ST Official Sequel Trilogy / Legends / Expanded Universe discussion thread

Ziro the Hutt. There are so many great stories left to tell with this versatile character.

 

I like Exar Kun's ghost.

 

If there was just some way to keep the Thrawn trilogy canon I'd be happy. And maybe the X-Wing series since it doesn't affect the Solos and Skywalkers much. Aside from that, there are a few stories I'd miss but nothing I'd be devastated over.

The thing I'm happiest about now that we have a new canon is that the NJO and later is dead and there is thirty years' worth of new material to cover that doesn't involve completely rewriting the rules of Star Wars. It means I can read new books again without constant headbanging.

 

Kyle Katarn.


Please.

 

The premise is "1 element of aspect of the post-ROTJ EU" in general, not "specifically for TFA"; Thrawn could easily be kept in as a post-ROTJ, pre-TFA Imperial foil for the heroes!

There are only really two ways this could go down: Disney/LFL could adopt the Marvel & DC practice of making animated direct-to-DVD films based on certain characters or popular stories. The Thrawn Trilogy would be an absolutely excellent choice for that--and, if done well, would likely highlight to audiences exactly why it wouldn't have worked as a big-screen ST on its own (the format isn't quite there, even if the trappings are). It'd be like DC's adaptation of The Dark Knight Returns, multiple releases so each book could get its own film. Emblazon "Star Wars Legends" across the packaging of it and any other Legends adaptations and it's golden, it fits within their current branding and nobody should confuse it for canon material (people will, but anyone knowledgeable can quickly & easily correct them with the "Legends = non-canon" explanation).

The other option--which can also happen even if they make a Legends d2DVD animated trilogy--is giving those stories the Ultimate Universe treatment in new media they create for the canon period after ROTJ. Whether in animated form, in books, or in comics, they can (and perhaps should, given the popularity) revisit the Thrawn Trilogy--or, rather, Thrawn's campaign--in the new canon.

The circumstances surrounding everything may change, of course; Leia likely wouldn't be pregnant with twins 5 years after ROTJ, Thrawn probably wouldn't ally with the insane clone of a dead Jedi Master (maybe instead it'd be one of the Inquisitors people have latched onto as still being a major force in TFA, tho I would think Anakin's spirit would have given Luke a major heads-up about such agents of the Empire after the Endor party died down), ysalamiri and rapidly-grown clones may not enter into it, Mara Jade may not have a mental compulsion to kill Luke Skywalker and wind up slaying the ridiculously-named "Luuke" to vanquish the voice, the lost Bespin saber may not be given to her at the end, etc, but they can do like many Ultimate Universe stories in Marvel's comics do and have familiar trappings: Thrawn returns from some exile, rallying a portion of the Imperial fleet into taking back lost territory. Talon Karrde plays both sides but ultimately backs the heroes. He's got some temperamental first mate who Luke senses Force-potential in, and she's got a past as an Imperial assassin or something (one of Rebels' 'children of the Force' pressed into Imperial service, perhaps) and isn't a big fan of Luke because the rumors are that he killed Palpatine & Vader, throwing the Empire into chaos and disrupting the life she'd grown accustomed to. Some lost stockpile of ships could be found from the Clone Wars and pressed into service, bolstering whichever side gets to it first. The Noghri could be introduced, albeit in a different role maybe. And loads of new material could be involved as well, just as in the Ultimate Universe; the stories don't always play out exactly as you think they will based on the version from a different universe.

Ziro the Hutt is part of TCW, not the post-ROTJ EU, and he's dead. Canon, but dead.

 

How about some TIE defenders, Skipray blastboats, E-wings, and K-wings? Can we do that?

 

That's a good thing to keep and the first thing on here I think there's any chance of being kept. We're already seeing bits of the EU universe incorporated into canon via TCW and Rebels. Worlds and the like have even shown up in the films (see Coruscant, which first showed up in Heir to the Empire). It'd be a waste of time for them to come up with all that new stuff when perfectly good old stuff is just lying around.

 

E-wings might make it in with another name... wasn't there a rumored E-wing (of a wildly different design) for TFA? But then they used the E-wing for Jek-14's stealth fighter in the Yoda Chronicles LEGO specials, tho it had a different designation. While it's non-canon, it could worm its way into the canon via that designation someday... maybe there's an old one lying around in a future Rebels episode?

 

Yeth he'th thuch a thuper perthon!

 

What's the point? From my viewpoint, if it isn't in the films, I don't really care (I realize everyone is different). So Thrawn existing somewhere in the off-screen interlude between ROTJ and TFA doesn't mean anything to me.

Also not sure how you can "keep" one aspect of the Thrawn trilogy but erase the rest. Which is probably why all of it was wiped clean for the purposes of the new canon.

 

Sorta coming at this from a different direction, but yeah pretty much this. Importing bits and pieces of the old EU won't be enough to satisfy those of us who were fans of it, and it would just leave a sour taste in the end. The EU should either be nuked in its entirety, or kept in its entirety.

 

Take it up with the OP. He said something about "adjusting everything else around it to fit that one element"... in this case, Thrawn would lead a devastating campaign against the heroes 5 years after ROTJ, having gained intelligence on their movements via a hidden listening system, and after Leia helps liberate a world whose inhabitants serve Thrawn as spies, assassins, and bodyguards, his own personal bodyguard will kill him during a final battle that the heroes will win. Such an adjusted story can be revisited in book, comic, or cartoon form.

