Star Wars Legends

The early stages of the Expanded Universe were characterized by inconsistency and a lack of refinement, largely due to the limited amount of canon material available for creators to reference at the time.

It's widely accepted that the Expanded Universe began with Splinter of the Mind's Eye, a Star Wars spin-off novel by Alan Dean Foster published in February 1978. However, technically, it started in October 1977 with "The Keeper's World," a story in Marvel Comics' Pizzazz magazine. Splinter drew heavily from an early version of the Star Wars script. Despite George Lucas's name appearing on the cover of the original Star Wars novelization, it was ghostwritten by Alan Dean Foster. Foster received a copy of the working script and a tour of the production.

Much of the early Legends content from the early 1980s featured parallels to the real world, which contradicted the notion that the Star Wars universe was disconnected from Earth or our own time.

A significant shift occurred when West End Games launched the Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game in 1987. To enable players of the roleplaying game to create new adventures, West End Games needed to provide supplementary material that described the Star Wars universe in unprecedented detail and ensured its internal consistency. For instance, the Aurebesh alphabet, initially a random set decoration in Return of the Jedi, was transformed by Stephen Crane into a complete and functional alphabet, which was later used in the prequel trilogy. This consistent development and extrapolation of details turned West End Games' Star Wars products into a valuable reference for other EU developers.

Around the same time, Dark Horse Comics acquired the Star Wars license previously held by Marvel and used it to launch a series of ambitious sequels to the original trilogy, starting with the popular Star Wars: Dark Empire series.

Concurrent with the release of Dark Empire in the early 1990s, Bantam Spectra published Timothy Zahn's The Thrawn Trilogy. Marketed as the "sequels that never were," Zahn's novels revitalized Star Wars fandom and sparked a revolution in Star Wars literature.

These developments began to interrelate and reference each other, creating a network of connections. West End Games produced roleplaying supplements based on Dark Horse's comics and Zahn's novels. Novelists and comic creators used West End Games' supplements as reference material. Sequels to the novels were adapted into comics and vice versa, leading to a rapid expansion of the Expanded Universe's scope.

At that point, the majority of the Expanded Universe focused on the Star Wars universe after the events of Return of the Jedi. Numerous topics, including the rise of the Galactic Empire, the personal histories of Anakin Skywalker and Emperor Palpatine, and the Clone Wars, were initially restricted by George Lucas prior to the development of his prequel trilogy and associated material.

In the late 1990s, it was decided that portraying the Empire as the primary villains had become repetitive. A new threat, the Yuuzhan Vong, was introduced in the New Jedi Order series, specifically in the first book, The New Jedi Order: Vector Prime.

Before the release of The Phantom Menace, Lucasfilm explicitly prohibited the development of stories set in the decades leading up to A New Hope within the Expanded Universe. However, the release of Episode I opened up an entirely new era of the series for exploration.

Given that The Phantom Menace was set during a time of peace, most material that expanded on it was set either before or during the film, rather than after.

Attack of the Clones, on the other hand, finally explored the long-awaited Clone Wars conflict first mentioned in A New Hope. The release of Attack of the Clones led to a surge of new content in Legends, most notably the comic book series, Star Wars: Republic, and a TV micro-series called Star Wars: Clone Wars, both of which led up to the release of Revenge of the Sith. In Star Wars: Clone Wars, produced and directed by Genndy Tartakovsky, numerous battles of the titular war are depicted, with the Force's power portrayed in an exaggerated style reminiscent of Tartakovsky's previous work. The second season of the series concludes with the introduction of General Grievous, a major antagonist in the upcoming Revenge of the Sith. The third and final season is set in the days leading up to the very beginning of Revenge of the Sith. Meanwhile, Star Wars: Republic complemented the show, filling in gaps left by Clone Wars and providing additional context for all three prequel movies.

Following the release of Revenge of the Sith, events between the two trilogies were further developed, such as the Great Jedi Purge. Notable content released during this period that was set between Episodes III and IV includes Star Wars: Dark Times, a sequel comic series to Republic that follows the aftermath of Episode III, as well as the multimedia project Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, which starred Darth Vader's secret apprentice, Galen Marek, and explored the early days of the Rebel Alliance.

On April 25, 2014, Lucasfilm announced that the Expanded Universe was being restructured under the new non-canon "Star Wars Legends" banner to make way for a new continuity, spearheaded by major projects like Star Wars Rebels and the Star Wars sequel trilogy. Some previously published Expanded Universe material remained in print as Legends stories. The initial novels reprinted under the Legends banner included Heir to the Empire, The Han Solo Adventures, The Lando Calrissian Adventures, Crucible, Kenobi, Razor's Edge, Death Troopers, Fate of the Jedi: Outcast, Maul: Lockdown, Lost Tribe of the Sith: The Collected Stories, and the Star Wars: Lives & Adventures compendium.

While new material released on or after April 25, 2014, is generally considered canon, some new material has continued to be released under the Star Wars Legends brand. This includes the concluding comics in the Star Wars comic series by Dark Horse Comics, the final issues of the series Star Wars: Legacy Volume 2, the Star Wars: Rebel Heist miniseries, the Star Wars: Darth Maul—Son of Dathomir miniseries (which applies to both Legends and Canon continuities), comic strips published in the concluding volumes of Star Wars Comic UK, early supplements for Fantasy Flight Games' roleplaying system, Star Wars: Imperial Handbook: A Commander's Guide, and tie-in short stories for the video game Star Wars: The Old Republic, which were published online. However, most of these ceased publication by the end of 2014.

In 2015, the novella SkyeWalkers: A Clone Wars Story was released on StarWars.com.

On May 29, 2019, the original Star Wars series by Marvel Comics—set in the Legends continuity—received a one-shot continuation issue to commemorate the company's 80th anniversary.

As of 2024, the only new Legends media being consistently released is the video game Star Wars: The Old Republic with its ongoing updates and expansions.

