The Dreaded Holiday Special: EU or Not?

I was at a FanForce X-Mas party over the weekend and we watched the SW Holiday Special.

It was indeed bad, but that's beside the point. Someone during the show mentioned something along the lines of "Thank God this is EU."

I had always assumed this was on a similar canonical level with the films, but maybe I'm wrong.

Rather than wonder about it for a long time (read: two days ), I decided I would research it! I have a counterpart thread in the EU Community to see what is the general consensus of both sides of the Canon War.

So: Is the Holiday Special EU or not?

Please post reasons for all answers. And if this devolves into a canon debate, I will have this locked, so don't bring that up, eh?

 

Most
Definately
EU!

Why? Anything thats not a movie is EU. EU stands for "Extended Universe." The heart and Soul of SW is the movies. ANything that isnt a movie therefore, would be EU right? If its not a movie, then, its an "extension."

 

I agree with DarthWeenie!

It is definitely EU.

 

I think one of the definitions of Non-EU is if it comes from Uncle George himself.

The Holiday Special was from George. (But then again, so is the X-mas album...) I think we could mark it down as part of the huge cash cow that SW was to Lucas in the early days.

It's relevancy to the timeline however...I don't know.

 

George Lucas can create an EU item. At the same time, someone other than GL could create a non-EU item. Dont lose the meaning of the letters "E" "U".

"Extended Universe."

Star Wars IS a movie. Anything that "extends" out from the thing that it originated as is EU.

EU doesnt mean that its bad or that it has no bearing on the "canonical" story. It merely means that it is an "extension" from the original work.

"Ewok Adventure" and "Fight for Endor." Both movies, yet both EU. They do not focus on the Star Wars story, but they DO take place within the Star Wars Universe.

The Star Wars story, that is episodes 1-6, ARE Star Wars itself. If someone wants to "extend" a certain aspect of it, fine, thats EU. GL himself could even make a story focusing on Yoda's young adventures, for example. Since thats not part of the main SW story, I think that would qualify it as an "extension", and thus be EU, dont you?

If only George is exempt from being labeled EU, let me ask you something.
If GL were to die tomorrow (heaven forbid) and someone else took it upon themselves to complete episode 3, would ep3 be EU?

 

The very definition of EU is something that is not in a film. The Holiday Special is indeed a film, so it is not EU.

Whether something comes from Lucas or not has no bearing on a material's EU (or canon) status.

 

Well not exactly a film, a TV special, but I see your point.

Yet, the story of the holiday special strays from the core story. The SW story, we can say, is the birth to death of the chosen one, Anikan. Anything that takes place in the same universe as star wars, but does not have a direct bearing on the core SW story, is by definition, Extended.

Just because the holiday special utilizes the film medium doesnt mean anything. At least I dont think so. I dont think ANYONE would consider The ewok movies non-EU, yet they are on film.

 

First off, it's Expanded Universe...

Also, I at no point considered the Ewok movies to be EU. Sorry...

 

I hope HOPE EU. Along with the Ewoks special, the Droids cartoons and comics, along with the Marvel Comics which had its moments. Where can you get the Holiday Special anyway?


[edited]

YJ edit: Advertising is against forum rules. If you have an appropriate website that you want to advertise, put a link in your signature or your biography.

 

From what I've heard, George Lucas would dearly love to collect all the remaining copies of the Holiday Special, and set them on fire.

I think we can definitely say they're not canon.

 

The issue is not if they're canonical. It's whether they're EU or not.

There IS a difference. But I digress...

 

Expanded Universe means anything with the Star Wars label that is not in the film medium.

 

Canon:
SW films, film novelisations, comic adaptations, radio dramas and screenplays. NB: The films take precedence over other canon material.

EU:
All other novels, comics, videogames, etc.


The Holiday Special was not made by Lucas, and he has said that he'd like to personally destroy every copy of it in existence. As such, it can be disregarded as any sort of SW material

 

I regard it the same as the Ewok films. It's canon if you like it, OK? Remember EU is a fan-coined term which people still confuse to this day and do not know what is what.

 

IMHO...

It is EU.

George Lucas has stated that "his" saga is the 6 films, and furthermore the most recent editions of all films(SEs, TPM DVD, etc.). In his eyes EVERYTHING else is in sort of a "Parallel Universe" that do not fit into the top level of canon.

Expanded Universe is more than a fan term. It is used by LFL to label the EU. For example: The Official site and Hasbro(under LFLs instruction) both use the term.

For a good explanation on the levels of canon check out Nathan Butler's Timeline and ChronoRadiohere.

 

there is something about darthweenie's icon and signature that just makes me laugh.....

 

Nee!

 

The Holiday Special was not made by Lucas,

I thought it was. *shrugs*

---

Okay, thus far:

In the EUC thread, the vote is 5:3 [b]No, it is not EU[/b].

In this thread, it is 5:1 [b]yes, it is EU[/b].

Maybe both sides just want to throw blame on the other? ;) :p

 

Commander Antilles, would you mind telling me where you get that idea from? Are you making it up? Or is it an official LFL policy?

If you are making it up, please stop spreading that myth. If it is the official policy, please say where you got it from.

 

There is a reason I started my post the way I did. It is simply my opinion. This is always a hot topic, and I read a post one time that I believe in. I don't remember who said the following. If I did I would give full credit, but it was something like this:

The Star Wars Saga is a very personal thing. One should make up or have in mind their own personal continuity, what they believe fits & does not fit. We are free to include or exclude whatever we please.

My source for what I said about George is named. I paraphrased what I heard on www.starwarz.com/timeline. Everything can be canon if one wants it to, but not everything can be top level canon.

 

Commander Antilles, would you mind telling me where you get that idea from? Are you making it up? Or is it an official LFL policy?

If you are making it up, please stop spreading that myth. If it is the official policy, please say where you got it from.


LMFAO!!
Just look at your posts in this thread. You accuse me of making things up??

 

>>>The very definition of EU is something that is not in a film. The Holiday Special is indeed a film, so it is not EU.

That does not cover the load, because it would include all fanfilms.

 

http://www.timewarptv.com/site/programs/Star_Wars_Holiday_Special/

"According to Steve Sansweet, at a convention in Australia, George Lucas said something to the effect 'that if he had the time and a hammer, he would track down every bootlegged copy of that program and smash it'"

 

I think the Boba Fett cartoon is EU, but everything else in the special is garbage.

 

Well, since you did not state where you got your information from, I have to conclude that you did indeed make that canon clause up.

And what, pray tell, did I make up on this thread? Is there anything I said here that's not true?