So my birthday was yesterday, and my husband, knowing how obsessed I am with Star Wars, found me a few things at one of the local used/antique stores in town. I thought they were cool and wanted to share them with you here.
Now, I’m not a collector of toys/figures at all, but hubby just saw “Star Wars” and went ahead and got it. It’s from the Kenner “Princess Leia Collection” and includes Leia and Han from Cloud City. Pretty cool.
This actually was my favorite from the bunch: the DK Visual Dictionary for Episodes 1-6. These reference books are the kinds of things I’d love to have but never buy for myself, so I was so thrilled to see this! It’s used but in good condition, although I don’t see the “cutaway views of R2-D2 and the fearsome Sarlaac.” Oh well, it’s still awesome.
So hubby spent the most money on this next one, but he didn’t really know what he was buying, lol. I didn’t really know what it was either, but had fun opening up the box to see what was inside. It’s actually a game called Star Wars Galaxies: Empire Divided. The game is on a couple of CD-ROMs, but unfortunately, my laptop doesn’t even have a CD port of any sort. I don’t know much about it; any of you gaming fans familiar with it?
This stuff was inside: the CDs, a player handbook, a patch, a pin, and a cool figurine, though I don’t know who the figurine is. Looks like a Zabrak maybe?
This is my favorite part of the box: The Art of Star Wars Galaxies. Cool drawings and artwork of various species in Star Wars. I love it!
These are by far the best birthday presents I’ve gotten in a long time. They’re wonderful collector’s pieces and fun books that look great on my Star Wars book case. Happy birthday to me!
The finale of Obi-Wan Kenobi is a moving, emotional tribute to everything I love about Star Wars.
Basically, it’s split into two pieces: the rematch between Obi-Wan and Vader, and Reva’s quest to find revenge by going after Luke. I’ll talk about the duel first.
At this point, Obi-Wan has found his center and his purpose again, and does what a Jedi does: what he has to in order to protect the people under his care. He decides to leave the transport and lure Vader away, because he knows it will work. But as Roken says, it’s also more than that: he must face Vader. They’ve got unfinished business, and it must be dealt with before Obi-Wan can move on.
“I will do what I must.”
In stark contrast to their last encounter, Obi-Wan is ready. I do believe that Vader was a bit disappointed that Obi-Wan was so weak that last time; I think he relished more of a challenge. Well, he gets it this time, even more than he bargained for. Kenobi is on fire, and Vader really has to work at it. “Your strength has returned,” he says at one point. “But the weakness remains. That is why you will always lose.” Anakin’s arrogance is so much on display here, and throughout the entire series. “Did you really think you could defeat me?” he asks, as he piles rocks on top of Obi-Wan. Then he walks away, thinking he’s killed him. Again, his arrogance causes him to make a huge mistake.
Obi-Wan thinks of Leia and Luke, and everything he’s fighting for, and blasts out of the pit to face Vader again. And this time, he’s not only on fire, he’s an inferno, not of anger, but of skill and determination. He succeeds in bringing Vader to his knees, and in the process, knocks part of his mask off. When he sees Anakin’s ruined face beneath the mask, he stops. He’s horrified, and grief-stricken, and just devastated. He breathes his name, and Vader replies, “Anakin is gone. I am what remains.” When Obi-Wan’s eyes fill with tears and he gasps out, “I’m sorry, Anakin,” I think my heart broke (again; it’s been broken so many times in Star War, lol).
“You didn’t kill Anakin Skywalker. I did.”
And Anakin’s response is heartbreaking, as well, spoken in halting sentences in a chilling combination of Vader vocoder and Anakin’s voice: “I am not your failure, Obi-Wan. You did not kill Anakin Skywalker. I did.” He seems to smile a little bit at this; some people have claimed that Anakin is trying to make his old master feel better here, but I disagree. He’s Vader, and he’s proud. He’s boasting. Anakin, that weakling, is dead, and I killed him. “The same way I’ll destroy you,” he threatens. But he’s in no shape to do any such thing at the moment.
