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

From a certain point of view, Dave Filoni has a number of advantages that George Lucas didn't have at their respective stages of their careers. For example, Filoni isn't having to invent the Star Wars galaxy from scratch. He doesn't have to run multiple companies. He doesn't have to push filmmaking technology further than it's ever been pushed. But there's one specific advantage he has, that's been developed throughout his career, that might make all the difference for the future of Star Wars storytelling. On today's episode, I'll be talking about the three phases of Star Wars storytelling in both Lucas' and Filoni's career, and looking at three specific aspects of the storytelling process. The differences in how they've unfolded for Lucas and Filoni are where I'm headed with this... Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Naturally, the career paths of George Lucas and Dave Filoni have been very different. That said, it looks as though Lucasfilm is working to close the gap in their skill sets... Building off of our conversation from Monday (Episode 2,194), I'm going to take a high-level look at George Lucas' skill sets, and use that as a jumping-off point to talk about Dave Filoni's work experience over the years, and how his tenure on The Mandalorian seems tailor-made to expand his experience into areas where Lucas was proficient. 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 2200 numbered episodes, five movies, the first live-action series, two animated series and a revival for a third, multiple video games and AR/VR experiences, dozens of books, hundreds of comics, and so much more. It's been an amazing six years so far. I'm pausing to give thanks and reflect for a moment today, sharing the subjects of the top 10 episodes from the last year, and considering why it's still important - even with everything else going on in the world - to bring a daily dose of Star Wars joy into your life. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

One of the things the Disney Gallery series about The Mandalorian is doing - perhaps unintentionally, perhaps not - is introducing a new group of Star Wars fans to Dave Filoni. In most of the episodes, Filoni has been given space to talk about a variety of Star Wars subjects at length, and the round table audiences have all been so deeply attentive to what he's shared. It was no less the case in the "Score" episode, where Filoni, in conversation with Jon Favreau and Ludwig Göransson, digressed slightly during a discussion of the music to talk about the blessings and the perils of making new Star Wars stories now, and as compared to when George Lucas was making A New Hope. I'll share that clip with you as we start to explore the deal with the heir apparent to George Lucas' storytelling legacy. 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 a Sunday Conversation episode, I'm thrilled to welcome Alexander Freed to the show. Freed is the author of four Star Wars novels, including last month's Shadow Fall, second in the Alphabet Squadron trilogy. The topics of conversation I proposed included his writing process; the uniqueness of the physical setting of the novel; the construction of battle sequences and how his experience with video game and comic writing may or may not play into them; how he views the main characters of the trilogy; and how the novel itself and certain sequences within it seem to reflect a kinship with the structure of The Empire Strikes Back. The conversation takes turns to talk about the nature of Star Wars stories, the mystical and spiritual aspects of character arcs, 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.***

The seventh episode of the Disney Gallery Series for The Mandalorian, "Score," starts off with one of the most unlikely stories you'll ever about the creation of a Star Wars soundtrack - and only gets more fascinating from there. On today's episode of the show, we'll talk about why that is, and I'll play a musical instrument for the first time ever on the show. Not nearly as well as Ludwig Göransson, of course, but still. The conversation will also explore the unique place music has in the eyes of Star Wars fandom, and what the timing of the recording studio sessions for season 1 may tell us about how things developed for season 2, especially in light of the coronavirus shutdown. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Admiral Ackbar said it himself - at close range, Mon Calamari Star Cruisers can't hold up against Imperial Star Destroyers. On today's episode of the show, you'll hear him and Lando talking about it during the Battle of Endor in Return of the Jedi. As it turns out, the Rebellion was secretly working on a ship that could go toe-to-toe with a Star Destroyer - and win. And the development of the prototype for that class of battleship looks like it's going to play a major role in the single-player campaign of Star Wars Squadrons when it comes out in October 2020. I'll explain all about it on today's show, and talk about the major galactic battle where the Mark I versions of these ships helped turn the tide against the largest known Imperial remnant. 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 Squadrons revealed more about its story and inspirations, thanks to an interview on Polygon with EA's creative director Ian Frazier. Here's what he revealed, and what could be read between the lines. 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 ended June with an update on The Mandalorian Season 2, and we start July with news of a surprising kind - an expansion of the world of The Mandalorian, with new forthcoming stories. Lucasfilm just announced a Mandalorian-themed publishing program, which they say will begin in the fall of 2020 and continue into the winter and spring of 2021. So far, only two dates have been announced - both of which are technically in the fall, but are well after the anticipated start to season 2 of The Mandalorian. That means it's not a "Journey to" publishing program like we've had prior to the releases of the Sequel Trilogy movies. But many of the elements are similar. I'll talk about what we know so far, why we might have seen this coming, and when we can expect further details - all on today's episode. 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 while since we talked about The Mandalorian Season 2, so let's get up to speed with a couple of announcements that might have slipped under your radar. There's a great story on Collider that I promised to link to during the show, so here's the Collider link about the hiring of Sam Hargrave as a second unit director for The Mandalorian Season 2. I'm diving into that in detail, and I'm also talking about a rumored character appearance that seems like it's not going to happen after all. And there was a thing about a Star Wars celebrity with a cameo you'd never catch unless someone gave up the goods on it. Well, the person who had the cameo finally did, and I'll share the audio of that scene and who did it 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.***

