general media The Star Wars EU No Longer Canon: Thoughts?

[Andaasonsan 3,205]

The thing is, there is no reason for Disney, to care. The old guard will bitch and moan...and then go watch the movies regardless.

I had to go dig up this old gem that sums up the Star Wars fandom perfectly:

 

https://web.archive.org/web/20100219214953/http://www.jivemagazine.com/column.php?pid=3381

 

My girlfriend doesn’t understand what I see in Star Wars. We’ve had several soul-crushing arguments about what exactly makes this series so important to me, and every time I have found it more and more difficult to argue my case. As the maddening years have wound on, I think I finally understand the reason for this crippling handicap. 

 

There is a diabolical twist to Star Wars fandom, you see, that defies comprehension, and yet is the life-blood of all Star Wars fans. It is this:

 

Star Wars fans hate Star Wars. 

 

If you run into somebody who tells you they thought the franchise was quite enjoyable, and they very-much liked the originals as well as the prequels, and even own everything on DVD, and a few of the books, these imposters are not Star Wars Fans.

 

Star Wars fans hate Star Wars.

 

The primary fulcrum for the Star Wars fan’s hate (including my own) is George Lucas, creator of Star Wars. Unlike Trekkies/Trekkers who adore Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, Star Wars fans hate the father of their obsession. We hate the fact that George Lucas got it wrong from the beginning, creating incest between Luke and Leia. We hate the fact that he wrenched Return of the Jedi off of Kashyyyk and set it on Endor with those tiny, furry Hobbit bitches he called “Ewoks”, which is a syllabic anagram of Wookiee if you’re obsessed enough. We despise the entire existence of literally half of the Star Wars movies, blaming George Lucas’ greed and flawed ‘vision’ for everything. 

 

We believe George Lucas’ ideal death time was 2:07am, 14 November, 1990.

 

Star Wars fans also hate the original Star Wars trilogy. We think Mark Hamill’s acting was whiny, the pacing was flawed, and Empire was better than Jedi, making the end of the series a let-down. We hate the way Boba Fett died, and we hate the cantankerous, arthritic duel between Vader and Obi-wan. We don’t understand why the storm-troopers can’t shoot worth a damn, and we don’t get why “an entire legion of [the Emperor’s] best troops”(ROTJ, Palpatine) can be overpowered by a tribal society of midget teddy-bears armed largely with rocks and twigs. Star Wars fans hate omnipotent war-machines that get their legs tangled in strings, or slip on logs. They hate Darth Vader’s face and that stupid harmonica thing he was playing. Star Wars fans hate the original Star Wars trilogy.

 

There is also, as you probably know, a series of Special Editions that have replaced the original Star Wars trilogy, and these are also hated by Star Wars fans with an even more scorching fervor. Star Wars fans hate the glaring CG changes made to scenes we already hated to begin with. We hate that Han Solo now killed Greedo in self-defense, and then stepped on Jabba the Hutt’s tail (which we liken to Carrot Top stepping on Fidel Castro’s tail). We hate the fact that the ghost of Alec Guinness (whose name is an anagram of Genuine Class, by the way) now stands next to Hayden Christensen (whose name I tried to re-arrange into a flattering anagram myself, but only came up with “Nn…Dense Chest Hair”). Star Wars fans are unsure if Fidel Castro has a tail or not, but we hate the Special Editions of the trilogy just the same. 

 

There is of course also a prequel trilogy to Star Wars. It is newer, more epic, more expensive, and more visually stunning than the original trilogy. Star Wars fans know this, and so we hate it even more. We hate it with the burning passion of a setting pair of twin suns. Jar Jar Binks, Midichlorians, technology that is blatantly more sophisticated than the “later” original trilogy…we despise all of it. There’s nothing a Star Wars fan hates more than a Star Wars prequel. They demystified Boba Fett, contradicted countless lines in the original trilogy (Obi-Wan: “He was our only hope.” Yoda: “No…there is another.” Obi-Wan (not in script): “Oh, right, I f*cking held both of these kids as they were born in Episode 3. Sorry Yoda, I just plumb forgot!”)

 

Star Wars fans think Mark Ha…uh…Hayden Christensen’s acting was whiny. And the pacing was flawed.

