A few days ago, I took 25 years’ worth of Star Wars novels off my bookshelf, put them in boxes, and tucked them away. I couldn’t look at them anymore. It wasn’t healthy. It wasn’t productive. It was a sad moment for me, but it was necessary. The Star Wars Extended Universe as I knew it is over. A casualty of the Disney buyout, the EU has been brushed aside to make room for whatever comes next.
But as I packed those books away, I couldn’t help but feel excited for what waits around the corner. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re aware that a bevy of new Star Wars movies are on their way. J.J. Abrams and Kathleen Kennedy are forging a new path in a galaxy far far away, and while the EU as many of us knew it isn’t part of those plans, things are bright on the horizon. A new canon trilogy starts in December. Anthology films will explore heretofore-uncharted areas of the galaxy, and a new EU—one that is being created in concert with movie canon—is emerging through comics and new novels. With Comic Con wrapping up over the weekend, new footage from Episode VII being shown, and the cast—both generations—praising the work Abrams and Kennedy have been doing, things have never looked brighter in the universe that George Lucas created.
I’m not the only one that mourns the passing of the “Old EU.” Ever since the Disney deal was announced, the fate of Jacen, Jaina, Ben and all the rest has been a hot topic among Star Wars fans. The continuation of the original saga, ignited with the force of the Big Bang by Timothy Zahn in 1991, was a watershed moment for fans. Many of us were more invested in the EU novels than we were in the prequel films, or the Clone Wars cartoon. Even with its bloat and its missteps, the EU felt like Star Wars. It was continuing proof that Lucas’s universe was still alive and evolving. When that came to a crashing halt, even the most ardent New Jedi Order haters took pause.
Was 25 years of dedication to this line of books, to this universe, nerfed in an instant? By a money-grubbing mouse, nonetheless?
I’ve come to realize that the answer is “no.”
Those books are no longer on my shelf, but the stories remain an essential part of me. They may no longer “count” in continuity (whatever that means at this point) but they still count for something. At the time of publication, they were a tether to some of the most memorable characters and locales to ever grace page or screen. They were the living, beating heart of Star Wars fandom when the movies receded from the collective conscious. They weren’t placeholders—they kept Star Wars alive. They were catalysts for growth. They created a feedback loop to the point where the novels influenced the prequel trilogy and the cartoons that followed.
They were canon.
And then they weren’t.
But despair no longer. Chuck Wendig is the new Timothy Zahn. Kathleen Kennedy and Jennifer Heddle are the new Sue Rostoni. On September 4, 2015 Wendig’s Aftermath will begin the new canon.
Reboots are nothing new. DC and Marvel have killed their universes and started over more than once. Even Star Trek rebooted to a degree of success (thanks to J. J. Abrams…). As I was taking volumes of Fate of the Jedi off the shelves and boxing them up with dog-eared copies of Aaron Allston’s X-Wing series, I realized that the end of the Extended Universe wasn’t necessarily the end of the world.
We sci-fi and fantasy fans tend to think of these stories—not just Star Wars, but ALL the stories—as ours. We’re personally invested. We’ve lived with these characters, grown with them, laughed and cried with them. We care about them. Deeply. And we often feel that no cares as much as we do. Sometimes, though, we fans fail to see the forest through the trees. Sometimes you need to make room on the shelf for what’s coming next, instead of desperately holding on to what came before. No one is going to ever take my EU books away from me. I’ll always have those stories. But now, I’ll have new ones too. And that is a good thing.
Geoff Matthews
Julia Kitvaria Sarene
I have yet to see exactly how Chuck Wendig is the new Timothy Zhan. The book isn’t even out yet and he’s already being crowed this? Really?
Zahn was a respected sci-fi author that came in and wrote the foundational trilogy for the “Old EU.” Wendig is a respected sci-fi author that is coming in to write the foundational trilogy for the “New EU.” That’s how Chuck Wendig is the new Timothy Zahn.
I wouldn’t go as far as to say Wendig is “respected sci-fi author”. He’s written mostly adult horror. Zahn at least had a large space opera trilogy under his belt prior to SW.
I’m willing to give Wendig a fair shake, but other things I’ve read of his and the excerpt from Aftermath have me underwhelmed. I think giving him Zahn-level respect without his book being out yet is a bit..shortsighted.
