Lets talk all things Star Wars

[blewis17]

46 years. Wow.

I can still remember walking through my hometown mall and passing the Waldenbooks (or B. Dalton) in 1987; they had a display up for the TENTH anniversary of Star Wars. I was totally ambivalent.

Growing up in that era, as big of a SW fan as I was, by 1985 the rabid excitement for the OT (and less so for the Ewok specials) was essentially gone from the culture. It really was the Zahn books (and to a lesser extent The Shadows of the Empire media and Dark Forces game) that helped to rekindle the desire for more Star Wars.

 

[blewis17]

The whole thing is interesting, if you want to start at the beginning, but I've started it at the time index in question.

The battle really was scripted mess, wasn't it?

 

[Psab keel]

I can still remember walking through my hometown mall and passing the Waldenbooks (or B. Dalton) in 1987; they had a display up for the TENTH anniversary of Star Wars. I was totally ambivalent.

Growing up in that era, as big of a SW fan as I was, by 1985 the rabid excitement for the OT (and less so for the Ewok specials) was essentially gone from the culture. It really was the Zahn books (and to a lesser extent The Shadows of the Empire media and Dark Forces game) that helped to rekindle the desire for more Star Wars.

I was a bit younger though I do recall when Heir to the Empire was released and I got it in paperback the following year. I'll always think back fondly during the 1990's as a Star Wars buff. There was a lot of fun stuff coming out, even if there wouldn't be a new film until the end of the decade. I know a lot of people consider it "the dark times," but I consider it a highlight in my journey with this fictional world. It was filled with so much exciting potential. It was also a special time when I met one of my closest friends at the time and we bonded deeply, partly due to our mutual love of a galaxy far, far away.

 

[Sluis Van Shipyards]

I can still remember walking through my hometown mall and passing the Waldenbooks (or B. Dalton) in 1987; they had a display up for the TENTH anniversary of Star Wars. I was totally ambivalent.

Growing up in that era, as big of a SW fan as I was, by 1985 the rabid excitement for the OT (and less so for the Ewok specials) was essentially gone from the culture. It really was the Zahn books (and to a lesser extent The Shadows of the Empire media and Dark Forces game) that helped to rekindle the desire for more Star Wars.

I was born May 13, 1977 so every time they say the SW anniversary, it's just rubbing it in that I'm getting old.

I was a bit younger though I do recall when Heir to the Empire was released and I got it in paperback the following year. I'll always think back fondly during the 1990's as a Star Wars buff. There was a lot of fun stuff coming out, even if there wouldn't be a new film until the end of the decade. I know a lot of people consider it "the dark times," but I consider it a highlight in my journey with this fictional world. It was filled with so much exciting potential. It was also a special time when I met one of my closest friends at the time and we bonded deeply, partly due to our mutual love of a galaxy far, far away.

I feel the same way. I was not into SW from around 1985 until highschool (93) when I started having a lot of medical issues. I couldn't do much, but on one of the days I felt okay we went to a book store. I don't know why, but I had my mom get me Heir to the Empire. I think I read it in two days and had her go get the next two. After that the spark was relit and I spent a crapload of money.

 

[Captain Dunsel]

Any bets regarding when we will finally see Star Wars: Dinosaurs, Rival Houses, and Complicated Monsters??

The Star Wars Story Group‘s Vision Board still has me on the edge of my seat with anticipation and inspiration…

 

[Psab keel]

That whiteboard might as well be an AI trying to define Star Wars. If there was ever any doubt in your mind that the people in charge at Lucasfilm are utterly clueless about their jobs, this spells it out clear as day.

 

[ID10T]

In the SW Universe, with sabers not having hand guards it seems like the best strategy is to aim for the hand/hilt.

It is canon that when sabers clash, the blades will "lock" to some degree? Where they combatants have to physically push themselves away from each other to separate the blades? Otherwise, I would think one could slash the saber downwards toward the opponent's hands. And with no hand guard, you're instant Dooku.

 

[Prop Collector]

Any bets regarding when we will finally see Star Wars: Dinosaurs, Rival Houses, and Complicated Monsters??

The Star Wars Story Groups’ Vision Board still has me on the edge of my seat with anticipation and inspiration…

View attachment 1706367

Imagine putting these defectives in charge of a billion-dollar franchise and expecting anything but trash.

 

[Ron]

The exclamation point after "Dinosaurs" always gets me.

Also "Not pro war". So...that would be anti-war, girls. And no, Star Wars is actually pro-war. That's the most effective way you deal with authoritarians.

"No single (main) character." Uhhhh, Luke was very much the main character. No single main character is one of the downfalls of the prequel trilogy though, perhaps it could've been handled with better writing.

That whiteboard might as well be an AI trying to define Star Wars. If there was ever any doubt in your mind that the people in charge at Lucasfilm are utterly clueless about their jobs, this spells it out clear as day.

I have more trust in AI.

 

[blewis17]

The exclamation point after "Dinosaurs" always gets me.

Also "Not pro war". So...that would be anti-war, girls. And no, Star Wars is actually pro-war. That's the most effective way you deal with authoritarians.

"No single (main) character." Uhhhh, Luke was very much the main character. No single main character is one of the downfalls of the prequel trilogy though, perhaps it could've been handled with better writing.


I have more trust in AI.

I don’t know. Lucasfilm certainly seems to be run by “artificial” intelligence these days.

 

[Psab keel]

 

[Psab keel]

Then there's this gem....

