For information regarding the founding of the wiki, see Wookieepedia#The founding of Wookieepedia
(Removed from article due to containing delusions of grandeur.)

Introduction to Star Wars

I first remember Star Wars not from the big screen as many had before me, but rather the family VHS system, to which I repeatedly watched them until they were worn out. Over time I obtained toys here and there, namely those awesome Star Wars Micro Machines from 1995. It was not until 1997, when the Special Edition released in theaters that I was able to enjoy the saga the way it was meant to be viewed (that is via the theater, not the Special Edition). From here on out I was a dedicated fan. During the first movies of the prequel trilogy, I collected more items, but was interested more by my failed attempts to win prizes (other than free food) playing the Use the Force game at various restaurants. I admit that Yum Foods which owns KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut had quite the successful promotion.

By the time Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones released in 2002, I had a fondness for detailed information on the saga, so much as to purchase the Incredible Cross Sections and Inside the Worlds of reference books. I also researched CUSWE and attempted to catalog the many planets, systems, and sectors of the GFFA. This fed my craving for knowledge of the immense universe that George Lucas and many other Expanded Universe authors created. However, I felt I never had time to read novels, and was a visual person, stimulated by images.

Although I was a fan of the saga, I wasn't yet one of those uber-nerds that would wait outside movie theaters for openings of the prequels at midnight, nor did I collect everything imaginable, to prove to others that you can still be a fan without being a fanatic. This being said, I did quickly develop a fondness for collecting Star Wars action figures, especially after the multitude of product that was released for Revenge of the Sith.

When Wookieepedia became a thing, I invited many users from Wikipedia, TheForce.net and the social networking site Myspace, using my large Star Wars group at the latter for recruitment and spreading the word.^[1] The group has since been destroyed and rebuilt with the help of a user named 'Neptune' (no relation to StarNeptune), but only to suffer the demise of being hosted on Myspace.^[2]

Wookieepedia grows

To help with the many article creations and edits that the wiki received on a daily basis, I purchased more reference books, particularly the Essential Guides, and some issues of Star Wars Insider. For the time that I could contribute, I added many articles and fixed plenty of errors with spelling, grammar, tense, adding categories, stubs, images, and fixed code problems. In addition, my administrator powers helped me delete many pages, ban many vandals, and protect a few pages in hotly-contested disputes.

With Wikipedia behind me, I gave up trying to keep up with the constant changes and errors of Wikipedians and Star Wars material, where it was not strictly enforced as it is here. I intended to try to make Wookieepedia more than just another wiki by brainstorming new concepts up on my Thinktank page, including a premise for Wookieenews, which at the time I proposed would combine with TFN to inform users about various happenings around the Star Wars fanbase, in addition to related stories.^[3]

Identifying with Star Wars

As the success of Wookieepedia grew, I felt more open about being a Star Wars fan. Typically, most fans would fall under the classic nerdy stereotype, which I was. I began to embrace it and announce it proudly. I went from a "casual non-hardcore fan" to a "rather large fan on the verge of obsession". I was Darth Vader for the first time on Halloween, and even considered joining the 501st Legion, however that costume was still WELL below standards for the organization. I found that some people into Star Wars had heard about Wookieepedia through word of mouth or had actually been there. This was shocking to me.

However, my fandom became problematic in real life, as for the first time, I fell below a 3.0 for his GPA and lost my college scholarship. That was a big blow to me. I temporarily left the sanctity of the wiki to work on passing my classes, although I kept an eye on it at all times.

Preparation

Over the summer of 2006, I had more time to contribute. Interestingly enough, I returned to Wikipedia to work on more career-related articles, but of course slowed down once again due to classes in the fall.

On Aug 26 of that year, I experienced a dreaded BSoD on my computer. I was horrified that I had lost all my data. Thankfully I had not. I finally returned to the Wook on the day of the Mofference, November 10, 2006.^[4] With the fall semester past, another opportunity to catch up became apparent, and the winter break of 2006-2007 brought increased contributions.