It is important to note that the ‘new’ EU has already begun. There is a Rebels companion novel out, and Tarkin is supposed to be under the new EU as well as Dark Disciple.
But calling the Author of Aftermath Timothy Zahn because he is launching the new books is just misleading.
Zahn managed to capture the essence of Star Wars, and I’ve yet to read a novel in the new EU that even comes close to doing the same…so far. He has tall shoes to fill. We will just have to see if he can.
Hi there!
A very good article!
I feel exactly the same way — well, about 50%, really. The news of the end of EU as we know it broke my heart, big time. I’m still recovering, to be honest.
It wasn’t just the books, but also video games (these got me excited enough to get in the videogames industry, now am an Executive in one of the biggest videogame companies out there), comic books…… Indeed, for me the EU was in many ways more important and attractive than the movies. Many of my most favorite characters in the SW universe were born on the pages, not on the screen.
I still do not understand why Disney did it: it was a well-oiled machine generating entertainment and revenues, having millions upon millions of dedicated fans. Do not try to fix something which works — and I still do not get it why they had to do it. Seems like a whimsical — perhaps even ego-driven — decision in the long run.
The other 50% — well, I am not in the least excited about the upcoming movie, or books for that matter. They killed my dream, ever since I was 5 years old, and they simply will not be able to sell to me a new one instead. I MAY see the new movie if there’s nothing else to see. To read the new books — I don’t have it in me, it will be a forced experience — and nothing like me counting the days until the new street date of the next FotJ book (or even NJO one 🙂 ).
I used to like J. J. Abrams — a lot. I guess I still respect him and appreciate his non-SW work, but I will not forgive him, not ever, for crushing my decades-long passion.
I find these comments fascinating. I get the love for the Old EU. I wrote a piece for this very website expressing some of the same viewpoints with news broke that the Old EU was going away. My knee-jerk reaction was to be angry and rail against the powers that be. And as time passed and I watched REBELS with my kids and learned about the new publishing plan and news of the new movie trickled out, I realized that I was being ridiculous. Why? Because even bad Star Wars is still Star Wars. And my kids love the prequels and Clone Wars and Rebels and the Lego Star Wars games and etc. etc. etc. They feel the exact same way about Star Wars 2.0 that I felt about the original movies and books that eventually followed. Just because many of us had the dubious privilege of being born in time to experience the original trilogy first doesn’t mean we get to dictate the “right” and “wrong” way to enjoy the universe. And when it comes down to it, it is the Star Wars Universe that is the real draw. It isn’t just three movies, or a handful of books, or a couple games. It is Lucas’ world as a whole. It has a life of its own, independent of any particular medium. So I, for one, and happy to give the new stuff a fair shake. I’m done pre-judging it. I can’t WAIT to go see a new Star Wars movie, in a packed theater, with my kids. I can’t WAIT to be able to read the new EU novels and comics as a family. Would I prefer that everything that has come before remained canon? Possibly. I’m not sure anymore. All I know is that in 2015 we are all staring down the barrel of more Star Wars content than we have ever had the privilege of consuming. And I refuse to be cynical, bitter, angry or militant about it. I refuse to be anything but excited for the next chapter of something that is very near and dear to my heart.
That was meant to be a general response in the thread, not a direct response to Drone04’s comment in particular.
Hi Zack,
Please don’t worry, I haven’t misunderstood or take anything ad hominem from your reply 🙂
I think it’s great your kids are discovering the SW Universe much in the same way we did! I secretly hope that this was the reason why Disney did their horrible deed — to get on board the kids of today much like they did with the kids of the late ’70’s/early 80’s.
For me, well, it is different. It was my kid’s dream which paid the price — and if it is for the sake of giving a similar experience to the new young generation, I support it. Doesn’t mean I like it.
Perhaps I’m too much of a hard case, but the EU had a major part in my life. As I was pursuing my academic studies, the only fiction I read for years was Star Wars. One of my most memorable childhood memories is the opening scenes of ANH. I got into CG and 3D because I was inspired by CG and eventually this became my career. Pathetic as it may sound, Star Wars did impact my life significantly. EU was a major part of it.
