ForStar Warsfans, there is no good reason not to check out the Expanded Universe books and comics; in truth,theStar Warsexperience isn’t complete without exploring beyond the movies and TV shows, in large part because many of the franchise’s greatest characters, and its most powerful Force-users, have never appeared on the screen, big or small.
Consider this a public service announcement of sorts – too many fans have been sleeping on the most awesome stories, the most epic heroes and the most nefarious villains, thatStar Warshas to offer, but it is never too late to discover the delights contained in the books and comics.
From the original “Legends” Expanded Universe, to Disney’s rebooted EU, the great thing about the franchise’s sprawling multimedia presence has been the unparalleled access it provided to theStar Warsgalaxy, going far more in depth than the movies possibly could.
The Star Wars Expanded Universe Is The Natural Place For The Franchise To Explore The Limits Of Characters' Abilities
What Makes The Expanded Universe Essential Reading
More than any multimedia franchise, theStar Warsmovies only scratch the surface of what their fictional world contains. Since the very beginning, comics and books have been a cornerstone of the Expanded Universe;Marvel’s adaptation of the original 1977Star Warsfilmwas quicklyfollowed up by the first EU stories, while the 1978 novelSplinter of the Mind’s Eyeinaugurated a long lineage ofStar Warsbooks, which were essential to fleshing out the galaxy, in all its weird and wild glory.
Force-users dominate the rankings ofStar Wars’most powerful characters, and nowhere are they portrayed in stronger terms than the [Expanded Universe.]
There is a lot to be said about the scope and the grandeur ofStar Warsbeyond the screen – especially when it comes to the “Legends” books and comics, which longtime fans still hold a deep, unabiding nostalgia for – but considering their central importance to the franchise in every medium,it is worth focusing on why the Expanded Universe is the best place for stories about Force-users, Jedi and Sith alike, and everything in between. Of course, Force-users dominate the rankings ofStar Wars’most powerful characters, and nowhere are they portrayed in stronger terms than the EU.
Luke Skywalker Is The Center Of “Star Wars” On Screen & On The Page – But He’s More Powerful In The Latter
The Case Of “Legends” Luke
In many ways, as much as theStar Warsstory has expanded over the years, it still revolves around one central nucleus: Luke Skywalker. Nearly fifty years after his first introduction,Luke remains the “main character” of the franchise– its greatest hero, and its most fascinating protagonist. One of the major factors behind Disney’s reboot of the franchise was because the company wanted to tell a brand-new slate of Luke Skywalker stories, an undertaking in which Marvel Comics’Star Warsline has exceeded expectations.
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For the entire thirty-seven-year history of the earlier “Legends” canon, meanwhile, Luke’s character trajectory was meticulously charted, chronicled in obsessive detail befitting a hero of his stature; over the course of approximately the same amount of time in-universe, Luke Skywalker became, without question the most absurdly superpowered character in theStar Warsfranchise. By the time of the reboot,Jedi Master Luke had achieved a quasi-mythical status,fully laying claim to the undisputed status of “greatest Force-wielder of all time.”
Despite becoming so powerful that there were few realistic threats to him by the end of the “Legends” canon, Luke’s greatness never felt unearned.
Luke’s post-Return of the Jediarc in the “Legends” Expanded Universe remains well-regarded among franchise fans, especially in the wake of his diminished role in the Sequel Trilogy. For many hardcoreStar Warsdevotees, the virtue of “Legends” Luke is that he consistently lived up to the character’s role as a galactic savior, and continually fulfilled his potential as the offspring of the so-called “Chosen One.” Despite becoming so powerful that there were few realistic threats to him by the end of the “Legends” canon, Luke’s greatness never felt unearned.
The Expanded Universe Is Where “Star Wars” Has Truly Extrapolated The Extent Of Sith Power
From Revan, To Bane, & Beyond
Luke is the best example of the ways the Expanded Universe pushed theStar Warsfranchise, and its characters, to previously inconceivable heights – but he’s far from the only one. In fact, this is the purpose ofStar Wars' multimedia stories. “Expanded Universe” is an apropos term, but more than just expansion,Star Warsbooks and comics routinely elevate characters, locations, plots, and concepts introduced in the movies, however briefly, and give them a full, three-dimensional life in theStar Warsgalaxy.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi Has a Boring Finale, And We’ve Got the Sith Armada to Prove It
The end space-battle in Star Wars: The Last Jedi was epic, but the First Order’s armada is nothing compared to the Sith armada in Star Wars Legends.
Further, there arenumerous exciting, often over-powered characters who have never appeared on-screenat all. A prominent example is Darth Revan; introduced in the iconicKnights of the Old Republicvideo game, and subsequently fleshed out in both novels and comics, Revan has a redemption arc that arguably eclipses even Darth Vader’s, and he is also one of the strongest Force-users in the history of the franchise. In fact, while Darth Sidious might still reign as themost powerful Sith Lordof all time, most other entries on that list come from the Expanded Universe.
From characters like Darth Bane to Darth Krayt, it has been on the page, rather than the screen, where the true limits of Sith power have been put to the test.
Even then,Darth Sidious' greatest displays of power came in the EU– and from characters like Darth Bane to Darth Krayt, it has been on the page, rather than the screen, where the true limits of Sith power have been put to the test. The same goes for the Jedi, and generally speaking, the Force itself. The Expanded Universe has afforded creators the opportunity to develop a more nuanced view of the Force, and to introduce more Force-users who don’t conform to the Jedi-Sith dichotomy, which in turn has led to a greater range of possible Force powers.
New “Star Wars” Fans Shouldn’t Pass Up The Chance To Go Back To The Old “Legends” Canon
Why The Original Expanded Universe Still Matters
More than just elevatingStar Warscharacters to new levels, the Expanded Universe, at its best, elevatesStar Warsstorytelling. By design, the films are sweeping epics, and while the current generation of TV shows can offer a greater level of immersion into the world of the franchise, they still need to have a strong, action-forward element. Further, their ability to depict the full extent of things like the Force, or the complexity of galactic civilization, are stymied by a variety of factors, from budget to time constraints.
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That is why, for fans seeking a greaterStar Warsexperience, the myriad books and comics published over the past five decades are the place to turn to. Though they are no longer canon,“Legends"Star Warsstories remain among the best the franchise has to offer, and shouldn’t be devalued or dismissed just because they don’t “count.“Especially considering thatelements from the “Legends” continuitycontinue to find their way into Disney’sStar Warscanon with regularity, as the current generation of creators mine the past for the best, most exciting ideas that the earlier epoch has to offer.
Marvel Current Era Of “Star Wars” Comics Is Still Breaking New Ground For The Franchise
TheDark DroidsCrossover Proved AmbitiousStar WarsStorytelling Still Exists
Meanwhile, the current iteration of the Expanded Universe, especially in Marvel’sStar Warsline of comics, continues totest the boundaries of the franchisein its own ways. Perhaps the best example istheDark Droidscrossover event,which introduced refreshing new ideas into theStar Warsgalaxy, along with one of the franchise’s most powerful characters ever – the evil A.I. known as the Scourge– which has the notable distinction of being totally unconnected to the Force, and the Jedi and Sith.
For new fans diving in for the first time, there are some incredible wonders to uncover by exploring the vastStar WarsExpanded Universe.
All of this is to say, for anyone itching for news about thenextStar WarsTV show, or movie, there is a treasure trove ofStar Warsstories out there to keep them occupied. Readers already familiar withStar Warsbooks and comics know the ways that they surpass what the series can do on the screen, but for new fans diving in for the first time, there are some incredible wonders to uncover by exploring the vastStar WarsExpanded Universe.
