What kind of canonist are you?

Padme Bra

We'ed get bashed in those other forums, we aint moving!

 

I know it happened. It just doesn't have to rule all my other reading/Star Wars pleasures.

 

Quote:
"I'd say other, I don't exept the movies or prequals as canon."


What is that supposed to mean?

It means, "I don't accept the movies or prequels as canon."

 

Yep, the ot novels yes, prequals no.

 

There's nothing wrong with the prequels.

 

Some people's kids....

 

Bib Fortune, Twe'Lek

Date Posted: 3:36pm Subject: RE: What kind of canonist are you?
There's nothing wrong with the prequels.

Opinion statement.

 

I love the prequels. And not just 'cause of Padme...

 

I have no problem with prequels as long as they dont include trade blockades.

 

Oh, come on, we're all going to be Lucas's b****es when Ep. II comes out.

After a few months, the bashing will begin anew though.

 

Ahh you speak wisely eva...........

 

Completist. Even if I find some stories utterly ridiculous, I accept them as being part of the whole story...

 

I'm a personal canonist from the following perspective -- there's clearly some stuff that I will NOT read (YJK, JJK, etc.) and all of THAT I do not consider canon... 'cause I don't know what's in it.

 

I'm "Other - LFL Canonist (or Other- Strict Constructionist)" (yeah, I know, I have to be difficult, )for a couple of reasons...
1. I do not view the entire EU as being canon, because I don't believe Star Wars Infinities, Star Wars Tales, or any other EU story with the "Infinities" icon is canon. Therefore, the given definition of "Completist" cannot apply to me. That is:

Completist: Movies and the entire EU are canon.

doesn't apply, because I don't believe the entire EU is canon. There are some parts that aren't. That would tend to throw me into the given definition of "Personal Canonist":

Personal canonist: You accept certain elements from the EU but not others.

Taken at its face value, that is the view I have. However, I don't think that Jade's Fire's intent was to capture that (yes, merely my opinion of what I may have thought Jade's Fire's intent was). The reason why I didn't choose "Personal Canonist" is becuase I think the word "personal" points to each individual picking and choosing whatever they want. That is not my view. My view is that LFL defines which "certain elements from the EU" are canon, and I accept those elements they choose as canon. Same with the opposite, I dismiss as non-canon ones they deem aren't canon. Some EU items that they have deemed aren't non-canon: Star Wars Infinities, Star Wars Tales, a Star Wars Gamer entry.

2. I could actually care less about canon, but I believe in the power of what I believe to be its main purpose - a benchmark for what is/isn't Star Wars. I believe that when it comes to defining what the limits of Star Wars are, only LFL can do so. Otherwise what is the point of even discussing anything if for any response someone can give "It's not Star Wars."

As in...

Me: What do people think of Thrawn?
Person#1: It's not Star Wars, so it doesn't matter. But Corran Horn is, what do you think of him?
PersonPerson#2: Corran Horn isn't Star Wars, but Triclops is, what do you think of him?
Person#3: Triclops isn't Star Wars because he's crap. But, Waru is not crappy, what do you think of him.
Person#4. Waru isn't Star Wars, but blobstacle racing is...
Me: For the love of god, all I want to do is talk about Thrawn in the context of being a Star Wars character!
Person#1: Thrawn is not Star Wars... (repeat cycle)

Or conversely, someone can spam the forums with OT things like fan-fic. Someone could just as easily wish to see a Star Wars story where T.J. Hooker goes up against Boba Fett. So they write one, and come to Lit. wishing to discuss it the same way and how it affects the EU saga like someone may do with Truce at Bakura. They're not the same.

Some things are Star Wars and some things aren't. Spock, Alf, President Sheridan, T.J. Hooker are not Star Wars. What is Star Wars EU is whatever LFL has produced. What is Star Wars canon is which parts LFL defines it to be.

I think it's also important to point out that while my opinion of canon is static (whatever Lucas definies it to be), the specifics of my opinion are dynamic - whatever LFL defines it to be. That is, today LFL may view TTT to be canon, and tomorrow they may not. Today I would argue just as strong that it is as I would tomorrow that it isn't, if the issue ever came up. Some recent issues illustrating that point, the length of a particular capital ship seen in Star Wars movies and any number of EU items.

So, I don't know how to classify a shifting group of EU products - certainly not "completist." For instance, I didn't always think everything lacking an Infinities icon was canon, that is a new specific point, because it is a new policy from LFL.

However, even though the specifics of what individual items may or may not be static, my canon view is - it's whatever portions of the EU that LFL deems it to be.

And, I'd also say that canon is pretty meaningless outside of being a benchmark. I mean, if tomorrow LFL did for example deem that TTT is no longer part of canon, it wouldn't change how I feel about it. I already went through that with Star Wars Tales

 

Genghis, you can be so difficult sometimes.

I knew I should have put "except Infinities" on the end of completist, just to be doubly sure.

Padme Bra (or another admin), I wanted to see how the Lit forum viewed this. I am a bit surprised at the breakout so far. If there isn't one of these types of polls in Census, start one and post a link here. I'd be glad to vote in a community wide poll.

Stryker, thanks for finding the "other" I was looking for. "They are just stories, so who cares."

 

I said...
"Some EU items that they have deemed aren't non-canon"

That should either be "deemed are non-canon" or "deemed aren't canon" - take your pick.

 

Hey Bib, I hate to break this to you, but actually none of it happened, not even the movies.

Oh, and the Easter Bunny isn't real either.

Sorry.

 

It all happened within the GFFA, but not necessarily in real life.

 

I'm an "other"...

 

The GFFA doesn't exist either. That's why people can have personal continuity.

The movies were actors acting out under GL's direction, and the books are written based on people's imagination.

Since none of it's real, anyone can choose what they want or even make up their own stories if they wish.

Even if you like it or not.

 

That is simply not true. You cannot choose what happened or what didn't. That is LFL's right, and no one else's. Therefore, only they can say what is canon and what isn't.

 

Oh, so I'm going to be arrested or shot if I say "I'm ignoring NJO na, na, nana, na."

Even if it has Lucas's seal of approval and the fact he owns the name Star Wars, it doesn't change the fact that it didn't happen and that it's just somebody's imagination.

I can write all the Star Wars stories I want as long as I don't make money off them. I have an imagination, Lucas has one and so do all the writers. There's no difference.

If it's GL's stories, a professional writer's stories or my stories. None of it happened.

You can't tell people what to beleive in the pretend world.

Otherwise, you would have to take away alot of action figures from children playing.

"No! Stop that Johnny! That's not canon!"

 

Only the material that is specifically licensed by LFL happened in the GFFA. Therefore, any fan fiction, any fanboy wet dreams, any delusional thoughts you might have, they all didn't happen. Only the canon stuff happened.

 

THE GFFA DIDN'T HAPPEN.

With LFL's approval or not, it just simply didn't happen. None of it.

Did you ever see The Neverending Story?

In the end Bastion received one grain of Fantasia. He was told that he could make as many wishes as he wants.

The GFFA is part of Fantasia. It's created on imagination, nothing more.

The License is just for money. It has nothing to do with Fantasia.

No one man has control over Fantasia, not even George Lucas, and there are many many dimensions in it.

Your taking things too seriously if you're telling people what they HAVE TO believe in the world of make-believe.

 

There's nothing wrong with taking things seriously. If you aren't going to add anything productive to this discussion, please leave.