The Prequels as Envisioned by the (Pre-PT) Expanded Universe

Since I abandoned my original PT rewrite, I've been looking forward to doing another whole new one. However, this time I don't want to just make things up out right out of the blue, augmenting it with bits and pieces taken from various sources. This time I want to work within the confines of the Expanded Universe, the Expanded Universe as it existed prior to the release of TPM; there is nothing I want to contradict, regardless of whether I like it or not.

Basically, I'm asking for help in pooling together all the bits and pieces of info pertaining to the EU's original conception of the PT storyline/characters. I know many of posters here aren't into the EU or, at least, are casual fans at best with no intimate knowledge of that aspect of the SW Universe. However, any help would be appreciated, even if it's just basic references to books or links to offsite blogs/sites/etc.

Thanks in advance.

Pre-99 Pre-ANH EU is tricky because they play so many elements ambiguously because that was directed by Lucas. Tales of Jedi will certainly give some details about older Jedi and Dark Jedi, and I know the Thrawn Trilogy gives some hints here and there (Spaarti cloning chambers anyone?). Also some interesting stuff would be in the Marvel Comics and early Han Solo novels which I haven't had the chance to get my hands on yet. 

Real holy grail would be getting copies of the West End Games sourcebooks used for the Star Wars RPG. Much of that essentially was a canon encyclopedia back in the day. 

xhonzi said:

I think Luke's dad was called "Tam Skywalker" in one of the early Marvel comics. But he was called Anakin before the OT was over (at least according to Kenner), so you can probably safely throw that out.

I could rework Tam into being Anakin's middle name. It's wouldn't be the best patch job in the world, but it could be made to work.

http://lostepisodes.fateback.com/index.html

This is a great little site for some bits and pieces of pre-99 lore. Worth a look. 

No joke, Obi-Wan Kenobi as he looked decades prior according to Marvel Comics:

^Thanks. I'll give it a look =)

Why didn't you make the Old Republic Jedi wear all black in the prequels, Lucas, why?

That young Obi-Wan looks like the badass Knight I had always known him to be before TPM ruined everything.

^The fact that Lucas toyed with the idea before ultimately discarding it doesn't matters, either.

Generally playing with the color palette would do wonders with the prequels. I always envisioned the first film in the series being very technicolor-esque with the colors just popping, then in the second with the Clone Wars going badly for the Republic, you start seeing more muted hue variations, with overt color starting to disappear (especially in scenes with the antagonists) and then in the third film, its very de-saturated until the ending scenes with Luke and Leia. 

Well, it seems I'm not going to get very far with this thread. I'm not blaming you guys, though; I realize you guys aren't that knowledgeable on this aspect of SW. I suppose I'll just take this thread on over to TFN once they've finished revamping their forums - if anyone knows their EU, it's them. I'm not exactly keen on doing so, though. :grimace:

DuracellEnergizer said:

Well, it seems I'm not going to get very far with this thread. I'm not blaming you guys, though; I realize you guys aren't that knowledgeable on this aspect of SW. I suppose I'll just take this thread on over to TFN once they've finished revamping their forums - if anyone knows their EU, it's them. I'm not exactly keen on doing so, though. :grimace:

The issue is simply wading through so much EU material to find what is and isn't referenced. Zahn, Stackpole, Anderson, the Marvel Comics, the games, the graphic novels, Rogue Squadron, and the Star Wars RPG books by West End Games. Its what made me wish the OT community was almost a bit more hardcore nerdy to create a pre-Phantom Menace wiki, full of every character and backstory created prior to 1999. 

Yeah, I know that. If I came off sounding resentful or anything, though, that definately wasn't my intention. There's alot of time and effort that goes into this kind of thing, and it's not a thing that someone can easily devote themselves to.

If only Wookieepedia had a pre-PT setting to it or something like that ...

greenpenguino said:

Mrebo said:

greenpenguino said:

Argh! Lucas you stupid head, you ruined it.

 

What would've been cool if the jedi all wore armour similar to Darth Vader's armour.

 

Seeing something like this makes it feel like GL pulled his punches. This would have been very cool and effective visual. Luke's RToJ attire would have harkened back to the classic Jedi look.

I've been having a feeling that the PT should have had somewhat radical color grading. Not the very old technicolor look, but it suggests what I have in mind. Someone made a podrace mockup as if created in the 70s, it was just so much better! It couldn't be so extreme to be distracting and gimmicky, but I think it could be effective to embrace the essence of a prequel, as historical, to give it that feel.

Exactly.

I wrote somewhere on here a while ago about having the aesthetics of each of the prequels have a certain nostalgic-y retro-ness.

For instance, Episode 1 would look like it was made in the 1940s. Everything would be stylised to look like the film was made and 'set' in the 40s. Hair, clothes, technology i.e. buttons and switches. Chunky Computers using valves, lighting.) but the special effects would be done with models, a la the original films.

The technology in the prequels be clunky-er and cruder than the original films, Robots like R2 wouldn't appear until perhaps the third film or something.

Episode 2 and 3 would look like they were made in the 50s and 60s.

Interesting. So, kinda like the grading in the film War Horse. I would love to know how to duplicate that look.

xhonzi said:

I think Luke's dad was called "Tam Skywalker" in one of the early Marvel comics.

Chuck Testwalker?

Er...Chuck Doubleposta?