“Then my friend is truly gone,” Obi-Wan responds, and we can see something let go in him, the weight of the galaxy lifting off his shoulders. He’s just sad. Vader’s words are exactly what he needed to hear to move on. “Goodbye…Darth,” he says, and walks away. Again. History repeats itself as Obi-Wan once again walks away from a defeated Vader, unwilling to kill him–not because he can’t kill Anakin (Anakin is gone), but because a Jedi practices mercy. Remember that flashback? Anakin tells Obi-Wan, “Mercy doesn’t defeat an enemy, Master.”
Doesn’t it? As Obi-Wan walks away, Vader can only shout out his name in anguish (which is so haunting to me, it kind of freaks me out, lol). He’s lost this round, and will continue to lose, because the dark side does not allow growth. You stay stuck in your patterns, clinging to your rage. It’s only when the Emperor calls him out on it does Vader decide to step back a bit, and let Kenobi go.
This whole sequence was just absolute perfection, and ranks high on my “Best Star Wars Moments” list.
Okay, so Reva.
She’s managed to stay alive after Vader impaled her (again), and has found her way to Tatooine. She’s going after Luke because it’s the only revenge she can get on Vader at this point. She probably doesn’t know that Vader has no idea that Luke exists, or she doesn’t care. She makes her way to the homestead, but Owen has been warned and he and Beru are waiting for her.
“We both knew this day might come.”
I think this sequence here will give fans a new appreciation for Owen and Beru. They fiercely defend their home and their boy. At one point Reva says, “You really love him. Like he’s your own.” And Owen responds, “He is my own.” Of course he is. Even in A New Hope, though Owen is grumpy and kind of mean to Luke sometimes, I never doubted he was just trying to protect him. As he does here, bravely confronting an Inquisitor, though a seriously wounded one. Otherwise, I think she would have just swept in and killed them both to get to Luke.
Anyway, she gets past both Owen and Beru, and chases Luke out into a desert canyon. She causes him to fall and he gets knocked out. As she prepares to kill him, memories of herself as a youngling flash through her mind, of Vader killing her friends and impaling her. Ultimately, she can’t go through with it.
By this time Obi-Wan has arrived. She carries Luke back to them, unconscious but alive. Owen and Beru take Luke away, and Obi-Wan is left with a crying Reva. She asks him if she’s become “him,” meaning Vader. Obi-Wan tells her no, she’s chosen not to. What she becomes now is up to her. This is the first time we see a baddie in live action be redeemed and not die immediately afterward (that I can think of). If we see Reva again, it will be interesting to see how she atones for her crimes. Maybe she’ll help with The Path, as Tala did.
So then we get a few happy endings similar to The Return of the King (after Vader’s exchange with the Emperor):
First, Obi-Wan goes to Alderaan to see Leia (and return Lola to her). I just loved this scene so much. To see him laugh heartily again was such a gift. And I do think he’ll be sleeping much better now. Again, I love how he’s had the chance to have this relationship with Leia. It always seemed kind of sad to me that he never got to know her, but that’s been rectified in a wonderful way. Now I’m just sad that the next time Leia sees him is when he dies on the Death Star. 😦
This makes my heart so happy.
Then he makes a trip to the Lars homestead. He’s packed up his gear and moved out of the cave, and I’m assuming he’s moving into the home we see in ANH, or will be looking for a house of some kind. Anyway, he tells Owen he’ll keep his distance, and that Owen was right: Luke just needs to be a boy right now. “The future will take care of itself,” he says. He’s trusting in the Force again. As he walks away, Owen sheepishly asks if he wants to meet Luke. So he brings the toy over to him and we get to hear the famous words: “Hello there.” I loved it. And the casting for young Luke (Grant Feely) is so perfect; that kid just captures Luke’s sweetness the same way Vivien Lyra Blair captures Leia’s sassiness. Perfection for both.
