Movies

I tried Star Wars’ Extended Universe thanks to friends sharing what they love

BBG News

I tried Star Wars' Extended Universe thanks to friends sharing what they love

As I read through this heartwarming story of friendship and shared passion, I couldn’t help but be reminded of my own journey into the vast universe of Star Wars lore. Much like the author, I too have stumbled upon the rich tapestry of stories that make up the Extended Universe (EU), only to find myself overwhelmed by its sheer magnitude.

Star Wars Legends, or the Extended Universe (EU), has always been a gaping hole in my Star Wars lore. I didn’t grow up with the EU like many fans in the 90s did, mostly because I didn’t fully become a Star Wars fan until college. I am a weirdo, and The Clone Wars movie made me love Star Wars for the first time.

My initial encounter with the EU (Expanded Universe) was through an animated series. Subsequently, I delved into some comics featuring characters like Ahsoka Tano and, particularly, Defenders of the Lost Temple by Justin Aclin and Ben Bates, which revolves around a clone trooper named Glitch who believed he had force sensitivity. When Star Wars Rebels introduced Grand Admiral Thrawn, I decided to read the original Heir to the Empire trilogy.

Still, the Legends universe never really grabbed me for two big reasons.

Initially, the vastness of Legends left me bewildered, unsure where to begin my exploration – should it be by release order, chronological order, or focusing on favorite characters? As a comic store proprietor for five years, we always had Legends comics among our back issues. Whenever we received a #1 issue, it seemed to drop in the middle of the story with unfamiliar characters, making me instantly disoriented. I had a few friends who were into Legends video games, but since I didn’t own the necessary systems and they would bombard me with lore about characters I didn’t recognize, my curiosity wasn’t ignited. Hearing Kyle Katarn’s entire history was as captivating as listening to an unexciting lecture in school, which is significant given my fondness for history – but only when the subject matter resonated with me personally… a topic I will elaborate on later. The overwhelming nature of Legends left me uncertain about how to engage with it effectively.

The primary cause, however, stemmed from the persistent and critically negative online comments over the past few years, mostly originating from an anti-Disney faction that had elevated Legends to a revered status, as if it were something inviolable. Despite George Lucas’ longstanding indifference towards the Extended Universe, which he disregarded while creating The Clone Wars, his actions during its broadcast on Cartoon Network upset many fans, leading to widespread dissatisfaction.

These fans made getting into Legends a nightmare. They had this “You must love the Extended Universe and hate Disney Star Wars! No objections!” kind of mentality. As someone who liked the series coming out, especially the animated shows like Star Wars Rebels and Resistance, this mentality of having to like one thing only and nothing else was asinine. Star Wars is so massive. It’s perfectly normal not to like everything. There are parts of the franchise I’ve been highly critical of (looking at your Season 3 of The Bad Batch), but I would never put down a fan who loved it. I want people to like the Star Wars I hate because that’s how we keep getting more Star Wars! Seeing these anti-Disney fans propping up Legends to almost a level of religious zealotry, bemoaning anything from the House of Mouse, really put me off from wanting to give the Extended Universe material a try.

Over the last couple of years, that began to change for me thanks to two people:

Among the personalities at Gold Squadron Gays, we have Charles, and over at Nerdsmith’s gaming network, there’s Colton.

In 2022, a team of five enthusiastic Star Wars tabletop role-playing game podcast creators, including myself, Charles, and Colton, joined forces. Charles and Colton are ardent fans of the Expanded Universe, with Charles delving deep into several Legends books on his podcasts during the 2023 SAG strikes. Colton often injected humor into their live streams by making references to EU material while painting figures that resembled it. On our shared podcast, we’d frequently exchange playful banter, with Colton teasing Charles about his perceived dislike of the Yuuzhan Vong. However, unlike some critics of Disney, our exchanges were always friendly as Charles always acknowledged Colton’s appreciation for the Vong.

