darklordoftech said:

Ludo Kressh seems to be a road not taken for the Sith. I wonder what would have hapoened if the Republic discovered a Kressh-ruled Sith Empire.

I once thought I’d love to see that whole story told one day, even all of TOTJ, in animation or live-action. But now I think they’d just just screw it up, so it maybe best it is just left alone.

So many curious and fascinating ideas and stories in the early EU. Pre 2002-2005 “rules”, especially.

philraid said:

I do see a bit of overlap between Palpatine and the Futurama version of Nixon.

I’d watch a Futurama episode of just “Palpatine vs Nixon”!

Didn’t this thread have just 1 reply only an hour ago?

Edit: my mistake, there is just a duplicate thread in “General SW Discussion”.

I finally got around to watching this and I really enjoyed it.

It certainly didn’t feel like I was watching a 40 minute video, it felt quite a bit shorter, in a good way. This was obviously well researched and put together, with some smooth edits and cuts.

I also liked the humour and insights you included, and you did a great job in presenting it throughout. Smooth work inserting quotes, clips and audio from those working on the TV projects at the time, too. You struck a really good balance with that.

Plus, you gave each piece of Star Wars TV some solid coverage, especially noting how certain ideas and concepts were later used or referenced in the main films. I loved your 2003 Clone Wars segment, it is often overlooked in favour of the later 2008 series in many other similar videos and articles.

Would happily recommend others to watch this, especially for anyone who doesn’t know much of Star Wars’ somewhat “up and down” history on TV.
 

The only thing I can think of on “a critical level” is that it appeared your microphone stand may have broke? (or you opted for a hand-held mic in shot from around around 20 minutes for around 10 minutes?) and it felt a little “off” for some bizarre reason. Although that is likely just me! And I’m struggling to think of anything critical write as I enjoyed the video so much.
 

Cool video, and I hope you do more. Maybe a “Part Two” in the future, for the Disney+ era?

In this recent fluff piece about Ahsoka season 1, it is revealed that Dave Filoni is now the “Chief Creative Officer of Lucasfilm”:
 

https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2023/11/star-wars-ahsoka-dave-filoni

“Creator Dave Filoni, Rosario Dawson, Hayden Christensen, and Natasha Liu Bordizzo reveal how their show altered the galactic landscape.”
 

Dave Filoni has a new mission in the Star Wars universe after guiding Rosario Dawson’s Force-wielding hero to distant celestial realms in the first season of Ahsoka. The writer-producer-director, who started out working alongside George Lucas on the animated Clone Wars show nearly two decades ago, has ascended to a new position at Lucasfilm—one that will give him input into all the galactic storytelling going forward.

“Now I’m what’s called chief creative officer of Lucasfilm,” Filoni tells Vanity Fair, which places him into the development process much earlier and in a much more expansive capacity than his previous advisory duties. “In the past, in a lot of projects I would be brought into, I would see it after it had already developed a good ways” he said.

“In this new role, it’s opened up to basically everything that’s going on. When we’re planning the future of what we’re doing now, I’m involved at the inception phase.”

and later in the article:

“I’m not telling people what to do,” Filoni says. “But I do feel I’m trying to help them tell the best story that they want to tell. I need to be a help across the galaxy here, like a part of a Jedi Council almost.” He described his responsibilities as understanding the intent of the filmmakers and being a resource to them, based on his mentorship under Lucas himself, and his years spent steering The Clone Wars, Rebels, and Ahsoka. “Literally, hours now of Star Wars storytelling I have done,” he said, before pausing to rethink his syntax. “See…I even phrased that like Yoda.”

“To truly help filmmakers, it was really important for me to experience it firsthand,” he says. “I can also lend a perspective on the challenges that telling these stories will present. I feel more capable of actually being helpful outside of just saying, ‘Well, Jedi are like this, and Sith are like this…’”

 
I think he is a better ideas man than a writer. And also better when it comes to animation than live action, although that may be a little harsh as Ahsoka is his first solo project? The Mandalorian and Book of Boba Fett was alongside Favreau?

