Alternate titles: "I'm Such a Kriffing Idiot", "HOLY SNOKES IT'S COMING BACK", or "I Was Saved by a Calendar".

So, this is going to be slightly embarrassing, but....my ranting about the so-called canon backstory was sort of futile. I'm a little less sheepish because everyone else seemed to think this as well, so I'd like to first say that I freaked out because of a bandwagon. Or it could be because this issue is confusing - take your pick.

The "new canon"? The Jedi wannabe story?

It's not canon anymore.

Let me explain. The only canon evidence we even have of a backstory change is found in "Lair of Grievous". Two things:

1. The remark from Grievous that he chose his cybernetics.

2. The statues in his lair that very clearly depict a physical change.

And what I neglected to take into account is that on its own....this is very shaky evidence of an entire retconning. Now, obviously we have Dave Filoni's commentary where he says he changed the backstory with no regrets, but....that's not canon anymore. That was made in 2009, long before Disney came along. It's the same reason that anything George Lucas said prior to the buyout is no longer canon.

So that must mean they now have a blank slate to work with, since both old-guard and new-order are decanonized, right?

Well, not exactly. This may seem like scanty evidence as well, but my friend (who's an ST nerd) bought a canon calendar. This was a calendar made in 2019, patented by Disney, and containing a TON of sequel-trilogy facts and content. She reads this book, so she can link you to the calendar. It is definitely canon. She sent me this image:

Does it say he cut off his own limbs after being rejected by the Jedi? 😉

Now, I'm not saying that this means Unknown Soldier is coming back. To be honest, I'm unsure if that will ever happen, but if Disney is thorough enough it could (I doubt Ronderu will ever be canon again though). All this means is that the shuttle crash itself is canon.

Do we know anything besides that at this point? No. But what does it mean? It's now the standing origin for how he got his cybernetics. They could go many different directions with this in the new Grievous comics coming out this spring, or in the new season of Clone Wars. I'm so glad the Jedi wannabe idea isn't canon anymore, and again....I feel really stupid for not realizing this earlier.

I'm not surprised that Disney went this route either, after recanonizing the Battle of Hypori. Think of what they could do to recanonize and resurrect him! I'm definitely buying the new comics when they come out now. I'm so excited!!

**I'm still calling myself old-guard hehehe