ForStar Warsfans , there is no good reason not to contain out the exposit Universe books and strip ; in truth , theStar Warsexperience is n’t all over without exploring beyond the movies and TV shows , in large part because many of the franchise ’s greatest characters , and its most powerful power - users , have never appeared on the sieve , big or belittled .

Consider this a public servicing declaration of sorts – too many fans have been sleeping on the most awesome story , the most heroic heroes and the most villainous scoundrel , thatStar Warshas to volunteer , but it is never too previous to name the pleasure contained in the script and comic strip .

From the original " Legends " extend Universe , to Disney ’s boot EU , the great thing about the franchise ’s sprawling multimedia bearing has been the unequaled access it provided to theStar Warsgalaxy , run low far more in depth than the motion-picture show possibly could .

Luke Skywalker from the original and sequel trilogies side-by-side.

The Star Wars Expanded Universe Is The Natural Place For The Franchise To Explore The Limits Of Characters' Abilities

What Makes The Expanded Universe Essential Reading

More than any multimedia franchise , theStar Warsmovies only expunge the surface of what their fictional world bear . Since the very beginning , comics and books have been a cornerstone of the Expanded Universe;Marvel ’s adjustment of the original 1977Star Warsfilmwas quicklyfollowed up by the first EU account , while the 1978 novelSplinter of the creative thinker ’s Eyeinaugurated a foresighted descent ofStar Warsbooks , which were crucial to fleshing out the galaxy , in all its weird and waste glory .

Force - substance abuser dominate the rankings ofStar Wars’most brawny character , and nowhere are they portray in strong terms than the [ Expanded Universe . ]

There is a draw to be said about the ambit and the splendour ofStar Warsbeyond the screen – especially when it descend to the " Legends " Book and cartoon strip , which longtime fans still harbor a deep , unabiding nostalgia for – but considering their central grandness to the franchise in every sensitive , it is worth focus on why the Expanded Universe is the best place for stories about military force - users , Jedi and Sith likewise , and everything in between . Of naturally , Force - user reign the ranking ofStar Wars’most powerful character , and nowhere are they depict in stronger terms than the EU .

Darth Krayt with the First Order’s Supremacy blowing up behind him in Star Wars.

Luke Skywalker Is The Center Of “Star Wars” On Screen & On The Page – But He’s More Powerful In The Latter

The Case Of “Legends” Luke

In many way , as much as theStar Warsstory has expanded over the year , it still revolve around one cardinal nucleus : Luke Skywalker . Nearly fifty years after his first origination , Luke remains the " main character " of the dealership – its greatest hero , and its most captivating protagonist . One of the major factors behind Disney ’s reboot of the franchise was because the caller require to enjoin a brand - new ticket of Luke Skywalker stories , an undertaking in which Marvel Comics’Star Warsline has exceeded expected value .

Star Wars ' Luke Skywalker has one tactic that he used during the original and sequel trilogy , exhibiting a Force feat that connects the two earned run average .

For the intact thirty - seven - year history of the earlier " Legends " canon , meanwhile , Luke ’s character trajectory was meticulously charted , chronicle in obsessive detail beseem a hero of his height ; over the course of or so the same amount of time in - world , Luke Skywalker became , without question the most absurdly superpowered character in theStar Warsfranchise . By the clip of the reboot , Jedi Master Luke had achieved a quasi - mythical status , fully laying call to the unchallenged status of " greatest power - wielder of all metre . "

George Lucas in Black and white next to the Bad batch

Despite becoming so powerful that there were few realistic threats to him by the end of the " Legends " canon , Luke ’s greatness never felt unearned .

Luke ’s post - return key of the Jediarc in the " Legends " spread out Universe stay well - regard among franchise rooter , specially in the aftermath of his belittled office in the Sequel Trilogy . For many hardcoreStar Warsdevotees , the virtue of " Legends " Luke is that he systematically dwell up to the grapheme ’s role as a astronomical the Nazarene , and continually satisfy his potency as the young of the so - called " Chosen One . " Despite becoming so hefty that there were few realistic threats to him by the ending of the " Legends " canon , Luke ’s greatness never matt-up unearned .