No new movies or books, no matter how brilliant they may be, will be able to bring back to life this deep emotional bond and affinity which I’ve developed over the decades.
Even if I try to rediscover the SW universe, I’m in my early 40’s. I’m a different person that who I used to be as a kid, naturally, and I can try to convince myself until forever that this new direction is great. Fact is, the memories of what used to be will never go away — and as it usually happens with good memories, they’ll only look brighter as time goes on.
I did try to convince myself that this is great, that I’ll start reading the books again, and it works — for about a minute. Then, names like Jayna, Mara, Talon, Thrawn, Corran, Kyle…. they start popping up. Places like Yagddhul, Centerpoint, Ebaq 9, Dathomir… they flood in. And in a way, getting to like the new direction, it feels somehow a betrayal of a more than two decades long passion — and this adds its weight, too.
I am not angry or militant, really –I do live in the real world, after all, and my geekiness is not controlling my life.
But I am sad, very sad. As if I’ve lost a lot of good friends and memories.
Oh I completely get it. When the news broke, I was pretty upset. It wasn’t until I started cleaning out my office and redoing my bookshelves that I reached the conclusion that I was OK with the new direction. I think a lot of it has to do with my kids, and another large part is the death of the old DC Universe. When the New 52 came into being, I was so angry that I went away from comics for awhile. Eventually I decided that depriving myself of all those great characters due to a new creative direction was, for me, silly. Sure, I preferred the old ways, but when it comes down to it the old ways were new once too. I’m sure the pre-Crisis folks felt the same way. I just kind of made a conscious decision keep an open mind, enjoy the new era and go from there. I’m doing the same with Star Wars. Who knows, maybe it will be even better than the Old EU. I’m going to miss all the great characters and locations too. But I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next.
My nephew loved Barney as a kid. You think he’s going to stand in line for a midnight launch of a Barney movie now? Kids may love the new shiny stuff, but most of it lacks the heart and soul that has kept our interest in SW all these years. So I respectfully disagree with your statement that kids love the prequels as much as we loved the Original Trilogy. Unless kids are really in to trade disputes and asthmatic robots, there’s just no there there. If all we had were the prequels, these new films would be as hotly anticipated as a Point Break remake. None of it compares to the OTC! And the old EU was merely an extension of that. And yet, while there are those who will lament the missed opportunity to see Chewbacca killed by a planet, I just hope the new stuff has the heart needed to carry this franchise beyond the merchandising grab it already is. I have hope for the new films. I have hope for the new expanded universe. But, like a Luke with two u’s, it might not be the real deal. Nostalgia may get us in the seat, but without heart, we wont be coming back…ah, who am I kidding. These movies are going to be harder to resist than Prince Xizor’s pheromones. Or at least they would have been, if Xizor still existed.
Respectfully, having watched MY kids discover Star Wars–and I let them watch Episodes I through VI in order (not in order of release)–they feel the exact same way I did as a kid. I can’t speak for your nephew or any other kids (and in the article I didn’t try), but mine make absolutely no distinction between the quality of the original trilogy and the prequels. Because they’re kids and they love spaceships, robots, aliens, Jedi and all the other wonderful Star Wars hallmarks that are inarguably present in all six movies. Trade disputes aren’t even on their radar.
Apologies for the spam, I wrote too quickly with numerous typos. As I can’t edit, I’m addressing just a couple by re-posting one paragraph which doesn’t make much sense as-is 🙂
“Perhaps I’m too much of a hard case, but the EU had a major part in my life. As I was pursuing my academic studies, the only fiction I had the time to read for years was Star Wars. One of my most memorable childhood memories is the opening scenes of ANH. I got into CG and 3D because I was inspired by Star Wars and eventually this became my career. Pathetic as it may sound, Star Wars did impact my life significantly. EU was a major part of it.”
~sigh~
I agree.
Thrawn never existed. The Noghri never existed and Joruus C’baoth…never existed. Nor did the Yuuzhon Vong. Or Talon Karrde!!! But no Kyp Durron so that’s a win.
While I let all that settle and become somewhat (very), melancholy and nostalgic for the expanded universe I treasured, I am uber excited to start over with Aftermath, The Weapon of the Jedi, Smuggler’s Run and others. It’s a weird feeling to be disappointed Thrawn didn’t make the cut but am also being optimistic of the SW future and what it holds.
