Follow TV Tropes

Following

Context Main / ExpandedUniverse

Go To

1[[quoteright:350:[[Franchise/StarWarsLegends https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Galaxy3_5989.jpg]]]]
2[[caption-width-right:350:The movies may show you [[TheLawOfConservationOfDetail only a few dozen planets]]; but the [[Franchise/StarWars galaxy far, far away]] is in fact a [[https://web.archive.org/web/20200813150950/http://starwarsrpg.pettycomp.net/Images/galactic-map.jpg pretty large place]].]]
3
4TheVerse may branch out across different media as the {{fandom}} demands. There may be comic books, tie-in novels, movies, novelizations, {{video game}}s, etc. Sometimes the TV show is itself a branching-out of a [[TheVerse 'verse]] that originated in another form (such as comics, as in the Franchise/MarvelUniverse or Franchise/TheDCU).
5
6Expanded Universe refers to everything that is not the primary medium. All that other stuff.
7
8This can create a schism in fans. Some believe the entire Expanded Universe is {{canon}}. Others reject it all. Others pick and choose based on closeness to the writers of the primary medium. Expanded Universe material is usually written so that it can be fit in to the canon without having to alter the canon itself. However, later developments in the actual series can make it definitively out-of-{{continuity}}, especially when the main series decides to explain a mystery (such as a character's future) in a way that contradicts the Expanded Universe.
9
10Even if it isn't canon, the Expanded Universe often serves as a place to apply {{handwav|e}}ium to the canon through {{retcon}}s; this may verge on professional-grade FanWank.
11
12The term in fiction dates back to a collection of Creator/RobertHeinlein stories, but its use to refer to material for a franchise beyond its source came from ''Franchise/StarWars'', which has an extensive Expanded Universe covering events before, during, and after the films. The Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse even has its own page.
13
14Note: the "primary medium" is usually the original one, but not always. For instance, few would dispute that the primary medium of the Franchise/{{Buffyverse}} is the [[Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer 1997 TV show]], not the [[Film/BuffyTheVampireSlayer 1992 movie]] (which is only canon for the television series in the form of its altered comic book adaptation, which is based off of Creator/JossWhedon's original script for it).
15
16After a show's cancellation or end, the Expanded Universe may become the only place to get new material involving TheVerse (outside of FanFic, of course), continuing the canon in the minds of the readers/viewers. However, if a show is later [[UnCanceled brought back]], this "new canon" [[CanonMarchesOn may be cancelled out]], creating yet more conflict.
17
18Sometimes [[CanonForeigner a character from the Expanded Universe]] is so popular (or just so good) that they get put into the official {{continuity}} of the original medium. This character is known as a CanonImmigrant. If elements from the EU are well-received enough, they may be permanently integrated, [[{{Revision}} revising]] or [[{{Rewrite}} rewriting]] the official continuity resulting in a RetCanon.
19
20Compare AdaptationExpansion, which concerns never-before-seen developments of certain aspects in a ''retelling'' of one specific work or set of works in a franchise when they're adapted into another medium. See also RestrictedExpandedUniverse, when the original creators put constraints on how official, derivative works can develop.
21
22Because of AcronymConfusion, please do not abbreviate it to EU, which can also stand for UsefulNotes/TheEuropeanUnion.
23
24See also {{sequel}}s, {{prequel}}s, {{interquel}}s and {{spin|off}}-offs for works that share same {{continuity}} ''and'' the same medium as the primary work (i.e. a VideoGame with a {{prequel}} game, or an {{anime}} series that spins off another series).
25
26Sometimes, the expanded universe will be published in TelevisionTieInMagazines.
27----
28!!Examples:
29[[index]]
30* Franchise/BattleTechExpandedUniverse
31* Franchise/CompilationOfFinalFantasyVII
32* Franchise/DoctorWhoExpandedUniverse
33* Franchise/GundamExpandedUniverse
34** Franchise/SDGundam
35* Franchise/MacrossExpandedUniverse
36* Franchise/OverwatchExpandedUniverse
37* Franchise/StarTrekExpandedUniverse
38* Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse -- Page for the new ''Star Wars'' EU.
39* Franchise/StarWarsLegends -- Page for the old ''Star Wars'' EU.
40* Franchise/WarcraftExpandedUniverse
41* Franchise/Warhammer40000ExpandedUniverse
42[[/index]]
43
44[[foldercontrol]]
45
46[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
47* One might consider ''Manga/DrSlump'' and ''Manga/DragonBall'' (and [[Anime/DragonBallZ its]] [[Anime/DragonBallSuper sequels]]) to be set in a single universe, as Arale and some characters from the former appear in the latter, actively helping the hero. Add to this ''Manga/JacoTheGalacticPatrolman'' which is [[spoiler:a direct {{prequel}} to ''Dragon Ball'']], the LooseCanon movies and games and the [[CanonDiscontinuity now-retconned]] ''[[Anime/DragonBallGT GT]]'' and you have a pretty solid expanded universe.
48* There are select fans of ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' that consider the databooks as Expanded Universe. Following the manga's conclusion, [[Literature/NarutoHiden a series of spin-off novels]] is being released, [[Literature/KakashiHidenLightningInTheIcySky the first of which]] focuses on Kakashi's life [[spoiler:between the war's end and his becoming the Sixth Hokage.]]
49* ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'', as a [[LongRunners 40-year franchise]], has '''lots''' of manga, novels, {{video game}}s, etc., including such popular titles as ''[[Manga/MobileSuitCrossboneGundam Crossbone Gundam]]'' and ''[[Manga/MobileSuitGundamSeedAstray Gundam SEED Astray]]''. Hell, it even spawned a sub-franchise that's its own example of this, ''Franchise/SDGundam'', which has had numerous Manga, Model lines, Gashapon toys, Cardass, and even some Anime of its own. [[WordOfGod According to]] Creator/{{Sunrise}}, only animated works are considered {{canon}}, meaning that everything in the Expanded Universe isn't, no matter how closely it cleaves to {{continuity}} (and, in the case of ''Crossbone'', in spite of the fact that it was written by [[Creator/YoshiyukiTomino the creator of the franchise himself]]).
50* Light novels are this for many anime shows, telling original stories that are sometimes adapted as ''filler''.
51* Many of Creator/{{CLAMP}}'s works are set in a single universe, ''Manga/XxxHolic'' being the central hub where many other characters cameo and taking place at the same time that ''Manga/TsubasaReservoirChronicle'' ; the two series are regularly referencing each other (for exemple, the same conversation can sometime be seen with a different point of view). ''Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle'' also introduces TheMultiverse concept when the protagonists meet [[AlternateSelf characters]] from other CLAMP works in {{alternate universe}}s (such as an organic Manga/{{Ch|obits}}ii, a princess [[Manga/CardcaptorSakura Tomoyo]] or a happy couple [[Manga/{{X 1999}} Sorata & Arashi]]), potentially meaning that all CLAMP mangas are in the same multiverse.