Maybe he’ll hire more creatives willing to take risks with their content, that has something to actually say with their stories? Not slavishly adhere to fan service or memberberries at any given opportunity, or do more mystery boxes or off-screen explanations of anticipated and significant story points? No more of the plentiful vagueness littered throughout the story, or cutting away just when a moment or event is actually engaging or holding an interest.

To “show, don’t tell” (or ignore) more? I feel like I’m going into “rant mode”, so I’ll stop here.

Maybe we’ll get more Andor level quality content, and less low-mid level inane content that he and Favreau have put out themselves of late? Although considering many fans seem to be wanting new fresh takes on Star Wars, and not rehashed nostalgia, Filoni does appear to be a strange choice for this CCO role.

I suppose we’ll have to wait and see.

“Bespin” by Kevin Wilson:

 
Looks like an old 80s poster we could all easily buy back then. I love that 80’s retro “warm” style and colouring.

Phase III of The High Republic starts today.

https://www.starwars.com/news/star-wars-the-high-republic-phase-3-launch

They’ve also included a useful “official chronological reading list”:

https://www.starwars.com/news/every-star-wars-the-high-republic-book-and-comic-series
 

What Is Star Wars: The High Republic?:

https://www.starwars.com/news/what-is-star-wars-the-high-republic

and Star Wars Explained have done a couple more videos for the end of Phase II:
 

The High Republic Story So Far - Phases One and Two Recap - 6 minute video

Everything I Love About The High Republic Phase Two - 5 minute video

and a 28 minute video on: George Mann Discusses The Eye of Darkness, Mythology, Star Wars, and The High Republic (No Spoilers)

An updated map of the galaxy, now including Ferrix, from the “Dawn of the Rebellion Visual Guide” book.

I think it is time for another watch of Andor. I do wonder, after season 2 drops next year, if writing like this will ever be seen in Star Wars again?:

https://twitter.com/SmallPutrk/status/1720818195357909229
 

So many great lines, moments, feelings, throughout.

Channel72 said:

No, the “no romantic attachments” rule didn’t appear explicitly until Attack of the Clones, although arguably a more nebulous form of this rule was hinted at in Phantom Menace. But the OT definitely never even considered the idea of “no romantic attachments” as a possibility. The pre-Prequel EU of course never considered this idea either, and thus we had Jedi getting involved in romance like everyone else (e.g. Mara Jade, etc.).

You can argue further (as you point out) that the OT not only doesn’t have this rule, it outright contradicts this rule, since we hear that Anakin had offspring and the movies never indicate this was in any way weird or not expected of a Jedi.

Also, having offspring is possible without romantic attachments. The Jedi rule is specifically about romantic attachments. Arguably, some species that say, reproduces by laying eggs and then just abandoning them (as is done by many species on Earth) would be allowed to be a Jedi AND have kids.

There have been a couple of in-depth discussions about this issue in previous threads in this forum.

The general consensus around here is probably that romantic attachments were allowed until George Lucas decided to inject some Romeo and Juliet into his love story, because he didn’t know how to write a love story. I mostly agree with this sentiment, but consider it a bit too reductive, since arguably the “no romantic attachment rule” could be considered a logical consequence of the Jedi’s general dislike of emotional attachments, which was implied (if somewhat muddled) in The Phantom Menace when they bring up Anakin’s fear of losing his mom.

I’d agree with pretty much all of that, and especially the part in bold. Even today, barring “romantic attachments” etc in AOTC comes across as an outlier, something written to be “Romeo & Juliet” or rebellious love as you posted, and just not executed very well at all. Going from learning about this “rule” to actually seeing them “fall in love”, to getting married by the end of the film, despite his genocidal tendencies, raises other questions about the characters and story being told.

It isn’t difficult to see why other writers (whether in EU, legends, canon or whatever), have basically ignored this
“forbidden romantic attachments” rule introduced in AOTC, or simply written around it.

