My Five Favorite Things About Return of the Jedi

Continuing my Five Favorite Things about the Star Wars movies, here’s my entry on Return of the Jedi.

Favorite Scene

Image result for luke and leia endor sister

Luke with Leia on Endor. I loved this intimate scene where Luke tells Leia that they’re siblings, and that he must leave to face their father, Darth Vader. It brings their relationship to a new level, as well as helps her understand what he needs to do and why. It’s also the most emotional and upset we’ve seen Leia onscreen, and reminds us that even though she’s tough as nails, she can also be vulnerable.

Favorite Duel

Luke defeats Darth Vader in their final confrontation.

Luke vs. Vader on the Death Star 2. All the films in the Original Trilogy showcase just one major lightsaber duel, and in ROTJ, this is it. And it’s wonderful and glorious and fraught with tremendous emotional weight, as father and son duel it out in front of the Emperor, who naturally cackles with evil delight. The stakes couldn’t be higher: Luke fights not only for the fate of the Rebellion and his friends, but for his very soul–and his father’s soul, as well. We see that he comes perilously close to the dark side as he gives in to his anger and slams away at Vader, nearly defeating him–but he realizes the cost and steps away. Which leads to….

Favorite Line

When Luke steps away from battle with his father and declares these words to the Emperor, then throws his lightsaber away, he shows us his true character: committed to the Light, to good, to the kind of man his father was before he was corrupted by the dark side. This is Luke’s pivotal moment, his most glorious hour. I love it.

Funniest Moment

Han Solo quippery. Of course.

“How we doing?” “Same as always.” “That bad, huh?”

Most Impactful Character

Darth Vader. Darth Vader’s return to the light and saving his son from the Emperor is clearly the most satisfying event in the movie, at least to me. The moment he picks up the Emperor, who is killing his son with Force lightning, and throws him down that shaft, is the most thrilling scene of the movie, the trilogy, perhaps the entire saga. With his sacrifice, Vader–or perhaps we should call him Anakin here–saves his son, and fulfills his destiny as the Chosen One, bringing balance back to the Force. It’s electrifying (if you’ll pardon the pun), deeply moving, and the perfect end to the trilogy.

My Five Favorite Things About The Empire Strikes Back

So I realized that after I posted My Five Favorite Things About A New Hope that I totally forgot about Solo and Rogue One, lol. I had planned on doing them in chronological order, but now it would just be weird to go back and do them. So I’ll continue on with the main trilogies, and then at the end do Solo and Rogue One.

Anyway, here’s my five favorite things about The Empire Strikes Back.

Favorite Scene

I’m going to say pretty much all the scenes between Han and Leia. I simply can’t pick just one, because they’re all delightful. The arguing, the banter, the chemistry and sexual tension, the tenderness–it’s all great. The kissing scene in the Falcon, culminating in the “I love you, I know” scene in the carbonation chamber makes up the best love story in all of Star Wars, in my opinion. When I was a kid and first saw Empire, it was about Han and Leia first, lol, and then Luke and Vader.

Favorite Duel

Again, there’s only one duel of note in this movie (besides Luke’s confrontation with Vader in the dark side cave on Dagobah, which is symbolic), and it’s between Darth Vader and Luke in Cloud City on Bespin (which is for reals). And it’s probably my favorite duel out of all the films in many ways. It’s kind of a game of cat and mouse, as they clash, each disappearing and reappearing, pouncing on each other suddenly and violently. Everything about this duel is epic: the part where Vader uses Luke as target practice and Luke smashes through a window and falls; the savage confrontation on the catwalk and the loss of Luke’s hand; Vader’s shocking revelation and offer; Luke’s decision to step off the catwalk and fall into oblivion rather than join his evil father in ruling the galaxy. So much going on here, and we get some insight into each character: Vader is willing to betray his master the Emperor and overthrow him (which is basically what the Sith do, but we wonder if he’s got a soft spot for his son, and therefore a bit of light left? Maybe?); and we see Luke’s total commitment to the Light and choosing to die rather than join evil. Later, in ROTJ, that commitment will be tested, but right now, there’s no question of going down that shaft.

