2) Extending A Hand To The Expanded Universe
When Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012, they ostensibly dissolved the Star Wars Expanded Universe. Deleting decades worth of lore left a bad taste in many fans’ mouths. However, the non-canon has been slowly but surely seeping into the official history, albeit in somewhat altered formats.
Fans may recognize the Ben Solo character in TFA as an amalgam character from the EU. Star Wars: Rebels also included elements from the EU as well, incorporating lore from the popular game Knights of the Old Republic II and the Sith Holocron (originally from the comics and games). There are even rumors about a certain blue-skinned naval officer making an appearance in Season 3.
Rogue One could, if rumors are true, pick up on additional aspects of the Expanded Universe. Shots of a kneeling figure in front of a bacta tank could reveal a cloned Emperor first explored in the Dark Empire comics (okay, so that’s a long shot). It’s also possible those menacing “Deathtroopers” could be reformatted Shadow Troopers from the video games.
The first Anthology entry could open a can of space-slugs on the Star Wars universe, letting disgruntled fans know that, yes Margaret, there is an interconnected Expanded Universe.
