None of you answered my question, or if you did I didn't understand the answer. Perhaps my question wasn't well put.

Why is Disney putting together a group of people - devoting time and money - to decide what is canon and what isn't?

It is perfectly fine to defend an IP without any canon at all. GW does it all the time.

No one would try to market anything with anything from GW's IP though outside of the genre. President Reagan sold missile defense calling it Star Wars. Slight difference in the breadth and value of the two IPs.

What a lot of people seem to overlook is that Star Wars as it is today IS the EU. If all you look at is the movies, Star Wars is a very small universe, and nearly all of the detail that's gone into anything has been from EU sources.

Given that, I don't believe they'll change much of any details in the way of planets or species, they'll focus only on events. And I also believe that the only things in any sort of danger are those that coincide with where they plan to put new movies. They have no reason to change anything else, it's work that doesn't benefit anyone or make them any money. All they need to be concerned about it making sure the new films can go unchallenged in terms of canon.

Some new stuff I've seen: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/star-wars-rumors-who-is-669997

Rumors have Michael Fassbender, Adam Driver, and Hugo Weaving possibly being considered for roles, along with the previously mentioned Jesse Plemons. Personally, I could see Weaving being a good Pellaeon.

Han, Luke, and Leia are now thought to be playing center stage in episode 7, as opposed to supporting roles with their kids being the main characters, with this switching in 8 and 9.

They're searching for a 20-something black or mixed-race actress, possibly as some illegitimate offspring of Obi-Wan... That part I'm not thrilled about. The Clone Wars did talk about a previous relationship between him and Duchess Satine, but I also thought they made it pretty clear that nothing ever happened. One thing I noticed in the comments of the linked article which makes sense, is it could have happened between trilogies, when the Order is gone and he doesn't have much else to do besides sit in a hut all day.

Some new stuff I've seen: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/star-wars-rumors-who-is-669997

Rumors have Michael Fassbender, Adam Driver, and Hugo Weaving possibly being considered for roles, along with the previously mentioned Jesse Plemons. Personally, I could see Weaving being a good Pellaeon.

Han, Luke, and Leia are now thought to be playing center stage in episode 7, as opposed to supporting roles with their kids being the main characters, with this switching in 8 and 9.

They're searching for a 20-something black or mixed-race actress, possibly as some illegitimate offspring of Obi-Wan... That part I'm not thrilled about. The Clone Wars did talk about a previous relationship between him and Duchess Satine, but I also thought they made it pretty clear that nothing ever happened. One thing I noticed in the comments of the linked article which makes sense, is it could have happened between trilogies, when the Order is gone and he doesn't have much else to do besides sit in a hut all day.

I thought they made it pretty clear that they hooked up -- in every sense of the phrase -- earlier on, but Obi-Wan basically walked off to be a Jedi leaving the question of their future hanging in the air instead of asking how she felt.

In any case, if she's that young it's more likely that he hooked up with someone else while he was on Tattooine.

Obi-Wan can get laid, too! C'mon now!

They're searching for a 20-something black or mixed-race actress, possibly as some illegitimate offspring of Obi-Wan... That part I'm not thrilled about. The Clone Wars did talk about a previous relationship between him and Duchess Satine, but I also thought they made it pretty clear that nothing ever happened. One thing I noticed in the comments of the linked article which makes sense, is it could have happened between trilogies, when the Order is gone and he doesn't have much else to do besides sit in a hut all day.

The Sand People are easily startled, but they'll be back...and in greater numbers! Woohoo! I need some booze, and a disco ball and... *sniffs robe* ... definitely some new clothes. Maybe I can borrow some Twi'leks from Jabba. Let's get this party started!

I say they get FFG to say what's cannon or not. They seem pretty good and picking the best bits in the material so far.

Sure Disney will do an OK job (look at most of the Marvel films) my only worry at the moment is the director, I seem to be in the minority but I haven't really liked any of his films so far. Yup, even Star Trek. :-)

They're searching for a 20-something black or mixed-race actress, possibly as some illegitimate offspring of Obi-Wan... That part I'm not thrilled about. The Clone Wars did talk about a previous relationship between him and Duchess Satine, but I also thought they made it pretty clear that nothing ever happened. One thing I noticed in the comments of the linked article which makes sense, is it could have happened between trilogies, when the Order is gone and he doesn't have much else to do besides sit in a hut all day.

Crap. They are going to ruin my single-player campaign. The PC is going to eventually find out he is the son of Obi-Wan, born at the end of the Clone Wars. By the time this is revealed, it may look like I copied it from the new movie and to keep it in-canon it will seem Obi-Wan was a dead beat dad playboy running around knocking up women all over the Outer Rim.

