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

Last Friday, The Hollywood Reporter broke the rumor that Timothy Olyphant would be joining the cast of The Mandalorian for season 2, with this additional note: It is unknown whether the actor will play a new character or a returning favorite in a new guise. Yesterday, /Film broke the rumor that Olyphant will be wearing Boba Fett's armor on the show. But clearly, he does not look like Temuera Morrison. Here's what they had to say about that: ...Earlier this month it was reported that Temuera Morrison, who originated the role of Jango Fett (Boba's clone father), had been cast as Boba Fett. So what's going on here? If Morrison is playing the role of Boba Fett, then Timothy Olyphant is playing an enigmatic character named Cobb Vanth. Now, in a few recent episodes where rumors have been discussed, I've been able to share that someone reached out to me to share information from another person to confirm/deny media reports like this. Well, that someone let me know a thing or two about this particular set of rumors, and I'm sharing what I've heard 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.***

The May 2017 Vanity Fair cover story on The Last Jedi includes this: But Johnson, in drawing up his screenplay, decided to raise the stakes further. 'I started by writing the names of each of the characters,' he said, 'and thinking, What's the hardest thing they could be faced with?' I think it's fair to assume that he didn't need to think too deeply about that question for certain characters - Threepio, Maz Kanata, Phasma, Snoke, DJ, Hux, Holdo, or Yoda. But I certainly believe he entertained that question, and deeply, for Luke, Leia, Rey, Kylo/Ben, Finn, Poe, and Rose. On today's episode, we'll talk about what The Last Jedi tells us about Rian's answers to that big question for each character. We'll also talk about how The Empire Strikes Back, whether we knew it or not, was doing the same thing to Leia, Luke, and Han all those years ago. 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 October 2017 (before the release of The Last Jedi), Rian Johnson spoke at an "Ireland Week" event to talk about the movie. The Hollywood Reporter quoted him as saying: "That very last image of The Force Awakens, with Rey holding the lightsaber out to Luke, that was so evocative. In every other case, Star Wars movies jumped forward in leaps of time. I knew I was supposed to do that, but the last image was intriguing. I knew I wanted to know where we were going next." Later on in the article, there was a direct interview with Johnson, and I wanted to flag this question and answer for you: Q: Part of [Star Wars] is recontextualizing past movies. How does yours do that? A: Each new film hopefully recontextualizes what came before it. That's part of the game. Yes, it's a continuation of not only The Force Awakens, but also of the legacy leading up to it. These, along other past comments from Johnson, are going to come into play as we set the stage to discuss how The Last Jedi is similar to and different from The Empire Strikes Back 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 time for another episode of Star Wars POP! That's "Podcasters on Podcasting," and for today's episode, I'm joined by Bryan and Chris from Sixth Scale Scavengers. Here's their scoop: Sixth Scale Scavengers is a Hot Toys collecting podcast with a focus on the Star Wars, Marvel, and DC Comics licenses. The co-founders Bryan Fontaine and Chris Leddy created the podcast and later this website as resource for collectors of all experience levels to learn and interact with the collecting community. You will find checklists and databases of all the Hot Toys figures released to date with product information, release dates, and helpful links to scavenge your own collecting deals. Each podcast episode covers news, collecting tips, featured collecting topics, and figure reviews in each episode. On today's episode of the show, I'll be talking to them about their podcasting history, inspirations, 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.***

While we were spending the last couple of days talking about the question of whether Boba Fett is an actual Mandalorian, and going down all sorts of Legends rabbit holes and so forth, a couple of news items related to season 2 of The Mandalorian hit the airwaves. One of them was great news from Disney CEO Bob Chapek on the status of post-production for the hit Disney+ series. The other - a casting rumor about Katee Sackhoff reprising her animation role in live action as Bo-Katan Kryze from The Clone Wars, which could be great news if it happens - seems not to be getting the same kind of juice that previous casting rumors have gotten. I'll explain 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.***

