Will "Clone Wars" be considered canon or EU?

2ndQuest has a good point there.

However, for those you like to listen to George Lucas and only George Lucas (which is the case for the majority of those who do not suppor the EU, mainly because the focused argument is that the "EU didn't come from George"), here is some important information regarding the EU and canon, which in turn is relevent to the idea of the "Clone Wars" series being considered canon.

"Gospel, or canon as we refer to it, includes the screenplays, the films, the radio dramas and the novelizations. These works spin out of George Lucas' original stories, the rest are written by other writers. However, between us, we've read everything, and much of it is taken into account in the overall continuity. The entire catalog of published works comprises a vast history -- with many off-shoots, variations and tangents -- like any other well-developed mythology."
-Sue Rostoni of LucasBooks and Allan Kausch of Lucas Licensing, from Star Wars Insider #23

This was then continued by the quote 2ndBest posted above, which gives clear and apparent definition to how the EU is regarded as canon (as the "Clone Wars" series shall):

"Canon refers to an authoritative list of books that the Lucas Licensing editors consider an authentic part of the official Star Wars history. Our goal is to present a continuous and unified history of the Star Wars galaxy, insofar as that history does not conflict with, or undermine the meaning of Mr. Lucas's Star Wars saga of films and screenplays. Things that Lucas Licensing does not consider official parts of the continuous Star Wars history show an Infinities logo or are contained in Star Wars Tales. Everything else is considered canon."
-Sue Rostoni, Star Wars Gamer #6

This gives us a difinitive insight into how the EU is regarded canononical, and thus why the "Clone Wars" series shall become canon, simply because it is a.) considered part of the EU, and thus Star Wars canon, and furthered in that b.) it does not contain an "Infinities" logo to shift it out of the canon "light".

To more easily grasp this concept, let's make a graphical depiction of this policy:

[image=http://www.stardestroyer.net/Empire/HateMail/RSA/Continuity.png]

In other words, the canon movies are guaranteed to be in the overall continuity, and "much of" but not all of the EU literature is also in the overall continuity, as the only EU not in the continuity is the "Infinities". Additionally, the only fact that the EU is considered a secondary source is because it is subordinate to new films (which, at the moment, means it is only subordinate to events to take place in Episode III).


In other words, the "Clone Wars" series is EU, and the EU is canon. Therefore, by simple logic, the "Clone Wars" series shall be considered canon.


Ken Kenobi- And you have a nice day

Canon refers to an authoritative list of books that the Lucas Licensing editors consider an authentic part of the official Star Wars history. Our goal is to present a continuous and unified history of the Star Wars galaxy, insofar as that history does not conflict with, or undermine the meaning of Mr. Lucas's Star Wars saga of films and screenplays. Things that Lucas Licensing does not consider official parts of the continuous Star Wars history show an Infinities logo or are contained in Star Wars Tales. Everything else is considered canon." -Sue Rostoni (Gamer #6 - Oct/Nov. 2001)

You are taking that quote of context. Ms. Rostoni was referring to the "canon" of LucasArt Literature, which is something different than the overall Star Wars "canon" of the films created by George Lucas. Ms. Rostoni's quote in Insider #23, makes that most clear.

As much as her quote in Insider proves that the EU is canon.


Ken Kenobi- And you have a nice day

I say the EU is canon, and the movies are not. Who's with me?

Err... no. The movies are the ultimate canon. The EU, barring that of which is contained in "Star Wars Tales" or has the "Infinites" logo is canon. Look at KK's visual representation.

EU is canon.

The only time this isn't true is when the movies overrule EU (i.e. TPM novel says Qui-Gon's master was over 400, Dooku is nearer 100)

I'M CONFUSED!!!!!!!!!!

What's to be confused about? They'll be considered both EU and canon, seeing as how EU is canon.

I won't comment on the EU/canon debate, but i find the upcoming situation very interesting ;

Regardless of its canonicity (if that's a word ) the cartoon is part of an intricate and hopefully well-planned tapestry of novels, YA books, computer games, short stories, comics, etc. What does each item of that list have in common ? Well, they're all mediums of EU and they tie into the broader EU and of course the movies as well. As someone rightfully pointed out a few pages back, this cartoon is going to be exposed to a lot of people and all those people will get a taste of what lies outside the movies via the cartoon.

Especially with the upcoming "end" of the saga in Episode 3, quite a few fans who have seen the cartoon might start to consider what else is out there. Some might be interested in the Clone Wars story and pick up some CW EU. From there, who knows ? The cartoon could be ushering a new attitude across the board towards EU and any change would definitely be felt in this forum.

Indeed, interesting times ahead.

In my eyes, I think that the "Clone Wars" will be canon. Like it was posted above, unless it has the "Infinities" logo on it, it'll be canon to me.

~Corran

I can understand why some may not see EU as canon because of the few continuity mistakes in post-ROTJ EU (primarily concerning Clone Wars dates) but the Clone Wars project appears to be much more organized. Of course, with a project spanning a plethora of writers, it's easy to get mistakes cropping up, and I think it's a credit to the SW authors that there have been so few (and most of those have been explained).

So yes, Clone Wars=EU=canon

It doesn't really matter what it is aslong as episode 3 doesn't contradict it, which I doubt it will.

It's EU AND Canon. Why would there be a difference?

Does it really matter if it's canon or EU? Given that Lucas has control, I'm sure he told them what they could and couldn't do with the series. So I doubt there will be any story or continuity conflicts when E3 comes out. Apart from that, it's all academic, is it not?

On another note, I disagree that Ventress doesn't work in canon. Sidious is grooming Anakin, Dooku is grooming Asajj. Both Sith are planning an inevitable replacement for the other. Ventress is just closer to the dark side than Anakin at this point, but we know who'll win in the end. It'd make great story sense if after Dooku's demise she became Anakin's competition for the rank of Sith and thus his defeating her would be an almost literal seduction into the dark side, but I don't think that Lucas will play it that way and I doubt this cartoon aimed at kids will either. Anyway, I don't think the show is calling her a Sith or an apprentice, is it? It's just that shifty toy packaging.

Every thing that LFL licenses and that we see as a product is canon, except for the Infinities things.