So, let’s lift a mug to the future!
“Reboots are nothing new. DC and Marvel have killed their universes and started over more than once”
And this is why I despise super hero comics, there is no true end. Not when they can just say “Well we’ve reached a creative dead end. Let’s just start over so we can milk the cow some more and regurgitate the same stories with variations”
Star Wars was better and beyond that with the EU. It was all one cohesive unit aside from the early Bantam era and pre-Bantam era material trying to get off the ground. (And a few contradictions that weren’t created by the EU. But rather other material. Like the 3D clone wars show).
i’ve pined for years to see characters like Lowbacca, Jaina,Anakin,Ben,Kyle Katarn, and so many others on screen given the attention they deserve.
Half of what made the post-NJO era so emotionally resonant for me personally was because we had followed these characters for almost 25 years. Some of them, from birth, to death.
I’m still extremely upset about this. Zahn’s books were solid. I could hear the John Williams music in the background as I read them. In many ways I thought they were far superior to even the original films, not even counting the “prequel” nightmare. But even after the prequel’s, Zahn came back, and wrote a prequel to inline with his books, and even that was far superior to any of the prequel films. I feel, if only in future book form, there should be a story to explain a disturbance that has allowed two histories to co-exist. I feel the Zahn books should always be classified as “official.” And I feel if nothing else, Zahn should be allowed to come in and write more Star Wars books within the new “guidelines.” This whole incident has left such a dull taste in my mouth, as much as I’m looking forward to the new film, I’m not even sure if I’ll bother to see it in theaters. Yeah Yeah, Abrams is great, but still…
Screw the new EU. I’ll watch the new movies and likely enjoy them. I’ll read the new books and POSSIBLY enjoy them. But to me the “Old EU,” as you call it, will always be the REAL EU. There is no “new Timothy Zahn.” Only Timothy Zahn is Timothy Zahn. As far as characters are concerned, Grand Admiral Thrawn, Jacen, Jaina, and Anakin Solo, Kyp Durron, Naga Sadow, Mara Jade, and all the other characters whom have added unforgettable color and depth to the Star Wars Universe will ALWAYS “count” and be considered “canon” to me, regardless of what Disney or Lucasfilm have to say. The great majority of the EU books were vastly superior to what Lucas did with the prequels, they cleared up obvious mistakes and plot holes created by Lucas himself, and they successfully continued the Star Wars saga with the authentic feel of the original Star Wars trilogy, something the Prequels sorely lacked.
If Lucasfilm and Disney wish to go in a different direction with the Star Wars films, fine. That’s their right and I’m sure they will be entertaining (I fully admit that the trailer for The Force Awakens looks amazing and I’m extremely excited about it). If they want to take the EU in a new direction through books and games, also fine. But they are making a HUGE mistake in completely discontinuing the old EU. There are so many more stories left to tell about those characters. Why not just consider it an “alternate universe” and allow both the authors and fans to continue the legacy set forth decades ago? My hope is that the suits at Lucasfilm will eventually wake up and realize that there is a huge contingent of the SW fanbase that desperately wants the old EU to continue, regardless of its designation as “non-canon.”
PREACH!!!!
Indeed. The EU is not gone. It’s just no longer officially continued. Most fantasy and sci-fi series no longer get new works added to them and that doesn’t make them go away.
And what does this New Wars really have regarding legitimacy? Disney bought the license. So what. The New Wars is still a tiny little upstart with no track record while right next to it is the 600 pound gorilla with 30 years and hundreds of works under its belt which have an established fan base. As the EU is concerned, even the six movies are a tiny drop in the ocean now. I think the vast majority of “Star Wars fans” are really “Extended Universe fans”. People who like only the movies most likely aren’t anywhere nearly as invested into it.
I will reserve my opinion until after the movie comes out. However, I too have all the books from Star Wars EU and was very disappointed to learn they quit. I hope they will change their minds and continue EU. And that’s all one can do is…..Hope.
A good article with refreshing optimism, but I have a couple corrections:
First, it’s the Expanded Universe, not extended. The two terms may be synonymous in this context but Expanded is the official name for SW products not related to the movies.
