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Well, I've posted too much on it, but suffice it to say I fall in the group you mention in thinking it shouldn't exist no matter what it's quality. I never got up in arms about the EU books because it was clear they weren't full canon (I read a handful taking them as kind of "what if" novels).
And I agree that TFA didn't technically retcon Star Wars, but for 32 years I was allowed to have my happy ending where the Empire was destroyed forever, the Sith were vanquished (the prequels also leading me to believe this was a final balancing of the force) and Han and Leia live happily ever after together. Not everyone took that view of RotJ (despite it seeming to be reinforced by the anniversary additions and the prophecies of the preqs), but that's OK. At least it was a valid interpretation for 30+ years until Abrams and Mickey decided to go back to four-year-old happy me and kick me down because now it's canon that none of those things happened (even if they might later).
And to me, the story wasn't about the Skywalker clan per se. It was about the rise, fall, and partial redemption (in movie terms)--through his son's efforts--of Anakin Skywalker. It was as much done, closed story as Hamlet, Moby-dick, or Casablanca.
I'm not so much angry about it as I am saddened.
And I agree that TFA didn't technically retcon Star Wars, but for 32 years I was allowed to have my happy ending where the Empire was destroyed forever, the Sith were vanquished (the prequels also leading me to believe this was a final balancing of the force) and Han and Leia live happily ever after together. Not everyone took that view of RotJ (despite it seeming to be reinforced by the anniversary additions and the prophecies of the preqs), but that's OK. At least it was a valid interpretation for 30+ years until Abrams and Mickey decided to go back to four-year-old happy me and kick me down because now it's canon that none of those things happened (even if they might later).
And to me, the story wasn't about the Skywalker clan per se. It was about the rise, fall, and partial redemption (in movie terms)--through his son's efforts--of Anakin Skywalker. It was as much done, closed story as Hamlet, Moby-dick, or Casablanca.
I'm not so much angry about it as I am saddened.
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