Lit A/V The Force Awakens and the EU [TAGGED spoilers.]

That's exactly what I'm saying. I would think if Kathleen Kennedy (through GL, et. al.) can use anything they want. I think EU should be either tied in to SW as Canon, or, if it conflicts or those in power don't ever want to tie it in, it should be call "Legends" (i.e., like the alternate universe SW comics where Leia turns to the Dark Side).

I find it hard to believe that all pre-existing EU will be discarded. My guess is they may call it all legends, but will eventually loosely incorporate some things. IMO, as long as the EU doesn't directly conflict (or restrict, for that matter) anything in the SW canon, they should leave it open ended. In fact I might like to see 3 categories along the lines of this:

• Canon - Films, TV, some books, etc.
• EU - Could loosely be tied to Canon and doesn't conflict it in any significant way
• Alternate SW Universe - Directly conflicts Canon or any EU (or those in power don't ever want it to tie in)

I guess we'll see. As we all know, just because those in power behind SW say that something is or isn't going to happen, based on the history of the last 3 decades, we all know that that doesn't mean much. They'll change and adapt as they see fit. Even if it contradicts an earlier plan.

-DL

 

The appropriate response.

 

Yeah, that's how I sorta feel about it all, too. We all pretty much knew the hammer was going to come down, but it's the extent of damage that's been done that I think surprised many.

It's an absolute complete waste just to jettison everything. There's countless and countless books, comics, short stories, etc, what's the harm in keeping ones intact with the timeline if they don't contradict with anything in the films?

Wiping the entire slate clean just reeks of another "because we can" move. There's been so much world building, creation of mythologies, histories, characters, planets, technology...shame to loose it all.

 

I don't understand, Qui-Gon had a lightsaber. Should of chopped the abomination off right there.

 

Completely agree. What bothers me is that if they call all pre-existing EU "Legends" (even if some of it could tie in to Canon), how will we know which stories conflict with canon, and those that don't (assuming we haven't read them all).

I hope they adopt some of the stories!

-DL

 

Completely agree. What bothers me is that if they call all pre-existing EU "Legends" (even if some of it could tie in to Canon), how will we know which stories conflict with canon, and those that don't (assuming we haven't read them all).

I hope they adopt some of the stories!

Maybe they'll only end up calling the stories that conflict or that they don't want to tie in "Legends", and everything else will be Canon. Or, even if they do initially call something "Legends", if they later realize it does not conflict or they want to tie it in, they will remove the "Legends" association.

-DL

 

All existing EU is separate from the 'new continuity' of the ST and SW Rebels, and I don't think any books or comics are going to "become" part of the new continuity.

 

Maybe so, but maybe not. Time will tell.

-DL

 

If only they did this in 2007. It would have been a big tv event.

 

There is a huge chunk of EU that still fits into the fictional characters lives regardless of the official rubber stamp of canon or not. Same deal with how the Trek books worked. It's not officially canon but a hellova lot of it does still work (and other chunks of it does not).

 

I liked Abeloth as an idea, and actually thought she was one of the few interesting things about the otherwise bland FotJ. But the longer the series went on the less threatening and mysterious she got.

In the end she suffered from two things, the first of which is what I like to call the "Grievous Effect". Where the main villain gets his/her rear handed to him/her so many times they lose all credibility as a villain.

Then Denning shoehorned a bunch of random nonsense from Dark Nest and TCW into her story for Waru knows why, totally ruining any mystery about her.

 

Well at this point I suppose everything from the EU still works. In ten years? Maybe none of it will. We just don't know. I would assume they got rid of everything because they don't want to play the innocent until proven guilty game. Personally, I'm okay with that. I know I'm in the minority, but I prefer what we got to a soft reboot where everything was ambiguously canon, to be part of the continuity today and contradicted tomorrow without a thought. I am sad that we probably not going to get any new stories in OUR universe, but I look forward to the ongoing story being as consistent as possible. What concerns me going forward is that they might not be telling ambitious stories going forward because they don't want to tie the hands of the filmmakers who are going to be cranking out a new film every year until they stop making money (another thing that makes me sad is the thought that some day there will be such over-saturation that a Star Wars movie could fail to make money, but that is a rant for another day).

