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

2,197. The Advantage Dave Filoni Has Over George Lucas

09 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 ex...

2,196. Closing the Gap Between George Lucas and Dave Filoni

08 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

2,195. The 6th Anniversary of Star Wars 7x7!

07 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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/V...

2,194. Dave Filoni: Heir Apparent to George Lucas' Legacy

06 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

One of the things the Disney Gallery series about The Mandalorian is doing - perhaps unintentionally, perhaps not - is introducing a new group of Star...

2,193. Alexander Freed Interview (Shadow Fall)

05 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 mo...

2,192: "Score" (Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian Episode 7)

04 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

2,191: The Most Powerful Rebel/New Republic Ship You've Never Heard About

03 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

2,190. Star Wars: Squadrons Story Reveals and Hints

02 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

2,189. Expanding the World of The Mandalorian

01 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 Mandalor...

2,188. The Mandalorian Season 2 Update

30 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 unde...

2,187. Our Third Episode Featuring the Uses of a Magic Star Wars Number!

29 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 preva...

2,186. Cole Horton Interview (Star Wars: Book of Lists)

28 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 everythin...

2,185. "Process" (Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian Episode 6)

27 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 re...

2,184. Shadow Fall Audiobook Non-Spoiler Review

26 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 al...

2,183. Connecting Shadow Fall to Other Star Wars Stories

25 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

No Star Wars story takes place in isolation, and Alexander Freed's Shadow Fall is no exception. Yesterday, we talked specifically about its connection...

2,182. Shadow Fall's Secret Ties to Star Wars: Squadrons

24 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 S...

2,181. Star Wars: Book of Lists Review

23 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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...

2,180. Shadow Fall Non-Spoiler Review

22 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 b...

2,179. Types of Dads in Star Wars

21 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

2,178. "Practical" (Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian Episode 5)

20 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

A fairly large portion of "Practical" - the fifth episode of the Disney Gallery series about The Mandalorian - is dedicated to Baby Yoda. And why woul...

2,177. Spoiler Details From Vader Immortal: Episode II

19 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 ar...

2,176. Vader Immortal: Episode II Non-Spoiler Review

18 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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...

2,175. Star Wars Celebration Anaheim 2020 Is Now 2022

17 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

2,174. Star Wars: Squadrons: Everything We've Learned So Far

16 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The video game code-named "Maverick" has been revealed as "Star Wars: Squadrons"! On Monday, a reveal trailer debuted, as well as some promotional ima...

2,173. More Star Wars Storytelling in Progress

15 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When the coronavirus pandemic struck, production on live action movies and television shut down. Thankfully, season 2 of The Mandalorian had already f...

2,172. "Technology" (Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian Episode 4)

14 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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? T...

2,171. Secret Origins of the Handmaidens

13 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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...

2,170. Doubling Down on Taxes!

12 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 p...

2,169. Galaxy's Edge Anaheim Re-Opening?

11 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 Ana...

2,168. Phantom Menace Deleted Scenes

10 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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...

2,167. Queen's Peril Non-Spoiler Review

09 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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. ...

2,166. Star Wars Is the Story of Multiple Violent Revolutions

08 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 F...

2,165. "Cast" (Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian Episode 3)

07 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Episode 3 of Disney Gallery: Star Wars: The Mandalorian features - as one would expect from the title of the episode, "Cast" - discussions with the bi...

2,164. Star Wars News and Rumors Update

06 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 catc...

2,163. Lucasfilm and Disney Statements in Support of Racial Justice

05 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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, ...

2,162. John Boyega's Speech at a London George Floyd Protest

04 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Carrie Fisher was the social conscience of the Original Trilogy, calling attention to women's rights and feminist issues. John Boyega is the social co...

2,161. The TEDx Talk on Hope and Star Wars

03 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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. T...

2,160. Yoda, Fear, and Life Right Now

02 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

2,159. Star Wars June 2020: What's Coming This Month!

01 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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...

2,158. "Legacy" (Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian Episode 2)

31 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

"Legacy" is the second episode of the Disney+ series Disney Gallery: Star Wars: The Mandalorian. A snippet from that episode has been making the round...

2,157. Did Vader Actually Care About Saving Luke From the Emperor?

30 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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...

2,156. The Remarkable Rise of Skywalker Improvement Over Return of the Jedi

29 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 Lu...

2,155. TROS Variations on the ROTJ Structure

28 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

2,154. ROTJ and TROS Themes: Redemption Versus Identity

27 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 redempti...

2,153. ROTJ and TROS Structure: Timeframes and Final Boss Battles

26 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 ne...

2,152. "Recontextualizing" With Return of the Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker

25 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 w...

2,151. Episode 1: "Directing" (Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian)

24 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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. ...

Episode 2,150. "Recontextualizing" With Empire Strikes Back and The Last Jedi

23 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The "I am your father" reveal from The Empire Strikes Back is the ultimate "recontextualization" in cinema history. Recontextualization is a heavy wor...