Around this time, I became serious about Celebration IV, which was to be hosted in Los Angeles, California in the Spring of 2007. I had support from across the nation to represent Wookieepedia as well as my then popular Myspace Star Wars group. There was even discussion to raise donations and send them to a Paypal account, however the idea was not favored by everyone. I had never done such a thing, and in terms of conventions this was pretty much first and by far the biggest thing I had ever attended. I footed the bill myself, purchasing the 4-day pass, 6 days at a hotel in Pasadena, and plane tickets. The best part was that our table was covered by the convention itself to allow new groups like ourselves a chance to interact with the masses.

Celebration IV

I made it to Los Angeles early on May 25, after the Fan Club day, due to a major delay in Dallas, Texas. As I was not a member of Hyperspace, I couldn't attend the associated events. But when I did attend on the 26th, I deemed that it was "absolutely amazing", with costumed fans everywhere.

During the convention, I met several Wookieepedians: Arthur Papadam, Tracy Duncan, John Hazlett, Andrew Beard, Kyle Jewhurst, Andrew Skinner, Mark Sandell, Simon Clough, Joe Weaver, Charlii Enström, Taylor Fenno, and Colby Butterfield. Bob Vitas helped us man the merged Wookieepedia/CUSWE table. I also met for the first time Abel G. Peña, Joe Corroney, Mary Franklin (whom had granted us our free table), Keeper of the Holocron Leland Chee, Dark Horse editor Randy Stradley^[5], John Ostrander, Jan Duursema, Doug Wangler, Matt Busch, Tom Hodges, Tsuneo Sanda, Erik Varszegi, and a guy named C.C. Banana aka Bananakin Skywalker. Seth Green was seen inside the Vader helmet exhibit but I didn't have the gall to bother him (he was surrounded by very tall bodyguards, or was he just very short?). Indirectly, other people at the fabled continuity panel to whom I had the cojones to ask three questions to included Pablo Hidalgo (StarWars.com), Sue Rostoni (Lucas Licensing), Jonathan Rinzler (Lucas Licensing), Shelly Shapiro (Random House), Jacob Bronstein (Random House Audio). I may or may not have overstayed my welcome with that number of questions, but little did I know that wouldn't be the only time I would be interacting with them. After leaving the Imperials Panel later in the con, I somehow opened the door for Darth Vader in the form of David Prowse and inadvertently for Julian Glover (General Maximilian Veers) and Kenneth Colley (Admiral Firmus Piett). All three were headed from the panel apparently to get something to eat. I believed that that moment was when I decided to be an Imperial.

Later years of the wiki

In December 2008, I graduated from my home university Austin Peay (Go Govs!) with a B.S. in Geosciences-Geology and a minor in Astronomy. I'd say that is somewhat relevant with the types of articles I focused on here.

Throughout 2009 and 2010, the wiki continued to expand under the constant attention of its large number of administrators and new users arriving daily. Additional reference guides, Expanded Universe novels, video games, and Clone Wars material lent to the growth of material found across the wiki. In addition, greater creation of redlinks resulted in areas previously not expanded on to grow.

In the wake of social media advances, and a wise recommendation from Dan Wallace, I created a Facebook fan page for Wookieepedia, that was moderated by me for several years and then by other administrators (as of December 2014, the Facebook page has over 68,000 fans, and by December 2017 we are basically at the same number, thanks Facebook pay cap!). I also took an interest in Twitter and utilized it to communicate with various fans and celebrities in the Star Wars fan base, including those adamant about Wookieepedia. This has since gone both ways as I've had to apologize for an egregious wiki faux pau that garnered media attention. I made an attempt to fully return to the wiki in mid-2010, after a lull in professional activities. By August 2010, Celebration V had arrived, but I was not able to attend due to funds and ongoing conflicts. Instead I sent my best wishes to those that could represent the wiki on our behalf.

