I think the big thing people forget about Star Wars is that although it began with George Lucas with ideas written down it soon felt the touch of far more people, George didn't design every single prop on his own he didn't build every single set with his own two hands, sure he would have given guidelines but he would also trust people, he would trust that if he gave the job to the right person and let them put there heart and soul into it then he would get something worthwhile out of the other side. The longer Star Wars existed the more people have been involved with it thousands of artists must have been involved with Star Wars when you sit and think about it, first with the original trilogy, then through the Expanded Universe books, the comics the animated shows, the video games.
The main thing Lucas should be given credit with is for starting the ball rolling, he had the ideas which formed the original frame work of the universe, on his own though these ideas would not have given us everything Star Wars related we now have. Lucas was smart enough to allow lots of other people to help shape these ideas into a successful film, then a successful trilogy and finally a very large beloved franchise which spread in to pretty much every possible area. There was a long time between the release of the first and second Star Wars trilogy. I could talk about a great many people who I feel have kept the Star Wars universe relevant and alive between the release of the two trilogies, I could talk about Comic Strip artists or games designers but instead I will focus on one of the individuals who I feel was of the most importance and this is Timothy Zahn.
Timothy Zahn is a science fiction author who happens to be responsible for writing what is known as The Thrawn Trilogy![]()
a set of 3 books which served as a new Star Wars Trilogy this time in novel form, the books in this trilogy are Heir to the Empire (1991), Dark Force Rising (1992) and The Last Command (1993). These novels reignited interest in the Star Wars universe and pretty much paved the way for a whole plethora of novels by numerous authors, including some very interesting short story collections. Now we find that most of this stuff has ended up being somewhat pushed to the side and no longer considered cannon, now it all seems to exist under a sort of parallel universe banner called ''Legends''.
In the past George Lucas owned the rights to Star Wars and to at least some extent this meant that he got all of the credit both good & bad for products carrying the Star Wars name, when he sold his company and the rights to Star Wars though this was something that also went with it, now Disney has the ball and they will pass it on to whoever they hire to do a film or carry the legacy on in some other way. Star Wars was always bigger than just George Lucas and even he saw that as can be seen in the following quote"After Star Wars was released, it became apparent that my story—however many films it took to tell—was only one of thousands that could be told about the characters who inhabit its galaxy. But these were not stories I was destined to tell. Instead they would spring from the imagination of other writers, inspired by the glimpse of a galaxy that Star Wars provided. Today it is an amazing, if unexpected, legacy of Star Wars that so many gifted writers are contributing new stories to the Saga."
How is all of the above connected well it shows that others have previously taken hold of the ball and ran without the involvement of George Lucas and done more than a fine Job of handling Star Wars, in fact I think my favourite Star Wars story ever is not one of the films it is the video game Knights of the Old Republic.
You told your story Mr Lucas and now the ball has passed on to another, yes your as free to have an opinion as any of us but remember if they copy elements of some of the previous films, your previous work remember these two points one imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and two there was clearly something worth while in those original films or they wouldn't be as popular and as beloved as they are.
In the past George Lucas owned the rights to Star Wars and to at least some extent this meant that he got all of the credit both good & bad for products carrying the Star Wars name, when he sold his company and the rights to Star Wars though this was something that also went with it, now Disney has the ball and they will pass it on to whoever they hire to do a film or carry the legacy on in some other way. Star Wars was always bigger than just George Lucas and even he saw that as can be seen in the following quote"After Star Wars was released, it became apparent that my story—however many films it took to tell—was only one of thousands that could be told about the characters who inhabit its galaxy. But these were not stories I was destined to tell. Instead they would spring from the imagination of other writers, inspired by the glimpse of a galaxy that Star Wars provided. Today it is an amazing, if unexpected, legacy of Star Wars that so many gifted writers are contributing new stories to the Saga."
How is all of the above connected well it shows that others have previously taken hold of the ball and ran without the involvement of George Lucas and done more than a fine Job of handling Star Wars, in fact I think my favourite Star Wars story ever is not one of the films it is the video game Knights of the Old Republic.
You told your story Mr Lucas and now the ball has passed on to another, yes your as free to have an opinion as any of us but remember if they copy elements of some of the previous films, your previous work remember these two points one imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and two there was clearly something worth while in those original films or they wouldn't be as popular and as beloved as they are.
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