Lastly, as he rides his eopie toward the canyons, Qui Gon Jinn suddenly appears. I figured we’d see him at the very end of the series, and the exchange was short and sweet, but not quite what I had expected. I’m not sure what I expected. Maybe a little bit more, but at any rate, I was glad to see him. “I was always here, Obi-Wan. You just weren’t ready to see.”
I enjoyed this series immensely, and it just made me very, very happy, lol. It brought everything together beautifully, and yes, I kind of felt like it was ticking off some boxes at the end, but honestly, I don’t care. The emotional impact of a story is always more important to me than its execution (to a certain point, of course), and while this series stumbled a bit in its execution in a few places, it didn’t ruin the experience for me.
Will there be a Season 2? I think the better question is, do we need a Season 2? And the answer, in my opinion, is no. It’s perfect the way it is, and brings Obi-Wan’s story to where it needs to be for A New Hope. Would I like to see more Ewan and Hayden? Hell yes! But only if another story adds to what we already know in a meaningful way. Only time will tell, I guess.
Here’s an amazing piece by one of my favorite Star Wars artists, Uzuri Art:
“I’m sorry, Anakin. For all of it.”
What did you think of the Obi-Wan Kenobi series? What’s your opinion on a Season 2? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!
What’s been on my mind mostly this past week is the Obi-Wan Kenobi finale, but I think I have a to say about that, so I’m going to do a separate post for that. Stay tuned.
In the meantime, I’ve been reading Black Spire by Delilah Dawson, and it’s enjoyable. It takes place after the Battle of Crait, but before The Rise of Skywalker. I like this time period because it shows how the Resistance slowly regained allies after their devastating defeat during The Last Jedi. The story takes its time with the world-building of Batuu, which is understandable since it showcases the main venue of Galaxy’s Edge theme park. It’s fun, though.
A live action Vi Moradi from Black Spire, presumably at Galaxy’s Edge.
I also finished Stories of Jedi and Sith, the middle-grade book of short stories that came out a couple of weeks ago. These were some great stories that starred a multitude of familiar characters, including Qui Gon Jinn, Asajj Ventress, Maul, Luke Skywalker and several others. The one I want to talk about is the Luke one, called Luke On the Brightside, by Sam Maggs.
This story takes place on Hoth, when the Rebels are just beginning to set up their base. Luke and another male character, Sergeant Reye Hollis, are about to work on digging some tunnels, when a cave in nearly buries them. Hollis barely tolerates the sunny Skywalker, but now they have to work together to get out of their mess. The interesting part is that the author implies the two, while bickering, are secretly attracted to each other.
The two are always noticing each other’s bright smiles and nice eyes, and the smell of their hair. Not normally something two men would bother to notice about each other unless they’re attracted to each other. It’s subtle but it’s there.
And let me be clear, I have no problem with this at all. I’m just surprised no one else in a particular part of the fan base has noticed and freaked out about it. Or really anyone in the fandom at least raising their eyebrows. Because this is canon, and let’s be honest, this isn’t some new or minor character. This is Luke freaking Skywalker, lol. To suggest that he’s gay or bisexual is a BIG DEAL. It’s huge. I’m waiting for the outrage, but I haven’t seen it. Maybe because it’s a middle grade book and not many “older” fans–the ones who might take offense–have seen it. Maybe it’s going to take a bit of time, but I have no doubt it will make its way into the land of Star Wars controversy. Me? I kind of like the idea. Bravo for the LF Storygroup going there.
Anyway, if you’re a Legends fan, their are some more new editions to some classics:
I actually have an older cover edition of Revan because I thought I might like to read some Old Republic stuff (I couldn’t get into it), and also an older copy of The Bacta War I found in a used bookstore (haven’t read it yet). These covers are beautiful, though. Yes, it’s a new way to get our money, but I don’t think many serious SW book collectors will complain too much.
