So, I thought for May the 4th I’d do a list of my Top Ten for non-movie Star Wars canon materials that I think are worth reading, watching, or playing to really help you delve a bit further into that more elegant time long ago, in a galaxy far, far away.

10. Kanan: The Last Padawan and Kanan: First Blood

Comic written by Greg Weisman, with art by Pepe Larraz, Jacopo Camagni, and Andrea Broccardo

One of the better limited run comics, Kanan, written by Greg Weisman, is an excellent offering that is tight, detailed, and impactful. Kanan Jarrus, the mentor in Star Wars: Rebels, is by far my favorite Jedi in the canon, and I think every aspect of his story is so meaningful and interesting in terms of what it shows us about the complicated relationship that a person can have with their faith. More than anyone else, I think Kanan’s story is one that is relevant to a person of faith who wishes to see the Force as a faith examined in a serious manner.

The comic shows us Kanan’s relationship with his Jedi Master, leading up to her death when Order 66 is enacted during one of his first war missions, and the aftermath where he tries to avoid the Clone army still programmed to kill him if they recognize him for what he truly is. We also flash forward to the time of Star Wars: Rebels, where he now takes in a padawan who was about the same age he was when his master died.

Additionally, the writing is top quality (as is to be expected from Weisman), the dialogue is funny, and character voices are distinct. The art is also consistent and high quality, which puts it ahead of the other shorter run comics that I also loved (such as Lando and Mace Windu).

9. A New Dawn

Novel by John Jackson Miller

Perhaps the most underrated of the Star Wars novels, this book is a strong offering that really nails the dynamic feeling and punchy dialogue that defines the universe. This novel tells the story of Kanan Jarrus as a padawan who has narrowly escaped being killed in Order 66 because his master died to save him.

Years later, as an adult, he carries the weight of her death and tries to escape both his past and his responsibility for the lives of others as much as he possibly can. Kanan drifts from one dingy, backwater planet to the next: taking dead end jobs, engaging in unfulfilling relationships, and drowning his sorrows in massive amounts of alcohol.

The novel is essentially about him waking up to the reality of what the Empire is doing and making a decision to take a stand against it after meeting Hera Syndulla, one of the most capable rebel leaders and talented pilots in the entire canon. The book also introduces a major Imperial player, Rae Sloane, who will go on to help found the First Order after the destruction of the Empire, early in her career.

Everyone in the book is interesting and entertaining, and most importantly the book moves and feels like Star Wars. If your favorite part of Star Wars was the combination of gripping action and fun, punchy dialogue, I think this book is definitely for you.

8. Doctor Aphra

Comic written by Kieron Gillen and Simon Spurrier, with rotating artists



For at least two years, Doctor Aphra was considered the gold standard for Star Wars long-running comics, and while I will admit I think it has recently been a bit weaker, the vast majority of the comic is absolutely amazing. It’s fun, funny, interesting, and the art is absolutely beautiful. It’s a quick read, as the comic is well paced, and we get to see a lot of details that the more war-focused narratives often don’t have time for.

Aphra herself was once in the employ of Darth Vader as basically an evil genius for hire who helped him locate ancient artifacts and other valuables. She’s half morally corrupt Indiana Jones, half mad scientist, but still not entirely evil. Always looking for money and riches, Aphra manages to frequently get herself ensnared in some pretty sticky situations that always prove entertaining.

The writing is clever and engaging, and the art is always top quality. Doctor Aphra is also the first (and only) Star Wars work to have a queer main character. I honestly think that it’s sort of a shame that it doesn’t get more press for this fact alone. It’s rare still for a queer character to be the lead on a major label comic book, and Doctor Aphra does a great job of not shying away from her sexuality and showing and developing her (incredibly complicated) romantic relationship with Magna Tolvan, the galaxy’s unluckiest Imperial officer.



So, if you’re looking for fun, adventure, and a hint of romance, as well as beautiful visuals and hilarious dialogue in space, Doctor Aphra is a great choice.