 

Beyond the movies, there are also various television-related Star Wars endeavors which Star Wars fans despise. Starting with that abysmal “Holiday Special” in which Carrie Fisher appeared drunk and tried to celebrate Christmas through song in a Jesus-less galaxy, Star Wars fans have watched and hated everything. We think Droids was a waste of time, Ewok Adventures was an extension of everything we hated about Return of the Jedi, and we’ve seen both seasons of Clone Wars which we hate because we believe them to be immensely inconsistent with the prequels we also hate. 

 

Star Wars fans think the Star Wars comic-books are a stockpile of contrivance written for marketing purposes by people who know nothing about Star Wars. Every gimmick imaginable to bring back super-weapons long destroyed and token bad-guys long-beaten is spewed forth from these comic books, and Star Wars fans want nothing to do with it. Star Wars fans have read the one in which Han Solo works in tandem with a giant rabbit and we are not impressed.

 

Then, naturally, there are the videogames. Star Wars fans hate LucasArts, and the opportunist drivel that comprises most of the gameplay-less apertures known as Star Wars games that they vomit up every fiscal quarter. Star Wars fans know that there is no such thing as a good Star Wars strategy game, we yelled at our PS1 when Masters of Teras-Kasi came out, and we kind-of liked the Jedi Knight series, but not at first and definitely not towards the end. Star Wars fans did not like Knights of the Old Republic, unless they were RPG fans. This does not count. Star Wars fans hate Star Wars videogames. 

 

The final main elixir of Star Wars folklore is the ever-growing library of Star Wars books. These have managed to make a complex main character our of practically every background alien seen in the movies, and expanded the universe into a colossal, self-contradictory maze. Star Wars fans hate this. We hate how trite and tired the books were getting before the New Jedi Order series, and we hate the New Jedi Order series for being so radically different, and not nearly trite or tired enough. Star Wars fans hate it when previously-deceased characters are brought back to life, but we also hate Timothy Zahn for not bringing his characters back to life. Star Wars fans did not hate Grand Admiral Thrawn, but we do now, because he is always dead. The Star Wars movies also contradict and completely ignore droves of information within the Star Wars books. Star Wars fans now know that George Lucas has no idea who Jaster Mareel is, and it makes us very angry. Star Wars fans hate Star Wars books.

 

Now that I have covered all of this, you can finally begin to compute why I can never prove to Emily that Star Wars is a monumental event worth devoting one’s life to. The very nature of the argument means I have to defend Star Wars, and since I am a Star Wars fan, I don’t actually understand how to do that. 

 

Maybe I’ll put it like this. To be a Star Wars fan, one must possess the ability to see a million different failures and downfalls, and then somehow assemble them into a greater picture of perfection. Every true Star Wars fan is a Luke Skywalker, looking at his twisted, evil father, and somehow seeing good. 

 

My earlier statement needs slight revision. We hate everything about Star Wars. 

 

But the idea of Star Wars…the idea we love.

[Sky Cutter 294]

they are now well written fanfics that the author profits from and the Star Wars people are OK with it.

they are now well written fanfics that the author profits from and the Star Wars people are OK with it.

[Silverwisp the Bard 2,353]

 

 

had to go dig up this old gem that sums up the Star Wars fandom perfectly

Aye, there's definitely some truth to that.

 

 

 

they are now well written fanfics that the author profits from and the Star Wars people are OK with it.

They never were anything else. Lucas has stated several times that he didn't consider the EU to be truly canon.

 

Also, sorry if I did come across as a bit bit of an ass, . It's just that I'm nowhere near as invested in Star Wars as I used to be.

[Kel_Grym 1,917]

The Expanded Universe was kind of boxing them in as far as creative options go for this new trilogy and it was already turning into a convoluted mess. It had some good stuff in it though and I'll probably reread it sometime.

 

I never did think if it as cannon in the first place . If it wasn't on the screen then it didn't count .

 

 

EU was never on the same level of canon as the movies anyway.  So I don't see this as a big deal; I would rather not see them be hamstrung by what has gone on in the Expanded Universe.  

 

Besides, don't act like this was the first time this has happened.  There were Star Wars books released in the late 70s/early 80s that were basically killed by Empire and Jedi, don't forget. 

 

This is true. There were several levels of canon.

 

You got EU canon, then show canon overrides that if their is inconsistency, then the trilogy overrides anything else that doesn't match up.

 

But I thought that was a nice setup. I was upset when the Republic Commando EU canon got overridden by the CGI clonewars show, and they stopped writing the series, but still, the system was an acceptable set up.

 

Now it's completely gone, though.

 

EU is now forever delegated to AU...