Favorite Line

You know, up until very recently, this line confused the hell out of me. What does it even mean? I’ve come to realize that what Yoda was getting at is how you go about doing something–if you go into it “trying” then you’re letting in doubt about succeeding. Perhaps you don’t fully believe in yourself, and believe that you may fail. Once doubt sets in, I think Yoda is saying, then you’re doomed to fail. If Luke doesn’t believe in himself, then he doesn’t believe the Force will help him, and the Force won’t believe in him–it won’t work with him to move that darn X-Wing. A Jedi needs confidence and faith, in himself and the Force. Anyway, that’s how I’ve come to see it. A lot of philosophy in those few words, lol.

Funniest Moment

More classic Han Solo:

Most Impactful Character

Yoda. Yoda is the mysterious center of the film–force ghost Obi-Wan exhorts dying Luke to find Yoda and train to be a Jedi with him. Once on Dagobah, Luke finds not a “great warrior,” but a little wizened green guy with big ears, who makes a mess of his camp and plays tug-of-war with Artoo. But everything Yoda does is a lesson: he wants to gauge Luke’s response to him before he reveals himself. And of course, he finds that Luke takes things at face value, as most of us do sometimes. The lessons begin immediately, and he shows Luke that he has a lot to learn. He has misgivings, but trains Luke anyway–brave, considering he did the same thing with Anakin. Or perhaps he senses something in Luke, the strength of the Light in him. Either way, he has a lot to do with the Jedi Luke becomes. Wars not make one great, but Yoda is definitely a great Jedi Master.

What are your favorite things about The Empire Strikes Back? Comment below and we’ll talk about it!

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My Five Favorite Things About A New Hope

I’ve covered my five favorite things of each of the films of the prequel trilogy. Now it’s time to delve into the Original Trilogy, with A New Hope. Enjoy!

Favorite Scene

Luke with Obi-Wan. There are so many great scenes in this movie, but I really like this scene with Luke and Obi-Wan. It’s probably the moment Obi-Wan has been waiting 20 years for–the moment he can give Luke Anakin’s lightsaber and finally bring him into the larger story of the galaxy. They watch R2’s holo of Princess Leia (and I’m sure he recognizes her as Luke’s twin; possibly he feels that the old, ripped threads are starting to come together), tells him about Anakin’s “death”, and tries to recruit him to go to Alderaan with him. All of Obi-Wan’s patient exile hinges on this moment. But Luke still resists, worrying about his Uncle Owen yelling at him, his chores, the late hour…it’s only when Luke finds out his aunt and uncle are dead that he decides to go with Obi-Wan. In this particular scene, when Obi-Wan is telling Luke about Anakin, Sir Alec Guinness’ performance is uncanny, as if he knows the true story of Anakin Skywalker and how disturbing it is; of course, he doesn’t at this point, but it’s a testament to his superb and subtle acting skills that we imagine he does know. It’s such a great scene.

Favorite Duel

Obi-Wan vs. Darth Vader. Unless you want to count Luke’s exercise with the remote, this is the only lightsaber battle in this movie. And though it’s considered a bit clunky by our standards, it’s the first time audiences actually saw a lightsaber battle, and it was pretty darn cool. What’s really compelling about this duel is how Obi-Wan uses it to distract the Imperials to allow Luke and his friends to escape from the Death Star; and the fact that he chooses to sacrifice himself in order to become more powerful than Vader can possibly imagine. We don’t really understand what he means by that; and we can also see that Vader himself is a bit uneasy about the whole thing, toeing Obi-Wan’s robes that had fluttered to the floor when he struck him. And where the heck did he go? The whole sequence is confounding and impressive and full of a strange pathos. Something amazing just happened, and we’re left reeling, confused and sad but also triumphant. Vader didn’t win the duel, even though he’s the one still alive. So much going on in that one moment. Fantastic.