That’s it, besides the Obi-Wan finale. I did see that Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness is already on Disney+. It just came out a month or so ago, so I’m wondering why I bothered to go to the movie theater, lol. I can’t believe the turnaround time. I may not even bother going to the theater for the next Thor movie. But maybe I will, lol, we’ll see.
What’s been entertaining you? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!
Rey learns much from the sacred Jedi texts that were once housed on Ach-To. What are some books that are important to you, and why?
My answer:
Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte. Jane Eyre is the first “classic” book that I fell in love with. I first read it in the ninth grade and loved it. I learned that not all the classics are boring; my love of gothic literature began here, and my interest in women’s writers; I loved Jane, the poor, plain orphan girl who nevertheless charts her own course, stays true to herself, and finds love. (Mr. Rochester is another matter, lol).
The Mists of Avalon, by Marion Zimmer Bradley. This book, read when I was in my 20s (geez, 30 years ago now), introduced me to not only Arthurian fantasy (an obsession of mine for awhile) but women’s fiction, specifically stories that were traditionally told through male eyes but were now told by the women in the story. Also, the Goddess (another brief obsession, but necessary for my young womanhood).
The Fionovar Tapestry, by Guy Gavriel Kay. Okay, these are three books, but tell one long story in a trilogy. It’s my favorite fantasy series, ever. I love all of Kay’s books (especially Tigana and A Song for Arbonne), but this trilogy, his first, remains close to my heart. It showed me what fantasy could be, and the characters live forever in my heart. The trilogy consists of The Summer Tree, The Wandering Fire, and The Darkest Road.
Writing Down the Bones, by Natalie Goldberg. This is the book that set me upon my writing journey all those years ago. I loved her method, I loved her and her personal stories, and it got me to fill countless notebooks with words. She was my writing guru and still is, even though I haven’t done much writing lately.
You Are A Badass, by Jen Sincero. This book kind of changed my life, in that I learned to perceive myself, the world–the Universe–in a different way. Basically, the mind is a very powerful thing and you can use it to manifest whatever you want. Kind of like Jedi powers and the Force! Unfortunately, I haven’t quite reached a state of badassery yet, because it involves taking risks and getting very uncomfy, and all that hard stuff I don’t like to do, lol. But at least I’m aware of what it takes and what limiting beliefs I’m still stuck in! Baby steps.
So that’s my list. There have been many, many other books in my life that I have loved, but these seem to stick out to me. Have you read any of these (admittedly “old” books, except Badass, lol)?
What books are important to you and why? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about them!
In books this week, I’ve started Galaxy’s Edge: Black Spire. Despite some reservations at first (I thought it might be too gimmicky, considering it’s based on an amusement park, lol), it’s pretty good so far. I like the complicated past between Vi Moradi and Archex, and am looking forward to the evolution of that relationship. I have to admit, though, when Vi walked through Black Spire Outpost on Batuu with a native showing her around, I got some serious “amusement park tour” vibes. That’s okay, though, as long as it pulls through on its promise of an interesting story.
I also finished “Skywalker: A Family At War,” by Kristen Baver. I’d had some reservations about this book, too, but it turned out to be surprisingly entertaining. It’s not in novel form at all, just a straight retelling of what happened to the Skywalkers, beginning with Anakin and ending with Rey. I appreciated Baver’s insight and interpretation of events, and liked reliving the scaled-down story in chronological order.
Ready to dive into this.
So now I get to choose a new Kindle book, and I think I’m going to order “Stories of Jedi and Sith,” a new book of short stories that just came out. I kind of forgot about it in my excitement of new novels; plus, I usually buy the middle-grade stuff on Kindle for some reason (don’t want to be caught reading kid’s stuff? Hmm…) Anyway, it should be fun.
Now, onto Obi-Wan Kenobi Part 5.
This was a great episode. I really loved how the director juxtaposed the flashback duel between Obi-Wan and Anakin with the events of the show. It was a great way, not only to get more Anakin in the series, but to show how these two know each other so well. It was a great characterization method.
This is just awesome.
