Star Wars Chat Pack: Who inspires you?

Welcome to Day 7 of my NaBloPoMo Challenge, wherein I randomly choose a card from the Star Wars Chat Pack.

Today’s pick asks: Is there a Star Wars character who inspires you? How?

Even as a child, Leia is a sassy, tough little cookie.

I think I have to go with Princess/Senator/General Leia Organa Skywalker Solo. In all the phases of her life, in all of her incarnations, she is a strong woman who defends not only democracy, but those who can’t defend themselves. She meets every challenge head on, never gives up hope, and remains stalwart in her beliefs and principles to the very end.

Defiance against Darth Vader. Balls, that’s all I have to say.

In the Original Trilogy, she is the Princess from Alderaan and Rebel leader. She is captured by Darth Vader and tortured by him, but is strong enough not to break and and give him the information he wants. Even when threatened by the destruction of her home planet, she lies to Vader and Tarkin. When they destroy Alderaan anyway, she grieves, but continues on with the fight.

Girl with a gun, and she knows how to use it.

After the war, the went back to being a Senator in the New Republic. She briefly trained as a Jedi with Luke, but gave up the lightsaber. It’s not particularly clear why; Luke, in telling Rey the story, says that Leia gave up the training after sensing that her taking the Jedi path would lead to her son’s death. (Her son died anyway, so I don’t quite understand this). Some say she felt she was just doing it for Luke’s sake and not her own; others sources say she feared the power inside of her because of what happened to Anakin Skywalker. Whatever the reason, she went back to doing what she knew best: diplomacy and government.

But it was an uphill battle; over the years, remnants of the Empire gave rise to the First Order, and many younger Senators, who weren’t even alive during the Rebellion and tended to glamorize the Empire, as well as older Senators who had much to gain from a new tyranny, rotted the Senate from within. After it was revealed that Darth Vader had been her father, she was ostracized, and she left the New Republic Senate to lead the Resistance against the First Order. (Check out Claudia Grays’ book Bloodline for this story; it’s fantastic).

The General. Though she’ll always be royalty to me.

As a general, she led with the same bravery and tenacity as she did during the Rebellion, but with the wisdom of years under her belt. Her marriage to Han Solo disintegrated after their son, Ben, fell to the dark side. I can’t imagine anything more painful other than actual death to befall your child. Did it crush her heart? Yes. Did Han’s death at the hands of their own son bring her to her knees? Yes. Did her brother’s abandonment frustrate and hurt her? Yes. But she persevered. She threw herself into the fight that she always believed in. It’s all she had left.

Did her dedication to her job compromise her relationship with her son and husband? Possibly. But as we know, Palpatine was pulling the strings all along, whispering evil into her son’s young ears. So I don’t buy it that Han and Leia were bad parents. They were human, as we all are. Palps saw a weakness, a crack, and took advantage of it. As he does.

Her last act was to reach out to her son across the galaxy and bring him back to the light. As any mother would do.

So this woman has gone through a lot of sh*t that would have made me want to curl up in the fetal position and die. But Leia Organa, born with Skywalker blood, raised by the admirable Bail Organa, was made of sterner stuff.

And that’s why she’s my pick for most inspiring character in Star Wars.

Who in Star Wars inspires you? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

Star Wars Chat Pack: Would you rather have a jetpack or an aqua breather?

Welcome to Day 6 of my NabloPoMo Challenge for November, where I randomly choose a card from the Star Wars Chat Pack.

So this is kind of a weird one; it came from the Star Wars Technology group of cards: Would you rather have a Mandalorian jetpack or a Jedi A99 aquata breather?

Oooh, we’re getting real nerdy here, lol.

Wheeee! Grogu has no qualms about flying.

The Mandalorian jetpack looks kind of fun, until I remember I don’t like heights. At all. You know how some people love dreams where they’re flying? “I feel so free!” Not me. I’m terrified the whole time, lol. So, no jetpack for me.

