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

New info from a Star Wars reference book allows us to pin down a timeline for Din Djarin - aka The Mandalorian - and also, draw some very strong potential connections to Sabine Wren. One today's show, I'll connect those dots... 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 writers of all eight episodes for The Mandalorian season 2 have been revealed, and unlike the director situation - which is very different from season 1 - the writing situation is very similar. 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 new Mandalorian season 2 commercial reveals more about the ice cave, and new character posters feature a couple of Star Wars species in their graffiti... On today's episode of the show, I'll flag what's new about the commercial, and we'll dig into some background information about a species with a red "NO" circle and slash through it - plus, one other option for where we are when we arrive on the graffitied planet. Punch it! Here's where you can see the character posters: https://twitter.com/disneyplus/status/1315653533186682880 And here's where you can see the new commercial: https://twitter.com/CultureCrave/status/1315699276828176384 ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

In our latest "What to Watch Now" installment, we're highlighting part of a conversation with the High Republic authors about how different Jedi experience and interact with the Force. In case you weren't aware of it, New York Comic-Con was supposed to happen this weekend, and it did ... from a certain point of view. They had a bunch of virtual panels, one of which was focused entirely on the High Republic. All five authors were there (Claudia Gray, Justina Ireland, Daniel Jose Older, Cavan Scott, and Charles Soule), as well as the architect of the initiative, Lucasfilm's Michael Siglain. On today's episode of the show, we'll cover the notable things they revealed and discussed, and I'll point you to where in the video of the session they talked about how their Jedi characters perceive the Force. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Pulling information from publisher's summaries, interviews, excerpts, and more, we can actually piece together a lot about the "Great Disaster" that kicks off the High Republic publishing initiative, and in particular the events at the beginning of Light of the Jedi by Charles Soule... Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Light of the Jedi writer Charles Soule recently talked about the process of how the timeframe of the High Republic was determined, which opens up some fun behind-the-scenes conversation... We'll talk about that today, and also about the other publishers involved in the High Republic initiative. It's not just Del Rey, Disney LFL Press, Marvel, and IDW - there are six other publishers involved, and what they've done in the past provides clues to what they'll be doing for the formerly-known-as-Project-Luminous saga. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

As New York Comic-Con reveals start to arrive, we're checking in on a couple of news stories about The High Republic publishing initiative that we haven't covered yet... 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 milestone episode, but not for anything to do with the episode number, obviously. It happens to be my birthday, and a round-number one at that. And Star Wars, and this podcast journey with you, is still as exciting as ever. Punch it! And if I may humbly share my birthday wish with you, it's to be able to do this show as my full time gig. If you enjoy the podcast, and you think it's worth supporting this daily dose of Star Wars joy, there are a few ways you can help: 1. Rate the show on iTunes. As of this writing, we're at 197 ratings. It would be fantastic to break 200 today! https://sw7x7.com/itunes 2. Review the show on iTunes. Ratings are terrific, to be sure. As far as iTunes is concerned, reviews are even better, because that takes extra effort. And it helps more people find Star Wars 7x7 when they're looking for Star Wars podcasts to listen to. https://sw7x7.com/itunes 3. Tell a friend. If you like Star Wars and podcasts, chances are you know other folks who like Star Wars and podcasts. Today would be a great day to let a bunch of folks know about this show! 4. Check out my "Hyperspacing Hope" talk ... on the official TED website! Yes, my TEDx talk from last year was promoted up to the big leagues, along with several of my fellow speakers from last year's event. https://sw7x7.com/ted 5. Get the (Unofficial) Force Awakens Trivia Book on Amazon. It features 501+ galaxy-spanning questions and answers from the first of the sequel movies. https://sw7x7.com/tfa 6. Become a Patron of the show. There are shows with thousands of Patrons, and I hope to get there someday as well. For now, adding two more, or fifty-two more, would be wonderful. https://patreon.com/sw7x7 7. Sponsorship. We've had sponsors and affiliate arrangements on the show, and it's the biggest thing that's moved the needle in terms of getting closer to doing the show as a full-time affair. It's also a very particular thing, because it has to be an authentic fit between you, me, and the sponsor. If you or someone you know is associated with a brand you think would do well on the show, let's talk. https://sw7x7.com/sponsors Thank you for indulging me in sharing my birthday wish list. :-) Now, on with the show! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

