Star Wars Gets Its First Canonical LGBT Character

[Fanghawk]

Star Wars Gets Its First Canonical LGBT Character

Star Wars: Lords of the Sith introduces the first canonical lesbian character of the new EU - and one of the few LGBT characers ever in the franchise.

For all of their massive galaxies, many science-fiction universes aren't as diverse as you'd think. Star Wars is a great example - for decades the galaxy far, far away <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/moviesandtv/reviews/12855-Star-Wars-Rebels-Review-Episode-10-Idiot-s-Array>only had one black guy, and people were still shaking their heads <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/138826-Star-Wars-Episode-VIIs-Black-Stormtrooper-Addresses-Criticism>at the thought of a second wearing Stormtrooper armor. But the new Star Wars expanded universe is nipping that in the bud right away with an Imperial Moff who also happens to be a lesbian - making her the first official LGBT character in the new Star Wars canon.

"It's not something I really think about, it just makes sense," editor Shelly Shapiro said while discussing <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/134042-Lucasfilm-Unveils-First-New-EU-Star-Wars-Novels>the upcoming Lords of the Sith novel. "There should be diversity in Star Wars. You have all these different species and it would be silly to not also recognize that there's a lot of diversity in humans. If there's any message at all, it's simply that Star Wars is as diverse - or more so because they have alien species - as humanity is in real life and we don't want to pretend it's not. It just felt perfectly natural."

The character - Moff Mors - is an Imperial officer who made "very serious mistakes" but is working hard to prevent complete disaster. She also just happens to be a lesbian, which from all descriptions seems to be a minor aspect of her character - at least in terms of what the reader is exposed to.

To be clear, this isn't the first-ever LGBT character in Star Wars history. "There was a gay Mandalorian couple, so it's not brand new," Shapiro said, acnkowledging a reference in the Legacy of the Force novels. Juhani from Knights of the Old Republic was also a lesbian, although interactions with female players were pretty minor compared to say, Mass Effect.

That all said, even if those characters weren't relegated to non-canon, they're still remarkably light for forty years of Star Wars history. Introducing these personalities - within one of the EU launch novels no less - may be an indicator that Lucasfilm won't ignore the perspective any longer. Star Wars: Lords of the Sith launches on April 28.

Source: <a href=http://fullofsith.com/archives/1328>Full of Sith, via <a href=http://www.polygon.com/2015/3/9/8174063/star-wars-lgbt-moff-mors-lords-sith>Polygon

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[Baresark]

All I have to say it... I just assumed that there were situations for all tastes in the wide unexplored Star Wars Universe... so duh... I guess... that there would be LGBT people in the universe.

 

[Ragsnstitches]

Great. If they are making this as something of an importance, than the film is even more shittier than I imagined.
It's despicable - to use gay characters as a universal shield against all problems and canon raping that this film will produce.
Urgh.

Calm down there sparky. This is for a novel called "Lords of the Sith", not for the movie "The Force Awakens".

"canon raping"... keep it classy.

 

[Erttheking]

This is pretty darn cool. I just pray that we can keep our heads about this. Right guys?...right?

 

[Arnoxthe1]

Lesbian... How did I know? Not gay or trans or anything. Lesbian. Most likely a hot lesbi- Seriously, is this really any better? No, I actually think it's worse. 'Cause now they've needlessly drawn attention to the issue in the series when there really wasn't any before and also decided to fulfill some stupid fanservice at the same time. >_<

Now, to be fair, the Star Wars trilogy 4-6 had a fair bit of fanservice in them as well but that was during a time when things were different.

 

[Ukomba]

I'm not going to be buying it. Also, the fact that this is considered news worth is irritating, so is the headline.

 

[thewatergamer]

Chee another incredibly clickbaity title to something that isn't really news... I thought you were moving away from this Escapist?

Oh well my thoughts? Who cares, everyone and their dog is doing this now to promote "equality" I just hope she isn't a terribly written character, shoehorned in for "Political Correctness"

 

[Eclipse Dragon]

This is pretty darn cool.

