Lit Expanding the Sequels: Give the ST its own Rogue One and Andor style deepcuts!

As the title says, the ST is controversial among fans, but overall we need more content in that era and to expand it in meaningful ways. With or without the main actors returning.

So here is what I see may be useful and working nicely for the ST:

1) Give the ST lead-in movie spinoffs

What TFA lacked and shocked fans with was its huge baggage of backstory that came much too late years after explored only and hinted at in the movie itself merely. Imagine a Rogue One style lead in movie. Bloodlines novel, Shadow of the Sith and other works already did a lot there, but not enough. Make us care!

This intro needs to show characters and make them beloved and then put them on Hosnian Prime so that its impact is felt more than "rando new world gets nuked". Maybe cameo Maz Kanata, Jakku and else but nothing that would spoil the main characters for what is about to come down in TFA. Show characters from TLJ and TROS in their up to TFA days given others are already done mostly.

Have a cast almost spill the beans and prevent TFA. Have someone find Rey but not be able to reach or inform her. Have someone learn of Starkiller Base but racing to tell the galaxy only to be stopped at the last step by a FO infiltrator within the Republic. Such stuff like in the Darth Maul/Cloack of Deception novels of old pre-TPM!

And then have another lead-in movie or concurrent to the ST movies to expand them. And resurrect abandoned script ideas like the epic stuff from Trevorrow's Episode IX Duel of the Fates, even if with other characters or cameos only. Imagine somesuch going down paralell to the movies or set in parts pre/after the movies like TROS to be able to use and cameo the main ST cast.


2) Give the ST more series

Resistance was nice and cute but... not enough and cut short. Tony Gilroy style Andor tv show with gravity that is what would elevate the entire ST quite some! Show the grunts, show the galaxy reacting or not to what happens to the Resistance and FO. Show them tired of war but coming back for Exegol. Show them puzzled at Palpatines message return, show them loose loved ones to the FO they never thought they would again. Show the ST how the people felt and rose up, how the spark ignited, spread and lit up the fire that burned down the First Order and Final Order. How the galaxy united, how someone else used Holdo maneuver after TROS to bring down FO craft, how the message spread thx to Lando and the Lightbeam network, how everyday people aside Dyads and Chosen Ones rose to the task and got inspired and the Legend of Luke Skywalker grew and spread anew to inspire them.

And don't you dare do that one without casting Broomboy amongst the cast!


3) Surprise us, decieve us, torture us!

Yeah fans are masochists in that they love a good story even if it hurts their characters. Ignore our screams in pain and agony and impatience, do not react to us, but make us suffer instead trying to please us and failing to please everyone. That is how the NJO and other stories worked. That is how TESB became a favourite, by making the fans and the fans loved characters suffer!

How about a Young Reader series about a boy and his tragic fate, he got a name we do not recognise. But the last book will have him get a new one or change his name and suddendly we go "Aaah he was that guy all the time!" and gave us an origin story. Like for Temiri Blagg, aka Broomboy?

Give us the NR's pre-war depression, and almost reveals of the FO that get debunked as terrorism or individual actions if caught to protect the larger hidden force. Give us whistleblowers and conspiracy theorists of the GFFA trying to figure out the truth, sometimes making the right, sometimes wrong connections but getting close enough. Give us the new age of realism in the GFFA and lead with it. Do not fearfully shy away from such hot topics. Tackle representation, LGBTQ+ and all directly as a main story element, not a throwaway description for a character couple.
Show the fate of families that lost kids to FO kidnapping, show family reunions and psychological troubles due to ideologies and other trauma. Give a voice to all the real world variations of such.

And then make the ST larger than itself, give that era life and a plethora of new characters and stories to build on going forward one day in the future.

Go odd, weird and supernatural in fitting formats. Aside the Andor style deepcuts and down to earth everyday people style, show the magic of the galaxy, its worlds between worlds, including alternate realities, temporal shenangians. It all can fit SW if done right and some odd corner stories in the GFFA do not have to change the GFFA proper. Space Archeology, Ancient Aliens, Supernatural tech, bring it. You know you want to! Aphra needs a show, as does the Graf kids, as does the recanonised Galaxy of Fear kids and Uncle Hoole. It is time now!

 

I agree with you in general. At least from what I would want. I don't know if the audience is there for cinematic lead ins but definitely for literature/Disney Plus offerings. The OT is my favourite setting (followed by the PT) but what I most want new stuff from is the ST. Like you mentioned it has it's own unique hooks (mainly the draw of a canon Galactic restoration story we don't know the end to but also newly budding Jedi Order that's not snuffed out). Also really any type of story can be told in that timeline like you mention and it is the one most in need of fleshing things out.

