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STAR WARS Fans Bought a Billboard to Bring Back the Extended Universe

In almost any current discussion about the Star Wars films, you’re likely to ending up talking about the Extended Universe. If you’re not familiar with this term, it refers to the books, comics, video games, and other media that continued the story of the galaxy we know and love beyond the Original Trilogy and then the prequels. Before Star Wars: The Force Awakens, a group of people known as the Lucasfilm Story Group decided what was canon from the EU and what was not. The stories that were not included in the version of the universe going forward for the new films is called Star Wars Legends. Sort of like a mythology. But then, Lucasfilm began distinguishing all of its books, comics, video games, et al released after this ruling as part of the canon, further invalidating the canonicity of the old. Some fans were fine with this and some were upset.

According to JoBlo, a group of fans called GiveUsLegends raised $4,784 via crowdfunding to pay for a billboard in San Francisco at the corner of Steiner and Lombar asking for the return of the EU to canon. It reads, “Dear Lucasfilm, Please continue The Original Expanded Universe, the epic story that existed from 1976-2014. Thank you. www.giveuslegends.net.” Check it out below.

This is unlikely to work, of course, but the billboard is lovely and polite, as is the introduction video for the EU Movement. Considering the current state of geek culture, it’s a little surprising that this isn’t an angry message. (You’ve certainly seen those from both sides online. Heck, you’ve seen that from both sides of pretty much every argument about anything that is remotely tethered to the geek world). We’d love to hear from you on the matter. Tweet me/us @JennaBusch/@Nerdist and (also politely, please!) tell us which side you fall on. In case you’re wondering about the message from the Give Us Legends people, we’ve included it below. May the force be with you.

Give Us Legends

Three words forming what might seem to be a very selfish and self important message.

But what really hides in those words? If one were to ask any one of the individuals who have been using the hashtag #GiveUsLegends on social media since April 25th, 2014 there is little doubt one would find the answers varied quite a bit.

However, there is also little doubt that you would find that they all had one thing in common and that is a deep love and appreciation for the novels, comics, video games and everything else that makes up the Star Wars Expanded Universe.

Most also wish to speak with the employees at Lucasfilm and Disney in a desperate hope to see the Star Wars the world has known for nearly 40 years given a chance to continue.

The Expanded Universe Billboard Project, put together by some of the more outspoken members of the Star Wars fan community, has been done with nothing but love for what is now known as the Legends Universe. It is an entirely fan funded and created effort to speak directly to those who have the power to do what we, the fans and consumers, want. It is for this reason that we have pooled our resources, both financial and creative, to bring Lucasfilm this message of passion and appreciation.

The fans wish to see the Legends timeline continued.

While there may be some debate about the status of canon and what many want to happen there specifically, one thing is agreed upon. The Star Wars Legends timeline can be continued alongside Disney’s canon as a separate universe. Acting on this idea would be a nearly universal win with the Star Wars fandom as all fans, new and old, would again have new adventures to look forward to in a galaxy far, far away…

Image: Disney

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