I got a lot of feedback about my episode yesterday, exploring the idea of whether Boba Fett is, in fact, a Mandalorian. Turns out I got a little too narrow with my focus on a couple of things! So on today's episode of the show, I'll be handling some corrections (the clan signet doesn't have to be on the right shoulder, for example). I'll also be getting into a few elaborations - specifically about the Mandalorian icon on Boba Fett's left shoulder, and the emblem on the right side of his chest plate. And after all of that, which will dig deeply into Legends territory, I'll dig my heels in and assert that I still don't think Boba Fett is a Mandalorian in the "practicing" sense of the word. 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 an odd question to consider at first. After all, I think the segment of the Star Wars audience that cares about such things has generally accepted the idea that Boba Fett is a Mandalorian. But as I did my research for yesterday's episode about whether Boba Fett survived the sarlacc pit, and how his potential appearance in The Mandalorian could be as much about the armor as it is about the person within the armor, I also got to thinking about Boba Fett's history himself. Which led me to Jango Fett, and to questions of citizenship, and birth versus cloning, and pauldrons, and I promise you this will make sense in the episode itself. Ultimately, it seems there are two primary ways of answering the question of whether Boba Fett is a Mandalorian. One way, the answer (with certain caveats in place, so as not to go too far into the weeds) is a yes. The other way - arguably, the more important way of considering the question - the answer is a hard no. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Ahh, Boba Fett, the Schrödinger's cat of Star Wars. Is he alive or dead? No canon story has anything to say about him after his last appearance, tumbling down into the mouth of the sarlacc in Return of the Jedi. So like the famous quantum physics thought experiment, he is both alive AND dead until we actually observe him in one state or the other. There's another complicating factor to all of this. Boba Fett was a person, but as we saw with Boushh in Return of the Jedi, bounty hunters can be impersonated - or mistakenly identified. In other words, people could see someone show up in Boba Fett's armor and think, "Hey, that's Boba Fett!" when in reality it isn't. So on today's show, we're going to separate the man from the armor, and tell you what we know about both. In addition, Wookieepedia has gathered some VERY interesting information about what George Lucas considers Boba's fate to 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.***

On Friday - why is it always Friday? - The Hollywood Reporter broke the rumor that Temuera Morrison has been cast in The Mandalorian for season 2, and that he'll be playing Boba Fett. The other trades followed up with their own sources and said they were hearing the same thing. (One wonders - do they all have the same sources? And if so, that doesn't make it any more real, does it?) Meanwhile, Jordan from Cinelinx is saying that he's heard Morrison - who played Jango Fett in Attack of the Clones and has voiced a variety of clones in other Star Wars projects - may not *only* be playing Boba Fett. So, one of three things could be happening: Morrison is only playing Boba Fett Morrison is playing Boba Fett AND one or more clones OR - I've got a third theory, which lines up with what I'm hearing from a source of a source, and brings another person connected with Boba Fett into play We'll talk about it all today... Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Star Wars POP! - Podcasters on Podcasting - is the segment on our show where I interview other Star Wars podcasters about their influences, insights, and the details of their Star Wars shows. On today's installment, I'm welcoming Brews and Blasters to the show. Here's their scoop: Born from the discussions between two friends at a local pub in the historic town of Salem, Massachusetts, this Star Wars podcast is your chance to kick back and enjoy everything about that galaxy far, far away. Each episode, hosts Chris Salton and Joe Tavano sit down every week to do what they would be doing anyway — talk about all things Star Wars, tell some stories, and have a good time. Join them as they share their love for Star Wars, the most obscure Star Wars characters, Boston's North Shore, 1980s pop culture and delicious food, and occasionally talk to fascinating people - and friends, like an anthropomorphic packet of crystallized lime. Not sure about that last bit! Sadly, I didn't ask them about it, but we did cover a lot of ground on this episode, and I hope you enjoy. 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 think it's safe to say - as in, there's little argument over this point - that as far as parents in Star Wars stories go, the stories are much more focused on fathers than mothers. But mothers are certainly represented in Star Wars, and since today is Mother's Day, I thought it'd be fun to take a look at the types of mothers we meet in Star Wars. Some of them we'll flag for the type (i.e., immaculate, surrogate, adoptive); others for the relationship with their child or children (i.e., influential, disowning, idealized); and still others for their actions (i.e., abandoning, sacrificing, unconditionally loving). All too often, mothers serves as plot devices for the story arcs of their children in Star Wars, but there are exceptions to that 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.***

