Hello!
The TLDR of why I’m here is my quest for a version of the OT that is more true to what I grew up watching.
My son was born last month, and I found myself wondering what kind of world he would grow up in without access to a non-special-edition Star Wars… How would I introduce him to this wonderful universe?
He’s a little over seven weeks old. He’s alive, and eating, so now I’m clearly on to other priorities, like figuring out a watch order and how old he needs to be to start watching different movies and shows. I guess I have some time.
My Star Wars fanhood came as a bit of a shock to me, honestly. I’d always liked the movies, even the Ewok and Droid cartoons as a child when I didn’t know any better. But I’d never considered myself a Star Wars nerd until just last year.
Back in 2012 or so I got suckered by my local game store’s owner into being a game master for the beta version of Fantasy Flight Games’ Star Wars: Edge of the Empire role-playing game.
Never again will I run a beta, at least, not with such unforgiving, rules lawyers as such that wandered into the [as per policy] open game at the shop.
But what it did open up to me is the entire world of fan-fiction, Wookieepedia, and countless articles on what is or isn’t “cannon”, as I went down one rabbit hole after the next to feed my brain for content to make an original and entertaining game for my players, while trying to preserve the spirit and tone of the universe. Eventually, I settled on treating Legends as a sort of DC’s 52-universe, or as I’ve heard the attitude attributed to the old George: “Sure. That all happened.”
By and large, I would entertain any aspect of the EU. Except midi-chlorians. Those were right out.
(Actually one of my players had the theory that midi-chlorians are something that “Crazy Uncle Qui-Gon” made up, and the other Jedi just kind of let him go along with it and keep that tinfoil on his head; he wasn’t hurting anyone, and he was a respected member of the council.)
Fast-forward to attending an RPG con in St. Louis in 2018. At another table was an event. Star Wars trivia. No way would I ever go toe-to-toe with another Star Wars fan on trivia. However, the team ended up using a lifeline and asking the other tables. To pick which table they were going to ask, they polled the room for anyone who was a “Star Wars expert.” No way. Don’t waste your lifeline on me, dude.
“…What was Luke’s call sign on Hoth?”
As the answer flew into my head before the judge reading the question even lifted his head, I thought with such joy, Oh my god! I’m a Star Wars nerd!
And I’ve embraced it ever since. By no means am I an expert or do I read all the books and comics, but I can at least tell why that special ed. shot of young Luke wielding a gray lightsaber is very, very wrong.
