that there be maybe three or four entirely unexplored characters like Ruin in it), there are also other characters that we've seen before but who have been retconned up the ying yang so much that simply telling us their story again would actually be tantamount to almost giving us an entirely new character history.

Possible examples in that vein include Exar Kun or Naga Sadow: we had them both before in the NEC, but both Sith Wars have been elaborated on so much in numerous different sources since 2002 that it'd be interesting to get a modern take on exactly what these characters got up to. I'm not talking outright retcons as I don't think that's the premise for reference books which are there to, well, reference what's happened; but what I mean is where the retcons have already happened (e.g. humans in the Great Hyperspace War, or the Great Sith War lasting longer than it first seemed) it'd be nice to see these characters' biographies again to see how all the pieces of the puzzle now officially slot together.

So, to summarise:

1. Two or three almost entirely "unexplored" but major lore characters, e.g. Ruin, Xendor, Xim, Karness Muur, Ajunta Pall, that sort of thing.
2. Retellings of some of the heavily retconned characters such that they almost would be new stories nowadays, e.g. Ragnos, Sadow, Kun, etc.
3. Even in someone like Luke's profile, include some teasers about what he may have got up to in the blank years between NJO and DN. For a character like Jacen, some ambiguous name drops there would be pure gold dust, as things like that alone would make it worth buying.

I think what made things like the EGTTF and the Atlas so fulfilling was they were worth just sitting down and reading through just for the pleasure of reading them. In the older guides, that wasn't as much the case, as they came across more as pure reference books, which is something that th

 

Jaden Korr should get one, as well as Cal Omas.

 

Some New Sith Wars would be good, like Farfalla or Hoth, if it didn't interfere with Knight Errant. In more well-known areas, the KOTOR games oughtn't be forgotten; they probably have enough main characters to fill a book themselves, but a few of the bigger ones would be interesting. The NEGTC did a few groups, so the Sith Triumvirate could be a really good entry.

And if we're talking images, it's high time Boba got a face.

 

I agree with this wholeheartedly. Greedo is another character we don't need. He's just not that important, and now that the EU has gotten so big we don't need to fill a page with a retelling of a minor encounter in the Mos Eisley Cantina and the contents of a short story.

Sedriss and Rokur Gepta also just don't strike me as that important or interesting, though at least we have the excuse of them being artifacts of a distinctive period in EU fiction.

 

Cal Omas (without a picture )
Gar Stasi
Demagol
Revan
Exile
Malak
Kreia
Nihilus
main TOR MMORPG characters!
Grand Admiral Zaarin
Jaden Korr
Vestara Khai
Vergere (and no more lies about her... stick to her true self as in Traitor)
Valin & Jysella Horn
Myri und Syal Jr. Antilles
Allana Solo
Taryn & Trista Zel
Zekk
Raynar
Nom Anor
Vongerella
Tahiri Veila
Tenel Ka needs expansion again



Anni Capstan
Seha Dorvald
Nelani Djinn
Danni Quee
Malinza Thanas
Mirta Gev
Wynnsa Fel
Danielle Kieran
Eryl Besa
Tash Arranda
Klin-Fa Gi
Aleema Rar
Numa Rar
Kaye Galfridian
Sanola Ti
Sannah
Aeron Azzameen
Alexandra Winger
Pink 5 Stacey
Ailyn Vel
Deena Shan
Ryoo Naberrie
Pooja Naberrie
Corla Metonae
Lieda Mothma
Kimmi Chyler
Ru Murleen
Leia's Handmaidens: Alana & Mira
Dark Woman
Kahleen Hintz
Ahsoka Tano
Duchess Satine Kryz
"Scout" Talisibeth Ewandung Esterhazy
Riyo Chuchi
Maris Brood
Dormé
Eirtaé
Ellé
Rabé
Sabé
Saché
Yané
Versé
Moteé
Teckla Minnau
Dané
Fé
Beru Whitesun
Shmi Skywalker Lars
Barris Offee
Ros Lai
Serra Keto
Etain Tur-Murkan
Komari Vosa
Asajj Ventress
Queen Apailana
Queen Kylantha
Empress Teta
Jori Daragon
Nomi Sunrider
Vima Sunrider
Bastila Shan
Juhani
Mission Vao
Revan
Visas Marr
Brianna
Atris
Mira
Darth Traya
Exile
Satele Shan
Jarael
Galia
Talia Kira
Darth Zannah
Githany
Vici Ramunee
Marasiah Fel
Ahnah Rawk
Nyna Callixte/Morrigan Corde
Azlyn Rae
Rogue Organa
Tia Organa
Celly Organa
Breha Antilles Organa
Kir Kanos whereabouts



and basically everything Zor said
We need a section for "older" characters of lesser screen time in modern EU works to detail their fate or what they were up to in the recent eras without repeating their whole bio. Like a short overview with one small paragraph for each

 

They'd never do this, at least not extensively. It'd tie too many people's hands and lead to more contradictions in any future appearances.

