Expanded Universe Imploded

[Mara]

-link-


So everything we've ever read (or played) in the EU is now listed as "Legends" and is no longer considered canon.

That distinction belongs only to the six (soon to be nine) films and the Clone Wars series.

Future novels will match the canon... and the EU will no longer be expanded, but still be available in reprints.

Effectively, this seems to mean that the entire EU is now just a fancy and professional AU/fanfiction. Or, in my mind, all part of the Infinities banner (which were stories with alternate events written a while back).



Thoughts? Anger? Happiness?







Personally, I'm not sure what to think.

Obviously it's a huge blow to fans who have spent the last couple decades (the EU began with Heir to the Empire in '94, unless you count Splinter of the Mind's Eye from the '80s) reading these books and comics and playing the games.

Do I just disregard everything I've read? (And be torn, because it means Mara is not dead... but also, never existed in the first place?) Do I continue to re-read them, despite the fact they will contradict the films? Do I even bother with the new canon novels and just focus on the films for my SW entertainment?


We're in a brave new galaxy here, folks.

[Taylor]

It seems like an idiotic move to me in the sense that you have the Old Republic game out and that's drawn a crowd, but now it is no longer considered canon. It just seems to me that it's turning away the people who have supported Star Wars for as long as they have. Personally I only cared about the Old Republic era and had little interest in the Luke onward. From that perspective my interest in the star wars universe being created by Lucas has greatly diminished. There also goes my hopes and dreams of an old Republic movie at some point. It just seems to me like they dealt a killing blow to everything Star Wars oriented other than the movies.

I get not wanting to have to try and make the whole EU fit into those movies, but at the same time he has to realize that it isn't just his plaything. It means a lot to people and people have been supporting it for years. It just seems like a spit in the face to fans in my opinion and for that reason I'm on the angry side about it. It also just strikes me as lazy and convenient on his part, but what can one expect when the man gave us Jar Jar Binks.

[Mara]

Well, considering the films are 35 years post-ROTJ... this change will probably affect post-ROTJ EU more than it will Old Republic and before. Since I highly doubt anything back then will have any relevance, lol.


But I do get it... Though I wasn't expecting the new films to take anything in the EU into consideration anyway, and was already thinking I'd have to refer to the EU as more AU anyway... The knowledge that I won't get any new novels in this 'timeline' bothers me. Some of the previously (but no longer happening) announced novels had me excited. But now they've just gone to the ether.




(Also, I don't think we can put all the blame just on G.L. I'm sure a whole host of people were involved in this decision. Plus, in the past, he's said more than once that while he supported the EU, he never considered as high of a canon as the films and wasn't bothered by contradicting it.)

[Taylor]

They're still not considered canon and they were exploring that universe through the games and I wonder if now because of this decision they'll shoot it in the water.

It just makes me wonder if people will even continue to bother expanding that universe now that it's been rendered pointless. I also wonder, from a business stand point, how much negative feedback will be happening because of it. I doubt it's an overwhelmingly positive response in the community.

[Mara]

Well, the article mentions that the EU as it was known will basically be shelved, but still available in print for people to read. So it will no longer be added to.

All future novels will be connected to the (new) canon. One of the first planned books is a companion to the upcoming Rebels series.



And honestly... there will probably be some negative response (obviously), but in the whole scheme of things, I think there's probably more SW fans that didn't read the EU than those who did. So overall, I don't think it's earth-shattering.

[Taylor]

We"ll see what happens, but it just reeks of money over integrity to me, but then again Star Wars long stopped being anything more than a money scheme. It became a lot less about story and a lot more about money. I'll just continue to play my KOTOR games and ignore the entire thing. I don't have high hopes for the new films after Episode 3 anyway.

[Meira]

I actually see this as a major integrity move. The EU as it was just seemed like a vast web of all different kinds of ideas and theories which, while entertaining and deep, was very much tangled. This is a consolidation of the SW universe in a move that will ensure things from here on out align with the original works. Sure, things are going to have to stop and some things will never be finished, and that sucks, but in the end, I think we'll find the SW EU to be much more approachable and understandable.

Business-wise, sure, profits are certainly going to be considered. What business person in their right mind WOULDN'T want to make something more profitable? I don't see anyone jumping on JK Rowling's back for marketing Harry Potter stuff.

And as far as Lucas himself is concerned, the man is taking a back seat, control wise, in this whole thing. It's not like he's going to be writing EU novels himself. There have been, and will likely continue to be, lots of shifts with the whole franchise. Change isn't necessarily a bad thing. This is a pretty jarring change, but it seems rather logical to me.

[Taylor]

I understand wanting to make money off of a franchise, but when you keep releasing the same movies with alterations it becomes a money grabbing technique. That's something JK Rowling has not done which is why I don't think anyone has jumped on her. Lucas has pretty much been trying to milk this for all its worth beyond the point of understandable.

