Lucasfilm to cannonise other Star Wars sources

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**Ratius**

Interesting.
Havent read much of the expanded universe stuff but my impression is that it ranges from ok to utter crud?

http://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/movie-news/lucasfilm-brings-order-star-wars-galaxy-movies-comic-191429476.html

The galaxy far, far away is looking to get more organized.

The many, many characters and events that make up the sprawling "Star Wars" saga will soon be part of one cohesive unit as the gang at Lucasfilm is looking to make the stories told in comic books, novel tie-ins, television series and video games as 'official' as those in the feature films.

It's long been accepted that the "Star Wars" feature films represent true "Star Wars" canon, with material from the other mediums (known as the "Star Wars Expanded Universe") usually only serving as elaborate fan fiction. Now, Lucasfilm Story Group is taking the gargantuan task of making everything count.

"'Star Wars' Canon is now determined by the Lucasfilm Story Group which [Pablo Hidalgo] and I are both a part of," recently tweeted Leland Chee, explaining that the organization "has a hand in all facets of 'Star Wars' storytelling, including movies, TV, games, and publishing."

Chee also revealed that the "primary goal" of the Lucasfilm Story Group was to do away with any hierarchy between the movies and spinoff material, eventually creating one cohesive canon across the entire franchise. "More so than ever, the canon field will serve us internally simply for classification rather than setting hierarchy," he tweeted.

Chee declined to comment as to when fans might notice things getting a little more "cohesive," though sometime in 2015 is probably a good guess with "Episode VII" being released and the "Star Wars" comics being moved from Dark Horse back to Marvel.

There's no word as to what, if any, elements from the existing "Star Wars" spinoff material might be kept as 'canon' and what might be scrapped. The comics and novels have often gone hog wild with weird ideas and characters, such as Jaxxon, a mercenary/smuggler that looks like a rabbit (and whose ship is called, appropriately enough, the Rabbit's Foot), and the 'Death Troopers,' zombie Stormtroopers that were featured in Joe Schreiber's 2009 novel "Death Troopers." It's probably safe to assume the multiplayer online role-playing game "Star Wars Galaxies" won't get resurrected (Sony stopped play in 2011) and that characters/plots in sequels to "Jedi Knight" and "Jedi Academy" will be throroughly vetted.

There have been a few comic book storylines and novels that have taken place after the events of "Episode VI — Return of the Jedi," featuring Han and Leia getting married and having three children (twins Jacen and Jaina, and later Anakin) and Luke marrying Mara Jade, the redheaded assassin that was once sent to kill him. It's been rumored that "Star Wars: Episode VII" might feature some of these elements — which, to be honest, would actually be pretty cool, and a strong possibility when you consider the fact that J.J. Abrams wasn't exactly loyal to 'official' canon when he was rebooting "Star Trek."

No matter what, you can almost guarantee that absolutely nothing from the infamous "Star Wars Holiday Special" will be included in the new multitiered "Star Wars" universe ... not even a reference to that joyous of Wookiee holidays, Life Day.

**kronk**

I would love to see the Thrawn Trilogy at the movies.

**hotsauceman1**

Does this mean my Star Wars RPG campaign will be canon?

**kronk**

The one with the Jedi Ewok?

No.

**Platuan4th**

Not surprising that Disney wants the comics moved to their company.

Wonder if they'll get to release the older trades under license like IDW does for the Marvel and Marvel UK Transformers runs.

**LordofHats**

I can see it. The storm is coming. It lays on the horizon. The likes of which no nerd has ever seen

**timetowaste85**

I'd be happy with the Yuuzhan Vong story making it to the films. Some of the deaths in that story prove that anyone can fall, and plot-armor isn't always there to save you. I'm leaving it at that, so I don't spoil stuff. But there are seriously major deaths that rock the universe.

**Paradigm**

So long as they keep Clone Wars as canon, it's fine. I'm interested to see whether The Force Unleashed will be included, bearing in mind it features the formation of the Rebel Alliance, which will also feature as a part of the forthcoming Rebels TV show.

I haven't read much beyond the films, but I'd love to see the Old Republic and a lot of the Rogue Squadron comics be made official, and an Old Republic/Jedi-Sith War/Mandalorian War film/tv series would be beyond awesome.

