So this happened.
Apr. 28th, 2014 08:43 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ladyofleithianhttp://www.dailydot.com/geek/star-wars-expanded-universe-not-canon/
I guess I'm kind of late to the party on this, but I sort of had to make some sort of comment on it. I have mixed feelings about this, to be honest; on the one hand, there are some storylines I'll be glad to see the back of, really, but on the other hand...I don't deny that I'm going to miss some of the EU characters. Stuff like before the movies came out, like the KOTOR characters (especially KOTOR II. Granted, TOR kind of fucked over the KOTOR cast already * but still...hell, the KOTOR games were two of the most influential video games I ever played, especially KOTOR II. Honestly, incomplete game aside, it was one of my favorites, and Chris Avellone...well, the man became my idol) and after the movies, like the Thrawn Trilogy, etc. I'm not going to miss the darker turn that things took afterwards -- because...well, the way I see it, darkness in fiction has to have a point, and the darkness that happened in the EU...some of it had a point, but most of it didn't.
Believe it or not, the EU was actually kind of a part of my younger years. I remember reading the books in middle school and early high school. I kind of have mixed feelings about them now, if only because of certain factors that didn't make sense, but they were a pretty big part of my younger years. I think it helped that I was a major reader then; I remember reading books on the bleachers. So I have fond memories of the books if only for that. And they had their good points -- bits of humor that worked, bits of poignancy that worked, etc. They had their bits that didn't make sense, but they had their good parts too.
As for the movies themselves...I really don't know how to feel about them. I remember bringing it up to my mom and she basically went, "Oh geez, they're making a new Star Wars trilogy? Can't they think of any new ideas than beating a dead horse?" And I really don't agree with that. I think it's what the Star Wars franchise kind of needs. A bit of a revival. That and JJ Abrams being at the helm...Your Mileage Will Definitely Vary on this, but I think he can do this. He managed to breathe some life back into the Star Trek franchise, and he's also very good in terms of likable characters, complex villains, poignancy, humor, and a lot more -- just ingredients that make up a good film. That and his version of Star Trek -- let's face it, most reboots and remakes don't work (call it a Sturgeon's Law thing), but his definitely did. Mostly through an original concept and new takes on the characters that worked. I have faith in Abrams, I really do; I may be a bit uneasy about some of the behind the scenes stuff (and Abrams did say that there is a charm in not knowing, and he has a point, but mostly I want to know that the project's at least going well because in all honesty, for all I'm excited, I'm also fucking terrified. I mean, this is pretty fucking huge) but I have faith Abrams can do it, and that everyone involved in this can do it.
I'm going to miss the EU. I really am. But I am interested in what the future has in store for us. I suppose the best I can do is wait until December 2015 (that's when episode seven is being released; I checked Movie Insider on it. I'm thinking it's just to get the most profit) and see for myself. And for now, I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hoping it all turns out for the best.
* And really, if you like TOR...more power to you. Seriously. I'm just a little bummed about how it ended up.
I guess I'm kind of late to the party on this, but I sort of had to make some sort of comment on it. I have mixed feelings about this, to be honest; on the one hand, there are some storylines I'll be glad to see the back of, really, but on the other hand...I don't deny that I'm going to miss some of the EU characters. Stuff like before the movies came out, like the KOTOR characters (especially KOTOR II. Granted, TOR kind of fucked over the KOTOR cast already * but still...hell, the KOTOR games were two of the most influential video games I ever played, especially KOTOR II. Honestly, incomplete game aside, it was one of my favorites, and Chris Avellone...well, the man became my idol) and after the movies, like the Thrawn Trilogy, etc. I'm not going to miss the darker turn that things took afterwards -- because...well, the way I see it, darkness in fiction has to have a point, and the darkness that happened in the EU...some of it had a point, but most of it didn't.
Believe it or not, the EU was actually kind of a part of my younger years. I remember reading the books in middle school and early high school. I kind of have mixed feelings about them now, if only because of certain factors that didn't make sense, but they were a pretty big part of my younger years. I think it helped that I was a major reader then; I remember reading books on the bleachers. So I have fond memories of the books if only for that. And they had their good points -- bits of humor that worked, bits of poignancy that worked, etc. They had their bits that didn't make sense, but they had their good parts too.
As for the movies themselves...I really don't know how to feel about them. I remember bringing it up to my mom and she basically went, "Oh geez, they're making a new Star Wars trilogy? Can't they think of any new ideas than beating a dead horse?" And I really don't agree with that. I think it's what the Star Wars franchise kind of needs. A bit of a revival. That and JJ Abrams being at the helm...Your Mileage Will Definitely Vary on this, but I think he can do this. He managed to breathe some life back into the Star Trek franchise, and he's also very good in terms of likable characters, complex villains, poignancy, humor, and a lot more -- just ingredients that make up a good film. That and his version of Star Trek -- let's face it, most reboots and remakes don't work (call it a Sturgeon's Law thing), but his definitely did. Mostly through an original concept and new takes on the characters that worked. I have faith in Abrams, I really do; I may be a bit uneasy about some of the behind the scenes stuff (and Abrams did say that there is a charm in not knowing, and he has a point, but mostly I want to know that the project's at least going well because in all honesty, for all I'm excited, I'm also fucking terrified. I mean, this is pretty fucking huge) but I have faith Abrams can do it, and that everyone involved in this can do it.
I'm going to miss the EU. I really am. But I am interested in what the future has in store for us. I suppose the best I can do is wait until December 2015 (that's when episode seven is being released; I checked Movie Insider on it. I'm thinking it's just to get the most profit) and see for myself. And for now, I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hoping it all turns out for the best.
* And really, if you like TOR...more power to you. Seriously. I'm just a little bummed about how it ended up.
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no subject
Date: 2014-04-28 09:18 pm (UTC)The EU will always be there, though, and whether or not it's officially canon, no one can tell you whether or not you consider it such. That's the bright side of something like this. You can now ignore the stories you didn't like as not having happened, while holding on to the ones you do like.
That's pretty much what I fall back on, when there's a bad movie adaptation or remake of something I love. The original is always there, and anything good made is still there to be enjoyed. :)
no subject
Date: 2014-04-28 09:21 pm (UTC)