A few interesting jetpack facts from Wookieepedia:

There are three models: the JT-12 jetpack, the Z-6 jetpack, and, simply, rocket packs.
They are usually worn on the back and controlled by a wrist-mounted device.
Mandalorian tradition identified the jetpack as “the art of the Rising Phoenix.”

Obi-Wan with his aquata (or aqua) breather on Naboo.

So my answer is, obviously, the aquata breather. You never know when you might need to breathe underwater! They’d be good for exploring coral reefs or anywhere underwater. Definitely easier and lighter than scuba diving gear, with its clunky oxygen tank.

Here’s some fun Wookieepedia facts about the breather:

The A99 supplies up to 2 hours of oxygen.
The breather typically costs about 350 credits.
There is an antiox variant, supplying any other essential gas, which non-oxygen breathers can use. Plo Kloon, a Kel Dor, uses such a device.

So which would you prefer? The jetpack or the breather? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

Star Wars Chat Pack: Spirited Advice

Welcome Day 5 of my NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month) Challenge, in which I answer a question from the Star Wars Chat Pack every day of November.

The question that I pulled randomly for today is: Which Star Wars character would you want to appear and give you advice as a spirit?

So I’m going to make a few assumptions with this one. First, that the “spirit” referred to is a Force ghost of a former Jedi, and not just some random spirit (although I suppose it could be that; the question isn’t crystal clear. In which case, I’d want Padme’s ghost to come back and give me fashion advice–I’m hopeless–and just have some girl talk, lol).

Secondly, I’m going to assume that I’m training to be a Jedi as well. I suppose Jedi Force ghosts can appear to anyone they want and give random advice, but it just makes more sense they’d appear to those who need Jedi advice. I guess that’s what a Master is for, but let’s just say I need a bit of extracurricular insight.

Okay, so I’m training to be a Jedi and I need advice. Who do I want to appear? There are so many great possibilities here. But let’s get a few out of the way:

Not Anakin Skywalker. He was an amazing Jedi, but based on his appearance in Ahsoka, I don’t think his methods would work well with me. It’s perfect for his Padawan, Ahsoka, but I’d probably just cry, lol.

Not Mace Windu. I don’t like him. Again, it’s a matter of method and personality. Plus, there was a bit of darkness running through him (like Anakin, but in a different way), which he utilized in his lightsaber combat method, Vaapad. That makes me nervous. He’s not for me.

Other than those two, it could be any number of Jedi:

So true, Yoda. I ought to be a genius by now.

Yoda was a Master Jedi who lived for hundreds of years and had a vast amount of knowledge to impart. Of course, that left plenty of time to make mistakes too, but he owned up to them and learned from them. He can be a mischievous imp, so that would be fun. But there are others I’d like to consider.

That was a total burn on Maul, but the statement stands on its own.

Obi-Wan Kenobi is one of my favorite Jedi. He’s kind and wise, selfless and compassionate. He practiced Form 3 (“Soresu”) lightsaber combat, which is primarily defensive in nature. I like that. But he’s different than Yoda in that he loved deeply (Anakin, Satine) and had to learn to let go of his attachment to both. Or at least learn to live with it while he went about the business of being a Jedi. But he’s similar to Yoda in that he is very much a man of the Order. And that’s fine, but dogma can make one a bit inflexible. (Plus, I’m a little bit in love with Obi-Wan, so that would be a distraction).

Which brings me to Qui Gon Jinn, the Jedi Force ghost I would choose to get advice from. I think Qui Gon is the ideal Jedi. Not perfect by any means, but one who follows his intuition. He often questions the Council and their motivations. He’s seen as a bit of a maverick in the Order, but he’s more concerned with the Force than politics. With doing what is right, rather than what is expected. If he had lived–well, a lot of things might have been different–but I don’t think he would have become a Jedi general in the Clone Wars. I think he would have left the Order rather than take part in it. He would have been more of a Wayseeker (a Jedi working independently of the Order), as we see in the High Republic. He’s a man of principle, and he’s brave for standing by his principles, and standing up to the Council.