**LordofHats**

I can only sit back and hope that Sacrifice is finally washed from the earth (and out of spite I will hope the Republic Commando books do too just because I'm that mean spirited about the whole thing

)

**streamdragon**

Let's be clear about this:

Current EU stuff is NOT becoming cannon.

Instead, new EU stuff (the new Marvel comic, further movies and books) will all be made sure to comply with, and be, cannon.

So Boba Fett is still in the bottom of a frelling Sarlac.

**whembly**

streamdragon wrote:
Let's be clear about this:

Current EU stuff is NOT becoming cannon.

Instead, new EU stuff (the new Marvel comic, further movies and books) will all be made sure to comply with, and be, cannon.

So Boba Fett is still in the bottom of a frelling Sarlac.

Wut?

Fett busted his way out of that beast.

'cuz... he's that awesome!

**LordofHats**

Its hard to conceive Disney would willingly make the same well known errors Lucas did. Star Wars die hards and pretty attched to their EU canon and Lucas' patent disregard for that caused a lot of negative feelings.

I expect the most popular elements of the EU to make it into Disney's new Canon. The original Zahn books, the Thrawn Triology, Mara Jade, the Solo children, and Rogue Squadron's antics will likely survive in some form. We can hold out hopes that the guys and gals in charge of this have the sense to cull the worst aspects of the EU (that baby is using the force, in the womb!) while keeping the parts of it fans enjoy and incorporating it into their future work.

I of course expect massive nerd rage on par with what the JJ films did to Star Trek all over again but a thousand times worse simply because the Star Wars canon is a much more massive thing that Star Treks. Fans will bemoan every little element or story they liked that gets cut (and probably the things they didn't like that stayed).

Frankly, get your popcorn folks. This is gonna be good

**Platuan4th**

LordofHats wrote:
I can only sit back and hope that Sacrifice is finally washed from the earth

I can only sit back and hope the Special Editions are washed from the earth.

Joh Yowza can stay.

**kronk**

*enters thread*

Han shot first!

*leaves thread*

**hotsauceman1**

What about, y'know, The video games, I love Starkiller, he deserves to be part of Canon.

**scarletsquig**

timetowaste85 wrote:
I'd be happy with the Yuuzhan Vong story making it to the films. Some of the deaths in that story prove that anyone can fall, and plot-armor isn't always there to save you. I'm leaving it at that, so I don't spoil stuff. But there are seriously major deaths that rock the universe.

I haven't read that arc, but a friend who did when it was released always mentioned that those books were pretty great.

**Platuan4th**

hotsauceman1 wrote:
What about, y'know, The video games, I love Starkiller, he deserves to be part of Canon.

Ugh, Starkiller.

Also, that opens up another problem: do they canonize the book for Shadows or the game?

**hotsauceman1**

They get stupidly formulaic though.

**LordofHats**

hotsauceman1 wrote:
What about, y'know, The video games, I love Starkiller, he deserves to be part of Canon.

Under the current rules Starkiller is canon (as he is a Lucas Arts creation). THe article as I read it suggests an expansion of the official canon to include some semi-official content, not a redaction/retcon of current official content (though frankly we all know some of it needs to go *glares at later seasons of Clone Wars*). I wouldn't of course be shocked if this restructuring did include some staff cuts as it were of the current character roster.

**kronk**

Shadows of the Empire was a decent book.

**Platuan4th**

LordofHats wrote:
hotsauceman1 wrote:
What about, y'know, The video games, I love Starkiller, he deserves to be part of Canon.

Under the current rules Starkiller is canon (as he is a Lucas Arts creation).

Not according to the directors of Fan Relations and Lucas books:

"When it comes to absolute canon, the real story of Star Wars, you must turn to the films themselves—and only the films."

Also, according to the Holocron developed by Lucas Licensing, games are only C-Canon(Tier 3 Canon).

**hotsauceman1**

LordofHats wrote:
hotsauceman1 wrote:
What about, y'know, The video games, I love Starkiller, he deserves to be part of Canon.