 

[Ron]

View attachment 1706391

That Rancor was a complicated fellow. There were so many layers to his wanting to eat Luke.

I don’t know. Lucasfilm certainly seems to be run by “artificial” intelligence these days.

It's something but I'm not sure intelligence is it.

 

[batguy]

The OT was a product of 1970s America's anti-war feelings. The Rebel Alliance vs Galactic Empire came from the Vietcong vs US military.

George Lucas switched to developing SW in about 1973 after the studios declined to fund his 'Apocalypse Now' project (too controversial yet). He sort of boiled the concepts down and kept what interested him. SW had a barefoot insurgency beating a huge Goliath of a force against it.

I don't think it fits to call SW "anti-war." But you sure as hell could call it "anti-empire" and in the 1970s that landed you on the same side of the street with the anti-war protesters.

 

[Psab keel]

It's more accurate to describe Star Wars as anti-establishment, if anything, when describing one of the driving sentiments behind it. Anti authoritarianism. Though this motivator is one of many that became the genesis of the story. To view this series from a socio political lens alone is inaccurate and foolish. It's also currently trendy to be political about everything as if it somehow lends gravitas to your art. Not everything is political, nor should it be. There's enough division in the world. We don't need or want it in escapist fiction because these types use it as a cudgel instead of opening a sincere dialog.

George often talks about certain historical examples of dictators and democracy folding willingly under their schemes, but I think too often people latch on to these ideas to the point where they mistakenly assume these stories are direct allegories when they aren't. They may take inspiration from historical figures or events, but these similarities aren't meant to be carbon copies of them only dressed in a Star Wars skin.

Lucas intentionally left the story broad so that the universal themes could be interpreted in many ways. One thing he's always been consistent in saying through the years, a trait we all know he's terrible with given his revisionist sensibilities, is that he attributes the success of the films to the psychological underpinnings that all humans share. That has nothing to do with a specific political affiliation or stance.

The brain storming sessions shown on this whiteboard contain many disparate ideas that have nothing to do with this series. Ideas that are perfectly fine in other stories, but don't fit either tonally or thematically with the structure established. It's also a chilling example of how utter clueless the story group is about their stewardship of the franchise.

 

[Joek3rr]

The exclamation point after "Dinosaurs" always gets me.

Also "Not pro war". So...that would be anti-war, girls. And no, Star Wars is actually pro-war. That's the most effective way you deal with authoritarians.

"No single (main) character." Uhhhh, Luke was very much the main character. No single main character is one of the downfalls of the prequel trilogy though, perhaps it could've been handled with better writing.


I have more trust in AI.

I do feel like Star Wars boils down to being anti-war. Yes, war is sometimes a horrible necessity. But it's only there to bring peace.

Suddenly Tolkien springs to mind. "War must be, while we defend our lives against a destroyer who would devour all; but I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend."

I mean you got to love Luke looking for a Jedi Master, a "great warrior." And what does he find? A little green person who tells him. "Wars not make one great." You don't get it as a kid. You think Luke is there to train to defeat Vader and the Emperor. But Yoda doesn't teach him about fighting or gives him lightsaber skills. (At that time George envisioned Jedi Masters as being strictly teachers of wisdom, not warriors.) And then in the climax of the originals. Luke declares himself a Jedi, after he's thrown away his lightsaber. When refuses to fight. All of the sudden Luke gets those lessons Yoda was trying to teach. He understands why he failed in the cave.

Gosh darn if that isn't just good writing. Simple. But sooo good.

 

[Psab keel]

War brings out the best or worst in a character. What better setting to let drama unfold? No tension, no story.

 

[batguy]

I mean you got to love Luke looking for a Jedi Master, a "great warrior." And what does he find? A little green person who tells him. "Wars not make one great."

"I am your father" gets all the press. But it's even rarer for a person to watch ESB today without knowing the other twist - that Obi-Wan's master Yoda is the little green muppet.

 

[Ron]

I do feel like Star Wars boils down to being anti-war. Yes, war is sometimes a horrible necessity. But it's only there to bring peace.

Suddenly Tolkien springs to mind. "War must be, while we defend our lives against a destroyer who would devour all; but I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend."

I mean you got to love Luke looking for a Jedi Master, a "great warrior." And what does he find? A little green person who tells him. "Wars not make one great." You don't get it as a kid. You think Luke is there to train to defeat Vader and the Emperor. But Yoda doesn't teach him about fighting or gives him lightsaber skills. (At that time George envisioned Jedi Masters as being strictly teachers of wisdom, not warriors.) And then in the climax of the originals. Luke declares himself a Jedi, after he's thrown away his lightsaber. When refuses to fight. All of the sudden Luke gets those lessons Yoda was trying to teach. He understands why he failed in the cave.

Gosh darn if that isn't just good writing. Simple. But sooo good.

Of course. It's not celebrating war as much as it is acknowledging the necessity of it. If all else fails, you have to do what you have to do. That's true of just about any hero story that involves action. However, saying Star Wars is anti-war is akin to saying a Batman movie is "anti-punching bad guys in the face". It might just be a matter of semantics but, when I hear "anti-war" I think of someone not wanting war even if necessary or justified- i.e., pacifism. I imagine instead of assaulting the Death Star, the Rebels flew in circles around it with picket signs hanging off of their X-Wings lol.

 

[Laspector]

Agreed. If it was made today the Rebellion would just "cancel" the Empire.