Favorite Line

There’s so many great zingers in this movie, but I love this one:

Funniest Moment

Classic Han Solo:

Most Impactful Character

Luke Skywalker. This is Luke’s movie, from beginning to end, and rightly so. He’s the young hero, starting out on his adventure, the hero’s journey in which he will be challenged, meet friends and foes alike, and find out what he’s truly made of. He’s the wide-eyed farmboy who yearns and burns for something more, and we, the audience, can identify with that and instantly like and root for him. We see him realize he has a bigger destiny. He bonds with his mentor, learns about the Force (taking his “first steps into a larger world”), meets a smuggler and a Princess, and saves the day when he blows up the Death Star. It’s a classic coming of age story, one that resonates with all of us. The story of Luke Skywalker catapulted us into the amazing galaxy of Star Wars, and thank the Maker for it.

What are your favorite moments from A New Hope? Comment below and we’ll talk about it!

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My Five Favorite Aliens in Star Wars

There are literally dozens of aliens from Star Wars, and there are so many that I find interesting that it’s hard to choose just five as favorites. But I forced myself, and this is the list I came up with:

Kaminoans. Their moral values notwithstanding, I just love these tall, willowy aliens from Attack of the Clones. I love the way they seem to float as they walk, their slow manner of speaking, and those loooong necks, lol. But it’s their eyes that really capture me. Big, dark, almond-shaped, and it looks as if there are galaxies spinning in them. Elegant and ethereal. They are from the planet Kamino.

Twi’leks. The first Twi’lek I ever saw was Jabba’s slave girl in Return of the Jedi. I got the impression they were beings known for their loveliness, at least the females, and that’s often true. Hera is certainly lovely, and plenty of others are, too. But Xi’an from The Mandalorian? Not so much. It’s the Twi’lek’s diversity that I love–their skin can be many different colors: green, blue, red, tan, and many others in between. Their lekku can have different patterns, and they often decorate them with bindings. And again, I just think they just look cool. They’re from the planet Ryloth.

Togrutas. Togrutas are another species that have lekku, as well as montrals on the top of their heads. They sweep around them like a crown or a headpiece, which adds to their impressive mien; and they have white markings on their face, which I believe are as different as each individual. Ahsoka and Shak-Ti are the Togrutas I’m most familiar with. Togrutas are from the planet Shili.

Nautolans. I seem to have a thing for lekku and tentacles, lol, as Nautolans have several long tentacles sprouting from their heads. I also love their green skin and large, black eyes. Kit Fisto is the main Nautolan I’m familiar with, and I have to admit I like the look of Clone Wars Kit more so than the movie version. We also get to know him better in Clone Wars, and I loved him in the book The Cestus Deception. There is also a Nautolan in the new novel Light of the Jedi, a Captain Bright. I learned from him that their tentacles can sense emotions and moods from other beings. Nautolans are at home in the water, and come from the waterworld of Glee Anselm.

Whatever Klaud is. Klaud is basically a big space slug, which normally would turn me off, but there’s something about him that just charms me. Maybe it’s those big, googly eyes, or the girlish shriek he lets out when the Falcon is under attack in The Rise of Skywalker. I learned in the novelization that Klaud has a keen mind and a talent for the mechanical (despite being armless), which is why Leia assigned him to the Falcon. I looked up his species, and according to Wookiepedia, he is a male Trodatome. No information on his home planet, however.

Can we all agree that Klaud deserved better and more screen time in the Rise of Skywalker? : saltierthancrait — Klaud

What are your favorite Star Wars aliens? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

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My Five Favorite Things About Revenge of the Sith

I’m continuing my series on my five favorite things about the Star Wars movies with Revenge of the Sith. Take a look at my previous posts on The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones.

