Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi.Spoilers/Discussion/Speculation

[aretood2]

It's all really in the eye of the beholder, so to speak. Lucasfilm is now simply choosing to pretend that everything pre-2014 (Minus the things Digifluid mentioned) never existed as they continue to write and produce for Star Wars. But they are going to try to make everything fit together perfectly like a jigsaw puzzle. But the way they've done things is that you really don't need to read any of the books or play any of the games or watch any of the cartoons to understand and enjoy any of the movies. However, there's tons of connections that add on to the experience of the movies if you do play, read, or watch all of that other stuff. The other stuff is like extra credit, but the real meat and potatoes will always be in the films.

[Spimman]

And you would be incorrect. That is exactly what the Story Group was created for in 2012.

The 2014 'expanded universe reboot' reduced the canon down to the six "Saga" films, The Clone Wars animated series, and the then-new Darth Maul: Son of Dathomir comic (itself an adaptation of unproduced Clone Wars scripts). Every Expanded Universe book, comic, videogame, etc. released between 1977 and 2014 was shunted off to a separate, non-canon continuity branded "Star Wars Legends."

Meanwhile every release since 2014 is and has been produced in direct collaboration with the Story Group. If it doesn't fit into what's already been told, or it contradicts what's already been told, it doesn't happen--the writer has to modify it before it's greenlighted to go for publication. Everything "fits," and everything--regardless of medium--has the same creative weight. And these decisions are made by a creative group, not by a board of executives.

Star Wars canon is defined by Lucas Licensing.

Pre-Disney, you are correct, there were several 'tiers' of canon precedence. "G-canon" were the films, which were regarded as indisputably correct, no matter what other sources said. "T-canon" were TV shows, which trumped any 'tier' below, but if they contradicted the movies, it was the movies that were correct. "C-canon" were novels, comics, and video games, which were fine and correct, until and unless they were contradicted by the TV shows or movies, etc. and so on.

Now that Disney is running the franchise, this is no longer the case.

As of April 2014, everything filmed, animated, or published, is part of the official canon (with certain obvious exceptions, like the Lego releases). There's no debate, and personal opinions carry no weight--this is the official policy and practice of Disney, Lucasfilm, and Lucas Licensing, and is meticulously managed by the Lucasfilm Story Group.

Naturally everyone is welcome to read or watch whatever they choose or choose not to, but that doesn't change the official, factual status of the Star Wars universe and its various entries.

In the new Disney/Story Group era, there is no longer any latitude to complain (as an example) that something in Rogue One wasn't explained, when that explanation was in the tie-in/prequel novel Catalyst--both those releases are officially full and equally weighted contributions to the Star Wars canon. Your (the proverbial you, not you in particular) choice not to read the book is not a failure of the filmmakers. In the Story Group era, skipping Catalyst and complaining that Rogue One confuses you would be no different than skipping Empire Strikes Back and then complaining that you're confused by Return of the Jedi.

This is not to say that the filmmakers aren't going to try. Certainly, it's in Disney/Lucasfilm's best financial interest to make sure that the movies are as accessible as possible, since they by far are the moneymakers for the studio. And I think they've done an excellent job so far of making sure that the films stand up without needing to read the tie-in materials. But that material does exist, and its status as part of the canon is not in dispute.

Is new material still being written in the "Star Wars Legends" area or will all new books, games, comics and so on created by Lucasfilm\Disney go through the Lucasfilm Storygroup and thus be considered 100% Canon? If so, I think I would enjoy the certainty the new system creates, as long as Lucasfilm\Disney still allows a similar level of new content.

[DigiFluid]

Is new material still being written in the "Star Wars Legends" area or will all new books, games, comics and so on created by Lucasfilm\Disney go through the Lucasfilm Storygroup and thus be considered 100% Canon? If so, I think I would enjoy the certainty the new system creates, as long as Lucasfilm\Disney still allows a similar level of new content.

Legends is almost completely retired. Any comic series, novels, or video games in process of being written/produced were all cancelled with the 2014 reboot. AFAIK the only thing that managed to score an exception is the MMORPG game The Old Republic, which is still active and producing new content--content that falls into the Legends continuity, rather than the canon universe.

Under the Story Group, everything being produced is full canon. Every novel, comic, film, short story, etc. produced since the 2014 reboot is done in conjunction with the Story Group and is considered 100% canon. The only real exception I can think of is the videogame Battlefront, because by design (it being a multiplayer-only game) the outcome of every map in that is player-determined rather than narrative-determined.

Not every release has been brilliant of course (I thought the novel Heir to the Jedi and the comic miniseries Shattered Empire were complete garbage, FWIW), but on the whole, releases making up the new canon have largely been pretty good IMO.

[america126]

Rey is NOT a Skywalker or a Solo..

JJ Abrams Said That Rey's Parents are Not in Episode 7. There is Even Video of Him Saying This

More Clues are In The Links

https://ohtze.tumblr.com/post/152581...comments-about

http://mummiesandlightsabers.tumblr....entary-for-the


Also I Ship Rey and Kylo Ren/ Ben Solo. Please No Hate or Calling Me Names etc

[Spimman]

Rey is NOT a Skywalker or a Solo..

JJ Abrams Said That Rey's Parents are Not in Episode 7. There is Even Video of Him Saying This

More Clues are In The Links

https://ohtze.tumblr.com/post/152581...comments-about

http://mummiesandlightsabers.tumblr....entary-for-the


Also I Ship Rey and Kylo Ren/ Ben Solo. Please No Hate or Calling Me Names etc

Agreed, she's a Kenobi

Also I Ship Rey and Kylo Ren/ Ben Solo. Please No Hate or Calling Me Names etc

That doesn't seem too far fetched if Kylo turns back to Ben like Anakin

[america126]

Agreed!!!