During the fall of 2010, I continued to balance my professional life with that of the wiki, editing articles, and working on appearance lists. This user page also underwent some house cleaning of unwanted and unneeded text and subpages. I was there to see Wookieepedia cross the 80,000 article threshold in September 2010, announcing news to followers on the Wookieepedia Facebook page. In April 2011, I participated in both April Fools' events and the following Mofference, the first in almost two years. For June 2011, I finally submitted a successful QOTD. In July 2011, I promoted his first ever article to Good Article status: Moogan, which I had actually created as a new stub in October 2010 during the release of the Clone Wars episode in which they were featured. For the Second Wookieepedia Barn-burner on Weapons in August 2011, I submitted the K26 explosive antivehicle rocket for Comprehensive Article Nomination.

Then big things happened. August 2011 was the month I relocated to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to attend the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee as a graduate student. Again I attempted to balance my school functions with that of staying active on the wiki. On Halloween 2011, I submitted my second GAN as part of Wookieepedia's first Shed-Scorcher. It passed on December 15, 2011. I then began to focus on bringing some small articles up to CAN status for the third Barn-Burner, the musical fish of Naboo.

By Spring 2012, I was once again hitting the convention circuit and attended C2E2 in Chicago, Illinois. There I got to meet Anthony Daniels at his booth and gifted him the article on C-3PO. Later, I attended his Q&A panel, and slowly made my way up to the front row. In a moment of 'I can't believe that actually happened', I responded to one of his questions about the last line that Threepio said at the end of Revenge of the Sith. Well of course I knew it, and I blurted out "OHHH NO". Mr. Daniels swiveled his head like a hawk and asked "who said that?". I raised my hand in almost a sense of shame, but he invited me up to the front stage. Funny thing is how I was wearing my Ghostbusters costume at the time. Daniels was confused and I said that could fix that. I revealed my Wookieepedia shirt underneath as Threepio himself and hundreds if not thousands of nerds watched in disbelief. Daniels, amused by this, called me an "expert" and allowed me to sit at the front of the theater for the remainder of the show. I was at a desk now tasked with answering the audience's questions as if I was Anthony Daniels. Oh how clever.

Celebration VI came. Again, I was unable to attend, however was able to donate funds for the necessary internet connection for the table, and advertised via the Facebook group. Also during this time, I was approached by the team at StarWars.com about contributing to the Blog, that would be publically accessible to thousands of people. I was in the process of writing the first entries, however in the end, graduate school won. I'm not sure if I made the right choice in turning it down, but at the time it was imperative that I not fail within my school program. The late spring of 2013 brought Steven back to California. This time it was to discuss matters with Wikia, including site layout, features, etc. We may or may not have done some cool things.

I completed his thesis in summer of 2014, a year behind at that, and made an attempt to return to Wookieepedia with renewed interest after the introduction of the Legends classification. Over the next year, I hoped to wrangle the confusing web that were now the new Legends and Canon articles. I attended my 2nd Celebration, Celebration Anaheim in April 2015 where members of Wookieepedia and Wikia celebrated the wiki's tenth anniversary. Even Leland Chee came out to the table for that. Pablo was behind JSarek and I at the Force Awakens panel. What a glorious weekend that was. Yet, while the convention was a highlight of the year, my ability to continue editing on the wiki waned greatly in respect to the real world, and this was further coerced by my avoidance of new material surrounding The Force Awakens. As a result, the community acted on a long-standing absence that was problematic to the role of administrator and bureaucrat. After 10 years of service, I lost my user rights, and rightly so. There was no need to abuse them given my standing in production (or lack thereof). I understand the policy and I respect it.

In the wake of the release of The Force Awakens, I temporarily found a new opportunity to edit freely. Once again, times were rough and I had to back away from editing. Not having access to the Internet because of financial instability was a large factor in being unable to contribute but there was just enough funding to make it to Celebration Orlando in April 2017. Another convention brought with it a rekindling of interest, and a time for old friends to reunite. It wasn't until after the release of The Last Jedi in December 2017 that I decided it had been too long, and I attempted to keep at it, eventually falling off again in 2019.

A pandemic happened. Administration was upturned. The world changed. New opportunities came to light. I joined a genealogy wiki named WikiTree. I have made several friends there and have contributed to furthering genealogical knowledge via the World Tree, which has overlapped with this fandom. I have since assisted with expanding the genealogies of Adrienne Wilkinson and Jimmy Wales, for example. As a result of being integrated with the fandom elsewhere and seeing the power that this wiki still brings, on 22 April 2023, I have made the decision to return to Wookieepedia in a greater standing of representation than I have been able to for years.