7. Lost Stars

Novel by Claudia Gray

Widely considered to be one of the best novels in the new canon, Lost Stars is a unique look at the original trilogy time period and the major events of the film. It is the story of two best friends from a small Outer Rim world who attend the Imperial Naval Academy on the capital planet of Coruscant. Readers watch as the two of them fall in love, then are torn apart when the events of Episode IV lead them to very different conclusions as to what side of the war they have to be on.

Throughout the Rebellion Era they encounter one another again and again, sometimes on the battlefield and other times in more intimate or personal settings, creating an incredibly compelling portrait of the degree to which love can overcome boundaries and differences.

The book’s greatest achievement, however, is in how it reframes the most epic events of the films by showing their impact on people far lower down in the power structure than we usually deal with. Ciena and Thane are normal people in a world that shifts dramatically and without warning at the whim of Sith, Jedi, Emperors, and Generals. And readers watch as these shifting tides tear the life they had hoped to share apart.

For anyone interested in looking at the adventures of the original films through a whole new lens, I would definitely recommend this book.

6. The Clone Wars

TV Series created by Dave Filoni

Now, I know what you’re thinking. “Isn’t that set during the terrible prequels? Are you trying to force me to care about the boring space politics in those awful movies?” And the answer to those questions is “yes” and “space politics aren’t boring, they only seem that way because the prequels were terrible.”

I’ll go ahead and confess that I am a sucker for political intrigue, but, on the flip side, nothing makes me angrier than when I see it poorly executed. Frankly, there’s no excuse for it. If you can base a battle off of tactics from any war throughout history, certainly the rest of human history has had enough intriguing political dramas for you to slightly mask and throw into your story. As a result, I love the setting of the prequel movies, but hate their execution.

In Clone Wars, however, creator Dave Filoni (also the showrunner for Rebels and the director of the first episode of the upcoming live action show The Mandalorian) manages to deliver on a lot of the potential of the prequels without making whole arcs or characters utterly intolerable.

The writing for this show is solid, and with good reason. In addition to Filoni’s incredible work, beloved comic writers such as Paul Dini and Greg Weisman worked on this show, as well as many other talented writers who came together to expand this era of Star Wars history in a way that was not only watchable, but enjoyable.

Honestly, I love this show, and it was difficult for me not to give it a higher spot, but it has a few undeniable flaws that force me to place it further down the list: variable quality in terms of both writing and animation in the early seasons, and the overall show not being quite finished. But, perhaps, most unforgivably, some episodes are out of chronological order with no warning whatsoever for a new viewer, which in the most extreme cases makes it seem as if some characters come back from the dead. While I don’t blame these issues on the creators, I do think they can take away from the enjoyability of the show, particularly for people who are breaking into the extended canon for the first time.

Clone Wars also features the first major female character to wield a lightsaber. Ahsoka Tano, Anakin’s padawan (yeah, they gave him a padawan), is one of the most beloved characters in the entire extended canon and with good reason. She’s smart, capable, and has a ton of agency.

The show also makes Anakin and Padme’s relationship actually romantic, instead of just uncomfortable. You actually get to see them at their best, without the show glossing over the tensions that will eventually lead to the relationship’s destruction.

Clone Wars is also a sort of baseline for more hardcore fans. It’s considered the thing you have to have seen if you’re “really” into Star Wars. And while I don’t know how I feel about that whole attitude, I do think that Clone Wars is a solid offering, and if you want to know more about the prequel setting, without having to sit down and rewatch those movies, then this show is definitely for you.

5. Darth Vader (2017)

Comic written by Chuck Soule, with art by Giuseppe Camuncoli

Consistently polling as the most popular villain of all time along with the Joker, Darth Vader is one of the most captivating elements of the Star Wars narrative, and no list of top extended canon media would be complete without a work focusing exclusively on the iconic Dark Lord.