Second, the EU has always been made “in concert with movie canon” despite what press-releases in the past year have said. Under Lucasarts there was an entire team of people, led by Leland Chee, who worked very hard to keep the SW universe one continuity, and while there were certainly some contradictions, and there still is in the new canon, there’s far fewer than people think. But don’t take my word for it, get the Reader’s Companion by Pablo Hidalgo and see for yourself.
I have and continue to give the new SW universe a fair shake, and just like the old EU it has its hits and misses, but I am struggling to remain optimistic that there will be something that will get me even close to the connection I had with the now Legends material. I’ve read a few of the books in the new canon and I was excited to prepare for Episode VII with the upcoming book trilogy starting with Aftermath, until I read an excerpt of that book recently and was almost completely turned off by the writing style. I’ll probably still pick it up but I may borrow it instead of buy it now. Having said that, I’m excited for the new movies and am glad to see the near universal focas on SW right now.
~still disturbed~
I still will admit that i am hurt that EU is no longer there. I was so Fond of the Thrawn Trilogy when it came out back in the Early 90’s, and am in High Agreement, that it was the corner stone of the EU! And also that it helped Relaunch, the whole Star Wars Revival all over again. I even Purchased the Audio books for the 3 Thrawn Trilogy stories as well during that time, which if Anyone does remember, that Anthony Daniels, himself, did the Narration for 2 of the stories, which i thought was Awesome!
I would also like to say, for those of us, that were Born in the early 70’s, that when Star Wars for us, growing up in the late 70’s threw the early 80’s, was a Big Part, of our young lives, and got to witness first hand, these stories as they came out, and was again a Big Part of our lives as well. I will say that Yes, i am looking forward to the New Movies, as well as everyone else. But in a Unique way, i still am Disappointed, that the new movies, Should have fell too the Thrawn Trilogy, Reguardless. Though many have understood, that these New Films, in some way are either focused around these stories , even dealing with Han and Leia’s children, we shall see. But if anyone truely remembers reading the Thrawn Trilogy, that in My opinion, is where the New Movies, Should be Starting from. The New Canon thing, i think, is a Joke.
I have never, ever understood the “heart break,” “anger,” disappointment, or whatever you want to call it at the announcement that the EU was not canon. Why? Because I never considered it canon, either. I picked up “Heir to the Empire” as soon as it was published and followed many of the novels, etc., but I *never* thought they were anything more than imaginations of what “could be.” I had read enough about Lucas and his plans and visions, etc., that I doubted he himself would consider them canon – and though they might be cool, interesting stories, I never found myself so devoted to them that I thought they were part of the “official” storyline. I guess I’m in the minority, evidently. But not seeing them as canon did nothing to dampen my enjoyment of them. After all, every bit of it is fiction – including the movies – none of it is real. I appreciate as much as anyone the power of fiction, having an M.A. in English Literature and having taught literature at the college level for 20 years… And perhaps it was my approach to appreciating fiction as a “construct” that allowed me to enjoy the EU books I read, games I played, etc, without feeling like I had to see them as part of “canon.” So – when the announcement came that the EU was not part of the canon – my immediate reaction was, “Well, actually, that makes a lot of sense.” It doesn’t mean I can’t go back and re-read Heir to the Empire and enjoy it for the cool work of fiction that it is. I just honestly don’t get all the grieving.
First, this article helped me deal with the frustration I continue to feel toward disney for the slaughter of 25 years of my reading life. I was in the process of having a kidney transplant when Mr. Zahn released his first Star Wars novel. There are a lot of emotional ties to that book and series alone. In reading this article carefully, processing it line by line, I feel a deep kinship to what Mr. Matzo is saying about boxing up the books, and all that which was shared with the characters. I am from the mountains of Western North Carolina, a land rich in ghost stories, legends of fallen heroes and stories, many many stories based around the character Jack from Jack and the Beanstalk. The EU has now become a modern day campfire ghost story, legends that can still be passed down from generation to generation. Just because disney says these novels are not canon does not mean the stories have to die in our hearts or we can never fly with Rogue Squadron on a mission as we reread some of our favorite Star Wars adventures. But like Mr. Matzo said, it is time to make room on our shelves for new books from our favorite galaxy far far away.
