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

Well, we may not be getting a Star Wars Celebration this year, but a bunch of podcasters have rallied together to create a 60-panel event called ForceFest this weekend. "Star Wars Celebration has always been a huge part of Star Wars fandom," said Sarah Woloski, one of the event's organizers. "Fans gather from all over the world to celebrate the Star Wars saga and meet up with new and old friends. We knew we could use technology to mimic that feel virtually." "The Star Wars fandom has always been active online creating their own content out of love for the saga," said David Jesse of Tatooine Sons, one of the organizing shows. "FORCEFEST will create a larger platform for shows of all themes and sizes to share their unique brand of streaming in a shared environment." On today's show, we'll talk about what's in store for the event, how it has a great tie-in to the in-person Star Wars Celebration events, and the good cause for which they're raising money. Punch it! LINKS Here's where to find them online: Donate: https://bit.ly/FFMakeAWish Website: https://about.getvokl.com/forcefest Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2671861966424569 Twitter: https://twitter.com/ForceFestSaga Instagram: http://instagram.com/forcefestsaga ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

I thought the short stories of Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark were good, but via audio, they're even better - and for a unique reason. Most audiobooks are performed by a narrator who does all the voices. Sometimes you get a full cast performance, like with the Dooku: Jedi Lost or Doctor Aphra audio dramas. The nearest thing, perhaps, to what we get in this collection is what happened for From a Certain Point of View, the collection of stories for the 40th anniversary of A New Hope. But most of those stories were also read by narrators with whom you're familiar from other Star Wars audiobooks. For this collection of Clone Wars stories, however, you're treated to performances by the actors who voiced characters in the Clone Wars series itself. We'll talk about how that all matches up, and about the one original story in the collection, on today's show... Punch it! (Thanks to Penguin Random House Audio for sharing a review copy with me, too.) ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark is a new collection of 11 short stories, each inspired by a Clone Wars episode or story arc. (Thanks go to Disney Lucasfilm Press for sending along a review copy to check out in advance.) It's been advertised as a set of stories for middle grade readers, but in fact it reads above its pitched level. It's satisfying for a YA or even an adult audience in most cases, with political, philosophical, and emotional complexity to many of the stories. They mix it up with first- and third-person tales, and you generally don't need to have seen the episodes which inspired them in order to enjoy them. Although that certainly doesn't hurt. It's a non-=spoiler review today, and we'll also talk about the fact that three of the eleven stories were inspired by one specific Clone Wars TV series writer (the other eight were inspired by eight other writers's stories), and that three-story writer is rather noteworthy... 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 is it! The final episode in our "winners" and "losers" series covering the Skywalker Saga, looking at the fortunes of the characters (and groups of characters) in those movies, and whose fortunes improved the most, or sank the hardest, as a result of the events of a given movie. Today, we're looking at the losers of The Rise of Skywalker. Without revealing the order, here's the list alphabetically (sort of): Allegiant General Pryde General Hux General Leia Organa Imperial Remnant Palpatine Sith Eternal Snap Wexley I have to say, it feels a bit sacrilegious to have Leia on this list, but I think I have a defensible reason. We'll get into all of it 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're in the final stretch of our look at the winners and losers of the various Star Wars Skywalker Saga movies! Following a series we had done for the Original and Prequel Trilogies many years ago, this set closes the circle. Today, we're looking at the winners of The Rise of Skywalker - the people whose fortunes most improved as a result of the events of the movie. In alphabetical order, we're talking about: Babu Frick Finn Jannah Kylo Ren/Ben Solo Lando Poe Rey What order they come in is another story. You'll have to listen for it, but I will say that Rey does not come out on top. Let me know what your own order would be... 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 "Winners and Losers" series for the Star Wars movies continues! We're on to The Last Jedi, and in yesterday's episode, we talked about the winners. So naturally, today we're going to talk about the "losers" - the characters whose fortunes took a turn for the worst as a result of the events of the movie. But in yesterday's episode, we noted that middle movies in trilogies tend to have an interesting effect on wins and losses. The wins tend not to be tidy; and by the same token, the losses sometimes have silver linings or offer moments of redemption. On today's episode, you'll be hearing about these seven, though not in this order: General Hux Luke Maz Kanata Phasma Poe Resistance Leadership Snoke So, would you change the order, or swap out anyone here with someone else? Let us know in the comments... 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 "Winners and Losers" series continues! We're moving on to The Last Jedi, and this movie presented a bit of a challenge. Bad things do happen to characters in Star Wars movies, but when they come out on top, it feels fully triumphant. There's something about the middle movies in a trilogy, though, that don't make for clean victories. The "Winners" episode is where we talk about the characters whose fortunes most improved as a result of the events of movie. In alphabetical order, here's who you'll hear about today: DJ Finn Kylo Ren/Ben Solo Leia Rey Rose Yoda The order is where the surprises are... Punch it! (And where would YOU order them? Have your say in the comments!) ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