Favorite Scene

The Opera Scene. To me, this is the most pivotal scene in the film, when Palpatine tells Anakin about Darth Plagueis and his ability to stop people from dying. It plays right into Anakin’s darkest fears and desires, luring him into Palpy’s hands. In a movie full of battles, duels, and chases, this quiet scene of dialogue is the key that opens the door to Anakin’s fall. It’s brilliantly sinister, and the weird Mon Calamari opera “music” only adds to the dread one feels in this scene, reminding us that we ourselves are watching a tragic opera play out before us.

Favorite Duel

Battle of the Heroes. Is there really any question on this one? This movie is chock-full of lightsaber duels: Obi-Wan and Anakin vs. Dooku, Obi-Wan vs. Grievous, Yoda vs. Darth Sidious. They’re all fantastic, impressive and exciting as any lightsaber duel, but this one is special–it’s between two individuals who were once friends, and are now enemies. It’s heartbreaking to watch, and the fact that we know the inevitable outcome makes it worse.

Favorite Line

Funniest Moment

A coughing cyborg. Revenge of the Sith isn’t exactly a laugh-fest, but I’ve always gotten a kick out of General Grievous, the cyborg who has a pesky cough. On first viewing, I thought he was a robot and didn’t understand how he could cough. Once I figured out he actually has some lungs in there, it made more sense. It was only recently that I learned Grievous was once a man, and in the book Labyrinth of Evil it explains how he came to be the cyborg we all know and love. I’m still not sure where the cough comes from, though. Does he stress-smoke death sticks?

Most Impactful Character

Palpatine/Darth Sidious. It was a close race between Palpy and Anakin here, but I had to concede to the Dark Lord of the Sith. The whole Skywalker saga hinges on his machinations. The man is an evil genius, bringing all his long-awaited plans into action and fruition in this climactic film. Kudos to the amount of patience required, the long planning, the brilliant acting job of being the mild-mannered Chancellor that this guy employed to play his Jedi-destroying, Galactic Empire-creating endgame. He’s crafty, he’s cagey, he’s powerful, and he absolutely loves being the evil bastard he is. He’s got the evil cackle to prove it. None of the conflict and pain evident in other “villains” such as Vader and Kylo. Nope, he’s the real deal, and he proves it in this best film of the prequels.

I love all the prequels, but ROTS is on a whole other level that is just spectacular, and picking all the favorite moments was difficult. Order 66 gutted me, Padme’s pain choked me up (no pun intended), Obi-Wan is, as always, wonderful. And Hayden Christensen’s performance of the tortured Anakin was incredible. His turn really does break one’s heart.

What are your favorite moments in Revenge of the Sith? Comment below and we’ll talk about it!

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My Five Favorite Things About Attack of the Clones

I’m continuing with my “Five favorite things” theme on all the films with Episode 2, Attack of the Clones. You can check out my five favorites of The Phantom Menace here.

Favorite Scene

The Battle of Geonosis. This is the climax of the movie, when all the s**t hits the fan. For me, it really starts with Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Padme battling the beasties, and then the Jedi arrive led by Mace Windu. AND THEN Yoda arrives with the clones to mop things up. It’s really a great sequence of events, a lot of action, battles, and things blowing up. AND THEN, it all leads to…

Favorite Duel

Yoda vs. Dooku. Obi-Wan and Anakin get to duel Dooku first, but they fail spectacularly and quite quickly, with Anakin losing an arm and Obi-Wan getting a boo-boo on his leg. (I have this sneaky feeling that Dooku has a soft spot for Obi-Wan, as he’s his Padawan’s Padawn. Kind of like a grandson). But then Yoda arrives to fight HIS Padawan, and the battle really begins. This is the first time we’ve seen Yoda fight with a lightsaber, and it’s fantastic. He limps in with his walking stick, and then proceeds to jump and whirl and fight circles around Dooku. I think I laughed and clapped with delight the first time I saw this duel, it made me so happy. Dooku knew he was in trouble and had to distract Yoda by threatening Obi-Wan and Anakin, and then he made his escape. So cool.