Under the current rules Starkiller is canon (as he is a Lucas Arts creation). THe article as I read it suggests an expansion of the official canon to include some semi-official content, not a redaction/retcon of current official content (though frankly we all know some of it needs to go *glares at later seasons of Clone Wars*). I wouldn't of course be shocked if this restructuring did include some staff cuts as it were of the current character roster.

Cool, I always liked the ending of the first, where they use the family symbol for the Rebel Sign.
But i would also like the second one to NOT be canon please

**LordofHats**

Platuan4th wrote:
LordofHats wrote:
hotsauceman1 wrote:
What about, y'know, The video games, I love Starkiller, he deserves to be part of Canon.

Under the current rules Starkiller is canon (as he is a Lucas Arts creation).

Not according to the directors of Fan Relations and Lucas books:

"When it comes to absolute canon, the real story of Star Wars, you must turn to the films themselves—and only the films."

I guess that's another sticking point for the fans then XD They've long held that anything produced by Lucas Arts was 'true' canon.

**hotsauceman1**

Isnt it the same with Star Trek? Where only things shown on screen are canon?

**Platuan4th**

For those more interested in where things lie in Star Wars canon currently, here's the Holocron:

The Holocron is divided into five levels (in order of precedence): G-canon, T-canon, C-canon, S-canon, and N-canon.

G-canon is absolute canon; the movies (their most recent release), the scripts, the novelizations of the movies, the radio plays, and any statements by George Lucas himself. G-canon overrides the lower levels of canon when there is a contradiction. Within G-canon, many fans follow an unofficial progression of canonicity where the movies are the highest canon, followed by the scripts, the novelizations, and then the radio plays.

T-canon refers to the canon level comprising only the two television shows: Star Wars: The Clone Wars and the upcoming Star Wars live-action TV series. Its precedence over C-Level canon was confirmed by Chee.

C-canon is primarily composed of elements from the Expanded Universe including books, comics, and games bearing the label of Star Wars. Games and RPG sourcebooks are a special case; the stories and general background information are themselves fully C-canon, but the other elements such as character/item statistics and gameplay are, with few exceptions, N-canon.

S-canon is secondary canon; the story itself is considered non-continuity, but the non-contradicting elements are still a canon part of the Star Wars universe. This includes things like the online roleplaying game Star Wars: Galaxies and certain elements of a few N-canon stories.

N-canon is non-canon. "What-if" stories (such as stories published under the Star Wars: Infinities label), crossover appearances (such as the Star Wars character appearances in Soulcalibur IV), game statistics, and anything else directly contradicted by higher canon ends up here. N-canon is the only level that is not considered official canon by Lucasfilm. A significant amount of material that was previously C-canon was rendered N-canon by the release of Episodes I–III.

**LordofHats**

hotsauceman1 wrote:
Isnt it the same with Star Trek? Where only things shown on screen are canon?

Officially, Paramount now dictates Star Trek Canon which to them is limited to the live action TV series*, elements of the Animated Series (they've never been clear on that to my knowledge), the films, and the Star Trek:Countdown comic series. Everything else is simply allowed to exist but has no place at all in canon, compared to Star Wars which has a sort of 'canon rules' where works are considered as canon so long as they don't contradict the films/Lucas' whims.

*save the Voyager episode 'Threshold' which I think everyone can agree needed to be retconned.

**hotsauceman1**

They retconned that episode?

**LordofHats**

hotsauceman1 wrote:
They retconned that episode?

Yeah. The writers themselves realized it was so bad, and dear sweet Prime Directive was it bad, that in a later episode TOm Paris stated he'd never traveled at transwarp, effectively saying the episode never happened (this was confirmed to be on purpose by the writers later and not one of the script errors Voyager is known for at times).

**kronk**

"*save the Voyager episode 'Threshold' which I think everyone can agree needed to be retconned. "

I stopped watching 1/2 way through season 2, and only would watch a few minutes if 7 of D-Cups had some screen time. What was the Threshold episode?

**timetowaste85**

kronk wrote:
Shadows of the Empire was a decent book.

If my memory from 6th grade (16 yrs ago), it was a pretty good movie too. FAOShwartz was playing it in Chicago back then when I stopped in for my dad's graduation from doctoral college.