Sideburns of BoShek said:

I haven’t read “Light Of The Jedi”, or much of The High Republic, set 500 BBY to 100 BBY, but in there are apparently Jedi who fall in love, have intimate relationships, and also form emotional attachments:-

https://gizmodo.com/the-high-republics-jedi-should-be-living-in-a-golden-ag-1846183927

'For as different as they might initially seem, Avar [Kriss] and Elzar [Mann] are presented as extremely close friends in the novel, having grown up as fellow younglings, Padawans, Knights, and eventually by the time of the book’s end, Masters of the Order. They go everywhere together, on missions or on downtime. They are compassionate for each other, clearly. Their connection together allows them, as Jedi, to do spectacular things with the Force multiple times in the novel, building on Avar’s own unique ability to connect her fellow Jedi through the Force in powerful acts of sensitivity. One of the last scenes in Light between the two confirms something that felt keenly obvious in looking at their relationship throughout: at one point, as younger Jedi, Avar and Elzar were romantically entwined, before choosing to amicably separate to focus on their studies as apprentices of the Force.

Two Jedi. Two Jedi who loved each other. Who still do. Who are not just good friends, but deeply intimate with each other in a way that goes beyond friendship. Two Jedi who are, by very much any definition of the word, still emotionally attached to each other.’

Another “+” for the High Republic.

Joe Johnston says there will be a “Light and Magic” Season 2 documentary in the video below:

32Ten Studios: The final day - a 6 minute video at Fantha Tracks
 

"32Ten Studios, the former home of the George Lucas Theater and the ILM Model and Practical Effects Shop closed its doors for the final time on 1st October. An historic location in the long storied history of Industrial Light & Magic, its closure marked the end of a chapter that saw the visual effects for much of the original trilogy and a slew of classic 80’s and 90’s blockbusters created within its four walls.

Star Wars Celebration Collecting Track organiser and Star Wars archivist Gus Lopez was there to document the final gathering of ILM crew old and new."

https://www.fanthatracks.com/news/conventions-events/32ten-studios-the-final-day/
https://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/article/article/its-a-fade-to-black-for-historic-marin-county-movie-studios-known-for-sta/
https://scrippsnews.com/stories/legendary-movie-effects-studio-shutting-down-amid-strikes/
https://www.vesglobal.org/event/ves-bay-area-hosts-fall-bbq-with-a-farewell-tribute-to-32ten-studios-sun-oct-1-400-800pm/
https://www.32ten.com/

Those “younglings” training blind with the helmets on, standing so close together, in a close space, lightsabers wafting around all over the place! The First Aid or surgical re-attachment departments must have been quite busy!
 

Was there a reason given why they went with the “Tatooine robes” as the Jedi uniform for TPM, and not the uniforms used in concept art and storyboards?

I’d guess at money, tailoring, and fitting? Maybe easier and quicker to knock up those Tatooine robes than the rather elaborate unused Jedi uniforms?

The Jedi in Black - How Jedi ORIGINALLY Were to Look Like

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fc2kfTQ1D_A - an 8 minute video at the ‘SYLO: Star Wars’ YouTube channel.
 

^ It also includes George Lucas on film being present during a costume fitting for Mark Hamill being fitted for his black Jedi outfit as worn in 1983’s Return Of The Jedi, and describing it as “black is more Jedi-like” (2 minutes & 50 seconds into the video).

Obi Wan Kenobi wears what appears to be a black Jedi uniform in the first ever Prequel era story, in 1979’s Marvel Star Wars comic “Silent Drifting” (Star Wars #24 Volume 1):

the wookieepedia page for this issue of the comic: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Star_Wars_(1977)_24

Anakin concept art for Revenge Of The Sith, from Page 85 of JW Rinzler’s ‘Art of Revenge Of The Sith’ book:

“George wanted to see Anakin in a costume similar to the one that Luke wears in Return Of The Jedi” - JUN (Sang Jun Lee)

the wookieepedia page: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/The_Art_of_Star_Wars_Episode_III:_Revenge_of_the_Sith

Some screenshots from the “Star Wars Costumes: Original Trilogy” book on the Jedi robes:
 

On Yoda’s robes in Empire Strikes Back:

 
On Kenobi’s robes in Star Wars:

The logo used for 2014 “The Star Wars” was very cool too.

