Before I start getting into this, dear Readers, I’d like to say that one day I hope to write within the Star Wars universe. I really do and I’ve tried a few times when the opportunity struck and nothing panned out. It happens! No big, but my post today is written out of love.

For me, Star Wars represents the wonder of being a kid. When I played on the school tires, I wanted to be Han Solo. (There can be only one Princess Leia, unfortunately. And I look better in blue.) I have fond memories taking turns, re-enacting scenes with my brother, going to Burger King and collecting the glasses… Of which I still have five… And I’ve also got the remnants of my Star Wars fanzine memorabilia hung proudly in my office. Well, and Lego Star Wars. Because let’s face it? Legos plus anything is very, very cool. (Pssst… Lego… GET ON A DOCTOR WHO VERSION, WILL YA?!?!?!)

End segue and? Okay, back from commercial. Anyway… So, Star Wars has been through a few overhauls before, in the form of the prequels, and has survived. I have a very silly story that took place early on in my gaming career about dressing up goth and running into Timothy Zahn devolving into fan girl goo. Still crack up about that now and again, but more importantly, I’ve learned a hard lesson since then. What “I” love about a property like Star Wars or Firefly (wink! wink!) or what have you can bring enthusiasm to the table. That’s a good thing, provided I understand there’s something super unsexy about the job, too. Business. Sometimes, all the best ideas in the world, past or present, are superseded by what a business needs to survive long-term.

By the time the prequels were shown in theatres, I had read over three dozen novels in the Extended Universe. Much of that was voided by the movie-verse and, truth be told, I was pretty upset at the time. Midichlorians took away that wonderment, awe, and mystery for me about The Force even though the Jedi/Sith mythology had been explored in new and interesting ways through the EU. I also didn’t like the Stormtrooper redesign, because it felt less accessible as well.

Consistency, for a property like Star Wars, has to be impossible to maintain given the volume of material published for it. So, to come up with an “official” canon that shows what is clearly on and off the table? To me, that makes a lot of sense and gives writers, artists, and project developers boundaries that will generate happy fans long-term. After all, many of us have grown up with Star Wars and, like Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, it’ll be around for generations to come.

If I were in charge, which I’m clearly not (Heh!), I’d prioritize canon based on frequency of use, popularity of character, and age of canon. The longer a particular reference has been around, the harder it’ll be to shift gears for fans–unless the whole point of doing this is to avoid older generations and focus on the 12 and under market. Next, I’d look at the timeline and ensure that any loose ends were tied up. Finally, I would also identify key branch points that, once the canon was reinforced, could be opened up to new stories. For example, I would hone in on the Gray Jedi Order myself. There is a LOT of potential there!

To close this love letter of sorts, I want to wish everybody working on Star Wars (past and present) all the best. I’ve been entertained many times throughout the years and I’m proud to say I’m a fan! GOOD LUCK!

Mood: I can move things with my mind.
Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: Blood Coffee Level at Maximum
Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: You really don’t want to know how much I’m writing.
In My Ears: Panicked thoughts running around my brain.
Game Last Played: Battle Nations
Book Last Read: The Lies of Lock Lamora by Scott Lynch
Movie Last Viewed: PATHFINDER
Latest Artistic Project: *Still* *still* *still* need to take pictures… It’s on the list!
Latest Fiction/Comic Release: Last Man Zombie Standing
Latest Game Release: Freedom Flyer
What I’m Working On: Primarily tie-in games work and novels.