First came Episode 327. Then came Episode 1138. Now, we come to the last of the magic Star Wars numbers in Episode 2187. And its uses are not as prevalent as the other two. 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, a conversation with Cole Horton, author of the just-released Star Wars Book of Lists. Which is an enormous book, and we'll talk about everything that went into the making of this comprehensive yet irreverent tome. 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 shortest and the most technical of the Disney Gallery episodes thus far, "Process" goes behind the scenes of The Mandalorian to reveal how they refined the story through animatics and pre-visualization before filming the real thing. On today's episode, I'll boil it down for you as best I can, though I think it's definitely worth checking out the "Process" episode so you can see the animatics and pre-visualizations for yourself. I'll also be featuring part of the conversation between Kathleen Kennedy, Jon Favreau, and Dave Filoni, where they talk about the story iteration process and how Dave Filoni's experience in animation fits right into this new way of making live action stories. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Alphabet Squadron's audiobook was narrated by Saskia Maarleveld, and I was a fan of her work on that first book in Alexander Freed's trilogy. So in all honesty, I was a bit disappointed when I heard that she wouldn't be narrating Shadow Fall. That's no knock on the person who does narrate it, Carol Monda. As I listened to the audiobook version of Shadow Fall, I kept thinking to myself, "Where have I heard her voice?" Because, as far as I can tell, this is the first Star Wars novel she's narrated, but she sounds so darned familiar. Well, that's because she has a CV as long as your arm when it comes to narration in film, TV, radio, online, on stage, and in audiobooks. She's been at it for 30 years! I think the link that worked for me is that she's been the narrative voice of the Turner Classic Movies (TCM) Classic Film Festival... On today's show, I'll talk about the admittedly apples-to-oranges comparison between Maarleevld and Monda, and why the differences in the two novels themselves seem to play toward the different strengths of the two narrators. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

No Star Wars story takes place in isolation, and Alexander Freed's Shadow Fall is no exception. Yesterday, we talked specifically about its connections to the upcoming video game, Star Wars: Squadrons. Today, we tease out some of its connections to other movies, TV, and novels. That may be as a result of stories the characters tell each other; surprise appearances (or the lack thereof); and of a whole group of people hiding in plain sight. 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 more we learn about the people and places of Star Wars: Squadrons, the more we learn that those details are elaborated upon in Alexander Freed's Shadow Fall. On today's episode of the show, I'm going to dig into some of the details we learn about the mission in Star Wars: Squadrons as revealed in Shadow Fall, including what Caern Adan (of New Republic Intelligence) thinks about the leader of Vanguard Squadron, Lindon Javes. (The mildest of spoilers for Shadow Fall happen in today's show, but only at the level of trivia - nothing about the story itself is spoiled.) Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Thanks to Becker&mayer! for sending me a digital review copy to check out! I have to say, when I first heard about Star Wars: Book of Lists, I thought it was going to be a fun read, and good trivia fodder, but also exactly what its title promised - a book of lists. When I actually got to check it out, though, I realized how mistaken I was. Cole Horton, who's written and co-written a dozen or so encyclopedic Star Wars reference books, brought all of those skills to the table when creating this book as well. Coming in at 224 pages, sure, you could just skim it for the 100 lists and you'd enjoy it. But the descriptive information included with those lists is what really makes the book a valuable addition to your Star Wars non-fiction shelf. On today's episode, I'll talk about all of that, and share one of my favorite lists in the book - which, ironically, doesn't come with the descriptive, but is actually all the better because of the choice to make it an exception to the rule. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Shadow Fall is the sequel to last year's Alphabet Squadron by Alexander Freed, and the second in a trilogy of novels about a group of sole survivors banding together to create a fighting force for the New Republic. If Alphabet Squadron is the A New Hope of this trilogy, then Shadow Fall is its Empire Strikes Back - a thrilling novel that improves upon its already strong predecessor with daring action, deep characterization, and devastating consequences for all involved. On today's episode of the show, I'll be talking briefly about where we left off with Alphabet Squadron, and what we've been told publicly about the story of Shadow Fall so far. From there, I'll get into my non-spoiler review, and why I liked the novel as much as I did. I'll also share why I'm going to be reading or listening to it again very soon - it has to do with the ending, let's put it that way for now. I'll say more in the show, but I promise I won't spoil it for you in any way, shape, or form. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

