Star Wars Chat Pack: Which two characters should meet each other?

Welcome to Day 20 of my NaBloPoMo Challenge, where I randomly draw a card from the Star Wars Chat Pack.

Today’s question is: Choose two Star Wars characters who have never met. How would their first meeting go? Why would you want them to meet?

I want Luke and Ezra to meet. They’re the same age (both born on Empire Day), are both Jedi trained after Order 66, and both knew Obi-Wan (and Ezra met Yoda’s Force ghost). I’d love to see them meet and swap stories about their masters, what it was like to grow up under the Empire, being trained in the wild without the Order (Baylan’s “bokken” Jedi), their philosophies about the Force, etc. Maybe Ezra could help Luke with his school, or help him find Force-sensitives to train.

I think they’d like each other, though they have very different personalities. Ezra’s definitely goofier, while Luke has grown more calm and serious. I want Luke to have a Jedi friend, lol. Ezra at least had Ahsoka for a time, and had Kanan longer than Luke had either Obi-Wan or Yoda.

They could talk about their brushes with the dark side–not just in another person, but within themselves. I wonder if Luke would confide that Darth Vader–who Ezra had the misfortune of meeting and fighting–was his father. It seems a deeply personal thing that he wouldn’t mention to just anybody, obviously, but maybe as a story about the possibility of redemption. I don’t know, I just want them to be friends and to know each other’s stories.

Maybe they’d clash a little bit at first–Luke chides Ezra to be more serious; Ezra complains that Luke should lighten up.

Of course we don’t know where Ezra’s story arc in Ahsoka/the Mandoverse will be going, and I doubt this meeting will take place. I could be wrong, though; Luke has made his appearances in the Mandoverse, and perhaps their paths will cross. I would like to see Ezra train Jacen. Neither Ezra nor Jacen is at the school at the time of its destruction, but that doesn’t mean they don’t spend time there at any point.

If they meet at all, I’m guessing it will be brief, perhaps in a time of crisis with no time to get to get to know each other at all. But in my perfect Star Wars world, they’re good friends. Ooh, I sense a fan-fic coming on! Well, maybe not; but if anyone else wants to write it, I’d definitely read it!

What do you think? Do you think these two would like each other?

What two Star Wars characters do you want to see meet, and why? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

Star Wars Chat Pack: Who is the Alliance MVP?

Welcome to Day 19 of my NaBloPoMo Challenge, in which I randomly draw a card from the Star Wars Chat Pack.

Today’s questions asks: Who do you think is the MVP of the Rebel Alliance? Why?

Interesting. I think there are several candidates for MVP here, including:

Mon Mothma

Mon Mothma became the de facto leader of the Rebel Alliance, after serving as a Senator in both the Republic and Imperial Senates. We first meet her in Return of the Jedi, when she’s already leading the Rebels against the Emperor and the second Death Star. She became an increasingly important character in successive projects, going back to her time as a Senator in the Clone Wars, her budding position in the Rebellion in Rebels, and as Chancellor of the New Republic after the war in several books. But it’s her story in Andor that really gets to the meat of who she is and how she rose to unite the various factions of Rebel cells to form the Alliance. Her story is still being told in that show, and I can’t wait for Season Two!

Bail Organa

Princess Leia’s adoptive father, Bail Organa was also a Senator in both the Republic and the Imperial Senates. We first meet him in the prequels, and we see the suspicion and growing unease he feels with Chancellor Palpatine’s machinations. We don’t see him in the Originals, of course; we just see his planet get blown up by the Empire, and we learn later that he and his wife, Breha, had died in the explosion. But we learn in many later projects that Bail, while still serving as Senator, was secretly working behind the scenes to gather those opposed to the Empire, and build a network of spies and Rebel cells across the galaxy. He’s made an appearance in almost every Star Wars project since the prequels: Clone Wars, Rebels, Rogue One, Obi-Wan Kenobi. I’m almost certain he’ll make an appearance in the second season of Andor; it would be strange if he didn’t. He’s certainly an early trailblazer for the Alliance. He’s also one of my favorite space dads, lol.