52** It is also highly suggested that ''Manga/{{Chobits}}'' [[spoiler:takes place several years after ''Manga/AngelicLayer'']] (but again, this could just be a multiverse cameo).
53** Many characters in ''Manga/{{Kobato}}'' also are AlternateSelf of other CLAMP works.
54* ''Franchise/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' has developed a sizable one. In addition to [[Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica the original anime]] and its movie sequel ''[[Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagicaTheMovieRebellion The Rebellion Story]]'', there are the manga {{Spin|Off}}-Offs ''Manga/PuellaMagiKazumiMagica'', ''Manga/PuellaMagiOrikoMagica'', ''Manga/PuellaMagiSuzuneMagica'', ''Manga/PuellaMagiTartMagica'', the spinoffs ''for'' each of these spinoffs, a [[VideoGame/PuellaMagiMadokaMagicaPortable video game adaptation]] which functions as [[AllThereInTheManual the manual]] for the franchise, the prequel "A Different Story", and countless minor features that only hardcore fans would be aware of.
55* The ''TabletopGame/{{Robotech}}'' RPG by Creator/PalladiumBooks significantly expands on the setting from the show, in particular the era directly following the First Robotech War.
56[[/folder]]
57
58[[folder:Comic Books]]
59* ''ComicBook/TheWalkingDead'' has three {{prequel}} novels ([[Literature/TheWalkingDeadRiseOfTheGovernor Rise of the Governor]], [[Literature/TheWalkingDeadTheRoadToWoodbury The Road to Woodbury]], and [[Literature/TheWalkingDeadFallOfTheGovernor The Fall of the Governor]]) and an [[VideoGame/TheWalkingDead episodic adventure video game]] with two seasons by Creator/TelltaleGames that are all set in the same universe as the comic book.
60* Most of Creator/AndreFranquin's works are presumably set in the same universe. The Franchise/{{Marsupilami}} debuted in a ''ComicBook/SpirouAndFantasio'' comic (''Spirou et les héritiers'') and followed the heroes in some other adventures, eventually getting [[ComicBook/{{Marsupilami}} his own series]] (actually following the adventures of another Marsupilami, brother of the first one). ''ComicBook/GastonLagaffe'' could [[LooseCanon arguably]] fits in that universe because of the presence of Fantasio in the first volumes, though they work for ''Magazine/{{Spirou}}'', [[RecursiveCanon the magazine in which Franquin's works are first published]]. ''ComicBook/LePetitSpirou'' could also arguably be considered a {{prequel}} to ''Spirou'' -- some gags acknowledging his heroic destiny -- but except for that there are no references nor even cameos between the two comics.
61* ''ComicBook/TheSmurfs'' is actually the spin-off of a less known Creator/{{Peyo}} comic book: ''ComicBook/JohanAndPeewit''. Since their first appearance in ''La Flûte à six schtroumpfs'' the two series referenced each other multiple times and the Smurfs tag along Johan and Peewit in some other adventures. The [[WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs1981 1981 cartoon]] even has multiple episodes centered around the duo.
62[[/folder]]
63
64[[folder:Fan Works]]
65* Daneel Rush, the author of the ''Fanfic/TamersForeverSeries'' has put a ''lot'' of effort into expanding the digimon mythology, creating a mythos that combines computer programming codes with real world mythology and religious beliefs.
66** The first glimpse comes in the form of Takeru's exposition during ''Silent Sorrow'', but even more info can be found in the GOSPEL wiki ([[LateArrivalSpoiler curious tropers should beware heavy unmarked spoilers when browsing these notes]]).
67* ''Fanfic/FalloutEquestria'' also has its own side stories.
68* The ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' has been expanded in fanfic, most thoroughly in the works of author [[Creator/AAPessimal A.A. Pessimal]]. From bare bones and hints in the canon, there is now a fairly fully realised "South Africa", with all the knobs turned up in approved Pratchett mode. Rimwards Howondaland is stuck in UsefulNotes/TheApartheidEra, but complicated by the existence of other sentient species as well as human. This is explored in tales such as ''[[Fanfic/TheBlackSheep The Black Sheep]]'' and ''[[Fanfic/WhyAndWere Why And Were]]''. Elsewhere, the Foggy Islands, referenced in the canon, have become a more realised set of glimpses of a Discworld UsefulNotes/NewZealand, and a place called '''Aceria''' is emerging as another troublesome and quaint former colony, stretching, as its national anthem tells us, ''from Hub to shining sea''. Aceria is mainly an {{Expy}} of UsefulNotes/{{Canada}}, but (just as Agatea is a portmanteau of Japan, China and Thailand) is expanding to have a marked streak of {{Eagleland}} to it. Aceria has a troublesome and stroppy [[UsefulNotes/{{France}} Quirmian-speaking]] enclave to it, and has given the Disc "Country and Widdershins" music and line-dancing. Sports include hockey played on ice, and a very odd form of [[UsefulNotes/AmericanFootball Foot-The-Ball]] with strange rules which is played in full body armour.
69* ''Fanfic/SoulEaterTroubledSouls'' by Certain Destiny is meant to expand the Soul Eater universe. The story itself has its own side-story and prequel.
70* ''Three Knights'' sees Bert Van Vliet from ''Fanfic/TheBubblegumZone'', Yumeko Asagiri from ''Fanfic/TheNextGeneration'', and Craig Reed from ''Bubblegum Avatar'' teaming-up.
71* ''Fanfic/PokemonResetBloodlines'', written by Crossoverpairinglover, has branched out to include several tie-in oneshots, several of which were written by other authors with his approval, and recently inspired a SpinOff titled ''The Wild Boy From Sinnoh'', written by Viroro-kun. The continuity as a whole is now named by followers and contributors as the ''Resetverse''.
72* ''Fanfic/RaisedByJagers'': The ''Keep it under your hat'' series serves as one for stories that cannot fit into the main story's narrative.
73[[/folder]]
74
75[[folder:Film]]
76* ''Film/BladeRunner'' spawned three novel sequels and a [[VideoGame/BladeRunner video game]] taking place in the film's universe -- as well as another film, ''Soldier'', which (unofficially, due to rights issues) also takes place in the ''Blade Runner'' universe. A [[Film/BladeRunner2049 sequel]] and three [[Film/BladeRunnerShorts short films]] followed in 2017.
77* ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean'' has spawned a number of novels, short films, comics, and games.
78* Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse: All of it is vetted by either Creator/GeorgeLucas or his employees, who have at times vetoed plot points, new characters, and entire stories. There are indeed people whose actual paid jobs are purely to assist in the management of all the disparate plot points in this [[CashCowFranchise vast, money-generating machine]]. Even in cases where an Expanded Universe story blatantly contradicts either the films (on account of many stories being written before the {{prequel}}s existed) or the rest of the Expanded Universe, it usually remains {{canon}}: in most cases, the aforementioned employees are tasked with forming as many {{retcon}}s as needed to resolve the discrepancy.