 

I'm really not sure why this point is confusing to people. The films and the TV shows are not going to be constrained by a novel or comic, no matter what the StoryGroup says - and I'm sure that they know this, so it's far, far more likely that large constraints on what the novels and comics can do and say will be made. And it's likely that, in the end, they'll branch out into doing more and more "Infinities", until their secondary material is exactly the same as every other franchise - either works that have absolutely no effect on the universe (and therefore it doesn't really matter about their canon status) or works that pursue radical differences that are explicitly labelled as non-canon. That is not to say the odd concept or idea wouldn't be used by the films/movie - we can use the CWAS' treatment of the CWAS novels and comics as a guideline. But in reality, the NU will eventually settle to be "films and TV series (plus a very small amount of information from a few select novels and comics, but we reserve the right to ignore or remove this information at any time)".

 

Yeah, the impression I get is that the Story Group exists to keep the secondary materials in line with the movies, not vice versa. Of course, we don't really know anything yet, but I would be surprised if the Story Group had any real power over the filmmakers. I guess we will see.

 

I can all but gaurentee some portions of the EU will fall into the " well it hasn't been stated otherwise" camp of being canon. There's so much out there already, in time periods we won't touch for a long time.

 

They jettison everything from canon, not to give us, the fans, a hard time.

But to have the possibility of future spin-offs and haven't the constraints of pre-existing material.

It is decision to either maintain several books about Bane, or have spin-off movie (or more) about Bane.

If that happens, will make me as fan to have smile from hear to hear to see the origin of Rule of Two on screen.

 

Because Qui-Gon needs it. Who else can he rely on to keep his hair looking so slicked back and pretty?

 

These portions fit into that category in our minds and because we find it logical. The reality is that continuity is a blank slate right now; sure we can still fill in the blanks with the whole EU we know and love, but the new people (this is all about the future!) will start from scratch.

Also, there might be some irreconcilable events that render the other stories into complete apocrypha. What if in the new universe Luke decides not to rebuild the Jedi order? What if Rebels states Kanan is the only survivor of Order 66 ever? What if it's stated there never were Sith Empires before Palpatine's?

They might do stuff like that.

 

Well, if they want to stay consistent with ROTS they have to at least admit the Sith once ruled the galaxy.

 

I think a lot of this will depend on what the new plot will center around. If it truly is going to focus on 'An Ancient Fear,' then perhaps we truly will lose everything. If not, then who is to say that much of the KOTOR era EU won't become recanonized, (as GrandAdmiralJello stated in his recent article on 1138)? I'd say we should keep a close eye on SWTOR, and see where that is relegated- Legends or NEU? That's my (hopelessly?) optimistic take on it.

 

Unless they establish that was a lie passed down the Bane lineage to inspire future Sith Lords that they were not facing an impossible task. Not that I think they would go that route, but playing devil's advocate they don't have to admit even that.

 

That would be a pretty big slap in the face to Yoda.

YODA: Pass on what you have learned.
LUKE: lol, mmkay.

 

New Jedi Orders are a bad idea, mmmkay.

 

Then Rebels would contradict the Clone Wars what with Ahsoka being alive. Not that she was truly a jedi, but still. I doubt they'll leave the fate of the Jedi after Order 66 up to just Kanan, Obi-Wan and Yoda. There's potential for another film there, not just a kids series! Think of all the money! However, WHO survives, and for how long, is absolutely up for changing.

I'm very excited to see what the future holds for Star Wars either way.

 

Oh well, he doesn't have to neglect it hehe. He can simply choose to build a hippie commune instead of a warrior coven

Not to nitpick, but have we seen her alive post TCW? Rebels takes place after ROTS.

I gotta admit I'm more intrigued than excited.