For a franchise, a saga if you will, that turns largely on one father-son relationship, there's not a lot of fatherly representation in Star Wars. In fact, Star Wars is probably more notable for its *lack* of fatherly examples - or lack of screen time for them, to be sure. On today's episode, we'll talk about types of fathers you may encounter, albeit briefly, in the Star Wars 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.***

A fairly large portion of "Practical" - the fifth episode of the Disney Gallery series about The Mandalorian - is dedicated to Baby Yoda. And why wouldn't it be? Certainly the fortunes of the show have turned, to a large degree, around the success of that character's introduction. But on this episode of the mini-documentary series, you also find out about the intersection of performer, prosthetics, and animatronics; the use of World-War-II-era weapons as design inspirations; how the special effects wizards use the starfield to enhance the impression of spaceship movement; how they worked in the use of miniatures (when digital effects would have been cheaper); 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.***

Before we get into spoiler territory regarding the VR experience Vader Immortal: Episode II, I think it's worth spending a moment on the philosophy around spoilers here at Star Wars 7x7. I've been thinking about this as compared with console video games, and also with book review spoilers - which we did last week with Queen's Peril, and which we have coming soon with a few other books. With VR, as much as you may learn about the story of Vader Immortal: Episode II here today, nothing can replace the experience of actually playing it. And as opposed to console video games, it really IS an experience. So I'm very confident that, if it's your kind of thing and you have access to a VR headset, talking about the story here won't make you avoid the game. In fact, I imagine it might make you want to play it that 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.***

Episode I of the groundbreaking Vader Immortal VR game from ILMxLAB set up the story. Now, Episode II sends you on the Bright Star quest - after being trained to use the Force. On today's episode of the show, we'll get into a non-spoiler review of Vader Immortal: Episode II, which includes a comparison of the installment not only to the Episode I predecessor, but also to the LEGO Star Wars games (yes, really - although, spoiler alert, the VR version is way cooler than the LEGO Star Wars version in terms of the ability I'm talking about on the show). Not only will we be talking about the gameplay/story mode, but we'll also talk about the enhancements to the Lightsaber Dojo 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.***

The inevitable has become the official: Star Wars Celebration Anaheim 2020 has been canceled. So, what happens next? That's what we're talking about 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.***

The video game code-named "Maverick" has been revealed as "Star Wars: Squadrons"! On Monday, a reveal trailer debuted, as well as some promotional images and additional story details. Yes, I said "story"! There's a single-player story narrative to the game, which will see you playing as both a New Republic pilot and as an Imperial pilot. One article I read said that the price point of the game - $39.99 at pre-order - suggests the storyline and associated gameplay will run approximately 15 hours. But that's not all, of course. There's also a multi-player aspect to it, and it's cross-platform, so you'll be able to play against friends who have different consoles/platforms. The announcement also talked about ships, characters, and worlds, and we'll dig into everything we've learned so far on today's episode of 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.***