Luthen Rael

Luthen is a really interesting character. He’s not very likable. Some of the things he does in the name of the Rebellion are…morally questionable, let’s say. But unlike Saw Gerrara, who is reckless, lashes out like a wounded animal, and ALWAYS creates collateral damage, Luthen’s actions actually accomplish something. We may not like what he does, but there’s always a purpose behind it, and it moves the spark of the Rebellion forward. He knows what he does and what he is, and doesn’t believe he’ll be remembered for his part in what is to come. He believes he’s sacrificed his humanity in the name of freedom for the galaxy. Is that a good thing? I don’t know. But his recruitment of Cassian Andor was pivotal in the eventual events of Rogue One and the destruction of the first Death Star. I can’t wait to see more of him in Season two of Andor, as well.

But I think as far as a leader who gets right into the action, I think Most Valuable Player has to be…

Leia Organa

Leia Organa is right there from the start, obviously one of the main characters from the Original trilogy. The adopted daughter of Bail Organa, a Senator, and Breha, a Queen, she grows up learning what it means to lead and to help those who cannot help themselves. She is highly idealistic, brave, and selfless. She’s also got a short temper and doesn’t suffer fools lightly, lol. It’s a great combination for getting sh*t done. Leia is the face of the Rebellion. While Mon Mothma makes the tough decisions, Leia is usually out in the field, fighting for freedom. She also serves as a Senator in the New Republic for many years until things go sour; then she serves as a General for the Resistance against the First Order. She’s truly an exemplary leader.

There’s many others who could win this award; cases could be made for any number of individuals or groups. But these are the main leaders I thought of, and my pick is Leia.

Who do you think is the Alliance MVP? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

Star Wars Chat Pack: What creature would you adopt as a pet?

Welcome to Day 18 of my NaBloPoMo Challenge, in which I randomly pick a card from the Star Wars Chat Pack.

Today’s question is: You can choose to adopt one Star Wars creature to be your pet. Which do you pick and what would you name it?

Oh, fun! There’s lots of cute and/or cool creatures in Star Wars (not the monsters I just wrote about the other day) that would be, let’s say interesting, to have as a pet. Here’s a few I’d consider:

A Voorpak

This one is named Buggles, and he belongs to Torra Doza in the animated series Resistance. Omega from the Bad Batch also runs into one on Pantora. They’re pretty cute, but I can’t decide if they look more like cats or dogs, lol. They seem very high energy, too, like a small dog that yips a lot, which would veer me away.

A Charhound

This one is named Ember, and she’s the loyal companion to Jedi Knight Bell Zettifar in the High Republic. Clearly a dog-like creature, charhounds have extremely high internal temperatures, and can breath fire. So like any dog, charhounds are companiable and loyal (and also fierce when called for), but I’d be afraid it would burn my house down, lol. I love Ember, though, and the fact that a Jedi has a “pet” despite the Order discouraging attachments.

But as I’m a cat person, I think I’d have to go with a Tooka cat (or Loth-cats as they’re called on Lothal).

This one is Sabine’s lothcat, Murley. It almost looks like a voorpak, with those skinny legs. I still prefer our own Earth cats, but space-cats will do nicely, too. What would I name it? I’d probably get a pair and name them Luke and Leia, or Rey and Kylo.

There are other awesome creatures from Star Wars that I love, but because they’re wild animals, I wouldn’t consider them for pets. Lothwolves are my favorite Star Wars creature, but they’re wild in nature and I wouldn’t dream of taming them. I love the adorable porgs, but they’re not pet material in my opinion (even though they seem to make themselves comfortable aboard the Millenium Falcon). Crait’s crystal foxes, called vulptex, are beautiful, but I’m content to watch them from afar.

I’ve also excluded beasts of burden, like banthas, eopies, dewbacks, fathiers, etc. But they could probably count as pets, as they’re more domesticated than their wild cousins.

