What type of SW fan are you?

**Darth Rend** · 09-10-2004

I was thinking about this the other day, and thought I'd share it.

Star Wars has one of the most diverse fan-bases I've ever seen. SO I thought I's divide it up by different types

1) The OT Purist.

This type remebers (or just prefers) the origanal cuts from 1977, 1980 and 1983. The people most upset with the special editions, or changes of any type. They perfer the Trilogy as it was, as they first saw it. This type also despises the prequel trilogy, believing them to be inferior in quality and feeling from the OT. To them, Star wars was and always will be 3 films, A New Hope, Empire, and JEDI. No more.

2) The Movie Purist

This type takes EVERY MOVIE as canon, but not the expanded universe. All six movies are equally Star Wars. Many (though not all) also welcome the Special and 2004 Editions, as they simply provide more new Star Wars to enjoy.

3) The Full-Media Cannonist

This Type accept anything with the Star Wars name on it to be cannon. Books, Comics, Video Games...anything in the expanded universe counts, creating an intricate web of continuity to cover every aspect of the Galaxy far far away. These are the type who hope that Grand Admiral Thrawn will make an appearence in Episode 3, and will be watching the background of Jabba's palace to see if MAra Jade has been digitally added. They hold the OT and PT accountable to stay to the pre-established EU continuity.

So what type are you? (or, can you think of any others?)

**Kidhuman** · 09-10-2004

I am a Purist, in the meaning that I like the OT in its pure form. NOt this spooge that Lucas is spewing out of his arse. I do like all the films as well. So, basically I am the second one on the list ovewrall.

**El Chuxter** · 09-10-2004

Hmm. I don't know that I can say I fit neatly into any of those three.

I don't like Lucas changing the films, but for the most part I can live with the changes.

I see all six movies as canon, and can accept this "latest version is correct" that Lucas stands by, even if I prefer original versions (and "original versions" refers to TPM and AOTC, both of which have had their share of changes).

I'm pretty hit and miss on EU. I try to read (or watch, or whatever) as much as I can, and as long as it doesn't contradict anything that's more trustworthy on a sort of "canon scale," I'll accept it. If it's not really, really stupid. Like that first series of kids books: in addition to being some of the worst tripe put on paper, the wedding of Han and Leia therein cannot be right since Courtship of Princess Leia contradicts it, so the series is out. Doesn't mean Zorba doesn't exist, though. Zorba is kewl.

I'll see if I can put together a canon scale, time permitting.

**Droid** · 09-10-2004

2) The Movie Purist

This type takes EVERY MOVIE as canon, but not the expanded universe. All six movies are equally Star Wars. Many (though not all) also welcome the Special and 2004 Editions, as they simply provide more new Star Wars to enjoy.

**JEDIpartner** · 09-10-2004

Yeah... I'd be a "Movie Purist" as well...

**Darth Rend** · 09-10-2004

oh, for the record...I am a MOVIE PURIST.

My take on the EU is this: The majority of it is horrible. There are the occasional gems though (Knights of the Old Republic and The CLone Wars animated come to mind)

I try to look at it as supllimental entertainment, but not to be taken seriously. I loved the Clone Wars animated, but if Lucas does something in Episode 3 that completely rules it out of Cannon, then I can just shrug and say oh well it was entertaining. And, when I read or see something that utterly lowers the quality of the entire saga (The NJO comes to mind) I can simply ignore it, as none of it counts anyways.

**scruffziller** · 09-10-2004

I am a type 3. All of it is SW to me.

**stillakid** · 09-10-2004

Originally Posted by Darth Rend

I was thinking about this the other day, and thought I'd share it.

Star Wars has one of the most diverse fan-bases I've ever seen. SO I thought I's divide it up by different types

1) The OT Purist.

This type remebers (or just prefers) the origanal cuts from 1977, 1980 and 1983. The people most upset with the special editions, or changes of any type. They perfer the Trilogy as it was, as they first saw it. This type also despises the prequel trilogy, believing them to be inferior in quality and feeling from the OT. To them, Star wars was and always will be 3 films, A New Hope, Empire, and JEDI. No more.