Hm. Good read, but my EU books are on the shelf still. Why? Because I know that no matter how amazing and well crafted the new trilogy and add-ins will be that I will still prefer to read some of those old stories and relive what could have been. And I still adamantly support the idea that wholesale dismissal of the EU is not what Disney or LFL has in mind. I’m already seeing bits and pieces that remind me of some of the EU tales I loved.
That having been said, I think it’s important to note a lot of what I loved about the EU has not been retconned. The Clone Wars series (CN, CGI), for example, is still primary canon. As are many tie-in novels and games. Old Republic (KotOR, KotOR II, and TOR ) is still canon. And many facets that I love are still canon. And they keep adding to it.
The biggest win for us fans is WHO is in leading the charge of this process – Kathleen Kennedy – a fan-service extraordinaire and someone who has been amazing for the Star Wars universe.
But At least Chewbacca will still be alive 🙂
I really enjoyed this one.
I have to be honest my EU books are in a box in a storage unit, more because I moved than any consideration of continuity. Though it is clearly marked Star Wars.
I loved the Zahn books, and many others. I loved how they expanded the universe and included so many interesting characters. But I always knew that if they ever filmed anything after Return of the Jedi 90-95% of those stories would simply cease to exist. It’s a fair trade for years of reading enjoyment from 91 onward and the ability to take my daughter to experience a SW film unseen to both of us.
Having read the Aftermath excerpt, damn that Coruscant stuff 5 minutes after RotJ was brutal and I can’t wait to read more.
Maybe those of us with kids just have a different perspective on this because we get to experience everything for the first time again. Even with TMNT, I didn’t feel like anyone was “raping my childhood” as the denizens of the web are so quick to cry. I feel like I’m in the privileged position of having a SECOND childhood and I get to see my kids go bananas over stuff.
The Thrawn Trilogy led me into the EU, and I devoured every one of the books I could find. When the Yuuzhan Vong storyline began, though… something in me glitched. Chewie’s death, while awesome, turned me off of the rest.
I’m sad that a lot of the stuff I loved has to go to, but even aside from the Old Republic stuff, I’m pretty sure that Bryan Daley’s Han Solo trilogy, Zahn’s Scoundrels, and the Bounty Hunter trilogy (to name a few) are still valid, and that alleviates some of the pain.
I’ll still read them now and then, but I eagerly anticipate the new things as well.
I don’t consider the Legends universe any less valid than the new canonical timeline. Bluntly, it’s like an old Superman story, “This is an imaginary story but then again, aren’t they all?”
But really, could anything beat how well the Thrawn trilogy followed on from the original Star Wars? I read Thrawn maybe mid-late 90’s, and it was amazing. The books that followed on varied, some like the X-wing series were great, others later on were poor, but I felt like it was contributing to something greater. It’s a bit like having the rug swept away now!
Having said that the last Star Wars book I bought was… what maybe 8 years ago? So in terms of generating profit from newer readers, they’re probably doing the right thing. In terms of respecting the time the older readers put in? Well that doesn’t get you much profit!
From the moment I realised that EU is no longer considered canon (which happened sometime during ‘Clone Wars’), I knew it’s going to be really difficult. It’s going to be really difficult to see new stories without some (high) degree of prejudice. I mean, there’s no way new authors will be able to be as good as Zahn, Stackpole and Allston, right? Then again, maybe I think that because I read their books since I was a kid. Maybe it’s because they came first.
Because of these books I learned to love my childhood hero, Wedge Antilles, and his squadrons, Admiral Ackbar, smugglers… First time I shed tears over a book when Captain Pellaeon turned around to see the last Grand Admiral dying. I remember the terrifying feeling when the Dark Side touched people hearts.
There’s no way anything can ever be better then these memories. There’s no one who can be better than Corran Horn, Mara Jade or ‘Face’ Loran.
Good thing, those stories will remain in our minds and hearts. And the Force will always be with us.
I want to think the only reason I would consider new canon bad is my prejudice. That there would be no objective reasons to dislike it. And maybe I get over it when the movie is out.
Although there’s this alarming tendency to make stuff for kids, like Clone Wars. I hope they remember that massive part of fanbase are grown-up nerds.
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