Saga Are deleted scenes from the films considered canon?

There are certain deleted scenes that, while perhaps not necessary for the propulsion of their respective films, add a great deal of additional texture to the overall narrative. To what degree can we consider those canon?

I'm thinking specifically of the cut dinner table scene from AOTC which is quietly fantastic, speaking volumes to Padme's internal conflicts.

Some other deleted scenes, of course, conflict directly with canon, such as Grievous killing Shaak Ti in ROTS.

Thoughts on this and other deleted scenes?

 

Some of them are supposed to be, others aren't. It's a bit complicated to be honest.

I think the AOTC scenes in which they show Padme's family is almost certainly canon.

 

I'm 99% positive that it was officially said at one point that they are, except for the Shaak Ti ones.

 

This is another fantastic deleted scene from AOTC, which provides yet another shade on the political angle of the clone army and reinforcing Padme's determination.

 

No. Hence their deletion.

 

While I don't discount that entirely, I'd say they were deleted for the sake of narrative expediency rather than canonical conflict.

Does anyone know if the deleted scenes in any of the films are present in the novelizations?

 

I know Leland Chee said that the screenplays were G-canon, and the deleted scenes were surely in the screenplays. This was before the Legends rebranding though, but I don't see why it would have changed.

 

Most of the OT ones are, can't comment on the PT (I've only read TPM, and it was a while ago), but I'd guess they are as well - the novelisations tend to be based primarily on the shooting scripts and are generally published before the final cuts of the films are locked.

 

probably some are , some aren't. Like the waterfall scene in TPM. did it happen? i tend to think not. Other scene's like anakin and padme meeting Dooku in ATOC probably did take place.
then there's the Wampa attack in TESB. Did that happen? Probably not.

 

The deleted scenes were in the novelizations, comic adaptations and screenplays. The only time they weren't was when the scenes were completely changed such as the Sido-Dyas version of AOTC which was changed to Sifo-Dyas and the original Act II of ROTS. The first encounter between Anakin and Obi-wan against Grievous that's on the ROTS deleted scenes, where they watch Shaak Ti be killed by him, was not included in the novelization. The book would later refer to Anakin killing Shaak Ti in her quarters before going to kill the Younglings in the Council chambers, even though that scene was incomplete.

For years up until the recent change in continuity, the deleted scenes were counted as canon so long as they don't contradict the final film. And they were later included in EU stories like the multiple Wampas attacking Echo Base which was referred to and was a plot point in "Darksaber" and where everyone hid on Tatooine in ROTJ. Though that was altered from a cave to Obi-wan's hovel in "Shadows Of The Empire". The other version of Obi-wan's conversation with Mace in the Temple, where we see Obi-wan take off in his Jedi Fighter, was included in the AOTC novelization.

 

Do you ladies and gentlemen think that the deleted scenes appearing on the Digital release, means that they will be officially Canon ?

 

I am pretty sure all the deleted scenes are Canon except Shaak Ti's Death.

 

Technically , yes .

 

It's really too bad this was deleted. It was probably the best of the Senate-related scenes, and it showcased one of Natalie Portman's finer moments.

 

I think a lot of reasons for some deleted scenes, if not for contradicting the canon, is simply pacing. I mean, AOTC is 142 minutes, which is fairly long. I wouldn't mind a 150+ minute long movie, but I believe they already had to shave off a lot for the Imax release :/

It's a difficult thing to figure out

 

I think the more fundamental question is: What is the real value of canon, anyway? ...at least, on the topic of deleted scenes.

Obviously, a surface-or-general continuity should be maintained from one installment to the next, one studio-franchise handover generation to the next, concerning the story content that actually plays on screen. But to the idea of a scene being canonical even when deleted, okay, what does that even mean, really? Star Wars isn't scripture. It's a movie experience. Regardless of whether or not they contradict the larger storyline, deleted scenes are not a part of said experience and are therefore irrelevant. They don't matter. The movies as they are, in completed form, means Lucas was satisfied with the presentation and flow of the story therein. So addressing any deleted scenes as canon outside the fact, I just don't see the application. I suppose a deleted scene could still be referenced in a comic or novelization, but even then the matter is ultimately defined by whatever the medium; there is no ether edict beyond or in between.

 

I actually like Deleted Scenes on their own : More footage therefore more Star Wars.(Art)

 

Wasn't it established that all the deleted scenes that don't contradict the movies are canon? Shaak Ti's death at the hands of Anakin (a deleted scene) is canon. The deleted scene where Grievous kills her is not since it contradicts the movie.

 

That was the original policy. Not sure if it still is.

 

But before an EU work could supercede the deleted scenes, since they were deleted (i.e: The Force Unleashed). Now, with Lucas gone, they are bound by them whenever they don't contradict the movies (i.e: The Clone Wars). I believe Filoni or someone else said something along those lines, probably regarding Yoda's vision of Shaak Ti's death.

 

I don't consider them canon (not that my definition is by any means definitive). They're kind of like the novels, where the canon is ambiguous. I can't be bothered with ambiguity, so I'm not including adaptations on my 'canon' bookshelf. If there was a way to remove special features and deleted scenes from the BluRay, I would not have them on the shelf either. Except for scenes like the air taxi sequence in TPM, which was readded for later releases and is no longer deleted.

 

It's amazing how many times Shaak Ti has been killed in deleted scenes:

ROTS: Killed by Grievous
ROTS: Killed by Anakin
Force Unleashed: Killed by Starkiller (sort of)

Either someone really likes her or really hates her

 

One scene that really can't be canon is the Landing pad scene from AOTC. The dialogue in the scene was moved eralier in the film, so the scene is largely just a rehash.

The way the landing pad extends, the look at the Jedi hangar and the departure to Hyperspace all work very well though.

 

Just like the old strategy of Secondary Canon .