79** Creator/GeorgeLucas views only his films and ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'' as canon, referring to Expanded Universe works as a parallel universe. Leeland Chee went against George Lucas's statements many times by claiming that just about everything is canon (they have a policy to determine the exceptions), then eventually said that there was a "Films Only" canon, and a "Films and EU" canon, this being before the ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'' pilot film and TV series. He then added that whichever is "more canon" is ultimately up to the tastes of the individual fan.
80** Creator/{{Disney}}'s sequel trilogy has necessitated the [[http://www.starwars.com/news/the-legendary-star-wars-expanded-universe-turns-a-new-page announcement]] that the old Expanded Universe is now an AlternateContinuity known as ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'', and all new films, TV shows, comics, and novels are created (more extensively than before) to fit into the continuity established by the six films and ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars''. The reason for the more careful vetting is that under Disney's current rules, new Expanded Universe stories are ''just as canon as the movies''.
81* Much like its fellow Lucasfilm property, ''Franchise/IndianaJones'' has expanded beyond the theatrical films to include, most prominently, the television series ''Series/TheYoungIndianaJonesChronicles'' depicting the hero as a boy and a young man, and many novels, comics books, and video games. Notably, outside of the early 80s comics that were outright contradicted by later movies, almost all of it is plausibly {{canon}}. Though if all of it is canon, then Indy doesn't have a whole lot of time for teaching.
82* The cult favorite series ''Series/KolchakTheNightStalker'' has inspired a set of follow-on novels featuring the series characters.
83* ''Film/{{Darkman}}'' spawned a series of (quite good) novels, and a short-lived comic book series. Recently the character was licensed to Dynamite Comics, who will be publishing original stories. They've already put out an ''Franchise/EvilDead'' crossover.
84* Few people know that the film ''Film/WhoFramedRogerRabbit'', itself based (very loosely) on the Gary K. Wolf novel ''Literature/WhoCensoredRogerRabbit'', has some nicely concise Expanded Universe material. The novel ''Who P-P-P-Plugged Roger Rabbit?'' (it's really spelled that way, because Roger stutters his p's) is a direct {{sequel}} to the film, and gives us plenty of more material on how the series' world functions, and much more about the life and family of Eddie Valiant. There are also comics and a couple of short stories.
85* ''Franchise/{{Alien}}'' and ''Franchise/{{Predator}}'' have their own Expanded Universe, including several cross-over miniseries published by Dark Horse Comics during the late '80s and '90s. The first three miniseries for Aliens were originally a continuation of [[Film/{{Aliens}} the second Alien movie]]; however, the release of ''Film/Alien3'' rendered the events of those series incompatible with the movie's {{continuity}}, since it killed Newt and Hicks at the beginning of the movie, and Ripley at the very end. Dark Horse got around this by re-releasing the series in graphic novel format, with new names for the series as well as [[{{Retcon}} renaming Newt as Billie and Hicks as Wilkes]], and stuck with using original characters after that. There have also been many ''Franchise/{{Alien}}'' and ''Franchise/{{Predator}}'' novels and {{video game}}s released, including a few ''Franchise/AlienVsPredator'' games for the PC.
86** A good number of these materials are now also CanonDiscontinuity thanks to ''Film/{{Prometheus}}''.
87** And now this has gone into a (divergent) full circle thanks to Creator/DarkHorseComics publishing ''Prometheus'' comics which have Predator–Xenomorph–''Engineer'' MeleeATrois.
88* Each of the eight major characters from ''Film/RepoTheGeneticOpera'' have their own Myspace page. Whatever happens there is considered {{canon}}. Rotti is understandably a very busy man and only occasionally present, but his children are there whenever they're supposed to be working, and Grave-Robber apparently drums up a lot of new clientele through the site.
89* Not counting (though some do) the InNameOnly [[Series/FridayThe13thTheSeries television series]], ''Franchise/FridayThe13th'' has a surprisingly large number of books and comics.
90* Other New Line Cinema horror properties such as ''Franchise/ANightmareOnElmStreet'', ''Film/FinalDestination'' and ''Film/TheTexasChainsawMassacre'' also have a large number of novels, short story collections, comic books, and in Freddy's case, [[Series/FreddysNightmares a television series]].
91* ''Franchise/{{Hellraiser}}'' has a surprisingly huge, detailed Expanded Universe, primarily due to many of the cast and crew from the film series contributing, even series originator Creator/CliveBarker, and Peter Atkins (the writer of the [[Film/HellboundHellraiserII second]], [[Film/HellraiserIIIHellOnEarth third]] and [[Film/HellraiserBloodline fourth]] films).
92* Creator/JimHenson's non-Muppet fantasy films each have expanded universe material in the form of graphic novels.
93** ''Film/TheDarkCrystal'' had a two-volume prequel, the OELManga ''Legends of the Dark Crystal'', via Creator/{{Tokyopop}} over 2007–10. Archaia Publishing introduced its own prequel trilogy, ''The Dark Crystal: Creation Myths'', in 2011; that was overseen by the film's production designer Brian Froud. This was later followed by ''Power of the Dark Crystal'' in 2017, an adaptation of a sequel film that ended up stuck in DevelopmentHell, which gained a sequel in 2018 titled ''Beneath the Dark Crystal''. Finally, as a way of introducing the setting of the 2019 prequel series ''Series/TheDarkCrystalAgeOfResistance'', four Dark Crystal prequel novels were released between 2016 and 2019, though certain elements and events of their shared story vastly differed.
94** ''Film/{{Labyrinth}}'' had a OELManga sequel from Creator/{5Tokyopop}}, the four-volume ''Manga/ReturnToLabyrinth'', over 2006–10. Creator/ArchaiaEntertainment is working on a prequel presenting the origin story of fan-favorite [[Music/DavidBowie Jareth the Goblin King]]; while quality concerns are keeping that in DevelopmentHell for now, this hasn't stopped one-shot stories from appearing in the company's Free Comic Book Day compilations ("Hoggle and the Worm" in 2012, and a Sir Didymus story in 2013). Interestingly, the planned prequel won't be compatible with ''Return to Labyrinth''. This eventually emerged as ''Labyrinth: Coronation'', which revealed Jareth as having been another baby taking into the Labyrinth and his mother trying to solve the maze.
95* Although not actually canon, ''Film/RedDawn1984'' got an Expanded Universe in the form of ''Roleplay/RedDawnPlus20''.
