Lit Unfinished Plots, Missing Links and the Storytelling Tapestry in New Canon - an Ongoing Compilation

While one might consider everything and everyone unfinished and might want more about each tiny detail of the SW universe, this topic shall be more grounded and take a look at the tapestry of multimedia storytelling that is New Canon, list major unfinished business and untouched opportunities.

This might help to not only get a better overview of new canon and what might still come down the line but also as to what is already done. A similiar topic for Legends and/or One Canon may be done if enough are interested to participate.

While currently ongoing series and major characters who will get new stories told for ages to come could be listed here, I'll omitt them to keep this shorter, unless they are relevant to other untold stories and important hotspots in the timeline tapestry.

Lets start:

LFL seems to give every year a major theme. This year it's "Prequels revival" filling in a deepdive of Prequel era lore the new canon was missing ever since the reboot! Aside these themes, each year of storytelling expands the previous years movies mainly as well as setting up the next with Journey to publishing programs. Other non-theme tales though also are released here and there, as well as yearly recurring event-themes like Galaxy's Edge tie in material, Halloween stories and the like.

After TLJ and Solo closeby last year, and Prequel expansion this year, it is pretty certain that next year after Rise of Skywalkers closure of the Skywalker Saga will feature plenty of "all era" saga material connecting all films and trilogies further like never before. Project Luminious might even be one of the main tasks in that regard aside the Episode IX tie in wave hitting 2020 with guides and all.

LFL also has elevated several characters to all-era connective tissue storytellers. Where formerly R2 and C3PO as well as Yoda fulfilled that role primarily aside few others in Legends, new canon prominently uses Maz Kanata, Hondo Ohnaka and more to tie it all together. They are joined by Dok Ondar recently whose collection bridges all eras as well. Soon, returning from storytelling limbo will Lor San Tekka (TFA), brandnew creation Savi (from Galaxy's Edge) and others join these era bridging characters with more tales. Doctor Aphra too will become such a bridging character despite her fate wide open and tied to the OT era so far, upcoming Galaxy's Edge comics will feature callbacks to her adventures, like her comics gave glimpses into various moments of the past of the GFFA. But aside these, impersonal characters that will bridge eras will also be revisited like recently the Millennium Falcon across the ages, or Anakin/Luke/Rey's legacy lightsaber and more etc.

Aside all era unification post Episode IX, next year will also delve into the Mandalorian and another last season of TCW as well as Cassian Andors upcoming adventures. Though those may need to run for a couple seasons before serious expansions of them start coming.

Also to factor in are preferences by authors and other storytellers, game designers, etc. some characters are their pets and exclusive to them it seems with few exceptions. While in general anybody could get to tell a story about a certain character, some are more entitled to but all is possible even if not always likely.

The post ROTJ era is beginning to be explored further and will more so soon. But where Legends progressed mostly close to real time and you grew up with characters, new canon has a more dotted here and there approach. It may, like Legends, focus on an era (Dark Times currently) before moving on to another (post ROTJ), but chronological storytelling is a thing of the past.



Now on to the details:

Case #1: Sifo Dyas

Audioplay Dooku Jedi Lost featured him alongside Dooku prominently expanding his canon presence outside of his TCW role. Master and Apprentice though did not. We got a nice progression and buildup between both works about the Jedi, about Dooku, Qui Gon, Obi Wan and their past. But Sifo Dyas story is, while present, ending right in the middle where it gets interesting!

We know his end thx to TCW. We know his importance thx to his mention in AOTC. We know his beginnings thx to Dooku: Jedi Lost. But between it and TPM we are missing a big chunk of Sifo's life. Previously in Legends we had that chunk covered by the novel Plagueis, but that is no longer working given Dooku's life and leaving the Jedi is different in new canon than it had been in Legends. Also the way Master and Apprentice ended, refocusing Qui Gon Jinn's life and purpose, it points straight like an arrow towards Sifo Dyas if you ask me!

The remeergence of prophecies, interpretations thereof, visions and how they affected Dooku, Rael, Qui Gon and Obi Wan can only lead to one Jedi, Sifo Dyas. He has a knack for having visions, his former Master taught him in that regard as well as studying and bringing back ancient and dangerous artifacts.

