Star Wars 7x7: A Daily Bite-Sized Dose of Star Wars Joy

Connections to the TIE Fighter series, the origin story of a bounty hunter, a perfect scoundrel setup, and similarities to the early career of Alphabet Squadron's Yrica Quell, all in the series that sheds light on Han Solo's days as an Imperial Cadet. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

I say "watch" because the presentation was audio, but we put the key Star Wars parts into fun little waveforms! There's an aspect of the Kathleen Kennedy news that I haven't seen talked about, and it's a pretty big deal... Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Is Moff Gideon working for someone? Is he secretly "the Volunteer"? When did the Great Purge happen, since he played some unknown role in it? We'll explore these and more... Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Why is Moff Gideon overseeing similar experiments to those the Sith Eternal were doing for Emperor Palpatine? And who's the mysterious "volunteer" they're doing it for? Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

The place where Grogu was being held was the biggest open secret in the sector. Just ask Kuill! But who were those Nikto mercenaries working for, and why did Moff Gideon not use his own forces to get Grogu? Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

In yesterday's episode, we pointed out that Moff Gideon is at the heart of many of The Mandalorian's biggest mysteries. Today, we start examining those by exploring the history of the Dark Trooper - and how did he get them, anyway? Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Moff Gideon - played with fierce joy by Giancarlo Esposito - appeared in more episodes in season 2 of The Mandalorian than any other supporting character. Here's what we learned about him... Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

A good pair of stories well told, "TIE Fighter" is an Alphabet Squadron prequel only loosely connected to the novel trilogy's story, taking place just before the fall of the Empire. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

From the mischief in Alec Guinness' eyes and smile, to Peter Cushing screwing up a line, to a guy yelling Vader's lines from offscreen who sounds just like Rick Moranis, Star Wars outtakes and bloopers are delightful. It's the latest entry in our "What to Watch Now" series... Punch it! Here's the main one I mentioned on the show... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3c7dI0JOgzc And here's the much longer one... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNfIQVplY9U ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Three books, three narrators! Unusual, to be sure, and on today's episode of the show, we'll talk about January LaVoy's performance in the audiobook of Victory's Price. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

An interview Alexander Freed gave at the very start of the Alphabet Squadron launch hints strongly at important themes in Victory's Price. Also, a discussion of the key differences in the defector journeys of Yrica Quell and Battlefront II's Iden Versio. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

When you call your book "Victory's Price," it shouldn't come as a surprise that readers are concerned for the fates of their favorite characters... On today's episode, we're NOT going to reveal who lives and who dies in Victory's Price, the final novel in the Alphabet Squadron trilogy. But we know the Rebellion/New Republic will win the war, and we can talk about the toll it's taken on our heroes up till now, while considering the challenges they're about to face. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Moving confidently between epic battles and interpersonal dramas, Alexander Freed concludes the Alphabet Squadron trilogy in spectacular fashion with Victory's Price. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Animation, books, audiobooks, and comics are the main storytelling avenues where we know new things are coming in March 2021. We'll talk about those, and other places where news may be due. Punch it! We don't cover all the categories this month, because there's not notable news in all of them, but for the refresher, here's what they are... Movies Live-action TV Animation Books Audiobooks Comics Virtual Reality Video Games Experiential (Events/Conventions/Parks) Merchandise ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

If there's one thing that's clear from what we're highlighting in the "What to Watch Now" feature today, it's the joy that everyone brings and feels to making The Mandalorian. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

I debated whether it was worth saying anything on the podcast about me getting COVID, but in case just one person listening needs to hear a "stay strong" kind of message right now, well, here we go. ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

There's not one "thing" that makes Star Wars "Star Wars," but Force users are such a strong part that - if post-Skywalker-Saga storytelling didn't include them - then Star Wars would be lacking something crucial. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

We're continuing our look at post-Skywalker-Saga storytelling, and the trends we're seeing from Lucasfilm as it moves into this new era. As opposed to yesterday's "scoundrels at the margins," today's "damaged do-gooders" did set out to be good folks, but are haunted by what they've done in the name of the light. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Yesterday we talked about a certain kind of story that's becoming prevalent in the post-Skywalker-Saga era. Today, we're exploring a kind of character that's becoming ever more prominent. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

What would Star Wars storytelling look like, once the Skywalker Saga was complete? Now that more than a year has gone by, some patterns have emerged. On today's episode, we're starting a miniseries of looks at the directions Lucasfilm is taking, starting with the concept of the grand interconnected story initiative. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Migs Mayfeld became a multi-dimensional character in season 2 of The Mandalorian, and his arc within his lone episode appearance subverted any expectation you might have had for him. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