96* ''Film/{{Tron}}'' spent years as a CultClassic, but its revival [[OlderThanTheyThink began in 2003]] with ''VideoGame/TronTwoPointOh'' and the ''Ghost in the Machine'' graphic novel (now CanonDiscontinuity). The "canon" timeline now includes both ''Film/{{Tron}}'' and ''Film/TronLegacy''. It also contains the ''Betrayal'' graphic novel, the ''Flynn Lives'' AlternateRealityGame, ''VideoGame/TronEvolution'' (and ''Tron Battle Grids'' in that Jalen was said by Word of God to be the champion of that game), and the animated series ''WesternAnimation/TronUprising''.
97* ''Film/MenInBlack'': In addition to novelizations of the first two films, two original novels were released, ''Literature/MenInBlackTheGreenSalivaBlues'' and ''Literature/MenInBlackTheGrazerConspiracy'', set after the first film and featuring Jay and Elle.
98* ''Film/IndependenceDay'': Three novels were released, starting with a novelization that goes into further detail on the characters, situations, and overall concept not explored in the film. The second, ''Silent Zone'', gives information on Dr. Okun's background, and the third, ''War in the Desert'', deals with another group of fighters who faced the invaders in Saudi Arabia.
99* ''Franchise/StargateVerse'': In addition to the movie and TV series, six novels were produced based on the film, and over fifty based on the three TV series, along with multiple comic series and video games.
100* After ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994'' film became extremely popular, a series of books known as "The Six New Adventures" was released as well as a boatload of comics. These introduced dozens of new characters and explained mysteries such as Scar's birth name. However, the printed works are also inconsistent with the movies and each other, leading to much of the {{wild mass guessing}} within the fandom. There are also many, mostly European-only, comics that introduce several original characters.
101* The ''Franchise/BackToTheFuture'' trilogy was itself novelized, but also spawned a [[Ride/BackToTheFutureTheRide theme park attraction]], a two-season [[WesternAnimation/BackToTheFuture animated series]], a [[VideoGame/BackToTheFutureTheGame video game]], and a [[ComicBook/BackToTheFuture comic book series]] -- each with their own new stories to add. As far as overall canonicity goes, it's an intentional FlipFlopOfGod; creator Bob Gale has said that any of these spin-offs ''could'' be canon based on the fan's preferences, since the series deals with multiple timelines.
102* The Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse is, as it says in the name, composed out of cinematic movies, and these movies tell the primary story of the setting and are it's main draw and money-maker. Owing to its success, however, it also has a lot of non-movie entries under its banner that help expand the setting or show the impact the events of the various movies have on the verse as a whole in greater detail.
103** For starters, the primary form of expanded storytelling are the TV series that aired between 2012 and 2019, including ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'' and Marvel's ''Netflix'' shows. All of these TV shows are produced by Creator/MarvelStudios' sister company Creator/MarvelTelevision. As a result of [[ExecutiveMeddling struggles behind the scenes]], there is something of a disconnection between the films and TV shows; while the latter are considered "canon" to the setting and are allowed to reference the events of the movies, they have no direct impact on their overall MythArc and are never referenced by them, their canonicity pertaining to the fact they don't outright contradict the films and are allowed to use some secondary characters in bit-part roles and cameos. It was not until ''Film/AvengersEndgame'' that a character originally appearing in the TV shows [[labelnote:spoiler]]Edwin Jarvis from ''Agent Carter'', if you were wondering[[/labelnote]] even appeared in the movies in a cameo. Notably, there was still enough interplay between Marvel Studios and Marvel Television to create a solid continuity without contradictions, but mostly by virtue of Marvel TV having to adjust and adapt to whatever course Marvel Studios is setting. For instance, ''Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'' had to completely overhaul its premise a mere seven episodes into the first season as a result of the events of ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier''. The Netflix shows benefited from being more street-level and self-contained in this regard, giving them much more creative freedom without running the risk of contradicting the films.
104** At the end of 2019, however, Marvel Television was shut down, meaning all future TV shows will be made by Marvel Studios themselves. As such, they will be considered to be full-fledged entries to the franchise on the same level as the movies themselves, averting this trope entirely. All of the above shows that are available on Disney+ --which is to say, all but the Netflix ones-- are listed under their ''Marvel Legacies'' banner, since they aren't needed to keep up with the narrative of the main, Phase-divided MCU.
105** Marvel also releases promotional Tie-in comics that are meant to promote the movies and use plotlines and characters that first appeared in them. Generally nothing major happens in these comics (the biggest name character from the source material to exclusively appear in such a comic is [[HumongousMecha U.L.T.I.M.O]], here reimagined as a H.Y.D.R.A creation made out of Ultron drones) although one comic, ''[[ComicBook/TheAvengersPreludeFurysBigWeek Fury's Big Week]]'', was used to wrap up some dangling plotlines from ''Film/{{The Incredible Hulk|2008}}'' as that movie was unlikely to receive a sequel for [[ScrewedByTheLawyers legal reasons]].
106* ''WesternAnimation/{{Coco}}'': There's the storybook ''Miguel and the Amazing Alebrijes'', which ties in with the movie. It deals with Miguel thinking over which animal should be his spirit guide for a class project. It's likely this book took place before the events of the film.
107[[/folder]]
108
109[[folder:Literature]]
110* The ''Franchise/CthulhuMythos'' is a particularly informal Expanded Universe based around the works of Creator/HPLovecraft, all writers (and TabletopGame/CallOfCthulhu game designers) after him are generally considered to be outside "The Mythos Proper".
111* ''Franchise/HarryPotter'' has a growing expanded universe. Details on the Wizarding World and other characters are established by J.K. Rowling in various interviews and short stories. However, the main source of expanded universe material is ''Pottermore'', an official website which posts extra story material and other information. In addition, the ''Film/FantasticBeasts'' series shows what the wizarding world was like during Dumbledore's early adulthood and ''Theatre/HarryPotterAndTheCursedChild'' shows what Harry's son experienced as a Hogwarts student.
112** Interesting to note is the Harry Potter wiki, which is fan-made but very extensive, has a [[https://harrypotter.fandom.com/wiki/Harry_Potter_Wiki:Canon policy page on the tiers of canon]]. Very basically, books and original writings from Rowling herself are considered 1st tier canon, films she's involved in but did not directly write are 2nd, and games licensed without her involvement are 3rd, all are considered "canon" unless contradicted by a source on a higher tier.
113* ''Literature/WarriorCats'' has 13 comic books, 2 plays, multiple short stories, and 5 guidebooks (as well as one that was [[WhatCouldHaveBeen cancelled]]). These are all canon, being written by the authors themselves, except possibly ''Brightspirit's Mercy'' and ''The Clans Decide'', which happen in the middle of a book's story rather than in one the series' plentiful {{time skip}}s.
114* There exists an interesting phenomenon: a bootleg Expanded Universe, created in the cracks between copyright laws of different countries. An example is the Expanded Universe several Russian fantasy writers created around Creator/JRRTolkien's works: illegal everywhere in the English-speaking world, published officially back in the Motherland. It includes such works as ''Fanfic/TheBlackBookOfArda'' and ''Fanfic/BeyondTheDawn''.