So where is that missing piece, wherein Qui Gon turns to Jedi Master Sifo Dyas for advice on prophecies and visions? With the Council reevaluating old prophecies and visions in the light of recent events on Pijal, was that which spured them to have Sifo Dyas join the Jedi Council after Qui Gon declined to join them? How and when did what lead Qui Gon Jinn to Dagobah and further to meet the Shaman(s) of the Whills? When and how did he start training Force Ghosting and why? TCW showed us him leading Yoda on to a similiar journey as he once had had. Also being a Jedi Master, who is the apprentice of Sifo Dyas? Who did he train and how? Another individual that may be important and tied to prophecies and visions, someone known perhaps?

All my best guess as to that missing tale is: Project Luminous? Might be one all-era project to tie the trilogies together post-IX. Will it start with Sifo, Qui Gon and the Shaman? And will it lead to other parts of the joint venture to cover other eras and equally luminious characters and important events?


Case #2: Fulcrum

We know it takes time between Filoni projects until we learn more about Ahsoka Tano the White and Sabine Wren's adventure in the Unknown Regions together: The Search for Ezra Bridger! But before that we need to learn what she was up to during the OT ever since Ezra rescued her via the World between Worlds and she found her own exit and way back. How did she become Ahsoka the White, where did he got the fancy staff? Who, obviously, did she meet that changed her and kept her busy?

Obviously more is at play here and luminious it may be. With more upcoming episodes of Vader Immportal dealing with another portal on Mustafar and ancient revelations and temples below, the Emperor as per Rebels end digging for his own portals and searching ancient places across the galaxy as well as setting up observatories aplenty, a Fulcrum to find and guard the secrets of the past may be needed before she can move on to the future.

A future that may require a certain Bridger.


Case #3: Unknown Regions Blues

Thrawn and Ezra's buddy adventure that kept them out of the OT in the Unknown Regions is one teased tale that may come down the line. Many dangers in the Unknown Regions for them to fight and join Forces. Ezra might learn to understand and join Thrawns larger plan and agenda, likewise Thrawn might rethink his approach towards Bridger and his friends once they both fight on the same side, neither for nor against an Empire but towards the greater good of the galaxy?

Long before Lor San Tekka, Luke and Co... Ezra Bridger and Thrawn might be entangled with the ancient past of the Jedi Order and the Sith in the Unknown Regions and face horrors beyond imagination. Blue Harvest aside, someone needs to clean house before the First Order can later move in! Visit ancient places and new powers that rival the World between Worlds, a world of magic and mystery where ancient Jedi took to the stars long before the ascent of technology and spaceships.

At first they fight for survival and against each other until they join Forces against a bigger evil. Ultimately they may even reconnect with the Chiss or Empire of the Hand and Ezra decides to stay and help, while Thrawn does not attempt to return to the Empire likewise?


Case #4: Unknown Region Blues 2

Once Sabine and Ahsoka set off to find Ezra (and Thrawn), a new young generation is ready to take the torch. Whichever shape that series or its heroes will take, this is not a Rebels 2.0 but a joint venture between new and old characters.

Ultimately Ezra will be found, and to everybodys shock he is working with Thrawn against a bigger evil most likely. But how will all react once the Imperial Remnant arrives as the Contingency has been activated? Would Thrawn hand over the reigns of his Unknown Regions to Sloane and co? Will there be imperial infighting for control of the UR? Will Ezra, Ahsoka and Sabine help Thrawn? Or leave him finally? And why did they not make it back to tell of what happened... oh my. And in all that chaos, when and how did Snoke take over?

Will the Unknown Regions Blues as I coined them contain a smaller scale New Jedi Order inspired story with or without Grysks and more? Ezra is kinda a NJO Jacen Solo esque figure and Thrawns Chiss Empire of the Hand fits the bill of NJO Imps too.

Case #5: Lor San Tekka and Luke on Tour

Seems they can't let go of the Unknown Regions as another pair sets out to discover its secrets, ancient Jedi Textbooks and find Ach-To and more. What did Luke see in the mirror caves when he found them? In a way, in new canon early on Luke goes on a similiar sojourn as Jacen Solo had done in Legends meeting all and finding all he can about the Force, its cults an lore, past sites and long lost ones. We know Lora San was friends with Savi from Galaxy's Edge, he may tie into this alongside his Gatherers. Also Snoke personally is known to Leia, Han and Luke, as well as Lor San, so whatever disguise or purpose Snoke used to play their friend and get close, he too may be part of these travels, as might be a young apprentice Ben Solo. The story potential is hopefully not reduced to one book but an entire series of them giving each facett its due expansion.

