poppasketti

What a strange show, some great ideas mixed with poor execution at times that really hampers it.

The very last scene has convinced me that there’s too much meddling from Lucasfilm and that this is not exactly the show Headland intended.

There’s just nothing about this series that calls for a Yoda tease. It should have ended with Osha and Qimir silhouetted, and based on the music and rhythm of the episode that feels like where the writers intended to end it.

The need to shove in tie-ins to the OT into every show is so bizarre and emblematic of Lucasfilm’s lack of confidence in their showrunners, which I think why so many of these shows end up mediocre. They should have just let Headland make the show she wanted.

I liked parts of the finale, but like the show as a whole, it feels like it could have been much better.

Daiyus said:

After the high-tempo combat last week, this week’s episode is definitely the breathing room that was needed. The early episodes felt very jumpy, whereas this one seemed to to linger a little longer where needed. Sol “discovering”/playing along with Mae perhaps dragged out a little much, but I really enjoyed all of the interactions between Qimir and Osha. The Vernestra lightwhip moment felt entirely unneeded, regardless of how one feels about their re-introduction to canon. All in all a stronger episode than some that came before, with some excellent material to be kept if trimming the series into a film.

Completely agree with this. It feels like the show has hit its stride in the last 2-3 episodes and it finally feels like the promise of the show- to present the Sith perspective- is starting to deliver.

Manny Jacinto is killing it and is one of the most interesting characters in Star Wars in a very long time. Curious that unlike Kylo Ren on Anakin, he in control of his emotions. Makes him more powerful and seductive (not a reference to his arms).

I’m also glad the Mae deception didn’t drag on for multiple episodes. Seeing Sol unraveling is fascinating and a great contrast to the Jedi we’ve seen before.

It doesn’t make the writing/dialogue in the first few episodes better, but I am now invested in this show and ready to be burned again.

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Hey Roy, thanks so much for your feedback. I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

The sound mix for the radio scene was always tricky, so I totally understand if it’s not quite right. I probably made a couple dozen versions of that scene just adjusting levels, listening to it in different sound setups, tweaking…etc. If I ever open up the project again it’s definitely something I can look at!

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GrehgPlys said:

I’m sorry if you have answered this before, but is there a reason you didn’t include the third lesson deleted scene?

It was unfinished and had missing fx work. You can see especially in the shots where Rey is running, she appears to be bouncing/floating across the landscape.

It also didn’t seem to add enough to the story to demand its inclusion, although it does sometimes bug me that Luke promised 3 lessons but only gave 2.

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I’d be open to hearing AI voice of Palpatine options, but I don’t know if a sentence or two is really what I would want for the scene, as I don’t want it to be a full reveal.

The imperial march and emperor music clue you in that something is off/different. Kylo is at his low point, but “wait, what’s this?”

The idea was the crackling followed by two simple words is a bread crumb that I think a strong force user could pick up, but so short for the audience it (hopefully) gives you a “wait, was that? No can’t be. Can it?”

It’s a reveal without a full confirmation, which is what I would want in a tease. Of course, seeing it the first time I’d know it was Palpatine, but I think if he just started delivering lines I’d be saying out loud, “Wait, where the heck did this come from? What is happening? Somehow, Palpatine returned?”

The two words is subtle and simple enough that I’d be genuinely curious if it was really Palpatine, or something channeling Palpatine, or some general Sith magic. It’d make me more curious, like in TFA when we hear Ewan McGregor say “these are the first steps.”

I don’t know if the scene actually works as intended, but that’s the idea at least! It’s hard to know how I would’ve reacted seeing it for the first time.

elothar said:

I would love to get a link a both version! I heard it was the best

Oh no, I missed this message! Well, better than than never (I hope), PM sent.

MajorBug451 said:

This is a most wonderful project!

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Can’t wait to hear your full thoughts, Anchorhead, but I think I am in complete agreement. And this is from someone who hasn’t watched Clone Wars or Rebels, and many of the characters were complete unknowns to me.

The pacing is really what drew me in. It doesn’t rush to get to “the good stuff”, it plays out like, well, a story. In each scene I learn something about the characters, not just plot, but how they think. To me this is saying a lot considering what we get with much of the films/series today.

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The No Palpatine version means no Palpatine references at all, essentially the last version made before The Rise of Skywalker was released (with only a few minor tweaks that are not Palpatine or Rey Palpatine related).

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This is wild stuff! Great work all around. It’s nice to see a lot of activity here!

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Everything Emre1601 said!

I would add for myself that I am one who didn’t really enjoy Rogue One. I liked the concept but found it a weird mix of gritty realism, fan-service, and underdeveloped characters.

I also admit that I never I wanted this kind of show from Star Wars. To me, the tone of the old trilogy was perfect and—-while I wish the story had been better planned—-I mostly enjoyed the soft-reboot sequel trilogy.

So Andor was not something I was looking for at all, and it blew me away. I didn’t realize they could make the grassroots of the rebellion so engaging. I couldn’t believe how thrilling it would be to see a character simply change their mind (“Never more than 12”, somehow my favorite moment of the show).

I loved watching Luthen and Mon Mothma delicately navigate their paths. Genevieve O’reilly was incredible, managing to convey such terror buried under a thin layer of composure.

Seeing how the imperial bureaucrats operate showed us how terrifying they can be, but also exposed their vulnerabilities.

And those lulls you mentioned just made the tension builds more intense and arc climaxes more satisfying.

Even watching Syril Karn battle with his mother gave me glimpses of what a “regular” life might be in this universe, while also knowing the mere fact this idealistic fascist is still in the show had me on edge, worried about what he will do or become.

Just loved the show!

Loved the season finale for all of the reasons mentioned and I don’t need to add to it.

But I came here to say, did anyone notice there was a post-credit scene? I almost shut it off but decided I wanted to listen to the music while I thought about the ending, and then suddenly…

Harmy said:

So, I just watched episode 10 and I’m effing ecstatic about how good this is. It’s definitely the best Disney Star Wars show but in my opinion, it’s best Star Wars anything since at least Return of the Jedi, with the possible exception of the Thrawn trilogy.

I’m glad you said Return of the Jedi and not Empire Strikes Back! My brother often used ESB when saying “this is the best Star Wars since…” and I feel it’s a little unfair to ROTJ. It may be the most flawed of the original trilogy, but it also has some of the best and most important moments. Everything with Luke/Vader/Palpatine is perfect, and if that story arc didn’t land well, we might not have had any Star Wars afterward.