Star Wars - Fan Fic recs - Legends & Canon Crossover
I understand why Disney had to get rid of the old Expanded Universe, I do. It was swimming with complicated backstories and trying to keep it all straight would have been too much of a headache. Starting off afresh lets them cherry-pick the best aspects and ditch the rest.
That said, I loved the old EU. It was a fixture of my childhood and it was horribly sad to see it go. So I love it when fics pay homage to that.
The Ghosts of Never by Orange_Clown - Sometimes they see someone who isn't there.
This perfectly encompasses my feelings about the new Star Wars. It hurts in just the right way to glimpse what could have been, even more to see the same patterns emerge, and yet the future is still hopeful and shiny-new.
(Implied het, One-Shot, Complete)
Round and Round by Orange_Clown - The story just keeps getting told.
Very meta. Not for anyone who doesn't know both EU and the new canon.
They Haunt Us Still by Sabrina - Anakin Solo wakes up in a galaxy that doesn't recognise him and a place that isn't quite home.
This is an amazing fic that posits the EU and Legends are simply alternate universes; different branches of the same tree. I was very interested in the idea that canon!Leia had Ben too early, before she'd come to terms with her heritage, while EU!Leia waited until several years later, which created a more positive relationship with her children. It's not the original turning point - from the sounds of it there are several - but it creates an interesting dynamic with Anakin Solo. Also, it was just great to see an EU character that died too soon given his chance to shine.
(Mostly gen, Complete with two sequels)
Meet the Replacements by UnknownUnseenUnheard - EU characters meet their Episode VII counterparts. No one is pleased.
Parody. Very funny, but only for people who know both EU and canon.
The Adventures of Ben and Ben by catie_writes_things - Ben Solo gets into trouble with his cousin, Ben Skywalker.
In the words of the author - "In a happy AU where everyone exists and no one is evil". Very sweet; just what I needed after Orange_Clown's work.