There are lots, and lots of reasons. Sidious didn't pronounce himself emperor until the tail end of episode 3, and even then his political power wasn't absolute until decades later, when he finally dissolved the senate during A New Hope. He couldn't just turn the army against the Jedi, he needed an excuse to justify it, otherwise the senate could of ousted him, and/or there would of been a rebellion then and there. Another thing to consider is that Palpatine used the Clone Wars to expand the territory of the republic, under the guise of protecting systems from the Confederacy, or removing them from Confederacy control. In a sense, the Jedi were useful puppets towards this goal.

So at least twice now I have made the mistake of buying a piece of armor with a visually distinctive piece being essentially immune to dyes. Recently I bought the Pathfinder's armor, an armor you can buy from the cartel market directly, for my Sorcerer, and I was incredibly excited to dye it with a black/red combo, until I realized that the hood and cape, two of the most distinctive features of the armor, especially from the backside, were not affected by dyes. This wouldn't of been that big of a deal if their color was agnostic, but their color looked distinctively Jedi friendly. Suffice to say I was disappointed. Fortunately I had the sense to test the color dyes before equipping the armor, so I resold it, and in the future I have every intention of testing dyes before I buy any new armor. None the less, I still wish I could dye the armor the way I want. Seeing as how I am a relatively new player, when I initially encountered the "problem", I looked to see if there was any "solution" online, I wasn't too surprised to find that there was no solution available. In the process of trying to find a solution however, I learned that actually a lot of equipment, have relatively important parts completely immune to dyes. So that got me thinking, why don't the developers just add a third dye slot, which covers all of the areas previously immune to dyes? They could either add a second dye slot, or they could release new dyes with three color slots instead of one or two.

The difference is that hierarchy applied to Lucas Film's internal canon. They held writers to this continuity religiously, everyone but Lucas and his direct collaborators was held to this standard. Now the story group, the people responsible for ensuring continuity, are only considering the six films and TCW's canon. They're only enforcing that content, and new material produced going forward. https://24.media.tumblr.com/39a7931d78369bf09a76f4443ff0d7ab/tumblr_mxtvicoUdn1sh5qqjo2_1280.png There are dozens of quotes identical to, or in some variation of, that statement from the story group since 2012. There's no controversy to be had, the EU is not a part of The Lucas Story groups multi-media canon, it just isn't. People are welcome to draw inspiration from it, but no one is restricted by it. It doesn't matter if they're writing a script for a movie, show, game a new novel or a new comic book. The EU simply isn't canon. It used to be canon in a hierarchical sense, and was strictly applied to everything other than things Lucas had a heavy hand in, now it strictly applies to exactly nothing. I took issue with that parallel, until I realized I was the Archaeologist and he was the theologian. For me, the telling details is in how Lucas used to operate, namely enforcing continuity between EU projects, and how it is currently operating, namely not enforcing continuity between new multimedia projects and the EU. In particular, from what I understand writers regularly had to submit drafts to Lucas film, and have them evaluated to maintain consistency with the rest of the EU. With many projects going through dozens of drafts to maintain continuity. Now those writers won't be forced to maintain continuity with the EU, or to even learn about the EU. Basically everyone now has the same independence from EU continuity that Lucas had, only they won't necessarily know anything about the EU, where as Lucas did. It's inevitable in my eyes that a decent chunk is going to get overwritten. I'm also sure fans will incorporate details, and take inspiration from the EU, and i'm sure we'll see whole chunks incorporated, but this will have far reaching consequences.