She also just happens to be a lesbian, which from all descriptions this seems to be a minor aspect of her character - at least in terms of what the reader is exposed to.

Also sounds like a pretty tasteful way to go about it. I think it's silly when stories that are supposed to be set in the distant future make a big deal (in universe) about LGBT characters. It's a hot subject now, but I would hope it wouldn't be by that time.

 

[Azex]

Im pretty sure that Mandolorian girl from Rebels is Lesbian

 

[Thaluikhain]

No, not diversity in Star Wars. Everyone totally lose their minds and/or claim that there is nothing newsworthy about this.

 

[SinisterDeath]

Moff Mors... Mor Muff? No one else caught that?

 

[PsychicTaco115]

I would have preferred to find out through, you know, actually reading the story and being surprised?

It's good news but things like this just kind of make me roll my eyes at how they announce it

TL;DR = More LGBT characters good, announcing before book is out bad

 

[Gamer87]

Yay! One more besides Juhani... There's still a statistically ridiculous absence of LGBT characters in that universe. I guess the Force makes everyone super straight.

 

[Lucane]

This is pretty darn cool.

She also just happens to be a lesbian, which from all descriptions this seems to be a minor aspect of her character - at least in terms of what the reader is exposed to.

Also sounds like a pretty tasteful way to go about it. I think it's silly when stories that are supposed to be set in the distant future make a big deal (in universe) about LGBT characters. It's a hot subject now, but I would hope it wouldn't be by that time.

Not to be a jerk about it but...

(A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away...)

Seems like a show-offish thing to do if the issue hasn't come out yet to explain before that she's the first canonical LGBT not that I'm upset about them announcing her like this.

 

[Barbas]

Also sounds like a pretty tasteful way to go about it.

Are you implying that lesbians and tasteful aren't synonymous, Eclipse? There are some excellent statues and paintings in Europe that would conflict with that assertion. :I

Well, if people were cool with Luke having a crush on his sister, I think it'd be a little weird if the same people were complaining about this.

 

[ObsidianJones_v1legacy]

Lesbian... How did I know? Not gay or trans or anything. Lesbian. Most likely a hot lesbi- Seriously, is this really any better? No, I actually think it's worse. 'Cause now they've needlessly drawn attention to the issue in the series when there really wasn't any before and also decided to fulfill some stupid fanservice at the same time. >_<

Now, to be fair, the Star Wars trilogy 4-6 had a fair bit of fanservice in them as well but that was during a time when things were different.

I'm a bit with you. While Lesbians who had struggles coming out to their family won't share this view... Lesbians are the 'safe' of the LBGT community. They are the acceptable 'fetish' of straight community. People might still cringe or get revolted if they see two dudes kiss. But two women is hot for a person who likes women or somewhat acceptable because even straight women kiss if you're not into women.

 

[Lucane]

Yay! One more besides Juhani... There's still a statistically ridiculous absence of LGBT characters in that universe. I guess the Force makes everyone super straight.

Well Jedi aren't meant to be in romantic relationships so that's a small part of the community that cant openly declare interest gay, straight or otherwise while Sith follow no such restrictions though I never recall a Sith going on a date either. Although they are saying this is the first Canonical character so it's a moot point I guess to say the universe prior mostly followed the actions of Religious celibate warriors priests roughly.

Edit/Spoiler:

Spoiler

Anakin Skywalker being an exception of course.

 

[SNCommand]

I'm fairly sure Old Republic has been recently stuffed with same sex romances, so the validity of the article hinges on if you deem the Old Republic storyline as canon

 

[Callate]

Y'know... I don't have any issues with an LGBT character (or three) in the Star Wars universe. People want someone they can identify with, it makes a world with stronger parallels to our own, and so on.

But I have to say it seems oddly... Inapt? Narrow?... To suggest there's a "lack of diversity" in a world that has prominently featured giant sentient slug crime lords, commanding officers who look like fish, a first mate/pilot who looks like a giant dog, people with tentacles coming out of their heads, etc.

To say something doesn't reflect the kind of characters you would like to see doesn't necessarily equate to it not being diverse, except in a very particular and specific mis-definition of the term "diverse".