 
Back to the OP; certainly interesting to think how the story could have evolved with Vader, Anakin, and Kenobi being 3 completely separate characters, but also good friends.

Is there any fan fiction continuing on the premise in Leigh Brackett’s 1978 draft of Empire Strikes Back? Or similar media such as an “animated comic” type story?

Emre16O1 said:

snip

I hadn’t thought of it like that. There was quite a bit of “last chance to buy X” adverts and promos back in the 80’s and 90’s as various formats progressed. Like you stated, Lucas was at the forefront of technology back then, but I can’t remember thinking at the time of “One Last Time” advert was because of the onset of DVD, or other format. Although that is probably because of the delays in the format specs in the Wikipedia article, and DVD not really hitting the stores until early 1997.
 

I do agree with the OP: “Personally, I would have preferred if George Lucas did this instead of messing with Irvin Kershner and Richard Marquand’s films”, and that George just tinkered with his own film, offering the original cuts alongside the changed version.

Auralnauts - Ahsoka 1986 TV trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8E8ZXZlcbs

Honest Trailers - Ahsoka: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHXDbVRxojo

Pitch Meeting - Ahsoka: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-g56xMEQj0

Not Obi-Wan Kenobi - Ahsoka (all episodes; 2 hours long): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjBxsJjQK-k
 

I think I enjoyed these more than the actual series itself. I hope “How It Should Have Ended” does an Ahsoka video too, they’re usually on point.

Edit:

Why Ahsoka Lost Nearly 40% Of Its Viewers From Debut To Finale - a 16 minute YouTube video by John Campea

(I’ve no idea who he is, but he seems fair and reasoned, with some good points made in this video)

The YouTuber Actual Andrew has done a number of engaging videos critiquing each episode of Ahsoka; the story issues, character problems and decision making, canon changes, unequal writing, use of key jangling, and misuse of the legacy characters in favour of empty fan service: Episodes 1 & 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6, Episode 7, and Episode 8

I thought that was a crazy amount of money for a Threepio head, but then I just saw this:
 

Star Wars’ Long-Lost “Missing X-Wing” Sells For $3,135,000 - at ScreenRant

‘The Red Squadron Leader’s X-wing has been an important missing piece of Star Wars history for years, and now it’s just been sold for $3.13 million.’
 

 
'An important piece of Star Wars history is the long-lost X-wing of Red Squadron Leader as seen in A New Hope, and now it’s just been sold for $3,135,000. The miniature has been considered “long-lost” for years as one of the original four miniature models created for the infamous battle scene of the Rebel Alliance versus the Empire over the Death Star in A New Hope. This scene is not only known for its impact on the Star Wars franchise, but also on the way movies are made today, paving the way for the creations of miniatures in addition to bringing the iconic X-wing look to life. Now, it’s been located after many years, and it’s proven to be worth a fortune.

The Red Squadron Leader’s X-wing miniature has just been sold at Heritage Auctions for $3,135,000, its single red stripe confirming it to be the long-lost piece of history. The model was found with the late Oscar-winning miniature-maker Greg Jein, and it’s said to be just as valuable to visual effects as the infamous ruby red slippers of Dorothy. The miniature was a part of the trench battle of the Death Star and has capabilities that include locking its S-foils into attack position.’

Sideburns of BoShek said:

Vladius said:

I don’t know why it’s so hard for people to just consider anything you like canon and anything you don’t like noncanon.

Seriously, your own “head-canon” is probably more consistent than Lucasfilm’s canon, and why let Lucasfilm or anyone else tell you what is “canon” or not?