What would I ask him? Well, obviously I’m not really training as a Jedi, but short of a specific question I guess I’d ask him to talk about the Living Force versus the Cosmic Force. I’d ask him about the Jedi prophecies in the Archives, which he’d studied when he was younger and what he thought they meant. I’d ask him about his relationships with his Master, Dooku, and his Padawan, Obi-Wan, and what he’d learned from each. Stuff like that.

But whatever advice I sought, I know I’d get a thoughtful, honest response. Maybe a bit cryptic, sometimes, but he likes to make you think. And he’s just a nice guy.

Who would you choose for advice? Interpret the question any way you want. Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

Star Wars Chat Pack: Would you rather live on a city world or a rural planet?

Welcome to day 4 of my NaBloPloMo (National Blog Posting Month) Challenge, in which I post an answer every day in November to a question from the Star Wars Chat Pack.

Today’s question: Would you rather live on a planet that is one big city, like Coruscant, or a wild planet with only a few settlements, like Sorgan?

First, I had to look up the planet Sorgan (even though I got the gist of it); it’s the planet Din Djarin takes Grogu to hide out for awhile and lay low. They meet Cara Dune, and help the settlement there fend off some raiders. No major cities or even towns, no ports, just a few settlements. It also makes an appearance in the book Poe Dameron: Free Fall, by Alex Segura; the Spice Runners of Kajimi have a base there.

Okay, got it. I really don’t like having to choose between extremes; I’m from a big town (or small city, 20,000 people) with the biggest city in the area about 40 miles away. I like the in-between nature of it. My town is big enough to have several banks, a new beautiful library, a movie theater, several pharmacies and supermarkets (one of which I work at), a couple of bookstores, a hospital, a courthouse, etc. Everything you need for modern life. But if I want to get away from it all and go out into nature, it’s not far away. Right in town there’s a few hiking trails, or you can drive a half hour to more rural areas for hiking. It’s a beautiful place to live, actually, in Western Massachusetts. We’re in the middle of our New England autumn glory, though it’s a bit muted by a wet spring and summer. But I still love it. I’ve lived here all my life, and I can’t imagine living anywhere else.

Anyway, if I had to choose? Naboo, if I’m being honest, or Aldera on Alderaan (oh wait, that gets blown up. Nevermind). But that’s not the question. It’s a tough one, but I think I’d go with Coruscant. Only because, even though the planet is covered by city, you can find places that have nature in it, like Central Park in New York City. Arboretums, gardens, things like that. It’s not the same, but I need that sense of security, of being around, not only modern conveniences, but help if it’s needed. You know, like police and medical facilities. I also need libraries, or some sort of access to books, of course. Civilization, in other words. On Sorgan, the people of the krill village would have continued to suffer at the hands of the raiders if it wasn’t for Din just happening to show up. There’s freedom, but there’s no law, either. I prefer order over chaos (that sounds suspiciously like the Empire or the First Order, doesn’t it? Yikes, lol). For some people– the pioneers, the adventurers, the homesteaders, the nature-lovers–there would be no question. My husband, for instance, would choose Sorgan over Coruscant any day.

Of course, if you’re unlucky enough to be born into the undercity of Coruscant, that sucks. In which case, I guess I’d rather be on Sorgan. At least there, you could attempt to grow your own food and live off the land, rather than steal and beg to live. So again, it’s a matter of circumstances. There’s also corruption on Coruscant, and crime, and a LOT of traffic. Ugh. Oh, but during the Republic, there’s the Jedi Temple! I’d love that, even if I only caught glimpses of Jedi. But during the Empire, there’s fear and even more corruption. Circumstances. This is like one of those impossible “Would you rather…” questions I sometimes play with my daughter.

But my choice stands: Coruscant, for better or worse.

Where would you rather live? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

Star Wars Chat Pack: What does the Force look like to you?

Welcome to day 3 of my NaBloPoMo Challenge, where I pick a random card from the Star Wars Chat Pack.

Today I randomly picked the question, “Close your eyes and think of the Force. What does it look like to you?”