2) The Movie Purist

This type takes EVERY MOVIE as canon, but not the expanded universe. All six movies are equally Star Wars. Many (though not all) also welcome the Special and 2004 Editions, as they simply provide more new Star Wars to enjoy.

3) The Full-Media Cannonist

This Type accept anything with the Star Wars name on it to be cannon. Books, Comics, Video Games...anything in the expanded universe counts, creating an intricate web of continuity to cover every aspect of the Galaxy far far away. These are the type who hope that Grand Admiral Thrawn will make an appearence in Episode 3, and will be watching the background of Jabba's palace to see if MAra Jade has been digitally added. They hold the OT and PT accountable to stay to the pre-established EU continuity.

So what type are you? (or, can you think of any others?)

Yeah, your categories are very rigid. I'm closest to number 1, but I don't oppose change in theory. A lot of the Special Edition cosmetic changes were for the better in my opinion. I never minded the new Jabba band that much and the new Sandcrawler footage is cool. But anything that radically changes story or character I'm opposed to. So defining me as a "purist" isn't very accurate. I'm more like a normal everyday movie goer who doesn't see the point in rewriting a movie 20-ish years after it was finished. It's all about story to me, not about keeping history intact.

I don't care much for the Prequels for two reasons. The first is that relative to the OT films, they don't match at all. Continuity-wise, they are ignoring the OT just as much, if not more than, most Expanded Universe material. Bad idea on Georgie's part. The second reason I don't care much for the Prequels is that when judged on their own, just as normal films, they're not very good anyway. They just haven't been written very well and the execution hasn't been up to the potential of Lucasfilm. Just a disappointment allaround.

So, I guess I'm just a fan of good story well told. The OT did that for me. Some of the cosmetic changes improved it a bit...most of the other changes are ruining aspects that didn't need fixed. The Prequels are not good stories nor well told. So I'm a BIG Star Wars fan, but require quality and not just a slapped on label.

**Jedi Teacher** · 09-10-2004

For myself, I'd have to say that I'm #2.5. I love all the movies, and enjoy much of the EU, but don't subscribe to all of it. the NJO never interested me, but I absolutely loved Zahn's books. I would also like to see some EU cameos, but I'm not holding my breath.

Originally Posted by Darth Rend

1) The OT Purist.

This type remebers (or just prefers) the origanal cuts from 1977, 1980 and 1983. The people most upset with the special editions, or changes of any type. They perfer the Trilogy as it was, as they first saw it. This type also despises the prequel trilogy, believing them to be inferior in quality and feeling from the OT. To them, Star wars was and always will be 3 films, A New Hope, Empire, and JEDI. No more.

Does anyone in this category think that their love for the OT is clouded? I mean, when you think of the OT with that immense adoration, how much of that because of the experience you had when you 1st saw them? And if you dislike the NT, is any of that because you were really looking to relive that original experience? Just wondering.

**B'Omarr Monkey** · 09-10-2004

I'm closest to being a movie purist. The OT still ranks highest with me. I don't object to some of the changes that were made in the "Special Edition" (version 2.0). The Sandcrawler, the Bantha herd, the loss of the petroleum jelly smear under Luke's landspeeder, were all fine with me as was opening up Bespin, and the much more exciting assault on the Death Star athe the end of ANH. I still would like to see the original version available on DVD though. If the PT had been my introduction to SW, I would not be a SW fan now. My attraction to the PT at this point is mostly one of design, which was one of the things that captured me about the OT when I first saw it as a kid. This was a universe that actually looked like it was inhabited.

I've read about 3/4 of the EU novels and maybe 1/4 of the EU comics. Their fine for a light read, but most of them don't even come close to the feel of the OT. I don't think of them as having anything to do with SW continuity however. The only novel that really succeeded in capturing the whole sensibility of the movies was "The Courtship of Princess Leia." It was like an expanded version of the Han and Leia stuff from TESB, and it's the only novel that embraces the sense of humor that made the OT so much fun in the first place. On that note, The Clone Wars animated series was better than anything in the PT. If Lucas had treated his Jedi like that, he'd have captured a new devout following of kids and adults the way he did back in 1977.