No. Although an excellent book widely considered a fan favorite, Darth Plagueis now falls under the banner of “Legends” — tie-in fiction from the vast Star Wars “Expanded Universe” conceived before Disney bought Lucasfilm and essentially hit the reset button on all those novels, comics and games.
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Here is the “new” Star Wars literary canon, as defined by the “Story Group” at Lucasfilm charged with producing official fiction related to the movies and television series set in that Galaxy Far, Far Away.
The character of Darth Plagueis is canon, however, as he was mentioned on screen by Chancellor Palpatine in Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith. This means that Darth Plagueis himself could conceivably re-enter the core Saga but with a new interpretation — subtly or even wildly different — in the future. There is precedent for this already, with Timothy Zahn’s fan-favorite character of Grand Admiral Thrawn. Would he still be a Muun, or even a Dark Lord of the Sith? Time will tell!
Here are the Star Wars books that we can definitively say are part of the new Disney canon:
Star Wars book publishing news
Audiobook versions of the Star Wars Essential Legends Collection book releases are back in production after a recent pause.
News about the Star Wars Legends audiobooks from the Del Rey/Penguin/Random House/Disney/Star Wars book conglomerate:
When we launched the Star Wars Essential Legends Collection, one of the exciting things about the initiative was being able to create new audio editions for many of these books, some of which only had abridged versions, or none at all! Recently we had to pause on creating these new audio editions, but we know how important these editions are to our readers, and always intended to return to making them. We appreciate all of your patience, and interest, and we’re pleased to announce that new Essential Legends audio editions are back in development, starting with some titles that we missed over the last year. Below is a list of the titles and when you can expect them to be on sale. These books will be up for preorder from your favorite audiobook sellers soon.
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As we move into 2024, we have several more releases planned in the Essential Legends Collection. We expect to be back to simultaneously releasing new audio editions for many of the Essential Legends books with the new paperback editions. Look forward to more announcements about those titles in the future.
Star Wars “Legends” consists of stories that were once (arguably) part of the official Star Wars continuity but, after 2014’s transition of Lucasfilm to Disney, are now considered non-canon and set in an “alternate timeline.”
“Canon” novels, on the other hand, are now the officially recognized and ongoing narratives that contribute to the overall Star Wars storyline going forward from that point.
Here’s when more Star Wars Legends audiobooks are coming:
The next Star Wars Legends audiobooks include adaptations of Timothy Zahn’s Outbound Flight and Survivor’s Quest in December of this year, Dave Wolverton’s Courtship of Princess Leia and Yoda: Dark Rendezvous in January 2024 and Michael A. Stackpole’s I, Jedi in March 2024.
Outbound Flight: Star Wars Legends
By Timothy Zahn
Read by Marc Thompson
12/19/2023
Survivor’s Quest: Star Wars Legends
By Timothy Zahn
Read by Marc Thompson
12/19/2023
The Courtship of Princess Leia: Star Wars Legends
By Dave Wolverton
Read by January LaVoy
1/23/2024
Yoda: Dark Rendezvous: Star Wars Legends
By Sean Stewart
Read by Jonathan Davis
1/23/2024
I, Jedi: Star Wars Legends
By Michael A. Stackpole
Read by Marc Thompson
3/12/2024
Which Star Wars Legends audiobooks are you looking forward to the most?
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away …
After ‘Legends’: All the Star Wars Canon novels since 2014 …
The next wave of trade paperbacks in the Star Wars Essential Legends Collection, as announced Nov. 3, 2021, hit bookshelves April 5, 2022, comprising four diverse and popular titles:
- Kenobi by John Jackson Miller
- Darth Plagueis by James Luceno
- X-Wing: Wedge’s Gamble by Michael A. Stackpole
- Darth Bane: Dynasty of Evil by Drew Karpyshyn.
Each of these titles will have a new cover featuring stylish original designs from a different artist.
Wedge’s Gamble — which depicts the daring Rebel Alliance takeover of Imperial Center itself, Coruscant — will also receive an all-new, unabridged audiobook edition in the process.
This is the third wave of these trade paperbacks; the first round, in June 2021, resurrected Timothy Zahn’s Heir to the Empire, Matthew Stover’s Shatterpoint and Karpyshyn’s Darth Bane Series Book 1: Path of Destruction. The second, in September 2021, expanded to four titles like the third, including Stackpole’s Rogue Squadron (the first book in that popular starfighter series), the rest of Zahn’s original and groundbreaking trilogy Dark Force Rising and The Last Command, and Darth Bane Book 2: The Rule of Two.
It’s all part of celebrations for the 50th anniversary of Lucasfilm, with publishing partner Del Rey curating a collection of essential and beloved Star Wars novels from the past.
“Novels set in a galaxy far, far away have enriched the Star Wars experience for fans seeking to continue the adventure beyond the screen. When he created Star Wars, George Lucas built a universe that sparked the imagination, and inspired others to create,” Del Rey said in a statement when the first wave was announced. “He opened up that universe to be a creative space for other people to tell their own tales.”
To this day, the EU — though no longer strictly canon — remains an inspiration for Star Wars creators and is published under the label Legends. Ideas, characters, story elements, and more from new Star Wars entertainment trace their origins back to material from the Expanded Universe.
More Essential Legends Collection news:
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away …
Stackpole’s Rogue Squadron standing by for unabridged audiobook
As celebration of the 50th anniversary of Lucasfilm continues, Del Rey is expanding their curated collection of essential and beloved Star Wars novels from the past.
The vast “Expanded Universe” of Star Wars novels that were de-canonized when Disney bought Lucasfilm have stuck around, rebranded as “Legends” that have sometimes found their way back into the mainstream. This month, three examples were republished with new cover artwork as part of the Star Wars “Essential Legends Collection”: Timothy Zahn’s Heir to the Empire, Drew Karpyshyn’s Darth Bane: Path of Destruction and Shatterpoint by Matthew Stover.
On Sept. 7, the collection expands with a new batch of trade paperback editions: Dark Force Rising and The Last Command, completing Zahn’s groundbreaking EU trilogy, plus Karpyshyn’s Sith sequel Darth Bane: The Rule of Two and Rogue Squadron by Michael A. Stackpole.
Each new Star Wars Essential Legends edition will again have a new book cover with original artwork. Tracie Ching is the cover artist of Dark Force Rising and the Last Command, Simon Goinard is the cover artist of The Rule of Two, and Doaly is the cover artist of Rogue Squadron. In addition to the new cover, Rogue Squadron will also receive an all-new unabridged audiobook edition, read by Star Wars narrator Marc Thompson.
“Novels set in a galaxy far, far away have enriched the Star Wars experience for fans seeking to continue the adventure beyond the screen,” Lucasfilm said in a statement. “When he created Star Wars, George Lucas built a universe that sparked the imagination, and inspired others to create. He opened up that universe to be a creative space for other people to tell their own tales. This became known as the Expanded Universe, or EU, of novels, comics, videogames, and more.
“To this day, the EU remains an inspiration for Star Wars creators and is published under the label Legends. Ideas, characters, story elements, and more from new Star Wars entertainment trace their origins back to material from the Expanded Universe. This Essential Legends Collection curates some of the most treasured stories from that expansive legacy.”
Del Rey says it will continue to add classic titles to the Star Wars Essential Legends Collection, with the next additions coming in spring 2022.