You probably have guessed I'm a HUGE Star Wars fan. HUGE. The original trilogy (hereafter referred to as "the Trilogy")? Tops in my book. While I tend to disavow knowledge of the second trilogy, I can sometimes convince myself to watch them...usually by convincing myself they're simply part of the Expanded Universe. As for the EU, I'm not sure I've ever read a BAD EU novel, although I'm told by many that they exist and that most of them were penned by Kevin J. Anderson. I refuse to acknowledge the "Legends" label.
I had to do the same thing with J.J. Abrams' Star Trek movies: I've had to convince myself that they exist in an alternate time-line. One with a madcap, out of control lens flare epidemic.
When Abrams was announced as the new director for the upcoming authorized movie(s)...I was scared. Then upset, then in denial, then scared again.
But now I've figured it out. I've learned to accept the possibility. You see, I've figured out what may very well be the plot to the next trilogy.
You see, these films are about a couple of misfit New Republic security agents who fly around the galaxy investigating reports of "weird science" occurrences, like missing star-liners and invisible polar bears. One of the agents happens to be Han Solo's son.... Han Solo travels with his son and the other agent because, y'know, he's flown from one side of this galaxy to the other, and he's seen a lot of strange stuff, but he's also gone just a bit senile from the lens flares caused by the Millennium Falcon's new warp drive.
Then there's the sub-plot--the time travel sub-plot--that involves the character of Wedge Antilles. Now, Wedge is a hero from the EU; after all, he's the only pilot other than Luke Skywalker to survive all the major battles of the Rebellion (at least, as shown in the Trilogy). The EU expanded upon the character and made him a fairly major player. Actor Denis Lawson has already stated that he won't reprise his role in Star Wars VII. HOWEVER: what if they were able to convince him to appear for one single solitary scene--a flashback to pre-Trilogy--in which he has been catapulted back in time to meet his younger self, played by another actor, and give his younger self advice pertinent to staying alive throughout the Rebellion period and into the New Republic Era? Then this new actor could take the reins and be shown (albeit aged) in the new films?
Then there's the sub-plot? R2-D2 is now (secretly) able to access security cameras from all over the New Republic worlds and can send anonymous information to the New Jedi Order to help save innocent lives. Thus Luke, Leia, Chewbacca, and C-3P0 race around the galaxy saving those lives (actually, C-3P0 usually stays on Coruscant manning the computer systems from a forgotten digital library because, well, he doesn't get around as quickly as you would imagine necessary).
When I ran this past a friend, he suggested that the time-travel sub-plot also allows for the cast to wear costumes from the 1970s in the new movies. An added bonus!
Does all this sound a bit too extreme? Maybe so. I just don't want to see this happen on the big screen:
Cosplay by BelleChere; Picture courtesy of FirstPerson Shooter |