I'm not sure if enough others agree. Also, I think TROS REALLY hurt the ability of the ST to tell a Clone Wars type Episode 8 to 9 story by being set less than a year after Ep.8 but also by presenting such a tiny Resistance instead of what should have grown into a galaxy wide force. Could have been the most fertile and satisfying lead-in since my beloved Episode 2 to 3 era of fandom. Though you are right in other sidestories could definitely be told. I've said in other threads that I look forward to ST era stories (mainly comics) just for the sheer open-endedness and freedom you have versus the other trilogy eras. Even moreso because I'm kind of burn out about the comics spinning wheels in the Episdoe 5-6 period. I suspect, though, that LFL is either content to move on to more fan favourite eras or wants to keep little meat on the bone in case new movie ideas may somehow conflict with things down the road (when they figure out if the even want to tell post ST stories).

 

Even with the limited number of ST tie-ins we have now, there's already the issue of a disappearing Resistance fleet between Resistance Reborn, Allegiance, Galaxy's Edge, and TROS.

 

Hmm, that's right. I guess the canon explanation would have to be even those forces were wiped out in Resistance actions against the First Order before TROS. I suppose that actually fits with the sense of the Resistance carrying out missions against the FO but not scoring decisive victories (what with Poe insisting they need Rey out there at the opening of TROS). So maybe there is a venue for a creative author to eke out a daring meaningful misson or two that costs the Resistance ships but can still still be narratively compelling (maybe they save some planet or other from destruction or free Rose's homeworld)

That kind of doubles down on the loss opportunity of the EU building up the Resistance leading up to TROS but since that boat has already sailed, might as well use the lemons to give us some Resistance vs FO lemonade that is sorely missing (if I may combine both sayings).

 

I figured the Mon Cal/Quarren diaspora recalled their fleet to protect themselves but were on call when the Resistance needed them. And no doubt the rest of their ships including the second CR90 were dispersed to wherever Rieekan, Orrimaarko, Wedge and others had set up smaller bases to Ajan Kloss (so as not to keep all their eggs in one basket as what happened to their fleet at Oetchi and Crait).

 

I think the Mon Cal part is plausible - certainly they could be part of the "People's Fleet" that appears at Exegol as there are multiple Mon Cal cruisers there. But it seemed like the initial strike at Exegol was already an all hands on deck situation and so I would have expected ALL resistance ships to be going there. On screen it's just a couple squadrons of fighters, the troop lander and the CR90 with not a lot of wiggle room for off-screen elements unlike Endor where you can imagine the fleet spreading offscreen. Unless the thinking is the non Mon Cal elements were all on their way and decided to hold off and gather when Lando sent out a rallying call with the rest of the galaxy's forces. But Poe seemed to think all ships available to them were exhausted before the fleet showed up. And would make the "it's just people" line a little more of a stretch than it already is for the FO officer not to mention it's Resistance ships AND rabble or something to that effect. Or "the rest of the Resistance" and their friends.

I'm all for a larger Resistance however I can get it and maybe some canon source could add to that but don't know if the movie supports it (I like the Mon Cal idea however and can see that)

 

I think a larger resistance Force makes sense, but to square the lemon, we need a trick:

Have the resistance have supperiority in ground forces but not space forces. Have the FO have space superiority but lack troops. This tilts spacefights to their favor but all ground and occupation work falls short of terror acts and threatening the galaxy into obedience with fear "or we'll come" scenarios. Hence the FO may almost win to take out the tiny resistance fleet, but fail to gather a foothold in the galaxy on the ground where too easily people can rise up in cells all over the galaxy to throw out the too understaffed garrissons and patrols and use private craft to even board or Holdo some resident Stardestroyers in orbit.

I think that would be very fitting for the Resistance, free them of the need to have a large fleet or ressources to maintain it and give them the last laught while still having them almost loose in space.

The "It's just people" line thus can work well and refer to lots of people but most ships not being warships or guns blazing but still plenty of people to fight... on the ground, to fight boarding FO Stardestroyers and enough others to shoot them down.

PS: I still pity that nobody rode into Exegol on Purgill or Exogorth back riding those in lack of ships!

 

There were way too many starfighter casualties to the Resistance compared to the number of pilots returning. I reckon that the second wing was behind them by moments off-screen, arriving in between several scenes.

 

That works. More starfighters I can buy. I would have hoped for more capital ships left for the Resistance but as far as the tie in material, I think at least Resistance Reborn was just fighters anway. As an aside I do give credit to LFL for having the Resistance ships there (I desperately wanted more, like Iden's daughter from Battlefront 2 but you take what you get).

