Green Lore Guide.
To start understanding how Green Lore organizes, there are 3 questions to solve:
1- How many Star Wars continuities exist?
3- How is it temporally referenced?
And if you want to know even more, you can start beggining its characters.
How many Star Wars continuities exist?
Once the first Star Wars movie came out in 1977 (Star Wars: Episode IV A new hope), there began to create stories through other media (books, comics, videogames, etc.) that get deeper into the fictional universe where the characters live out the movies.
This continuity worked as the official canon, and it was called “Expanded Universe“.
At the same time, alternative stories were also created that did not pretend to share verosimilitude with the main continuity, but that it was basically formed by alternative stories that opened a range of possibilities without creative limits (known as “what if…” continuities). These stories were named “Infinities“.
The inconsistencies and contradictions in Infinities were irrelevant and sometimes even intentional. Not so those of the Expanded Universe, which appeared too frequently as it grew with new publications.
As the work of those who were in charge of preserving the coherence of the continuity seemed not to exist, there was created a mechanism of relevance in the canon that prioritized some stories over others. But this idea was so bad that it seemed there was no alternative but to reorganize continuity once and for all.
That´s why when Disney bought the franchise in 2012, the official canon was restarted. There were kept Star Wars movies (episode I, II, III, IV, V and VI), but the Expanded Universe was almoust completely excluded (with some exceptions), joining with Infinities to a same “what if…” continuity called “Legends“, within the Lego movies and series, and other stories that although being new editions, they aren´t included in the canon either.
Even if officially “Legends” is all non-Canon continuity, conventionally only the Expanded Universe is so called that. So in order not to complicate things, we are going to continue with that convention and from now on I will call it that way.
In summary, until today what we can define as four official continuities have been created.
– Canon.
– Legends (expanded universe).
– Infinities.
– Lego (y otras historias de la era Disney).
Ok. So, what is Green Lore?
Green Lore is a non-official Star Wars continuity. Created by Green Cap Comix, from fans to fans (one more “What if…” continuity, what a surprise!).
The factors that distinguish it from other Fan Made works are fidelity, quality evolution, respect for the artist and exclusive content for adults.
Fidelity:
The mention and explanation of the continuities is not anecdotal. The Green Lore aims to adapt and accommodate between the official stories, to continue the legacy that Legends left, to use the respite that the current Canon represents, and the diversity of possibilities that characterize Infinities and Lego stories.
Green Lore knows how to respect them, sabe cómo respetarlas, praise them, and give them love.
This can only be achieved through a rigorous study. Reading the books and comics, playing videogames, and watching the movies and series once and again (the very best job in the world?).
Taking notes of the details, understanding the similarities, translating them first in the scripts and later in the vignettes.
Similar to the work that the so-called Lucasfilm Story Group has, but without the limits of an authority that follows a commercial or ideological interest.
But not all the official stories can be part of Green Lore. This would be impossible and incongruous, due the contradictions between them (for example Star Wars ROTJ Canon e Infinities).
Nothing in the Green Lore is taken lightly, so each page is full of details and references to multiple stories already created.
Quality evolution:
In general, dan-made Star Wars artwork are productions are productions in which several friends bring together talents to make a single product in which to fulfill their desire to be part of our favorite franchise.
The most used medium for its elegance is audiovisual production. And although for many people, a lightsaber effect with After Effects is enough, the reality is that a high-quality production is a luxury that not many can afford, due to the high costs and long times it takes to make videos of no more than a few minutes long.
Creating comics allows you to capture ambitious ideas of great graphic quality without the need for many people to dedicate themselves to it. In fact, it can be the job of a single person, as is the case with Green Cap Comix.
Art is something that, throughout my life, I have dedicated time and passion, until I reach a level where I feel ready to publish and that others see what I do.
Still, I admit that there is always new knowledge to acquire, skills to improve, techniques to refine, and software to implement.
The TFID (The Force In Depth) comics, are the proof of my growth as an artist. My idea is to make it evident through each new issue, through drawings, textures, anatomy, scenarios made with 3D softwares and matte painting, etc.
Respect for the artist:
Just like the official stories are product of the work of great creators, there also exist many artists that never have never worked for the Star Was brand, but that didn’t stop them from bringing their creative skills to the internet community.
There are countless “Fan-art” that meet a quality that I consider, it would be unfair if they were not represented in a story.
So the Green Lore presents them together with the official creations and gives them the relevance that I believe it deserves.
All authorship is mentioned and recognized on the second page of each issue (disclamer page) and no artist (both official and fan) is forgotten or missed as far as possible.
Exclusive content for adults:
George Lucas, (the original Star Wars creator), just like many other authors of the franchise have declared more than once that the target audience is children (although I´m not sure of their fondness for the debates and political speeches of the prequels).
But the reality is after more than 40 years since its beginning, people who enjoy Star Wars grow and their tastes mature along with them.
Legends presented stories with different topics not suitable for minors.
In the Star Wars: Republic comic series, for example, the clone war was portrayed with the harshness it deserves. Severance and non-cauterized blood. Slavery, close-up torture and body language that corresponds to how a person would react in real life.
“Obscene language” is one of the least used resources officially. I admit that is intelligent to formulate personalized insults (karabast, echuta, Dank Farrik, etc.) like so many other terms and exclusive analogies of that universe (clicks, spices).
And finally, explicit sex is, I think, a matter in debt.