Imagine a lengthy journey and sojourn with varying travel partners, sometimes Lor San, Maz Kanata, Savi, Ben or Snoke and sometimes a combination of them. New cults, powers and mysteries discovered along the ride with some arcane powers for Ben too like the new ones we saw him use in TFA. (FOTJ Legends travels of Luke and Ben Skywalker mirrored by Luke and Ben Solo in new canon? Snoke can be Abeloth in that case)


Case #6: Aftermath's Aftermath

Aftermath hinted at so much, it can or can't be continued. It also introduced various splinter states and storyhooks that I am too lazy to list them all here yet.


Case #7: Burning Jedi Temples and the Emperor's Hand

What if I told you, the most unexpected twist ever will happen when this tale is told?

After many travels Luke finally has his Jedi Academy set up and studends there alongside Ben. Flashbacks we saw so far gave us part of the picture only, more EpiIX will add, but despite those even there is more another tale will tell only outside of movies.

Snoke has a plan after infiltrating the SkySolo families as a friend in the past. He intends to win Ben to his side over as well as to deal a serious blow to the Jedi and Luke. But what is his plan? What is his Joker nobody suspects?

What gets Luke so worried he goes to check on Kylos mind in the middle of the night? Was it Ben's past actions, questionable ones, that drove Luke to check him up? Or was it a vision that worried Luke? Would innocent Ben slaughter friends and fellow Jedi simply because Luke scared him? Or is there more to it?

Brace for impact, conjecture following:

Ben was troubled before and despite an excellent student, he too was interested in the "other side" of things, the forbidden lore as any teengager might be. But that would not worry Luke enough alone. During their travels together, as per books we know so far, Luke considered Ben to be a Choosen One. Be it because of his lineage and raw power or because Luke thought Choosen Ones were still needed after Anakin, they both had been studying prophecies of old they discovered. Ben therefore grew up with expectations to meet, as well as developed a pride and confidence in himself, his role and destiny, his mission to finish what grandfather started. Only he never knew the full truth about him until Bloodlines spilled it to the galaxy and the media revealed it to Ben before his family could. Shaken, Luke had to deal with that and Ben's reaction to it.

Now into the middle of this situation of difficult unresolved shock, conflicts and relationships, Snoke's plan pushed ahead fast. Years ago, the lightsaber and hand Luke lost to Vader at Bespin had been found and preserved. The Emperor intended to clone Luke eventually for his own dark purposes, but given his premature "death" at Endor, the clone matured accellerated beyond Endor, abandoned. Snoke found him and trained him, his first apprentice that he'd named Ren, wearing a mask always as to not be revealed to look exactly like Luke yet. Now, unmasked, he sent him to the academy as an imposter Luke that would train some apprentices alongside Ben in darker arts as if those are a natural part of the education. Carefully he only was around when real Luke wasn't. But as secrets go, they never stay secret forever and he was found out, which Snoke counted on.
Now apprentices were in the conflicted situation of not knowing which is the real Luke. Some sided with either and a battle ensued. Luke vs Luuke, both supported by apprentices. In the end though the clone was slain and order restored. Wary of dark teachings and traumatized apprentices though, Luke puzzled together more and more clues about Snoke, the clone from his hand and other bits that painted a dark picture of evil plans at work. This worried him enough to check on his Choosen One, Ben. But when Ben saw him saber ignited.. he believed they'd sided with and killed the wrong Luke... he mistook concerned Luke for evil Luuke and fought him, convincing his fellow apprentices to do so too, killing all who sided with Luke before leaving with his later Knights of Ren, who Snoke would welcome with open arms. Watching the dead bodies of his apprentices, Luke himself puts the wrecked temple on fire to burn it down much as he would later attempt to do with the last Jedi books on Ach-To.
(ok leaving fanfic territory here, it ran with me.. but if they ever do anything with Lukes lost hand, this is what I imagine could happen and convince maybe some fans to make TLJs flashbacks more believeable for some fans who did not like them. I loved TLJ btw)


Case #8: Mandalorian Civil War

TCW drew from its backstory, Qui Gon, Obi Wan and Satine etc. were involved in it. A likely scenario that took place is mirroring a similiar adventure to a wartorn world in Legends Jedi Path young reader books that challenge Obi Wan's faith, will he be impartial or take sides? Leave the Jedi or stay? Find love or not?