• Before the Republic (37,000 BBY – 25,000 BBY)

During this era, preceding the establishment of the Galactic Republic, the Je'daii Order discovers the Force on the planet Tython and strives to deepen their understanding of this mystical energy. Their efforts are focused on maintaining equilibrium within the Force, leading to conflicts with the predatory Rakata species.

• The Old Republic (25,000 BBY – 1,000 BBY)

The Old Republic served as the governing body that unified the Star Wars galaxy under the authority of the Galactic Senate. In this period, the Jedi are numerous and act as guardians of peace and justice. The Tales of the Jedi comic series is set in this era, chronicling the extensive wars fought by the ancient Jedi and the ancient Sith.

• The Rise of the Empire (1,000 BBY – 0 BBY)

Following the apparent final defeat of the Sith, the Republic falls into a state of complacency. In its waning years, the senate is plagued by corruption and scandal, burdened by a bureaucracy so vast that effective governance becomes nearly impossible. The ambitious Senator Palpatine orchestrates his election as Supreme Chancellor, promising to unite the galaxy under a New Order. The prequel trilogy unfolds during this era.

• The Rebellion (0 BBY – 5 ABY)

A wave of resistance begins to spread across the galaxy in response to the Empire's oppressive rule. Rebel cells fight back, igniting the Galactic Civil War. This era commences with the Rebel victory in securing the Death Star plans and concludes a year after the Emperor's death above the forest moon of Endor. The Rebellion begins its transformation into a governing body, initially as the Alliance of Free Planets and later as the New Republic. The original trilogy is set during this era.

• The New Republic (5 ABY – 25 ABY)

Having triumphed over the Empire at the Battle of Endor, the Rebel Alliance must now transition from a militant resistance force into a functional galactic government. As Imperial territory is reclaimed, the New Republic faces growing pains, contending with insurrections, Imperial loyalists, and rogue warlords. Simultaneously, Luke Skywalker, the last of the Jedi, begins training apprentices, rebuilding the Jedi Order.

• The New Jedi Order (25 ABY – 36 ABY)

The Jedi Knights now number a hundred. The New Republic has forged a peace treaty with the remnants of the Empire. The galaxy is finally experiencing a period of peace after decades of war. However, this tranquility is shattered when a terrifying alien menace invades the Republic from beyond known space. The Yuuzhan Vong devastate entire worlds in their onslaught, as depicted in the novels of The New Jedi Order. Five years later, the galaxy experiences the events of Star Wars: The Dark Nest Trilogy, where Luke Skywalker and his New Jedi Order confront the enigmatic insectoid Killiks, a hive-minded species intent on conquering the galaxy.

• Legacy (40 ABY – 140+ ABY)

Having achieved peace with the Yuuzhan Vong, the newly formed Galactic Federation of Free Alliances struggles to maintain its unity as a single government. Internal threats are compounded by a danger emerging from the remnants of the dark side. Luke Skywalker's new Jedi Order faces a new era as the heirs of the Skywalker legacy come of age. Jacen Solo, perhaps the wisest of the new order and Ben Skywalker's master, succumbs to the Dark Side and attempts to establish a new empire from the fragmented systems that constitute the GA. In the Fate of the Jedi series, Luke and Ben journey across the galaxy to uncover the reasons for Jacen's descent into evil, while Abeloth and the Keshiri Sith attempt to seize control of the galaxy. The Legacy era continues hundreds of years later in a comic series titled Star Wars: Legacy, which debuted in June 2006.

• The Star Wars Holiday Special ( 1978 ) was a two-hour television special depicting Chewbacca's return to his home world of Kashyyyk to celebrate Life Day with his family. Alongside the stars of the original 1977 film, TV and music personalities such as Beatrice Arthur , Art Carney, and Jefferson Starship participated in plot-related skits and musical performances. While considered canonical within the Expanded Universe, the special is often criticized by fans and largely disowned by George Lucas. However, some fans appreciate its nostalgic charm and naive creativity. An online petition advocating for its video release has garnered attention in New York Newsday and other media outlets. The Holiday Special marks the debut of bounty hunter Boba Fett in an 11-minute animated segment and introduces Kashyyyk. The visual design of the Kashyyyk sets in the Holiday Special served as inspiration for the settings used in Revenge of the Sith (2005).
• Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure ( 1984 ) was the first of two films centered on the Ewoks from Return of the Jedi. In Caravan of Courage, the Ewoks assist two children in rescuing their parents from a giant known as Gorax. These films are notable for having their stories written by Lucas himself, representing one of his few contributions to non-theatrical Star Wars productions, beyond his explicit approval.
• Ewoks: The Battle for Endor ( 1985 ). In this second Ewok film, Wicket , Cindel , and the Ewoks team up with a hermit named Noa to defeat Marauders who have attacked their village.
• Star Wars: Droids: The Adventures of R2-D2 and C-3PO (1985– 1986 ) was an animated series that chronicled the adventures of C-3PO and R2-D2 between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. Anthony Daniels provided the voice for C-3PO.
• Ewoks (1985–1987) was an animated series that depicted the adventures of the Ewoks before the events of Return of the Jedi.
• Star Wars: Clone Wars ( 2003 –2005) aired on the Cartoon Network and portrayed events that occurred between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. The series introduced the characters of General Grievous and Asajj Ventress and was awarded an Emmy Award.

A radio adaptation of A New Hope was initially broadcast on National Public Radio in 1981. The adaptation was penned by science fiction author Brian Daley and directed by John Madden, with post-production overseen by Tom Voegeli. Daley, Madden, and Voegeli collaborated again to adapt the second film in the trilogy, The Empire Strikes Back, in 1983. Plans for a radio version of Return of the Jedi were abandoned due to federal funding cuts to NPR.

The radio adaptations were notable for incorporating background material that Lucas had removed from the films, as well as original content created by Daley. Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, and Billy Dee Williams reprised their roles as Luke Skywalker, C-3PO, and Lando Calrissian, respectively. For the sound mixing, Voegeli had access to all of John Williams's original score and Ben Burtt's sound effect library, allowing him and his assistants to recombine elements of the film in new ways with the voice actors' recordings.