When the coronavirus pandemic struck, production on live action movies and television shut down. Thankfully, season 2 of The Mandalorian had already finished principal photography, so it could proceed on schedule for its October 2020 debut. In the meantime, we've heard that Star Wars animation is also moving full steam ahead, even though we don't know many details about that (yet). And there's another type of storytelling that's also moving forward... or should we say "storyLIVING"? That's the word used by ILMxLAB's Executive-in-Charge Vicki Dobbs Beck, referring to the idea that "you're inside a world making consequential choices that drive your experience forward." In other words, virtual reality. On today's show, we'll talk about ILMxLAB's first title, Vader Immortal, getting a wider release; and the first sneak preview of their second VR title, Tales From the Galaxy's Edge. 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 may have heard of "The Volume" before, but what's the deal with it? How does it work, and how was George Lucas thinking about this a decade ago? The "Technology" episode of Disney Gallery: Star Wars: The Mandalorian goes into deeper detail about the revolutionary new studio setup. Jon Favreau talks about the journey from his previous movies and how it all led to The Mandalorian, and the episode features roundtable discussions with the directors, actors, and visual effects professionals who made it all happen. On today's episode of the show, we'l dig into some of those details, with clips explaining "The Volume" and how it realizes Lucas' vision - which you'll hear from the Maker himself. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Mild spoilers in this, our final episode that dives into the novel Queen's Peril by E.K. Johnston. I was really surprised when I dug into Wookieepedia and didn't find much in the way of details (in the "Canon" section, at least) about the Royal Handmaidens of Naboo. So that made me doubly happy that we got a *lot* of details about them in Queen's Peril, including their recruitment; the last time they were used extensively; some of the training; and the bonding that happens between these young women (to which I alluded a bit in the non-spoiler review episode earlier this week). We'll talk about some of those details 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.***

Mild spoilers for Queen's Peril by E.K. Johnston in this episode! I'm on record as saying that I think the whole taxation of trade routes thing is a perfectly fine entry point for The Phantom Menace. After all, the dispute happens off screen, and we jump right into blockades and invasions and Jedi action. Well, speaking of off screen ... since the events of Queen's Peril take place in the months leading up to The Phantom Menace, you can see how taxation issues might be brought into play. But lest you think Johnston would avoid them in favor of something more obviously dramatic, I'm here to applaud her for the fact that she committed to the deal, so to speak. Multiple scenes in the book address the topic, and a diplomatic undertaking by Queen Amidala pushes that taxation clash forward. I'll be talking about those scenes on today's episode, and they feature some surprise guest stars in the 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.***

We interrupt our regularly scheduled discussion of Queen's Peril to give you an update on the Galaxy's Edge theme park experience at Disneyland in Anaheim. Phased re-opening proposals have been submitted for the parks, Downtown Disney, and two hotels. But there's a bit more to the story that what you're seeing in the headlines. And by the way, what could this mean for Star Wars Celebration - as we don't have any announcements for that event yet? I've been giving that some additional thought, and I wish I could say I was coming to a happy conclusion about this... Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Mild spoilers in this episode! The final third of Queen's Peril by E.K. Johnston runs concurrently with The Phantom Menace. Apart from a plotline that fills in a backstory hinted at in Queen's Shadow, most of this section serves one of two purposes. One of these purposes is to give us a look at characters from the movie, in scenes that play like moments from the cutting room floor. Mind you, this isn't a criticism - a scene with Darth Maul scouting Theed Palace prior to the arrival of the Jedi isn't one that was needed for the movie, but is a terrific addition from a novelization perspective. The other purpose is to complete character arcs that were begun in the pre-Phantom Menace part of the book. That focuses primarily on Sabé, who is Padmé's number one handmaiden, even though Sabé's primary talent has been playing second fiddle - pun intended. I'll dig into all of the above and more on the show 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.***

