Speculation based on EU

[Bromine]

First of all, I know that EU isn't canon, and GL can write whatever he wants, etc, etc. This is just for fun.

I noticed the following things were mentioned first in the Heir to the Empire, then in TPM. Whther GL told him to put these things in or what have you, doesn't really matter:

-The planet Coruscant
-Palpatine being a senator
-Jedi all wearing the same kind of robes
-The old Republic
-Some others I can't remember right now

So, considering these little tidbits were right, perhaps some of the information on the clone wars is correct, also? Most of the EU steers clear of anything relating to the prequels, but the trilogy mentions that clones had the habit of being insane and unstable. It also talks about "clonemasters". It will be interesting to see to what extent Episode II agrees with the Zahn trilogy, eh?

[Doc Milo]

I agree. It will be interesting to see how much of the "facts" about cloning from the Zahn trilogy comes to bear. Although, I kind of hope that it's revealed that the stormtrooper army from the original trilogy is actually a clone army, and that the clone wars are the way in which Palpatine destroyed the Republic and established the Empire.

I do, however, feel obligated to correct one thing from your post. That Palpatine was a Senator did not first appear in Heir to the Empire. It first appeared in the novelization of ANH, during the prologue, I believe.

Wasn't it in the Zahn trilogy that it mentioned the cave of the darkside on Dagobah was there as a result of Yoda defeating a Sith in that location? I wonder if that will be come to fruition in the next two episodes.

[Bromine]

Whoops, I stand corrected.

I was wondering about the Dark Side cave, too. It seems Zahn mentioned a lot of things that came close to the Prequel timeline, at least closer than the other EU. Episdoe 2 and 3 is either going to debunk his trilogy or prove it true.

[Doc Milo]

I'd like to see some things from the Zahn trilogy be true (and wasn't it rumored that Lucas had Zahn write the Specter of the Past/Vision of the Future duology to bring the EU back to some of the basics -- like a "correction" of the EU? And in those two books, the Yoda thing is mentioned again.)

But differences can debunk, but it can also be done in such a way where an explanation will exist. Like if Clones are stormtroopers (and Luke didn't feel anything different about stormtroopers like he did with the clone warriors in Zahn't trilogy) then it can be explained that Thrawn's cloning techniques were not as perfected as Palpatines...

It was the clones of the Jedi that turned insane, wasn't it, like Joruus C'boath? This could be incorporated into the trilogy, and be an explanation as to why the Jedi come up with a way to disappear on death. (I know, I brought this up before.)

But I think you're right. It will either incorporate or debunk. Just because it might be awkward to try to not do either.

[Allie Fox]

No offense to Bromine, but the only thing in your original post that is NOT confirmed as canon is number one; The Planet Coruscant.

As Doc Milo posted, Senator Palpatine and the Old Republic were mentioned prominantly in the Prologue to the original novelization.

As for the Jedi uniform...
that was confirmed at the end of Return of the Jedi as we see Yoda, Obi Wan and a redeemed Anakin all wearing the same dress.

[Bromine]

Okay, true enough. Although I still credit him with knowing the robes are all similar. But you're right, it could have been a lucky guess based on the end of ROTJ.

[Gurney Halleck]

The clones that went insane were the ones that were spawned too fast.

And, I'd take a lot of what's in the Heir to the Empire series pretty seriously. Because it was the first true authorized novelization, George Lucas worked pretty closly in conjuntion with Zahn while writing the novels. In fact, that's why it was rumored for a long time (ever since the series came out) that, once Lucas had made the prequals, he'd make a trilogy of sequels, which would be based on Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, and The Last Command, but GL said (I think it was in '96 or '97) that, after EP3, he wouldn't be making any more Star Wars movies.

[Bromine]

Yes, I also remember him saying that Episode 3 would be the last movie.

The Heir to the Empire Trilogy definitely has the ring of geniune SW. Few of the novels do. Most of the others I've read, like "Truce at Bakura" and "The Courtship of Princess Leia" don't really give you much insight into the SW universe. They take place on some planet you've never heard of anywhere else, and the enemies and secondary characters are never heard from again. I equate them with fanfic; nice little read, but just doesn't seem like SW.