In 1983, Daley wrote an original Star Wars audio drama, Rebel Mission to Ord Mantell. The drama was produced by Buena Vista Records, which also created the Star Wars Read-Along Adventures. It featured most of the same cast as the Read-Along tapes and records.

For over a decade, Rebel Mission to Ord Mantell was the only Star Wars audio drama not based on a feature film. Then, between 1994 and 1999, nearly a dozen audio dramas were released as audio tapes and CDs. These dramas were adapted from comic books, short stories, and video games, including Dark Empire and its sequels (1994–1995), Tales of the Jedi and Dark Lords of the Sith (1995), The Band's Tale and The Lovers' Tale (1995), the Dark Forces trilogy (1998), and Crimson Empire (1999). During this same period, HighBridge Audio continued where NPR had left off, producing a Return of the Jedi radio drama in 1996, which NPR broadcast in November and December.

After this surge, no further Legends audio dramas were produced, either adapting the Prequel trilogy or any other era. The subsequent full-cast Star Wars audio dramas were created within the new canon in the 2020s.

Early Star Wars stories existed even before the debut of the first film, exemplified by the A New Hope novelization from 1976 (written by Alan Dean Foster but credited to George Lucas). However, it's generally accepted that Foster's Splinter of the Mind's Eye novel, released in 1978, marked the initial entry in what would become the Expanded Universe. This supplementary material not only bridged gaps between the films but also significantly broadened the Star Wars narrative, extending it both before and after the main film series.

While Star Wars stories thrived during the original trilogy's run (1977–1983), their production notably decreased afterward. However, the release of Timothy Zahn's highly acclaimed Thrawn Trilogy in 1991 revitalized interest in the Star Wars universe. Since then, hundreds of tie-in novels have been released under imprints like Bantam Spectra and Del Rey.

Some of the notable novels in the series are the X-Wing series penned by Michael A. Stackpole and Aaron Allston, the Jedi Academy trilogy along with the Tales From... series crafted by Kevin J. Anderson, and the collaborative New Jedi Order series, featuring multiple authors. Another significant series is the Young Jedi Knights books, also authored by Kevin J. Anderson, which chronicles the adventures of Jacen and Jaina Solo alongside their companions. The Legacy series, written by Aaron Allston, Karen Traviss, and Troy Denning, is another important collection of books.

Marvel Comics published the Star Wars comic-book series and adaptations from 1977 until 1986. They also introduced the first original narrative within the Expanded Universe through the story titled The Keeper's World. Numerous talented individuals contributed to this series, including Archie Goodwin, Howard Chaykin, Al Williamson, Carmine Infantino, Gene Day, Walter Simonson, Michael Golden, Chris Claremont, Whilce Portacio, Mary Jo Duffy, and Ron Frenz.

During the 1980s, Marvel, under its Star Comics imprint aimed at younger audiences, released the short-lived series Ewoks and Droids, which were inspired by the Saturday-morning cartoon shows of the same titles.

From 1979 to 1984, Star Wars was also featured as a daily newspaper comic strip. Among the artists and writers involved were Goodwin, Williamson, and Russ Manning.

In the latter part of the 1980s, Marvel announced plans for a new Star Wars comic by Tom Veitch and Cam Kennedy. However, Dark Horse Comics ultimately published Dark Empire instead, and subsequently released a substantial collection of original stories set within the Star Wars universe. These included titles such as Star Wars: Republic, Star Wars Empire, Star Wars Tales, and Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi. Dark Horse also re-released the Marvel series and newspaper strips in a compilation known as Classic Star Wars. Furthermore, the company reprinted several Japanese manga adaptations of the films, including Star Wars Manga: The Empire Strikes Back by Toshiki Kudo and Star Wars Manga: Return of the Jedi by Shin-Ichi Hiromoto.

Since 1983, more than 120 video games have been launched using the Star Wars brand, starting with Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, released for the Atari 2600 by Parker Brothers. Other early titles include the Star Wars game for the Nintendo Entertainment System (published by JVC) and three additional games for the Atari 2600.

Atari developed arcade games inspired by the original trilogy, beginning with Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back, both of which were "flight sim" style games utilizing vector graphics. The third game, Return of the Jedi, employed more conventional raster graphics.

Star Wars has also paved the way for numerous space-flight simulations that treat the saga's space battles with greater seriousness, instructing players on piloting various Star Wars starfighters in a manner akin to traditional "Modern Aircraft" flight simulators. The initial entries in this category were "X-Wing" and its two expansions, "B-Wing" and "Imperial Pursuit," focusing on the Rebellion's perspective of the war, set in the period leading up to and including the destruction of the first Death Star. The second was "TIE Fighter," which centered on the Empire's starfighters during the time before Episode VI. Both games were available for DOS and Macintosh. "TIE Fighter" also had an expansion disk titled "Defender of the Empire." Furthermore, both the original "X-Wing" and "TIE Fighter" games received two collector's edition releases (one for DOS and another for Windows 9x), featuring enhanced graphics and additional missions. Newer simulators are also available, with Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance being a prominent example.

The first Star Wars first-person shooter, Dark Forces, was introduced by LucasArts in February 1995. It followed the story of Kyle Katarn, an Imperial soldier turned mercenary, and featured over a dozen levels where players explored various original and familiar settings. With an original and interactive soundtrack by game composer Clint Bajakian using the iMUSE sound system, along with state-of-the-art graphics, the game successfully captured the imaginations of many gamers. The 1997 sequel, Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II, stood out for including live-action footage of certain Expanded Universe characters, such as Kyle Katarn, in its cut scenes. It had 2 other sequels named Star Wars: Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast and Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy, that incorporated a new system of lightsaber combat and received re-releases years later.

Rogue Squadron was a cross-platform title on Nintendo 64 and PC that allowed players to experience a more arcade-style version of the gameplay found in X-Wing and TIE Fighter, similar to the action in the Nintendo 64 title Shadows of the Empire. The game involved piloting various Star Wars vehicles through missions on planet surfaces and in space. Rogue Squadron had two sequels, both released on the Nintendo GameCube system.