Queen's Peril, by E.K. Johnston, is the prequel to last year's Queen's Shadow, and a breezy read best suited for Padme, handmaiden, and prequel fans. It also does something remarkable - delivers a story about teenage girls learning to bond and achieve in positions of influence, and against the backdrop of major galactic events. That said, from a plot perspective, nothing of major consequence happens until about two-thirds of the way through the book, when the narrative lines up with the events of The Phantom Menace. That section is where almost all the book's drama takes place, and while it's interesting to see some more detailed and occasionally additional perspectives on that chapter of the Skywalker Saga, I do wish Padme and her handmaidens could have had a significant origin-story mission together that didn't rely on an existing chapter in the canon. But it is fun, and for completists who are interested in the beginning of Padme's reign and how the handmaidens came to be a part of her team, there will be plenty of intriguing details to absorb. The book also dallies with interludes featuring a variety of characters, and their actions prior to The Phantom Menace as well. On today's show, we'll wrap up the review, and we'll dig into the details on subsequent 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.***

Yes, as Pedro Pascal recently noted, Star Wars succeeds on the strength of its characters and relationships. But... From the war crimes of the Trade Federation on Naboo, to the Republic's war with the Confederacy of Independent Systems (essentially a false flag secession leading to the fall of the Republic), and later to rebellions less extreme (Mon Mothma) and more extreme (Saw Gerrera), and still later to the outright destruction of the New Republic by the First Order and its subsequent overthrown by the Resistance and "people," the Star Wars stories are almost entirely set against the backdrop of violent revolution. We'll talk about this today, and about how Star Wars not only draws from real-world history, but also how it may be holding up a mirror to the world in which we live 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.***

Episode 3 of Disney Gallery: Star Wars: The Mandalorian features - as one would expect from the title of the episode, "Cast" - discussions with the big three members of the cast: Pedro Pascal, Gina Carano, and Carl Weathers. As in past episodes, we also hear from Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni, and we also hear from some of the directors. There are additional voices highlighted as well, and on today's episode, we'll talk about: --The four different ways by which The Mandalorian's character performance is created, including three different people inside the armor --How Gina Carano's performance and background go all the way back to the kinds of movie performances that influenced George Lucas back in the day --How the directors work with The Mandalorian's character to get emotion out of the performance We'll also talk about how Carl Weathers approaches an offer to be a part of an acting project, which has some bearing on the way Star Wars stories have been made and continue to be made. It's particularly relevant considering what's going on in the world in general, and what's been part of Star Wars-specific discussions in the past few years. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Books delayed and moved up, comics in flux, a clue about that new lightsaber to be revealed, and more casting rumors! It's been a while, so let's catch up on Star Wars story news. 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 hard to believe that it's only been eleven days since the killing of George Floyd by a white police officer on a Minneapolis street. Since then, America has broken in ways beyond anything we could have imagined - and there's a strong case to be made that it was already broken, and we're finally seeing what it looks like when change can't wait any longer. But this is a Star Wars podcast, so on today's show, I'm going to turn the focus there. Specifically, we're going to talk about what Lucasfilm and Disney have said and done in the wake of the George Floyd killing, and consider how much further they - and we - have to go. ~*~*~*~*~*~ ***I'm listener supported - join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Carrie Fisher was the social conscience of the Original Trilogy, calling attention to women's rights and feminist issues. John Boyega is the social conscience of the Sequel Trilogy, calling attention to racial justice. On today's show, I'm featuring his speech yesterday at a London protest related to the killing of George Floyd. The audio (as recorded and published by the Evening Standard) appears in today's show; but I highly encourage you to watch the video version, for reasons I explain in the podcast. Here's the video of his speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGXEB25WdyQ ~*~*~*~*~*~ ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

If you've been listening to the podcast for a while, you may recall that I was invited to deliver a talk at an official TEDx event in November 2019. The event was recorded, and I got word late Monday night that the talk had finally gone live on the TEDx YouTube Channel. Today's episode of the podcast is a short one, with a couple of observations about the timing of the TEDx talk's release; about my older son's reaction to it, since he wasn't able to be there for its live delivery; and the nervousness that flooded me upon re-watching it (which hadn't been there when I'd delivered the talk, funnily enough). Rather than keeping you for the show today, I hope instead you'll think it's worth your time to check out the talk itself... ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