At Celebration Orlando in 2017, Dave Filoni talked about the then-upcoming season 4 of Star Wars Rebels, saying that it would be the final season, and that he would get to end the series the way he wanted to, which was an opportunity he didn't have with the Clone Wars. Well, here we are, three years later, and Dave Filoni got the "happy" ending he wanted. I'm putting "happy" in quotes only because the end of the story includes the advent of Order 66 and the fall of the Galactic Republic, but I think you take my meaning, right? Clone Wars Season 7, the final season, concluded on Monday, May 4 with "Victory and Death," the conclusion of the "Siege of Mandalore" story arc, the capstone to three in-universe years of epic storytelling. On today's episode of the show, we'll have one last review of the final story arc as a whole, including an exploration of whether the arc was about the Siege of Mandalore in name only; extra notes of appreciation for Ahsoka's stunt double; Mace Windu having had it up to here with everyone and taking it out on Ahsoka for no good reason; and the cliffhangers/unanswered questions left by the ending. 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 been a lot going on in the GFFA this week! On Star Wars Day, the final episode of the Clone Wars dropped, as did the first episode of the documentary series Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian, and The Rise of Skywalker made an early debut on Disney+. But that wasn't all! StarWars.com made a couple of big announcements - mostly confirming rumors that had already been reported in the Hollywood trades, but with one new detail about the Taika Waititi feature film project. I'll be talking about both creative project confirmations today, as well as non-spoiler rumors about The Mandalorian, and whether Lucasfilm Animation still has something cooking for the fall of 2020. 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 eight years since Dave Filoni brought Maul back from the dead for The Clone Wars series. And as fans, it was 13 years that we thought he was dead, until he wasn't! But why did they do it? Pamela, one of our awesome Patrons, asked me to explore the reasons why, and I've done it as part of our latest Patreon Q&A session. Also, Tim asked what I thought various Star Wars characters might be doing while in quarantine, and Jarrod wanted to know about any differences in the generations of Stormtroopers, as well as how many different types there are now. I'm going to explore all of these on today's show. Thanks go to them, and to Bobby, Pioter, Emily, Leah, and Samantha for their questions that we discussed on yesterday's show, and to all the Patrons who have helped me bring this show to you! If you'd like to support me in delivering this daily dose of Star Wars joy around the world, I hope you'll consider checking out Patreon.com/sw7x7. 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 asked Patrons of the show from the Vader's Fist level and above to send their questions in for this month's Q&A session, but because of the way the final days of April and the first days of May played out, I haven't been able to get to answering them until now! So today on the show, part 1 of 2 in the Q&A session, where I address these topics: Pioter asked about the popularity/fan base of Star Wars in countries outside the United States Emily, Leah, and Samantha asked why three of the four female Jedi voices weren't named in the closed captioning for The Rise of Skywalker, but almost all the male Jedi voices were named (except for "Old" Obi-Wan Kenobi) Bobby asked me to name my favorite character design, and why That's what's on tap for 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.***

"Victory and Death," Clone Wars season 7/episode 12, completes the story arc, the season, and the series, game, set, and match. It also features a surprise epilogue, and packs as much action in to the episode as any you've ever seen in the series. Even with that, they also manage to fit in an incredibly emotional moment with Ahsoka and Rex talking about the clones, and their sadness and frustration in the face of seeing their comrades fall unwittingly and tragically under the control of the greatest evil in the galaxy. On today's episode, I'll be breaking down the final beats, and addressing a question about whether Order 66 is going to apply to Force-sensitive people regardless of their affiliation (or lack thereof) with the Jedi Order. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Happy Star Wars Day! May the 4th be with you, and I hope you feel the Force all day long today (and every day, really, but especially today). For this episode of the show, I thought I'd look back at interviews I've been able to bring you from Lucasfilm folks over the years - some from folks who have since promoted into new positions, others from folks who weren't even with Lucasfilm when I interviewed them but who later joined the company, and one who isn't with Lucasfilm but is with the parent company (and happens to be very into Star Wars himself). You'll get to hear eight total interviews on today's show (in order of appearance): Matt Martin Justin Bolger A.J. Camarillo Michael Siglain Taylor Gray Lorne Peterson Clayton Sandell Rob Bredow I hope you enjoy the trip down memory lane... 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 this latest episode of Star Wars POP! - that's "Podcasters on Podcasting," if you're new to the feature - I'm interviewing the three co-hosts of the Followers of the Force podcast. Here's the scoop on their show: David Triana, Gwendy Ren and Jason Williams, your hosts of the Followers of the Force podcast! Each week, we discuss the latest news in the Star Wars galaxy in detail, have tons of fun, and above all, CELEBRATE all that Star Wars has to offer. Want to delve into themes? Gwendy has you covered. Want organization and weird things memorized? David's got ya. Want to laugh, learn and listen to some awesome Star Wars opinion? Jason's your guy? We all have our strengths, but most importantly, we're friends who love Star Wars. Join us and become a Follower of the Force! This is the first time I've interviewed three co-hosts at once, and with a great recommendation from Gwendy near the start, things go swimmingly (if I do say so myself). Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

"Shattered" is the 11th and penultimate episode of season 7 of the Clone Wars, and of the series itself. And oh my Force ghost, what an episode. It picks up right where we left off with "The Phantom Apprentice," and as with previous episodes in this arc, it lays directly over the timeline of Revenge of the Sith. In this case, it corresponds with the most impactful events of that movie: the fall of Anakin Skywalker and the execution of Order 66. Now that Maul has been captured (in a way that doesn't quite correspond with what we know from other Star Wars storytelling), and since we know that Ahsoka and Rex survive the events of Order 66, much of the suspense in this and the final episode has be around HOW they survive. And the creators do it in style. I'd like to give special props to Kevin Kiner, whose score for these final episodes has been spectacular. It feels like he's taken inspiration from Vangelis and Blade Runner, mixing that sensibility in with the epic Star Wars motifs. We'll talk about all of this and much more, including some of the other overlaps with Revenge of the Sith; Mace's unnecessary clapback to Ahsoka; the foresahdowing that wasn't; and the echoes of lines from other characters and even other 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.***

