Which is the best Star Wars time period?

[Ivan the Terrible]

I was looking through the back room of my parent's house earlier today, and stumbled across a sourcebook for the old West End games Star Wars RPG. This particular sourcebook was released in 1994, a time when the Expanded Universe was in it's infancy. For old time's sake, I decided to sit down and flip through it for awhile.

 

I've gotta admit, it made me nostalgic for when Star Wars wasn't so fleshed out by a bazillion different writers. Whatever other's tastes, I can't help but feel like every other time period since the original trilogy has been but a pale imitation.

 

The Galactic Civil War period is just so much more dramatic a set-up: the good guys are indisputably the underdogs, waging a war against an overwhelming enemy which is effectively the legal government of the entire Galaxy. The Jedi are either dead or in hiding, making the few who remain much more interesting and important, while the implied widespread disbelief in the Force makes it much more intriguing. The enemies make sense: I can understand why millions of soldiers and sailors would fight for the Empire, given that they have an appearance of legitimacy stemming from it's growing from the corpse of the Old Republic. Moreover, I don't think any Sith Lord, whether Exar Kun or Revan or anyone in-between, has ever matched the coolness of Darth Vader and the Emperor.

 

By contrast, in most every other period the bad guys are either the underdog (the name 'Imperial Remnant' kinda speaks for itself, while the ancient Sith Empire, Exar Kun's forces, and the Seperatists all seem to be much smaller enemies taking on a massive Republic), make little sense (while KOTOR II works to address the issue of how Revan and Malak recruited their army, any explanation of millions of soldier turning against their lawful government for no good reason on behalf of unquestionably evil people feels contrived), or just plain don't fit the Star Wars feel at all (Yuuzhong Vong, anyone?). The Jedi and the Force are an existing fact rather than a legend and a myth to aspire towards, and therefore not particularly interesting. Perhaps most importantly, by benefit of coming after the OT period, every other period feels like it's just attempting to be what the original period is.

 

I enjoy other periods somewhat, but for me the Galactic Civil War period will always be the 'real' Star Wars. Anyone else share this opinion?

[Catalyst]

The prequel gave the appearance of Jedi being common, which is one of my beefs with it.

 

Aside from that (and Jar Jar Binks) my favourite periods are the Original Trilogy and the Prequel Trilogy (depending on Ep 3).

[Ivan the Terrible]

20 hits and only Catalyst and I voted?

 

Jesus, you people are lazy.

[Master Horn]

GCW

[Sabahattin Dere]

OT

[Ostkant]

Well I'm beginning to like the KOTOR period the most... even more so than the movies. In fact, I voted for KOTOR, it surpasses the movies in most ways for me.

 

Though I like the Original Trilogy and KOTOR almost equally, KOTOR is just a bit better in my eyes.

[Ludozee]

New Republic, because those stories really add depth to the old trilogy. I always wondered what happened after RotJ, and mr. Zahn really helped me out there.

[KypDurron]

New Jedi Order is the best timeline. the fact that so many important people die and the feeling that no one is safe was just what the expanded universe needed. so many good characters in the series too, like Nom Anor.. probably best star wars villian hands down

[NeverwinterKnight]

galactic civil war period. something about the empire versus the rebellion that will always have a soft spot in my heart.

 

btw, its being anal, but the yuuzhan vong period isnt the salvatore novels. he only wrote one of the books (the first one). other authors did the rest of the series.

[Ludozee]

galactic civil war period.  something about the empire versus the rebellion that will always have a soft spot in my heart.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, but the good (as in Zahn) New Republic books do that too. I would love to see a next trilogy based on Zahn's books (not that I think that it will ever happen btw).

[NeverwinterKnight]

Yeah, but the good (as in Zahn) New Republic books do that too. I would love to see a next trilogy based on Zahn's books (not that I think that it will ever happen btw).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

why? the good thing about the zahn trilogy is grand admiral thrawn. other than him (plus the characters like mara and karrde), theres not much to base a game off of unless you want them to make thrawn or those two show up, which imo would be dumb.