As predicted by many, it was revealed that Reva had been one of the younglings shown during Order 66 at the beginning of the series. The revelation didn’t really have much of an impact for me, because it just seemed so obvious. And I’m not sure how she survived a lightsaber to the gut as a little girl, and again as an adult. Yeah, the Grand Inquisitor survived his gut-stab (two stomachs or something?) but Reva is human. It beggars belief, but okay.
But there’s still a lot of questions left about Reva: how did she become an Inquisitor? Why is she considered the “least” of them? I do like the fact that she only did it to get to Vader for revenge. I hate the idea of children being tortured into evil. That’s super disturbing. At least here, she has a purpose. And I love how Obi-Wan turns himself in and says to her, “You’re not bringing me to him. I’m bringing him to you.” Basically he’s saying, he’s all yours if you can manage it. He still doesn’t want to kill Anakin/Vader (his hesitation when Reva asks him, “You don’t really want to kill him, do you?” is telling.) So he’ll let Reva do it if she can, and in the meantime, get the people of the Path away.
Reva does attempt to get her revenge on Vader. But it just seemed so hopeless to begin with. When she began her attack, I thought, oh honey, no, that’s not gonna work…going up against Vader is beyond insane. And she fails miserably. He just toys with her for awhile before stabbing her with her own weapon. Why they don’t finish her off is beyond me, but it gives her a chance to find Bail’s message on that holo-chip thing (is it just me, or is Bail being extremely foolhardy for naming names in that message? Seems out of character, but he IS worn down with worry.) So now we have to wait and see what Reva does with this information. Clearly, with the last scene of little Luke sleeping away on Tatooine, he’s in danger, and Obi-Wan senses it.
There was a lot to love and mull over in this episode (and a few little nitpicks–seriously, they lost the hyperdrive? What is this, the Millennium Falcon? Lol.) But I’m chomping at the bit for next week, and there seems to be a lot to wrap up. I heard a rumor it might be an hour and a half long, but I’ll believe it when I see it.
That’s it this week. What’s been entertaining you? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!
Many Jedi have an affinity for animal companions. Bell Zettifar is rarely far from a charhound named Ember, and Ezra Bridger often feels connected to animals such as loth-wolves and the purrgil.
Do you have any animals in your life? If you could bond with any animal in Star Wars, what species would it be?
My answer was:
“I have a thing for cats. I’ve always had cats in my life, since I was a child and my older brother brought home strays. Sleek, beautiful animals, strange and quirky, a little bit mysterious. I love all animals, but cats are my companions of choice. I love their fierce independence, and their seemingly haughty behavior, as if they are gods on earth. They’re beautiful and they know it, lol.
We had Gib, our orange tabby, for 20 years. Most people didn’t like her, because she didn’t like them–she was wary of strangers, but she loved her people, especially my husband. Some people don’t like cats because they don’t accept them for what they are. They expect them to act like dogs and love you instantly and slobberingly. But that’s not how cats work. I love all cats, even the grumpy ones, because I accept them and respect them for what they are.
Anyway, after Gib passed we got a kitten three months later, a black kitty we named Cosmo. He’s a little over a year old and we love him so much. He’s very different from Gib, more friendly to strangers and just a general sweetheart. I can’t imagine my life without cats. I’ll definitely be the crazy cat lady!
In Star Wars, I naturally love the lothcats. Having said that, though, I’d want to bond with the lothwolves. Wolves are my favorite wild animals besides the big cats. I like dogs, but I think their wild cousins, the wolves, are beautiful, magical creatures. And lothwolves in Star Wars are gorgeous, mysterious animals that are connected to the Force. I love all animals, but cats and wolves speak to me.”
Lothal has my favorite Star Wars animals.
Cosmo
Do you have animal companions? What are your favorite Star Wars animals? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!
