Interquel

In a series of works, an interquel is a narrative that portrays events that are chronologically set during the interval between two previously published works that sparked its creation, being the sequel to former work and the prequel to the latter work, which was previously the sequel to the former. The term was coined after prequel, pre- meaning before and inter- meaning between. Interquels are often used to supplement an existing universe without creating problems in continuity, as is the case in which a novel is set in a universe whose canon is primarily defined by a television series or movie.

According to the Expanded Star Wars universe, the book Shadows of the Empire is the interquel of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, six months both after the former and before the latter.

Orson Scott Card's Shadow series books are an interquel of Ender's Game and Speaker for the Dead.

The Game Boy Advance video game Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge is the interquel of the Nintendo 64 games, Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie. It is chronologically set two months after the former and one and a half years before the latter.

The Game Boy Advance video game Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories is the interquel of the two PlayStation 2 games.

Of Technos Japan's Nekketsu Kouha: Kunio-Kun series, Shin Nekketsu Kouha: Kunio tachi no Banka is the interquel of Nekketsu Kouha: Kunio-Kun (the game that Renegade is based on) and Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari (known in North America as River City Ransom).

The Metroid Prime series is the interquel of the first two installments of the Metroid franchise.

Of the Ys series, Ys IV: Mask of the Sun is the interquel of Ys II: The Final Chapter and Ys III: Wanderers from Ys. It is chronologically set two years after the former and one year before the latter.

Another type of interquel is known as a side story. This term was born in the anime fandom and sees most of its usage there. Two examples from the Matrix universe are the Enter the Matrix video game, which is set during the movie The Matrix Reloaded, and the nine stories in The Animatrix. Probably the most famous examples of side stories is in the U.C. (Universal Century) portion of the Gundam Universe. Traditionally, side stories are set in the same universe as a prominent family of characters but tend to not involve those characters or their situations. These stories, instead, tend to be quieter, isolated events occurring away from the major epic and its heroes. Thus, they tend to excel at character development leaving large scale action in the background. An example of a side story is Gundam 0083:Stardust Memory, which occurred between Mobile Suit Gundam and Zeta Gundam. Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket, while only halfway an interquel in the strictest sense, does contain portions that occur shortly after the end of Mobile Suit Gundam. Therefore, not all side stories are necessarily interquels. Another side story interquel is "Gundam Sentinel," a short story which appeared in Newtype Magazine. It takes place between Zeta Gundam and ZZ Gundam.

Examples of movie interquels include The Lion King 1 1/2 with Timon and Pumbaa as the central characters.

Interquel

See also