When Disney purchased Star Wars from George Lucas in 2012, it kicked off one of the biggest, yet strangest and most divisive periods of Star Wars fandom. The two most prominent points of contention amongst fans are the turning of the Expanded Universe to Legends, and the quality of the sequel trilogy.
Both have good qualities, both have bad, and while it is mostly a positive thing for the Star Wars universe and timeline that the EU was made non-canon, it has some excellent stuff. Here we look at what Legends did better than the sequels and what it did worse.
10 Worse - Building On Force Spirits
This point is a strange one, as the Legends timeline deals with a lot more Force Ghosts, whereas the trilogy barely does so. However, what we have seen in the trilogy is far better.
There are a lot of questions about Force Spirits coming out of the trilogy. Yoda manipulates the weather, having power in the physical world, and Leia became one with the Force only after Ben Solo died. There could have been more Force Spirits in The Rise of Skywalker, but overall their use and the path the lore is seemingly heading in with Force Spirits is much better and more interesting than the EU.
9 Better - Expanding On The Overall Lore
Perhaps unfair considering the trilogy only has three movies and the EU had a series of books and novels set in the period, but the EU built on the lore of the franchise much better.
The trilogy failed to recognize the prequels at every turn. Even the most obvious choices, such as having Anakin in The Rise of Skywalker got ignored. The EU gave little bits and big bits of expansion to a plethora of periods in Star Wars.
8 Worse - More Ridiculousness
Again, the sequel trilogy only has three movies, but this time has an unfair advantage over the EU because of it, but the level of ridiculous content in the EU is too much.
There is so much content in the EU that is just nonsense. The trilogy lacks a plan, but is grounded in Star Wars and does not deviate to the point of stupidity, even if there are some out-there things. Even including expansive canon, the EU has far more ridiculousness.
7 Better - The Post-Return Of The Jedi Fallout
The sequel trilogy dips its toe into the waters of what happened after Return of the Jedi, but due to its time and nature as a movie, it never explained much.
The Legends timeline, though, is one with a whole war after the war; in fact, the war never really ends. As is told in the new trilogy and expansive canon, there is little fallout from the original trilogy; the war lasts for a short time after the fact. Overall, the EU's deep-dive into that part of Star Wars is better, with some excellent content (alongside the ridiculousness).
6 Worse - Bringing In A New Generation
The EU, during its time of relevance, expanded the love of Star Wars of some fans who grew up on the originals and even the prequels but rarely brought a new fan into loving Star Wars. Its effects in that regard are minuscule compared to the trilogy.
There is an entire generation of children who have grown up with the sequel trilogy. They will go on to be the generation of Star Wars fans who are the equivalent of those who grew up with the prequels and love them far more than those who grew up with the original trilogy. There are also those fans who were not children when The Force Awakens came out, but the special time in Star Wars fandom swept them, and they now love the franchise. The EU does not have this, the trilogy is special and will only become more loved.
5 Better - The Number Of Skywalkers
To have more Skywalkers is a subjective thing, but considering the end of The Rise of Skywalker sees Rey deem herself a Skywalker, it may have been better just to have more of a Skywalker family.
Leia's children Jacen, Jaina, and Anakin, are well-liked among those who love the EU, and Mara Jade is a character everyone wishes was canon. Even though Kylo Ren is a better character than any individual Skywalker child in the EU, the EU gives a larger Skywalker family, and more variety, rather than passing on the name to a non-Skywalker. Had that not happened, this would be a moot point.
4 Worse - Death Of The Main Heroes
In the EU, Han Solo, Leia Organa, and Luke Skywalker never really have deaths in Legends. Luke does die, but it is unknown how, as he is only seen as a Force Ghost. Chewbacca does die, and it is awful.
In the sequels though, Han has a piercing death that comes full circle to make you cry, even more, Luke's death is beautiful, impactful, and poetic, and Leia's death is hard for many reasons, as well as just being the best it could be under the circumstances.
3 Better - Luke's Academy
In the trilogy, Luke Skywalker's Academy burns to the ground at the hands of the Knights of Ren, and Ben Solo turns to the Dark Side of the Force, with no Jedi coming from the academy.
In the EU, Luke creates a whole new Jedi Order from his academy, and it is a popular aspect of the Legends, especially with characters such as Kyle Katarn involved. There is not much to debate as the two do not compare, as there is not much of an academy in the sequels.
2 Worse - Luke's Lowest Moment
Luke's arc in The Last Jedi was perhaps the most divisive aspect of the entire trilogy, but it made a lot of sense. It made Luke flawed, and human, and a better character, not just a cheesy, overpowered hero, and his arc was much better than the EU equivalent.
In the EU, Luke falls to the Dark Side of the Force as an apprentice of the resurrected Emperor. It was a plan gone wrong, and Luke had to be saved, but imagine the outcry if Luke was a part of the Dark Side in the movies?
1 Better - Adventures With The Main Heroes
Han Solo appears alongside Chewbacca and Leia, Luke has a moment as a projection with Leia, and Chewbacca has one-on-one time with everyone. The three never appear together in the sequels.
In the EU, the three go on countless adventures. While the sequel trilogy did not need, and should not have done this as it should have focused on new characters, it was still missing just one scene with the iconic heroes back together. The heroes could have died and yet could have had a moment together, but alas, it never came, disappointing a lot of fans.
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