Even though I no longer hold an official position of power, I hope that my continued edits and attention to detail can assist in pushing the wiki ever further forward. Having started as just an idea and in a matter of 18 years having grown to over 180,000 articles (as of April 2023), I am proud of the project that has time and time again gained considerable note in popular culture and served the public with the most detailed entries on the Star Wars universe. I am honored to be a part of this.

Notes

Wookieepedia-specific

• Anons who revert other anons.
• Anons who underestimate the ban power of the wiki.
• Our first bot, appropriately a familiar droid named Artoo.
• That a few guys can grab the attention of an entire fanbase in only a year.
• Users who insist on being Darths.
• Users who go by character, location, or actor names.
• An article titled "Hover Transport" that actually read "A transport that hovers."
• That I never can finish what I start.
• That I catch more mistakes after I saved for the first or second time.
• That it's astounding how fast information is added from a released source only hours after made public.
• That I can prevent myself from going crazy from spoilers by purchasing that source on that day.
• That Wookieepedia on Wikipedia was nominated for deletion per WP:WEB as spam. Thankfully it was speedy kept.
• That suspension of disbelief is fun to think about.
• That we somehow don't have articles for the inevitably to be released.
• That I am one that wants to keep everything on the wiki, a true hyperinclusionist to the core.
• Mineral does not always equal material.
• That people still can't spell "Wookieepedia".
• Guestbooks. I don't really favor them, but whatever.
• I have never seen or heard anything like the Wookiee-Cast but I'm hooked on the Dexter-like voice of 4dot. (If he only knew which one I was talking about.)

• Vandals that return a year later as redeemed users.
• I created the 50,000th article, Solitaire. It's not much but it's canon and that's what counts.
• The Other Wookieepedia [1]
• jSarek was the published question to Leland Chee in Star Wars Insider 96's Q&A section regarding Conan Antonio Motti's canon status, revealing his original name to be "Zi Motti" before Lucas intervened. Shown as "Sarek", he asked "How have you decided to treat the "Conan Antonio Motti" name... for Holocron purposes? Is it just another joke, or are you taking it a bit more seriously than that?" It was originally questioned on the SW.com forums on May 16, 2007.
  • This being said, I have found an instance of "Zi Motti" in Death Star while he talks to Admiral Jaim Helaw.
• Interestingly enough, I was the first to ask Leland (or anyone in a panel) at Celebration IV's continuity panel on May 26, 2007 about the canonicity of this name, to which he replied "it will be revealed eventually". The publication of Death Star's Dramatis Personae and the Insider issue was the "eventually" part.
• Do some users have a tendency to automatically vote with the most important person and not necessarily via a valid reason of their own?
• I was almost deleted. It was a fair choice to merge my article into the Wookieepedia article afterward.
• Galen Marek and Guri won Mister and Miss Star Wars respectively for 2008. Glad to see this feature still survives today.
• Beware the Great List Purge of 2008 and 2009!
• April Fools Day 2009 Ideas
  • Main Page and FA in Shyriiwook (My idea)
  • Max as FA (4dot)
  • Howard the Duck wiki (4dot)
  • 1978 joke (4dot)
  • Wiki about Wookieepedia (4dot)
  • Star Wars Purist wiki (Ozzel) (winner for 2009)
  • The Complete Wookieepedia (Ozzel)
• Only took nine years (3/4/05-3/4/14) to reach 109,600 articles, and ten to reach 117,350.
• 12/24/2017: To see the end of Wookieenews to which now our social media updates on Facebook and Twitter are dominating that space on the Main Page.