115* Tellarium Games back in the early '80s made text adventure sequels to ''Literature/Fahrenheit451'', ''Dragonworld,'' and the ''Literature/GreenSkyTrilogy'' with the blessing of, and heavy input from, the series authors, making them at least semi-canonical (and in the case of ''VideoGame/BelowTheRoot'', ''definitely'' canonical) sequels.
116* Creator/WilliamHopeHodgson's ''Literature/TheNightLand'' had some other works published that were set in the same universe, like ''[[http://smile.amazon.com/WILLIAM-HODGSONS-NIGHT-LANDS-Eternal/dp/1592246788/ Eternal Love]]'', ''[[http://smile.amazon.com/William-Hope-Hodgsons-Night-Lands/dp/0955478308/ Nightmares of the Fall]]'' and ''Literature/AwakeInTheNightLand''.
117* ''[[Literature/SixteenThirtyTwo The Ring of Fire Series]]'', a series that currently stands at nearly twenty novels and six short story collections also has currently sixty two issues of ''The Grantville Gazette'', a digitally published collection of short stories written by fans and selected by the series authors, and are officially canon.
118[[/folder]]
119
120[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
121* Besides the main series, ''Series/TwinPeaks'' has an audio play regarding Agent Cooper's life, the {{Defictionalization}} of Laura Palmer's secret diary, the [[Film/TwinPeaksFireWalkWithMe movie]] and according to WordOfGod ''Film/LostHighway''.
122* The ''Franchise/DoctorWhoExpandedUniverse'' may in fact be {{Canon}} to the TV series as two episodes directly reference it in {{Mythology Gag}}s. Other parts contradict it. But then the Franchise/{{Whoniverse}} (Expanded and otherwise) tends towards BroadStrokes {{continuity}} and to a large extent anything goes within it. Former producer Creator/RussellTDavies has stated that he considers the ''AudioPlay/BigFinishDoctorWho'' {{audio play}}s to be in-{{continuity}}. That statement was made back when the audio plays explicitly broke from {{continuity}} with the books; they've since been amended into a single {{continuity}} by the audio play ''The Company of Friends''. The Series 3 episodes "Human Nature" and "Family of Blood" have been acknowledged as an adaptation of the Seventh Doctor Literature/DoctorWhoNewAdventures novel ''Human Nature'' (the novels themselves form two distinct and only semi-compatible [[{{Continuity}} continuities]]) and, confusing things yet further, some writers of the spin-off material took the view they took place in {{Alternate Universe}}s to each other.
123* ''Series/DoctorWho'''s spin-off ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'' has its own expanded materials in the form of novels, magazine strips, and audios. Perhaps the most interesting one so far is the magazine strip "Shrouded", penned by Gareth David-Lloyd (Ianto Jones's actor). [[spoiler:Our Ianto is quite dead, but an evil Ianto from an alternate timeline is very much alive, and saw the funeral. Is this {{Canon}}?]].
124* ''Series/{{Lost}}'' has a relatively small Expanded Universe so far -- a few books, two AlternateRealityGames, and a VideoGame. The only one of these that's been declared {{canon}} is the first ARG, ''The Series/{{Lost}} Experience'' -- and that only applies to the backstory information given relating to the series, not the main plot.
125* ''Series/{{Glee}}'' has its own {{prequel}} book now.
126* ''Series/{{Heroes}}'' has a small Expanded Universe with comic books and graphic novels, not much of it {{canon}} and [[RetCon the rest getting smaller the longer the show goes on.]] Now that the show itself has been canceled, the Expanded Universe presumably has free rein again.
127* ''Series/BabylonFive'' has Expanded Universe in the form of role-playing game sourcebooks. There are {{canon}}ical comics and a lot of novels. Of the novels, only ''To Dream in the City of Sorrows'', the ''Psi Corps'' trilogy, the ''Passing of the Techno-mages'' trilogy, the ''Legions of Fire'' trilogy, and the Anna Sheridan plot of ''The Shadow Within'' are canon. The John Sheridan plot of ''The Shadow'' Within is not canon. That's right, canon and non-canon in the same book.
128* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' has many novels and comic books written by writers of the series that are of varying apocryphal status, and a [[Creator/JossWhedon Whedon-helmed]] comic-book series (along with a similar comic-book series for its {{spin|off}}-off series ''Series/{{Angel}}'') that's considered the {{canon}} post-television storyline.
129** The other, Non-Season 8/After The Fall comics are up in the air in {{continuity}}, as are all non-Post Chosen novels (those that are Post-Chosen are just non-{{canon}}). Many of the novels are either side stories or {{prequel}}s. The novel ''Go Ask Malice'', for example, is a backstory for Faith that goes up until the episode ''Faith, Hope, Trick''. It's status as {{canon}}, like all of the novels, is unknown, but it does give a backstory for a character with very little and it doesn't violate {{canon}}.
130*** The only bit of non-show or non-Season 8 comic that is considered "{{canon}}" came from the fairly short-lived ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' role-playing game, and that is Faith's last name; Lehane. This has been confirmed as {{canon}} by its use in the Joss-Whedon-written last issue of the Season 8 comics.
131* ''Series/{{Charmed|1998}}'' has novels of both original stories and several based on actual episodes.
132* ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' (the original [[TheVerse 'Verse]]) has a small Expanded Universe in form of comics, RPG supplements and one novelization (of ''Film/{{Serenity}}'').
133* ''Series/{{Highlander}}'' has a line of novels that were apparently deemed canon, as their information appears on the offical ''Watcher Chronicles'' CD-Rom released during the series. The comics are a bit more disputed, especially since they were met with mixed reviews.
134* ''Series/{{CSI}}'' has a lot of this. Each member of the franchise has a line of novels and comic books associated with it, and then there are the video games.
135* Aside from the tie-in novels released with it, ''Series/{{Roswell}}'' has a series of four novels released after the series ended that constitute a sort of print 4th season, although its canon status has not been explicitly confirmed.
136* ''Series/TwentyFour'' had several novels and comics usually set before the beginning of the series, mainly using most of the cast from the first season. As a result it mainly featured the characters from early in the show, but some of the later characters were retroactively added in to some of them. There's also a video game set between the show's second and third seasons which is canon, in which the villain from season 2 returns and is finally taken down by Jack by the end.
137* ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' released two series totaling eighteen novels between them, and at least a few comics series, including a ''Season 11'' continuation of the original TV series.
138* ''Series/MurderSheWrote'' has a series of novels that started back in 1989 and continues to the present day, with book 50 being released in 2019.
139* Starting in 2018, ''Series/StrangerThings'' began releasing novels and comics that expanded the story beyond the series.