The characters in the "From a Certain Point of View" stories for The Empire Strikes Back 40th anniversary collection have been revealed! We'll run them down today... Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Celebrating reading and encouraging literacy, Star Wars Reads is back for 2020! Today, a limited-time free book download offer leads to a discussion about the 10 YA books in the new Star Wars canon... That free download offer is for Zoraida Cordova's A Crash of Fate, and it's available for US residents through October 9. Here's the link where you can go to pick your favorite ebook seller and get it: https://books.disney.com/book/a-crash-of-fate/ While we're at it, we're going to run down all ten YA novels in the new Star Wars canon, which are: Queen's Peril (E.K. Johnston) Queen's Shadow (E.K. Johnston) Ahsoka (E.K. Johnston) Most Wanted (Rae Carson) Rebel Rising (Beth Revis) Lost Stars (Claudia Gray) Leia, Princess of Alderaan (Claudia Gray) Poe Dameron: Free Fall (Alex Segura) Force Collector (Kevin Shinick) A Crash of Fate (Zoraida Cordova) Though I won't attempt to rank them, I'll talk about which one seems to have received the best reviews overall, which one is my own personal favorite, and share a quote from Zoraida Cordova about Star Wars storytelling that particularly resonated with me... 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 ironic, in a way, that soap opera would pave the way for space opera. But it's happening as we speak. In the US, you have shows like General Hospital (on which Mark Hamill had a brief stint, as pictured!), Days of Our Lives, and The Bold and the Beautiful. Across the pond, you have shows like EastEnders, Coronation Street, and Hollyoaks. These soap operas - also known as serials, funnily enough - are already back in production, with new protocols to protect the safety of cast and crew during the pandemic. Now that they've been running for three months or more without a major incident, it's time to consider the possibility that Star Wars in specific, and Hollywood in general, may be able to get back to live action production themselves very soon. On today's show, we'll talk more about what soaps have been doing both in front of and behind the camera, and explore an altogether different way they could make it happen, which would also support the secrecy of Star Wars productions. 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 Instagram Story on the German localized Disney+ account seems to have confirmed the presence of Rosario Dawson and Timothy Olyphant for season 2. But not all of the information you may have seen about this online is exactly accurate. And we need to talk about an elephant in the room... 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 our latest What to Watch Now segment, we examine a couple of behind-the-scenes videos that reveal The Mandalorian's technical wizardry - and a surprising connection to The Clone Wars. Punch it! Here are the links to where the videos referenced in this episode live: This Mandalorian Video Illustrates Just How Wild the Production Was https://io9.gizmodo.com/this-mandalorian-video-illustrates-just-how-wild-the-pr-1845052483 This VFX Reel Shows Some of The Mandalorian's Best Moments Coming Together https://io9.gizmodo.com/this-vfx-reel-shows-some-of-the-mandalorians-best-momen-1844970961 ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Star Wars Squadrons is out today! The fourth console game from Electronic Arts is only getting partial reviews so far, and of those, there's a lot of positives, but also not entirely so. Looking at the early reviews also offers a rather interesting peek behind the scenes at the reviewing aspect of the video game industry, since there were only certain things that could be tested in time to get a story posted on release day. We'll talk about that, about what's covered in the reviews, and where the bright and not-so-bright spots seem to be, based on the reviews out there so far. I'll say that, on first blush, it looks like video-game-specific outlets are being harder on the story mode than more general entertainment review outlets... 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've divided the Star Wars storytelling media into ten distinct groups, and on today's show, we'll tell you what's coming up in October (if anything) for each and every one. Punch it! The categories 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.***

A Patron and long-time listener and supporter of the show reached out to ask when - if ever - there will be a DVD for season 1 of The Mandalorian. Which raises questions about how they'll be handling DVDs in general, now that Disney+ is here... On today's show, I'll explore Tim McMahon's question in light of The Rise of Skywalker and the Clone Wars for season 6 and 7, and I'll even bring that other "Star"-related franchise into the discussion. We'll also talk about how there are literally hundreds of Mando products already, even though Mando Mondays haven't even started! Plus, I'll share the one thing I found that seems to suggest a Mando season 1 DVD is on the horizon... 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 was the big reveal at the end of Mandalorian season 1. It's analogous to Excalibur for Mandalorians. Today, a brief history of the Darksaber, including thoughts on the gap in its timeline between Rebels and 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.***