 

K'krunk (sp)

More SITH!!!!

 

From Episode III: Grievous, Bail Organa, Gregar Typho. Also, put in Ozzel and Wicket (with Ewoks info!)

From the Clone Wars and The Clone Wars: Asajj Ventress, Durge, Ahsoka Tano, Aurra Sing, Rex (actually a section to cover all notable clone commanders from the Episode 3 + Rex would be more appropriate)

Also, the beings who could earlier be described simply as " Jedi Council Members" and "Jedi from the Battle of Geonosis" are now mostly fleshed-out, popular characters with a significant fanbase. Kit Fisto, Aayla Secura, Saesee Tiin, Luminara Unduli, Ki-Adi-Mundi, Shaak Ti, Plo Koon... how could you possibly fit them all in?

From the video games: Darth Revan and Darth Malak, Bastila Shan and Carth Onasi, Sith Triumvirate (Kreia, Sion and Nihilus), Jedi Exile, Brianna, Atton Rand, Visas, Canderous Ordo and HK-47, Galen Marek, Jaden Korr.

From the novels: CAL OMAS, Shimrra, Tenel Ka, Ben Skywalker, Tahiri Veila, Alema Rar, Kal Skirata, Jax Pavan, Jagged Fel, Ferus Olin, Zekk, Gram Bel Iblis.

From the comics: Freedon Nadd, Darth Krayt, Cade Skywalker, Gar Stazi, Zayne Carrick, Dass Jennir, Lucien Draay, K'Kruhk, Celeste Morne, Jarael, Darth Talon.

Entries from NEGC that IMO can be safely dropped: Brakiss, Gaeriel Captison, Droma, Kueller, Lobot, Podracer Pilots, Sedriss.

Personally, I have little interest in a new edition of the EGC. If it would be similar to the previous two, it will most likely be limited to brief, one-page descriptions. For the long-time continuity junkies, those will offer very little new info, some entries will barely have a paragraph of new content compared to NEGC (Nom Anor hasn't done much in EU recently). And for the newcomers to the EU I assume it would have to contain about a half of familiar faces with the other half of the new ones to introduce them to other stories, otherwise they would be confused by all those unfamiliar characters (I tried reading Essential Chronology back when my EU knowledge was limited to 9-12 novels. Wasn't impressed ).

Yet after looking at how much the EU has expanded since 2002, you would want to put at least all major galactic players in, so that the owners of the book could at least know the major players of all major series (let's drop the standalones). Can't see that happening without the book becoming almost twice the size of NECG. And for a book that big most of us would rather want a beauty compared to the Essential Guide to the Force or The Awesome Atlas. Both of those seemed to have enough movie-related content for the newcomers to grasp (can't tell for sure, was obsessed with EU for years by now): by focusing on a single aspect of the universe, both recent Essential Guides managed to tell the entire history of the galaxy and familiarize us with historical figures without repeating NEC or NEGC. That's the type of books I personally would like to see: give us Essential Guide to the Military, the Politics and what-else. As long as Chris Trevas provides an illustration of Cal Omas, we'll be happy.

P.S. While I was typing it, I realized that I was talking from a EU-geek point of view. And yet Lucasfilm always seeks to introduce SW to newer audience (we just had a new animated series announced). By the time the Live-action kicks in, a new generation of Essential Guides would probably be a must. Could they be planning for that already?

 

I agree with everyone else that this time around, I'd like to see more new information than just a summary of what we already know. More akin to the Atlas if possible.

Characters I'd like to see: Nomi Sunrider, Arca Jeth, Maarek Stele, Jaden Korr, Guri, Carnor Jax, Cal Omas, Cronal, and the obvious ones Dan mentioned.

I also echo the sentiment to remove minor movie characters who are really only mentioned because they appeared in one of the movies.

It might also be helpful to check out Wookieepedia's list of most popular articles just to see what people are reading about the most.

 

Actually... maybe the guide can be split into categories? Time-based (KOTOR, PT, OT, NR, NJO, Legacy), or organizationally based (Jedi, Sith, Mandos, Vong, political, underworld, bounty hunters, droids)? For example: you could have a full entry for Grand Admiral Thrawn, with a follow-up entry for the rest of the Grand Admirals. The NEGC already had a few like that, with (IIRC) the podracers and minor Jedi Council members.