140[[/folder]]
141
142[[folder:Professional Wrestling]]
143* Back in the days before the internet, when {{Kayfabe}} reigned supreme, pro wrestling had the Apter magazines (named for Bill Apter, the most prolific publisher of such), which were something between an Expanded Universe and a MassivelyMultiplayerCrossover of all wrestling federations. While the Apter mags were not endorsed by any of the promotions they covered, and nothing reported in them (from rankings, to wrestler bios, to interviews, to "who would win?" fantasy supercards between promotions, etc.) could be considered {{canon}} to any promotion in particular, the promoters of the time certainly didn't mind the help in exposing their characters and storylines to audiences.
144[[/folder]]
145
146[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
147* Various settings originally created for ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' have been expanded beyond game sourcebooks and adventures with novels, video games, comics, etc. Most prominently ''Literature/{{Dragonlance}}'', which is outright better known for its novels (the first trilogy of which are considered outright classics of fantasy literature – not just ''D&D'', ''all'' fantasy novels) and the ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms'', which even got a movie.
148* ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'' has taken its background and turned it into an Expanded Universe, with material spanning not only the tabletop game but countless novels, graphic novels and {{video game}}s, and the vast and incredibly detailed faux-historical accounts. The same's been done for ''TabletopGame/WarhammerFantasy''.
149* The Franchise/BattleTechExpandedUniverse: A long series of sci-fi novels, a pair of VideoGame {{spin|off}}-offs, and a WesternAnimation series.
150* ''TabletopGame/DarkFuture'' gained an expanded background courtesy of [[Literature/DarkFuture a series of novels]] by Creator/KimNewman, who also wrote many of the early ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}''-related fiction.
151* ''TabletopGame/EclipsePhase'' encourages fans to produce material for the setting, leading to some extensive universe expansion efforts like the [[http://farcastblog.com Farcast Yearblog]].
152* ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'' has [[http://mtgsalvation.gamepedia.com/List_of_storyline_sources a truly impressive list of novels, comics and extraneous vignettes]], with various levels of connection to the actual card game; the [[Recap/MagicTheGathering recap page]] itself is still very incomplete.
153* There are dozens of ''[[Literature/VampireTheMasquerade Vampire: The Masquerade Novels]]'' as well as hundreds of total novels set in the World of Darkness.
154[[/folder]]
155
156[[folder:Theme Parks]]
157* Compared to many other attractions in the Ride/DisneyThemeParks, ''Ride/TheHauntedMansion'' has a very robust expanded universe, having spawned [[Film/TheHauntedMansion2003 two]] [[Film/HauntedMansion2023 films]], a [[Film/MuppetsHauntedMansion Muppet crossover special]], a video game, multiple comic mini-series, and several books.
158* At Ride/UniversalStudios:
159** In ''Ride/BackToTheFutureTheRide'', Doc now has his own major research and development facility, plus we get to see more of Hill Valley in different eras. The ride serves as an unofficial "mini-sequel" to the film trilogy that you, the guest, could now be a major part of.
160** ''Ride/ETAdventure'' reveals what E.T.'s planet looks like, who some of his alien friends are, and the other types of alien species that live on his planet.
161[[/folder]]
162
163[[folder:Video Games]]
164* ''Franchise/DotHack'' started as [[OneGameForThePriceofTwo four]] [[VideoGame/DotHackR1Games games]], an [[Anime/DotHackSign anime]], a [[Anime/DotHackLiminality 4 episode OVA]], and a [[Literature/DotHackAIBuster light novel]]. Now its {{canon}} alone has 5 novels[[labelnote:*]]Epitaph of Twilight,[[Literature/DotHackAIBuster AI Buster]], Zero, Another Birth, and Cell[[/labelnote]], 4 Manga[[labelnote:*]][[Manga/DotHackLegendOfTheTwilight Legend of The Twilight]], Alcor, GnU, and Quantum I(Introduction)[[/labelnote]], 5 games[[labelnote:*]][[VideoGame/DotHackR1Games IMOQ]], [[VideoGame/DotHackGU G.U.]], Link, Versus, and [[SpiritualSuccessor Guilty Dragon]][[/labelnote]], 4 OVA[[labelnote:*]]Intermezzo, Liminality, Returner and Thanatos Report[[/labelnote]], 3 animes[[labelnote:*]][[Anime/DotHackSign SIGN]], Roots, and [[Anime/DotHackQuantum Quantum]][[/labelnote]], 2 movies[[labelnote:*]]Trilogy and Beyond The World[[/labelnote]], and a [[http://www.cc2.co.jp/hack_bullet/ web novel]]. And that's not even mentioning the multitude of uncanon titles, artbooks, and guidebooks.
165* ''Franchise/AssassinsCreed'' took its first stab at this with ''ComicBook/AssassinsCreedTheFall'', a comic miniseries. Since then, the AC Expanded Universe has gotten bigger with numerous comics, novels, spinoff games, online websites, an audio drama, tabletop games, [[Film/AssassinsCreed2016 a film]] and forthcoming Creator/{{Netflix}} shows produced over the last 14 years. Almost all of it is considered canon, and is regularly referenced within the games.
166* ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'''s Expanded Universe consists of multiple novels, comics, guidebooks, online exclusives, commercials, live-action features and films, and {{Alternate Reality Game}}s, along with an [[Anime/HaloLegends anime series]]. All of it, whether created directly by staff from Creator/{{Bungie}} or Creator/ThreeFourThreeIndustries (the studios behind the games), or by third parties working under their direct control, is not only completely canonical, but is closely integrated with the games. For example, much of ''VideoGame/HaloReach'' will only be understood by people who read the books; this disclaimer even applies to its ''official website''.
167** When canon does conflict, general policy is that new material overrides old material, and that games and other media created directly by Bungie/343i staff take precedence over everything else, except when explicitly stated to be otherwise.
168* Creator/{{Blizzard|Entertainment}} ''loves'' this trope:
169** [[Franchise/WarcraftExpandedUniverse Warcraft has it own page.]]
170** Both ''Franchise/StarCraft'' and ''VideoGame/{{Diablo}}'' have a handful of books, comics, short stories and animated shorts that either explore the background of main characters or simply narrate interesting events from each game's setting.
171** ''VideoGame/{{Overwatch}}'' has animated shorts, animated stills, webcomics, in-universe news articles, and graphic novels. Not only are these canon, but are actually being used as the means to tell the story of ''Overwatch'', which in-game has [[NoPlotNoProblem no actual story mode]].
172* The ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' series has built up an increasingly large Expanded Universe over time, particularly with regard to ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'', which, in addition to its {{prequel}} and {{spin|off}}-off [[VideoGame games]], has the ''[[Anime/FinalFantasyVIIAdventChildren Advent Children]]'' movie, two {{anime}} OVA's and several novellas. There's also the ''Legend of the Crystals'' {{anime}} OVA, which takes place 200 years after ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyV'', and the ''Anime/FinalFantasyUnlimited'' {{anime}} series and the ''Anime/FinalFantasyTheSpiritsWithin'' movie (though their relationship to the [[VideoGame games]] is mostly thematic).