So I finished the book Brotherhood this past week, and I really enjoyed it. It’s a great Obi-Wan and Anakin Clone Wars adventure (and would make a great arc in the Clone Wars animated show). The timing of its release (May 10) to almost coincide with the release of Obi-Wan Kenobi on Disney+ (May 28th) is meant to make us cry a little harder about the ruin their relationship ultimately came to. Because they were brothers, the greatest Jedi team of the Clone Wars era, and quite simply, good friends. So yeah, my heart’s twisting even more now at how sad and terrible events turned out, if that’s even possible. Anyway, if you’re an Obi-Wan and Anakin fan, a Clone Wars fan, or a Star Wars canon fan, this book is for you.
I’ve also been making my way through Skywalker: A Family at War, by Kristen Baver, on my Kindle. I thought this book was just going to be a rehash of what we already know about the Skywalker saga, and it is that in a very basic sense. But it’s also surprisingly insightful about the characters and their relationships, and has the added bonus of telling us the story in chronological order. The author also includes events that occurred in some of the comics, which was helpful to me since I don’t normally read the comics. I feel that the book will constantly need to be updated, though, as the canon is continually being added to with all the new shows and books.
Now that I’m done with Brotherhood, I was casting around for the next Star Wars book, and actually had some trouble picking one out. There’s plenty in the canon I haven’t read yet, including the Thrawn books, as well as the books that concentrate on Alphabet Squadron (Shadowfall, etc.) and Inferno Squad. I’m just not interested in reading those books. I’m not into the pilot stories, and I tried reading the first new Thrawn book, but couldn’t get into it. I love the character, but I like him as the villain rather than the protagonist. I find I don’t like reading books with villains as the protagonist (Tarkin, Vader, Thrawn, etc). That’s just me.
Anyway, I finally decided on Galaxy’s Edge: Black Spire, by Delilah S. Dawson. At first I stayed away from the Galaxy’s Edge books because they just seemed gimmicky. But after reading the synopsis for the hundredth time, and considering I liked Dawson’s book Phasma, I decided to give it a go. We’ll see how it goes, and I’ll let you know what I think.
I also ordered along with it a copy of Queen’s Peril, by E.K. Johnston, to add to my Padme collection. I read the book on my Kindle because it had been on sale at the time, but I want all three physical copies on my shelf. That’s just me, too, lol.
Now, onto Obi-Wan Kenobi Part 4. Like many, I was disappointed it was so short (37 minutes as opposed to the usual 55 or so), but it was still enjoyable. It was your typical Star Wars rescue story, something we’ve seen so many times before (Jedi: Fallen Order in particular here), but you can’t argue that it wasn’t Star Warsy. Fairly easy rescues from Imperial facilities is just what Star Wars does best, I guess, lol.
I liked the beginning, when both Obi-Wan and Vader were in their respective bacta tanks and they were both haunted by their last meeting on Mapuza. They’ve both been through the fire now, literally and metaphorically, and while Vader became something unrecognizable, Obi-Wan is becoming more like his old self, more resolved than ever to find Leia. I loved seeing him becoming a little more confident in himself and his Force abilities, especially the hallway scene with the water (hallway scenes are apparently another thing Star Wars does well, lol).
Besides the big bulge under the coat, Obi-Wan’s bearded face should be a red flag amid the clean-shaven Imperials.
I at first thought the scene where Leia was hiding in plain sight under Obi-Wan’s cloak was beyond silly, and it kind of is; but then I thought about how they walked right past Fifth Brother and company, and how he was so absorbed in complaining about Reva that he didn’t even notice it (there were plenty of others around that could have and should have noticed it, but whatever). I think the point was to show how the Sith are so wrapped up in themselves, while people like Roken and his group selflessly help others. It was a little too convenient that the Path people showed up at just the right moment, but again, I’m not going to complain too much. This is Star Wars, what do you want? I still thought this episode was fun, and can’t wait for the final two parts. Oh, and that Jedi tomb in the bowels of the Fortress Inquisitorious was gruesome and macabre. Seeing Tera Sinube there (a gentle old Jedi who helped Ahsoka in an episode of the Clone Wars) broke my heart. But then we see a youngling, and then it was just horrific.
