Lit History of the Old Republic

I haven't noticed a thread for this yet, but it looks like there will be a history of the Old Republic book coming with art by TJ Wright. Here's the link to Wright's blog showing some of the art: http://neechart.blogspot.ca/2015/02/history-of-old-republic.html

 

This looks amazing, especially since it seems like it'll actually cover the origins of the Republic, something I was really hoping we'd see at some point in Dawn of the Jedi.

I am confused though, since I thought that there was no more Legends stuff allowed to be published as a result of Facebook posts being just too mean? Could it possibly be that Lucasfilm might actually see there's still a market for Legends stuff and wants to make money off of it?

In all seriousness, though, his comment that it's "an upcoming book that will attempt to make sense of the Star Wars: Legends stuff that is no longer considered 'canon' by LucasFilm" makes me hope that now that Legends stuff is ostensibly done, we'll see reference works like this that will actually try and fill in blanks that were seen as untouchable when there was still regularly stuff being published.

 

In Spite Of Rudeness ≠ Because of Rudeness

 

We, the author said, "Starting out 2015 with a bang by getting a gig doing Star Wars stuff for an upcoming book that will attempt to make sense of the Star Wars: Legends stuff that is no longer considered 'canon' by LucasFilm." - so, *shrug*

 

I had the same thought--but I'd be really surprised if they felt the need to nail that much history down this soon.

 

There's some speculation that this is actually a book for the FFG RPG, part of the upcoming Force and Destiny line - their version of a "Dawn of the Jedi" sourcebook, perhaps.

 

I would think setting up a canonical narrative history of the distant past would be shooting themselves in the foot storytelling wise right now, UNLESS it was specifically to prep for an in development feature/television production.

 

FFG source book makes sense. They straddle the line and are in a netherworld mixing Story Group Input and Legends world building.

 

"An even longer time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...."

 

Clarifications from reddit:

Q:Anyone got info about this book? Is it another "Legends" work or will it canonize compatible parts of "Legends" into the Disney-Canon.
TJWright: It's an effort to make sense of all the Old Republic era stories and bring them into a flowing continuity. The 5 images on my blog are just some of the work I've done for it so I thought I would share them with some fans.

Q:So, this book will be discussing legends and not making a new canon clear. Is this correct?
TJWright: As far as I know, yes. There may be some new stuff in there but it will fit with the existing continuity of Legends.

http://www.reddit.com/user/TJWright

 

I think the FFG thing is most likely; if it were a canon Legends redo I have to think there'd be big changes even from the very few hints we've gotten in the existing canon stuff.

Edit: aaand nevermind then.

 

I think setting in stone aspects of a Deep Past of the Star Wars history would really be a dumb corporate/storytelling idea. Having as blank a canvas going backwards in time as going forwards has got to be highly attractive.

I like the idea of having separate narrative histories. I love religious history, because I love the way different faith traditions have vastly different mythologies of the past even if they have certain key scriptural texts in common. The points where they separate are fascinating, as are the vastly different meanings the shared canonical texts have within those differing contexts.

 

Maybe Revan is an in-universe legend. Maybe archeologists argue over his gender, alignment, and motives.

 

Not surprised, as I think there's a likelihood they'll go in a different direction for the canon "ancient history." I'd prefer they keep most of it mysterious. As much as I liked a lot of Legends Old Republic stories (see: my avatar), I was also routinely uncomfortable with writers going out of their way trying to provide answers.

The Star Wars universe finally has some mystery again. Laying down concrete answers as to the origin of the Jedi, the Sith and the Republic is the last thing I want right now, especially if they draw from things I've known since the early 90s.

I think Tolkien said it best, regarding his reluctance to compile and publish the Silmarillion:

"Part of the attraction of the Lord of the Rings is, I think, due to the glimpses of a large history in the background: an attraction like that of viewing far off an unvisited island, or seeing the towers of a distant city gleaming in a sunlit mist. To go there is to destroy the magic, unless new unattainable vistas are again revealed."

Aside from restoring that magic, it also gives us a chance to depict the Old Republic as something a little more interesting than "the exact same but thousands of years ago." Hopefully if they ever go there again, it'll be a little more Tales of the Jedi than KOTOR.

 

Speaking of your avatar, if this book tells me what happened to Zayne and Jarael during the wars and purge I can die happy, please give me this.

 

Agreed. Can't the Massassi just be a species that lives on Yavin? Can't Tatooine just be a desert because it has two suns?

 

Any new Legends material is exciting to me. I'd love to get more stuff like this down the road. Maybe definitive "essential guide" type books that encompass what is now the "complete" Star Wars: Legends.

Heck I'd even love just a few short paragraphs about what happens to the characters we love after Crucible. Doesn't have to go into huge detail. Just a little summary of what happened to the big 3 at least. We know Luke dies in the Legends continuity. He is long dead by the time of the Legacy comics. But what happened to him? I'd love just a few answers even if they don't come in the form of actual new novels or comics.

 

Good job on the FFG speculation, except they have F&D set in the OT so a SB for an obscure era seemed... improbable. Still, speculation is fun.

 

Whatever this is it will interesting to see. I'm looking forward to official confirmation on just what exactly this book will be and who the author is. I wouldn't mind seeing some of the Old Republic stuff like Zayne and Jarael be canon, but if that's not what's happening, I'm still looking forward to the book anyway.

 

I'm looking forward to this, because it sounds like the biggest indicator yet of how far the back-door reintroduction of Legends material will go.

It's basically akin to taking apart a model made of Legos and reassembling it into an original creation. The picture's different, but the pieces are the same. LFL loses little by retaining elements of the pre-PT that aren't likely to have huge impacts on the ST and beyond.

For that matter, it might well behoove LFL to address the concept of "Legends" by "demythologizing" some of those stories - that is, the old "every legend has a kernel of truth." They get to retool to fit the ST, we get to retain elements of the past.

That, and I want Lord Hoth, Farfalla, and Prince Jonash e Solo back. They received excellent explanations in the EGTWE.

 

"Skere" Kaan can rot on the trash heap of decanonization, though.