Star Wars: Rebellion enabled players to engage with the Star Wars universe on a grander scale, emphasizing the strategic aspects of managing (or suppressing) a rebellion, including resource management, agent deployment, and large-scale conflicts between entire starship fleets.

Knights of the Old Republic by BioWare and Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords by Obsidian Entertainment are more recent additions to the EU. They take place in the Old Republic era, shortly after the Mandalorian Wars. These games belong to the action role-playing game (RPG) genre, a type of RPG that maintains turn-based mechanics, but instead of waiting for the opponent's turn, actions are determined by a rate of fire. This innovative style of RPG has garnered significant attention.

Other games include Battlefront, Battlefront II, Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron, Galactic Battlegrounds, Republic Commando, Episode III: The video game, LEGO Star Wars, Jedi Outcast, Jedi Academy, Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided, The Force Unleashed, The Force Unleashed II, and Empire at War.

In a 1996 game from Hasbro Inc., called Star Wars: The Interactive Video Board Game, which takes place during the original trilogy era, new live-action scenes featuring Darth Vader on the Death Star were filmed around the events of Return of the Jedi. This footage was available on a special VHS tape included with the game. Players could insert the tape during gameplay to watch the scenes. David Prowse reprised his role as Vader, and James Earl Jones returned as the voice of Vader. Some of the original crew members from A New Hope reunited to film these scenes.

Several editions of Star Wars roleplaying games have been published. The first edition (a d6 version) was released by West End Games in 1987. The second edition followed in 1992, also by West End Games. The 2.5 edition was published by West End Games in 1996. In late 2000, Wizards of the Coast released the third edition (a d20 version). In 2002, Wizards of the Coast released the 3.5 edition. Bill Slavicsek contributed to all these editions and included a conversion table in the third edition to help Star Wars gamers adapt from the d6 versions to the new d20 system. In 2007, Wizards of the Coast released the Saga Edition Rulebook, offering a revised d20 system for character development and utilizing the extensive range of miniatures produced by Wizards. In 2010, Wizards of the Coast announced they would not renew their license to produce new Star Wars material after the third quarter of that year.

In 2005, Hasbro created and launched a DVD TV game based on Star Wars, using the Trivial Pursuit game-play format.

In 2012, the new license holders Fantasy Flight Games released their Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game, a miniature space combat game, and a Living Card Game.

• Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire ( 1996 ) was a comprehensive multimedia initiative by Lucasfilm, described as "a film without a film." Shadows of the Empire narrated the events occurring between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, introducing a new antagonist, the crime lord Prince Xizor. This project encompassed all previously used media formats for presenting the Expanded Universe, including a novel by Steve Perry, multiple comic book series, a soundtrack, a video game, concept art, and action figures.
• Clone Wars (2003–2005). Lucasfilm employed similar strategies as in the Shadows of the Empire project to create a widespread campaign narrating the stories of the Clone Wars. This project included films, novels, video games, comics, action figures, and its own animated series (mentioned above).
• The Force Unleashed ( 2008 ). Initially planned for 2007, its production was delayed by a year. Set between the two trilogies during the Great Jedi Purge, it centers on the adventures of Darth Vader's secret apprentice, Galen Marek. It has been called "the next chapter in the Star Wars saga." Like its predecessors, it includes novels, comics, a game, roleplaying-game resources, and more.

• Return of the Ewok ( 1982 ) was a 24-minute fictional mockumentary-style film, focusing on Warwick Davis's decision to become an actor and portray Wicket in Return of the Jedi.
• R2-D2: Beneath the Dome ( 2002 ) was a 20-minute mockumentary-style film, exploring the "true" story of R2-D2's life. It was created as a fun side project by some of the crew of Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones but was later deemed suitable for television and its own DVD release.

In 1987, Lucasfilm and Disney, leveraging the capabilities of Industrial Light & Magic, collaborated to create Star Tours, an amusement-park simulator ride through the Star Wars galaxy, which eventually opened in several Disney parks. The ride is presented as a tour to the forest moon of Endor aboard the StarSpeeder 3000. The ship is piloted by a robot named Rex (voiced by Paul Reubens, known for his role as Pee-wee Herman), who is new to giving tours, making your ride his first time at the controls. During the journey, riders experience various mishaps, including encounters with Imperial Star Destroyers and near collisions with icy comets, before the ship safely reaches its destination.

George Lucas and Disney announced an updated version of the attraction, called Star Tours: The Adventures Continue, set between Episodes III and IV. The new ride debuted on May 20, 2011, at Disney's Hollywood Studios and on June 3, 2011, at Disneyland. A limited-edition line of action figures based on droid characters from the ride and the attraction queue is exclusively available in the Star Tours gift shop.

Numerous other toys have also been produced. The Star Wars toy craze began in 1978 with the original action figures, toy lightsabers, blasters, twelve-inch figures, toy vehicles, and many other items. These toys are now known as the vintage Star Wars toys. Today, many of these "vintage" figures are quite rare, and some are worth a significant amount of money. Recently, a toy line called Star Wars: The Original Trilogy Collection reintroduced elements of the original vintage toy line, such as vintage packaging. With the arrival of The Phantom Menace, LEGO began creating buildable Star Wars characters and scenes. A few years ago, LEGO introduced light-up lightsabers for their figures, but these are no longer in use. LEGO has collaborated with LucasArts on four video games (LEGO Star Wars 1, 2, 3, and Complete Saga).

Many different types of toys have been created. Darth Vader helmets and voice changers are now commonly found on shelves, often alongside the Ultimate Lightsaber Kit, which provides the components to design and build your own functional lightsaber toy. The term "Expanded Universe" was first used in connection with Kenner's lines of action figures based on the various Star Wars novels, comic books, and video games. Earlier toys based on novels were marketed by Galoob as "Epic Collections."