The conclusion of a new High Republic story also signals a continued investment in a unique in-universe perspective on the events of this big storytelling initiative. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Amy Richau is the author of her first Star Wars book, "I Love You. I Know. Lessons in Love and Friendship"! And she's back on the show to talk about the experience. Punch it! Here's Amy's bio: Amy Richau is a regular contributor to the official Star Wars website (StarWars.com) and the magazine Star Wars Insider. Her work has also appeared in Nerdist, Screenrant, and she wrote about the Denver Broncos for several outlets over the years including Mile High Report. She worked as a researcher for the docu-series about female Star Wars fandom "Looking for Leia" and she's been researching female Star Wars characters and women who worked behind the scenes on Star Wars projects for the 365 Star Wars Women Project. (365 Star Wars started out at the beginning of 2018 as 365 Star Wars Women. In this project she highlights a new female character, actress, writer, producer, or artist from Star Wars films, TV shows, books, comics, and more every day.) She has a background in film history, analysis, and preservation from academic and archive work at UC Santa Barbara, The George Eastman House, the UCLA Film & Television Archives, YCM Laboratories, and The Lucasfilm Film Archive at Skywalker Ranch. And here are the sites and socials mentioned in the show: Website: https://365starwars.com IG: https://instagram.com/365starwars Twitter: https://twitter.com/365_starwars (note the underscore) and https://twitter.com/amyrichau ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

First-person shooter? Multiplayer co-op? Arena challenges? Today, we're sorting out the details of the newly announced Star Wars: Hunters game, including some intriguing elements about its placement in the storytelling timeline. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

This notion of epic Star Wars storytelling initiatives with a tale told across a variety of outlets has taken on a more niche application. Today, history, context, and news about the just-announced "War of the Bounty Hunters," led by a High Republic writer. Punch it! In case you want to dive deeper: The Legends version of Boba's time between Empire and Jedi: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Boba_Fett/Legends#Pursued_by_Rebels_and_bounty_hunters The new storytelling initiative news: https://www.starwars.com/news/war-of-the-bounty-hunters-exclusive ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Rian Johnson confirms - yet again - that his Star Wars trilogy is still a thing. And the language of it makes us dig and discover an important story we missed from 2019... Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

The question "What scares the Jedi?" was crucial to the development of the High Republic storytelling initiative. it seems that, in the process, they've also revealed what scares the Sith. On today's episode, we'll talk about why it is that a group of villains from Into the Dark are the ones that scare the Sith. And - perhaps more importantly - we'll talk about Star Wars history timelines, and why the timelines suggested that the Jedi should be extremely worried, and not just about the villains from that book. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Last we saw the Armorer, she was salvaging what she could from the Mandalorian covert before leaving Nevarro. She didn't appear in season 2, but a reappearance in season 3 would be filled with drama. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Penguin Random House Audio Executive Producer Nick Martorelli dives even deeper into the process of creating Star Wars audiobooks as we complete our conversation about the new High Republic titles. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

How do you create an audio experience that *feels* like Star Wars and yet is a new galactic experience all its own? That's the crux of my latest conversation with Penguin Random House Audio Executive Producer Nick Martorelli. Punch it! In the first half of the interview, we'll talk about just what an executive producer does for the creation of an audiobook (it's a LOT), and then break that down in terms of how it played out for the creation of an audiobook experience for the High Republic storytelling initiative... ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

"Gina Carano is not currently employed by Lucasfilm and there are no plans for her to be in the future," a Lucasfilm spokesperson said in a statement. After that first announcement on Wednesday evening, we can add a bit of context to the news. Punch it! Here's the story from THR that we discuss in the episode, and which goes into detail about the social media posts that led to this action: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/the-mandalorian-star-gina-carano-fired-amid-social-media-controversy ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

From becoming a Wayseeker to taking the Barash Vow, and discussing what comes more naturally to some Force users than others versus learning by sheer willpower, we're diving into new things we learn about the Force and the Jedi in Into the Dark. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

After listening back to the non-spoiler review of Into the Dark, I realized that anything I said about the character Geode likely made no sense at all. So we'll briefly discuss the lack of official information about some characters from the new novel, but really, we're here to talk about the hilarity of Geode. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Nearly everyone has a history catching up to them in Into the Dark, the High Republic YA novel by Claudia Gray. It's unusually structured, uniquely entertaining, and features the best running comedy gag in all of the new canon. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

While we didn't learn anything new about "The Client" during season 2 of The Mandalorian, Chapter 12 (The Siege) helped to show The Client's activities from season 1 in a new light. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

BUCKETS OF BLOOD!!! Yes, we're kicking off the second half of the conversation with Daniel Jose Older by exploring the inspiration for Jedi Master Torban Buck... Punch it! Here's Daniel's official bio: Daniel José Older, a lead story architect on the Star Wars cross-platform initiative The High Republic, is the New York Times bestselling author of the sci-fi adventure Flood City, the Middle-Grade historical fantasy series Dactyl Hill Squad, The Book of Lost Saints, the Bone Street Rumba urban fantasy series, Star Wars: Last Shot, and the award-winning Young Adult series the Shadowshaper Cypher, which won the International Latino Book Award and was shortlisted for the Kirkus Prize in Young Readers' Literature, the Andre Norton Award, the Locus, the Mythopoeic Award, and named one of Esquire's 80 Books Every Person Should Read and one of Time's best fantasy books of all time. He co-wrote the upcoming graphic novel Death's Day and writes the monthly IDW comic book series The High Republic Adventures. You can find more info and read about his decade long career as an NYC paramedic at http://danieljoseolder.net/. He's also on Twitter: https://twitter.com/djolder/ And TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@danieljoseolder ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

