well, good, because without the expanded universe we would still be playing Star Wars Arcade and there would be no chance for video games or even the prequels! How is the TIE Fighter a joke. It is a threat in numbers. One TIE Fighter against an X-Wing is toast but a two, three, a dozen against an X-Wing and that X-Wing will lose its shields quickly and end up equal if not at a disadvantage to the TIE Fighter. It has been a long time since I read the EU with the Empire and the Rebellion/Republic going at it. I read the Thrawn Trilogy in third grade, eight, nine years ago. I'm probably going to buy that trilogy for myself to keep and maybe even the comic book adaption. EU is the most mysterious part in Star Wars to me because there is so much, you actually feel like you're living in a vast galaxy and you don't know what is going on EVERYWHERE! Thanks Expanded Universe.