173* ''Franchise/MassEffect'' and ''Franchise/DragonAge'' have expanded universes. Rather than having books or comics that are simply adaptations, they tell their own coherent story. The novels and comics are often a source of critical plot-related information, leading to some events or people being referenced that the gamer may never have heard of. One notable feature is that both novel series are written by the [[VideoGame games]]' lead writers, which is different from the usual operating procedure of Expanded Universe materials. The comics, on the other hand, are written by other people (in both series).
174* ''VideoGame/WingCommander'''s Expanded Universe includes ten novels (both adaptations of other material and original stories), multiple [[VideoGame game]] guides, a WesternAnimation series, a CollectibleCardGame, and a movie, all of which officially count towards {{continuity}}.
175* ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}''’s Expanded Universe, the Literature/DisgaeaNovels, has currently 15 books. It introduces new family members of the game’s cast and is plays out like traditional ''Disgaea'' crossed with the HaremGenre.
176* Surprisingly ''VideoGame/GearsOfWar'' has one that includes five novels and a comic book series.
177* ''Literature/KingsQuest'' had three obscure tie-in novels, the Guidebook to the Land of the Green Isles (doubling as Copy Protection), the Peter Spears guides which are embellished {{novelization}}s of the games with plenty of supplemental material, and the FanSequel and FanRemake games which fill in a lot of holes the old games did not.
178* The UrExample for these is ''VideoGame/{{Zork}}''. Hint books, feelies, novels, Choose Your Own Adventure Books, comics, an online role-playing game...Not bad for something that pre-dates graphics!
179* ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' is one of the more complex examples of this, as there exist numerous spin-off games[[labelnote:*]]the ''[[VideoGame/ResidentEvilOutbreak Outbreak]]'' duology, ''[[VideoGame/ResidentEvilGunSurvivor Survivor]], [[VideoGame/ResidentEvilTheDarksideChronicles Darkside Chronicles]], Dead Aim, [[VideoGame/ResidentEvilTheUmbrellaChronicles Umbrella Chronicles]],'' and... ''sigh'' even ''[[VideoGame/UmbrellaCorps Umbrella Corps]]''[[/labelnote]], manga[[labelnote:*]]''Prelude to the Fall, [[Manga/ResidentEvilTheMarhawaDesire The Marhawa Desire]],'' and ''[[Manga/ResidentEvilHeavenlyIsland Heavenly Island]]''[[/labelnote]], literature[[labelnote:*]]''Wesker's Report II, Incubate,'' novellas of ''[[VideoGame/ResidentEvil0 Zero]], [[VideoGame/ResidentEvilRemake REmake]], [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil2 2]], [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil3Nemesis 3]], [[VideoGame/ResidentEvilCodeVeronica Code: Veronica]], [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil4 4]]'', and ''[[VideoGame/ResidentEvil5 5]],'' novelizations of ''[[VideoGame/ResidentEvilTheUmbrellaChronicles Umbrella Chronicles]], [[Anime/ResidentEvilDamnation Damnation]], and [[Anime/ResidentEvilVendetta Vendetta]],'' and the ''SURVIVE'' series of air-soft gun magazines.[[/labelnote]], films[[labelnote:*]]''[[Anime/ResidentEvilDegeneration Degeneration]], [[Anime/ResidentEvilDamnation Damnation]], [[Anime/ResidentEvilVendetta Vendetta]]'' and ''[[Anime/ResidentEvilDeathIsland Death Island]]''[[/labelnote]] television series[[labelnote:*]]''[[Anime/ResidentEvilInfiniteDarkness Infinite Darkness]]''[[/labelnote]], comics[[labelnote:*]]''Infinite Darkness: The Beginning''[[/labelnote]] and even stage plays[[labelnote:*]]''The Stage''[[/labelnote]] that all exist ''within'' the canon of Capcom's mainline series of games -- and then a ''whole bunch'' of those that exist ''well'' outside of it.[[labelnote:*]]''[[VideoGame/ResidentEvilGaiden Gaiden]], [[VideoGame/ResidentEvilOperationRaccoonCity Operation Raccoon City]],'' the [[Film/ResidentEvilFilmSeries Paul W.S. Anderson film series]] and their novelizations, a [[Film/ResidentEvilWelcomeToRaccoonCity film reboot]], a [[Series/ResidentEvil2022 live-action Netflix series]], ''seven'' [[Literature/ResidentEvil novels]] penned by author S.D. Perry, a prequel novella, a prequel comic published by [[Creator/MarvelComics Marvel]] and a few comic series by Creator/{{WildStorm}}, multiple radio plays, several outlandish [[ForeignRemake manhua adaptations]], mobile games and numerous stage plays (including, of course, [[TheMusical a musical]]).[[/labelnote]]
180* ''Franchise/TouhouProject'''s expanded universe exists not only in manga and print works but also in ZUN's musical [=CD=]s which by themselves introduced two beloved characters to the series' canon.
181* ''VideoGame/{{Runescape}}'' has a trilogy of novels based on it. WordOfGod says that they are considered cannon except for where they contradict the game. The character Kara-Meir showed up in-game at the Battle of Lumbridge. Before that, in the in-game Book of the Gods, the section about the Godless Faction contains a series of messages sent between her and a colleague, showing the story of how they founded the Godless Faction. Because of her important status in the Godless Faction, she is likely to appear again in-game.
182* The ''VideoGame/{{Myst}}'' series now stands at three novels, five games, a comic series and an MMO.
183* ''VideoGame/MightAndMagic'' has a small expanded universe consisting of three novels, two by Geary Gravel set in an otherwise unvisited world (the original intent was to make it a trilogy leading up to a new Might & Magic game in that world, but when plans for ''Might & Magic VI'' shifted to using the ''Heroes''-introduced world of Enroth, the third book fell through and was cancelled), and one by Mel Odom which has little to do with anything else in the series beyond some shared character-names.
184* The ''VideoGame/{{Suikoden}}'' series has this with novelizations, comics, and collections of short stories.
185[[/folder]]
186
187[[folder:Web Animation]]
188* ''WebAnimation/HomestarRunner'' actually directly references the concept; in the ''Cheat Commandos'' toon "[[http://www.homestarrunner.com/ccdo6.html The Next Epi-Snowed]]", the in-universe writer of the series, A. Chimendez, puts in the AuthorAvatar character "Agent Chimendez" and {{Hand Wave}}s the addition by explaining he's an Expanded Universe character, who appears in novelizations and read-along storybooks.
189[[/folder]]
190
191[[folder:Webcomics]]
192* ''Webcomic/TheBasaltCityChronicles'' is an expansion of the ''Webcomic/GeneCatlow'' Webcomic.