Case #9: Make Solo 2 happen!

It screams for continuation with Jabba, Qira meeting Maul and more. Concluding with Maul trapped on Mustafar, Crimson Dawn crippled and Qira and Enfys Nests final fate revealed.

PS: I know Disney isn't one for too dark tales and plethora of character deaths, but we need some final ends for some characters despite many many many tales about them before and after that. How and when did Enfys Nest die so that Tubes joined Saw's gang? What fate befell Qi'ra? Did Maul have her posessed by Nightsister spirits to revive the culture as the ghosts were very much there in Rebels later? Did Ahsoka and Ezra ever meet Luke or did their paths lead them elsewhere and when and how did those end? New Canon gave us already beautifully crafted character ends (everyone in Rogue One f.e.), I hope for some more, for a good story needs a proper end.

 

@ColeFardreamer

I love this because it's very true.

If TFA was the OT revival,

Post Rogue One we see a lot of the Themes of Hope (Last Jedi goes into that quite a bit)

This year has not only been the Prequel Renessiance but I guess sorta the unification of the "Skywalker Saga" and the various Ages, (Republic, Rebellion, Resistance)

 

Assuming the purgill took Ezra and Thrawn into the Unknown Regions, what if instead they went the other way to uncharted space on the east side of the map? Or north or south? Why west?

Not sure why everyone assumes Ezra ended up with the Chiss? Why would the purgills take him there?

 

A lot of the stuff that Zahn’s doing, Chiss/ Grysk etc...I think thats probably very seperate from what Filoni’s going to do.

 

I'm curious if Zahn will more or less wrap up that plot line so Filoni can have room to do his thing.

 

I think he will, or at the very least he might set it up where he can do more with that without necessarily having to use Thrawn.

 

As someone one who is only vaguely following the books, what's the latest update on the Really Bad Thing in the Unknown Regions that's been repeatedly hinted at in the novels?

 

Very nice roundup -- I was all ready to add stuff, but I think you hit most of the buttons. One might add Vader's Castle which has gotten a lot of multimedia love, but that may be almost tied up now, barring the (fairly natural but maybe they just won't go there) notion of Kylo using it as a base or source of connecting with Vader (and the Sith of old as well).

Sloane, Snoke, and the evolution of the FO are all things that are doubtless going to get some attention -- to me the weirdest part of that is Snoke being all out there in the UR but also somehow present in the OT3's lives.

I still dare to hope that Luke's Academy stories will be told in the screamingly obvious format of an animated show with Mark doing the voice acting he's doubly qualified to do as Luke. I mean, it's a no-brainer, innit?

 

I don’t know why but I’m operating under the headcanon/speculation that Snoke might be like a Jorrus C’boath kinda character, except not insane and actually manages to take over the Imperial forces from the Grand Admiral.

 

Good point, the Unknown Regions are hip these days so obvious choice but I'd be ok with a satellite galaxy too. Other Wild Space pockets are too small to contain them for long enough.

I too feel like the Grysk have been too much elevated by fans and wishful thinking. Personally I think there is another threat lurking, the UR is full of threats after all. Heck if Luke and Lora San can have their happy go lucky Force sojourn, send Thrawn and Ezra on a dark evil tour de force mirror version of it, visiting ALL and EVERY threat in the Unknown Regions. GALAXY OF FEAR: The Unknown Regions Edition. Every installment another threat: Killik's Dark Nest, Mggnal-Mggnal, Abloth, Sorcerers of Rhand, Ssri Ruuvi Entechment, Cronal, Snoke, Yuuzhan Vong, Dreadmaster leftovers from TOR, Rakata Archipelago, Silentium and Abominor, and many more! Thrawn never was kidding to the Emperor when he warned him about the Unknown Regions terrors! Now him studying these threats art and Ezra's arcane Force use and connecting to beasts will be a handy coupling to thwart their attempts to escape the UR. Let Ahsoka and Sabine join them and you got a team and probably Mandalorians as a call in fighting force. Heck I need a good Sabina and Thrawn reunion with them bickering about art outside fighting each other. Maybe they can be friends?