Favorite Line

“The day we stop believing democracy works is the day we lose it.” –Queen Jamilla of Naboo

Funniest Moment

Most Impactful Character

Obi-Wan Kenobi. Obi-Wan simply rocks in this movie. He does some Jedi-CSI investigating to find Kamino and discovers the clone army, finds Jango, fights him, and follows him to Geonosis. Without all this, the Jedi never would have rooted out Dooku and his Separatist cronies. And the only way any of this occurred is because Obi-Wan “we’re not getting into an investigation” Kenobi dived out Padme’s window to follow the assassin droid.

In a lot of ways, I think Attack of the Clones, out of all the movies, is the most fun.

What are your favorite AOTC moments? Comment below and we’ll talk about it!

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My Five Favorite Things About The Phantom Menace

I thought I’d go through all the Star Wars films and list a few of my favorite things about them, because why not? One a week, starting with Episode 1 all the way through 9, as well as Rogue One and Solo. Let’s start, shall we?

Favorite Scene

This isn’t a specific scene, but I loved how Padme Amidala disguised herself as one of her own handmaidens, and Sabe often was dressed as the Queen. It was smart, clever, and fooled almost everyone–I’m still up in the air as to whether the Jedi were fooled or not. They looked fairly surprised when Padme came forward and admitted to being the Queen when she spoke with Boss Nass, but I’ve seen others claim that they knew. What do you think?

Favorite Duel

This one’s pretty easy, because there’s only one duel of note in this film: Duel of the Fates, between Qui Gon, Obi-Wan, and Maul. It’s the first major lightsaber duel of the prequels, and it’s graceful, frenetic, and deadly in a way that the duels from the OT weren’t, like a dance. Maul’s double-bladed red lightsaber is awesome, and his moves are equally impressive. Qui Gon’s death at his hand is heartbreaking, as is the tender way Obi-Wan cradles him and promises to train Anakin right before he dies. Obi-Wan, by the way, proves he’s a master lightsaber duelist when he kills Maul, the first Sith the Jedi have encountered in a thousand years. Well, we thought he killed him, and so did Obi-Wan.

It’s also interesting to note that Dave Filoni himself pointed out that it’s called the Duel of the Fates because it’s Anakin’s fate that hangs in the balance with this duel. If Qui Gon had not been killed, would Anakin have eventually turned the Dark side? Perhaps not, as Qui Gon might have been the strong father figure that Anakin needed, whereas Obi-Wan was more of a brother or friend and inevitably failed in that role. And I’m not saying it’s all Obi-Wan’s fault Anakin turned; I think it’s obvious several factors were at work.

So it’s an important duel for that reason; not to mention the fact that Maul actually survives, and his injuries at the hand of Obi-Wan fuels his rage and his vendetta against him throughout much of Clone Wars and Rebels.

Favorite Line

Some people should heed Qui Gon's words more often.

Funniest Moment

Jar Jar Binks is definitely the comedy relief in this movie, and I have to say that although I thought he was pretty silly when I first saw this back in the day, I’ve come to love the goofy guy. There’s an innocence to him that’s touching, and he does help the cause in many ways. I’d have to say the funniest moments are the ones during the Battle of Naboo, where he clumsily swings weapons around and actually does some damage. It’s not laugh-out-loud, certainly, but gets a little chuckle out of me.

Most Impactful Character

Qui Gon Jinn wins this category. He’s pretty much the dramatic center of the story, and he’s always been one of my favorite Jedi. But I’ve decided to make this category the most impactful character, and not necessarily my favorite. Qui Gon is impactful here because it’s he who discovers Anakin (for better or for worse), frees him from slavery, and brings him back to Coruscant. It’s Qui Gon who pleads for Obi-Wan to train Anakin as a Jedi. It’s Qui Gon who steadfastly believes that Anakin is the Chosen One. Basically, if it wasn’t for Qui Gon, there would be no Skywalker saga; there would be no Star Wars. That’s quite impactful.