Rebelthon 2020 starts May 3rd at 12pm Eastern! Here's the scoop on it, from The Rebel Legion's Facebook page: Rebel Legion presents Rebelthon 2020! A celebration of Community, Giving, and Hope. Rebelthon 2020 Facebook LIVE 12-hour long webathon to raise money for UNICEF and their efforts to fight the COVID-19 virus. Rebelthon will feature interviews, special guests from the Star Wars Universe and original content created by Rebel Legion members. Log on to the Rebel Legion Facebook page May 3rd, 2020, from 12pm to 12am est. to join us in raising money for the battle against COVID-19. Together we can be the spark that will burn this virus down. DONATE TO #UNICEF HERE: Bit.ly/Rebelthon2020 On today's show, I'm thrilled to interview Rubin Polizzi, Assistant Legion Public Relations Officer for The Rebel Legion, and a driving force behind this event. You'll be amazed to hear how quickly this huge event came together... Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

From movies to live action, animation to comics, novels to reference books and much more, here's what's happening in the galaxy far, far away for May 2020. 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 far as television goes, "The Lawless" is the final appearance of Maul in the Clone Wars - it's episode 16 from season 5, and the final episode in this story arc as well. We've seen how Maul assembled his criminal syndicate, and we've seen how he took over Mandalore and installed a puppet government. Now, in this final installment, we'll see his attempt to revenge himself upon Obi-Wan Kenobi! He'll also get a surprise visit from his old master, Darth Sidious - and man, that doesn't go well at all for him and Savage Opress. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

With Maul and Mandalore being the focus of the final story arc of the Clone Wars, we're taking some time to look back at how Maul came to power. Today, that means we're doing a Clone Wars Briefing on "Shades of Reason," episode 15 from season 5 of the Clone Wars and the second of a three-part story arc. In the first episode, Maul and Savage Opress were rescued by Death Watch, and proceeded to use their surprise Mandalorian saviors to strong-arm the Pykes, Black Sun, and the Hutts to help them. Now, with an army and ample supplies, they hatch the plot - make it look like criminals are overrunning the now-peaceful Mandalore, and then have Death Watch arrive to "save the day." Well, the Duchess Satine sees right through this, accusing Pre Vizsla immediately upon his arrival of being behind the criminal attacks. For all the good it did her. We'll talk about all of that, plus the race to see who can double-cross whom first, and how it all shakes out. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Season 7, episode 10 of the Clone Wars, "The Phantom Apprentice," has seen the capture of Maul and the end of his reign on Mandalore - or has it? Well, while we wait for episode 11 to see how that shakes out, we're going back in time to look at just how Maul came to power. The last time we saw him, he and Savage Opress were much the worse for wear - the events of "Revival" (episode 1 from season 5) had him without a leg, Savage without an arm, and floating adrift in space. Well, they didn't show up again in the series until episode 14, "Eminence." Lucky for them, too, as they were on the edge of death when the Mandalorian Pre Viszla and members of Death Watch stumbled upon them. And it seemed lucky for Death Watch as well. They made a deal with Maul and Savage, to overthrow the Duchess Satine and destroy Obi-Wan Kenobi in the process. Well, if there's one thing we know about making deals with Sith lords, it's that the deals get worse all the time. And we'll talk about that, as well as the beginnings of Maul's "Shadow Collective" crime syndicate, as we discuss "Eminence," which is the first of a three-part story arc. 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 this week's Sunday conversation, it's a new edition of Star Wars POP! That's "Podcasters on Podcasting," and this time we're featuring Andy and Josh from Holochronicles. Here's the official deal about their show: "The Holochronicles Podcast is devoted to the collecting of Star Wars memorabilia and toys, old and new. Hosts Josh Most and Andy Lemiere share their 20+ years of experience collecting all things Star Wars, as well as discuss topics ranging from the movies, books, fan theories, and what's next for Disney and Lucasfilm." I had the pleasure of appearing on their show a while back to talk about my own collecting experience, and I was very happy when they both said yes to joining me on my show to talk about their podcasting experiences... 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 Phantom Apprentice" is the 10th episode from season 7 of the Clone Wars, and is indeed the crowning achievement for the series. The writing is top notch - especially the monologues of Maul, and Sam Witwer does a tremendous job with them. The lightsaber battles are a cut above anything else - and in fact, they are, as the credits list Ray Park as "Maul Performance" and Lauren Mary Kim as "Ahsoka Tano Performance." So this was more than animation - it seems it was closer to motion capture. There's so much to talk about in this episode, and in all honesty, I'm probably going to do a second one because even now, having recorded it already, there's still so much to tell. But this is a good start, and includes notes about how some of the best Star Wars storytelling rhymes with itself, and this one rhymes with both Original Trilogy and Sequel Trilogy moments... Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Did you hear the rumors? On Wednesday, Variety reported that "Russian Doll" co-creator and showrunner Leslye Headland had signed a deal to create a "female-centric" Star Wars series for Disney+. The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline Hollywood reached out to their own sources, and reported that they were hearing the same thing - although Deadline added that it would action focused and with martial arts elements, and happen in an "alternate" timeline (as opposed to the "different" timeline reported by Variety and THR, but likely meaning the same thing - not happening in the time period of the Skywalker Saga movies). Well, as it turns out, I've had some additional information about this shared with me, and I'll share that with you on today's episode! I've also looked back at the main Star Wars rumor/leak/spoiler sites I trust to see what kind of live-action series possibilities they've posted, to add 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.***