Given new canon loves to take inspiration from Legends and OT and turn concepts on its head... this fits their bill like a glove! Have him be Jorus + Cronal both kinda and you got a deal!

I now envision Thrawn trying to study the Art of Snoke in order to understand him, but defeated and dying, Thrawn asks Snoke what he might have misread. Snoke, surrounded by art of many cultures yet none of his, simply replies: "My people never created any. They see it as a weakness to be exploited, a weapon to be wielded against others, a shield behind which we can hide."

 

Add on to first post:

Case #10: The Graf Archive

The Graf Archive needs to be filled, and the Graf family, also binds all eras. I want to see more of them. They need another series even, not just at Halloween, but that Galaxy of Fear vibe fit them well. After all, they are the new Tash and Zak Arranda as well as Hoole and Voren Naal too. So far they gave me the most JJK/YJK vibe of all new characters with a brother sister duo with special talents growing up alongside the readers. And we saw glimpses of adult Rebel Lina as well as their descendants in IDW.

 

There isn't one yet. And I think it's only cropped up in the Aftermath series.

 

This is good cases of plot threads not yet closed. The Ashoka/Sabine and Ezra/Thrawn threads will likley be explored on and perhaps closed in a new show in the unkown regions. Luke and Lor San Tekka might join in that show to as they finds jedi lore and maybe befriends Snoke along the way.
The other ones might be in the new shows and books. The Fulcrum of between the Ashoka book and Rebels, what she idi in between as a spy and rebel leader during the early formation of small groups of rebellion.
But the most important plot thread is Syfo-Dyas, from the events of the new canon story of Dooku and to Atoc. I haven't listen to the audio book yet but does something imporntant happen to him in that story that might hint at desicions and fate. But we know from the movie and CW, that he ordered the comission of a clone army 10 years before atoc and did it without the consent of the jedi council. He once sat on the jedi council and after having visions of future told of a war argued with members of the council. We know from Dooku's own mouth he helped him creating the clone army for the republic. He might have allied with him to protect the republic and jedi from the coming war. It is implied that after helping Dooku in creating the clone army, he kills Sfo-Diyas and becomes him in secret.

 

Case #11: Legends Comebacks and substitute character creations

Ever since Rebels revealed Thrawn live at Celebration to return in canon, fans went nuts cheering. Ever since then, they expected other Legends characters to follow him down the line making a return, be it Emperor's Hand Mara Jade as Inquisitor or some of Lukes first Jedi class or else. Few minor characters did come back here and there indeed (Valance, Jaxxon, Amaiza for Marvel, Rukh for Rebels and others like Cracken in comics etc.), but another such major cash in as Thrawn has yet to happen again.

While there is no guarantee for that to happen, Disney is known to put their stories where the money is leading and cover their tracks with nice and awesome designs. Legends Comebacks do not happen just for the sake of it, but only at pivotal moments and if used well. So when and how could they repeat that miracle return and with who? Some characters, while fanfavourites indeed are near impossible to return due expectations that folks would carry that simply could not happen. Mara Jade for one will not marry Luke and her return merely as a dark agent or Inquisitor is a return in name only without any of her redemption story and power of previous times. Likewise Jaina Solo is a nogo sadly and the further from the movies, the less likely will we get to see the next gen characters returning, with rather similiar stereotype characters created anew in their place. Ezra Bridger kinda has some Jacen Solo vibes going for him f.e. and Jacen Syndullas naming is a clear reference.

Which other characters do you recall that could have been a Legends character but were created anew as substitute? Which Legends comebacks, no matter how minor did happen? And what Legends comebacks could be done in a fair and honest way for epic events without baggage or expectational hazards?

Well one is already back but needs a proper story around him: Darth Revan. But he too suffers from the baggage: Legends did his KOTOR story so well, it can't be topped. They won't do a simple redoing it, nor canonising it in its entirety. But if they change up anything, its less than the original.