With the notion of multiple seasons and rumors of familiar characters, it's looking more and more like the Mandalorian is building to something even bigger - but what? I've got a very logical answer today... 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 seeing Christopher Nolan's "Tenet" at a drive-in, I've been thinking about another of his movies, "Inception." If you haven't seen the movies, don't worry, none of them are spoiled in the podcast. To frame the discussion, though, I explain a piece of the setup of "Inception," which is that it's easier to extract ideas from people's minds, but to insert an idea is much more difficult. It requires that the idea be simple and easy to grasp, and one that the mind can believe it to have created by itself (rather than the mind sensing that the idea did not originate within itself). The notion of Inception as a concept gave me a different way of looking at the story decision about Rey's lineage that I thought I'd explore with you today... 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 was listening to the Force Toast podcast yesterday, and their conversation about the season 2 trailer of The Mandalorian got me thinking about a couple of the episodes we've done here on Star Wars 7x7 recently... Specifically, one possibility Laura and Alyce posed about the graffitied location made me think back to the show I did about Nevarro's location in the galaxy, as well as the show I did about which Jedi Din Djarin could run into during his travels with the Child. We'll talk about those possibilities today, as well as something unusual about The Client's behavior that I wondered about during a recent rewatch of the first three episodes of season 1. 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'll discuss why and how it's easier to believe that the galaxy has forgotten the Jedi than you may have previously believed. And - more excitingly - based on the timeline, we'll talk about how the Mandalorian's search for the Jedi could logically lead him to a VERY exciting discovery. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

As part of the Emmy Awards festivities, People magazine interviewed Giancarlo Esposito, who was nominated not just for his role in The Mandalorian, but also for his role in Better Call Saul. But naturally, they asked him about what season 2 of The Mandalorian holds for viewers. Some of his answers, well, you *could* consider a bit spoiler-y, definitely on the mildest side. But it's what he says as, for all intents and purposes, a throw-away line that should really grab your attention. I'll be talking about that today, and about how Esposito has further opened the door to discussing the possibility of a "Mandoverse" - a series of interconnected TV shows, similar to what DC has with the "Arrowverse." Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

As part of the Emmy Awards festivities, People magazine interviewed Giancarlo Esposito, who was nominated not just for his role in The Mandalorian, but also for his role in Better Call Saul. But naturally, they asked him about what season 2 of The Mandalorian holds for viewers. Some of his answers, well, you *could* consider a bit spoiler-y, definitely on the mildest side. But it's what he says as, for all intents and purposes, a throw-away line that should really grab your attention. I'll be talking about that today, and about how Esposito has further opened the door to discussing the possibility of a "Mandoverse" - a series of interconnected TV shows, similar to what DC has with the "Arrowverse." Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Remember Force Fridays and Rogue Friday? Well, Mando Mondays is their spiritual successor, and the surprises have already begun. Here's what we learned... Punch it! (The character descriptions are vague, but here's what they gave us...) The Mandalorian The Mandalorian is battle-worn and tight-lipped, a formidable bounty hunter in an increasingly dangerous galaxy. Cara Dune An intimidating brawler and crack shot, Dune has put her days of military discipline behind, and has now reinvented herself as a mercenary. IG-11 One of a series of dangerous assassin droids largely outlawed in the galaxy, IG-11 is a hired gun programmed to follow Bounty Hunters Guild protocols to the letter. The Child The adorable 50-year-old creature known as The Child (and lovingly referred to as "Baby Yoda" by fans) is many things: cute, curious, hungry, sleepy, Force-sensitive, and one of the galaxy's most wanted! Imperial Death Troopers The elite soldiers of Imperial Intelligence, Death Troopers are encased in specialized Stormtrooper armor with a dark, ominous gleam. Remnant Stormtroopers Stormtroopers are elite shock troops fanatically loyal to the Empire and impossible to sway from the Imperial cause. Heavy Infantry Mandalorian A born survivor, he guards a precious armory and helps to keep the flames of Mandalorian heritage flickering in this time of galactic chaos. ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