The intent behind the Expanded Universe was to build upon and continue the six Star Wars movies that George Lucas directed and produced between 1977 and 2005. The entirety of Legends content, when taken together with the films, was designed to form a cohesive narrative. To ensure that this narrative flowed smoothly, a strict continuity order was enforced. Lucasfilm considered this so vital that they dedicated an entire team to the task of maintaining consistency between Lucas's films and the Legends material. This Legends content was created by numerous authors and artists, often in a non-sequential manner and with a wide range of creative ideas. Although Lucas supported the EU's existence, he prioritized telling the stories he envisioned in his films, which occasionally clashed with previously established EU material. When interviewed about his overall opinion of the EU, he stated: During his leadership at Lucasfilm, Lucas maintained absolute creative authority over the Star Wars universe. As an example, significant plot developments like the "death" of major characters or any alterations to the established order required his explicit approval before authors could proceed. Furthermore, Lucasfilm Licensing invested considerable resources in ensuring that the works of different authors across various companies remained consistent. The goal was to prevent any contradictions between the Expanded Universe and the films, or within the Expanded Universe itself. However, there were instances where Lucas's new films, revised versions of the original trilogy, or his public statements contradicted existing EU content, leading to the use of several retcons to resolve these inconsistencies. Some staunch fans dismissed the Expanded Universe as apocrypha, arguing that only the events depicted in the film series constituted the "true" Star Wars universe. (For instance, the existence of Palpatine's clones seemed to contradict the "chosen one" prophecy.) This viewpoint was reinforced by the fact that some Expanded Universe material created before Lucas's prequel films arrived at conclusions that Lucas later overturned. Nevertheless, Lucas incorporated elements from the Expanded Universe into his films. To illustrate, the planet name Coruscant initially appeared in Timothy Zahn's novel Heir to the Empire before its use in the prequel trilogy (albeit with a different pronunciation). However, the planet itself, under a different designation, had appeared in an earlier version of the Return of the Jedi screenplay. Similarly, the Twi'lek Jedi Aayla Secura originated in the Dark Horse comics series Republic. Lucas reportedly saw her on a comic book cover, liked her character's design, and decided to include her in the Jedi battle scene at the end of Attack of the Clones, portrayed by Lucasfilm employee Amy Allen, with her death later depicted in Revenge of the Sith. These instances often blurred the lines between the Expanded Universe and Lucas's own vision, leading to confusion and debate among Star Wars fans. One of the surface-level appeals of the films was their logical, numerical organization, while the Expanded Universe was published in a non-chronological order and occasionally contained minor inconsistencies, and even major discrepancies despite the efforts of Lucas Licensing. Conversely, the Expanded Universe enriched the Star Wars universe with greater depth. Some readers criticized the EU sources for excessive self-referentiality, which they felt misrepresented the Star Wars universe (e.g., EU minimalism, the gradual reduction of technological capabilities and physical scope in EU sources). Other fans believed that the Expanded Universe's conventions detracted from the dramatic impact of the movies by over-explaining elements in an undesirable way. These critics argued that writing new stories within the EU framework constrained the author's creativity. In theory, the films represented the absolute canon, while all other official material belonged to the Expanded Universe, which was generally considered valid but could not contradict anything in the movies. When an EU source conflicted with movie canon, that specific point in the EU source was deemed invalid, although the rest of the source remained part of the continuity. Despite the unpopularity of works like the Jedi Prince series, they were considered just as canonical as popular works like Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire, unless contradicted by material from a higher "canon tier," later work, or an official statement declaring them non-canon. However, this wasn't always the case in practice. For example, Prophets of the Dark Side depicted the wedding of Han Solo and Princess Leia, but Dave Wolverton disregarded this and presented the same event in his novel The Courtship of Princess Leia, which was published several years later. According to the Expanded Universe rules, both versions were considered part of the continuity, although Dave Wolverton's book's wedding is the one most often referenced. Fans attempted to reconcile this discrepancy by suggesting that the scene in Prophets of the Dark Side ends just as Han and Leia are walking down the aisle, implying that the event was interrupted and postponed until the time of The Courtship of Princess Leia. The authors of Prophets of the Dark Side confirmed that they had planned a sequel series that would have begun with the wedding's disruption, but their contract was cancelled before they could proceed. There were also minor disagreements regarding what constituted the Expanded Universe. For instance, the spin-off films Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure and Ewoks: The Battle for Endor were written by George Lucas and were films, but they were not among the six main films in the series, so they were generally considered part of the Expanded Universe. Both films were later officially confirmed as part of the Star Wars Legends continuity but are no longer considered canon. The original Star Wars Databank entries distinguished between movie information and EU information by providing them in separate tabs. As of April 25, 2014, any material that originated solely from an Expanded Universe source is no longer considered canon. To be considered canon, the material must have appeared in one of the Star Wars films from the original trilogy or prequel trilogy, the Star Wars: The Clone Wars television series or its associated film, or most material released on or after April 25, 2014. While such material may incorporate elements from the Expanded Universe, only the specific details presented in the new material are considered canon. For example, while "spicebrew" appears in both the old Expanded Universe and the new canon continuity, it cannot be assumed that the drink is part of the mixture that makes a Sonic Servodriver, as this detail is only found in a Legends source. ### Official levels of canon The Holocron continuity database was an internal database managed by Lucas Licensing specifically to maintain continuity. This database was organized into five levels that reflected LFL's canon and continuity policies: G, T, C, S, and N. All levels except N formed an overall continuity that Lucasfilm considered the "true" Star Wars canon before the Expanded Universe was rebranded as Legends in April 2014. - G (George Lucas) canon was absolute canon. This