I don't know really... I'm going to assume you mean to ask me; "How am I confused?". See you're not the only one who can be pedantic! Well obviously I mean to say you are confused, in so far as your understanding, at least as you outlined it above, contradicts my understanding, as I outlined above. I think that's kind of obvious, but what ever. Not really. The EU was painstakingly crafted by legions of authors, to ensure internal continuity, ergo the EU has a canon by definition. I think at least we agree here. According to various comments from the Lucas Film story group, going back over a year now, the only things that are being considered canon are the movies, TCW's, and all future media. This is what you apparently don't know, and it's this ignorance that's prevented you from understanding half of the comments on this thread. So if the EU has an internally consistent canon, but it's not a part of the new star wars canon, we have two separate canons. Ergo, the EU or "Legends" is essentially an alternate universe akin to what Marvel has done. This isn't the first alternate universe, "The Star Wars" follows a story relatively identical to original screenplay for A New hope, which is significantly different, this is but one example, and i'm sure this will continue. The difference of course being that the EU, or what I will describe as the legends verse, or the Golden Age star wars universe, rivals the size of the core universe. They may not expand the EU / Legends verse going forward, but that doesn't change the fact that this is essentially what it is. The simplest way to describe the situation is to say they've created a new canon, and isolated it from the EU. The EU still exists, it just exists in a complete bubble. No, it means it didn't happen IN THE NEW CANON, unless it otherwise reoccurs or is explicitly described in the canon materials of the story group approved canon. I.e So far the movies, and The Clone Wars. This, and this alone, represents the canon, until new media comes out. This has explicitly been stated dozens of times, by the story group. Like I mentioned in my first comment, the Lucas story group was referenced in the galactic star fighter expansion, and EA has a ten year deal with Disney, I wouldn't be surprised if EA moves to incorporate the entire back catalog of old republic era games into the new canon, perhaps through a anniversary release of Kotor 1&2. I also wouldn't be surprised if EU fans working on Star Wars, made a concerted effort to incorporate details, whole events, and stories, particularly if they don't contradict with their long term plans. The fact however is they're not holding ANY WRITER accountable to what was established in the EU, no one, because it's simply not canon in any sense of the word any more. Not even in the hierarchical sense it used to be considered canon. No one even has to read so much as a dossier on EU stories, characters, places, or events. It's something writers are free to draw inspiration from, and I know they will but no one is restricted by it at all, they don't even have to be exposed to it if they don't want to. Where as before Lucas was exclusively immune to the EU, but he had a role in governing some facts about the EU, and was at least inevitably exposed to it as a part of his job. I will again reiterate that I think this is over all a good thing, and that most of the good stuff will get a second life anyways. This will allow better long term story arc planning across multimedia projects, a canon that has a higher level of stability, a canon that pays higher dividends to people who pay attention, and it will enforce Q&A standards that Lucas Film couldn't enforce on the EU, particularly in the first twenty or so years. I think the closest parallel is the end of one Comic book age, and the start of a new one like in the case of Marvel. Writers will be reinvigorated with their new creative freedom, most of the good ideas and characters will find their way back in, usually with some kind of twist, and it will allow Star wars to stay with the times. My issue is merely in the description of the situation, namely that you don't understand what is and isn't canon today , and the other guy doesn't understand what used to be canon. I don't understand how I can debate two people who are wrong in precisely opposite ways. You two should debate each other directly until you can reconcile your opposing beliefs.

I wrote a huge comment, and somehow the page refreshed and lost it all. So i'll keep this short, unfortunately it's as unlikely to be as convincing, but what ever. Just to clarify, If I understand you correctly the dispute we are having is whether or not the EU was EVER canon, and whether or not the new situation is different in practice. The other guy who i'm debating seems to think the EU is STILL canon, but also contends the new situation is no different in practice. You're both wrong in exactly opposite ways, and hopefully I can prove that. Of course it was separated, hence the distinguishing moniker. The fact however is that the EU was canon until contradicted, where as now it's not canon at all. Lucas film reserved the right to overwrite old canon, and George Lucas himself reserved the right to just ignore it. You might say therefore the difference between what we have now, and what we had then is merely semantics. In many ways you're correct, but in at least two ways you are wrong, George Lucas was the only person unilaterally immune to the established continuity of the EU, and he was forced to be exposed to the EU as a part of his job, and it inevitably influenced his thinking and direction. Now every writer is immune to the EU, but every writer is subject to the new multi-media canon, and these writers have no responsibility to subject themselves to the EU at all. I know George Lucas knew who Revan was, I know this because some behind the scenes information on a season two episode of TCW's suggested he originally wanted Revan and Darth Bane to appear as force ghosts. So in other words, if George Lucas overwrote the EU, it was nine times out of ten an intentional creative decision. I can't necessarily say the same thing about the writer of the upcoming book, "The Sith Lords", JJ Abrahams, or any one else necessarily. The Story group is only enforcing the movies, TCW's, and upcoming media, everyone has EU immunity, and not all of these people are going to know anything about the EU, nor are they going to be forced to learn about non-canon content. They could overwrite really good parts of the EU, before it can be incorporated. You're absolutely correct when you suggest this is a good thing, especially in the long term, I think I alluded that I thought as much in my last post. It means going forward we'll have a stable canon, it means we'll have more Q&A, which the EU had little of especially in the first couple decades, and it means the new movies can surprise us. But it will have the consequence of lots of old content from the old canon being overwritten by the new canon, that is a fact. Lucas Film enforced continuity on the EU, they played an active role in the EU especially starting in 1999 after the Phantom Menace released, but even before hand. Often forcing writers of EU content to submit their works for approval from Lucas Film. If you dig up actually interviews of various projects you'll see writers often had to submit parts of their works to George directly, and if not to him to a Lucas Film executive. They often had to re write their stuff dozens of times to ensure it was up to Lucas film's standards, and that it was consistent with everything else. For example George Lucas told the writer of Darth Plagueis that the title character had to be human, but eventually told the writer he could be Bith. The writer had to frequently had to pivot from his original vision to stay within the framework previously established in the EU. When you start to dig up interviews from these projects you will realize literally everyone involved in the EU was lead to believe it was canon. You'll also see that starting in 2008, EU writers who were writing books that dealt with subject matter in TCW's were being consulted by , and were consulting with, Dave Filioni to ensure continuity, and of course we all know TCW's is considered canon. TCW's was held to the same standard as the EU, other than in situations stemming from George Lucas's involvement. So in other words there was a period, at least prior to Disney buying Lucas Film, where TCW's was relatively bound by EU continuity, just like EU material was bound by EU continuity. I.E the way I describe the former situation better describes reality in practice. Describing the situation as the EU having relative canon status, George Lucas having special veto powers, and immunity to established canon, which he was exposed to and relatively understood. I'll reiterate my point earlier that your quote actually explicitly describes Lucas film's efforts to incorporate the EU into a behind the scenes story bible.