I think a growing number of people are coming around to that way of thinking on longer-running franchises, but especially for Star Wars, where they even ignore the aims and “rules” of their own canon.

Hadrian sunrider said:

Amazingly fun for RPGs

That is a good point! 😃 A lot more fun and possibilities too.

So we start off with Ezra building a lightsaber; a weapon he said he didn’t want or need in the last episode. Ahsoka does have has a few spare sabers to choose from, but the ship will trundle along the speed of the Noti, instead of simply travelling at speed to Thrawn’s ship. Very unlucky the TIEs attacked with no warning of approaching ships on the scope the moment Ezra explained he’d finished building his new saber.

The TIE’s can hit a slow moving target the first time and damage it - but seem to miss a damaged and stationary ship in the 2 strafes afterwards? Huh.

Ezra states that the ship being badly damaged after taking down the two TIEs will “slow us down a bit”. But that’s okay. Because they were going at walking speed before the TIE’s engaged. Using the wolf/horse they’ll get there quicker than they originally were going to.

The Ahsoka vs Morgan fight appeared shaky. Sped up footage, maybe? No idea why the Night Troopers stopped firing at Ahsoka, or stood around watching instead of surrounding her on all sides, just in case Ahsoka prevailed over Morgan.

The zombie stormtrooper fight was jarring. Is this the new standard for how a lightsaber works now? I thought that as the Night Troopers were dead, and were no longer human, there would be some more dismemberments shown on screen. That the fight would be been over a short time with no coming back, unless they wanted to do the creepy, dismembered limbs reintegrating or something, which they tired to attempt. Instead, lightsabers were set “to stun” or low power mode, so although you could hear the effects of the Night Troopers ‘coming back’, there wasn’t much in the way of being shown this visually. It was a little disappointing overall in the execution. I think Filoni owes Joe Schreiber an apology for that.

Which brings me on to Baylan, and Shin. Shin’s arc is to now go live with the Raiders? Is that it, really? Baylan’s is to find Abeloth or a gateway to WBW that the Mortis God statue statue was pointing to? That was underwhelming, and could have been executed so much better.
 

Unfortunately, a few of us were correct in that it appears the series was just setup for later episodes; whether that will be a second season, in the other Mandoverse series, or in the Filoni film. 8 episodes does seem a bit much and as others have posted posted, it could have been done 4 or 5? I think we’ll some cleverly crafted and more enjoyable fan edits achieving just that.

Vladius said:

Everything everyone else said is right. I wasn’t rooting for the show to get better because that would just be wasted, but it’s fun to watch it to pick it apart anyway.
I have no problems with Thrawn’s casting. He does the voice really well, which makes sense. The issue is the writing, of course. They didn’t really have a way to make him tactically genius. His main gimmick seems to be commenting on acceptable losses.
Mercenaries die. Ah, an acceptable loss.
Baylan quits. Ah, an acceptable loss.
Stormtroopers die. Ah, an acceptable loss.
TIE fighters run into the enemy ship for no reason. Ah, an acceptable loss.
Morgan dies. Ah, an acceptable loss.

😄
 

At least Skeleton Crew and The Acolyte should see things improve. The Mandoverse series have left me cold. Kenobi too. (Season 1 and a couple of Season 2 episodes of Mando apart)

That guy with no name said:

BetaMedia said:

also some Special Edition footage is included in Harmy’s Despecialized Edition and 4K77.

name some!

I don’t we’ll be getting any evidence of these incorrect claims.

Channel72 said:

This thread is fake news.

Yes.

An awful edited video.

I’m curious for more information, if only for the comedy.

At this point I just wish they’d stop with the New Republic scenes. They have been so frustratingly underwhelming (just to me):

Caston said:

New Republic laziness and ineptitude yet again? (and the writing for the New Republic too!)
 

Mon Mothma: “Do you have Morgan Elsbeth?”