category included the six films, some deleted scenes from the films, the novelizations of the films, the radio dramas based on the films, the film scripts, and any material from any other source (published or not) that came directly from George Lucas himself. G canon superseded all other forms of canon when there was a conflict. - T [17] canon was the canon level that only included the television show Star Wars: The Clone Wars. - C (continuity) canon was the main body of EU work and the next most authoritative level of canon. All material published under the Star Wars label that did not fall into G, S, or N was C canon and was considered authoritative unless contradicted by G canon. Games were a special case; generally, only the stories were C-canon, while things like stats and gameplay were N-canon. If a video game had multiple possible endings or if the player could choose the gender or species of the main character, only one of each was considered C-canon. C-canon elements have appeared in the movies, making them G-canon. These included Coruscant (both its name and the concept of it being an ecumenopolis), swoop bikes, Aayla Secura, Double Bladed Lightsabers, YT-2400 freighters, and Action VI transports. - S (secondary) canon referred to older, less accurate, or less coherent EU works that did not fit into the main continuity of G and C canon. Unless referenced by a G- or C-level source, the story itself was considered non-continuity, but the non-contradicting elements were still a canon part of the Star Wars universe. This included The Star Wars Holiday Special, the Marvel comics, the popular online roleplaying game Star Wars Galaxies, and certain elements of a few N-canon stories. - N continuity material is also known as "non-canon" or "non-continuity" material. What-if stories (such as those published under the Infinities label), game stats, "comic" material such as Angry Birds Star Wars or Jedi Academy, and anything else directly contradicted by higher canon and could not fit into continuity was placed into this category. N-canon was the only level that Lucasfilm did not consider canon. ### Lucas's use of Legends content #### Legends content in the films C-canon elements from licensed creators have been integrated into Lucas's films. Many of these are brief, almost like Easter eggs, potentially added by animators or others working under Lucas rather than specifically mandated by him. However, some are more significant. While Lucas considered Legends separate from his core narrative, he drew inspiration from it and incorporated certain elements and characters into his films. - The name of the Wookiee home planet Kashyyyk originated in Legends, although Lucas himself conceived of the species and the planet. Concept artists watched The Star Wars Holiday Special multiple times while designing the Kashyyyk environment for Revenge of the Sith. [18] - George Lucas adopted the name "Coruscant" for the Galactic Republic's capital planet, previously known as Had Abbadon in his drafts. - Lucas, intrigued by her depiction in cover art by Jan Duursema, included the character Aayla Secura in Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones. [19] He also adopted the Expanded Universe name "Twi'lek" for Secura's species, as evidenced by a remark of his documented in an Episode III Set Diary entry. [20] - The Legends character Tsui Choi was at one point planned to appear in Revenge of the Sith. [21] - Artists working on the prequel films drew inspiration from various Expanded Universe materials, particularly the Star Wars: Chronicles and Incredible Cross-Sections books. [22] #### Lucas' involvement with Star Wars Legends In August 2009, Mixnmojo conducted an interview with Mary Bihr, LucasArts' Vice President of Global Publishing in 2009. A key takeaway from the interview is: Lucas frequently collaborated closely with Legends creators: - Lucas met with Roy Thomas to assist in planning the initial storylines for Marvel's Star Wars comic series and personally approved the direction Thomas intended to take the series. - Lucas selected Archie Goodwin to write for the Star Wars comic strip. - Lucas contributed to the writing of the first draft of the script for The Star Wars Holiday Special with Smith-Hemion productions. [24] - Lucas wrote the stories for, executive produced, and directed additional scenes and reshoots for both of the Ewok films from the mid-1980s, Caravan of Courage and The Battle for Endor. - Lucas played a role in the creation of the Star Tours theme park attraction. - Kevin J. Anderson developed the Jedi training process for the Jedi Academy trilogy based on Lucas's input and memos. [25] - Lucas approved Kevin J. Anderson's idea to kill off the character Crix Madine in the novel Darksaber when asked about it. [26] - Lucas assisted Tom Veitch and Kevin J. Anderson in developing aspects of the Jedi and Sith for the Tales of the Jedi comics by answering questionnaires and approving or rejecting ideas. [27] - When Terry Brooks was writing the novelization of The Phantom Menace, Lucas shared the extensive history of the Sith and Jedi before that time, allowing him to incorporate it into his book. For example, the character Darth Bane is Lucas's original creation, and although he didn't include information on the character in his films, he informed Terry Brooks of the character to incorporate into the novelization. Lucas also provided Brooks with other extensive details about the events of The Phantom Menace. - Lucas wrote the prologue for Matthew Stover's novel Shatterpoint. - Lucas provided Genndy Tartakovsky with information on specific events during the Clone Wars, which Tartakovsky used in the series Star Wars: Clone Wars. - James Luceno based his book Labyrinth of Evil on the background information Lucas provided about the events leading up to Revenge of the Sith. Lucas also allowed him to explore the backstory of Sifo-Dyas and the mystery surrounding Kamino's erasure from the Jedi Archives, plot points he originally intended to reveal in Revenge of the Sith. - Lucas decided that Delta Squad should have colored armor in Star Wars: Republic Commando to match Episode III. - Lucas instructed John Ostrander on the fate of Quinlan Vos in Republic 83. - Lucas decreed that there could be no more Wookiee Jedi in the Expanded Universe. Obsidian Entertainment was forbidden from making Hanharr a Dark Jedi due to this restriction. - Lucas decreed that, following Episode III, Palpatine had only a minor concern over the remaining Jedi. - Lucas owns the original cover art of Tag & Bink Were Here. - Lucas provided direct input and guidance for the 2007 multimedia project Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. - Lucas established that Darth Plagueis is a Muun. [28] #### Lucas/Legends contradictions Conversely, Lucas and the authors of the Expanded Universe largely operated independently, leading to deviations from his vision. Examples of inconsistencies include: - Contrary to the depiction of a thousand-year struggle between the Jedi and Sith in the Expanded Universe, George Lucas stated that there was never a war between them. [30] - George Lucas stated that the events of the Expanded Universe following Return of the Jedi "isn't at all what I would have done with it," adding that "the Emperor doesn't get cloned and Luke doesn't get married." [31] - The deaths of