This idea of the Force being visualized in a certain way comes from the High Republic, when Jedi of that era had individual relationships with the Force and saw it in a very personal way. For example, Avar Kriss heard the Force as a song, each individual a note in the symphony of the galaxy. Vernestra Rwoh sees it as a river, or several rivers combining and flowing toward the sea of the galaxy. Burryaga, a Wookiee Jedi, sees the Force as a great tree with endless branches. Elzar Mann sees a great ocean, Stellan Gios the constellations, Bell Zettifar fire and flames. Etc.

Vernestra Rwoh from the book Star Wars: Chronicles of the Jedi by Cole Horton

How would I see the Force? Hmm, I never really thought about it. Before I learned about the High Republic Jedi, the Force was just an energy between people and things, invisible, not visualized in any particular way. I suppose, if I had to make something up, it would be colors, like a particular aura of colors around people and things. Different things and people would have different colors associated with them, and maybe a particular feeling along with it. A stone would be blue and cold; a tree would be green and energized; a loved one would be red and warm. Something like that, lol.

I like the idea of the Jedi of the High Republic visualizing different things when it comes to the Force–it shows how different and flexible they were compared to the prequel-era Jedi, more individualistic. They had a personal relationship to the Force. But for myself, I’m so used to just accepting it as an invisible force, it’s hard for me to associate it with anything in particular. It’s mysterious, a feeling, ineffable, but powerful. I like how Obi-Wan describes it to young Leia in the Obi-Wan Kenobi show when she asks him what the Force feels like.

“Have you ever been afraid of the dark?” he asks her.

“Yes.”

“And how did you feel when you turned on the light?”

“I felt safe.”

“Yes. That’s what it feels like.”

I like that analogy a lot. Maybe I’ve changed my mind; the Force is not color, but light, and all the associations light brings: safety, clarity, illumination, reassurance, goodness. It is the opposite of fear and ignorance. Of course, the Force has a dark side, but that’s not what we’re talking about here. At least, it’s not what I’m talking about, lol. Dark Force users would see and feel something completely different, I’m sure. But that’s another post.

How do you see the Force? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

Star Wars Chat Pack: Who is your favorite Star Wars villain?

Welcome to Day 2 of my NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month) challenge, in which I pick a card from the Star Wars Chat Pack.

This time the card I picked asks, “Who is your favorite Star Wars villain?” A pretty basic Star Wars question, but I do have to think about it a bit.

My first thought would be Kylo Ren. He’s a fascinating character to me, and of course, Adam Driver’s performance is flawless. But is he truly a villain? Well, yes, he does do some evil stuff. But throughout the whole sequel trilogy, he seems to be trying so hard to be a villain. He’s not necessarily embracing the darkness as much as fighting the light inside him. So to me, Kylo’s a bit too complex to be an easy answer to this one.

Recently, Royce Hemlock, the super-creepy doctor from The Bad Batch, has fit that bill. Everything from his weird whispery voice, the way he holds his black-gloved hand, and his sheer coldness and calculation, make him a perfect villain. Frankly, he scares me, and I worry about our boys from Clone Force 99 encountering him (and Crosshair, who’s already at Mt. Tantiss and has suffered at his hands). But he’s new to the villain scene, and I don’t know enough about him to say he’s my favorite one.

Palpatine? Seems the obvious answer; he’s the over-arching villain of the entire franchise. He is evil incarnate. There are no redeeming qualities to this being–the glee he experiences in his depraved acts makes that clear (cue evil cackling). But because of this, he’s not boring, exactly, but not particularly interesting.

So I think my answer has to be Darth Vader. Who else? Here is a man who has fallen from the light and has embraced the darkness, but he takes no real pleasure in that darkness. He is a man in pain who lashes out. His evil is undisputable–from choking the woman he went to the dark side for in the first place, to killing the babies, to murdering pretty much anyone who displeases him, to blindly following the orders of Palpatine–he’s terrifying. But what really punches you in the gut is that he was once a good person. Anakin Skywalker was a hero, an amazing Jedi, a loving husband, a friend and ally to Obi-Wan. He was also impatient, arrogant, and fearful. Terribly flawed. Just like we all are. And so his fall is our fall, and it terrifies us. He’s an extreme example, but he is what we all could be, given the right circumstances. Which makes his eventual redemption that much more satisfying.

