I've never understood why people get so hung up on the word.
Canon is exactly what it claims to be - whatever the author wants to be accepted as their body of work.
It is not some kind of law that is punishable by death. What is more important is what you enjoy - I don't think I have ever sat down to watch a movie or read a comic and thought "damn, this isn't 'canon' - I'm not allowed to enjoy it any more..."
It seems to me there was a massive period when I was growing up where anybody could pick up the SW license and print whatever the hell they wanted - from 1977 right through to well into the run of Dark Horse comics in the 90s. SW spin-offs were an absolute mess continuity-wise. Fact.
That is why there was a need for a canon (or various levels of 'canon') in the first place.
Whether you approve or not, it is only relatively recently that Lucas has taken a more active role in managing the spin-off material himself and approving what should be considered canonical.
Personally, I like the original three movies first and foremost, I'm also in the minority who thought the prequels were worthwhile. However, I also love stuff that I grew up with such as the Marvel comics that barely make sense in context of the original movie, let alone in comparison to other areas of the expanded universe.
But they captured something of the tone of the SW movies, and I love them for what they are - the fact that very little of that Marvel run has anything to do with canon has nothing to do with me enjoying it.
It all depends on your point of view. It's funny everyone hates Lucas now for "messing with things" and "doing things just for the money" etc etc... the fact is, the damage to the EU was done back when Lucas was the golden chlid, when he was happy to schill out the Star Wars brand to any old story to make a few bucks, creating the mess that the was EU as we entered the new millennium.
Really, he is doing the "right thing" by finally getting involved and taking some control of the EU, but the upshot is that he is now contradicting the mess people fell in love with and attempted to make sense of in the first place.
Like I said, I think everyone is better off just watching and reading what they enjoy.
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You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy...
You're not in the minority; you're in the majority. It's a small minority that continues to rave & scream years after the fact, despite the enourmous success of the three prequel films (which continued to sell huge on DVD, getting rid of that argument people just went to see & satisfy their curiousity.) The media just likes to talk about the negative perception because smearing is a better news story ( no matter that all 3 films were certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.)
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"I'm not smart so much as I am not dumb." - Harlan Ellison
Registered: Oct 2010
Location: The Crystal Chamber
The difference is a rubber stamp from Mr. Lucas. Mr Lucas seems to be the problem in most cases. So, I no longer care what Mr. Lucas thinks. I'm the consumer, that gives me the ultimate authority in this situation.
Registered: Oct 2010
Location: The Crystal Chamber
So, you're arguing with yourself? I said I no longer care what has Mr. Lucas's rubber stamp. He's proven he doesn't have the talent or ability to wield it competently. You might be trying to get into a debate over "official". Well, his "official" sucks, and has for a lot of years now. It's a waste of time. In the free market economy, the consumer has the ultimate authority. Since Mr. Lucas has decided that SW is only a consumable product, and not a story with integrity behind it's telling, he is subject to the free market effect of a substandard product. No doubt your response will be that he created so even if it sucks it's his. That is very true. SW is his to do with as he pleases and he is the SW god of every Lucas apologist. But, he's no god in my book and I'd love to tell him what he can do with that rubber stamp. My SW is mine, though.
Last edited by skekUng on Nov 28th, 2010 at 08:02 PM
You can create your own canon. But there is just one real canon. And that's something we do not discuss around here. Canon is what Lucas says it is. What you do in your spare time, we don't even wanna know.
Quite true indeed. With each prequel film I went to on opening night, there were lines all the way out the door and some. If everyone hated TPM so much, I'm sure that's why there were huge lines for AOTC and ROTS as well. Keep going back for more of what you hate.
Again, I don't know why everyone is scratching their heads when it comes to the Prequels. Lucas knew his target audience was children because in the 90's Star Wars was popular with the children who watched the films as they were handed down by their parents and bought the merchandising in the stores as well. Therefore, the Prequels were geared toward kids, and who's friggen fault was that...not George's. I applaud him for making films that appealed to children first, because with myself, I always find that I love films that make me feel like a kid all over again.
Registered: Nov 2011
Location: In a galaxy far far away!
It would be interesting to see another trillogy, but I don't tyhink there should really be one, because it's got to finish somewhere & I think which the sage finished is a good ending to the saga. The prophesy was fulfilled, the sith was destroyed & the force was in ballence. In one way; I think it might even be a better idea (if they were going to make any more films) to make more prequls rather than sequels. What would a sequel trilllogy be about? Lukes children, I guess... But it would be a massave jump in time. I just think it would be best to leave the sage as it is.
Registered: Nov 2011
Location: In a galaxy far far away!
I didn't think they were that kiddy. Maybe Phantom menace was, but I didn't ROTS was very kiddy. That was the first & probably will always be the last star wars film to get a 12a certificate, or PG-13 if you live in the USA.