As I was prepping the "Winners" and "Losers" episodes for The Force Awakens, I realized that Finn appeared on neither list. Why? On today's episode, I'm going to explain why Finn is a special case, and resisted (no pun intended) an easy classification as a winner or loser as a result of the events of the movie. It has something to do with his wavering loyalties... 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 revived a series that began in 2014, which detailed the seven "winners" and "losers" from each Star Wars movie. At the time, the Sequel Trilogy hadn't yet appeared in theaters - now that they have, it's time for the circle to be completed! We started off with a look at the winners of The Force Awakens, and today, we're flipping the coin to look at the top seven losers - the characters whose fortunes took the most dramatic turns for the worst. Without revealing the order of the list, here are the seven you'll hear about on the show today: Captain Phasma Chewbacca Kylo Ren/Ben Solo Leia Organa Maz Kanata Snap Wexley Unkar Plutt I'll also say that you could easily make a case for swapping who I have at #1 and #3 - in fact, I actually did! After recording the episode, I decided I had it wrong, and re-recorded to flip the two into the order you'll hear on the episode. But how would YOU order them, or swap and replace? Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Back in 2014 - when Star Wars 7x7 episodes were two-digit numbers instead of the four-digit numbers they are today - we did a series of looks at the Original Trilogy and Prequel Trilogy movies through an unusual lens. We did episodes about the winners and losers of each movie - specifically, the seven characters whose fortunes were the most improved as the result of the events of a given movie, or alternatively, whose fortunes suffered the most. To complete the cycle (for the time being, at least), we're revisiting that series and picking up where we left off, by listing the top seven characters whose fortunes improved as a result of the events of The Force Awakens. Not to spoil the order in the episode, but alphabetically speaking, here's who made the winner's list: BB-8 C-3P0 General Hux Han Solo Poe Dameron R2-D2 Rey Who took the top spot? How would you rank this list, and who would you add/replace? Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Today, the conclusion of our interview with Sarah Kuhn, author of the Star Wars: Doctor Aphra audiobook exclusive. As a refresher, these are the questions I'd had prepped for her: 1. You've written novels from a character's first-person perspective before. Knowing that Doctor Aphra would be specifically produced as an audio drama, did that affect the way you approached Aphra's narration of the story (and if so, how)? 2. It's often said that Star Wars stories succeed in part because they doesn't just reference themselves; they draw inspiration from other genres and sources. What non-Star-Wars sources inspired you for this story? 3. What are some of the perks, and some of the challenges, of writing for an unreliable narrator like Aphra? 4. In your previous works, you invented everything from scratch, but here you were adapting and building on an existing story. How did that change your writing process, or the way you create your characters? 5. It seems like Aphra is breaking the fourth wall in her narration, until we get deeper into the audio drama. What inspired you to take the angle of Aphra recording herself telling this story? 6. In the comics from which this is adapted, readers only get one brief hint at the previous romantic relationship between Aphra and Sana Starros. But your story makes it clear that the relationship was deeply formative for both of them. And as a result, it feels like their story is crucial to the overall story being told, when that wasn't necessarily the case in the source material. Discuss! :-) 7. Although Aphra is the star of the show, Triple Zero has proven himself to be a scene stealer. What are some of the joys and perils of writing for Triple Zero? 8. Were there any characters who surprised you, as you wrote for them and developed them? If so, who and how? 9. Would you talk to us a bit about your reactions to hearing Emily Woo Zeller's performance as Aphra? And here's her bio... Sarah Kuhn is the author of the popular Heroine Complex novels—a series starring Asian American superheroines. The first two books were 2016 and 2017 RT Reviewers' Choice Award nominees for Best Urban Fantasy. Additionally, the first book is a Locus bestseller and one of the Barnes & Noble Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog's Best Books of 2016. Other projects include the Japan-set YA romantic comedy I Love You So Mochi and a Batgirl/Cassandra Cain graphic novel for DC Comics. Additionally, Sarah was a finalist for the Astounding Award for Best New Writer and the CAPE (Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment) New Writers Award. She has also written assorted short fiction, non-fiction, and comics about geeks, aliens, romance, and Barbie. Yes, that Barbie. You can visit her online at heroinecomplex.com or on Twitter: @sarahkuhn. So, then, today: the exciting conclusion to the conversation. 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'm thrilled to welcome Sarah Kuhn to the podcast today for the first of a two-part interview! Here's Sarah's bio... Sarah Kuhn is the author of the popular Heroine Complex novels—a series starring Asian American superheroines. The first two books were 2016 and 2017 RT Reviewers' Choice Award nominees for Best Urban Fantasy. Additionally, the first book is a Locus bestseller and one of the Barnes & Noble Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog's Best Books of 2016. Other projects include the Japan-set YA romantic comedy I Love You So Mochi and a Batgirl/Cassandra Cain graphic novel for DC Comics. Additionally, Sarah was a finalist for the Astounding Award for Best New Writer and the CAPE (Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment) New Writers Award. She has also written assorted short fiction, non-fiction, and comics about geeks, aliens, romance, and Barbie. Yes, that Barbie. You can visit her online at heroinecomplex.com or on Twitter: @sarahkuhn. And these are the questions I had prepped for her: 1. You've written novels from a character's first-person perspective before. Knowing that Doctor Aphra would be specifically produced as an audio drama, did that affect the way you approached Aphra's narration of the story (and if so, how)? 2. It's often said that Star Wars stories succeed in part because they doesn't just reference themselves; they draw inspiration from other genres and sources. What non-Star-Wars sources inspired you for this story? 3. What are some of the perks, and some of the challenges, of writing for an unreliable narrator like Aphra? 4. In your previous works, you invented everything from scratch, but here you were adapting and building on an existing story. How did that change your writing process, or the way you create your characters? 5. It seems like Aphra is breaking the fourth wall in her narration, until we get deeper into the audio drama. What inspired you to take the angle of Aphra recording herself telling this story? 6. In the comics from which this is adapted, readers only get one brief hint at the previous romantic relationship between Aphra and Sana Starros. But your story makes it clear that the relationship was deeply formative for both of them. And as a result, it feels like their story is crucial to the overall story being told, when that wasn't necessarily the case in the source material. Discuss! :-) 7. Although Aphra is the star of the show, Triple Zero has proven himself to be a scene stealer. What are some of the joys and perils of writing for Triple Zero? 8. Were there any characters who surprised you, as you wrote for them and developed them? If so, who and how? 9. Would you talk to us a bit about your reactions to hearing Emily Woo Zeller's performance as Aphra? The conversation didn't go in that order, but we did wind up talking about all of this 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.***