The Mandalorian took home two more Emmys in addition to the five it had already won! On today's show, we'll run down the full winners, and we'll talk about why it matters that The Mandalorian won any Emmy awards in the first place. We'll also talk about the final Emmy fate of Star Wars Resistance, and my hopes for its characters in the future. 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 part two of our conversation with Catherine Taber, we'll talk about the original tale from Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark; Star Wars Celebration; and when it comes to Star Wars, what she knows for sure. Punch it! Here's Catherine's bio, via Penguin Random House Audio: Catherine Taber's film and television credits include Nickelodeon's The Loud House, Jane the Virgin, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The Georgia native is the winner of multiple Earphones Awards for audiobook narration. In addition, Catherine has lent her voice to some of the most beloved animation and gaming franchises, including Minecraft: Story Mode, X-Men, Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, Metal Gear Solid, and Final Fantasy. Check out what Catherine's up to on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cattaber/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/cattaber Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGirlNextGalaxy PRH Audio: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/narrator/152086/catherine-taber/ ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Catherine Taber - Padme Amidala in the Clone Wars series - also narrates two stories in Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark! Today, part one of our conversation, focusing on the Padme story in the collection. Punch it! Here's Catherine's bio, via Penguin Random House Audio: Catherine Taber's film and television credits include Nickelodeon's The Loud House, Jane the Virgin, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The Georgia native is the winner of multiple Earphones Awards for audiobook narration. In addition, Catherine has lent her voice to some of the most beloved animation and gaming franchises, including Minecraft: Story Mode, X-Men, Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, Metal Gear Solid, and Final Fantasy. Check out what Catherine's up to on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cattaber/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/cattaber Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGirlNextGalaxy PRH Audio: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/narrator/152086/catherine-taber/ ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

In our latest "What to Watch Now" segment, we'll talk about "Hunted," a mini-story prequel to the events of Star Wars Squadrons - and told from the Imperial point of view. Punch it! "Hunted" on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2VmOqjV_7Q ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

The location of Nevarro - home base for Din Djarin in The Mandalorian - has not yet been revealed. But season 1 offered solid clues, and the season 2 trailer reinforces the idea of a very specific section of the Outer Rim. What's more, our discussion of the whole Moff business earlier this week helps to inform a sensible location... 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 been a long time since a Star Wars movie won at the Oscars. Thankfully, The Mandalorian is stepping up, with five Emmy wins out of ten nominations so far. Congratulations to the entire cast and crew!!! On today's episode of the show, we'll talk about how 14 of the 15 awards for which The Mandalorian is nominated aren't actually given out on the big gala show happening this Sunday - and which one is. We'll also break down the five categories in which The Mandalorian won last night, and the five nominations that didn't come through with wins. We'll also talk about when the rest of the awards will be announced; more about why Episode 5, "The Gunslinger," wasn't among the nominees; and when Star Wars Resistance gets its shot at an award. 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 Mandalorian Season 2 trailer is finally here! We're addressing the biggest questions, including: Who is Sasha Banks playing? Why are we back on Tatooine? And for all that they hinted at, what are they still hiding? Punch it! Here's the trailer, in case you want to see it again... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW7Twd85m2g ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

In The Mandalorian, we know that Imperial remnant leader Gideon is a "Moff." But what does that even mean? How do you get to be a Moff, let alone a Grand Moff? We'll untangle it all today... Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Between the Entertainment Weekly cover story and previous interviews, Giancarlo Esposito has given us some VERY intriguing hints about Moff Gideon and season 2 of 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.***