So, if I was forced to rank the Star Wars movies (and I see a lot of people ranking them on fan sites), this one would probably be last, as it often is with a lot of fans. Poor Phantom Menace. But I hate ranking the films, as I do love all of them in their own way. It’s like ranking your children, or picking a favorite child. I find something to love in all the Star Wars movies, and TPM has a lot to love.

What are some of your favorites in The Phantom Menace? Comment below and we’ll talk about it!

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My Five Favorite Princess Leia Moments

In honor of yesterday being the fourth anniversary of Carrie Fisher’s passing, here are my five favorite Princess Leia moments:

“Into the garbage chute, flyboy!” from A New Hope. I had seen The Empire Strikes Back first when I was a kid, so I already knew that Leia was a force to be reckoned with. But then going back and watching her in A New Hope only cemented that idea, especially this scene when the boys showed up to save her, and then she had to save them. Damsel in distress? No, a distressing damsel. But one you want on your side.

“I love you.” “I know.” From The Empire Strikes Back. I love pretty much every scene Leia has with Han, especially in this movie. But this moment is when we see Leia at a vulnerable moment, letting herself admit to Han, and to herself (and everyone else in that room, lol), that she loves him. She’s tough, but she’s got a heart.

Famous words on t-shirts, mugs, wall hangings, and wedding rings everywhere.

Choking Jabba, from Return of the Jedi. Now this is a woman who takes things into her own hands. As in, her slave chain, and wrapping it around her captor’s fat neck, and choking him to death. Some say she unknowingly used the Force to help her choke the life out of Jabba the Hutt, and perhaps that’s true, but either way, she got the job done.

Slapping Poe, from The Last Jedi. Look, I love Poe, but he’d been an insubordinate little shit that cost the Resistance lives and ships (and he only got worse with Holdo). Perhaps she shouldn’t have slapped him, but her emotions got the better of her (remind you of someone?) and he’s lucky she didn’t throw him in the brig. We’ve seen plenty of scenes with Leia angry, but this one shows her anger boiling over. It’s also pretty funny to watch some outtakes of Carrie slapping poor Oscar Isaac 27 times to get this scene. That’s gotta sting.

Reaching out to Ben, from The Rise of Skywalker. I couldn’t find any images of Leia actually reaching out to him, but this still of Ben hearing her call to him across the galaxy says it all. Leia’s entire existence has been one of sacrifice, so it’s no surprise that she was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for her son, Ben Solo– trying to reach the Light that she knew was still inside him, letting him know she still loved him, despite everything. This was the beginning of Ben’s turn back to the Light.

Long-distance call from your mom, do you accept the charges?

I can’t believe believe it’s been four years since Carrie’s death. I loved her character Leia, and I also loved Carrie Fisher herself. She was a smart, feisty, witty woman, and funny as hell, and we will always miss her.

What are your favorite Leia Organa moments? Let me know in the comments, and we’ll talk about it!

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5 Star Wars Areas I’d Like to Learn More About

I’ve been a Star Wars fan for most of my life, about four decades so far. But I’ve had to play catch up this past year, as I’d only been a fan of the movies for most of them. Since starting to blog about Star Wars, I’d realized the galaxy far, far away was even bigger than I had ever imagined, with all kinds of other content I’d missed out on over the years. I’ve since watched the Clone Wars and Rebels animated series, read quite a few (mostly canon) books, and have steadfastly kept up on The Mandalorian.

Reading other people’s Star Wars blogs, watching their YouTube channels, and participating in fan groups has alerted to me to so many other areas of Star Wars I haven’t even gotten to yet. But I hope to correct that in the near-future and learn about these sub-areas of Star Wars:

The Old Republic. There is a section of the fandom that is extremely passionate about the Old Republic era, and I believe it is mostly from gaming and a few Old Republic Legends novels. I’m NOT a gamer, but I am a reader, and so I am planning on reading the novels. Revan and Darth Bane are two names I constantly hear about when it comes to this era, as well as many other Sith Lords. My problem is, I’m not a huge fan of reading books about villains. I’m a Jedi girl, and though I’m pretty sure there are probably Jedi in these books, they seem to be focused on Sith Lords, so I worry I won’t be able to get into them. Also, they kind of freak me out! So Old Republic fans, please change mind here and give me a reason to love them!

