What Was the Expanded Universe?
The Star Wars Expanded Universe or, sometimes referred to as Star Wars EU, was a huge and complex story spanning various Star Wars Stories and media like Star Wars Comics, Star Wars Books, and Star Wars Video Games. All of which was considered canon in the early stages of this franchise - until Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012. Those who remember those classic productions may have grown to appreciate those iconic stories - particularly those that explored events outside the confines of the movie franchise.
The Expanded Universe took fans across various timelines - featuring stories before the prequel trilogy - including Tales of the Jedi - and also into a universe long after the Star Wars Movies - especially those Star Wars stories that were written in the 1990s.
How Do Star Wars Legends Differ from the Canon?
With Star Wars often seen as an expansive and incredibly popular universe - both fans and film studios have explored several avenues - which have reshaped how the storyline evolves. In particular - Star Wars' expansion beyond the film series gave rise to a complex history that has involved the creation of two very different continuities or canons.
Fans should be aware of Star Wars Legends, or the "old canon." This served as the established, overarching universe that included books, comic books, and Video Games, along with several animated series. As Disney made a push to take on more ownership of Star Wars - they established a new "canon" - one that included only those elements of Star Wars that were considered canonical - Movies (including the Prequel and Sequel trilogies), TV series (such as the popular Star Wars series "The Mandalorian", or The Bad Batch), Video Games, and other forms of Star Wars media that have come to be considered the primary Star Wars Universe, a world that is meant to exist outside the films - but also as a story that exists in the shadow of the movies. This was done with the intent to streamline those stories, providing a clearer roadmap for fans, who might find themselves overwhelmed by the complexities of the universe. Those who enjoy Star Wars Canon - are likely to explore those that are also within the primary film universe.
How Does Star Wars: The Phantom Menace Impact the Star Wars Universe?
Those familiar with Star Wars are likely to view Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace - one of the key films - a must-watch - the production was known for taking place at the beginning of The Star Wars franchise as the Prequels began, which was seen as the beginning of the Republic and, subsequently, how it was overcome by The Empire. However, for some fans - it may not have stood up to the original trilogy, but many of those in Star Wars Fandom do recognize that it does serve as an important, key, milestone.
It was an essential element of how Star Wars was revived, introducing audiences to new, compelling Star Wars Characters as well as offering fans a fresh new take. This movie's popularity continues to grow. It has been shown in theaters multiple times, in both 3D and IMAX - this gave audiences more time to enjoy the epic and grandEUr that makes Star Wars a cinematic masterpiece - even when considering how this installment has also brought in those Star Wars Timeline moments. The Phantom Menace set the stage for events and conflicts that ultimately resulted in the Dark Side - taking control and setting up the main conflicts of the movie trilogy.
What Are The Best Star Wars Games?
For fans who like to experience a different side of the Star Wars Universe, there's an assortment of Video Games that continue to impress: Those fans who enjoy Star Wars Games (across multiple consoles, including PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo) often appreciate Star Wars Video Games as an addition to the overarching narrative - offering a greater glimpse into those stories that go beyond what's shown on screen.
Many might consider some of those classic releases like "Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order," one of the most recently produced games - which was also nominated for several Game of the Year awards. Those who like classic Star Wars experiences will likely gravitate toward some of the greatest titles in the genre - including Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic a highly influential RPG - often viewed as one of the best stories within the Star Wars Universe, one that takes viewers long before the events of the prequel trilogy, and has earned recognition among game lovers, or even "Star Wars: Battlefront ," a popular series that allows players to battle each other or to fight those in Star Wars Universe to see how those iconic conflicts between those key figures (including Jedi vs Sith), as those characters, are often re-introduced through the stories told within the Video Game medium.
When did the Star Wars Expanded Universe Begin?
While Star Wars was launched as a film franchise - it’s worth mentioning that the expansion of Star Wars outside of movies has made it an incredibly diverse and prolific universe. That has expanded to books, Comics, and video games and even several animation series. Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire, was released in 1996.
That same year Star Wars launched an extensive effort to establish this new universe through the launch of The X-Wing series - that focused on those pilots. These projects helped establish The Star Wars Expanded Universe as an important facet of Star Wars lore, showcasing how those events that take place on screen - could become a compelling and multi-dimensional narrative. The Expanded Universe would also expand across those events that took place after Star Wars movies - for instance, the series Dark Empire, an iconic series that featured the return of the Emperor, a character who continued to plague Star Wars as they faced off against a series of protagonists in a fight for peace. Many have said these stories brought forth those incredible themes - the battle between the Light Side of The Force and The Dark Side of The Force that was shown across multiple iterations - which made this a highly influential addition, particularly among Star Wars fans.
Which Star Wars Comic Series Is the Best?
While Star Wars is a beloved and critically acclaimed film series - the series is known for also being incredibly diverse, with Comics serving as one of the key forms of entertainment - it’s often a source of fresh and inventive ideas that bring new narratives to life. As an expanded universe that also draws on Star Wars Legends as a guide to further explore the overall galaxy.
Those who love Star Wars Comics are likely to recognize some of the most memorable and influential series. Crimson Empire - an incredibly dynamic series - as it gives viewers more of those Imperial Guards, their history and an elaborate battle across this vast, fictional world. Other titles worth exploring include Tales of The Jedi, which explores those stories in the Old Republic - giving a new history and backstory, or those who love the adventures and Star Wars Characters will also appreciate the Young Jedi Knights Series.
What is The Thrawn Trilogy?
The Thrawn Trilogy is considered one of the most critically acclaimed - and it’s often cited as one of the best and most essential Star Wars Books that were ever released - a key event in expanding the Star Wars universe. As those familiar with the series know - it follows Grand Admiral Thrawn. A key antagonist and strategic genius.
The books - Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising and The Last Command were released in 1991 - they served as a new perspective as they continued those Star Wars stories , showcasing a great era - as the characters from the Original Trilogy - took on their roles. As those who have explored Star Wars will understand, there were key figures such as Luke Skywalker, Leia and Han Solo - these three books re-introduced audiences to those characters in a very new and dynamic environment. This also included a series of battles and wars against a new threat that is both clever and formidable in its design. These books also helped expand the Star Wars canon to new, incredible levels.