Darth Talon was even favored by Lucas alongside fans, but will the hypersexualised Twilek Sith ever return? Doubt that fits Disneys agenda. Anja Solo, Jaina Solo and more got conflated into Rey. Kylo is Jacen Solo, Kyp Durron and more. Grandadmiral Sloane is kinda a less freaky Admiral Daala with more a Pellaeon vibe going for her. etc. Satine Kryze is a substitute for Cerasi and Obi Wan's Jedi Path adventure relocated to Mandalore. Any era got substitutes and analogue characters. Saw Guererra is at least in part Garm Bel Iblis alongside other characters conflated.

Now, what if Vergere would return? Or more likely a substitute for her. It'd fit the luminious prophecy ladden tour de Force that currently expands our Force Knowledge towards the endgame in IX.

The more I dig through Legends to look for a repeat of the Thrawn effect, the more it becomes clear there are many potential returns but none as major it seems. At least it seems clear that many prominent family clans of Legends are not returning anytime soon like the Fel, Antilles, Horn families.

 

@ColeFardreamer

I think when it comes to Legends call backs the issues of Recanoization get a wee bit tricky.

Since Canon isn’t Legends you can just do a redo of there story.

Mara Jade return wouldn’t be the same since most people enjoy her arc from Imperial Hand to Jedi.

Same with Kyle he can’t go from Smuggle to Jedi, unless you want him to die at Luke’s academy.

Thrawn was easy since he’s a more fully fleshed idea, (Smart officer who uses art to defeat his enemies) same character just different story that stays true to him.

 

Hanging plotline...

Pirates with a Super Star Destroyer!

Suppose I can dream that Hera and co take that down in Alphabet Squadron 3, right?

 

Take it down? No no no, my friend. They strike a deal with them for a joint venture against rogue Imperial leftovers. Afterwards Hera personally paints the ship bright red and they get a New Republic pardon and BOSS permit for their vessel so long they do not over-arm it. 5 Minutes later they already did and Hera curses chasing after them again

Either that or Aphra steals it right under their (and Hera's!) noses only to crash it into a nearby moon before she hurries away again on whatever quest she had been needing it for briefly.

 

I’d like to see a return of the Emperors Hand concept. Like I’m 50/50 on Mara cause new canon cannot do what old canon did and I thought her journey from Hand to Jedi along her being with Luke was a great development for her. So... that can’t happen I think and so I would be hesitant on whether Mara would get as good a story. But outside that, I would like to see the various Emperors Hands return and causing a bit of havoc post-Endor.

 

I don't follow the new Star Wars Marvel series, but if their only appearance was in the Star Wars #108, that's firmly EU territory, not new canon.

 

nope they are back in IDW comics, Marvel comics etc. proper. not the Legends nostalgia issue!

 

@ColeFardreamer

I'm curious if we ever go Pre Phantom Menace Old Republic Ancient Jedi/Sith Era if will get another Viatate/Valkorian type character (Hopefully played by Charles Dance ) or will they try to stray away from that so they don't feel like we are getting another Palpatine 2.0....Again. Although without Palpatine coming back

 

Charles Dance needs to happen. But if they do Palpatine 2.0 I do not want it to be another Sith Emperor but rather the abandoned concept of a non-Forceuser Emperor and his advisors. Sith try to manipulate him but he is clever. Have Charles Dance be a mix of Vitiate/Valkorion paired with Roan Fel!

 

SAME ENERGY!

 

I agree that Thrawn is a major outlier in the recanonization game. Singularly easy to port over to another continuity without all that much need for context and massively popular without much story baggage that needs to be stripped away to fit in.

I've mentioned this before but it's interesting that a lot of what IS making it back into canon is from the very early EU, when it wasn't even called that, contemporaneous to the OT. Stuff from the original Marvel series as has been noted, and even Mimban in SOLO. I think that's because it's easier to repurpose characters like Valance, Jaxxon and Amaiza who were originally parts of self-contained one-off adventures and not stitched prominently into the fabric of a now-discarded GFFA history.

 

Also I think part of that is down to quite a few of the writers being fans of the Marvel era, like Pablo. Jason Fry's talked about how much he loves Splinter of the Mind's Eye, hence making references to it in his Weapon of a Jedi. I'm pretty sure Cavan Scott asked to write a Jaxxon story because he's a big fan.

I suppose it's up to some of the younger writers and Story Groupers, like Matt Martin, to incorporate some of the newer Legends stuff.