I'm thrilled to finally debut this episode! Daniel and I had this conversation back on January 19th, but since we were talking about his Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures, I needed to hold this until after issue #1 came out, which was earlier this week. Punch it! So, we'll start by talk about about the notion of a "lead story architect" (see in his bio), about adapting his writing style for the comics space, and much more... Here's his official bio: Daniel José Older, a lead story architect on the Star Wars cross-platform initiative The High Republic, is the New York Times bestselling author of the sci-fi adventure Flood City, the Middle-Grade historical fantasy series Dactyl Hill Squad, The Book of Lost Saints, the Bone Street Rumba urban fantasy series, Star Wars: Last Shot, and the award-winning Young Adult series the Shadowshaper Cypher, which won the International Latino Book Award and was shortlisted for the Kirkus Prize in Young Readers' Literature, the Andre Norton Award, the Locus, the Mythopoeic Award, and named one of Esquire's 80 Books Every Person Should Read and one of Time's best fantasy books of all time. He co-wrote the upcoming graphic novel Death's Day and writes the monthly IDW comic book series The High Republic Adventures. You can find more info and read about his decade long career as an NYC paramedic at http://danieljoseolder.net/. He's also on Twitter: https://twitter.com/djolder/ And TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@danieljoseolder ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

The other major announcement (aside from Andor) that we never talked about after the Disney Investor Day was The Bad Batch! So today, let's revisit that heady trailer filled with planetary arrival shots... Punch it! BTW, here was the official description from July 2020 - which was repeated verbatim on the official Star Wars website within the rest of the Disney Investor Day announcements: The series follows the elite and experimental clones of the Bad Batch (first introduced in The Clone Wars) as they find their way in a rapidly changing galaxy in the immediate aftermath of the Clone War. Members of Bad Batch — a unique squad of clones who vary genetically from their brothers in the Clone Army — each possess a singular exceptional skill, which makes them extraordinarily effective soldiers and a formidable crew. In the post-Clone War era, they will take on daring mercenary missions as they struggle to stay afloat and find new purpose. And if you haven't seen the sizzle reel yet, check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YB9DIxdB198 ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

You know, we never talked about the Andor series updates that came from the Disney Investor Day! Well, let's correct that, shall we? And let's see what's new since then, too... Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Blizzards. White-outs. Multiple avalanches. And Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher weren't even supposed to be there! That's just the tip of the glacier when it comes to the insanity of the Hoth location shoot. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

It's an actual, honest-to-goodness snow day at the Star Wars 7x7 studio! So today, an appreciation of the Star Wars content that lives rent-free in my head - the Hoth sequence. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

It's a short month and a comparatively quiet month - as far as we know - in the world of Star Wars storytelling. We *know* about releases in three of our categories, and I think we're likely to get announcements in at least two more of them. We'll talk about the real and the possible on today's show... Punch it! We don't cover all the categories this month, because there's not notable news in all of them, but for the refresher, here's what they are... Movies Live-action TV Animation Books Audiobooks Comics Virtual Reality Video Games Experiential (Events/Conventions/Parks) Merchandise ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

From short stories to comics to gift books, Spinner Sunday is here, checking out the short stuff of the Star Wars galaxy! Today a review of Amy Richau's I Love You/I Know: Lessons in Love and Friendship. Punch it! And thanks to DK for sending me a copy to review! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

On our latest episode of what to watch now, or next, or what have you: the fast-paced and segment-packed first episode of The High Republic Show. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

To set up the so-called golden age of the Jedi, there had to be some even further-back history set up, and we're seeing hints of it dropped by books like A Test of Courage. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

The High Republic was a golden age for the Jedi for many reasons, including a wider variety of Force-fueled abilities. It highlights just how much was forgotten or lost with the rise of the Empire, and makes you wonder how much Luke Skywalker was able to recover. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

It's interesting to consider the Nihil's goals both in isolation within A Test of Courage, as well as the larger story that includes Light of the Jedi. And also, what novels will be true "sequels" versus just the next story in the High Republic. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

A Test of Courage, the first middle-grade novel of the High Republic publishing initiative, is great fun and introduces a Jedi prodigy who has a lifetime of growth and experience ahead of her. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Cara Dune appeared in one more episode in season 2 than she did in season 1, but her involvement was more functional in terms of moving plot along, rather having a well-developed arc of her own. Unless, of course, her false talk about not being a "joiner" is going to lead to something else down the line... Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

On today's episode, we're talking about what Charles Soule referred to as a sort of "Chapter 0" to Light of the Jedi: "Go Together (Part 1)," the first of the new "Starlight Stories" for Star Wars Insider. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***