Some new stuff I've seen: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/star-wars-rumors-who-is-669997

Rumors have Michael Fassbender, Adam Driver, and Hugo Weaving possibly being considered for roles, along with the previously mentioned Jesse Plemons. Personally, I could see Weaving being a good Pellaeon.

Han, Luke, and Leia are now thought to be playing center stage in episode 7, as opposed to supporting roles with their kids being the main characters, with this switching in 8 and 9.

They're searching for a 20-something black or mixed-race actress, possibly as some illegitimate offspring of Obi-Wan... That part I'm not thrilled about. The Clone Wars did talk about a previous relationship between him and Duchess Satine, but I also thought they made it pretty clear that nothing ever happened. One thing I noticed in the comments of the linked article which makes sense, is it could have happened between trilogies, when the Order is gone and he doesn't have much else to do besides sit in a hut all day.

Yeah the race of actress they are looking for makes it pretty clear that the mother is not Satine IMO. And thinking on it really the only EU stuff likely to be contradicted IMO is the Hand of Thrawn dualogy and anything set after it, unless they decide Han an Leia need more or fewer kids. It sucks losing the Hand of Thrawn and NJO but for more stories, and hopefully better ones than LOTF and FOTJ I don't mind them being contradicted. And they will still exist, its not like hey are being wiped from reality. I just hope that the director manages some space battles that aren't one-minute massacres this time.

Bet she turns out to be related to Lando Calrissian, not Obi-Wan.

Bet she turns out to be related to Lando Calrissian, not Obi-Wan.

Yes after reading the article, it states the Obi-Wan connection is just based upon rumors. The only fact stated is they are looking for a 20-something female who is "mixed race or black". That's very telling. If this character is an offspring, they wouldn't be considering an all black female if Obi-Wan is daddy. If it's Lando, then his offspring could either be mixed race or black. That Obi-Wan rumor has to be wrong.

To be honest it will not make a single difference to my game what Disney say is or isn't canon.

The Star Wars books on my bookcases will still be Star Wars books even if Disney cut them from the canon.

I'll still be using my WEG books as source material for any Star Wars game I run even if Disney say they're no canon.

To me and my players, canon is just a misspelling of cannon.

To be honest it will not make a single difference to my game what Disney say is or isn't canon.

The Star Wars books on my bookcases will still be Star Wars books even if Disney cut them from the canon.

I'll still be using my WEG books as source material for any Star Wars game I run even if Disney say they're no canon.

To me and my players, canon is just a misspelling of cannon.

I would certainly hope not. A good GM and group shouldn't be concerned with following canon, they should be creating it every game.

Yes I hear you. But I don't want to get to a point in my campaign where I'm having to explain to players what has or has not happened in my campaign vs. what we see in the movies. It's much simpler for all involved if at least the major canon is not contradicted.

Oh I doubt seriously you will see major canon contradicted. I think you will see some consolidation of the novels possibly but I doubt any of the precursor ones will be bothered with, the Brian Daley Han Solo novels for instance I think will be fine since they pre-dated IV-VI and didn't really hit on his origin in a big way. People have mentioned KOTOR and all that, I would imagine that's all fine and in no real danger of going anywhere. It's self evident though with new movies taking place all of the after the Battle of Endor stuff is up in the air.

Yes I hear you. But I don't want to get to a point in my campaign where I'm having to explain to players what has or has not happened in my campaign vs. what we see in the movies. It's much simpler for all involved if at least the major canon is not contradicted.

It's also much simpler to not involve major canon in a game. You're either a brave GM or a lunatic.

Okay, I had it made very clear why the hell the decks need to be swept clean of all this continuity baggage. I started reading that new X-Wing book that came out last year, designed to be (more or less) a stand alone novel. Even with that isolated nature, the first couple of chapters were all "So, you remember when President Bob broke up the Wraiths because of the Parnarnia Conflict on Zog Seven, inbetween the Solo Kid reign of terror after Moff Jones attacked the white star liner war. He didn't like our pilots after we stole his supply of 3/4th Pinkney Flanges from Ramalamalong Station three years ago."

I had no idea what the hell these people were talking about. It was at that point that I realize the universe has officially become completely inaccessible to the casual reader.

Okay, I had it made very clear why the hell the decks need to be swept clean of all this continuity baggage. I started reading that new X-Wing book that came out last year, designed to be (more or less) a stand alone novel. Even with that isolated nature, the first couple of chapters were all "So, you remember when President Bob broke up the Wraiths because of the Parnarnia Conflict on Zog Seven, inbetween the Solo Kid reign of terror after Moff Jones attacked the white star liner war. He didn't like our pilots after we stole his supply of 3/4th Pinkney Flanges from Ramalamalong Station three years ago."

I had no idea what the hell these people were talking about. It was at that point that I realize the universe has officially become completely inaccessible to the casual reader.

Remember that topic I started 6 months ago on where to start in the EU? This is why I gave up!