*blows out dust*
Yeah, I still live, though it's doubtful anyone will read this unless I beat them over the head with a link. Hehehe. That's likely because I blog about as quickly as George R.R. Martin writes.
In any case, I've been amused about the furor concerning the "end" of the Star Wars Expanded Universe. http://starwars.com/news/the-legendary-star-wars-expanded-universe-turns-a-new-page.html
Now, before I get started too much into this, I should make clear that I'm not incredibly attached to the EU. I've read a variety of novels (Zahn's first three, about the first half of the X-Wing Rogue Squadron books, the Darth Bane stuff, and a few other odd bits and pieces.) I've liked the books, but I'm far, far from invested.
Now, on one level, I think this decision is inevitable. Trying to fit the new movies into such an elaborate and detailed canon was going to be more than a bit tough and limiting on those who are making the movies. A friend and I were talking yesterday, and he made the point that "30 years after Jedi" puts the movies past a whole lot of very big things in the books, including the Yuuzang Vong and the death of Chewie. Those are events that shaped the EU, and expecting casual movie goers to "get" those things is not realistic. I guess they could have tried to focus 5-10 years after the end of Jedi, but going for 30 years is good in that it allows them to use Hamill and Fisher, while paving the way for the next generation.
That's why I think that this decision was pretty much inevitable. However, what I've found interesting is what most people have missed in the statement. I've seen headlines that the EU has been "discarded", but that's actually not what it says. It says that the EU will "continue to be a resource that will be mined for years to come."
What exactly does that mean? It means that while the EU is not part of the core canon, they're going to be taking long hard looks at it to see what they can incorporate. They've already said that there will be EU elements in Star Wars: Rebels. (Amusingly, I saw a news post that said that EU stuff will show up in cartoons, but not movies. They missed the part where they said "all aspects of Star Wars storytelling will be connected." In other words, "cartoon canon" is part of the "main" canon. If it's in the cartoon, it's in the same universe as the movie. Period.) In short, they're going to pick and choose. If they like it, they'll run with it.
However, that is what brings us to the key question. What exactly will they incorporate? What will remain off in the realm of the "Legends", and what will be brought mainstream? They've already said that things like the Inquisitor and Imperial Security Bureau are going to be incorporated. What else?
Will it simply be background things like planets, races and perhaps a few organizations? Or are characters (even if changed somewhat) going to make the crossing? What will happen with Mara? Jacen? Jaina? Corran Horn? For that matter, will they ever do a namedrop of something from the Old Republic Era? Revan? Darth Bane?
One of the biggest questions will be in the nature of the Jedi order. By and large, the Jedis of the movies are "Warrior Monks" (with the very notable exception of Anakin.) However, in the EU, that quite obviously breaks down, starting with Luke and Mara. Which way are they going to jump with that? One thing that makes this interesting is how you see Anakin's fall. Did he fall because he should have never fallen in love with Padme? Or did he fall because Yoda and the like tried to push him in the wrong way? Perhaps better advice from Yoda than "love is bad" would have done a world of good after all. What's going to happen? Back to traditional monkish Jedis, or will we truly see a "New Jedi Order"
We simply do not know. I've heard rumors, but rumors are not worth much. I know I'll be watching Rebels with great interest, to see how they're tipping their cards. Personally, I'd like to see Mara, Jacen, Jaina, Corran and company in one form or the other, but only time will tell.