The Expanded Universe Is Where “Star Wars” Has Truly Extrapolated The Extent Of Sith Power

From Revan, To Bane, & Beyond

Luke is the best example of the way the blow up Universe pushed theStar Warsfranchise , and its characters , to previously inconceivable heights – but he ’s far from the only one . In fact , this is the purpose ofStar Wars ' multimedia history . " Expanded Universe " is an apropos terminus , but more than just expansion , Star Warsbooks and comic routinely elevate characters , location , plots , and concepts introduced in the motion picture , however concisely , and give them a full , three - dimensional aliveness in theStar Warsgalaxy .

The end blank space - battle in Star Wars : The Last Jedi was epic , but the First Order ’s armada is nothing compare to the Sith armada in Star Wars Legends .

Further , there arenumerous exciting , often over - power character who have never seem on - screenat all . A prominent example is Darth Revan ; introduced in the iconicKnights of the Old Republicvideo secret plan , and subsequently flesh out in both novel and comics , Revan has a redemption arc that arguably eclipses even Darth Vader ’s , and he is also one of the strongest Force - users in the story of the franchise . In fact , while Darth Sidious might still prevail as themost knock-down Sith Lordof all time , most other entries on that list arrive from the Expanded Universe .

Cade Skywalker, a Mandalorian, and a Jedi from Star Wars Legends.

From type like Darth Bane to Darth Krayt , it has been on the pageboy , rather than the projection screen , where the true limits of Sith superpower have been put to the test .

Even then , Darth Sidious ' greatest display of might came in the EU – and from theatrical role like Darth Bane to Darth Krayt , it has been on the page , rather than the screen , where the on-key limits of Sith power have been put to the run . The same run low for the Jedi , and generally speaking , the Force itself . The Expanded Universe has afforded Creator the chance to develop a more nuanced view of the Force , and to introduce more Force - user who do n’t adjust to the Jedi - Sith dichotomy , which in turn has run to a greater range of possible Force powers .

New “Star Wars” Fans Shouldn’t Pass Up The Chance To Go Back To The Old “Legends” Canon

Why The Original Expanded Universe Still Matters

More than just elevatingStar Warscharacters to new degree , the Expanded Universe , at its best , elevatesStar Warsstorytelling . By design , the films are sweeping epics , and while the current multiplication of television show can offer a great level of immersion into the world of the franchise , they still need to have a strong , action - forward element . Further , their ability to depict the full extent of thing like the Force , or the complexity of galactic civilization , are stymied by a variety of gene , from budget to time constraints .

The Bad Batch : Ghost Agents reanimate George Lucas ' scrapped Underworld Star Wars serial through its exploration of Coruscant ’s granular underworld .

That is why , for lover seeking a greaterStar Warsexperience , the myriad Word and cartoon strip bring out over the past five decades are the station to release to . Though they are no longer canon,“Legends"Star Warsstories remain among the good the franchise has to offer , and should n’t be depreciate or dismissed just because they do n’t " enumerate . “Especially reckon thatelements from the " Legends " continuitycontinue to obtain their manner into Disney’sStar Warscanon with geometrical regularity , as the current contemporaries of creators mine the past for the best , most exciting ideas that the earliest era has to pop the question .

Han Solo posing with a blaster in front of a collage of Star Wars books with the Legends banner over the image.

Custom Image by Nathaniel Roark

Marvel Current Era Of “Star Wars” Comics Is Still Breaking New Ground For The Franchise

TheDark DroidsCrossover Proved AmbitiousStar WarsStorytelling Still Exists

Meanwhile , the current iteration of the Expanded Universe , especially in Marvel’sStar Warsline of comics , continues totest the boundaries of the franchisein its own ways . Perhaps the salutary example istheDark Droidscrossover event , which introduce tonic new ideas into theStar Warsgalaxy , along with one of the franchise ’s most powerful characters ever – the evil A.I. know as the Scourge – which has the renowned preeminence of being whole scattered to the Force , and the Jedi and Sith .

For unexampled fans diving in for the first clock time , there are some incredible curiosity to unveil by exploring the vastStar WarsExpanded Universe .

All of this is to say , for anyone itch for news program about thenextStar WarsTV show , or motion-picture show , there is a gem trove ofStar Warsstories out there to keep them occupied . Readers already familiar withStar Warsbooks and comics know the ways that they surmount what the serial publication can do on the screen , but for raw fan diving in for the first time , there are some incredible wonders to uncover by explore the vastStar WarsExpanded Universe .

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