[Ludozee]

why?  the good thing about the zahn trilogy is grand admiral thrawn.  other than him (plus the characters like mara and karrde), theres not much to base a game off of unless you want them to make thrawn or those two show up, which imo would be dumb.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually I wasn't think about a game, but about a movie (or three). The trouble is that everyone who has read the books has his own imagination about Kardde and Mara etc. But it can be done. Look at Harry Potter for instance: IMO that is one of the best screen adaptions ever made. LotR was IMO not so succesful, but still a brilliant movie.

I think that if they pick a good cast, things will work out fine.

[NeverwinterKnight]

i believe theyre doing a tv series set in that time period, where luke skywalker is a jedi master and setting up the new jedi academy. but i dont know if itll have characters like karrde, mara or thrawn in it.

[Ludozee]

i believe theyre doing a tv series set in that time period, where luke skywalker is a jedi master and setting up the new jedi academy.  but i dont know if itll have characters like karrde, mara or thrawn in it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, they shouldn't, unless they have a big enough budget to afford a decent cast and make sure they don't shove a low-budget POS though our throat.

[LordNihilis]

Well I'm beginning to like the KOTOR period the most... even more so than the movies. In fact, I voted for KOTOR, it surpasses the movies in most ways for me.

 

Though I like the Original Trilogy and KOTOR almost equally, KOTOR is just a bit better in my eyes.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I agree. The battles and conflicts were amazing in KOTOR years.

[B5C]

I love the Clone Wars and its probaly tied with the Civil War.

[Sabahattin Dere]

i believe theyre doing a tv series set in that time period, where luke skywalker is a jedi master and setting up the new jedi academy.  but i dont know if itll have characters like karrde, mara or thrawn in it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Do you have a link to details? That's too risky a move; it would take fans a millisecond to grow cold towards the entire thing, if they see 'strangers' in the roles of Leia, Han Solo and Luke.....

[Kalfear]

I gotta go with KotOR time line (more so the first one then the second one)!

 

Not only because there are still Mandalorians (which I love as a race) but because of the rest of the back drop story lines! The corperations, Sith out in public, Jedi as real Jedi, and the exploration of the outter rim.

 

Also because the clone wars are yet to come.

 

Basically its because there is still adventure available! The GCW just always seemed to stringent for my likeing. It was to cut and dry, good vrs evil! The Old Republic seems much more politically driven creating different paths and options for a person to choose from.

 

Also, while Star Wars will always be a classic, villians like Malak, Nimus, Sion, Kreia (or even the villians from the first two prequels) are much more interesting (for me) then Darth Vader. Just my personal opinion but the options available in the Old Republic just seem limitless which is something I love!

[Meshugger]

Any peroid would do, except for the yuuzhan vong.

[Darth_Radnor]

You're missing the Darth Bane period. My personal favorite would be the KOTOR timeline.

[Bastilla_Skywalker]

I am starting to love the KOTOR era as much as the original trilogy.I think KOTOR so far is the only decent Expanded Universe (EU) that actually brings on a decent clinche,but as for the KOTOR era it has really changed my opinion for 4000 years in the past EU. But as for the EU for after ROTJ I think it doesn't bring a clinche (excitement) because I think its just others peoples imagination after ROTJ because they wrote the books and you weren't really part of it,you see through other people eyes in the books,also it just doesn't catch on,its just a boring era. But as for the KOTOR era you were part of that era and your character was part of history which you were part of,you could choose your characters destiny,it was great to be part of,it's all about Star Wars fans interacting with the star wars universe and being part of it that makes it more alive and real!(for example playing the games and watching the movies)

 

 

as for the Yuuzhan Vong era and theses Solo children era AGH! just rubbish.

[Ludozee]

as for the Yuuzhan Vong era and theses Solo children era AGH! just rubbish.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

True, except when the Solo kids are young (Zahn " ).

[Aponez]

The Civil Wars period (the first trilogy I didn't like the prequels)

[NeverwinterKnight]

i believe theyre doing a tv series set in that time period, where luke skywalker is a jedi master and setting up the new jedi academy.  but i dont know if itll have characters like karrde, mara or thrawn in it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Do you have a link to details? That's too risky a move; it would take fans a millisecond to grow cold towards the entire thing, if they see 'strangers' in the roles of Leia, Han Solo and Luke.....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

no, sorry. although there is a big thread about it in the books & television section on the message boards on www.starwars.com, but i am not sure if it has the link to where it was rumored to take place just after return of the jedi.

[w0rd]

Original Trilogy period.