It may seem crazy to suggest watching something as utterly unwatchable as the Star Wars Holiday Special. And yet, from a certain point of view, it really is worth your time, especially if you've never seen it before. Also, in a recent bit of news, it seems that Lucasfilm under Disney is looking to revive the Life Day celebration in an all-new way. On today's show, we'll talk about the merits of watching the 1978 Holiday Special, and the new news that may present more fun that the previous version... 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's a story in Star Wars Myths and Fables called "Gaze of Stone," and it tells the cautionary tale of a Twi'lek named Ry Nymbis, who is adopted at an early age by the nefarious Darth Caldoth. The story details how Nymbis came to be Caldoth's apprentice, and what happened to the two of them when Nymbis - as Sith apprentices are often wont to do - decided to try to kill his master and take his place at the top of the Sith list. Well, it turns out that "Gaze of Stone" is just a fragment in a larger story, which is revealed in Star Wars Dark Legends. We'll talk about the two stories and their connections, and we'll also talk about how and why these two stories may be the most likely ones to be taken "literally" from the two collections of Star Wars folklore. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Thematically (sort of) continuing our conversation this week, which began with a review of George Mann's Star Wars: Dark Legends, I got to thinking about a line from George Lucas I'd once heard, and I found the source of it - a 2014 article in the New York Times about the impending release of Star Wars Rebels: 'Star Wars Rebels' got its start in spring 2013, not long after Disney bought Lucasfilm. Returning the franchise to bedrock would help introduce it to a new generation. Mr. Abrams's similarly old-school movie would follow. 'Continuity' became a watchword. (Mr. Filoni said that Mr. Lucas, unconcerned in recent years that his stories had become confusing, once told him, "Continuity is for wimps.") That's a far cry from something we were talking about last month, when we revisited the interviews Lucas gave during the making of The Empire Strikes Back. I'm going to put that quote in historical context, and talk about how the rebooting of the canon and the continued experiments with books like Dark Legends trace Lucasfilm's journey under Disney to establish continuity - and start to experiment with it. 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: Dark Legends is that rare set of Star Wars stories which can't be taken literally - as in, can't be considered "canon" as presented. But unreliable stories have a long history in Star Wars... On today's episode, I'll be talking about the books where we know we're dealing with a story that isn't "true," per se, to the stories where the narrator can't be fully trusted, to scoundrel characters and finally back to the one character who was the first and (arguably) the most unreliable narrator of all. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Let go your canon-conscious self to enjoy the tales of Star Wars: Dark Legends by George Mann, spooky tales and ghost stories that would go great for kids around campfires... On today's episode of the show, we'll talk more about the desire to try to place stories like these within the Star Wars canon; the elements that drive the reader to do so; what to expect from the seven stories in the collection; praise for the artwork by Grant Griffin; 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.***