So, "Brothers" and "Revenge" ended the fourth season of the Clone Wars, and "Revival" kicked off the fifth season. You could be forgiven for thinking that Maul was going to be a huge antagonist in season 5, but it turned out not to be the case. He certainly does cause his share of problems in this first episode, though, and not just for the Jedi and Obi-Wan Kenobi. This time, Maul and Savage are starting to reveal their goals, by declaring themselves "lords ... crime lords." And to fulfill this, they start by trying to take over a band of pirates led by none other than Hondo Ohnaka. As Hondo notes, these aren't the first crazy laser sword wielding people he's dealt with, and he's always come out on top. Chaos ensues, we see how Obi-Wan ignored that business about being overmatched from last episode, and he gets a fellow Jedi (Adi Gallia) killed as a result. Later: more amazing lightsaber battles, two limbs lost, and Hondo again comes out on top. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

"Revenge" is the second part of a three-part story arc, and the final episode of the fourth season of the Clone Wars (episode 22, if you're in to such things). Among the lessons Obi-Wan learns: not everything you slice in half is dead; Yoda keeps secrets from you that will be to your later benefit; watch out for kicks from cybernetic legs; and he and Asajj Ventress could star in a buddy cop comedy together with all their bantering. Meanwhile, Mother Talzin works some pretty impressive magick to strip Maul of his spider legs, assemble new bipedal ones from the pieces of wrecked battle droids on the desolate surface of Dathomir, and clear his mind of the kind of craziness that otherwise keeps him from functioning like a civilized Sith. Now, instead of spouting nursery rhymes, he's thinking clearly as he indulges in his pure, unfettered hatred. We'll talk about it all, and his first shot at revenge on Kenobi, in this 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.***

We're about to spend time with Darth Maul again! Somehow that rascal managed to survive getting cut in half at the end of The Phantom Menace, and - overachiever that he is - wound up in control of Mandalore! But how did it happen? There are three Clone Wars story arcs that deal specifically with Maul between those two points in time, and as we head into the final stretch with the series, I'm going to go back and explore those arcs in between the final episodes. Today, we're looking at "Brothers," which is the 21st episode from season 4 of the series, and the first of a three part story arc. This is the episode where - spoiler alert - Savage Opress finally finds Maul, after being sent on the hunt for him way back in the middle of season 3. And Maul has been losing his mind, not in a good way, but meeting Savage brings a sharp focus to Maul that reverberates throughout the galaxy. Literally. Multiple characters feel something "sinister" happening, and all the foreshadowing finally comes to pass. 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 we don't bury the lede: There's been no new announcement one way or the other about Star Wars Celebration since our last update. For all intents and purposes, ReedPOP is still proceeding as though it's going to happen, and that it's going to happen as scheduled, August 27-30, 2020. To that point, there have been application periods related to Star Wars Celebration that are still happening, and Reed Exhibitions (the parent company of Reed POP) said in their most recent update (4/14/20) that "Currently, no federal restrictions are in place" that would prevent events like Star Wars Celebration from happening. And the news you may have heard about Los Angeles concerts and sports events isn't the official death knell you might have feared it to be. That said, as much as I want to be as positive and optimistic as possible about the possibility of Star Wars Celebration happening as planned, I have to say that, since the last time we talked about it on the show, there are other things happening that are tipping the hope scales for me in a less than optimistic direction. We'll discuss all of this 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.***

Our Sunday conversation this week is a new installment of our Star Wars POP! series - that's "Podcasters on Podcasting," in case it's new to you. I had a bit of a bittersweet moment thinking about the introduction to this, because the one in-person time I met Laura from Force Toast: A Star Wars Happy Hour was at Star Wars Celebration Chicago last year. I was introduced to her by Steve Kirk, the podcaster and co-founder of San Diego Sabers, who passed away only a few months after that very fun evening. The meeting with Laura was a quick one - she and Alyce were among a group of podcasters doing live recordings of their shows at an after-hours event that evening. But we've traded tweets here and there since then, and they were kind enough to say "Yes!" and join me for joint POP! interview. ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