Hera (instead): Nearly, we just missed them. If your Senators hadn’t delayed us last time, we’d have like caught them in time - and both Morgan Elsbeth and the Dark Jedi would likely be in our custody.

Mon Mothma: “Do you have evidence of Imperial Remnant?”

Hera (instead): Yes. The two Dark Jedi that boarded a New Republic ship, killed many of the crew and freed the prisoner Morgan Elsbeth (who previously gave up information about Thrawn to Ahsoka) have just been missed; but we know they are using a high powered Hyperspace Ring to apparently go find Thrawn. The same Hyperspace Ring whose engine parts were supplied by Imperial Remnant or those loyal to the Empire (and announce themselves as such: “For the Empire!”), whose location we found out about from the memory cell of a droids sent by those Dark Jedi. Our ships’ sensors have readouts of that Hyperspace Ring and we also have testimony of the New Republic pilots. In 5 minutes: Ahsoka is going to follow the two Dark Jedi and Morgan to the next galaxy over, using these Hyperspace traveling “StarWhales”. The same “StarWhales” we know that took Thrawn and Ezra disappeared years ago during The Battle of Lothal; a well known Rebel engagement vs the Empire, and mention of these “StarWhales” can also found in the Jedi Archives. Luke may be interested in this y’know; Thrawn, Imperial Remnant, Dark Jedi, missing Jedi, Force-attuned “StarWhales” with long history of hyperspace abilities. Why am I answering these insipid questions to you? Have you been hit on the head or taking some stupid pills since Andor? Why are you acting like this? Oh, you’re now an ancillary character in a Filoni series. Filoni… of course. Got it.

Mon Mothma: “You and Ahsoka Tano are to return to Coruscant with the Fleet. The Senate oversight Committee is going to determine whether your command should be germanely suspended. You are going to need her testimony to help you. And yes, I too wish the scenes with the New Republic were written not as an afterthought with little substance, weight, or realism, and lacking in awareness of the past events. Has anyone seen Tony Gilroy? (Just asking for a friend).”

 
continuing on in episode 7: at Hera’s court-martial hearing on Coruscant…

Senator Xiono: “An incident [on Seatos]? Yes. But this report reads like a child’s fairy tale. Jedi, False Jedi, star maps, star whales, distant galaxies. Honestly, are we to believe any of it?”

(No holo-recordings on Rebel ships boarded by the Dark Jedi?, or autopsies of New Republic officers killed by the Dark Jedis’ lightsabers? Ahsoka is a Jedi - does he not believe it? Perhaps he should go ask Luke? Star maps and star whales: they were present when Thrawn disappeared at the Battle of Lothal, and have been seen again taking Ahsoka to the place where Thrawn and Ezra ended up. What is like “a child’s fairy tale” about this again? Other than the writing for New Republic Government scenes? Mon Mothma hasn’t aged a day since the events of Andor; some 14-15 years ago, despite all she has been through, and ended up leading the New Republic itself, in post-Empire times. Her skin regime is strong).

Hera: “Morgan Elsbeth was leading a coordinated effort by the Imperial Remnant.”

Senator Xiono: “Objection. “Imperial Remnant” Such a sensational term. There is no proof of any coordination between the scattered and dwindling numbers of Imperial forces.”

Captain Teva: “What about the droid attack on the wookiees? What about the conflict on Mandalore?”

Senator Xiono: “Exactly my point. Gideon was a warlord acting on his own. There is no proof of a greater conspiracy and thus no immediate threat to this Republic.”

(2 important prisoners freed from Republic custody with proven links to Imperial Remnant. Secret bases built on Mandalore, high tech Mandalorian suits of armour, cloning, force ability experiments etc. All the work of one wanted and escaped Imperial Warlord operating outside his prior ‘allocated space’. All the quoted text above. Is all this intentional, or merely taking the viewer for idiots?)

Hera: “If Thrawn returns, that will change quickly.”

Senator Xiono: [Scoffs] “If.”

