Differences between TFA timeline and the Legends timeline (SPOILER WARNING)

[horacethegrey]

Well now that the movie is out, I guess it'd be nice to list down the differences between this new timeline and the Legend timelines (Lucasfilm's new title for the old Expanded Universe). I'd like to note that aside from The Heir to the Empire Trilogy by Timothy Zahn I haven't read much on the Expanded Universe. Most of my knowledge of the EU comes from that series and some videogames I've played like the Jedi Knight series starring Kyle Katarn and some info I've read in sites like Wookiepedia. Feel free to add or correct info that I may have missed or been mistaken about.






AGAIN, SPOILER WARNING. DO NOT READ IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW THE EVENTS OF THE FORCE AWAKENS.






Luke Skywalker


Legends: Luke is the Grand Master of the New Jedi Academy with many apprentices. Though I've heard a lot of them we're killed during the war with the Yuuzhan Vong. He was married to former Emperor's Hand Mara Jade before she died at the hands of his nephew Jacen Solo. They had one son, Ben Skywalker.


The Force Awakens: The Last Jedi in the galaxy, as Kylo Ren slaughtered all his apprentices and he's gone into hiding. As far as we know Luke has not married or fathered any children.


Han Solo


Legends: Han and Leia remain together and have three children. Returned to smuggling during the Yuuzhan Vong War after Chewbacca is killed.


The Force Awakens: Was married to Leia Organa and had a son, Ben Solo. After Ben fell to the Dark Side and takes on the name of Kylo Ren, Han returns to smuggling with his longtime companion Chewbacca. Is reunited with Leia and is subsequently killed by Kylo Ren on the Starkiller Base when tries to convince the latter to return home. :csad:

Leia Organa Solo


Legends: Leia plays a huge part in the formation of The New Republic even becoming Chief of State two times. She marries Han and gives birth to three children, and becomes a full fledged Jedi Knight under Luke's tutelage.


The Force Awakens: Leia married Han and gave birth to Ben Solo. After Ben's fall and Han leaving, Leia now heads the Resistance against the First Order. It's unclear how much Jedi training Leia has recieved from Luke during the intervening years.


Chewbacca


Legends: Chewie remains at Han Solo's side even after his marriage to Leia, and becomes the guardian of their three children. He dies during the Yuuzhan Vong invasion of the galaxy.


The Force Awakens: He and Han are still together and return to the smuggler's life. Is distraught at Han's death at the hands of Kylo Ren. Accompanies Rey in the Millenium Falcon when she goes to meet Luke Skywalker.

Han and Leia's children


Legends: Han and Leia have three children. Twins Jacen and Jaina and the youngest Anakin. All three become Jedi Knights under Luke's tutelage. Jacen falls to the Dark Side and becomes Darth Cadeus, and kills Luke's wife Mara Jade. Jaina then trains under Boba Fett and the Mandalorians and subsequently kills Jacen in combat. Anakin dies later during the second Galactic Civil War.

The Force Awakens: Ben Solo as far as we know is Han and Leia's only child. He falls to the Dark Side and slaughters most of his uncle Luke's apprentices. He then takes on the name Kylo Ren and joins The First Order under the command of Grand Leader Snoke, who appears to be his Sith Master. At the Starkiller Base Ren encounters his father once more who tries to convince him to turn away from his dark path. Ren however refuses to listen and stabs Han in response. While trying to stop the escape of Finn and Rey he and Rey duel and loses to her, and then subsequently escapes the destruction of the Starkiller Base.


The Empire


Legends: The Remains of the Empire become the Imperial Remnant under the command of Grand Admiral Thrawn. After Thrawn's death, the Remnant are now under the command of his second in command Captain Palleon. Later Captain Palleon and the Remant join forces with New Republic to repel the Yuuzhan Vong invasion.


The Force Awakens: After being defeated in the Battle of Jakku, the remaining Imperial forces sign a peace treaty with the New Republic and keep their territories within the Inner Rim. A splinter group of the Empire known as the First Order start a war with the New Republic and launch an offensive. Culminating with new super weapon known as the Starkiller Base, which destroys the New Republic capital on Hosnian prime.


Well that's all I have so far. Please add additional info if you have any.

 

[Umbran]

Well that's all I have so far. Please add additional info if you have any.

One very small piece - you refer to Grand Leader Snoke as Kylo Ren's Sith master. I think this may be inaccurate. Abrams and others are quoted as saying that Kylo Ren is *not* Sith, and this might suggest that Snoke isn't either. Snoke may be of some other Dark Side tradition.

 

[horacethegrey]

Snoke and Kylo Ren are not Sith? Huh. That's a new one. More ancient Jedi lore to be uncovered in the next movie with Luke's discovery of the first Jedi temple?

 

[Umbran]

Snoke and Kylo Ren are not Sith? Huh. That's a new one. More ancient Jedi lore to be uncovered in the next movie with Luke's discovery of the first Jedi temple?

Probably. Found a reference for you:

"From the moment Kylo Ren first ignited his vicious-looking broadsaber in the first teaser for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, fans have speculated about the true nature of the character, this mysterious Knight Of Ren. Why is his lightsaber so ragged? Why is his title not 'Darth'? The answer to the latter, it turns out, is actually very simple, as some fans had already surmised. "Kylo Ren is not a Sith," confirms JJ Abrams in the new issue of Empire. "He works under Supreme Leader Snoke, who is a powerful figure on the Dark Side of the Force.”"

http://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/jj-abrams-spills-details-kylo-ren/

Now, we note that this is about Kylo Ren, explicitly. Technically, Snoke might still be Sith, but I'm guessing not. This is in line with them not wanting to be too bound up by EU continuity. You don't have to worry about all the technicalities of the Sith if your villains going forward *aren't* Sith.

 

[horacethegrey]

But the term "Sith" has been used in the Prequels. I know it first appeared in the EU but the fact that Lucas used it ought to mean it's canon no?

 

[Umbran]

But the term "Sith" has been used in the Prequels. I know it first appeared in the EU but the fact that Lucas used it ought to mean it's canon no?

That Sith exist(ed), sure. But that doesn't mean *everyone* who uses the Dark Side is a Sith.

Consider that in the Prequels, Yoda says there are always two Sith - master and apprentice. When Palpatine and Anakin are both killed, there's no surviving master to take a new apprentice - the Sith may be a dead tradition.

In the EU, the Sith arose from one culture. Sith is merely one philosophical framework and training tradition. They are by *no* means the only Dark Side force users out there. Also, the Jedi are not the only ones who are not Dark Side. Anyone who falls to anger, fear, and pain will be Dark Side. A Jedi who succumbs could just be a Dark Jedi, if not directly taught Sithiness.

Not that this means that anything specific from the EU is applied here, but the idea remains that the end of Sidious and Vader does not imply the end of fear and anger.