This is what we've all been waiting for, and Dave Filoni and company do treat it as a special event. "Old Friends Not Forgotten" kicks off the final story arc of the final season of the Clone Wars, the Siege of Mandalore story arc, the one that connects the TV series with Revenge of the Sith, and also launches Ahsoka Tano into her post-Clone-Wars adventures. From the moment we got the "Lucasfilm Ltd." opening to the red text "Part I" title screen, and the jump into the narrator's opening without a moral/fortune cookie before it, we know we're in different territory. And as the episode progresses, we can see the cinematic scope and scale to which this arc is rising. I will say - and I'll say it in detail in today's episode - that I'm having a bit of a challenge with the moment that is supposed to be the BIG emotional moment in this episode. It's based on reasons we've discussed in previous episodes, but let's talk about it and see whether it's just me, or whether you were feeling the same way. That said, as usual, there's a lot to recommend the episode. The action is great, and there's nothing in the episode that feels like it didn't need to be there to tell the story. And that includes the opening sequence, which doesn't bear on the story arc itself (at least, as far as we can guess), but certainly re-grounds us in the nature of this war and its Jedi players. 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 this, the final formal installment in our series of looks at the Star Wars movies through the lens of hope, we're talking about the last movie in the Skywalker Saga, The Rise of Skywalker. It's interesting to note that, similar to Return of the Jedi, the movie starts off in a very reversals-of-fortune way, which is the kind of storytelling form prescribed by screenwriting guru Robert McKee in his popular book Story and his famous seminars. From there, it continues to bear a resemblance to Return of the Jedi, structurally speaking - it keeps the heroes together until it separates the Force users from the non-Force users, and then it separates the non-Force users into a spaceship battle and a mission-specific battle. (ROTJ=destroy the shield generator; TROS=destroy the navigational beacon) From the hope perspective, it bears a closer resemblance to Rogue One. The odds of success are so slim, and the task is so massive, that the only way to keep hope alive is to focus on the next task, and the next, until they succeed. As we talk about this on today's episode, we'll also talk about the difference between hope and its related but comparatively selfish cousin, ambition; the innate hopefulness of heroes, and how that hopefulness is necessary to "light the spark" in good people who don't internally generate that attribute; and a big-bang hope moment that sets The Rise of Skywalker apart from every other Star Wars movie. 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 doing my research for these "Hyperspacing Hope" episodes, Solo: A Star Wars Story caught me off guard. Of all the movies I've examined so far, Solo is the one in which I got most caught up. I barely stopped the movie at all to take notes, and the notes I took were the least of any of the movies we've discussed to date. I kept getting sucked into the movie and forgetting what I was there for! And there's a lot of hope to be discussed in the movie - although it doesn't go by that name, if it's even named at all. Instead, when these scoundrels talk about "luck," they're really talking about hope. When Lando says, "I'm a lucky guy," he's talking about an ingrained sense of hopefulness. And when Han pulls out a rock and pretends it's a thermal detonator, or when he convinces Chewbacca that his "very good friends" are in that AT-hauler, the force of his belief - his hope - is so strong that you could make a case for Han as the most hopeful major character in the franchise. Today, we'll talk more about luck and hope, how being lucky or unlucky overlays the spectrum of hopefulness, how this movie made me want to re-watch the Original Trilogy and The Force Awakens in a new light (because these ones have Han and/or Lando in them), 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.***

This the 9th of 11 episodes focused on the nature of hope as it's depicted in the Star Wars movies, and the 8th out of the nine Skywalker Saga movies we're covering as part of this "Hyperspacing Hope" series related to the TEDx talk I gave in November 2019. (For those of you asking - none of the videos from that event have been released yet. When I hear more, you'll hear more!) Today: The Last Jedi. This movie does something that we haven't really seen since The Empire Strikes Back, keeping our heroes on the run for much of the movie. It also illustrates the range of the scale from hopeful to hopeless, but also helps define a couple of polar opposite experiences, apathy and desperation. And it also plays on the spiritual level with hope being tied to the Jedi, and the secular with Leia's down-to-earth comparison of hope to the sun. We'll discuss it all and more 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.***