A gentle soul who deserved better.
Not much to report in Marvel, except that I think Ms. Marvel has dropped and maybe She-Hulk will drop soon? I don’t know, and honestly, I don’t care. I’m just not interested in these shows at all. Right now I’m all about Marvel movies, and can’t wait for Thor: Love and Thunder next month!
That’s it this week. What’s been entertaining you? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!
I haven’t posted any of my Inner Jedi Notebookentries for awhile, but I’ve still been writing them. I’m often scaling down the blogging to once a week for awhile, and then I suddenly decide to go back to several times a week. It all depends on what’s preoccupying me, lol.
Anyway, my last entry was Week 9, so I’ll continue with Week 10:
Week Ten
Coloring Meditations
Before a youngling can become a Padawan learner, they must first go to the planet Ilum, find a kyber crystal, and build their own lightsaber.
If you could design your own lightsaber, what would it look like? What color blade would it project? Sketch and color it in the space provided.
My answer was:
“I’m not even going to try to draw a lightsaber, lol. I will talk about the ones that I love, my favorites. Those two are Leia’s lightsaber, and Rey’s. I find it interesting that I like the two that were designed by women. Leia’s is certainly a bit more feminine–the coppery pink color and the graceful lines. Rey’s isn’t necessarily more feminine–it seems a bit more primal than any other I’ve seen. But I like how she’s incorporated a part of who she is into it–it resembles her trusty staff that was her weapon of choice before she became a Jedi. And I love the yellow color. It’s weird, because yellow is not my favorite color, but I love it in lightsabers. Probably because you don’t see it too often. Also, it’s the color of the Temple Guard blades, who intrigue me. I just think they’re cool-looking, with their eerie masks. So I’d definitely want mine to be yellow/gold.”
Leia’s lightsaber.Rey’s lightsaber.
A Jedi Temple Guard.
I did tape photos of Leia’s and Rey’s lightsabers into the journal.
I haven’t done any meditating for quite a while. I just wanted to do other things during my precious free time, lol, like drawing or journalling. And that’s okay. I still listen to the soothing meditation music, though. Does that count? And it’s something I can always get back into if I feel the need.
What would your lightsaber look like? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!
A few things to talk about with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Star Wars Celebration, but first: books.
I’ve been reading Brotherhood by Mike Chen, and it’s really quite good. I love seeing how Obi-Wan and Anakin have to re-evaluate their relationship after the start of the Clone Wars and when Anakin gets promoted to Jedi Knight. They’re on fairly equal footing now, and both of them have to learn how to deal with that. We also get to see the Neimoidians in a new light here. Instead of seeing just the Trade Federation and their shady dealings with Darth Sidious, we see regular Neimoidian citizens on their home planet of Cato Neimoidia (a planet that has remained neutral in the war so far), and learn a bit more about their culture. Not only do we see them differently, but both Obi-Wan and Anakin are forced to re-examine their prejudices and expectations.
I love the writing style of Chen and how the chapters are fairly short and alternate between several different characters. I wouldn’t say anything truly spectacular happens in the book, and so it’s not an urgent page-turner (I’m about 2/3 of the way through after having it for a few weeks), but it’s a pleasant and interesting read about beloved characters, and I recommend it to canon fans.
I’m pretty hyped to see some release dates and a few covers for the next phase of The HighRepublic:
I believe Convergence is the adult novel, Path of Deceit is the YA novel, and Quest for the Hidden City is the middle grade book. I’m looking forward to all of them!
So Star Wars Celebration was this past weekend, and I’ve been watching a few of the events on Youtube as well as the trailers for new projects that were released. I loved watching Ewan and Hayden talking to the crowd about the Obi-Wan Kenobi series, as well as Diego Luna and Genevieve O’Reilly talk about Andor.