What would you choose as a pet? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

Star Wars Chat Pack: What’s your unexpected advantage?

Welcome to Day 17 of my NaBloPoMo Challenge, in which I randomly pick a card from the Star Wars Chat Pack.

Today’s question is: Each member of the Bad Batch has qualities that give the team an edge in the field. What’s something different or unique about you, your friends, or siblings, that gives you an unexpected advantage?

When I first pulled this card, at first I saw “Bad Batch,” and I thought, Yay! Finally, a Bad Batch question! And then I read the rest of it and thought, oh crap. Can’t we just talk about the boys and Omega? Because I can’t think of a single thing to answer this question.

Advantage in what? The battlefield? (Clearly, nothing). Work? (Good customer service voice?) Life? Certainly nothing unique (or I wouldn’t be a cashier at the age of 52). I have some decent reading and writing skills, but there’s nothing unique in that.

If I dig deep, deep, deep down, I guess I could say I’m a good listener. While everyone else is jabbering away, I’m listening, observing, coming to conclusions. Maybe seeing or hearing what others don’t. That’s what writers do. And I guess that gives me an advantage if I ever buckle down and decide to pursue writing fiction seriously. Right now I’m distracted by blogging and Star Wars and other people’s creations to focus on my own. I’m having too much fun, and writing fiction with any sense of getting somewhere with it is hard, lol. But maybe someday. Before I, you know, die.

And maybe I interpreted the question wrong and it means what’s your advantage in the Star Wars universe. In which case….still nothing, lol. I’d probably be a waitress in some Outer Rim cantina. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

But enough about me. What’s your unique advantage? Don’t be shy, sing your praises! Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

And because this question referenced the Bad Batch, and because I love them beyond reason, here’s a few images of our beloved crew:

Season Three can’t come soon enough!

Star Wars Chat Pack: What is the scariest creature?

Welcome to Day 16 of my NaBloPoMo Challenge, during which I randomly choose a card from the Star Wars Chat Pack.

Today’s question asks: What is the scariest creature in Star Wars?

That’s a tough one, because there’s so many! Hmmm, will I choose….

The Rancor?

We encountered the rancor for the first time in Return of the Jedi at Jabba’s Palace; then we saw another one again in The Book of Boba Fett (and Muchi, the adolescent female in The Bad Batch). They are indeed ferocious creatures, apparently easily angered, and look as if they’ll tear you from limb to limb with those huge sharp claws. Or will I choose…

The Rathtar?

Rathtars are in The Force Awakens; Han and Chewie are delivering them to some Prince who collects such things. They’d had a bigger crew, but it’s implied the creatures ate them as they rounded them up. They get loose on their ship and wreak havoc; we don’t actually see too much of them, except a big round mouth full of sharp teeth and plenty of long tentacles to pull you into said mouth. Okay, pretty scary. But so is…

The Wampa

So this guy nearly killed Luke Skywalker on the planet of Hoth. The creature whacked him across the face, killed his tauntaun, and dragged him back to his lair. Luke hung upside down, his feet encased in ice, until the beast was ready to eat him. Meanwhile, the Wampa was feasting on something else, presumably his tauntaun. Luckily for Luke, he woke up in time and used the Force to get his lightsaber and got away.

As scary as these creatures are, I think I have to go with…

Bor Gullet

Bor Gullet is a Mairan, a slimy, tentacled creature from Rogue One that can read minds, both thoughts and emotions, in its victims. Saw Gerrera uses the creature on Bodhi Rook to find out if he’s telling the truth. It’s repulsive. As it sidles toward Bodhi and wraps its tentacles around him, it just absolutely creeps me out. It may not kill you, but it can make you lose your mind. I think I’d rather die, lol.

Poor Bodhi. His brain is a little addled afterward, but at least he does eventually recover.

There’s plenty of monsters to choose from in Star Wars: the Sarlaac, the Krayt Dragon, the Zillo Beast, the Dianoga, the prequel creatures on Geonosis, the Leveler and the Drengir from the High Republic, and let’s not forget those terrible spider creatures from both Rebels and the Mandalorian. And others I can’t even think of right now.