I Really Think That Rey is a Kenobi

and Kylo Ren is Going to Be Redeemed.. Instead of Love Being Their Downfall. It'll Be Their Salvation

[aretood2]

How does a Kenobi fit with the timeline?

[garhkal]

How does a Kenobi fit with the timeline?

It can't. Since Obi died before luke could even start his training, any kid HE had would be luke's age. So maybe she MIGHT be Obi-s grand kid. BUT that's about it.

[Spimman]

How does a Kenobi fit with the timeline?

She would have to be a grand-daughter.

This was going in VII thread but this might be the better place...

Ray's grandfather is Obi-Wan?

Even without the Rebels stuff Obi-Wan was strongly suggested in VII

1) Obi-Wan spoke to Ray through the force (old and new Kenobi)
2) Parallels to her injuring Kilo how Obi injured Vader
3) English accent
4) Mind trick on Stormtrooper
5) Ben Kenobi (why name him after Obi-Wan?)

Comments from actors and directors also point to this but I won't even include those.

All of the above being said, this 9 part Saga is basically "The Skywalker Saga" so her being a Skywalker also makes sense.

[EricG]

During a Disney shareholders meeting, those in attendance were treated to the first scene from director Rian Johnson’s highly anticipated The Force Awakens follow-up as well as a montage of some other footage.

Will not be online, we need to wait till mid-april for trailer. Dan Miller of LA Times was there are posted several tweets.
‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ Footage Description Teases “Epic” and “Exotic” Sequel

[DigiFluid]

Trailer time!!!!

[garhkal]

Yeousa!!! Nice Seeing luke having more of a role. BUT man that statement of his ""I only know one truth: It's time for the Jedi to end."?? HOLY Spitballs!!

[Gatefan1976]

Eh, they are just bring back the grey force users, thus the balance is restored.

[aretood2]

Balance doesn't necessarily mean 50/50. If your body is at homeostasis (healthy) that means your body is healthy. However, it does not mean you are half sick and half healthy! You can't be "I'll kill younglings and save the galaxy" thus half dark and half light. Anakin tried that...

I hope they go beyond 50/50 to explain balance...that's all I'm saying.

[mandogater]

Trailer time!!!!

Thanks for posting this DigiFluid!!!!

It looks so much better here then when I first saw it on my phone.

[Who Knows]

"I only know one truth: It's time for the Jedi to end."??

Well we know there will be an episode IX, so either it will take two movies to end the Jedi, & the "Skywalker family story", or IX will be totally the aftermath of the end of the Jedi & how the galaxy handles it.

Very interesting.

[Gatefan1976]

Balance doesn't necessarily mean 50/50. If your body is at homeostasis (healthy) that means your body is healthy. However, it does not mean you are half sick and half healthy! You can't be "I'll kill younglings and save the galaxy" thus half dark and half light. Anakin tried that...

I hope they go beyond 50/50 to explain balance...that's all I'm saying.

No no, there is no Jedi, they are an extreme form of the light, there are no sith, they are the extreme of the dark, there is just the force and the will of the user.

[DigiFluid]

50/50 has never been the official stance on the 'balance of the Force' though. It's the assertion (both in-universe and from George's mouth) that the Light Side isn't just the 'good side' for the sake of left or right or up or down, but that it's the 'good side' because goodness/honour/nobility/selflessness/etc are meant to be seen the natural condition of life itself. Contrarily, the Dark Side is metaphor for corruption, selfishness, greed, etc--evil.

I'm not religious myself, but to draw a comparison: 'balance' is emphatically not meant as 'striving to find the middle ground between Jesus and Hitler.' 'Balance' is meant as being in a state of natural goodness, and not corrupted by the Dark Side.

Caveat: You don't need to be a Jedi to be a believer in/practitioner of the Light Side. They just happen to be its most prominent proponents in this universe.

[garhkal]

Well we know there will be an episode IX, so either it will take two movies to end the Jedi, & the "Skywalker family story", or IX will be totally the aftermath of the end of the Jedi & how the galaxy handles it.

Very interesting.

Well, rogue one proved they can do a DAMN GOOD SW film without having to have it all be about the jedi..

[Gatefan1976]

50/50 has never been the official stance on the 'balance of the Force' though. It's the assertion (both in-universe and from George's mouth) that the Light Side isn't just the 'good side' for the sake of left or right or up or down, but that it's the 'good side' because goodness/honour/nobility/selflessness/etc are meant to be seen the natural condition of life itself. Contrarily, the Dark Side is metaphor for corruption, selfishness, greed, etc--evil.

Sure, but that is the user overriding the will of the force to a degree.

I'm not religious myself, but to draw a comparison: 'balance' is emphatically not meant as 'striving to find the middle ground between Jesus and Hitler.' 'Balance' is meant as being in a state of natural goodness, and not corrupted by the Dark Side.

I am not so sure of that, there is always a bit of Ying in the Yang, but the Jedi and the Sith strive to eliminate even that form of balance.

Caveat: You don't need to be a Jedi to be a believer in/practitioner of the Light Side. They just happen to be its most prominent proponents in this universe.

No, but you need to be a Jedi to...... be a Jedi. Jedi are just one path, a relatively extreme path. and like any extreme path, it all but asks for an opposing force. Luke tried to recreate the Jedi, he created Kylo Ren, that is why there should be no more Jedi, they invite the dark by their very existence.