Canon

• The amount of -ooine and -aan planets. See also User:Riffsyphon1024/Aanooine
  • Examples for -ooines include: Tatooine, Dantooine, Ventooine, Klatooine, Handooine, Entooine, Cardooine, Mantooine, Minntooine, Reltooine, Sestooine, Sistooine, Vactooine, and Velmooine. Most -ooines show up in the Rim.
  • Other possibilities might be Brintooin, Jandoon, Parshoone, Alvorine, Aviprine, and Humbarine.
  • Examples for -aans and the occasional -een include: Alderaan, New Alderaan, Aldereen, Falleen, Endoraan, Manaan, Delderaan, Taloraan, Chardaan, Nelvaan, Tiisheraan, Talaan, Ophideraan, and Nyriaan. Most -aans show up in the Core. Ophideraan is in the Outer Rim.
  • StarNeptune and I have speculated that maybe there is a link, maybe an ancient empire that ruled the Rim, and another in the Core, each warring factions of each other, marking their territory with these suffixes. Maybe even the homeworld of both was named Aantooine, before splitting up. It's only a fan theory. :)
• A Galactic Census could be held: Humans would have an overwhelming majority, followed by Twi'leks, Rodians, Wookiees, and Hutts. They may not really be the most populous, but they are the most popular.
• My new favorite word is osik. An example of this in action is: "Don't give me all that droids-have-rights osik." from Odds.
• That no one was born in 0 BBY. Did a great disturbance in the force prevent childbirth across the galaxy? (Actually brought up at CIV, you nerd.)
• JustinGann's findings of creature population per planet, with the order as 1) Naboo 2) Tatooine 3) Endor 4) Kashyyyk 5) Yavin 4 6) Dac 7) Ithor 8) Corellia 9) Dagobah 10) Haruun Kal 11) Ansion
• Dashed Jedi names, as if they're all from the same place: Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn, and now Chu-Gon Dar, Belsed-Qan Idan, and Bodis-Ker Vitan. We still don't know where the first two come from which is beyond odd.
• That Tyber Zann was based in appearance on the actor who plays Lucius Malfoy from the Harry Potter movies (Jason Issacs). Is it postulated that this reference may place Issacs in a forthcoming role in the TV series as Tyber Zann himself? See also Talk:Tyber Zann#Picture.
• Who would substitute for Ambak, Blaylock, Cronau, and Mezzicanley?
• That the Givin are truly the coolest species for being mathematically advanced.

• That I wouldn't eat Ugorian food.
• If I could be like Michael Tandre and become a species' spiritual leader on a distant planet nearly overnight.
• Palpy had way too much time on his hands writing the Dark Side Compendium as each book would take 96 standard hours to read, a total of 288 standard hours.
• The Burning sounds horrible.
• I might consider a visit to Vaathkree.
• Star Wars: Demolition was where it was at in 2000.
• Dor is geologically fascinating.
• Tiran = Einstein
• The Albino Cyclops is one ugly creature.
• Some people gotta understand that Wookiee pron consisting of Mermeia was the latest thing in that day.
• Oh the horror of xenoboric acid!
• Havet Storm was really that important.
• The return of the Sweet One and a familiar friend in the late Legacy Era.
• Something to watch for and hope becomes realized in the upcoming Clone Wars series: the Scorpenek annihilator droid
• Katie Lucas made braces canonical.
• Mace Windu survives bigger falls than that on Coruscant. Landed on a air taxi too I bet...
• Legacy was even more fun after we knew who Darth Krayt was.
• Lando's aptly-titled How to Succeed in Everything.
• Lumiya makes her first appearance in the month of my birth, in Star Wars 88: Figurehead.
• "Bannistar Station" would be a good banning cry.
• I was wrong all along.
  • Note: there are still sources that capitalize: Geonosis and the Outer Rim Worlds
• Combat Umbrellas. Seriously?
• The Bi-Polar blaster carbine: Great idea but terribly inefficient.
• One character looks like the 44th President of the U.S.
• The Atlas still remains incomplete. Reasons for this:
  • The 1,024 sectors have not been fully assembled as hoped, but only in regions that have better astrography developed (especially those previously seen in WOTC and WEG material).
    • May be completed via the "living document" portion of the Atlas online.
  • Explanation for the -aans and -ooines remains mysterious like Yoda's species, though more showed up in the Atlas.
    • Per question/answer, this may expanded on online as well
  • The galaxy remains a work-in-progress. It will always be continuously updated as long as there are Star Wars television series, video games, novels, RPGs, etc...