Broader than the scope of this thread, that's how many aspects of the EU can be retained and integrated into the new canon... the stories as-is may no longer fit with canon, but the authors are likely familiar with other genre staples, like comics, which often go through continuity reboots requiring retcons, and have parallel universes where nearly-identical characters exist but things don't always play out the same way, giving them the Marvel "Ultimate Universe" treatment. So Zahn--or some other author (comic writers & artists often jump around between universes, writing/drawing different versions of the same characters, so why not book authors?)--can essentially write a new "Thrawn Trilogy" taking into consideration everything known about the current canon and TFA (since I think it unlikely we'll see much in the way of post-ROTJ media until TFA, and perhaps the entire ST, is available, to avoid creators painting themselves into corners and requiring retcons). The new Thrawn Trilogy (which could be comic-based, since the comic version of the original was rather popular and that way it'd be easier for fans/creators to wrap their heads around the 'Thrawn Trilogy, but different' concept) would feature him as the antagonist, and may feature other familiar faces from the originals like Mara or Karrde, but a great deal about it could be changed--even improved upon (as TCW greatly improved upon the depiction of the Clone Wars as a whole; Dark Horse's REPUBLIC comics and spinoffs were rather light on the clone side of things, only introduced names outside of Alpha-17 & unique armor markings very late in the game, and Genndy's Microseries was too over-the-top and likewise had clones as only a small, largely voiceless part of the action, while sporting a terrifying Grievous who was a far cry from the posturing villain we saw in ROTS and TCW).

It wouldn't be "the same", but it'd probably be good enough... perhaps even great! And we'd have characters that would (hopefully) resemble what we loved about them in their Legends incarnations (I'll reserve final judgement on TCW's Surfer Dude Quinlan Vos until I've read Dark Disciple this summer; perhaps some of the Dark & Broody characterization from Dark Horse will get incorporated there--not that I'm opposed to him being depicted as something other than "Star Wars' Wolverine"; I like the character, and am glad he's firmly in the canon even if I'm not thrilled with every aspect of his depiction thus far). It's a plausible way to go, allowing fresh takes on popular stories which would allow for plenty of creative freedom while still bringing in many elements fans have enjoyed for decades. Maybe a new Thrawn story wouldn't have him get killed by a bodyguard, or at all in his initial campaign... maybe he lives to fight another day, returning a decade later with a different plot. Maybe he gets persuaded over to the sides of the heroes. Maybe Karrde doesn't display a heart of gold and is a thorough mercenary rogue throughout his appearances. Maybe Kyp Durron isn't a potential Jedi, but just a hotshot pilot with an older brother who became a stormtrooper, and while traveling with some OT characters he gets killed saving a young Poe Dameron from an Imperial attack 15 years before TFA. Maybe Kyle Katarn really did find a location called the Valley of the Jedi, and managed to take on an Inquisitor there and, despite having no Force ability at all, defeated the dark-side user. Maybe Moraband has tombs for guys named Ajunta Pall, Naga Sadow, Marka Ragnos, Exar Kun, and Darths Revan, Malak, and Malgus.

 

I would get rid of everything... everything except Mara Jade... just because she is a redhead

 

Sadly Mara Jade is a eu character & wont be appearing in the next three movies none of the cast seem to resemble her if I was to pick a actress to play her it would be Kate Beckinsale her performance the reboot movie of total recall was good it proved at 39 at the time she still had it. If Mara was brought back we would be looking at the novels like Sacrifice were she was killed on Kavan by Jacen Solo right now no one wants to see a eu prediction but I would be surprised if she appeared. Anyway if I was keep something from post TROTJ it would be the xwings.

 

My vote would be to retain the names and general concept of the Yin-Yang Solo twins, just because I feel it was one of stronger concepts that is often echoed in mythology (Star Wars itself being an updated version of the monomyth) and something you could easily wrap a trilogy of films around. You could dump most of the other stuff... the various love interests/triangles, the younger brother, the Killik weirdness, illegitimate children and such... but the core idea of twins representing the light and dark side respectively (and the divide between Anakin's legacy as both a Jedi and a Sith even more specifically) and destined to one day face each other in a final battle is a story element I think would be worthy of being seen played out on the big screen.

 

shodows is a crucial precursor to ROTJ

 

not me, i hate hutts and especially her.

 

The Rouge Squadron? There are books about X-Wing fighter pilots in drag? And is voiding around in the galaxy similar to writing your name in the snow with pee?

 

Going to cheat and give two answers:

Wedge is still an important figure like he is in the EU.

And Chiss as a race.

 

Since that's Jabba's uncle, it's a him not her .

 

The Vong wow they way CGI is now.. it could be pulled off..the costumes would be nasty..perhaps with animatronics for the Amphistaffs.. yeah Vong please

Edit -

first known openly gay Hutt?

 

Corran Horn is a badass

 

Since Ziro was romantically involved with Sy Snootles, I'm not sure you're correct there...

...but, again, he's a canon character, not a Legends character; he's from TCW-era, not post-ROTJ era; Sy Snootles killed him. He's dead, Jim.

 

ziro just comes off female, or transexual.

 

I'm sure somebody already said it, but Mara Jade.