Written by the phenomenally talented Chuck Soule, this in-depth view of the first years of Vader’s life as a Sith Lord is an absolute masterpiece. The comic begins with Vader waking up after Padme’s death and fully realizing what he’s become, and it chronicles his journey into the Dark Side. We see Vader forced to confront the degree to which he misunderstood his relationships with the people around him as Anakin Skywalker and how he chooses to move forward as Darth Vader. This comic has one of my favorite Vader scenes of all time, where, while making his new, red lightsaber, he has a vision of a way he can repent for what he has done and choose to sacrifice himself for the greater good. A Light Side temptation vision, to mirror the Dark Side temptation visions that we see the Jedi experience. It was the sort of thing I had hoped to see Kylo Ren experience in Episode VIII, and I found it incredibly interesting.

The comic also goes a long way in showing the lengths the Empire goes to in order to wipe out the last of the Jedi. Antagonists in this comic are a complex subject; they range from criminals, to hold-out Jedi deeply twisted by the destruction of the Jedi Order, to other Imperials and, in some respects, Palpatine himself. The comic solidifies Vader and Palpatine’s relationship as one of disappointment, mistrust, and silent contempt—all only thinly veiled by a facade of fealty and adherence to Dark Side ideology.

The comic also develops the Grand Inquisitor and the Inquisitorius, which feature in the first two seasons of Star Wars: Rebels and will play a major role in the upcoming game Fallen Order. So, if you want something that will help you to prepare for the game’s release, this comic is your go-to. And even if you don’t, for any fans of Darth Vader this book is definitely a must-read.

4. Captain Phasma and Phasma

Comic written by Kelly Thompson, art by Marco Checchetto and Andres Mossa

And novel by Delilah S. Dawson

I’ve stated before that I think Captain Phasma is the best overall comic offering that Star Wars has. Its combat sequences are unbeatable, and the paneling is incredibly creative. The art itself is absolutely stunning, and the plot gives you a terrifying glimpse into the mind of one of the franchise’s most capable, intelligent, and twisted antagonists.

While I think the Phasma novel is not quite as strong as a single offering, the two pieces work together to paint a strong and compelling portrait of such an iconic and unique (if woefully underutilized) character that I forgive it for that. I also think that the comic is so spectacular that it would be difficult for any book to really equal it.

What I like about the novel and the comic is that they expand Phasma in a way that is unexpected and deeply compelling. If you didn’t know, Captain Phasma is actually deeply crazy. Underneath all of that control and training is someone who is basically one bad day away from becoming a Batman villain. And it’s rare to see that sort of insanity on a female character that isn’t in any way bound up around a man or men in general.

It’s also absolutely fascinating to watch. Understanding Phasma’s actions and words through the lens of her pathological behavioral patterns gives so much depth to the character and adds an incredible tension to her scenes in other works. These two things combine to make such an interesting and unexpected character study that I think anyone who enjoyed any part of the new trilogy or its setting should definitely take the time to read them.

3. Battlefront II – Campaign

Video Game created by EA Games

Battlefront II was hammered by gamers for almost implementing a “pay to play” system, and while I think EA Games deserved that backlash, that doesn’t change the fact that the Campaign Mode story was one of the most compelling and interesting Star Wars narratives to come out of Disney’s work on the franchise. Iden Versio is a great character, and how many first person shooters have main characters that are women of color? Few. And none have you playing women of color who are in their sixties, as you do in the second half of the campaign.

I also think that the time period of the game (immediately after the fall of the Empire) is a really excellent one to explore, and the game does a phenomenal job of that. I also think my favorite canon Kylo Ren scene is his appearance in this game. We get to see him actually being a villain without constantly being reminded that he’s Han and Leia’s kid. For once he’s his own person and not just his relationships to people from a previous franchise, which I appreciate (even though the person he chooses to be is terrible).