The Yuuzhan Vong and Jedi (Luke?) by sugarsart on deviantart.com

Legends alternative universe. I’m talking about the Legends books that tell the story of Han and Leia’s three children: twins Jacen and Jaina Solo, and Anakin Solo, as well as Luke and Mara Jade’s son, Ben Skywalker. There’s also the big crisis of the Yuuzhan Vong invasion, and many, many other storylines. It’s a rich history of Star Wars, and I don’t want to ignore it. But it’s vast, with well over 100 books in its inventory. I’ve read a few Legends books (and reviewed them over on my sister blog The Star Wars Reader), ones that don’t directly contradict canon. I’m especially interested in the prequel and clone wars era right now. But I will get to these Legends some day.

Bo-Katan, Sabine Wren, and…some other Mandalorian.

Mandalorian History. Especially now with The Mandalorian craze, a lot of people, myself included, are getting more interested in Mandalorian history. The Mandalorian arcs were some of my favorites from the Clone Wars series, and there were a few episodes with Sabine Wren and her family in Rebels. I know there was a Mandalorian Civil War, and the Empire’s Purge; as well as some ancient war between the Jedi and the Mandalorians. Death Watch. The Dark Saber. And of course whatever we’re getting through The Mandalorian series. But I’m wondering if there are any cohesive histories out there, or information on the clans and how they operate. I’ll have to do some research, and if you know of any information, please let me know!

Thrawn and the Chiss. I find the character of Thrawn fascinating, and despite what I said above about not being interested in stories about villains, I would like to read all of the Thrawn books. The difference is, Thrawn is a different kind of villain–he’s not malevolent in the traditional bad guy kind of way. He’s not cruel for cruelty’s sake, he doesn’t desire the destruction of innocents for any selfish reasons. He simply has his loyalties to the Empire and has a job to do, and he does it brilliantly. He’s a bit cold and calculating, kind of like Tarkin, but I like Thrawn better than Tarkin. He has an appreciation for art and culture, and is a genius problem-solver. He’s like a Chiss Sherlock Holmes. And speaking of the Chiss, I’d like to learn more about his people, where they come from, what makes them tick. All this is in the Thrawn books now coming out by Timothy Zahn, who first brought Thrawn to life in the Legends books way back when (Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, and The Last Command). I did read the first book in that series a hundred years ago, but it didn’t thrill me, and I don’t remember much. I’ve recently tried reading the first canon book simply called Thrawn, and I got halfway through it. As I’ve said, I love the character of Thrawn, but the book was so damn slow I got sidetracked by other books. But I am determined to read them. Someday.

Comics. I’ve never been a comic reader, but I’m coming to the realization that the comics contain a ton of Star Wars content that I’d love to know. There’s a billion Legends comics, but I’d be more interested in the recent canon comics at this point. I’d never seen myself ever buying comics and reading them (a 49 year old woman reading comics? It’s just so odd) but then again, I never thought I’d watch Star Wars “cartoons.” And I’m so glad I did, because I’d be missing out on so much. There’s a series on how Ben Solo came to be Kylo Ren that interests me, as well as a Vader comic that explores him trying to find out how Padme died, coming into contact with Sabe, as well as being harshly punished by the Emperor for doing so. This all sounds like great stuff! I’d be a bit picky with the comics, but I wouldn’t mind having some on my shelf.

Exploring all this Star Wars content will happily fill the rest of my life. It’s a work in progress, a “scholarly” pursuit, if you will, a never-ending passion. And with new content always coming out, it will very probably never end until I pass into the Force myself, lol. This gives me great joy.

What about you? Are there areas of Star Wars you haven’t explored yet but want to? Let me know in the comments, and we’ll talk about it!