And now he pays…and makes others pay, too.

There’s a lot of villains to choose from in Star Wars. From those above, to Thrawn, General Grievous, Darth Maul, Jabba the Hutt, Admiral Tarkin, Snoke and any number of Sith Lords and Imperial baddies, villains abound. Which one is your favorite? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

Star Wars Chat Pack: What is your favorite Grogu moment?

Today is the first day of my NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month) challenge, in which I pick a random card from the Star Wars Chat Pack and answer the question.

I got “What is your favorite Grogu moment?” and oh my word, how am I supposed to choose? The little guy is a scene-stealer. I love literally every single scene he is in, lol. Will I go with cutest, most integral to the plot, most heartfelt, or best character moment?

He’s cute in every single scene, so I can’t pick just one of those. Impossible.

Most integral to the plot? Anytime he uses the Force: healing Greef Karga, holding off the fire of explosions, communing with a Jedi on Tython (which brings Luke along). He comes in handy that way in many instances.

Here’s my pick for most heartfelt:

But if I’m going with a moment that truly defines who Grogu is, then it’s the scene where he breaks up the fight between Paz Viszla and Axe Woves (over some dumb thing) while he’s in the IG droid (Season 3, Episode 7). He keeps repeating “No, no, no, no.” Grogu is a Mandalorian through Din Djarin, but he’s also got a Jedi background, from growing up in the Temple and also with his training with Luke. He knows that if the Mandalorians keep fighting amongst themselves, they’re doomed to fail. Cute and smart, and pretty brave for getting in between two Mandalorians poised for violence. He’s a little hero in that moment.

Again, I could choose just about any scene with him in it for my favorite because, duh, Grogu. But that one shows how far he’s come since Season 1, how he’s grown and accepted the different parts of himself.

What is your favorite Grogu scene?

NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month)

So the other day I signed up for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), an online event that takes place every November, wherein writers dedicate the entire month of November to writing 50,000 words of their novel. I’ve taken part in NaNo a few times in years past, and thought it would be a good opportunity to finish a fan-fiction story I’d started some time ago (not the Bad Batch fanfic I just posted to AO3) but haven’t gotten around to finishing yet.

Well, soon after I decided I wasn’t into it and wouldn’t commit myself to that. But I had another thought not long after. When I had my old writing blog, I participated in NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month), which is a blogging equivalent to NaNo. You can write about anything you want, and it can be any length, but you must post every single day in November. There’s no official website for it anymore, but there’s no reason why you can’t do it anyway.

I just happened to buy the Star Wars Chat Pack (created by Kelly Knox, about $25 on Amazon), which is a bunch of cards in a box that has questions about Star Wars covering Characters, Technology, the Force, and the Galaxy. It’s meant to facilitate fun discussions among Star Wars fans, but you can ponder them alone, as well. I thought I’d do a weekly post answering one of the questions for something different.

Then I had the idea of doing a post every day on a different question for NaBloPoMo, randomly picking a card everyday and no matter what it is (no swapsies), write my thoughts on it. So that’s the new plan for November. If you get sick of seeing my posts in your inbox everyday, please ignore, lol. It’s more for me than anything else, to see if I can commit myself to posting everyday, and also just to see what I think about certain things in Star Wars. If you feel compelled to write your own answers in the comments, please do!

So starting tomorrow you’ll see my illuminating thoughts on fun, interesting questions about Star Wars. Can’t wait to start!

My Entertainment Update For September

Hello friends! Here’s my now-monthly check in with all the things that have been entertaining me.

