it says "area of effect MAY include" but i was always told EE was NOT optional, but now that im looking at this i feel different.

is Energy Explosion optional or not?

Should be optional, unless otherwise stated.

To what are you referring....

so you are saying it is optional.

So then specifically the power of EE, optional or not?

I am making a ranged attack and i have EE showing on my dial.

to start with No powers are optional anymore.
With that being said there are powers that require certain actions to activate, such as Power Action, Ranged Combat Action, Close Combat Action.

Also some powers say like Blade Claws Fangs say you may roll a D6.
the may in the powers gives you an option of doing it or not, if the may is not there then you MUST do it.

EE is activated any time that you give the character a Ranged Combat Action, but you get to choose if you want the MAY of the Area effect expanding to those adjacent to the target.

So even if you did not do the area effect of EE you technically still used it, so if someone has a power that said something like "When an opposing character uses EE, deal them once click of unavoidable damage after action resolves" then they would still take the click.

Very nice explanation.