[Jamaican Jam 112]

I never watch star wars, so this doesn't affect me.

[Jeric 46,837]

I have NO problems with this. I loved the Thrawn Trilogy and Duology, and a few of the Kevin J. Anderson Novels were ... ok. The whole thing started to feel over bloated to be around the time of the Vong War.

 

I know I may be in the minority, but I am looking forward to films that are not bound by the EU.

Edited May 2, 2014 by Jeric

[Andaasonsan 3,205]

You know what's really awesome? The old school Marvel Comics Star Wars Comics. I gotta do dig them up.

 

It was seriously some of the best Star Wars stuff out there, but it has been all kinds of reconnected over the years. They were the worlds first introduction to a fuzzy Jabba the Hutt for instance.

[Dattebayo 2,850]

The EU was a thousand times better than anything George Lucas' demented a$$ can poop out.

Sad to hear, especially the Thrawn part not being canon.

Edited May 2, 2014 by Dattebayo

[Kel_Grym 1,917]

The EU was a thousand times better than anything George Lucas' demented a$$ can poop out.

Sad to hear, especially the Thrawn part not being canon.

 

Thrawn was the shit. Best villain ever.

[Castle Bleck 19,213]

Thrawn was the shit. Best villain ever.

 

^Him, Xizor, Boba Fett surviving, etc.

[Dattebayo 2,850]

^Him, Xizor, Boba Fett surviving, etc.

I remember Boba's struggle to escape from inside the Sarlaac...

That scene when he actually does it and is clawing his way through the sand and asphyxiating...that was some crazy sh*t

Edited May 3, 2014 by Dattebayo

[LED Dasher 228]

The Star Wars EU was never canon to begin with. The only absolute canon consists of the Star Wars movies and the TV series "The Clone Wars" and "Rebels." Anything that George Lucas claimed to be canon became canon.

[Dattebayo 2,850]

The Star Wars EU was never canon to begin with. The only absolute canon consists of the Star Wars movies and the TV series "The Clone Wars" and "Rebels." Anything that George Lucas claimed to be canon became canon.

Lucas also wanted to name Starkiller from the FU games "Darth Ziggy".

I tell ya friend, George Lucas is batsh*t insane.

[LED Dasher 228]

Lucas also wanted to name Starkiller from the FU games "Darth Ziggy".

I tell ya friend, George Lucas is batsh*t insane.

 

Did Lucas really say that? Whatever the case is, he always did have a strange sense of humor.

[Dattebayo 2,850]

Did Lucas really say that? Whatever the case is, he always did have a strange sense of humor.

He wasn't joking, unfortunately.

Apparently, he was very weird.

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2014/02/12/fall-of-the-empire-how-inner-turmoil-brought-down-a-legendary-studio.aspx

[Commander Bubbles 1,343]

 

What's next, a Star Wars + Hannah Montana crossover? -_-

[Scootalove 10,685]

Well Disney, at this very moment we will question your methods.

[Andaasonsan 3,205]

He wasn't joking, unfortunately.

Apparently, he was very weird.

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2014/02/12/fall-of-the-empire-how-inner-turmoil-brought-down-a-legendary-studio.aspx

From what I know of George Lucas the problem is basically this: he thinks he's a comedic genius, but he's not. He surrounded himself with a whole bunch of yes-men though, so no one ever pointed it out to him.

 

That pretty much explains every bad decision he's ever made.

 

I still think the Lucas bashing goes too far a lot though.

[immblueversion 331]

As may of you Star Wars fans heard that the EU(Expanded Universe)  is no longer canon and that means the following are no longer canon

• Mara Jade (Luke's wife)
• Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy
• Star:Darth Plageuis (excellent novel in my opinion)
• The Rule of Two
• Shadows of the Empire (a.k.a Episode 5 1/2)

Yes everything including before Episode 1 and after Episode 6 (comics,games, and/or novels) is all non-canon making them useless to play/read . In my opinion, I see what  their plan was, but done so in the wrong way. If want you a fresh new take on Star Wars make the prequels also non canon. Now any Star Wars loyality within me is gone and 7 has to really wow me to make forgive and forget this tragedy. Now, I just want  other opinions upon this matter

Source

 

The Rule of Two is NOT non-canon because Darth Bane, the one who created the Rule of Two, appeared as a ghost in "Star Wars: The Clone Wars", which is canon. Yeah, maybe the story of how Darth Bane brought about this rule is no longer canon, but they got Mark Hamill to voice him. So there.

