Category: The Holocron

The Force is that mystical life force, the thing that surrounds us and binds us together. It operates like a sixth sense and seems to have a will of its own, grants supernatural powers, and can be tapped into by nearly every sentient species that exists. The Force itself also functions as a character. It’s kind of a centerpiece of a lot of Jedi- and Sith-focused stories, to the point that it can almost be considered an independent party on its own. The nature of the Force has been pondered over the years, its purpose varies depending on how you use it, but it very much is the focal point of so many tales. When bringing balance to the Force is a main objective of the OT, it clearly states that this weird life energy is something that the galaxy just can’t live without.

Remembering that the Force is entirely a neutral party makes it all the more interesting as the wild card and primary influence of the Star Wars universe. The Force doesn’t really have an agenda or allegiance, it can’t be swayed to one side or another, and though one side may dominate at different times, the Force itself is still there. Making that distinction matters- we see plenty of instances where either Jedi or Sith are mostly in charge of the galaxy, to the point that they believe the other to be extinct. There are also plenty of smaller Force-using groups, as well as individuals who may not be aware of their own power. The multifaceted nature of Force-users, running the gamut from good to evil and back again, gives life to a supernatural power that otherwise seems only held by two rather dogmatic organizations. The Force is a larger thing than what we often understand. Read More

A momentous decision has been made. At long last, the Jedi Council Forums allow same-sex pairings in fanfiction. Yes, you may say, that was mostly allowed for a while. It just had to be original characters only, and the most permitted was vague references. And now, we’re allowed to write same-sex pairings, and canon characters are included. Basically, the most controversial rule of the JC Forums has been repealed, and let’s just say Twitter went wild with the news. The responses have been overwhelmingly positive, and I for one am quite excited.

One of the most prominent places on the internet for Star Wars fandom was honestly not very friendly to LGBT fans. A rule that explicitly says that “the relationships you want to have are not ‘family-friendly’ enough for our site” is inherently discriminatory. However, it was the rule. We were told “it was handed down from the powers that be on this site.” There really was no way to get around it or discuss it. The old fanfic guidelines had examples of the maximum amount of sex and violence allowable, and honestly? If you’re going to allow that level of violence, two same-sex people holding hands is definitely nowhere near as scandalous. But apparently it was. It felt hypocritical and exclusionary. Read More

What do we accept as canon, how do we perceive canon, why does it matter? It matters because there are things we aren’t willing to give up. Those don’t have to be large elements; it may be something small, concepts, ideas, whatever it is that really makes Star Wars what it is. Our relationship as fans with the Star Wars canon has varied over the years, and now that we definitely know what is and isn’t canon, that doesn’t necessarily make it easier for us to feel at peace with it. It feels like we’re living in a blended universe nowadays, where there is a possibility of many things becoming canon even if little is set in stone.

One of the best terms I’ve heard lately is “shadow canon.” There are plenty of ideas in Star Wars that haven’t been formally canonized, plenty of events not mentioned, but the references to them are plain. Clearly, there are some things that may have survived the great Legends announcement mostly intact, but may never be mentioned as such. Simply put, there are enough good ideas from Legends that it’s worth it to allow some things to make their way into canon, even if a bit indirectly. It brings a sense of unity and allows for the selection of the best elements of older canon. You can’t do a complete reboot without maintaining some of the original features of the story, and the small things being brought into new canon help Star Wars feel less empty.

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One of the great problems of the old Expanded Universe is just how much it fails the next generation. For a galaxy-spanning tale of war and intrigue that ropes in thousands of years of characters, there can often be a striking lack of young characters, those ready to take the reigns as their elders die or retire. During a time of transition, of changing the guard so to speak, we must establish who is taking over. The prequels and many of the Old Republic-era novels are good at setting up new characters and allowing for the young to continue their forefathers’ legacy, but by the time of the Yuuzhan Vong invasion, much of this has broken down. The next generation has been lost and forgotten. Why? What really is its purpose, other than for plot? It’s time to accept that we need new main characters, something The Force Awakens appears ready to do.

Right now I’m in the middle of a Legacy of the Force re-read, and it strikes me as odd just how many we lose. Between the New Jedi Order and Legacy of the Force, so many of the next generation of Jedi (and their friends) die. Many of them are the ones we expect to take on their parents’ jobs in the future, and when we lose them and the old guard maintain their positions, suddenly it seems like the universe isn’t moving on as fast. We’re at the end of Fate of the Jedi, and only just now are the younger ones starting to inherit the galaxy from their parents. Note that these younger ones are well into their thirties by now, and many of the main characters are in their seventies. There’s a visible amount of characters we have lost, due to war and plot devices. Somewhere, the future of the story has to be established.

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Star Wars is a vast universe. Look at the galactic map– all that area labeled as Wild Space and the Unknown Regions, all of the new planets… But I digress. The most significant part of that vast universe is just how many people it takes to bring it to life and keep it going. Over the years, Star Wars has steadily absorbed more people. Many thought they might leave after one major event a year ago, many more have been drawn in, and the process of creation has not slowed. It’s not just about authors and artists- all of us as fans have a role in the Star Wars universe, and we can’t just dismiss ourselves as strictly the consumers. Even if I’ll never grow up to be a Jedi, I still feel like I’m a part of Star Wars fandom in a way that’s more than just being a consumer.

One year ago, something happened that shook the foundations of Star Wars. I’m still not always sure how I feel about it, and there are plenty of fans who are having a hard time dealing with it. Suddenly there’s something of a vacuum in the GFFA, and filling it is going to take a good long while. And yet it seems to have been for the better to reshape the Expanded Universe into Legends. The funny thing is, even with the ground-shaking that was the Legends decanonization announcement, it was not without precedent. There are other things within the GFFA that are not canon, even if they are still compelling stories. Entire universes being rebooted is far from unknown, especially in the comics world, and it’s possible to have several versions of the same story. Instead of debating old and new and whether something should be canon, what if we were to embrace the multiverse concept? Or what if canon doesn’t have to matter because fandom exists?

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