The new monthly issue of Entertainment Weekly is out! It's the Fall TV Preview, and The Mandalorian landed the cover. Here's what we're learning about the new season... 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 even before the release of The Force Awakens, Lucasfilm was teasing us about Rey's identity. One of pre-release commercials featured Maz Kanata and Rey speaking in voiceovers - Rey answering Maz's identity question by saying "I'm no one." Then, it turns out she's "someone" - a Force user with serious natural ability, and with her potential seemingly unlocked by Kylo Ren. She continues to insist that she's a nobody in The Last Jedi, even in the face of Luke Skywalker's repeated pestering, also supporting the notion that there's going to be a reveal somewhere. And there is, and it's the no-one reveal. She's exactly who she said she is. Then we have The Rise of Skywalker. And Daisy Ridley herself has had a few things to say about how the story went from her being a nobody to being a capital "S" Somebody in a recent interview. We're talking about that on the show today, and how those heritage decisions reflect on the development of both the Original and the Sequel Trilogies. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Almost entirely, the audiobook version of every new Star Wars novel is the same as the written version. In fact, I don't think there's a single Star Wars novel that has appeared as an "abridged" version in audiobook form. That said, there are a couple of things about the text version of Star Wars: Thrawn Ascendancy (Book I: Chaos Rising) that don't appear in the audiobook version. On today's episode, for the audiobook review of Chaos Rising, I'm going to flag the differences, and discuss how and whether they affect the experience of the story as an audio performance. (Ultimately, there are a couple of things that, if you know them in advance, make for a less confusing experience.) We'll also talk briefly about narrator Marc Thompson's performance as well as the rest of the production, and also about one element that - though small - really has the potential for sending a tingle through your skin. And it's one I missed when I went through the text version... Punch it! (And thanks once again to Del Rey and Penguin Random House Audio for sharing advance copies of both versions of the novel with me, to review and talk about with you!) ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Turns out the novel Star Wars: Thrawn Ascendency (Book I: Chaos Rising) tells us exactly when the "present day" events of the novel take place - and they tie in to another Thrawn novel. On today's episode of the show, we're going to go a bit into spoiler territory. Specifically, we'll talk about which previous Thrawn novel crosses paths with this new one (and, more to the point, which *part* of that other novel). We'll also talk about the spoils of the mission from that other novel, and how it leads to the other shoe dropping in the latest story. 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 addition to the world-building that happens in Star Wars: Thrawn Ascendency (Book I: Chaos Rising), we're also learning more about how certain people connect with the Force in their worlds. On today's episode, we're going to talk about the "sky-walkers" (yup, that's what they call them!) and Pathfinders (different from the SpecForce Pathfinders of the Rebel Alliance) we meet in Chaos Rising; how they interact with the Force; how that relates to the overall movement away from Jedi/Sith storytelling with this trilogy; and whether it opens the door for further Force abilities to appear. 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 does a 1999 film written by Lem Dobbs and directed by Steven Soderbergh have to do with the new Star Wars novel by Timothy Zahn? And why is this new novel, Star Wars: Thrawn Ascendency (Book I: Chaos Rising), not just the start of a new trilogy, but also a spiritual sibling with one of its predecessors, Thrawn: Alliances? I promise it will make sense when you listen or watch the non-spoiler review on tap for you today... 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 know very little about the Obi-Wan Kenobi series, especially when compared to what we know about the Cassian Andor series. For one thing, Ewan McGregor is the only officially announced cast member for that series, whereas about half a dozen have been conformed for the Cassian series. That said, there's still a lot about the time the Cassian series is supposed to take place that we don't know, but we do know a little. I'll summarize stories and details we know about 5 BBY today, including a milestone in the life of a character who will become VERY important to Cassian in the future; the recruitment of a final member into one of the most famous Rebel cells; and when a certain droid may have joined all the fun. 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 Obi-Wan Kenobi series takes place eight years after Revenge of the Sith. That's one of the very few things we know about it, and it's taking place during a year in the canon timeline that we don't know a lot about. But... we do know a few things. One Star Wars novel takes place entirely during that year, and another begins in that year. Wookieepedia reminds us of a couple of ongoing events that cross through that year. But most importantly, there's actually a story about Obi-Wan rescuing an eight-year-old Luke Skywalker which takes place during that time. On today's episode, I'll run down what we know about that year in Star Wars history, including the story of Obi-Wan's daring rescue of Luke. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

There are a lot of reasons why you might not be able to make it to Galaxy's Edge right now, but that doesn't mean you can't experience some of the magic! On today's episode of the show, I'll be talking about the experience of finding and enjoying videos of ridethroughs. There are no spoilers for the storylines of the rides in this episode, but we'll talk about whether there are other aspects of watching the videos that might make up for the ride getting spoiled for you... Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

So on the one hand, you have rumors and leaks and spoilers. On the other hand, you have simple logic. A few months ago on the show, in talking about the High Republic announcements, I wondered where Yoda was in all of this. He was prominently absent from any of the reveals, but he would have been in his 700s during that time, so he would have to play a role in the story, right? Just logic, no sources. And it turned out to be right (though I probably wasn't the only one to think of it, to be sure). Lucasfilm recently announced that Yoda would be the main character in Daniel José Older's IDW comic series, Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures. On today's episode, I'll share quotes from the news story, and flag how a couple of those comments could tell us something about whether Yoda will appear in other stories, and also whether there's a parallel with American history that presages the fall of the Galactic 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.***

On the heels of a rumor about a Mandalorian trailer being pulled at the last minute, we talk about how rumors are handled here, overall and also pertaining to the Mandalorian season 2 trailer. That will involve discussions about media planning at big corporations, which Peter Sciretta at /Film rightly notes is meticulously planned out well in advance. So, at best, it's unfortunate timing that the debut date of the Mandalorian was announced on the very same day that John Boyega's interview with GQ dropped, where he talks about the difficulties of being a Black man in Hollywood (and his whole life) in general, and about Star Wars in specific. At best, it's unfortunate timing, and here's hoping that's all it is. Punch it! That said, the interview with John Boyega is not to be missed. Read it here: https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/culture/article/john-boyega-interview-2020 ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

