SPOILER The New Canon (Books & Comics)

Heir to the Jedi is the book I'm most excited about. I think it will have the most Easter eggs of the new trilogy

 

The thing about it that a lot of people seem to be overlooking is this, taken from Disney's announcement earlier this year:

While the universe that readers knew is changing, it is not being discarded. Creators of new Star Wars entertainment have full access to the rich content of the Expanded Universe.​

What this tells me is that the new creators of SW content aren't limited to what has already been written, save for the movies and The Clone Wars. A lot of people seem to think that means everything in the old EU is gone, never to be heard from again. But this also, however, gives full permission to take from the EU for this new content. Which means it is VERY possible that we will see characters created in the now-Legends EU appear in new content. As much as I loved the EU and read LOTS of books, I'm okay with retelling the stories, but I am truly hoping that at least some of the characters will still be around. It's gonna be tough to think of Han and Leia NOT having Jacen and Jaina, for example, or having them but being called something else. I'll still watch the new movies and I'm sure I will enjoy them! But I haven't given up on the idea that the new content will draw from the old EU. It would be, in my opinion, the best way to satisfy both people who have heavily invested in the EU and those who are ready for new material.

 

Right. I understand the desire to do new stories. I know JJ Abrams wants to be able to still surprise us. Adapting the Thrawn Trilogy, as great as those movies would be, wouldn't surprise too many people because so many of us have read them, or at least can easily look up what happens. I'm sure they're going to try to recreate an "I am your father" moment (at least in the sense of how pivotal or surprising it was) at some point in the new trilogy, and you can't do that if your story is freely available at most bookstores.

That being said, I believe Abrams understands how lightly he has to tread and recognizes how invested in these stories some of us are, and I expect that he's taking that into consideration.

 

That's very interesting. Everyone assumes the desert we've seen is Tatooine.

 

By the time the reboot was announced I pretty much covered most of SW adult novels.
I never understood the outcries of die hard fans. Why do you need anyone's approval or
why should it matter what's the "real" canon and not. It's all fiction afterall.

The moment Lucas, or any other artist for that matter, throws his creation into the world
it no longer belongs only to him. People interpret a story through their own unique insight
and make it a personal experience.

Same is true for books. The new material will override what's been done in the past but
I still treat them as events that took place. Why? Cuz I friggin' enjoyed them and no other
validation is necessary. (Just like the prequels in my mind never took place, medichlorians... right)

 

I am excited that they rebooted the cannon, I never read any of the old EU but now I feel like I can jump on board without getting bogged down by decades of stories, and get effectively prepared for these upcoming movies. I'm definitely going to be looking for those easter eggs that lead up to the spinoffs/Rebels/Ep.7.

 

I think you should still selectively read a few of the Legacy series. Majority of them were bounced between decent and filler, but a few novels really stand out!!

 

I wonder when the first book/comic taking place after Return of the Jedi will come out.

 

Yeah, I think I posted somewhere that people assumed the desert was Tatooine. I think many will be surprised. Also, I wouldn't be surprised if Boyega's last name was Kelen. In fact we almost wrote an article about the Skywalker/Kelen relationship as it looks like they become at least friends. BUT ultimately we didn't because we don't have much to go on. This much we do know for sure -- Boyega cannot be a Skywalker son from Nakari Kelen based on this book simply because it takes place right after ANH. Boyega would have to be roughly 30 years old in E7 to make it work chronologically.

 

Unless they hook up after JEDI.

 

Yes. That is plausible. But since that is all a blank slate now its really hard to speculate on. Besides, I still believe that Mara Jade is in E7.

However, I still think that Master Luke training an old friend's son is pretty cool!

 

I like that idea better! Who would be Jade though? Obviously none of the current cast would work unless she's significantly younger than Luke, either Gwendoline, Lupita, or Christina Chong. A secret cast member perhaps that would obviously give it away she was portraying her?

 

Well don't forget that there has been no official confirmation for Chong and some others. We were told a while ago that there are some secret actors that they want to keep under wraps. I think this is the case.

 

Gotcha. Who would you choose to portray her?

 

I have no idea. I would say she has to be Mark Hamill's age. And I would prefer someone unknown. However, there was a rumor a while back that stated that Sigourney Weaver had been in talks about a possible role. Nothing else ever came out about it.

1- We know JJ loves the mystery box and keeping secrets
2- He's done a pretty great job thus far barring a few leaks
3- He also has denied things in the past that turned out true -- case in point John Harrison not being Kahn

I say this because Disney has been doing a 180 campaign on the Karen Gillan red wig that SHE said she donated to "the Star Wars people."

 

I heard Weaver dropped out to focus on the Avatar sequels.