This is the eighth episode in a series of looks at how the nature of hope is depicted in the Star Wars movies. Previous episodes focused on the movies in order of theatrical release, so we've already gone through the Original Trilogy, the Prequel Trilogy, and The Force Awakens to date. Today, we look at Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. From the morally good and hopeful center of the movie (Galen Erso) to immoral and hopeful (Cassian), moral yet hopeless (much of the Alliance leadership), immoral and increasingly hopeless (Saw Gerrera), and finally to the person who goes from the deepest depths of hopelessness to acting on hope with the razor-thinnest of margins (Jyn), Rogue One is quite possibly the Star Wars movie that's more thoroughly driven by hope than any other. 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 second story arc Clone Wars season 7 - which had been known as "Ahsoka's Walkabout" when it was first introduced to fans at Star Wars Celebration Europe (London) in 2016 - is now complete. On today's episode, I'll be diving back into the "Ahsoka's Untold Tales" panel from that event to see how the original version (or, at least, what we knew about it back then) differed from the final version we saw on Disney+. And we'll also talk about what's next. 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've listened at all to Star Wars audiobooks, you've heard Marc Thompson's voice. His *many* voices, as it were, as he typically performs dozens of characters in each novel's narration. And if you've been listening to the podcast this past week, you've heard snippets of his performances as Leia, Luke, Rey, Kylo, Palpatine, and others in The Rise of Skywalker Expanded Edition audiobook. (Thanks once again to Penguin Random House Audio for sending me a review copy to dissect and share with you...) On today's show, a special Sunday conversation treat. Marc Thompson joins me on the podcast to talk about what it was like to read the novel for the first time after having seen The Rise of Skywalker in theaters; what the recording sessions were like; the fun and challenging aspects of the project; what it's like as the sole voice actor to record scenes where multiple characters are speaking; what it was like to perform the characters of Luke, Leia, and Han one last time; 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.***

"Together Again" is episode 8 from season 7 of the Clone Wars, and the final episode of the story arc that's been known as "Ahsoka's Walkabout" since details of it were shared at Celebrations past. You know what generally needs to happen by the end of the episode - Ahsoka and the Martez sisters need to escape from the Pykes, and the Martez sisters likely need to be able to get away in a manner that will keep them out of trouble with the Pykes for the foreseeable future. The key for whether it turns out to be a good episode is whether the way it happens is surprising, and as it turns out, there are multiple surprises in the episode. I'll talk about the unexpected things that happen along the way; the dramatic character reveal that's going to take us into the final story arc; and the creative team's first steps toward resolving the fact that there was going to be a story arc that took place in between this one and the Siege of Mandalore. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

In our final deep-dive episode for The Rise of Skywalker: Expanded Edition (the novelization and audiobook, and thanks again to Penguin Random House Audio for sending me a review copy), we're going to reveal the answer to the biggest question of them all - how did Palpatine survive his fall at the end of Return of the Jedi? On top of that, we're going to address the issue of how that factors into Rey's parentage; how the process may give you flashbacks to an episode of The Mandalorian; and cover some odds and ends, including ships named in the Battle of Exegol, what Ben said to Rey as a Force ghost after he died, the holo Chewie had stored in his quarters, how the "Jedi voices" scene lacks details but includes a line that may mean Ahsoka Tano is still alive in this era, and a mystery that isn't solved by either the movie or the novelization. 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 The Rise of Skywalker: Expanded Edition, we're treated to some of Ben Solo's childhood memories. Funny thing is, the memories aren't *his*, per se. They're other people's memories of him as a boy. On today's episode of the podcast, we'll listen to excerpts from the audiobook version of the novelization (thanks again to Penguin Random House Audio for sending me a copy of it!) that reveal those memories. Along the way, we'll also talk about Luke reaching out to Leia as a Force ghost - and which other Force ghosts have done the same - a more detailed explanation for why Rey tires out during her Kef Bir battle with Kylo Ren, the symmetry of Luke's and Leia's final outreach, and Kylo's/Ben's reflections on the truth of his existence after Rey stabs, heals, and ditches him. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Yes, Rey is a Palpatine. Yes, Rey is a very powerful Force user. And yet, it comes as a surprise when she suddenly manifests Force lightning while she's battling with Kylo Ren for control of the First Order transport on Pasaana - you know, the one in which she thinks Chewie's being held prisoner. Well, one of the great things that The Rise of Skywalker: Expanded Edition novelization does is take us inside Rey's head during that confrontation. (Thanks again to Penguin Random House Audio for sharing a copy of the audiobook with me for review purposes.) What Rae Carson does with this scene will absolutely enhance your next viewing of the movie, and we'll talk about why 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.***

Anthony Daniels once described The Rise of Skywalker co-writer Chris Terrio as someone deeply steeped in Star Wars lore (I'm paraphrasing, but that's certainly the gist of it). Well, to explain how Palpatine managed to survive the events of Return of the Jedi, they had to go back about 4,000 years into Expanded Universe (now known as "Legends") history to come up with one of the tools of the Sith lord's continued existence. On today's episode, we'll talk about Kylo's first encounter with Palpatine as depicted in the "Expanded Edition" novelization (and thanks again to Penguin Random House Audio for sending me a copy to explore with you), which is a big deal, because at this point - as we'll talk about in this episode - there's currently no other source of information on Palpatine in the time of the sequel 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.***