Of all the kinds of Star Wars storytelling out there, live-action production is the riskiest in terms of keeping people safe during the coronavirus pandemic. Film and TV production in Hollywood was shut down for months, and aside from daytime soap operas, filming - or principal photography, for our purposes - is still largely stalled. That said, the way Lucasfilm created The Mandalorian - and the lengths to which they've had to go to maintain secrecy in their productions in the past - may indicate that a way forward is possible. What's more, there are success stories from another entertainment industry that could be a hopeful sign. We'll talk about that 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.***

More has been revealed about the storyline for Tales From the Galaxy's Edge, a new experience coming to the Oculus VR platform later this year. We'll talk about that today, as well as what's been said about "iconic" characters and how they might factor into the storyline. 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 another of our "Watch to Watch Now" segments, we take a look at how Willow (the 1988 film from Lucas and director Ron Howard) connects to Star Wars, and why it's important now. Here's the gist of Willow, from Wookieepedia: A young farmer named Willow Ufgood is drawn away from his sheltered home to save Elora Danan (a baby girl with a destiny) from the evil sorceress Queen Bavmorda who would see her destroyed. Willow is aided by the disillusioned master swordsman Madmartigan, who has turned to a life of roguery after the fall of his kingdom to the evil queen, and the sorceress Fin Raziel, who has been turned into a muskrat by Bavmorda. They are initially thwarted, but later joined by the queen's daughter Sorsha. Noticed that that came from Wookieepedia - the Star Wars wiki? That's not an accident. As it turns out, there are many connections between Star Wars and Willow, but perhaps none as important as the connections made between the two by Clone Wars creator and Mandalorian executive producer Dave Filoni. On today's show, we'll talk about the movie, you'll hear from Filoni himself about that connection, and we'll also explore a news item defining exactly why it's relevant to be talking about Willow now. 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 one thing to read a Star Wars story. It's quite another to experience it as an audiobook, with the sound effects and the music and all of those other intangible aural elements that create the magic of Star Wars. As I say in the show today, I think all the audiobook reviews to date that I've done have been for the adult novels, and that this may be the first time I've done one for a young adult novel. Weirdly, I had a moment where I wondered whether it would be a similar experience as the adult ones, but I needn't have worried. Penguin Random House Audio produces the young adult audiobooks as well as the adult ones, with familiar folks like Kevin Thompson and Nick Martorelli behind the scenes. So the experience is as fully immersive as you would hope. Today, the audiobook review for Poe Dameron: Free Fall, which includes discussion of the narrative style of Sean Elias-Reyes in his first full-Star-Wars-book performance, as well as his characterization of Poe Dameron, his dad (Kes Dameron), and Zorii Bliss. 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 we first meet Zorii Bliss in The Rise of Skywalker, it's clear that there's some bad blood between her and Poe Dameron. In the novel Poe Dameron: Free Fall, thanks to the assiduous time documentation by author Alex Segura, we know that she's been holding that grudge for a long time - about 18 years, to be specific. But why? Well, to answer that question, we have to go into spoiler territory. It's actually part of the climax of the novel, so even though we're going to talk about their breakdown, I'm going to do it in a way that doesn't spoil the rest of the story 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.***