Obi-Wan, Yoda, and Anakin Skywalker in the original trilogy suggested that dead Jedi typically disappeared and reappeared as Force ghosts. However, Revenge of the Sith revealed that this is a rare ability mastered by only a few Jedi. The 2007 Star Wars: Legacy of the Force novel Sacrifice further reveals that a Jedi can choose to become one with the Force or leave their body behind. While C-canon presented several Sith spirits, George Lucas stated that preserving identity after death can only be achieved through the light side of the Force. - Boba Fett's origins initially identified him as Jaster Mereel, a Journeyman Protector exiled from Concord Dawn. It was later revealed that Jaster Mereel was merely an alias Fett used when he was exiled. The real Jaster, whose name Boba used as an alias, was retconned into a separate character. In the Expanded Universe, Boba Fett and his father, Jango, were presented as Mandalorians, whereas, according to Lucas, they were not Mandalorians but simply wore Mandalorian armor. - The portrayal of Mandalorian culture and the planet Mandalore differs significantly between the Expanded Universe and the 2008 Clone Wars TV show. - The Clone Wars as described in Zahn's Thrawn trilogy were, at least in part, a conflict between the Old Republic and an army of insane clones grown and controlled by "clonemasters." Attack of the Clones, however, revealed that the Clone Wars were fought between the Old Republic (using clones) and a Separatist movement (using droids). When writing the prequel trilogy, Lucas changed the dates he had originally given Zahn for the Clone Wars, making Zahn's estimate off by at least a decade. This inconsistency was easily retconned because the Noghri provided the former date, and this species used its own unique dating system. - In Revenge of the Sith, Anakin is outraged that he was admitted to the Jedi Council but not given the rank of master, claiming that such a thing had never happened before. However, it had been established that during the time of The Phantom Menace, Ki-Adi-Mundi was a council member despite being only a knight. This may be hyperbole if Anakin knew it was rare but not unheard of, or it may indicate his knowledge of the order's history was incomplete. - The backstory of General Grievous presented in the Expanded Universe differs significantly from George Lucas's vision of the character. - R4-P17, the droid in Obi-Wan's Jedi Starfighter in Attack of the Clones, initially has an incorrect designation because it has the dome of an R2 unit, whereas R4 domes are more conical. This was retconned by stating that R4-P17's old R4 body was damaged, and its remains were placed in an R2 body. ### Film cast and crew participation in the EU On several occasions, cast and crew from the films have participated in the EU. - George Lucas has been involved with the EU extensively. - Mark Hamill reprised his role as Luke Skywalker for The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978) and for a brief voice role as Luke in the 2000 television commercial for the novel Vector Prime. He also worked on the LEGO Star Wars: Revenge of the Brick animated short and the first two dramatizations of the early-1980s Star Wars radio drama. - Harrison Ford reprised his role as Han Solo for The Star Wars Holiday Special. - Carrie Fisher reprised her role as Princess Leia Organa for The Star Wars Holiday Special. - Peter Mayhew reprised his role as Chewbacca for The Star Wars Holiday Special and wrote the introduction for the Chewbacca trade paperback. - Archive footage of Samuel L. Jackson was used for the video game adaptation of Star Wars Episode III. - David Prowse and James Earl Jones reprised their roles as the body and voice of Darth Vader for The Star Wars Holiday Special and Star Wars: The Interactive Video Board Game. - Anthony Daniels has portrayed C-3PO in all non-film roles where 3PO physically appeared or required voice work (except for the Dark Empire audio dramas), and he co-wrote Star Wars Droids: The Protocol Offensive. According to Genndy Tartakovsky, Daniels also rewrote some of his lines while working on the Star Wars: Clone Wars animated series to better align with his character's typical dialogue. [32] - Liam Neeson reprised his role as Qui-Gon Jinn for LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game. - Billy Dee Williams reprised his role as Lando Calrissian for The Empire Strikes Back audio drama and the Dark Empire audio drama, as well as the video games Star Wars: Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast, Star Wars: Battlefront II, and LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy. - Warwick Davis reprised his role as Wicket W. Warrick in the two Ewok films Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure (1984) and Ewoks: The Battle for Endor (1985), and his non-canon film Return of the Ewok. He also portrayed Willow Ufgood in the retroactively non-canon film, Willow (1988). - Lewis MacLeod reprised his role as Sebulba for all of his video game appearances and played Obi-Wan Kenobi in the video games Star Wars: Super Bombad Racing, Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds, and Star Wars: Obi-Wan. - Ian McDiarmid reprised his role as Darth Sidious for the video game Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron. - Alethea McGrath reprised her role as Jocasta Nu in the video game adaptation of Star Wars Episode III. - Temuera Morrison reprised his role as Jango Fett in the video games Star Wars: Bounty Hunter, Star Wars: Battlefront, Star Wars: Battlefront II, and Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron. He reprised his voice role as Boba Fett in the video games Star Wars: Battlefront II, Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron, and Star Wars: Empire at War. Additionally, he reprised his roles as various clone troopers in the video games Star Wars: Battlefront, Star Wars: Republic Commando, Star Wars: Battlefront II, and Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron. Archive sounds of Morrison were used for the voice of Jango Fett and various clone troopers in LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game. - Jake Lloyd reprised his role as Anakin Skywalker in the video games Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace video game, Star Wars: Episode I Racer, Star Wars: Episode I Jedi Power Battles, Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds, Star Wars: Super Bombad Racing, and Star Wars: Racer Revenge. - Andrew Secombe reprised his role of Watto for all of the character's video game appearances. - Denis Lawson, who portrayed Wedge Antilles in all three films of the original trilogy, reprised the role, in voice-over form, in the Nintendo GameCube game Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader and the audio books Heir to the Empire and Dark Force Rising, as well as providing narration and voice-over work for all characters including Wedge Antilles. - Voice actor Matthew Wood, who played General Grievous in Revenge of the Sith, reprised his role as the character in speaking roles for the Revenge of the Sith video game, the Star Wars: Battlefront II video game, and the General Grievous Halloween audiocast. [33] - Corey Burton, who provided the voice of Rebel pilot Hobbie in The Empire Strikes Back, played several voice roles in the Expanded Universe. -