• Sector count per categories on September 4, 2009
  • Wild Space - 2 or 3
  • Tingel Arm - 7
  • Outer Rim Territories - 182
  • Mid Rim - 45 (170 after update, March 2011)
  • Inner Rim Territories - 13
  • Expansion Region - 18 --> 109 including free-standing subsectors
    • Vardoss sector
    • Mondress sector
    • Neshes sector
    • Hijoan Space
    • Sarla sector
    • Carvandir sector
    • Deadalis sector
    • Ryborean sector
    • Drannik sector
    • Trestis sector
    • Immalia sector
    • Fellwe sector
    • Ehosiq sector
    • Corpheli sector
    • Lostar sector
    • Greater Plooriod sector
    • Dalqan sector
    • Ploo sector
    • Sumitra sector
    • Dentari sector
    • Farstey sector
    • Prackia sector
    • Locris sector
    • Hali sector
    • Nojic sector
    • Dona Laza sector
    • Biivren sector
    • Annecy sector
    • Ghost Nebula
    • Couronne sector
    • Noori sector
    • Oeiros sector
    • Axion sector
    • Tolemses sector
    • Serathrace sector
    • Belasco sector
    • Kossa sector
    • Maladi sector
    • Harron sector
    • Harron Marches
    • Hangshan sector
    • Hocatar sector
    • Askarian sector
    • Circarpous sector
    • Venzeiia sector
    • Parcelus sector
    • Cyrillian Protectorate
    • Nuon e Safyd sector
    • Authala sector
    • Indra-su-Mar sector
    • Dimean sector
    • Sepan sector
    • Surron sector
    • Tokamac sector
    • Merthian sector
    • Palamut sector
    • Altier sector
    • Hilo sector
    • Imberlin sector
    • Charra sector
    • Treffani sector
    • Narvath sector
    • Kailion sector
    • Tynna sector
    • Immerian Outback
    • Immeria sector
    • Chaykin sector
    • Brak sector
    • Thaere sector
    • Citlik sector
    • Brevost sector
    • Tacuni sector
    • Mbandamonte sector
    • Baroli sector
    • Zarracina sector
    • Majoor sector
    • Kira sector
    • Yaraga sector
    • Jurzan sector
    • Mikaster sector
    • Athallia sector
    • Boeus sector
    • Hythorpe sector
    • Woostri sector
    • Epsi Collective
    • Tregilis sector
    • Rocantor sector
    • Pamabe sector
    • Alchenaut sector
    • Vulcusion sector
    • Hakartha sector
    • Vensensor sector
    • Bes Ber Bikade sector (Three-Besh)
    • Andirma sector
    • Itopol sector
    • Arc d'Stot sector
    • Vatha sector
    • Piryn Shar sector
    • Har Worlds
    • Trans-Jardeen sector
    • Chitarghar sector
    • Great Agash sector
    • Thand sector
    • Extorin sector
    • Cantors of Lahag
    • Montitian Grant
    • Trailing Grant
    • Thuldin's Grant
    • Freestanding subsectors
  • Colonies - 17
  • Core Worlds - 22
  • Deep Core - 3
    • Clearly this number does not add up to 1,024 but closer to 310 sectors.
• I know this is complete speculation, but it's sorta dawned on me, and I'm not sure who else (not that I haven't seen on here), that Cade could potentially be spurred from Caedus. I wonder if Jacen Solo has been reconsidered as a great Force User by this time frame, and that his very Sith title might have been inspiration for our individual here. Again, definitely not canon. Just saying.
• Green milk.

Other

• I am enlightened to learn that I share a birthday with Aayla Secura.
• Why didn't I attend Celebration III in Indianapolis, only 400 miles away, not 2000?
• Fanboys!
• Riffsyphon
• That I am a Warsie.
• There's a real person named Dirk Yohan Beer. Isn't that a karking awesome name?!
• !