In the course of our conversation, I found myself drawn in as my friends passionately discussed Star Wars Legends. Whenever I showed curiosity about this less familiar aspect of Star Wars, they would provide answers carefully to avoid overwhelming me with details until I seemed saturated. They were candid about Legends, acknowledging both its positive aspects and its shortcomings such as the 90s campiness, racial insensitivity, and underdeveloped female characters. On multiple instances, Charles exclaimed, “Maris Ferasi, step back! I’ll protect you!” expressing his view that she deserved better writing in the EU. Despite acknowledging its imperfections, they could still express their fondness for it.

One evening, I invited them as guests on my podcast to talk about “The Acolyte”. Given their deep knowledge of Darth Plagueis, I felt they’d provide insights that I wouldn’t be able to. Predictably, some critics were quick to criticize the series for common reasons. However, I wanted two individuals who cherished Star Wars Legends and recognized its potential to coexist with current canon, both maintaining relevance in Star Wars storytelling.

During our conversation about Plagueis, Colton veered off topic to share his unique perspective on the Sith Lord’s background. He described him as an odd, intellectually gifted individual who climbed the ranks of leadership due to an accident that involved a falling spaceship onto his master. This was a fresh and amusing viewpoint for me! Unlike the hallowed discussions I’ve heard about Plagueis being a formidable villain, overshadowed by a brief screen appearance, Colton and Charles humanized him, painting him as relatable and unpretentious.

I shared with Colton and Charles in our group chat that I’d like to delve deeper into the Legends series. They were eager to join me on this venture. In contrast to previous attempts when I ventured into the EU, they took an unconventional approach – something no one had ever done for me before.

They heard me out about my struggles with getting into something and the stories that caught my interest, such as “Defenders of the Lost Temple,” and why other tales didn’t hold my attention (I never finished the “Heir to the Empire” trilogy). Following this discussion, Colton and Charles provided some recommendations, but none particularly appealed to me. These EU conversations took place around the same time that “Tales of the Empire” was released, so for my job at Dork Side of the Force, I delved into research. This involved uncovering the roots of the Nightsisters found in “The Courtship of Princess Leia,” a novel by David Farland.

“It has ‘Courtship’ in the name!” I excitedly dropped into the group chat. “It has romance, right?”

Colton clarified quite candidly, “Indeed, but it may not be as straightforward as you imagine.” He added, “Do recall that it’s from the ’90s and penned by a male author.

Charles agreed, but then added, “Is that the one you want to try?”

“YES!” I eagerly typed back, already putting the book into my digital cart for my Kindle.

“Then we’re here if you have questions,” Colton answered.

And in a message that is saved on my computer, Charles added, “I love this journey for you.”

It’s been a fascinating ride that I’ve managed to carry on, largely due to the backing of my two companions. Although The Courtship of Princess Leia wasn’t their initial preference, they stood by it because it was my decision. They wanted me to discover things that appealed to me so we could all share in their enthusiasm for what they cherished. My friends transformed Legends from an intimidating experience into a fun one and were always ready to answer any questions I had.

Sure, they were right on a lot of things. This book is very xenophobic, and I have never wanted to dump Han Solo into the garbage more than in this novel. He is so misogynistic and colonizing, sometimes at the same time!

I’m still thoroughly enjoying this read and can’t get enough! I’ve just dropped an update in our group chat about where I am, with the three of us chuckling over its 90s kitschiness. We keep passing comments back and forth, like my observation that this matriarchal society would be fascinating if it weren’t penned by a man. Colton chimes in, agreeing that this is often true for many legend books.

For the first time, I’m having fun reading Star Wars Legends! I’m even considering going to Legends Expo in 2025! It’s a convention for fans who love the Extended Universe without being jerks about it (I know because Charles attended the last one and is working as a volunteer for 2025). I never thought I would want to attend a Star Wars convention that was all about the EU. It’s thanks to my friends who were willing to listen and meet me on my level. Because the EU and the current canon can exist together for all Star Wars fans. My friends showed me this in the most Rose Tico way:

Instead of attacking what they disliked, my friends revealed their passions and guided me towards discovering my own journey.

Read More

2024-10-28 01:22

Previous post “Old Man Orton” is a great gimmick for Randy Orton
Next post One sci-fi legend wants to appear in Star Trek and they’d be perfect to lead a new show