 

I agree with many of the above suggestions, like dropping many of the minor movie characters, as well as many of the suggestions for additional characters to be covered (e.g., Cal Omas, Kal Skirata, Revan, Ewoks). And while I doubt it would happen in a book like this, I'd love to see CH's suggestion of adding Danielle Kieran come true.
I also agree with much of what Zorixor said. If there were to be a new EGC, I wouldn't want it to be just another reference book. Instead, I'd love to see it in a format like JvS:TEGttF, which was full of short fiction. Making the book an in-universe document (or collection of documents) of some sort makes it so much more interesting.

 

Vestara
Nat Skywalker (though, I guess we don't know enough about him to have a whole entry yet )
Delta Squad
Rex
Lumiya
Xim the Despot!!

Also, and I realize this sort of goes against the "Essential" aspect of it, but I'd like to see...
Triclops
Flint
Fenn Shysa
Alex Winger

And, of course, I'd like to see some What's the Story characters that might qualify.
Janus Greejatus
Tannon Praji

I always enjoy reading the Essential Character guides and discovering people I haven't heard of before. So I think it'd be cool to see some more unconventional picks in order to introduce new EU readers to the faces of yesteryear.

 

AWESOME!

I'll try not to get my hopes up, but I'd LOVE a new character guide!


My votes:

1) The Separatists (anything and everything... particularly the main leaders, inc. Grievous, Gunray, San Hill, Shu Mai, Tambor, etc)

2) Cal Omas

3) Blackhole/Shadowspawn


That is all. If I see just one of these, I'll sing you praises for all eternity.

 

Well, I agree with those who say that there should be different guides for different eras: TOTJ until ANH, for one, and ANH until Legacy, for instance. I also agree that the guides shouldn't only resume what we already know, but also expand on the character's backstory.

Regarding the last guide, I think the following characters should not be included anymore: Jar Jar Binks, Bossk, Brakiss, Gaeriel Captison, Dengar, Durga, 4-LOM, Bib Fortuna, Kueller, Owen and Beru, Bevel Lemelisk, Lobot, Ric Olié, Piett, Podracer pilots, sebulba, sedriss, Veers, watto and zuckuss.

In exchange, I would add:

From the KOTOR era: Revan, Malak, Zayne, Jarael, Gryph, the Sith Triumvirate (Sion, Nihilus and Traya) and Bastila.

Post RotJ: Wedge, Corran, Kyp Durron, Kyle Katarn, Jaden Korr, Luke's first students (Kirana Ti, Streen, Dorsk 81 to 83, Tioone, Kam), Tycho, another for Rogue Squadron, Pash Cracken, Judder Page, Cal Omas, Jag Fel, Formbi, Kenth Hamner, Cilghal, Tekli, Zekk, Tenel Ka, Tahiri, Ben, Vestara, Abeloth, Shimrra, Onimi, Saba Sebatyne, Zaarin, Lecersen, Cal Omas. And I know I am forgettinhg a lot more.

Legacy: Cade, Roan Fel, Kol and Nat, Jariah Syn, Deliah Blue, Gar Stazi, Nyna Calixte, Krayt, Nihl, Wyyrlok III... And not a lot more, actually.

 

I agree. Would love to see that extra space filled with more prominent EU characters.

 

Jar Jar, Owen and Beru, and Bevel Lemelisk all seem pretty important periphery characters from the movie timeline. Shmi Skywalker is a pretty big miss from the movies, and I'd like to see Tionne and Cilghal from the post-ROTJ period. NJO through FOTJ, I second (third? fourth?) Ben (of course), Tahiri, Tenel Ka, and Jagged Fel.

 

Tenel Ka, Zekk need to be included.

 

Group entries. They'd be a great way to get depictions of lots of new characters without having to devote a page, or even a paragraph, of text to every one of them. Think of the possibilities of a FotJ-era Jedi Order picture, or a NJO-era Rogue/Twin Suns Squadron pic, or a Dark Times-era Whiplash pic.

The Essential Guide to Groups, even.

 

Honestly, I don't see how this can be done without one or more of the following things happening:

1) Lucasfilm hands out a much-increased page count.

2) The authors make tough choices that no one will like (least of all them) about who to leave out.

3) The format and layout change substantially, making it more like the Encyclopedia than past editions. Characters don't get entire pages to themselves; at most, they get columns to themselves, but more likely, each entry will be immediately followed by the next. No one gets the big space-stealing infoboxes with full body shots; at best, everyone gets a headshot, and even that need not strictly be the case.

While that would be my preference, too, I think it's quite unlikely. While everyone here of course wants more EU content, we're a small segment of the target audience. A bigger segment is going to want bios of people they're familiar with, which means movie and TV show characters.

 

Carnor Jax
Kir Kanos
Trioculus