So which creature do you think is the scariest? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

Star Wars Chat Pack: Is Anakin the Chosen One?

Welcome to Day 15 of my NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month) Challenge, during which I randomly pick a card from the Star Wars Chat Pack.

Today’s question is: Do you think Anakin Skywalker was the Chosen One who brought balance to the Force? Why or why not?

Oh, boy. If ever there was a contentious subject in Star Wars, this is one of them.

“You were the Chosen One!” I think we can all hear this conversation.

So the Jedi prophecy states, basically, that there will be one (“The Chosen One”) who brings “balance” to the Force. Qui Gon Jinn, who had studied the Jedi prophecies, believed that young Anakin Skywalker was the Chosen One, and that’s why he brought him back to Coruscant and to the Jedi Council.

The Council, especially Yoda, does not agree that Anakin should be trained, never mind that he’s the Chosen One. And later, Yoda expresses doubt about Anakin, believing that they could have “misread” the prophecy.

Once Anakin turns to the dark side and becomes Darth Vader, Obi-Wan gives up the notion that Anakin is the Chosen One. When Maul asks if the one he’s protecting on Tatooine is the Chosen One (Luke), Obi-Wan replies yes. He’s simply making the assumption here, believing Anakin’s turn disqualifies him from that honor.

But later, in Return of the Jedi, we see that when Vader/Anakin kills the Emperor, he’s destroyed the Dark and brought Light back to the Force, and therefore, in a roundabout way, he is indeed the Chosen One. If that’s how you want to look at it, and I do.

The problem is the word “balance.” There are those who believe that “bringing balance to the Force” means the dark and the light have equal influence. And while that’s true in a Cosmic Force kind of way (as in there is always dark as well as light), I think people interpret it to mean that there is evil in the galaxy in proportion to the good, and therefore there should be as many Sith as there are Jedi.

But some, like myself, don’t see it that way; and I don’t believe George Lucas himself saw it that way, either, at least when it comes to this prophecy. I think what Lucas intended was that “balance” means Anakin destroyed evil, and now the Force is back in balance. As if the darkness unbalanced it, tainted it. That makes sense to me. So in this sense, yes, Anakin is the Chosen One.

Now, there are those who feel that the sequel trilogy, in particular the fact that Palpatine somehow “returned,” negates Anakin’s sacrifice. I don’t believe this is true. For one thing, Anakin didn’t kill the Emperor to specifically “bring balance to the Force.” I don’t think that’s what was going through his mind. He killed him to save his son. Period. It was personal, not cosmic, although the results were cosmic in nature–he did, indeed, bring balance with his actions. Prophecies are funny that way. But he sacrificed himself for his son; obviously Luke would have died if Vader/Anakin hadn’t intervened. How can that be negated?

This is why the Emperor ended up going down that shaft.

“But Palpatine (evil) came back!” the critics will argue. “How can that be if Anakin brought balance?”

Yes, of course he did. For a time. For that specific time in history. But if you look at our own history (and the history of the SW galaxy, for that matter), evil always returns. Always. You fight it and defeat it, and enjoy your victory for a time, and then it rises again. And again, and again, and again. It is the way of the world, of the galaxy, of the universe. The fight never ends. Even if it wasn’t Palpatine, it would have been some damn evil entity. Snoke himself said, “Darkness rises, and the Light to meet it,” to Rey and Kylo in the throne room. Anakin did his part; now it’s their turn.

Finally, Palps is gone! But just wait. Someone else will come along to ruin the galaxy.

Anyway, all of this to say, yes, I believe Anakin was the Chosen One, and he brought (temporary) balance to the Force.

What do you think? The Chosen One prophecy is kind of a clunky concept in Star Wars, rife for misinterpretation, and personally, I think the saga could have done without it. But it’s there, and this is what I make of it, anyway. Let me know what you think in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

Star Wars Chat Pack: What Imperial boss would you work for?