Clive Revill , the original voice actor for Emperor Palpatine in The Empire Strikes Back, lent his voice to Jan Dodonna for the Star Wars: X-Wing Collector's Edition. - In video games like Star Wars Episode I: The Gungan Frontier, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Episode I Jedi Power Battles, Star Wars: Super Bombad Racing, and Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds, Ahmed Best returned to play Jar Jar Binks, a role he also reprised in an episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. - Greg Proops came back to voice Fode in Star Wars: Episode I Racer. Additionally, he portrayed Tal Merrik in the Season Two episodes "The Mandalore Plot" and "Voyage of Temptation" of The Clone Wars. - The actress who played Zam Wesell in Attack of the Clones, Leeanna Walsman , voiced her character again in Star Wars: Bounty Hunter. - Ben Burtt played a significant role in the later episodes of Star Wars: Droids; he was the story writer for all Mungo Baobab episodes and both story writer and script writer for The Great Heep TV special. He elaborated on the Baobab family later by writing the lyrics for the Dha Werda Verda poem and the liner notes for the Shadows of the Empire soundtrack, as well as the 2001 book Galactic Phrase Book & Travel Guide. He also served as sound designer and re-recording mixer for Willow. - Joe Johnston authored the children's book The Adventures of Teebo: A Tale of Magic and Suspense, co-authored the " Coby and the Starhunters " episode of Star Wars: Droids, and took on the roles of production designer for both Ewok television movies and associate producer for Willow. - Dennis Muren contributed to the special effects for both Caravan of Courage and Willow. - The special effects for both Caravan of Courage and Willow also benefited from the work of Phil Tippett. - John Knoll was the ILM animation camera operator for Willow. - Miki Herman was a " Star Wars consultant" on The Star Wars Holiday Special and co-executive producer for both Star Wars: Droids and Star Wars: Ewoks. - Rusty Goffe portrayed Kabe , a Jawa , and the GNK power droid in A New Hope. He later played a Nelwyn villager in Willow. - Jack Purvis played the Chief Jawa in A New Hope, the Chief Ugnaught in The Empire Strikes Back, and Teebo in Return of the Jedi. He also had an uncredited role as a Nelwyn band member in Willow. - Several actors who played Ewoks in Return of the Jedi returned to work on the Ewok films and Willow: Bobby Bell - He played the Ewok Logray and performed stunts in Caravan of Courage. Stock footage of Bell's Ewok character in Return of the Jedi was used in Star Wars: Battlefront. Peter Burroughs - He originally played an unnamed Ewok in Return of the Jedi, and later played a Nelwyn villager in Willow and did stunts for both films. Stock footage of his Ewok character in Return of the Jedi was used in Star Wars: Battlefront. Debbie Lee Carrington - She played the Ewok Weechee Warrick and performed stunts for Caravan of Courage and The Battle for Endor. Stock footage of Carrington's Ewok character in Return of the Jedi was used in Star Wars: Battlefront. Tony Cox - He played the Ewok Widdle Warrick in Caravan of Courage and The Battle for Endor, and a Vohnkar warrior in Willow. He also performed stunts in Caravan of Courage. Stock footage of his Ewok character in Return of the Jedi was used in Star Wars: Battlefront. Malcolm Dixon - He originally played an Ewok warrior in Return of the Jedi. He later played a Nelwyn band member in Willow. Stock footage of his Ewok character from Return of the Jedi was used in Star Wars: Battlefront. Margarita Fernández - She played the Ewok Kaink in Caravan of Courage and performed stunts for Caravan of Courage and The Battle for Endor. Daniel Frishman - He played the Ewok Deej Warrick in Caravan of Courage and The Battle for Endor. Stock footage of Frishman's Ewok character in Return of the Jedi was used in Star Wars: Battlefront. Pam Grizz - She played the Ewok Shodu Warrick in Caravan of Courage and The Battle for Endor. Grizz's Ewok character in Return of the Jedi was used in Star Wars: Battlefront. Kevin Thompson - He played the Ewok Chukha-Trok in Caravan of Courage and performed stunts for Caravan of Courage and The Battle for Endor. - Kenny Baker had an uncredited role as R2-D2 in Star Tours and also an uncredited role as a Nelwyn band member in Willow. - Star Wars: Visionaries presents eleven stories that were both written and drawn by concept artists from Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith. - Terryl Whitlatch , a conceptual designer for the Special Edition and The Phantom Menace, is the author of The Wildlife of Star Wars: A Field Guide. - Rick McCallum , a producer for the Special Edition and the prequel trilogy, was slated to produce the live-action television series , while Erik Tiemens , conceptual designer for Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, was to be the conceptual designer for the series. - Christopher Lee reprised his role as Count Dooku by providing his voice in the Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith video game, LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game, LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars, and Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron. (However, his role as Dooku in the Revenge of the Sith video game and Elite Squadron consisted of archive footage and a single line that was unused in the film.) - Hayden Christensen was the basis for Anakin Skywalker's fighting style in the video game version of Star Wars Episode III. He also contributed to the animated short LEGO Star Wars: Revenge of the Brick. ## Sources ## Notes and references ## External links - Official site on StarWars.com (content now obsolete; backup link) - Expanded Universe Databank on StarWars.com (content now obsolete; backup link) - The "Star Wars Timeline Gold" —An extensive fan-made timeline - A thorough explanation of the Star Wars canon policy - Site of the Random House Star Wars novels - USA Today: 'Star Wars' books are soldiering on - 'Star Wars' spinoffs; Videogames, novels, TV keep mythology alive - Article at Variety.com - Gallery: 'Star Wars' toys - Article at Variety.com - echuta.net (EU related fan sites) - "Should Star Wars Restart Its Continuity?" — Continuity, Criticisms, and Captain Panaka — Daniel Wallace's StarWars.com Blog (content now obsolete; backup link)