The game is also absolutely gorgeous, and players get to see beautiful details of the Star Wars universe that are incredibly realistic, while not being bound by the limitations of a film’s CGI capabilities or special effects budget. The game is definitely worth playing (or at least watching a Let’s Play of) if you’re looking for a compelling and interesting new Star Wars narrative in an absolutely gorgeous visual setting.

2. Star Wars: Rebels

TV Series created by Dave Filoni and Greg Weisman

I had a very hard time placing this in the second spot in spite of its ending’s rather gaping flaws, but ultimately decided that it deserved to be here due to the show’s overwhelming good qualities and by virtue of it being one of the few longer EU works that actually managed to end (somewhat) conclusively, and also due to its incredibly diverse group of characters and phenomenally talented cast of voice actors.

For all of you comic fans, the show’s first season (and overall character and cast design) were written and run by Greg Weisman, the creator of Young Justice. If you enjoy Young Justice and Star Wars there is no reason not to give this show a chance. Alternately, if you enjoyed Clone Wars, this show continues the plot lines of many characters from that show without making their appearance too confusing for new viewers.

I don’t think there was a single major character in the show who I didn’t like. Ezra, Sabine, Kanan, Hera, Zeb, Kallus, The Grand Inquisitor, Minister Tua, Thrawn, and Pryce are honestly all probably on my top twenty overall Star Wars favorite character list. And the show also says some of the most compelling and interesting things about the Force and even war in general in the entire canon.

The only thing that keeps it from being my number one pick is that it utterly fails to stick the landing. The ending is not satisfying for basically any major, surviving character’s plot. And the whole dumpster fire is underscored by an egregious number of plot devices and a total lack of explanation on what is happening on the Imperial side in terms of decision making.

That being said, the show is over forty episodes long, and I can honestly say there is only one episode outside of the final three that I didn’t deeply enjoy and rewatch countless times. The show also features the best book tie-ins (both Thrawn and A New Dawn tie directly to the show, though watching it is not necessary to read them). The show is incredibly fun to watch, and the voice acting, which includes major characters voiced by Freddie Prinze Jr., Jason Isaacs, and Lars Mikkelsen, probably ranks among the best of any animated show made in the United States in the last ten years.

Also, given its many excellent tie-ins and their connections to other works, it serves as an ideal gateway for people who want to delve further into the canon by acting as the perfect first steps down that path. I highly recommend it for anyone who loves Star Wars and wants more.

1. Thrawn

Novel by Timothy Zahn

This is probably one of my favorite novels I’ve read that was written in the last five years, period. It’s a great exercise in perspective and minimalist writing, in addition to probably being the best novel in the Star Wars canon. Not only is it a fantastic re-introduction for an old EU character (Grand Admiral Thrawn), it also shines because a full third of the novel is in the perspective of Governor Pryce, who is by far one of the best characters to come out Disney’s work on the franchise.

The book is, in essence, about two characters who are geniuses within their own fields (tactics for Thrawn and politics for Pryce) but have no meaningful clout in the Empire, and how they ruthlessly work their way up the ladder to positions of power, in part by slowly building a powerful alliance with one another.

The book manages to show readers some of the more insidious political and social mechanisms within the Empire without getting too bogged down in unnecessary details. I also think it has some of the best written political intrigue I’ve seen in anything recently. Leagues better than Game of Thrones, beating out DC’s recent Aquaman movie, and even managing to just outdo the latter two seasons of Young Justice. The plot is complex, but not cluttered, basically giving readers back what they put into it in terms of analysis and detail. It’s a very rewarding book, and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys Star Wars and wants to read something of incredibly high quality set in that universe.

As a warning, the comic adaptation is not a substitute for the novel by any stretch. It seems to exist only to give visuals to go along with the book, as some major plot points are dropped or glossed over in ways that I think damage the narrative beyond repair. Still, if you have read the book, I would suggest looking at the comic, if only to see some of the most entertaining scenes in visual form.