Looking back on Star Wars, part 5: The Expanded Universe (1991-2014)
By Mike McNulty
The Star Wars saga continued to thrive through a series of novel, comics, and video games that achieved cult status among fans–the Expanded Universe.
It’s hard to imagine that after Return of the Jedi (1983), Star Wars was no more. Not that it was completely gone, of course. There were two made-for-TV Ewok movies, Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure (1984) and Ewoks: The Battle of Endor (1985). Likewise, a pair of Star Wars cartoons produced by Nelvana (the same animation studio which contributed to The Star Wars Holiday Special) were also released on ABC, Star Wars: Droids – The Adventures of R2-D2 and C-3PO (1985-1986) and Ewoks (1985 – 1987).
There was also the very popular simulator ride at Disneyland called Star Tours, which lasted from 1987 to 2010. There were still plenty of those Kenner action figures and other merchandise which was selling in access of $100 million a year. Likewise, Marvel Comics had published Star Wars comics since the first movie, adapting each chapter of the Original Trilogy upon release. The series also widely diverged from the films, though this certainly didn’t stop fans from buying them. Former Marvel Editor-In-Chief Jim Shooter said the comic sales for Star Wars single-handedly saved the publisher from possible bankruptcy.
The story of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia, Lando Calrissian, Darth Vader and all the rest George Lucas’ beloved characters was effectively over. That all changed in 1991 with the debut of two original Lucasfilm-licensed Star Wars stories.
Yet with Return of the Jedi, George Lucas started turning his attention towards producing other film projects. By 1985, Kenner discontinued their line of Star Wars figures. Two years later, Marvel stopped publishing Star Wars comics. The only resources Star Wars fans had to draw from was the Original Trilogy. The story of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia, Lando Calrissian, Darth Vader and the rest of George Lucas’ beloved characters was effectively over.
That all changed in 1991 with the debut of two original Lucasfilm licensed Star Wars stories. One was Heir to the Empire by Hugo Award winner Timothy Zahn–the first of three novels that would later be known as “The Thrawn Trilogy.” The other would be a six-part comic book miniseries called Star Wars: Dark Empire. These two stories, each taking place years after the Original Trilogy, were the foundation for what would become the Star Wars Expanded Universe.
Lucasfilm had partnered with Bantam Books in 1989 and were looking to create new Star Wars novelizations to jumpstart the Star Wars franchise. As part of Zahn’s contract for writing the novels, he was under strict instructions that they take place “3 to 5 years after Return of the Jedi,” and that he “couldn’t use anyone explicitly killed off in the movies.” Other than that, he could write whatever he wanted.
The story Zahn came up with–much of it based off of the Star Wars Roleplaying Game–was that the Rebel Alliance formed the foundation of a New Galactic Republic. Luke Skywalker, now a Jedi Master, had begun looking for pupils to rebuild a new Jedi Academy. Han Solo and Princess Leia were now married with Force-sensitive twins, Jacen and Jaina. Lando was running another planetary mining operation. But the remnants of the Empire were still out there, lead by one Grand Admiral Thrawn. It also involved a plot to rebuild the Imperial Forces using clones, which includes a clone of Luke Skywalker grown from his severed hand.
…the most fascinating and impactful [of the new characters] is [Grand Admiral] Thrawn himself. A blue-skinned, red-eyed alien humanoid, Thrawn was essentially Star Wars‘ version of Napoleon, a tactical genius with an appreciation for art
Naturally, Heir to the Empire, along with Dark Force Rising (1993) and The Last Command (1994) introduced new characters, many of whom generated their own fanbases. Much of their popularity came from the fact that, aside from being well-rounded, they were subversions to Star Wars’ own tropes. Talon Karrde, for instance, is a smuggler who took over Jabba the Hutt’s criminal syndicate, but who often allies himself with the New Republic. The red-headed Mara Jade is a Force-trained assassin for the Emperor who sets out to kill Luke but who eventually becomes his wife. One supporting character, Grand Admiral Gilad Pellaeon, undergoes a full-blown character arc from staunch Empire loyalist to commanding the New Republic’s navy.
But the most fascinating and impactful character is Thrawn himself. A blue-skinned, red-eyed alien humanoid, Thrawn was essentially Star Wars’ version of Napoleon–a tactical genius with an appreciation for art. Moreover, he didn’t kill his subordinates for failure like Darth Vader, or needlessly sacrifice his own troops if he couldn’t help it. At the same time, he still engaged in total warfare, and he severely punished those who he deemed stupid or unimaginative. This made him unique among Star Wars villains, and he proved such a hit with readers that, when Disney acquired Lucasfilm, Thrawn became part of the new, official Star Wars canon.
Meanwhile, Dark Horse Comics, having also partnered with Lucasfilm, began publishing Dark Empire (1991-1992) in December of that same year. Written by Tom Veitch and illustrated by Cam Kennedy, the series takes place a year after the events of the Thrawn Trilogy. The main plot involved the return of the evil Emperor Palpatine, having survived Return of the Jedi by transferring his soul into a clone of his younger self. In order to defeat Palpatine once and for all, Luke willingly succumbs to Dark Side of the Force and becomes his new apprentice. Naturally, it’s up to the heroes, especially Leia, to bring Luke back to the light.
Another son of Han and Leia, Anakin Solo, was also introduced. The series also brought back Boba Fett, saying that he literally crawled out of the Sarlacc Pit. This one retcon probably restored his reputation among fans as the most badass villain in Star Wars canon. Dark Empire would also spawn two more sequels, Dark Empire II (1994-1995) and Empire’s End (1995).