The novel Poe Dameron: Free Fall takes place within a pretty specific period of time. Author Alex Segura is actually very explicit about the timeframes - not just for the novel overall, but even for the amount of time that lapses between specific adventures depicted in the story. On today's episode of the show, we'll talk about exactly when the novel takes place, and how it fits in with other significant events that happen in the period between the Original and Sequel Trilogies. We'll also talk a bit about the state of the galaxy, from the depths of the criminal underworld to the heights of the New 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.***

If you were shocked - shocked, I tell you! - to learn that Poe Dameron used to be a spice runner before joining the New Republic and later the Resistance, well, then, the story of how that happened needs to be believable and compelling. If not, then it's a bit like a house of cards - it wouldn't just reflect negatively on the telling of the backstory, but also on how that storyline connects to The Rise of Skywalker. Luckily, Poe Dameron: Free Fall rises to the occasion. It's a young adult novel that's basically a series of adventures where we see Poe running up against the limits of his young and forming ethical/moral boundaries, until he hits a point where he can't take it anymore. The fun is in hearing Oscar Isaac and Keri Russell's voices in your head (which are captured well by author Alex Segura), and in seeing how their relationship develops. But it isn't just about them, and on today's episode, we'll talk more about it in a non-spoiler review. 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 number of media outlets reported it as a "surprise" that The Mandalorian received 15 Emmy nominations for its inaugural season. (One creator's reaction from the official press release may have driven that take.) But when you look at the categories for which The Mandalorian has been nominated, you'll see an overlap with the kinds of categories for which Star Wars movies are often nomination for Oscars (as far as the categories themselves overlap): Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing For A Drama Series (three separate nods) Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup For A Series, Limited Series, Movie Or Special Outstanding Sound Editing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (Half-Hour) And Animation Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (Half-Hour) And Animation Outstanding Special Visual Effects Outstanding Music Composition For A Series (Original Dramatic Score) These ones, on the other hand, tend to be new for Star Wars nominations (again, extrapolating to their movie counterparts): Outstanding Production Design For A Narrative Program (Half-Hour) Outstanding Cinematography For A Single-Camera Series (Half-Hour) Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance Outstanding Guest Actor In A Drama Series Outstanding Stunt Coordination For A Drama Series Limited Series Or Movie And then of course there's the nomination for the season itself as Outstanding Drama Series. On today's episode, we'll talk about the individual Mandalorian episode that got the most nominations; how the other ones fared (only one episode was shut out of the nominations), likely winning possibilities, 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.***

It's flashback time! Back in 2014, I did a series of episodes looking at interviews conducted with George Lucas by Alan Arnold for the seminal book Once Upon a Galaxy: A Journal of the Making of The Empire Strikes Back. Here's what you'll be hearing about in this final look back: Lucas talks candidly about the practical and creative sides of his nature, how he deals with them, how his preferred method of working was changed by Star Wars, and what he's had to do as a result of that change. All right, time to dive in once 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.***