The Mandalorian war, and the existence of an old republic was referenced by a death watch commander in season two. No. Before there was one story hierarchy, and the whole EU was canon, as long as it didn't contradict the higher echelon of the canon, namely the movies and later The Clone Wars. Where a contradiction arose, all of the bits and pieces of a work that contradicted new material were no longer part of the canon, but everything else was still part of that single canon. I.e something was safe unless contradicted. Now the movies, and The Clone Wars, are the only thing in their new canon, and the whole EU established before is part of the "legacy" Star Wars universe. Nothing in the legacy universe is part of the new canon, in any sense of the word. Nothing. It's possible that old stuff can get re-released and get approval from the Lucas story group, and it's possible that new stuff can integrate bits and pieces, or even whole chunks of old stuff, from the legacy universe, but until then none of it is part of the new canon. It doesn't matter if it doesn't contradict anything established, it isn't canon. You're really, really, confused. Like I said above the whole expanded universe is now a part of the "Legacy universe", where as the movies, The Clone Wars, and all future media are a part of a separate canon that doesn't include anything from the EU. That's this announcement in a nut shell. Where as before there was one canon, with a hierarchical arrangement, and a bunch of smaller peripheral works taking place in alternative universes, there are now essentially two large Star Wars universes. The first universe is the legacy universe, which includes the same hierarchical arrangement, and the same content as before, the second universe exclusively includes the movies, clone wars, and all future multimedia not under the Legacy name. The first of which will be Rebels this fall. Nothing in the EU, literally nothing, is canon in any sense, in the new canon. Not the Old Republic Era, not The Forced Unleashed, nothing post ROTJ, nothing before the Phantom Menace, and nothing in between. Only things shown, or explicitly talked about in the movies and TCW's is canon, nothing else. Everything in the new canon has to get approval from the Lucas story group, to ensure continuity, and to prevent contradictions, and from here on out the story group is working along side creators to help develop this coherent universe. This has actually been stated explicitly by the Lucas Story group many times in the past year and a half. It's just that this is the first time they put out a press release, and this is the first time we've heard anything about "Legacy". I really think it will end up playing out a lot like different Marvel universes. With similar characters, stories, and conflicts from the older universe getting incorporated, often with a little spin here and there. It shouldn't surprise any one that a lot of the people who care enough about Star Wars to make it into a career choice, love a lot of what the EU has to offer. So i'm sure they'll take a lot of inspiration from it, and incorporate ideas, characters, events and stories from it in the worst case scenario. Best case scenario? I noticed the Lucas Story group was referenced in materials for galactic star fighter, so it's possible that EA is making moves to integrate The Old Republic into the new canon. They probably knew about these plans before buying a ten year license for the use of video games, and they could easily release anniversary editions of Kotor 1&2 that get Lucas Story group approval.

Edit: Whoops I some how double posted

Honestly it's hard to see class stories being a productive use of their time going forward. It would be nice if they could tweak content here and there, to make the same content suit each class a little more closely. Add a little class specific content as dressing to new story content to give it that extra touch, but fleshed out class specific story arcs don't make sense to me.