On the occasion of the publication of the first novel in the new Thrawn trilogy - Star Wars: Thrawn Ascendency (Book I: Chaos Rising) - author Timothy Zahn took to his Facebook page to share some behind-the-scenes details. Here's an excerpt: With the post-REBELS era still locked down, Del Rey and LFL came up with a plan for me to write three books set in the Chiss Ascendancy that would predate Thrawn's arrival in the Empire. By the time I heard about these discussions, everyone was already on board, which meant I didn't have to pitch or plead or cajole. All I had to do was say yes. (Or rather, "Heck, yes.") Even better was the fact that I was being given three books right from the get-go, the first time since the original Thrawn Trilogy that had happened. On today's episode of the show, we'll talk about how his comments dovetail with recent Star Wars author interviews here on Star Wars 7x7, and what that post-Rebels era lock down could be about. For the record, the only other time I've heard of an era being locked down was when George Lucas told everyone to stay away from the Clone Wars, because he had future stories he wanted to tell within that era... Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

With all the things that *could* have happened if Celebration Anaheim had happened, there's a lot of potential for Star Wars surprises in September, in addition to what we already know... Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Star Wars Celebration Anaheim would have taken place this past weekend. There would have been major reveals throughout, so it seemed logical that there would be a bunch of reveals over the past few days, even though the in-person event wouldn't be able to go on... Well, it didn't work out that way. The most hotly anticipated reveal - a trailer drop for season 2 of The Mandalorian - didn't happen, but it's hard to imagine a world where it *won't* happen in the near future. After all, the show is supposed to debut season 2 in October, so it's gotta be soon, right? In the meantime, another conference, this one entirely virtual, also happened to be taking place this past weekend. It was gamescon (yes, stylized in all lowercase), and there were three gaming reveals from Lucasfilm these past few days. One involved a Galaxy's Edge pack being added to The Sims 4, and another centered on LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga. But the biggest news was a new gameplay trailer for Star Wars Squadrons, with new details about the story. That's what we'll focus on today... Punch it! And here's that trailer, worth it for Leia's speech in the first minute alone: https://youtu.be/5zEjIEP1038 ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Today, the rest of our conversation with Alex Segura, author of Poe Dameron: Free Fall! We'll talk about Zorii Bliss, Babu Frick, and much more... Punch it! And here's where you can check out Alex online: Website: http://www.alexsegura.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alexseguraofficial Twitter: https://twitter.com/alex_segura ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

We've talked about Poe Dameron: Free Fall on the show in previous episodes, and today, I'm thrilled to share with you the first half of my conversation with its author, Alex Segura! Here's Alex's short bio: Alex Segura is an acclaimed writer of novels, comic books, and podcasts. He is the author of Star Wars Poe Dameron: Free Fall, the Pete Fernandez Mystery series (including the the Anthony Award-nominated crime novels Dangerous Ends, Blackout. and Miami Midnight), and the upcoming Secret Identity (Flatiron Books). He has also written a number of comic books, most notably the superhero noir The Black Ghost, the YA music series The Archies, and the "Archie Meets" collection of crossovers, featuring real-life cameos from the Ramones, B-52s, and more. He is also the co-creator/co-writer of the Lethal Lit crime/YA podcast from iHeart Radio, which was named one of the best podcasts of 2015 by The New York Times. By day he is Co-President of Archie Comics. A Miami native, he lives in New York with his wife and children. In this first half of the conversation, you'll get to hear about Alex's history with and love of Star Wars; how the opportunity to write Poe Dameron: Free Fall came his way; details about Poe Dameron's character; and much 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.***

All stories in Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark are inspired by Clone Wars episodes, but one story is a full original, and we'll talk about that one today. Or, to be more specific: For all the stories in that collection, 10 of the 11 focus on a particular episode or story arc from the TV series, and they each center on a character who appeared in that episode or story arc. Each of those 10 stories digs deeper and expands the story. The 11th and final story, "Bug," also deepens and expands on its inspiration. But unlike all the others, it focuses on brand-new characters, and doesn't run concurrently with its source material. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***