Here's the thing about the month of August 2020: This is the month that would have included Star Wars Celebration Anaheim, if it hadn't been canceled due to the pandemic. So in addition to the things that would have been released this month had there been no pandemic (i.e., the first of the High Republic books) there would have been a LOT of reveals happening. And even though there's no in-person event, we still might be hearing about a lot of new projects this month - chief among them, maybe a first trailer for season 2 of The Mandalorian! Today, we'll talk about what we DO know is coming, and then about the logical possibilities for what could be coming. 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 flashback time! Back in 2014, I did a series of episodes looking at interviews conducted with George Lucas by Alan Arnold for the seminal book Once Upon a Galaxy: A Journal of the Making of The Empire Strikes Back. Here's what to expect in today's episode, based on what I wrote back then: [Lucas] talks about the financial investment he made by committing to Empire. What will it take to break even, what will happen if it doesn't make enough money, and what he dreams of creating with the hoped-for revenues of the film, as well as the challenges of making Star Wars a self-sustaining enterprise. It is pretty astounding stuff (what he reveals, that is). 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 flashback time! Back in 2014, I did a series of episodes looking at interviews conducted with George Lucas by Alan Arnold for the seminal book Once Upon a Galaxy: A Journal of the Making of The Empire Strikes Back. Here's what I said in prep for the episode: Lucas gets personal with his discussions about how he prefers to work, what's on the line for him creatively and financially, and shares some things that, had he remembered them 20 years later, the prequels might have been much different. Now, let's dig into the details... 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 flashback time! Back in 2014, I did a series of episodes looking at interviews conducted with George Lucas by Alan Arnold for the seminal book Once Upon a Galaxy: A Journal of the Making of The Empire Strikes Back. I was a little worked up over this part, apparently. Here's what I said about it back then: In this episode's set of interview questions, Lucas talks about the directing and not directing, and arrrgh!! What happened from 1979 to 1999 that he changed his mind about this?! Well, have a listen today and find out why... 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 flashback time! Back in 2014, I did a series of episodes looking at interviews conducted with George Lucas by Alan Arnold for the seminal book Once Upon a Galaxy: A Journal of the Making of The Empire Strikes Back. Here's what I said about this episode at the time: Today's set of questions continues the theme of control and translating his vision to the other professionals creating the movie reality, as well as a brief meditation on the importance of attention to detail in the Star Wars universe – an endeavor that's fraught with more danger than you'd expect! So, let's get into it ... again. 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 flashback time! Back in 2014, I did a series of episodes looking at interviews conducted with George Lucas by Alan Arnold for the seminal book Once Upon a Galaxy: A Journal of the Making of The Empire Strikes Back. Here's what I said about this episode at the time: What's more, memory is a slippery thing. We know Lucas has changed his story over the years about the movies and the process and so forth … and I'm certain not all of those changes are intentional. (Unlike his Special Edition changes!) Part of it is for public perception and posterity, to be sure. And, eventually, all of us as people remember the stories the way that we want them to be told, and maybe the facts change, get mixed around, edited, ret-connned in the process. So today, we dive in to the first of multiple Lucas interview episodes. 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 talked about the Traveler's Guide to Batuu earlier this week, and I'm thrilled to have its author, Eloc Throno - aka Cole Horton - back on the show to talk about the making of this vital Galaxy's Edge resource. (This interview was actually conducted last month, but because the book's release had been moved to July 21st, we held this interview until now - it was actually recorded on the same day, 1-2 with our conversation about Star Wars: Book of Lists.) 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 aren't a lot of Star Wars music videos out there! I know that's not exactly shocking, but when I checked out the recent music video of Ludwig Göransson performing the theme from The Mandalorian, the point hit home. Prior to that, I think the only other "official" music video was the one released for The Phantom Menace's "Duel of the Fates." I'll talk about those today, and as promised, here are the videos I talked about in the show, and a couple more! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXJa1YcV6OQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ga7Iw7-ANho https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ROl4LuyNQM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEcjgJSqSRU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdu8I1gWqk4 ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

The allusions to the Aphra/Sana relationship in the Star Wars comics covered by the Doctor Aphra audio drama are brief and filled with attitude, but the audiobook reveals that it's at the heart of the action... 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 a move that likely comes as no surprise - it was probably inevitable at this point - Disney has updated its movie release schedule. With movie theaters still closed and production still halted due to the coronavirus, there's no help for it. So the announcements came today, and with them, the news that Star Wars is moving from its previous December dates in 2022, 2024, and 2026. The good news is, they were moved one year ahead, to December 2023, 2025, and 2027. This, at least, suggests that the delays are only coronavirus related, and not because of anything else going on behind the scenes. Couple this with a recent Taika Waititi interview, and we've got predictions for who will be in charge of each of those three movies... Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Yes, it's established that Doctor Aphra is a scoundrel. As such, it's probably wise not to trust her with anything too valuable. But as a character in the Star Wars comics on which the Doctor Aphra audio drama is based, she presents a very reliable front. In other words, she is exactly who she appears to be in those stories. But once you put her front and center, and let her tell the whole story - well, that's when things get a little more slippery. On today's episode of the show, I'm going to talk about how Doctor Aphra became an unreliable narrator, and cite three particular types of unreliability. And the responsibility for each type, depending on the type, falls on different shoulders... 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, during the non-spoiler review of the Doctor Aphra audio drama, I mentioned that there were a couple of places in the story where, if you were not familiar with the source material (namely, the first series of Darth Vader comics for Marvel), you might find yourself a little lost. As, in, with references to things that seem to be coming out of nowhere. There's a structural reason for that - since Aphra is our narrator, and since there are lots of things happening in that comic book series which have nothing to do with her, it's the moments where Aphra crosses paths with those other events that it gets a little odd inside the audio drama. She has no frame of reference for what's happening, and so the listener can get a little confused, much as Aphra herself does. I think it was an unavoidable side effect of adapting this storyline. Since Aphra never becomes privy to some of those details, it's not like she can explain it to the listener after the fact via some other narrative device. So, on today's episode of the podcast, I'm going to very quickly explain what was happening in that series outside of Aphra's knowledge. That should make the two primary confusion points in the audio drama make more sense. It's only lightly spoilery for the comic series and for the audio 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.***