The furthest it was ever depicted are hints of the sexual act, or nudity in the dark. But for some reason he always escaped from that narrative resource that remains a taboo in our society, just as if children came from the stork and the sin of recreational sex was real.
And even if there are unofficial porn parodies, rigor with the story is not a commitment in any of the cases, as it is in the Green Lore.
Blood, insults, nudity and sexuality, drug use and also deep topics such as politics and philosophy, are topics that are not afraid to appear in the Green Lore.
How to read Green Lore?
There are two sections to reed the stories included in Green Lore: The Force In Depth and Referenced Stories.
Star Wars: The Force In Depth (TFID) is the non-official Green Cap Comix comic series. That carries a narrative thread and lives with stories that are official.
In Referenced Stories, you can find the publications that have a direct relationship with TFID.
To follow them in chronologic order, you can get into those sections and orient yourself by the dates.
¿”…the dates”?
The most committed fans know that, in all continuities, the years are counted taking as a reference the events of A New Hope. The year in which the battle of Yavin occurs and the feat of destroying the first death star occurs in year 0.
When a story tells an event that occurs after this year, it is assigned the acronym ABY (After Battle of Yavin) and what happened before, the acronym BBY (Before Battle of Yavin).
This nomenclature allows the viewer to understand in an ambiguous but approximate way the temporal location of the publications; but confusion can easily arise if tens and even hundreds of events can happen in a whole year.
In addition, since so many stories occur before that “year 0“, for the characters who “live” those events (for example during the clone wars between the year 22 and 19 BBY) it would not make sense to refer to an event that still did not happen.
To solve this, different events were officially created throughout the history of the galaxy in which the characters can feel comfortable to temporarily locate themselves.
The most specific of all of them ( that includes years, months and days), implemented for Legends and the one used by the Green Lore characters is the Great ReSynchronization.
The Great Resynchronization (GRS) is a date setup that, in the fictional universe, was implemented 35 years before the Battle of Yavin. And use the structure of Year: Month: Day.
That means 0:0:0 GRS= 35 BBY.
In the case of TFID, the second page of each issue (Disclamer page) shows the date the story begins, along with the day of the week (weeks in Star Wars have 5 days: Primeday, Centaxday, Taungsday, Zhellday and Benduday) and the reference to the remaining years for the battle of Yavin to better assimilate the data.
To be specific, it begins on a Zhellday 11:10:36, this being the last day of the year 24 BBY.
In the case of the References Stories, the date appears in the first panel of the comic or whenever there is a time jump.
These dates were added to the official comics as an artistic intervention to give coherence and depth to the Green Lore.
Characters
These are the protagonists of The Force In Depth and the Referenced Stories. This information is not exclusive to this article, but is implicit in the comics. So if you want to know the characters in depth, it is best to read them.
Aayla Secura
Aayla is a young Jedi Knight, who with the permission of the Council, works in the formulation and compilation of political-economic data of the Galactic Republic, together with Kit Fisto (who in parallel teaches his Padawan Nahdar Vebb).
She thinks things through before committing to something or someone.
Charismatic and innocent, but with a sense of authority gained progressively since her Glitteryll intoxication induced by her uncle, Pol Secura, nearly eight years ago.
Ahsoka Tano and Spir Poulo
Ahsoka and Spir are two Younglings, who go through decisive years to go on to have a position granted by the Jedi Council and fulfill with the Order.
And it is that the destiny of any of the members of the Porg Clan, can both be selected as a Padawan by a teacher, as well as enter the service body of the temple.
Spir is attentive, diligent and has an excellent memory. Ahsoka tends to get out of the flow at times. Although she is dedicated and effective, neatness is not one of the qualities that characterizes her for looking for the fun side of her activities (unlike her friend).
Anakin Skywalker
As the young Padawan of the Jedi Knight, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin has gone through his years of training without knowing how long it will remain that way. Waiting impatiently for being abble of making his own decisions in pursuit of what he considers correct.
The idea often comes to mind that the dedication that comes with being a Jedi Knight has little to do with what he dreamed of as a child (even yet as a slave), or at least with little regularity.
He has gone through high-risk missions, in order to protect subjugated people, using his Jedi tool just as he likes it so much. But the context of peace, as described by his emotional guide, Chancellor Palpatine, limits him to using his lightsaber a few times throughout each year.
It is that despite the fact that piracy and mafias are the most serious situations with which someone with his level of power in the force can find, most of the missions that the Jedi Council demands to fulfill to his master and him are the diplomatic ones that finishes defending another corrupt bureaucrat.
Padmé Amidala Naberrie
Having left her Royal charge some time ago, Senator Amidala Naberrie applies her new engagement as a policy of the legislative branch of the Galactic Republic.
Now she is just getting used to a life with less work hours, which also allows her to take care of her personal tastes and desires.
Ian Lago
During his early youth, Ian Lago was a suitor to the then Princess Amidala of Naboo, until her determination for-with her people caused the relationship to deplete.
planet and the renunciation of his caste privileges have forged him like any ordinary citizen who dedicates himself to work and pay taxes; but this does not prevent him from trying again to face what failed almost 8 years ago.
Gina Dio
Ginadira Dio feels relaxed as the Padawan of the High Jedi Council member, Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundi.
She leads a jovial and carefree lifestyle. The long and routine meetings of her master are the perfect excuse to escape from the temple to experience adventures with her friend Sha’a, or visit her sister Lexi, senator representative of Uyter, her home planet.
