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| Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back – Darth Vader (David Prowse), Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams), Boba Fett (Jeremy Bulloch) |
Here are 10 things from the Star Wars Expanded Universe that we know for sure will remain in the movies. Many fans were disheartened to learn that Star Wars has officially declared anything that appears outside of the six movies and upcoming sequels, the animated Clone Wars and Rebels series non-canon. That means the Expanded Universe effectively doesn’t exist. Brilliant books like Timothy Zahn’s Thrawn trilogy are just fan-fiction. Characters like Han Solo’s kids Jacen and Leia Organa Solo may or may not exist. But fans of the Expanded Universe (or EU for short) can take heart.
Here are 10 awesome things from the Expanded Universe that crossed over to the movies and will stay canon.
1. Force Speed
In Episode I Obi-Wan and Qui Gonn used “Force speed” and it looks amazing, but it was first used in West End Games’ Star Wars Roleplaying Game and visualized in the Star Wars: Jedi Knight video games.
2. Coruscant
Lucas originally wanted the Imperial planet to have the lame name “Had Abbadon.” Thankfully, he used the name “Coruscant” after it was used by Timothy Zahn in the Thrawn Trilogy book series.
3. Double Lightsabers
Darth Maul’s double-bladed lightsaber, which immediately made him the coolest villain in the prequels, was first used by Exar Kun in the Tales of the Jedi: Dark Lords of the Sith comic book.
4. Aayla Secura
The sexiest Jedi, Aayla Secura, was introduced in the Star Wars: Republic: Twilight comic book series and is a minor character in the movies played by Amy Allen.
5. Count Dooku’s Lightsaber
Count Dooku’s rapier style lightsaber handle was first used in the Bane of the Sith comic book.
6. General Grievous
General Grievous was created for Episode III, but first appeared in Genndy Tartakovsky’s Clone Wars TV mini-series.
7. Lightsaber Decapitation
Anakin Skywalker’s double-lightsaber decapitation of Count Dooku was first used by Luke Skywalker to kill Shimrra in The Unifying Force novel.
8. Aurabesh
While a written language was briefly seen in Star Wars it wasn’t until the 1994 West End Games Star Wars Miniatures Battles Companion established rules for the lettering known as “Aurebesh.”
9. Boba Fett
While Boba Fett was created for Empire Strikes Back his rope weapon and jetpack first appeared in the Star Wars Holiday Special.
10. The Jedi Code
The Jedi Code, which was referred to extensively in the prequels, first appeared in West End Games Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game
11. Baobab Family
The Baobab family was introduced in the cartoon Star Wars: Droids. Star Wars sound designer Ben Burtt, who worked on the show, did a cameo as Ebenn Q3 Baobab in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.
What’s your favorite part of the Expanded Universe?
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<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="35177 ">8 Comments
That's awesome they will include things from Timothy Zahn's series. It was excellent.
The Holiday Special is something I think everyone would rather forget though…
I really liked the Zahn books, especially Thrawn and Mara Jade. Getting rid of almost everything seems like throwing the baby out with the bath water. Not that I'll miss The Courtship of Princess Leia or those stupid Yuuzan Vong (or whatever their names were) books.
I like the double light saber and Coruscant has a nice sound to it.
I'll miss Dash Rendar from Shadows of the Empire. I had the N64 game that I loved playing.
It gives new meaning to infamous
George liked the sound of it too!
I never got to play that one David. I've heard a lot about it though
One Name (the only thing that makes me mad the EU is being made into "Star Wars Legends") Mara!Jade!