Remember that briefest of brief scenes in The Rise of Skywalker where we get to see Luke training Leia on Ajan Kloss? Well, the "Expanded Edition" novelization gives us more details about Leia's time training with Luke - lessons she learned that she still uses decades later, as well as one specific training session that bears a resemblance to Luke's own training with Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back. Thanks to Penguin Random House Audio, who kindly sent me a copy of the audiobook version to review and discuss with you, I'll be sharing clips of those moments on the show today. Punch it! And if you want in on the free audiobook deal we have with Audible, head to http://sw7x7.com/audible to get it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

When I was researching what other Star Wars podcasters were doing as I was preparing to launch my own, one of the ones I particularly admired was Coffee With Kenobi. And so it was a particularly special moment to finally meet host and co-founder Dan Zehr - better known as "Dan Z" to his listeners and fans - at Star Wars Celebration Chicago. He was kind enough to say yes to the one-question interview last year, and this year he said yes to answering a handful of questions as part of the Star Wars POP! feature here on the show. In case you need the refresher, "POP" stands for "Podcasters on Podcasting," and in today's episode, Dan opens up about his podcasting history, his inspirations, 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.***

"Dangerous Debt" is season 7, episode 7 of the Clone Wars series, and the third of a four-part story arc. Interestingly enough, the main thrust of this third part is much the same as the thrust of the third episode in the Bad Batch arc - having been pinned down by the enemy in one fashion or another, our heroes need to escape. And although the escape goes better for Anakin, Rex, Echo, and the Bad Batch than it does for Ahsoka and the Martez sisters, "Dangerous Debt" turns out to be the more compelling of the two. On today's episode, I'll explain why, and also explain how my feelings in that regard have nothing to do with THAT scene - you know the one I'm talking about. If it hadn't been in the episode, I still would have thought it to be deeper, more emotionally layered and nuanced. But with the addition of our surprise guests, the story got even richer and deeper. And now that those characters have been introduced, it makes one wonder whether the "Together Again" title for next week's episode refers to Anakin and Ahsoka, as we'd previously thought, or if something else big is going to happen... Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Still not confirmed by Disney or Lucasfilm or anyone else, but Variety is hearing from multiple sources that Joby Harold has been selected as the new writer for the Obi-Wan Kenobi series at Disney+. Indie Wire is hearing the same thing from their sources - but we never know if Indie Wire's sources are different from Variety's sources, do we? But I digress... On today's episode, we'll talk about this choice, because it does seem like an unusual one. Based on his career, it seems as though Harold has more experience in a producer/executive producer role than as a writer. And the series already has an executive producer in Deborah Chow (she's more than just the director for all the episodes). We'll also talk about the status of the production, because Variety's report mentioned something I didn't recall seeing anywhere before. And lastly, we'll take a moment to honor Andrew Jack, the British dialect coach who also appeared as General Ematt in The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi. He passed away earlier this week at the age of 76, due to complications from the coronavirus. ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

We've covered the Rosario Dawson/Ahsoka Tano news in depth, and as of today, there's nothing new to report. But there have been a couple of other casting rumors for The Mandalorian season 2 out there - some well sourced and some less so, some featuring characters returning from season 1 and some brand new to the show. On today's episode, I'll dig into all of them, and evaluate how likely these new bits of news are going to wind up true. Punch it! ***I'm listener supported! Join the community at http://Patreon.com/sw7x7 to get access to bonus episodes and other insider rewards.***

Remember when Disney reset the Star Wars canon storyline in April 2014? Well, the High Republic publishing initiative - formerly known as Project Luminous - is set to do it again. The clues have been in front of us for years, with the reveal about the "World Between Worlds" in season 4 of Star Wars Rebels, and most recently with the reference to it (also called a "Vergence Scatter") in The Rise of Skywalker Visual Dictionary. We also know that the bad guys in Project Luminous, the Nihil, can manipulate hyperspace, and the whole storyline begins with a big hyperspace-related event. What I can reveal to you today is that the hyperspace event cracks open the World Between Worlds, which leads to all sorts of chaos - and even an alternate reality spilling out into the galaxy far, far away! As a result, different versions of the heroes will emerge, and these versions aren't very nice. In fact, I've managed to get concept art for these sort-of "mirror image" characters, which I show in the video version of the show, and on the show notes page for this episode. You can learn more about this shocking development, and what it means for the Star Wars canon timeline, 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.*** Oh, and ... HAPPY APRIL FOOL'S DAY!!! :-)