I also think that you can still have stories about FO remnants post TROS (I don't think anywhere on screen it mentioned all the FO forces just died). So that could be a venue for some of that massive anti-FO fleet to take on some Resurgent-class Star Destroyer's or even a remaing Dreadnaught or two. Sure it may be a replay of the old EU post-ROTJ situation but maybe have them ally with the Grysk or something to spice it up (I just really want more of a FO vs Resistance/New Repbulic conflict anyway I can get it). In a dream world written by Zahn. Or maybe there's a planet with Sith Eternal remnants - Dark Side cult for Rey and Finn to fight.

 

I think shows like Mandalorian and Ahsoka will continue to build towards the lead-in element to the ST.

What they run the risk of is becoming more valued then what they are building toward.

Already people worry about Grogu's fate before TFA.

The ST is in a unique quandary. Do they build on it, or do they just leave it be for a few years, then "rediscover" it as a fertile story ground? Or do they just build right around it.

I'll tell you what I am keeping an eye on: Galaxy's Edge...if they retool it to a more OT atmosphere...that will tell you all you need about Disney's future in the ST era.

 

i wouldn't mind

 

Yeah - I have heard musing of whether ST gets treated like PT in that you let some of the children who like it more than some of the older fans grow up into spenders and allow their wallets to appreciate it in their maturity. It's a good question. I think LFL did have a sort of itch to move back to the OT post 2005 so there's a precedent there. But, the big argument against that of course is the Clone Wars coming in 2008 really helped foster PT era fandom and engagment. The counter to THAT however is Lucasfilm had, well, Lucas there at the time and of course he'd remain an advocate for the new films he just created. Not like Abrams or Johnson are present at Lucasfilm now to push ST era development.

Myself, I would be happy (settle?) for books and comics but would hold out some hope someone gives us a random ST era show in a couple years. Maybe they reconcile with Boyega and come up with a neat post ST era role for Finn or a Zori Bliss and Siddoni Ithano team-up show.

 

In regards to books, Shadow of the Sith was a GREAT step in the right direction. It gives Rey a backstory (despite being young) and we see what Luke was doing beforehand. More could be explored of course.

 

Absolutely. I think the Occhi of Bestoon aspect struggled with just how to fit everything in properly to line up with TROS (like having to incorporate the ship Rey saw leaving Jakku being Occhi's as found in TROS) but the actual time with Rey's parents and expansion of Occhi himself enhanced the movies for me. On top of that, Luke's Sith quest was even more compelling and probably the most I've liked the portrayal of the Force as a magic style phenomenum in EU works (not usually a fan but was handled really well here).

I think the comics every once in a while touch on ST stuff (usually in the kids focused material) but typically of smaller scale stories, which can also start to flesh things out. Hopefully that grows into something more substantial. No disrespect to those who like the character, but I would really have rather had a ST era miniseries over the Sana Starros one (her ship is pretty neat but not really too attached to the character otherwise).

 

I want to learn how Palpatine, Dooku, Gunray, Maul, etc. and the Clone Wars were viewed during the Sequel era. Did people know that Palpatine was behind the Invasion of Naboo and the Clone Wars? Did they realize that the Jedi coup never happened?

 

I bet there were conflicted opinions. Some claimed everything was a Sith plan and he behind it, others called them lunatics and conspiracy theorists, especially corporations and centrists trying to whitewash the clone wars and empire to minimize their bad deeds and potential reparations. With politicians and corporations trying to remain afloat despite investigations into everyones Imperial past, public opinion may be torn between opposing interpretations. Centrist worlds and Populist worlds each propagating different versions.

 

At least when Palpatine's message from Exegol arrived, everyone knew or at least suspected him to have orchestrated these things.

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The way for any ST tie-in material to go is to practically smash its teeth in.

You can't really go nastier, I don't think there's an audience for that either.

The period to exploit is both TLJ-RoS but also have some big stuff going down in parallel with RoS a la TCW s7.

 

I kinda do wonder what would have happened had the ST begun differently. Instead of the buildup to TROS, have it start with Palpatines message and ultimatum out of the blue, no FO or Starkiller Base etc. beforehand. Would people have believed the message? Thought it to be fake or another wannabe warlord pretending to be/have Palpatine in his pocket? Only for the galaxy learning that underestimating the message leads to a fleet of Superlaserstardestroyers destroying a plethora of planets simultaneously across the galaxy. Boom now people rally too late and the galaxy falls quick to the Final Order. No advance warning or preparation for the Resistance.