The EU universe thing wouldn't be so bad if the legitimacy of games released by the company itself weren't amongst the causalities. It just seems a little messed up to me to release these projects and then declare "Oh you've wasted your time playing or caring about any of those projects." That's not stuff fans just made, but things that actually came from the company and were sanctioned.

[Meira]

How is it a waste of time? Did you enjoy it? Then you didn't waste your time. This is entertainment we're talking about here. Just because it's not canon doesn't mean you have to pretend like it didn't exist. It doesn't mean you're not allowed to enjoy it anymore. It just means that you're going to get to explore a NEW angle.

[Taylor]

i understand the entertainment component, but as a writer and someone who cared more about the games than the movies it's irritating. The reason I remained with star wars for this long may be discontinued which greatly reduces my interest in maintaining any concern with the franchise. It's also the clear indication that the games that kept my interest will never be moved into that visual medium. I also just do not have high hopes for George Lucas's work any more. It became more and more about the financial gain than the actual story, which I'm sure will carry over into the next set of movies. I highly doubt at this point it's anything more than an attempt to milk the franchise for what it's worth rather than actual bring anything interesting or well written to the table.

[Meira]

*shrugs* It might be that my indifference to this is from a lack of complete immersion in the EU. I've read some of the novels and played a few of the games. I enjoyed everything that I've experienced from the SW EU, but I'm not bummed that it's going to stop where it has because I look forward to the new stuff that will come out.

The thing about wanting to milk a product for all its worth is that you're not going to get much if it's not a good product. Disney isn't stupid. I believe they and LucasArts are going to put a great deal of effort into making a good product. If I'm wrong, then that sucks, but such is life. I'm going to enjoy the ride until it's over or until I don't enjoy it any more. It's never going to be exactly what I want or expect. But that's ok. I have SWU for that.

[Taylor]

For the milking a product for what it's worth. I work in film I hate to tell you, but people are stupid. They will pay for anything that explodes and does not have a plot. It doesn't require much effort to actually make a functioning film. If it's pretty people pay for it. Then the rest of us who actually pay attention to story suffer because we actually look for plot.

It's not so much about the expectations of the franchise, but just a degree of respect. I'm not that engrossed in the EU myself outside of the Old Republic, but as a hopeful author and filmmaker I just have this whole you shouldn't treat your fan base badly or their expectations. After all like all good rulers your power is proportional to the people who follow you. Lucas has a tendency to tread on his fans and I just don't think it will continue to work in his favor. I'm not the only person who feels that George Lucas has adopted a very uncaring stance to his fans. I've talked to a lot of people who feel that way about his work. I used to love George Lucas as a storyteller until I actually started examining the first part of the series and just found myself greatly underwhelmed. At least now he can't bastardize Old Republic like he did the movies with episode 1 and 3...I should be thankful for that.

[Rugs]

There's some good stuff in the EU. There's also a lot of garbage.

And it's not like these stories, these works of fiction, no longer exist. They're still around and will remain forever. Is anyone really going to enjoy KOTOR less because it's not officially counted as canon? I doubt it - though to be honest, this is likely more about clearing the way for things that happen after the original trilogy than it is messing with the Old Republic. At least for the time being. But these are works of fiction, not documentaries.

As far as responses go, most of the response I've seen, and it's anecdotal, but still, has been neutral to positive. Because I think a lot of people know that the EU, for all the great things that are in it, is a tangled, bloated, sometimes self-contradicting mess. I think this is less about treading on fans or treading on writers (though let's be honest here, are we really gonna be upset that Karen Traviss books aren't canon now?) and more about new ownership wanting to start with a clean slate and a better way to keep what's arguably one of, if not the largest fictional universes out there in a state that makes sense.


Honestly, the biggest concern I had seeing this was how we'll keep track of things for SWU. But I'm sure we'll be fine =P

[sparrow]

Yeah, I don't really see the big deal. I suppose I'm a bit sad that Kyle Katarn's chances to making it into a new movie are now basically nil, but other than that, I don't see any big reason to be upset that the EU is now basically its own separate continuity.

I like Marvel comics a lot, and it doesn't bother me that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a different continuity for the comics 616 universe. There are even other continuities in the comics, like the Ultimate universe and Age of Apocalypse. Their separation doesn't really hinder my enjoyment, and this new development with Star Wars doesn't either.

[Ysmir]

I would say it's up to the individual to decide for himself or herself what he or she wants to believe is "canon" or not. Sure, there can be an official canon, but when it comes to drawing the line between the movies and the EU it's a moot point.

What will continue to happen is life will go on as it always has; people will continue to do the kind of stuff that we do, the movies will be made and probably met with both great scrutiny and praise, and we'll all get along just fine.

[kenpachi]

on the plus side? Chewie didn't get a bridge (moon) dropped on him because an author made a bad decision, and is now alive again!

yeah I hate that all the EU stuff I've enjoyed is getting slapped in the face, but I'm going to hold on to the one single positive I can come up with XD