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My 5 Favorite Monsters in Star Wars

Last week I posted my 5 Favorite Animals in Star Wars. I explained that I excluded certain creatures that may qualify as animals because, in my mind, they are great examples of “monsters.” Monsters being creatures that elicit terror and fear, and whose main goal is to probably kill or eat you. So here, in all their terrifying glory, are my five favorite monsters in Star Wars:

The Rancor in Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi (1983) - YouTube — The Rancor

The Rancor. The Rancor, from Return of the Jedi, was probably the scariest monster from the Original Trilogy for me. It’s appropriately scary-ugly and horrifying; but at least one person loved this monstrosity: Malakili, the Rancor-keeper, who wept after Luke killed it. He’s still one of my favorite minor characters in all of Star Wars, proving that someone’s reviled monster is someone else’s beloved pet.

Geonosis Arena | re: Favorite star wars creature? - Page 2 - General Star Wars ...

Non-sentient carnivore native to Vendaxa. Acklays have sharp claws, thick skin, and average 3.05 meters tall. Due to these attributes, as well as the species' ferociousness, Acklays were often exported from Vendaxa to be used in gladiatorial combat. The creatures could be found on Geonosis, where they were commonly brought in to fight other creatures—and sentients—in the Petranaki arena. The creatures could be also found on worlds such as Lehon and Felucia.

These three beasts (yes, I’m cheating and counting them as one) were unleashed on Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Padme on Geonosis in Attack of the Clones. They’re all deadly in their own way, but I’m particularly fond of the Acklay. He has a weird screech, and gave me the disgusting-insect-shivers.

Bor Gullet. Bor Gullet from Rogue One is one of the most appalling creatures ever created in Star Wars. Not only is he quite gross to look at, he’s a kind of mindflayer–he wraps his tentacles around someone’s head and looks into their minds; the result is often madness. Bodhi Rook was lucky to escape with his mind fairly intact.

The Krayt Dragon. The Krayt Dragon from The Mandalorian was an awesome sight to see. Tatooine’s famous dragon gave me definite Dune-vibes, more worm than dragon, but still bad-ass. I hadn’t known that Krayt Dragons harbor a huge pearl inside them, but it kind of makes sense: oysters grow pearls from the irritation of sand in their bodies. This guy lives in sand, and probably ingests a desert’s worth on a regular basis. A dragon’s treasure inside the dragon. Clever.

The Zillo Beast. The Zillo Beast makes an appearance in Clone Wars (Season Two, Episodes 18 & 19). I felt sorry for this guy–he was accidentally disturbed in his resting place under the earth during the Battle of Malastare, subdued and brought to Coruscant to study, whereupon he escaped and rampaged through the city. The Jedi were forced to kill the beast. The tragedy of King Kong in the Star Wars universe.

Honorable Mentions:

The Wampa. The Wampa holds the honor of being the first Star Wars monster I ever encountered (in the theater, when I was 10, so yeah, scary!). I never figured out how he stuck Luke upside down from his cave ceiling, his feet frozen solid in ice.
The Exogorth. This is the space slug that lives in the asteroid in The Empire Strikes Back. “This is no cave.” Surprise! Talk about being in the belly of the beast.
Rathtars. Han and Chewie are transporting several of these very cranky monsters when we first see them in The Force Awakens. You just know that they’re going to escape somehow and cause all manner of problems. But they did give our friends a chance to escape Kanjiklub and the Guavian Death Gang. Silver linings, people.

I could have put down the giant spiders from Rebels (Krykna) or the Mandalorian, but I hate spiders. Hate, hate, hate spiders. I guess from a terror point of view, they work great as monsters, but I don’t think they’re cool in any way. In fact, I don’t like to think about them. Ever. So no. No picture, either, or I’ll have nightmares.

What’s your favorite monster? Comment below and we’ll talk about it!

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Like to read Star Wars? Check out my sister blog The Star Wars Reader. I regularly review Star Wars novels, both Canon and Legends.