193* ''Webcomic/ParadoxSpace'' is an anthology of ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'' stories set both within and outside of canon.
194[[/folder]]
195
196[[folder:Web Original]]
197* The film ''Film/RedDawn1984'' got an Expanded Universe in the form of a fan collaboration known as ''Roleplay/RedDawnPlus20'', which is a forum in which posters role play as veterans of the war in the present day, two decades after World War III's conclusion.
198[[/folder]]
199
200[[folder:Western Animation]]
201* ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}''. A bunchload of comic books. A number of text stories. A handful of {{video game}}s. And that's not even counting that not all the cartoons are in the same {{continuity}}. Many fans are split over what the primary source really is: the original cartoon is named as such by most, but many others choose the original comic series instead, or the British version thereof, with mixing-and-matching becoming increasingly popular. The term ''{{canon}}'' is hard to apply here: It all happened, but didn't all happen in the same timeline. And with all the other {{continuit|y}}ies created since, it's become an expanded ''multiverse''.
202** ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'' itself is an example of an Expanded Universe. The TV series, due to the expense of CGI, could only have a limited roster of characters, which meant that most of the [[MerchandiseDriven toyline didn't get to be in it]]. The later IDW ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'' comics exploited this situation by using all the toy-only characters they could, as well as some from the Japanese-only ''Anime/BeastWarsII'' and ''Anime/BeastWarsNeo'' shows-albeit chronally displaced or on Cybertron, so the TV series and the comics didn't clash.
203** The aptly-named ''Universe'' line of toys and comics is built around this, featuring characters from all different timelines and universal streams fighting together in one war. [[MST3KMantra Don't worry about how it happened]], just accept it and enjoy the robo-carnage.
204* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' has [[http://avatar.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_Avatar:_The_Last_Airbender_comics a number of comics]] that chronicle the adventures of the Gaang that are not shown in the TV series.
205** In addition, a series of graphic novels started in 2012, detailing events in between the original series and ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'', starting with ''[[ComicBook/AvatarTheLastAirbenderThePromise The Promise]]'', ''[[ComicBook/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheSearch The Search]]'', ''[[ComicBook/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheRift The Rift]]'', ''[[ComicBook/AvatarTheLastAirbenderSmokeAndShadow Smoke and Shadows]]'', ''[[ComicBook/AvatarTheLastAirbenderNorthAndSouth North and South]]'' and ''[[ComicBook/AvatarTheLastAirbenderImbalance Imbalance]]''. There are also two graphic novels launched in 2017 and 2019, ''[[ComicBook/TheLegendOfKorraTurfWars Turf Wars]]'' and ''[[ComicBook/TheLegendOfKorraRuinsOfTheEmpire Ruins of The Empire]]'' respectively. These show what happened after the end of ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra''.
206* ''WesternAnimation/{{Daria}}'' has one, including the show, its two [[AllThereInTheManual published manuals]], its parent show ''WesternAnimation/BeavisAndButthead'' and any of its spin-offs. However, the ''term'' "Expanded Universe" usually refers to a group of interconnected {{Fan Verse}}s that most serious fans know, with its own set of {{Original Character}}s who appear in multiple creators' fanworks.
207* ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' has had comic books, movies, picture books, TV specials, spinoffs, and story [=CDs=] galore.
208* Likewise, the WesternAnimation/ClassicDisneyShorts. Hard to find a medium without its approach to WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse, WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck and WesternAnimation/{{Goofy}}. And they have a propensity for crossovers with the Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon (be it in [[ComicBook/DisneyMouseAndDuckComics the sprawling comic book universe]] or series such as ''WesternAnimation/HouseOfMouse''; and then there's ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'', adding both the Disney features and ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'').
209* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' has a steadily growing one with the [[ComicBook/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicIDW comic book series]] plus assorted chapter books and a series manual.
210* The ''Franchise/KungFuPanda'' movies have one in the form of Direct-To-Video specials and [[WesternAnimation/KungFuPandaLegendsOfAwesomeness a television series]].
211** ''Franchise/HowToTrainYourDragon'', another Creator/DreamWorksAnimation franchise, also has a [[WesternAnimation/DragonsRidersOfBerk television series]] and a few straight-to-DVD specials.
212** A lot of [=DreamWorks=] films have gotten their own tv shows, most of which air on Creator/{{Nickelodeon}}.
213* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' has at least three comic books (One based on the show, one that's a yearly anthology based on Treehouse Of Horror, a SpinOff focusing on Bart Simpson, and a few one-shots for characters like Lisa, Ralph Wiggum, Mr. Burns, Radioactive Man, Maggie, and Duffman).
214* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' has a comic book series and four DTV movies, all of which served as a continuation of the television series before it was UnCanceled. The comic book is still ongoing though, and may be an [[RestrictedExpandedUniverse entirely]] [[AlternateContinuity different continuity]] at this point.
215* ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'' has several comic book tie-ins. There's the main one based on the show, a SpinOff focusing on Marceline and Princess Bubblegum, and a miniseries based on the GenderFlip episode.
216* Crossing over with RecursiveAdaptation - the Franchise/DCAnimatedUniverse pretty much became one in itself with its loads and loads of tie-in comic series, wholly separate from [[Franchise/TheDCU the "mainstream" comics multiverse]]. Many of those comics - especially ''ComicBook/TheBatmanAdventures'' - were critically acclaimed, and a few were even ''recursively'' recursively adapted into animation! (Remember ''Mad Love''? That started out as a ''Batman Adventures'' special.)
217** ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' also had a few video games with the parent series' writers, directors, and voice actors, but these rarely get more than a token nod from even the most hardcore fans due to their [[ExcusePlot barely-there stories]].
218[[/folder]]
219
220[[folder:Real Life]]
221* In a way, how we figured out how this universe works. Originally, many thousands of years ago the genus Homo thought this planet was flat, sky was just up, and there was another realm that normally could not be seen, such as heaven or hades. Many people also thought that water predated everything else in this realm, or in fact even the ''gods''. We know that people began figuring out that Earth was round and the sky was not just "up" but rather around us 2,500 years ago, and during the Renaissance the old Ptolemaic idea of planets going around in "epicycles" and that the Earth was center of creation was inaccurate. Fast forward a few centuries and with better telescopes and with Eisntein's Theory of Relativity we now know this planet is one of many, inside a galaxy that is one of many, and that this universe is ruled by quantum physics, which is still being learned.
222** With that in mind, thousands of years ago many people just assumed a deity made things pop into existence. While one ''can'' argue this is true, we know now that this universe came from a rapid expansion from a small dot of extreme energy and has been cooling down and expanding ever since, with it forming matter, light, anti-matter and dark matter. Scientists are not sure what came before the Big Bang though.
223[[/folder]]

Top