2,149. The Theme of Failure in Empire Strikes Back and The Last Jedi

22 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 w...

2,148. Comparing the Structure of Empire Strikes Back and The Last Jedi

21 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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...

2,147. Clarifying the Boba Fett/Timothy Olyphant/ Mandalorian Rumors

20 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Last Friday, The Hollywood Reporter broke the rumor that Timothy Olyphant would be joining the cast of The Mandalorian for season 2, with this additio...

2,146. The "Hardest Things" for Empire and Last Jedi Characters

19 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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. '...

2,145. Comparing Empire Strikes Back With The Last Jedi

18 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 q...

2,144. Star Wars POP! With Sixth Scale Scavengers

17 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 S...

2,143. The Mandalorian Season 2 Update

16 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 L...

2,142: Boba Fett: Corrections and Elaborations

15 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 n...

2,141. Is Boba Fett Really a Mandalorian?

14 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

2,140. Did Boba Fett Actually Survive the Sarlacc Pit?

13 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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, tumb...

2,139. Sorting Out the Boba Fett/Mandalorian Season 2 Rumors

12 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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...

2,138. Star Wars POP! With Brews & Blasters

11 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Star Wars POP! - Podcasters on Podcasting - is the segment on our show where I interview other Star Wars podcasters about their influences, insights, ...

2,137. 12 Types of Mothers in Star Wars Stories

10 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

2,136. Our Final Review of the Final Arc of the Final Clone Wars Season

09 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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...

2,135. Star Wars News Updates!

08 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 docu...

2,134. Why More Maul? Plus Trooper Types and Quarantined Characters

07 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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...

2,133. Female Jedi Voices, Character Design, and More!

06 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

2,132. Victory and Death (Clone Wars Briefing, Season 7, Episode 12)

05 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

"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 sur...

2,131. Eight Interviews, and May the 4th Be With You!

04 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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...

2,130. Star Wars POP! Featuring Followers of the Force

03 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

2,129. Shattered (Clone Wars Briefing, Season 7, Episode 11)

02 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

"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 pi...

2,128: Rebelthon 2020 Interview With The Rebel Legion's Rubin Polizzi

01 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

2,127: Star Wars May 2020: What's Coming This Month!

30 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

2,126. The Lawless (Clone Wars Briefing, Season 5, Episode 16)

29 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

2,125. Shades of Reason (Clone Wars Briefing, Season 5, Episode 15)

28 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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...

2,124. Eminence (Clone Wars Briefing, Season 5, Episode 14)

27 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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...

2,123. Star Wars POP! Featuring Holochronicles' Josh and Andy

26 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 Jo...

2,122. The Phantom Apprentice (Clone Wars Briefing, Season 7, Episode 10)

25 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

"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 to...

2,121. The Leslye Headland Disney+ Star Wars Series Rumors!

24 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 "f...

2,120. Revival (Clone Wars Briefing, Season 5, Episode 1)

23 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

2,119. Revenge (Clone Wars Briefing, Season 4, Episode 22)

22 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

"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...

2,118. Brothers (Clone Wars Briefing, Season 4, Episode 21)

21 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 - ov...

2,117. Star Wars Celebration Anaheim Update

20 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 an...

2,116. Star Wars POP! Featuring Force Toast's Alyce and Laura

19 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 ha...

2,115. Old Friends Not Forgotten (Clone Wars Briefing, Season 7, Episode 9)

18 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 s...

2,114. The Nature of Hope in The Rise of Skywalker

17 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

2,113. The Nature of Hope in Solo: A Star Wars Story

16 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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...

2,112. The Nature of Hope in The Last Jedi

15 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

2,111. The Nature of Hope in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

14 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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...

2,110. Final Notes on the Second Story Arc of Clone Wars Season 7

13 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

2,109. Interview With Star Wars Audiobook Narrator/Performer Marc Thompson

12 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

2,108. Together Again (Clone Wars Briefing, Season 7, Episode 8)

11 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

"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 ...

2,107. How Palpatine Survived the Fall and Had a Kid, Sort Of

10 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In our final deep-dive episode for The Rise of Skywalker: Expanded Edition (the novelization and audiobook, and thanks again to Penguin Random House A...

2,106. Ben Solo's Childhood Memories...

09 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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....

2,105. Where Did Rey's Force Lightning REALLY Come From?

08 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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...

2,104. The Tools of Palpatine's Survival

07 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

2,103. More Details About Leia's Training With Luke

06 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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" nov...

2,102. Star Wars POP! Featuring Coffee With Kenobi's Dan Z

05 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 Coff...

2,101. Dangerous Debt (Clone Wars Briefing, Season 7, Episode 7)

04 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

"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 thi...

2,100. Joby Harold Reportedly Selected as Kenobi Series Writer

03 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

2,099. The Mandalorian Season 2 Update

02 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 cast...

2,098. BREAKING: Project Luminous Resets Star Wars Canon

01 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Remember when Disney reset the Star Wars canon storyline in April 2014? Well, the High Republic publishing initiative - formerly known as Project Lumi...