Kinda would have been more like Dark Empire with Palpatine's Dark Empire blitzing the NR and Coruscant, Dac, etc. swiftly to reduce it to a Rebellion in mere hours.
They could then have the First Order split from the final Order and ally with the Resistance, be that under Ren or else, and prepare Starkillerbase for useage against Exegol. The outcome would have been probably that the Final Order destroys SKB before it can do the same to Exegol, but the distraction managed the rest of the galaxy to unite and strike at Exegol. Anyway with the First Order allied with the Resistance, the future may have held a Triumvirate and Legacy Comics style era thus despite differences to both factions politically, uniting in a joint council, triumvirate and an alive Rey and Ren on opposing yet allied sides for a time. With potential for a future trilogy to shake up that alliance and half-half Council of Jedi - Sith.

 

ICAM. I like the ST and want more built around it, but see your point with the shows. It does seem Grogu's fate (at least regarding Luke) is secure now. Who knows if it'll stay that way.

Yea, discovering Ochi's ship on Passana seemed at first a little odd, like we were supposed to know he was, like Cad Bane. I think the current Vader title and SOTS helped explain him in 2 different eras. It also gives you a better understanding of Rey and how long she lived a hard scrabble life. Also, it was nice explaining why Lando was on Passana. I think more is needed. Bloodline I'd say also could be say fits into this category and again it was good. Of course not all material (like in any era) will be a 10/10. I am still waiting to read The Princess and the Scoundrel for instance.

 

It seems to be common knowledge by the ST, with Luke assuming casually that Rey knows about Darth Sidious, and I believe in one of the first new canon comics or novels it was mentioned how he and the Sith were behind both sides of the Clone Wars. Perhaps "Bloodline" or "Shattered Empire."

The galaxy also actually getting its act together in Episode IX, in response to Palpatine's return specifically, is also pretty telling.

But yeah, I don't the galaxy really knows about or cares about Maul or Gunray. Just seen as a Clone Wars figure and corrupt corporate leader (Gunray) and a criminal and warlord (Maul) if anything.

I would be interested in what the New Republic thought of Dooku. Probably similar to Palpatine due to him being complicit in masterminding the war. But it does seem like the New Republic decided to take some Separatist concerns as valid and implement reforms based on them. And I like that the animated shows are finally showing more of the Separatist side, between Dooku's TOTJ episodes and some of Bad Batch. Gives me hope we'll get a true Separatist protagonist hero story sometime.

 

The issue with the ST is the three movies are set so close together that it's hard to give it too much depth within its narrative, and it would instead have to be prequels. That could work but then you'd have to convince Oscar Isaccs to return as Poe or something like that, as there weren't many peripheral characters established worth exploring, outside of Greg Gunberg I think.

 

Okay so I watched TFA last night and SOTS provides a lot of context. We initially see Rey looking for scraps and don't know the circumstances that brought her there. The book provides that in great detail and the scene where they part is very emotional. Also, we understand who she's waiting for better and why getting back to Jakku is so important.

 

Agreed. Ideally, particulary Episodes 8 to 9 would have really benefited from a couple years like I was mentioning. Following the FO/Resistance war in realtime would have been the pefect scenario and while they did that to some extent right near the end, the whole period is only like 6 months (and the end Resistnace too small).

I think you could still fit side stories in but would have to get creative (particularly on how consequential they can be in terms of impact on ST narrative). But I think there are some characters that could be fun to watch, like the Crimson Corsair. Or maybe Poe handed off Black Squadron to Jess Pava and we can follow some strikes on the First Order in that VIII to IX timeframe. We have to get some sort of starfighter oriented show somewhere. Alternately, since the Sith Eternal is gone now, open up with something involving them against an Unknown Regions faction. I mentioned earlier something with the Grysk but maybe the Chiss serving to block Sith Eternal expansion into the Unknown Regions. I think a hook strong enough can compensate for a big star vehicle. But I do think we are more likely to see a riskier venture such as that in literature or animation for now.

 

I think what they need to do is use sidecharacters and introduce new characters like Resistance animated show did and develop them to the same fame and fanfav status slowly as the main heroes. Then they can even have them live the adventures the main heroes can't or give their roads not taken to those repurposed for the new characters medium. Like the Trevorow script Duel of the Fates and other brilliant ideas too precious to be completely lost.

Grow a new generation on the legends of Luke Skywalker and his peeps... and have them be the Broomboys and girls (though broomgirls sounds witchy and I love that... more witches! More Young Jedi Knights style young witches and wizards!)

They can give us a thousand characters with a thousand angles on when how and why they rose up against the FO and rebelled... all culminating in the People Fleet and galaxywide FO-slaying actions. The ST and main heroes being limited or short is no detriment but the perfect setup for that to put the focus where it belongs, not on them but on those they inspired, which fits right into the STs entire meaning and purpose!