Hera: “I don’t know what frightens me more, the possibility of what might happen, or your unwillingness to see it.”

Senator Xiono: “I’ll tell you what I see. I see a General who abuses her authority for personal gain, and I will not stand for it. I motion that General Syndulla be court-martialled for disobeying a direct order.”

Enter Deus Ex 3PO with Leia cover reasons.

I feel better after that unhinged rambling! It is just so disappointing to see the New Republic Govt continued to be written and shown in this way, including in the Sequels too. Yes, the cycle of “rise and fall”, the “threat of danger” and all that. Yet the lazy way the New Republic Govt are being written and portrayed, to me, is a disservice to what came before, for what the Rebellion we’ve seen in many forms over time, including the OT, fought for. It even jars compared to, or appears in, some average Star Wars content such as Ahsoka. Andor proved that the more political or bureaucratic scenes can be done well, be illustrative and engaging, even to the point of wanting to see more. Intriguing characters, with compelling and clever story arcs. So why not anything approaching this for in the New Republic Govt setting too?

Is there a “New Republic Government” or “New Republic Era” thread on here I can tut to myself in, or go vent in? So I can just shut myself up in here? 😉

A few queries re episode 7:

The Night Sisters can pinpoint Ahsoka’s location, but not Ezra’s location? Was there a reason for this I missed?

What were Ezra and Sabine doing to warrant the attention of Baylan and Shin again, the Samurai Raiders, and then the Night Troopers? What would have happened if the Raiders and Imps hadn’t engaged them, and taken those losses? We’ve been told about Thrawn the tactical genius plenty of times, and yet he still hasn’t managed to kill Ezra despite all the forces at his disposal and also the night sister magic, in 10 years? I think I’ve missed something and need to re-watch the episode?

We are then sold this fight as a tactical win for Thrawn? Thrawn claims “time” is important here. What were Ezra and Sabine going to do otherwise? Weren’t they just simply riding away with the Noti in the other direction? Why do the Night Troopers remain so loyal to Thrawn that they chant his name in hangar bays when he appears, when he is willing to sacrifice them, (and their fellow solider before them?) in quite needless skirmishes like this? It doesn’t quite add up, and more of those oft-used “Show, don’t tell” issues that frequent Star Wars. Such use was more accepted when it was on a budget, with the tight shooting deadlines of years ago, but now? Not so much.

(Ezra and Sabin update each other about recent events off-screen, with just some minor quips on-screen? That was a little disappointing, I thought they could have had some fun with that, a lot of fun yet also poignant material.)

Why do the Night Troopers not fire when Shin orders them to “Fire!” at Ezra and Sabine? And wait for a second or two instead? Why does Shin and Ahsoka just stand there doing nothing while we see other action scenes taking place in the circled wagon scenes, and then the camera cuts back to both of them, still just standing there looking at each other? Is this another editing issue like the gap between Ahsoka interrupting Huyang on the ship in the space battle? This can be difficult to catch, given the number of pauses in dialogue (and also staring into space) for this series.
 

These are minor gripes and issues. It was an okay episode overall, New Republic Govt section apart. Shin and Baylan still stand out as being the highlight of the series so far. I liked the mention of Ventress, but a pity there is still no love for Dirge! That last episode next week has a lot of work to do. It would appear this season 5 of Rebels has been mostly set-up for the Filoni film, or maybe a season 2 of Ahsoka, or merge with The Mandalorian season 4, before then?

That is such a cool image and backstory for Boba, and a lot better than the one we ended up getting in the Prequels.

Also in the Special Edition, where he is apparently there just be a noticeable fan service SE change, standing and staring directly into the camera:

Rotten Tomatoes have posted an “exclusive sneak peek” for episode 7 of Ahsoka tonight:

https://twitter.com/rottentomatoes/status/1706685258643435616 (30 second video clip)

From Paul Duncan’s “Star Wars Archives: Episodes I-III: 1999-2005” book, released in 2021, for €150, and features a sit down interview with George Lucas:
 

 
George is still trying to rewrite history with the “it was always the tragedy of Darth Vader” retcon. Maybe he now believes it himself?

