Tuesday, April 29, 2014

The Undefined Gamer: Star Wars Un-Expands Its Universe

J.J. Abrams made another masterstroke to give the world an excuse to
not do his homework! Really, is he too lazy, or does he not have the
time...?


      With the Star Wars Expanded Universe out of the way, Abrams can write
whatever he feels like.
      It has the same status as fanfiction.
      Problem is, the fanfiction is better than the real thing.
      See, the movies where the tip of the iceberg of the SW Universe, and
they weren't even the best part. We all know how bad the prequel
trilogy is and the original wasn't without it flaws. The original
trilogy's story has also been left in the dust by modern works,
looking comparatively simple.
      The Expanded Universe served not only to make several aspects of the
prequels work/make sense, but expand upon the antiquated story and
simple universe created by the original.
      Abrams wants to go back to this simple universe. It's easier for him
to do this, but does he have a right? Some of the best contemporary
science fiction writers of our generation have written in and thrived
in the EU; writers that dwarf Abrams in ability and prestige. No
matter how successful Abrams's news universe his, he can never
replicate a character as menacing as Grand Admiral Thrawn or as
exciting as Mara Jade Skywalker.
      Perhaps he doesn't need to; the EU's intellectual property is still
his to use, but he doesn't need to be true to any continuity.
      This is dangerous, as it leaves him with the ability to make any
changes he wants to these character. When you don't develop the story
or characters in the way in which they where originally successful, it
is very difficult to replicate their original sauces. He already
failed to do this in his Star Trek duology, providing drastically
different and I dare say inferior depictions of Jim Kirk and Mr. Spock
than that of William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy.
      I'd say this new trilogy should be regarded as fanfiction, for it is
blatantly obvious that Abrams will not be able to match a universe
created by such talent, as I would not even consider him in the same
caliber as many EU writers. All this decision does is leaves more room
for error. If I were directing a project of this magnitude, that'd be
the last thing I want to do.
      Learn from your mistakes, Mr. Abrams. Compare your last modernized
universe, Star Trek, with that of old. It's no contest which is the
superior.

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