Ahsoka. I’m going to wait until the end of the series to give my thoughts on this as a whole, but here at the midpoint, all I can say is WOW! It took its time to get going, bring us up to speed on characters and where they are now, and introducing new villains (and can I add that I NEED MORE BAYLAN SKOLL RIGHT NOW, lol). But each successive episode just got better and better, until we got the truly epic Episode 5. It was just so wonderful to see Hayden Christensen back as Anakin Skywalker in a truly satisfying way, and in a way that further develops Ahsoka’s character. Now we’re off to a distant galaxy via Purgill (awesome!) to hopefully find Ezra. And oh, yeah, Thrawn, whatever, lol. Jumping out of my seat in anticipation!

Last of the Jedi Book 4 (Death on Naboo) and 5 (A Tangled Web), by Jude Watson. I’ve finished Book 4 and am working on Book 5. Four had Ferus Olin following Inquisitor Malorum to Naboo, who is investigating Padme’s death. Ferus, at the behest of Obi-Wan, must keep Malorum from finding out Padme’s secret, without knowing himself just what the secret is. Five has Ferus summoned to Coruscant by Palpatine himself to figure out a systems breakdown on the planet Sath; if he doesn’t comply, his friends Roan and Dona will suffer the consequences. These little books are always fun to read; I really like the character of Ferus Olin, who had left the Jedi Order as a Padawan (and I believe that story is told in the junior novel series Jedi Quest, also by Jude Watson, which I’ll probably read after this series).

Tales of Light and Life, by various High Republic authors. In the lead-up to Phase 3 of the High Republic, this short story collection was recently released on September 5th. There are several stories with characters from Phase 2, but most are from Phase 1, with some serving to set us up for Phase 3. I enjoyed most of these stories; the one I was least impressed with was the one by Daniel Jose Older, whose writing I don’t particularly enjoy. It was a sweet story about Padawan Ram Jamoram, but its sin was being extremely boring. The best out of the bunch was the Phase 2 story about Marda Ro by Tessa Gratton (A Closed Fist Has No Claws). It shows what happens to her after the events of Phase 2, how she has changed, and how she plants the seeds of the Nihil, the villains of Phase 1. If you like the High Republic, I highly recommend reading this collection.

Out of the Shadows, by Justina Ireland. Also in preparation for Phase 3 (coming in November), I’m rereading a few Phase 1 novels. The first reread was The Fallen Star, the adult novel by Claudia Gray; and now I’m rereading this YA installment by Justina Ireland. When I first read it, I wasn’t too impressed and thought it was a little boring. But on this reread, I’ve done a total 180 and think it’s not only interesting, but super important for going into Phase 3. From what I understand, in Phase 3 the Nihil have separated a whole sector of the galaxy for themselves called The Occlusion Zone, like a big wall they put up in space. Part of how they did that, I presume, is through a contraption called the Gravity’s Heart, which is the brainchild of and built by Chancey Yarrow in this book. It’s got a lot of Vernestra Rwoh in it, too, a favorite Jedi of mine in this period (I’ve got a lot of favorite High Republic Jedi, though, lol). Anyway, I’m enjoying this second reading.

So as always I’ve been busy reading and watching Star Wars, but I’ve also been working on something else I’d like to tell you about. I’ve been creating a new blog that will have some fiction by me, including original fiction and some Star Wars fan fiction. I’m actually quite terrified of sharing my stories, which simply means that I have to do it, lol. (Do what terrifies you, all the self-help books say). I’m maybe a week or two away from launching it, but I’ll mention it here when I do in case any of you are interested.

That’s about it this time around. What’s been entertaining you? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

Entertainment Update For August

Hello friends! I’ve been busy with reading, as usual, and looking forward to a few upcoming shows. Here’s the deets:

Rise of the Red Blade. This is the latest Star Wars canon novel, by Delilah S. Dawson, and it is a great read. It chronicles Jedi Padawan Iskat Akaris during her time at the Jedi Temple, and the events that influenced her turn to the dark side and led to her becoming an Inquisitor. Iskat is the only one of her species in the Temple, and she feels out of place most of the time. She had caused an accident that injured another Padawan; she’s not very good at meditating, and she discovers at the Battle of Geonosis what she’s truly good at: killing. When she tries to discover more about her species and/or family, she gets the distinct feeling that the Masters are hiding something (they are). We spend about two thirds of the book with Iskat as a Jedi, and only the last third as an Inquisitor; this is the story of her lead-up to turning, voluntarily, to the dark side. And Dawson does a fantastic job of it, making Iskat a sympathetic character, while not shying away from her violent, dark side tendencies and her misguided choices.