The Doctor Aphra audiobook original builds from the source material, featuring a compelling expansion on the title character by author Sarah Kuhn, and an exuberant performance by Emily Woo Zeller. On today's episode of the show, we'll stay in non-spoiler review territory - REALLY non spoiler, as most of the conversation is about the intended audience; the evaluation of its adaptation from the comic book stories; the novel ways in which author Sarah Kuhn expanded upon the original comic stories; and the deeper development of the title character by Kuhn and as performed by Emily Woo Zeller. 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 Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge Traveler's Guide to Batuu is essential reading for anyone who hopes to go to the Star Wars land at Disneyland or Walt Disney World one day - and connects to Star Wars storytelling as well. On today's show, I'll share more details from the book and its author, "Eloc Throno" - a thinly-veiled anagram for Star Wars reference book writer extraordinaire Cole Horton - including how the in-universe aspect affects the way information is presented; the spot on the timeline where the Galaxy's Edge experience exists; connections to other Star Wars stories; 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.***

When we were talking about the possibility of a sequel to Solo: A Star Wars Story the other day, there was one other rumor I failed to mention. It actually dates back to September of 2019, and involves another rumored Star Wars project that had the rug pulled out from under it. Because things with Solo didn't go as planned? Maybe so, maybe no, but the fate of another rumored Star Wars project that's actually coming to fruition may point to a way forward. I'm going to use that as the jumping-off point to talk about the future of Star Wars live action storytelling, and ask YOU a question. As we get into this gap of time where we're waiting for the next announcements about movies and live action series, where do you draw the line as far as rumors, leaks, and spoilers go? For myself, as the years have gone by, I've drawn the line at plot points. I don't mind hearing about casting and character rumors, for example, and I don't mind hearing about settings or timeframes. But let's say - to give a 138% completely invented and hypothetical example - there had been a rumored published saying that there Baby Yoda was successfully cloned, and that we'd see dozens of him in season 2 of The Mandalorian. That's the kind of rumor that A) I'd never want to know in advance of the actual episode where they appear, and B) I'd never want to discuss that on the podcast until they had appeared in the actual episode. So that's where my head is at on these sorts of things. As a listener, where's your head at? Where do you draw the line? Let me know in the comments... Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

You know what we haven't talked about for a while? The Cassian Andor series, that's what! So let's check in on what's been happening there, shall we? On today's episode, we'll talk about the casting announcements we know so far - including a Star Wars connection for two of the actors whose specific roles we don't yet know - and rumors about two actors that have yet to be confirmed. We'll also talk a bit about Cassian's character backstory, the time in which the story is supposed to be set, and the directors and writers currently involved with the 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.***

