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Reviving the Star Wars legacy requires integrating the Expanded Universe’s rich lore into new narratives, enriching the saga, and engaging both old and new fans alike
In February 1978 a spin-off ‘Star Wars’ novel by Alan Dean Foster under the title ‘Splinter of the Mind’s Eye’, originally designed to later be adapted as a low-budget sequel to ‘Episode IV’ as a precaution in case it flopped financially preventing a high-budget sequel. As fate would have it ‘Star Wars (1977)’ became a worldwide phenomenon sparking the franchise we all know today.
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Rekindling the Galaxy’s Rich Heritage
That book is widely regarded as the first installment of what George Lucas named the ‘Star Wars Expanded Universe (EU).’ Although it was a completely different story from what we ended up having in ‘Episode V’, not even featuring Han Solo, it established the pivotal foundations of the Universe, such as the Kaiburr crystals that evolved into the Kyber Crystals that power the mythical lightsabers.
George Lucas didn’t consider the EU as a canon in his films, but rather more of a “quasi-canon” parallel universe directly overseen by Lucas, using its timeline to expand the Galactic history. As the years went by The EU has expanded to a point that a good amount of Star Wars lore comes from it, things like The Mandalorian Race, The Kashyyyk system and even fan-favorite character Asajj Ventress originate from the alternate timeline.
For a while the main canon and the Expanded Universe continued to expand the Star Wars Mythos, even when The Walt Disney Company acquired Lucasfilm in October 2012, the EU went mostly unchanged until April 25, 2014, when Lucasfilm announced a new canon for the Star Wars Universe and The Expanded Universe would be part of it. Although it was going to keep releasing new material under the new Legends Banner, changing it from being a parallel timeline and turning it into a Folklore.
Normally this would be okay but when it comes to the Star Wars Universe, lore is a pivotal point of the franchise. Due to being active for the last 45 years, Legends has a vast amount of diverse stories and characters that can benefit the canon with new material.
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As the Expanded Universe was an alternate parallel universe to the Film Canon, it offers a treasure trove of untapped stories, allowing creators to draw upon its rich lore and characters to enhance existing narratives and forge new ones. From covering Important points of the Star Wars timeline to telling us more about characters that were only mentioned in the films, throughout its extensive existence legends took the time to explore aspects of the Star Wars universe on a deeper level.
Many fans are already deeply in love with this universe and fan-loved characters such as Mara Jade and Revan, who have unique backstories and deep character development while covering important points in the timeline. Making these stories canon can open the opportunity to weave intricate tales that resonate with both new audiences and longtime enthusiasts.
The Legends universe can even help improve and understand better the current canon. Giving audiences a look into key moments of the Star Wars timeline, like The Sith Wars seen in the ‘Tales of The Jedi’ comic book series, or Luke Skywalker’s construction of the New Jedi Order in the ‘Jedi Academy’ and ‘The New Jedi Order’ series.
By introducing games like ‘Star Wars: The Force Unleashed’ and ‘Star Wars: Bounty Hunter’ into the canon we can learn more about important mainline characters such as Darth Vader and Jango Fett while allowing us to experience the Star Wars lore firsthand. Thanks to a lore established for the past half-century, there are over s 1,000 individual stories that can give creators new grounding points to expand upon such as the Jedi Civil War or even Luke Skywalker’s brief fall to the Darkside in the early 90s.
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One reason why many enjoy the Extended Universe is due to how the universe explored itself on a deeper level. In Legends The Force was explored more intricately, often featuring a broader range of abilities, diverse Force traditions, and a more complex understanding of the Force’s nature. The Unknown Regions were greatly explored, allowing us to see more of the universe, it explores the History of the Sith and their connection with the force. These can help expand the overall narrative of the saga while letting the audience see the physics of this gorgeous universe and enrich its lore.
Lore has always been a very important thing in the Star Wars franchise. George Lucas borrowed from the expanded universe to develop crucial parts of the film universe such as the planet-city of Coruscant, demonstrating how these stories enhance and form the broader Star Wars narrative. By drawing from the wealth of material in ‘Legends’, recent additions to the canon can continue to inspire and engage fans, ensuring that the galaxy far, far away remains as vibrant and compelling as ever.
That’s one reason why ‘The Acolyte’ received so many negative reviews from fans leading to its cancellation. It poorly executed an important era of Jedi history that Legends Have covered intensively, damaging important lore and diverging from the already established timeline.
Recalibrating The Timeline
Disney’s decision to make the Extended Universe non-canon could have a blank slate with which to make new stories in their attempt to make Star Wars resonate with a younger audience and ‘The Force Awakens’ was mostly following this, drawing some inspiration from Luke’s life in Legends, With some fans using it to explain the 30-year gap from ‘Return of The Jedi’. However, As the franchise continued they quickly began integrating major elements from Legends, such as integrating General Thrawn from the ‘Thrawn Trilogy’, then the ‘Kenobi Series’, and most recently ‘The Acolyte’.
This has sparked some inconsistencies in the Timeline. The First Order rose into power a few years before the events of the Force Awakenings. Although a bit of the years between Episode VI and The Force Awaken has been shown in recent installments of the canon, there is nothing truly explaining how the first order was able to take control over the galaxy, especially when the last time we saw them in canon was at the Battle of Jakkù. Legends has the Yuuzhan Vong War. Although it ended in victory for the New Galactic Republic, the war still left the entire galaxy pretty weak, giving the First Order a chance to rise into power.
Emperor Palpatine made Vader believe his children died alongside Padme. In the original trilogy, it was established that he did not feel his children’s presence in the force, despite being one of the strongest Sith Lords ever to roam the galaxy and his showcased ability to communicate with Luke with the force towards the end of this one. In the Legends continuity, Darth Vader was in fact able to sense both his children, Luke and Leia, through the Force, just wasn’t aware of their identities, this allows Vader to still sense his son in Tatooine, and daughter in Alderaan. This also reinforces The Emperor’s deception and power over Vader, making him fully obscured by the Dark Side, here Vader is portrayed as being psychologically tormented and emotionally conflicted over his past, Palpatine often hid key information from Vader using the dark side to maintain his grasp on him.
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The Legends timeline has been beloved by fans over the years. Introducing amazing stories to the Star Wars Mythos and enriching its lore. By giving the Legends universe the prominence it once held before the shift to the New Canon, Disney and Lucasfilm can tap into a goldmine of complex storytelling that could reinvigorate the Star Wars franchise. The Expanded Universe can offer a deeper understanding of the Galaxy and its inhabitants. For Hollywood, it represents a chance to revitalize the franchise for long-time fans, while creating new stories for both young and older fan bases to enjoy. Closing the gap between them once and for all.
By Mario Martinez Ignacio
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Author
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Mario Martinez Ignacio is a writer from Mexico City. As a child, he spent most of his free time deep-diving into online wikis, which sparked a passion for lore and worldbuilding. Driven by his love for writing, Mario obtained a BFA in Dramatic Writing at the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2024. With the objective of inspiring others, he fuses writing and education to create narratives that entertain while igniting curiosity and fostering new perspectives, one word at a time.
Mario Martinez Ignacio is a writer from Mexico City. As a child, he spent most of his free time deep-diving into online wikis, which sparked a passion for lore and worldbuilding. Driven by his love for writing, Mario obtained a BFA in Dramatic Writing at the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2024. With the objective of inspiring others, he fuses writing and education to create narratives that entertain while igniting curiosity and fostering new perspectives, one word at a time.