Last of the Jedi book 2: Dark Warning. My continuation of the junior novel series that features Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ferus Olin. Obi-Wan discovers that an Inquisitor (and I find the Inquisitors in Legends rather lame, lol) is investigating something at Polis Massa, where Padme gave birth to Luke and Leia, so he goes there to protect that secret. Ferus must go to Ilum to find a surviving Jedi and while he’s at it, find a crystal for a new lightsaber. They also discover a livable asteroid in a cosmic storm that Ferus wants to turn into a refuge for any surviving Jedi. This idea of a safe haven for Jedi survivors reminds me of Tanalorr in the Jedi: Survivor game, which is a haven for the Hidden Path. I love how Star Wars canon is frequently borrowing ideas from Legends.

The Fallen Star Reread. With Phase 3 beginning in the fall, I thought I’d reread the last adult book of Phase 1, as Phase 3 will return to these characters after a trip back in time in Phase 2 with new characters. The Fallen Star tells how the Nihil, specifically its leader, Marchion Ro, orchestrated the destruction of the Jedi space station, Starlight Beacon, ending the phase at a very low point for the Jedi. I’m eager to see where these characters are and how they’ll respond to the Eye of the Nihil in this last phase. (There will be a book of High Republic short stories, Tales of Light and Life, coming out on September 5th, that will be a sort of preview of Phase 3, and I’ll be reading that, as well).

The Echo of Old Books. This is the latest book we’re reading in the book club I’m part of. It begins with Ashlyn in 1984, who has psychometry, the ability to sense emotions from objects, primarily books (I only knew the word from Star Wars as a rare Force ability, lol–like Quinlan Vos, Cal Kestis, and Karr from the book Force Collector). She owns a used book shop, and finds a self-published book from which she feels intense emotions. She begins to read it, and finds it’s a memoir-like tragic love story between a Brit and a New York socialite in 1941,written by the Brit, Hemi. She’s intrigued, but it gets more interesting as she find another self-published book written by the socialite, Belle, as a written answer to his book. Ashlyn becomes determined (and perhaps a bit obsessed) to find out who these people actually were and how their story ends. A kind of tragic love story literary mystery sort of thing, with psychometry thrown in. An interesting and absorbing read.

Countdown to Ahsoka. Of course, I’m hyped about Ahsoka, which premieres next week on August 23rd. I haven’t done a lot of prep, as in rewatching Rebels in its entirety (I’ve already watched it through 2 or 3 times in the last few years), but I have cherry-picked a few episodes and arcs the past few weeks. Namely, the finales of the four seasons, as well as the Twilight of the Apprentice arc and the Lost Commanders arc. It’s all great, though. Can’t wait to see these characters in live action! Seeing Thrawn will be cool, but I’m most interested in Baylan Skoll and Shin Hati, the two dark force users with orange lightsabers. Bring it on!

Loki Season 2 Trailer. I am soooo excited for this! I’ve been waiting two long years for season two of Loki, and it will finally be here on October 6th. I’ll admit, I haven’t been as faithful to Marvel lately, just catching the movies that interest me (Dr. Strange 2, Thor 4, and Guardians of the Galaxy 3) and skipping a lot of the shows (Ms. Marvel, She-Hulk, Secret Invasion). But I will ALWAYS be here for Loki, lol. Can’t wait to see what shenanigans Loki gets into with Mobius and Sylvie in this multiverse madness.

Are you looking forward to Ahsoka and Loki? What’s been entertaining you? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!