When Disney purchased LucasFilm in 2012, it streamlined its ittedly perplexing books, comics, video games, and a terrible holiday special. While this set the stage for the new movie trilogy, it did so at the cost of relegating the Expanded Universe to 'Legends' status. As a result, the continuing adventures of Luke, Han and Princess Leia following the events of Return of the Jedi were no longer considered canon. But it may be time for that to change.
Just eight years later, Disney is at a crossroads with the franchise. The company seems eager to close the book on the Skywalker saga, and instead look for greener pastures in What If?
Disney's current position is not unlike the position of DC Comics at the tail end of the New 52 relaunch. Both The Force Awakens and DC's line-wide reboot in 2011 were met with enthusiastic fans and chart-topping sales, but both ultimately disappointed fans by the end of its run. DC subsequently course-corrected with several initiatives - such as DC Rebirth - and Disney looks to be doing the same with Star Wars: The High Republic. However, comic book companies like Marvel and DC have long experimented with the notion of out-of-continuity tales, and it's something that might benefit Star Wars as the franchise tries to reconnect with fans who felt left behind by the current trilogy.
Considering that the modern about to be re-canonized in the Star Wars comic).
The novel respecting the foundation of Zahn's work while revisiting, and at times re-imagining, the story for both old and new fans. But the biggest results may not come from asking what used to be canon, but what might have happened if continuity, and a single story wasn't the only goal of the Skywalker saga so far.
Dark Horse Comics dabbled in the out-0f-continuity storytelling with Star Wars: Infinites, which showcased a "What If . . . " style approach to the galaxy far, far away. The trilogy of mini-series explored what would happen if Luke failed to destroy the Death Star, froze to death on Hoth or if C3PO broke during Leia's meeting with Jabba. A similar approach could be used to breathe new life into the latest trilogy. What if Poe Dameron had died in The Force Awakens? What if Kylo Ren came to the light side earlier in The Last Jedi? This could also potentially engage fans of the latest trilogy particularly well.
Ultimately, Disney was probably correct in its decision to flush the Expanded Universe out the proverbial airlock in 2012. The EU itself was looking particularly long in the tooth and was in need of a reboot itself. Fortunately, the current crossroads provides a perfect opportunity to revisit the EU through Star Wars Legends, providing glimpses into a variety of stories outside of the immediate trilogies. Such a move just might give Disney and company the perfect opportunity to trust in the will of the Force, or in this case, the fans.
