Ideas and elements that appeared surprisingly late

[Yora]

Sorry, can't think of a snappy title that is also a clever reference.

A couple of weeks ago I was wondering when the second character with the name Darth was created. And after some searching and notes comparing, I was surprised that it appears to have been Darth Maul in Episode 1 in 1999. Before that there was just Darth Vader with no indication that it was a title.

Now Falconer dug up two EU timelines from the mid 90s. Neither of which is using the BBY/ABY accounting system that has been the standard for seemingly ages.

Jul 19, 2018 13:41:36 GMT -6 Falconer said:

Nor even is the Battle of Yavin a universally-agreed-upon Year Zero! The BBY/ABY nomenclature was established in 1998’s Encyclopedia as far as I can discern.

I always find these things hugely fascinating. Does anyone else know of things that have long been well established standards but where actually created (or first entered the public) relarively recently?

There's one thing already that I am curious about. Since when does the Emperor have a name?

[finarvyn]

I think that the first time that the Emperor's name was established in the first Star Wars novelization from 1976. At that point there was no indication that he was a force-user or particularly evil.

From the prologue to the book:

ANOTHER galaxy, another time.

The Old Republic was the Republic of legend, greater than distance or time. No need to note where it was or whence it came, only to know that... it was the Republic.

Once, under the wise rule of the Senate and the protection of the Jedi Knights, the Republic throve and grew. But as often happens when wealth and power pass beyond the admirable and attain the awesome, then appear those evil ones who have greed to match.

So it was with the Republic at its height. Like the greatest of trees, able to withstand any external attack, the Republic rotted from within though the danger was not visible from outside.

Aided and abetted by restless, power--hungry individuals within the government, and the massive organs of commerce, the ambitious Senator Palpatine caused himself to be elected President of the Republic. He promised to reunite the disaffected among the people and to restore the remembered glory of the Republic.

Once secure in office he declared himself Emperor, shutting himself away from the populace. Soon he was controlled by the very assistants and boot--lickers he had appointed to high office, and the cries of the people for justice did not reach his ears.

Having exterminated through treachery and deception the Jedi Knights, guardians of justice in the galaxy, the Imperial governors and bureaucrats prepared to institute a reign of terror among the disheartened worlds of the galaxy. Many used the imperial forces and the name of the increasingly isolated Emperor to further their own personal ambitions.

But a small number of systems rebelled at these new outrages. Declaring themselves opposed to the New Order they began the great battle to restore the Old Republic.

From the beginning they were vastly outnumbered by the systems held in thrall by the Emperor. In those first dark days it seemed certain the bright flame of resistance would be extinguished before it could cast the light of new truth across a galaxy of oppressed and beaten peoples...
---- From the First Saga Journal of the Whills

"They were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Naturally they became heroes."
---- Leia Organa of Alderaan, Senator

[Falconer]

Yeah, Palpatine is literally the second name ever to be revealed in Star Wars. (The first is Luke Skywalker, from the book’s subtitle, of course!)

Let’s see… Zahn pioneered a lot of stuff in his Trilogy, like what Clones actually were, and the fact that lightsabers can block lightning.

Lots of stuff was “revealed” in the Prequels, especially Jedi lore, like the term Padawan, and the previously-mentioned “Jedi robes,” and Jedi celibacy, and Palpatine and Yoda using lightsabers. Republic Chancellor instead of President. Before the Prequels, the Clone Wars were said to have wrapped up decades before Palpatine’s rise to power and Anakin Skywalker’s fall to evil; and the clones were the threat to — not the defenders of — the Republic.