So let's be clear: Up until a few days ago, the notion of a sequel to Solo: A Star Wars Story was nothing more than a boisterous fan campaign. The most visible one since the movement to get a season 7 for The Clone Wars, it should be noted. But most recently, back in March, co-writer Jon Kasdan said on Twitter: Don't think anyone's pursuing a Solo sequel at the moment ... I think a feature, at this point, would be a tough sell & the D+ Star Wars slate is really...pretty packed, all shows I'm lookin forward to. But then Alden Ehrenreich is featured in an Esquire cover story a few days ago, and when pressed about it, says: I've heard soooome stuff, but nothing concrete. WAIT A MINUTE!!! What's this "soooome stuff" he's talking about??? The Esquire article doesn't press further, so on today's show, I'll be double-checking the rumor mills to see whether there are any other hints about a potential Solo sequel out there. And there are two - from a certain point of view, of course, and one of them doesn't seem very likely. We'll also talk about two big obstacles to a Solo sequel, and whether Disney+ can handle them - if they even need to. 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 tumultuous year since the announcement of the Kenobi series at the D23 Expo in August 2019. One thing that has never wavered was, and continues to be, Ewan McGregor's enthusiasm for the series, which is awesome. One wonders if, among other reasons, it was also because he knew something we didn't. Something about one of his co-stars, for example... It didn't storm the social media airwaves yesterday, but Latino Review Media dropped a rumor report that Hayden Christensen - Anakin Skywalker himself - has signed onto the Kenobi series. They also claim that it's not for a cameo appearance, but for a major role in the series. I received a bit of outreach from my own source-of-a-source on this, and I'll tell you what I heard on today's episode. I'll also put this in context with the news and rumors that have come before about the series, and what this new rumor - if it's true - suggests for the direction of the series. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Resuming our "What to Watch Now" series from Monday, after we were so rudely interrupted by that Bad Batch series news, lol... Until now, the only place you could stream Solo: A Star Wars Story (if you didn't already buy it, that is) was on Netflix. But no more! The contract has run out, and the movie is now on Disney+. That makes it complete - every Star Wars movie is now on the service! But with the advent of Solo on Disney+ comes a set of "Extras" - 11 of them, to be precise. Today, we'll talk about what's there and what's worth your time. 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 been saying we were due for an announcement about Star Wars animation, and it finally arrived yesterday: The Bad Batch is getting their own series. If you watched the final season of The Clone Wars on Disney+, you finally met Clone Force 99 - or, as they call themselves, The Bad Batch. The StarWars.com Databank says: The motley crew that makes up Clone Force 99 boasts an astounding 100 percent success rate and skills unseen in any other clone troopers. Adept at working together, Hunter, Wrecker, Tech, and Crosshair use their unique talents and specialized physiology to execute extraordinary solutions on the battlefield. And after rescuing the clone trooper Echo from Separatist captivity, they welcome the cybernetic soldier into their fold. On today's episode of the show, we'll talk about what we learned from the announcement, and take a closer look at the creative team - including their past experience, and how that may bode for the series. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Well, the Disney Gallery series on The Mandalorian is complete. Season 2 of The Mandalorian doesn't come out until October. The Cassian Andor series is still in pre-production, as is the Kenobi series, and if something new is coming later this year from the animation side of the house, we don't know about it yet. Also, the next movie won't arrive until 2022 at the earliest. So ... what, as a Star Wars fan, could you watch now to keep yourself entertained and immersed until the next story arrives on your screen? Today, let's talk about one option: "The Force of Sound," a very cool mini documentary from ABC News. Punch it! And here's where you can watch the full documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GM0-8v4Ppb4 ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Kae and Jeremiah from The Fanitarium were kind enough to invite me on their show to talk about my TEDx talk, Star Wars Celebration, The Mandalorian, how podcasting has changed these last few years, and much more. On my show, I'm sharing an excerpt where we talk about Baby Yoda and what they may or may not do with his character in season 2 of the hit Disney+ series... Punch it! And as mentioned on my show, here's where you can check out the full discussion on their show: https://youtu.be/WMogPnzhd5g ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

"Connections" is the final episode of the Disney Gallery series about The Mandalorian, and a significant amount of time is spent discussing the concept of fan service in the series. Not only that, but it has so many visual examples of scenes, characters, species, and creatures from across the range of Star Wars stories and how they're brought in to the story of The Mandalorian - and on today's show, you'll hear about how Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni addressed the notion of fan service in the series. You'll also get to hear how George Lucas summarily and succinctly disavow any connection to one of those bits of fan service... 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 talked about Dave Filoni being the heir apparent to George Lucas this week, but Lucas was running the business of Lucasfilm for a good long while. So, since that's Kathleen Kennedy's job now, will it eventually be Filoni's? after all, Kennedy's contract ends in 2021, and despite years upon years of (unfounded) rumors, there's been nothing to suggest that she's going to cut her contract short. Meanwhile, as we've discussed this week, Dave Filoni has been groomed for a certain level of prominence within Lucasfilm. From learning directly from Lucas with storytelling, to learning about live-action direction with The Mandalorian, and so much in between, Filoni's skill set is increasing and aligning more with the skill set Lucas has. But does that mean he's in line for Kennedy's position when her contract ends? I'll give you my thoughts today, and I look forward to hearing yours as well. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***