Well, that's not strictly true. Abrams and the Star Wars story team will be able to pick and choose elements from all across the Expanded Universe to include in the new movies as they see fit, but that doesn't mean any of it will actually see the light of day. What it does mean is that the Expanded Universe - that literary treasure trove of hundreds, if not thousands, of pre- and post-trilogy comics, novels games and stories - is no longer considered part of the Star Wars canon. That announcement hit a lot of fans hard, as it seemed to cement the supposition that Episode VII wasn't going to follow the story of the popular Heir To The Empire books by Timothy Zahn that followed Luke Skywalker and Han & Leia's kids in post-Jedi adventures, among other stories. No doubt Abrams and co. will have picked up anything they think can add or be of use to the story they're telling, but if their treatment of Michael Arndt is any indication then it's unlikely they'll be taking Episode VII in the direction many fans are hoping for. Which could be a good thing, except that...