Edit: I knew something wasn’t “right” about that claim above from George Lucas. I’d read elsewhere that Lucas admitted he wasn’t consciously aware that the six Star Wars films ‘formed the biography of Darth Vader’ until the late 1990s.

I found it in oojason’s ‘George Lucas: Star Wars Creator, Unreliable Narrator & Time Travelling Revisionist’ thread:
 

oojason said:

7. Who is the main character in the Star Wars Saga?

George says it is Darth Vader…

Lucas now claims the 6 Star Wars films ‘form the biography of Vader’… but that he wasn’t aware of this “until 1998”…

 
A screenshot of a 2005 Vanity Fair article (February issue) promoting Revenge Of The Sith:-

^ ‘Taken as a whole, the six Star Wars movies form the biography of Darth Vader — something Lucas claims he wasn’t consciously aware of “until 1998.”’

It appears George cannot even keep his later revisionist claims from contradicting his previous revisionist claims.

Striking writers in Hollywood reach ‘tentative deal’ - BBC News
 

'Studios union confirms ‘tentative’ deal:

While writers union members have been celebrating a possible end to the lengthy strike, the big studios have been somewhat tight-lipped.

The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) is the body which represents the studios, having bargained on their behalf throughout the period of industrial action.

And AMPTP was concise in its joint statement with the WGA.

“The WGA. and AMPTP have reached a tentative agreement,” is all it said.’
 

'SAG-AFTRA expressed its “heartfelt congratulations” to negotiators from the Writers Guild of America (WGA) for striking a deal with studio bosses - the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).

In a post on X – formerly known as Twitter – the actors union said it applauds “your dedication, diligence, and unwavering solidarity over the last five months.”

The union added that it remains ready to resume its own negotiations with AMPTP, as the actors’ dispute remains unresolved.’

That is some good news, I hope the writers got what they wanted, and that the actors also will.

https://originaltrilogy.com/user/doctorkhan/id/80304

40+ posts of spam in “Toys & Memorabilia”

Guillermo del Toro Confirms Axed ‘Star Wars’ Movie, Writer David S. Goyer Scripted It Four Years Ago: ‘There Is a Lot of Cool Art Work From It’ - at Variety
 

 
'Guillermo del Toro confirmed on X/Twitter that he planned to direct a “Star Wars” movie around four years ago from a script by David S. Goyer, best known known for writing superhero movies such as “Batman Begins,” “Man of Steel” and more. The project never made it past development, but Goyer confirmed on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast that “a lot of cool art work” was produced for it.

“I wrote an un-produced ‘Star Wars’ movie that Guillermo del Toro was going to direct. That was about four years ago,” Goyer said. “There was a lot of behind the scenes stuff going on at Lucasfilm at the time. It’s a cool script… you have to ask him about it. There is a lot of cool art work from it that was produced.”

Del Toro shared Goyer’s interview on X/Twitter and added: “True. Can’t say much. Maybe two letters ‘J’ and ‘BB’ is that three letters?” The director’s post has led “Star Wars” fans to theorize on what these letters might mean. Was del Toro planning to use BB-8 in a movie? Jabba the Hutt? The possibilities are endless.

Goyer also revealed that he started work on a second “Star Wars” project, a “script treatment for an origins of the Jedi movie that takes place 25,000 years before the first ‘Star Wars’ film.” While Goyer ultimately parted ways with Lucasfilm, a Jedi origin movie is now currently in development from “Logan” and “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” director James Mangold. He’s described the pitch as a Biblical epic about the dawn of the Force.’
 

Both projects intrigue me, a pity we didn’t get to see the original project come to fruition, though it is kind of cool the “origins of the Jedi” story set 25,000 years ago is still around, with James Mangold now helming that project.