Friday, April 25, 2014

Opinion: The Expanded Soul of Star Wars

10 comments
By: David Gremillion

Ladies and gentlemen, today the Earth quaked, the stars wept, souls were shattered, and even the Pillars of Heaven shook enough to make ol' Jack Burton run for cover.

That's right, the news that the fans have been demanding for weeks has been released...and all hell broke loose. You remember those carefree days, right? When fans said they were "owed" news by Disney? That they were sick of rumors and that they "deserved" something official? That was back on August 12th, 2013. Back then, a very wise, devastatingly handsome, and rather humble man said the following:

"Worse still, there is the knowledge (almost a certainty) that anything Disney reveals will be not only devoured by instant media, but shredded by it as well."

Sure enough, Lucasfilm released official news for the first time in a very long time.
Sure enough, the news was shredded before it was readily understood.

The Star Wars Expanded Universe has not been burned, dumped, shredded, pulverized, or targeted by the Death Star. It was never labeled as "canon" so nothing was lost today. What did Lucasfilm do? They paved the way for the same authors you loved yesterday to write the novels of tomorrow with nothing shackling them. Episode VII will not conflict upon any existing works.

Lucasfilm has cleared the way for decades of future stories. Even better? These stories will come without controversy. We won't have fanboys wondering how Chewie can be in Episode VII if he was killed in a novel. Authors everywhere are free to weave the post-Return of the Jedi story into a tightly cohesive universe we can all enjoy.

What most people (who are ready to jump off ledges) fail to understand is that the books you loved for the past twenty years are still there. The stories are just as epic. The characters are still compelling. The twists and turns that gripped you at two o'clock in the morning because you couldn't put the book down are just as powerful. They were never really canon, even according to Lucas himself, but if that one simple fact makes those pages turn to ash in your hand, then you have to wonder why you were reading them to begin with.

Great stories stay with you because they are great stories. Dumbedore's death made people cry. Boba Fett's escape from the Sarlaac Pit was the stuff of legends. Mr. Smith's filibuster is inspirational. None of that has changed. The substance, the essence, the very soul of the author's message still lives on our bookshelves and tablets.

I think noted Star Wars EU author (and future EU author) John Jackson Miller said it best on his Facebook page.

"Nothing's obsolete...but as I've said elsewhere, as a reader, what matters to me is not the status of individual stories (which are bound to occasionally change over time in any shared universe), but the fact that I enjoyed them." 


10 comments:

kenkraly2004 said...

Well said and well spoken about the future of the Star Wars EU going forward David!!!

Unknown said...

Speaking the truth. #WWDS. Great article!

Unknown said...

Well that is over £1500.00 of my hard-earned cash wasted on Star Wars Expanded Universe Novels, Graphic Novels, Collectables and Toys down the toilet, now that Disney/Lucasfilm scraps nearly 25 years of Star Wars EU in favour of their new 'story' agenda. Thanks a bunch!

Now, how do I go about getting a refund for all the cash I have spent?

Unknown said...

No not a waste Shelly! Its still just as real to us who have lived for it all these years! just because its "non-cannon" doesnt make it any less of a story to me.

Fangirl said...

Good article, but actually, the EU WAS canon. It was a lesser degree than the films' canon, but still canon.

Unknown said...

This is exactly the things I have been trying to get across to people who are so upset over the EU being called 'not canon'...it never was and we have not lost anything. Thank you DG for having common sense...I hope some people will read this and learn from it! I love the EU as it is, but bring on more! I'm ready!

Anonymous said...

It is not really about things being labeled canon or not. And true the books we loved weren't burned or anything. But everything - the books, games and the other stuff - was until now more or less one big continuity where one could loose itself. It was one organic world.

With Disney cutting of the EU and making new storylines it's more or less sealed that the EU will be frozen in time. I doubt that new stories will published adding to the EU story. New stories will be either in line with the new developments forsaking the continuity with the EU content or not ensuring any continuity to anything all together.

That does mean that the authors are unshackled - can now let their creativity run free, but it takes away large parts of the fascination that has let us immerse ourself in that one big universe.

Fettman said...

David Gremillion. Could you please let Viral Hide from the Star Wars Episode 7 News blog site know of your article. The massive amount of infighting is beyond pathetic. I'd copy and paste this article myself but that would be wrong. For it to come from the author would give what you have written more gravitas. All the wailing and gnashing of teeth about the EU as being considered non canon is ridiculous. For people to say that they have wasted their money on books and graphic novels is bizarre to say the least. If you like reading something then embrace it. Don't let somebody tel you that it does not fit into a certain story line put you off of those things you like to read. Ignore what they say and just get on with what you love to read. And by the way I'm not an EU fan, I prefer the films.

Anonymous said...

EU has never been labeled "Cannon"? I am laughing loud right now... Please do not insult my SW-EU knowledge. It is not true that EU was not cannon. Yes the materials published have never been to the same cannon level with movies. They have always been considered some level down in terms of being-cannon. However there were cannon levels. G-cannon, C-Cannon etc. Majority of EU have been considered C-Cannon. It means that unless they are contradict to movies, they were cannon. But it is called off now. You know what is funny right now? These guys now says (including you); "The things at the past were not cannon. But this time what we will publish will be true cannon. Believe us. They will be cannon, the same level with the movies".....
I really do not understand you (and LFL officials of course) Why do you try to convince true EU fans saying "this was not cannon anyway bla bla bla" instead of just saying "Lucas sold his thing to Disney and they do whatever they like because it is their lawfull right"... Believe me It would be more satisfying. It would be honest at least... But If you keep saying that the past was not cannon, I am sorry but I have to say get-off...

what_the_fett said...

"The Star Wars Expanded Universe has not been burned, dumped, shredded, pulverized, or targeted by the Death Star. It was never labeled as "canon" so nothing was lost today. What did Lucasfilm do? They paved the way for the same authors you loved yesterday to write the novels of tomorrow with nothing shackling them. Episode VII will not conflict upon any existing works." Another words they got rid of the old EU in favor for a new one so they could make more money with their "official EU"..................

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