We were going to talk about the launch of Queen's Peril today. A couple months ago, I felt compelled to step out of the stream of our usual Star Wars talk, and we talked about the coronavirus pandemic, when the lockdowns were in their earliest stages. I never planned to make a habit of stepping out of the stream, and I still don't plan to. But as civil unrest has engulfed dozens of cities across the United States, I've been thinking a lot about Yoda's lines from The Phantom Menace: "Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering." And it seems like they could help us understand a lot of what's going on in America right now. As I said to a neighbor of mine recently, there will always be people, on all points of the political compass, who see tragedy as an opportunity to advance their own goals by exploiting other people's pain. I believe our job as humans, at a minimum, is to bear witness to the pain. To listen, to truly and deeply hear what people in pain are trying to tell us. To help heal that pain, and not make it worse or prolong it. Today's show is about how Yoda's words apply to our lives right now. In the process, I'm going to beg you to consider three things: 1. Please do what you can to keep your family, friends, loved ones, neighbors, and communities safe. 2. Despite all the fearful things happening that must be addressed, please do not lose sight of the inciting incident of the fires this time - the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed African-American man, by a while police officer, in broad daylight, and the justice that must be done in Floyd's memory. 3. Please consider saying that #BlackLivesMatter. Speaking for myself, I have a wishy-washy history with making that statement. Not that I ever disagreed with it - more that I've had the privilege of living a life where it wasn't a visible issue for me on a daily basis. But that's no excuse. Imagine if hundreds of millions of voices would speak out together, to let the African-American community know that they believe "Black Lives Matter." It wouldn't magically heal things, of course. But maybe it could be a different kind of inciting incident. One based in love, not fear. I hope the show today speaks to you, and I thank you for being a part of *this* community.

From novels to reference books, comics to documentaries, here's what we know is coming for Star Wars in June 2020 - and speculation about movies, live action series. animation, 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.***

"Legacy" is the second episode of the Disney+ series Disney Gallery: Star Wars: The Mandalorian. A snippet from that episode has been making the rounds on social media, wherein executive producer Dave Filoni talks about the meaning and the stakes of the lightsaber battle in The Phantom Menace. And I thought that's what we'd be talking about today... But as it turns out, there's also a rather important thing to examine regarding the telling of Star Wars stories with and without George Lucas, and - by sheer coincidence - Dave Filoni also talks about the Vader redemption that we were just talking about on yesterday's show. And it turns out that he and I may have been saying the same thing ... from a certain point of view. 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 here's how this happened... In looking at The Rise of Skywalker and comparing it to Return of the Jedi over the past few days, I've been thinking a lot about the theme of redemption in Return of the Jedi, and how it's the main theme for that movie, but only a secondary theme for The Rise of Skywalker. Well, the more I started thinking about Vader "redeeming" himself in Return of the Jedi, I got to thinking - is he, though? I'll explain my well-nigh sacrilegious take on this subject, and how the subsequent 37 years of storytelling supports the case - but you can make the case merely by what happens in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. We'll also speculate as to how this may have made George Lucas decide to have Vader scream "NOOOOOO!" in the Special Edition. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Imagine with me, if you will, a different Return of the Jedi. The primary protagonist/antagonist conflict is not with Luke and Palpatine, it's with Luke and Vader. And yet they don't spend a heck of a lot of time onscreen together. It's only near the end of the second act and into the third that they finally confront each other. Can you imagine what it would have been like if they encountered each other multiple times throughout the movie? Like, for example, if he got word that Luke was back on Tatooine, and headed out there? Now, contrast that with The Rise of Skywalker. Again, Rey/Palpatine isn't the real conflict here, it's Rey/Kylo. And their issues get a lot more attention... 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 looked at The Force Awakens, it was remarkable how much it lined up with the events of A New Hope. Then we looked at The Last Jedi, and while it had elements that lined up with The Empire Strikes Back, it also shook things up. Today, we look at The Rise of Skywalker. It has a lot in common with Return of the Jedi, but it actually explodes the structure of ROTJ, spreads it out across the movie, and even repeats those structural elements as the movie progresses. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Return of the Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker start their bad guys in similar places. No one walking into Return of the Jedi ever thought that redemption was in the cards for Darth Vader. And - if you pretend you never saw the original trilogy - you would likely say the same thing about Kylo Ren while walking into The Rise of Skywalker. Thematically, however, Return of the Jedi is very concerned about the idea of redemption. And that shows up not just in the main conflict of the story, but also in smaller ways for Luke, Han, and Lando. (Leia? Not so much. What does she have to redeem herself for, after the events of The Empire Strikes Back? Not much, as it turns out.) Meanwhile, though The Rise of Skywalker does concern itself with the redemption of Kylo Ren after all, it's a secondary theme when considered in light of what's really going on thematically - a war of identity. I'll explain my thinking on today's episode... 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 we dive deeper into our examination of The Rise of Skywalker, and the comparison of it to Return of the Jedi, structure is where we want to head next. But before we get there, there's a related pair of topics we need to consider. First is the question of the final boss battles - the "big bads," if you will. Because the primary job of both movies is for the heroes to strike the winning blow, and it needs to be against something that presents the greatest challenge our heroes have seen yet. And the other thing we need to consider is the timeframe. By an interesting coincidence - if it is, actually, coincidence - both of these final movies in their trilogies take place about a year after the events of the previous movie. There's a very clear reason for that in Return of the Jedi. As for The Rise of Skywalker, the answer is not so clear, but with the application of a couple of thought experiments, it turns out that it had to be closer to a year than the five or ten years we previously discussed on the show. I'll be addressing both the big bads and the timeframes on today's 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.***

