Star Wars Books Thread
- Thread starter Mr Light
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I didn’t want to start a whole new thread, and I hope I’m asking this in the right place: are the movie novelizations for 1-6 canonical still? Or no?
I believe so, everything after epsode 6 is reset
I'd take the idea of the novelizations being canon with a grain of salt. Just like the comic book adaptations they're designed as supplementary products, and as such are not authoritative. Plus there's already been a few contradictions (Rey & Poe meeting for the first time twice for example.)
The old novelisations are definitely not canon, and I think with the exception of the TPM, were really never meant to be. Hell, the original Alan Dean Foster book straight-up contradicts the movie in places since he had to work from a version of the 4th draft of the script prior to later revisions, edits and the like. Indeed, I'm pretty sure TLJ is the only one written *after* principle photograph and when the majority of the picture was locked.
The old novelisations are definitely not canon, and I think with the exception of the TPM, were really never meant to be. Hell, the original Alan Dean Foster book straight-up contradicts the movie in places since he had to work from a version of the 4th draft of the script prior to later revisions, edits and the like. Indeed, I'm pretty sure TLJ is the only one written *after* principle photograph and when the majority of the picture was locked.
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ROTS and TPM novels are still among the best in my opinion, canon or not.
The old Novelization were G-Canon, like "Holy, inspired, George Lucas Star Wars."
Until contradicted by other things
There are no contradictions.
I know I've said it like a million times before, but that tiered canon system was asinine. By sheer definition, the word canon implies a binary state. Something either is, or it is not. In or out. Yes or no. That's the whole point of the very concept of canon. There's no gradient of probability, no asterisks, addendums or exceptions. Everything else is by definition, apocryphal.
Also for the millionth time, it was only ever meant to be a system of bureaucracy for Lucasfilm to manage, guide and sort the licencees and their content so when they reference other works, they have a simple method to deal with contradictions. It had *zero* impact or relevance to George Lucas or his movies, which were always and still are the only entries that were canon. Everything else was just an attempt to keep things "canon friendly". As in passively observing, not dictating or altering. Functionally, no different than licenced fan fiction.
So no, the novelizations were never canon and even in the age of "everything is canon now!" they're still not 100% consistent. But then they really don't need to be in order to have value. Honestly, I've never understood why some fans get obsessed with attaching value to something based purely on it's canonical status. Personally I think a good story is a good story. If it also happens to be canon, well that's cool, but it won't change how much I enjoy it.
Also for the millionth time, it was only ever meant to be a system of bureaucracy for Lucasfilm to manage, guide and sort the licencees and their content so when they reference other works, they have a simple method to deal with contradictions. It had *zero* impact or relevance to George Lucas or his movies, which were always and still are the only entries that were canon. Everything else was just an attempt to keep things "canon friendly". As in passively observing, not dictating or altering. Functionally, no different than licenced fan fiction.
So no, the novelizations were never canon and even in the age of "everything is canon now!" they're still not 100% consistent. But then they really don't need to be in order to have value. Honestly, I've never understood why some fans get obsessed with attaching value to something based purely on it's canonical status. Personally I think a good story is a good story. If it also happens to be canon, well that's cool, but it won't change how much I enjoy it.
Hence why I asked. I loved ROTS and it contains name drops for Legends characters like Iblis and Vos that if the novel is still canon...we’ll lets just say this Legends diehard will be pleased
It's a fictional story, a continuity. Canon means "Officially recognized/authentic" There's the old, and the new. The novelizations, such as Revenge of the Sith, were an important part of that. Of course it was "canon." Even with the Legends label now on it, it's a grey area, and Lucasfilm has been ambiguous about them.
https://www.wired.com/2008/08/ff-starwarscanon/
Every novel contained a timeline with the order and list of the continuity. The old continuity did this, and the new continuity does this. They've been releasing these since the early 90's. This quote here is interesting, as Lucasfilm has recently said they rebooted the entire EU because of Chewbacca's death. If it wasn't "canon," it wouldn't matter.Leland Chee said:
What is "canon"?
No, that was Leland's personal justification for the wipe, not the reason why LucasFilm did it.
https://twitter.com/holocronkeeper/status/953489655621607424?lang=en
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And despite what some seem to insist, it wasn't Disney that ended the EU, it the Lucas the second he decided to start making the ST, which was *before* selling the company. Do people really think LF would have continued publishing post RotJ EU material while also telling an entirely different version of events in the cinema *and* also publishing the usual requisite of narrative tie-in media?
Did Dark Horse keep going with their old Clone Wars stories after the animated series came out? Hell no.
Did Dark Horse keep going with their old Clone Wars stories after the animated series came out? Hell no.
I think there are some who do expect that, yes.
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