Edited May 3, 2014 by immblueversion

[Dattebayo 2,850]

From what I know of George Lucas the problem is basically this: he thinks he's a comedic genius, but he's not. He surrounded himself with a whole bunch of yes-men though, so no one ever pointed it out to him.

 

That pretty much explains every bad decision he's ever made.

 

I still think the Lucas bashing goes too far a lot though.

I think you're giving I'm too much credit. xD

 

There are literally hundreds of horror stories about George Lucas from people who worked at Lucas Arts.

This one guy was told to never say no to him by his assistants and to only say "I would have never thought of that" or "we can make it work" if they disagreed. This other group detailed how a Lucas insisted on Darth Maul having spider legs in a now-cancelled Darth Maul game.

 

He literally does not know what to do with his own creation

[hawkflame 3,310]

Keep in mind though that just because the EU is no longer canon doesn't mean that gong forward, EU ideas, themes, and characters won't be reintroduced into the series.  This may not be the last you've seen of Thrawn. 

[Evilshy 5,089]

So... Imagine how you would feel if Equestrian Girls was canon.

 

Not just canon, but the new direction of the show. The entire show was about Canterlot High or whatever. Highschool drama, romantic tension between Twi and what's his face... All that bullshit. That's the new show. Imagine how angry you'd be.

 

Now multiply that by about 10 and you'd start to get a sense for how fucking pissed I am. In fact, to say I am fucking pissed would be an understatement on par with saying "Hitler was a bit of a jerk" (just Godwin's Law'd myself and I don't even give a fuck because I am that fucking angry).

 

 

Might as well rant here because Lucasfilm isn't likely to read it no matter where I post it.

 

First off, Lucas is an idiot and nobody really took him seriously when he said EU wasn't canon anyway. I mean, this is the guy who came up with Kingdom of the Crystal Skull for fucks sake. He never did much that interfered with EU anyway. Sure, Clone Wars messed up some stuff, but it's actually a pretty good series anyway, if you can look past the Jar Jar and C3PO episodes. It's no Avatar or Gargoyles, but it's solid. (I was pretty pissed about the whole "Mandalore is peaceful" bullshit, but I just tell myself that once the empire started fucking everybody over, they got their shit together and became badass motherfuckers again.)

In any case, most of EU is better than the movies anyway.

 

And now they're just throwing it all out. And don't give me that bullshit about using some parts of it; at best they'll have a characters that share names, maybe occupations. A company or gang here and there might do the same stuff they did in EU. There might even be a few story arcs based on EU stuff. But we all know that most of EU will be ignored, and what isn't will be a butchered, pathetic imitation of what it was before. This is the last we'll see of a Thrawn that is worthy of being Thrawn.

 

 

I'm probably going to end up just denying the new shit even exists for as long as possible. The only way I'll be okay with this is if 7-9 are goddamn cinematic masterpieces, but even then I'll probably just look at them as really well done spin-offs. And we all know that will never happen because Lucasfilm is involved.

 

Seriously, Disney. You own Marvel, take a leaf out of their book and make this an alternate universe or some shit. Don't just fuck all of your most devoted fans like this.

 

In conclusion... Fuck Disney. Fuck Lucasfilm. Fuck anybody and everybody who thought this was a good idea. I hate you all. I wish a thousand years of misfortune upon you and your families.

 

 

 

 

 

tl;dr: I am beyond incredibly fucking pissed.

Edited May 3, 2014 by Evilshy

[Kel_Grym 1,917]

EU was great. I really wish the Republic Commando series got finished before Clone Wars the cgi show came out. I nearly cried. Nearly.

 

Seriously, it's the sad truth, it's all about the money, not about about...fucking ART anymore!

 

Of course, perhaps I'm suffering from a fit of self-entitlement. They're are far more important things to worry about than my childhood being raped by corporate bigwigs with no aesthetic taste.

[Silverwisp the Bard 2,353]

 

 

EU was great.

Ahem:

Sun Crusher: The alicorn OC of spaceships

Stupid evil clones with stupider names

Force using droids

Droid building itself into the second Deathstar...and then does nothing

Ewoks Adventures

[Kel_Grym 1,917]

Ahem:

Sun Crusher: The alicorn OC of spaceships

Stupid evil clones with stupider names

Force using droids

Droid building itself into the second Deathstar...and then does nothing

Ewoks Adventures

 

Ahem:

 

The good parts of EU were great.