I LOVED seeing the Andor trailer, as we haven’t seen nor heard much about it since learning of its existence, and it looks fantastic! Cassian Andor was a great character in Rogue One and I wanted to know more, and I’m so happy we’ll get his story here; but there seems to be so much more, too. Seeing Mon Mothma in Coruscant dealing with the political climate in the Imperial Senate is going to be so cool, and there just seems to be many other things going on too that look exciting. We’re going to get 12 episodes in Season 1, so there’s plenty of room for storytelling in this series. It comes out in August and I can’t wait!
Just smile and pretend everything is fine…Mon Mothma must tread a dangerous line in Imperial Coruscant.
We also saw the Bad Batch Season 2 trailer, and as someone who really liked this animated series, I’m pumped. I think it takes place a year or two later, as Omega looks older and she’s quite adept at her fancy weapon; I think the Batch are going to move toward a new goal beyond just surviving and possibly join the fight against the Empire. Or at least help people in need. And I heard Commander Cody will be in it, and that’s awesome. We’ve all been wondering about what happened to Cody, and now we’ll find out.
Okay, now: Obi-Wan Kenobi Part 3. Um, wow! I won’t go into an entire episode review here, there’s just too much, but there’s a few things I want to talk about. When Leia and Ben were on the transport and there was that moment when Leia says, “You knew my real mother, didn’t you?” I’m loving these little nods to Padme–in the same vein as it’s not just about Luke, but Leia too, it’s not just about Anakin but Padme, too. And when she asks him if he’s her real father, he says, “I wish I could say that I am. But I’m not.” Hmmm, that’s an interesting answer. I’m not saying he actually wishes he was Leia’s father, or that he had a thing for Padme or anything; it’s just an interesting thing to say instead of just, “No, I’m not.” I think maybe he just meant that, for her sake, it would have been better if he was the father rather than Anakin, a man who had turned to the dark side. Maybe I’m just reading too much into it, lol. And then to hear him talk about his vague memories of his birth family–we’ve never heard that before, and it was really neat.
I loved the safe room that Tala brings them to–you can see Ben’s eyes light up a bit when he sees Quinlan Vos’s name. He’s delighted that he’s still alive, but also that he’s helping others in the best way he can. The Jedi Order has been decimated, but they’re not completely dead. The spark is still there. I think that heartens him a bit.
And then, of course, there was Vader. You thought the Rogue One hallway scene was badass? Yes, it is, but in that scene he’s simply being efficient, doing what needs to be done to get the Death Star plans. Here, he’s trying to draw Obi-Wan out, so he’s being deliberately cruel and ruthless. Choking that man and snapping his son’s neck, dragging that person through the street–daaamn! And the whole encounter with Obi-Wan was riveting. Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi Master and Clone Wars general, is running away. Yes, he’s drawing Vader away from the town, but you can also tell he’s scared shitless. And in the ensuing lightsaber battle, he’s a pale shadow of what he once was.
“I am what you made me.”
But Vader doesn’t want to kill him–yet, anyway. He wants him to suffer as he had, so he nearly roasts him alive. I think Obi-Wan should have been injured and burned far worse than he was, but okay. He got a little taste of Vader’s pain. I’m not sure why Vader let him get away, and there have been theories, but maybe we’ll find out in the next episode. Which I cannot wait for! Wednesdays cannot come soon enough, lol.
I just want to mention one Marvel thing, and that’s the show Assembled: Moon Knight. I really enjoy these making-of docs for the Marvel shows (as well as the Galleries for Star Wars). I thought Moon Knight was fantastic, and I loved getting some behind-the-scenes information on it. So bravo Oscar Isaac, Ethan Hawke, and the entire cast and crew for making one of my favorite Marvel series. I’m hoping for an announcement for a Season Two!
That’s everything for this week. What’s been entertaining you? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!
Your source for everything Obi-Wan Kenobi. This is the companion blog to the @AllThingsKenobi Twitter. Because our love doesn't always fit into 280 characters.
Star Wars and Other Obsessions 