Last week, we spent time talking about The Last Jedi, and comparing it to The Empire Strikes Back - which is similar to what we did a while ago when we talked about The Force Awakens in relation to A New Hope. Well, it's time to complete the cycle! On today's episode, we're starting a series of looks at The Rise of Skywalker, in comparison with Return of the Jedi. And in particular, we're going to pick up right where we ended with The Last Jedi - on the concept of recontextualization. Both Return of the Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker offer us changes that are supposed to make us rethink a bunch of things that came before in their respective trilogies. In one sense, they're very different - one of them comes completely out of the clear blue sky, while the other is relentlessly hinted at. And in another sense, they're very similar - the change doesn't add drama so much as it resolves it, and changes the foci of the final fights. 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 end of 2019 was remarkable in a lot of ways for Star Wars. One of those reasons was The Mandalorian, the first-ever live-action Star Wars series. It was so remarkable, in fact, that Disney is putting together an eight-part series under the "Disney Gallery" banner to go behind the scenes of the creation of The Mandalorian. Today, we're following that series with a look at the first episode, "Directing." And we'll cite some notable elements about each of the directors. But as we go through this, we're also going to pay particular attention to Executive Producer Dave Filoni. This time, we'll get to hear him talk about this storytelling and animation background, leading up to his work on 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 "I am your father" reveal from The Empire Strikes Back is the ultimate "recontextualization" in cinema history. Recontextualization is a heavy word, one definition of which is: To place or view (a work of literature or art, for example) in a new or unfamiliar context, especially in order to suggest a different interpretation. As we've been comparing The Empire Strikes Back to The Last Jedi this week, we're going to wrap up the conversation with a discussion of recontextualizations. The Last Jedi has more than one of them, and so does Empire, for that matter. 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 hinted at us coming to this episode earlier in the week, about a thematic similarity between The Empire Strikes Back and The Last Jedi. Well, here we are now: ready to talk about failure. The Last Jedi wears this theme on its sleeve, so to speak - failure is actively spoken of, and Yoda identifies failure as one of the most important lessons Luke could ever have passed on to Jedi students. Luke, Leia, Rey, Poe, Finn, and Rose all faces failures in particular ways, and their character arcs are built around them learning lessons from those failures in order to succeed when things are at their darkest hour. As it turns out, The Empire Strikes Back is very much about failure, too. We watch the Rebels suffer their first major onscreen defeat; we watch Luke fail time and again with Yoda on Dagobah; for every heroic deed by Han, the odds against his success get worse and worse until finally it all comes crashing down; and Leia, our take-charge heroine, has all control taken away from her. We'll talk about this and more on today's episode... 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 was a funny meme going around back in the day, which had two images, which were the same shot of protesters with torches and pitchforks. And one photo depicted people complaining about The Force Awakens for being too much like the Star Wars of old, while the second photo depicted the same people complaining about The Last Jedi for being too different from the Star Wars of old. Well, as it turns out, The Last Jedi has a lot more in common with The Empire Strikes Back than you might expect. Part of that is because of the setup J.J. Abrams gave Rian Johnson, and we'll explore those similarities (and a few differences) on today's episode. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***