Welcome to Day 14 of my NaBloPoMo Challenge, where I randomly pick a card from the Star Wars Chat Pack and write an answer.

Today’s question is: Bad news: You work for the Empire. Good news: You get to choose your boss. Who is it?

For me, I think it would be Thrawn. Most of the Imperial bosses I’m familiar with are terrifyingly evil (the Emperor, Darth Vader), arrogant and cold (Tarkin), too ambitious for their own good (Krennic), and just plain inept (fill in the blank). There’s not many I’d want to work for, lol.

Would sell his own mother for a promotion.

But Thrawn…he’s different. Still a bad guy doing bad things, but he’s actually smart, doesn’t waste his resources (ie, you or me), and though he’s well aware of his talents, he doesn’t throw it in your face. He’s intimidating and formidable, but he seems to inspire loyalty in his minions, probably because of the above reasons. He doesn’t seem to rule by fear (though I’d fear him if I angered him), but by competence and results. And he’s unfailingly polite, for the most part.

So if I had to work for the Empire, I’d pick Thrawn, but he’s still an Imperial, so I’d want to defect to the Rebel Alliance. But because he’s Thrawn, he’d figure it out way ahead of time and do away with me. For strategic reasons, of course; nothing personal. In which case I’m better off picking someone more inept, lol. Oh well.

Whichever Thrawn you prefer, he’s always imposing and calculating.

Between all the movies, shows, books, and comics, there are plenty of other Imperial bosses out there, but these are the ones that came to my mind. Who would you pick? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

Star Wars Chat Pack: What would you carve on the walls of the Path?

Welcome to Day 13 of my NaBloPoMo Challenge, where I randomly pick a card from the Star Wars Chat Pack.

Today’s question is: If you were a Jedi hiding in the secret rooms of the Hidden Path, what phrase would you carve into the wall?

This is an interesting one! I love the idea of the Hidden Path, a secret group that helps Jedi and other Force sensitives hide from the Empire. It was introduced in the Obi-Wan Kenobi series. In it, Obi-Wan reads the names and phrases carved into the walls; one phrase he recites out loud: “Only when the eyes are closed can we truly see.” A comment on finding the Force within ourselves.

So what would I carve if I were a Jedi passing through? Well, it sounds kind of boring and simple, but think I’d carve, “The Force will be with you always.” A reminder that, no matter what your situation, no matter how dark or hopeless things are, the light is still there. The Force will never abandon you. Unless, like Obi-Wan in the series, you abandon it. And even if you do, all you have to do is reach out for it, and it will be there. Keep faith, keep hope alive, protect the Light.

I hope we see more of the Hidden Path in any future projects that take place during this time. A mention or part of a live-action show; or a book or animated series specifically about the Path. I think it might have been mentioned in the game Jedi: Survivor. But I want more, lol.

So what would you carve on the walls of the Hidden Path? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

Star Wars Chat Pack: High Stakes,the Greater Good, and Sacrifice

Welcome to Day 12 of my NaBloPoMo Challenge, where I pick a random card from the Star Wars Chat Pack.

Today’s question is:

In The Rise of Skywalker, C-3PO’s mind is wiped to uncover a vital clue. Would you make the same choice if you were in a similar high stakes conflict? What type of greater good would compel you to make such a sacrifice?

First of all, let it be said that C-3PO’s memory is backed up on R2D2, so is there really a sacrifice here? Threepio pointed out that it wasn’t exactly reliable, and there was a chance it wouldn’t be able to be retrieved. I suppose Poe, Finn and Rey had to decide if they were willing to take that (probably small) chance.

And who really likes Threepio, anyway? Just kidding. He was never my favorite–okay, I thought he was extremely annoying in the Original trilogy. But in TROS, I found I really liked him. I think he was just written well, and was actually amusing rather than annoying.

And there’s the “He’s just a droid,” argument, but that brings up a whole other can of worms. In Star Wars, droids are nearly sentient–in fact, they are sentient, at least ones like Threepio, and that brings up the whole “droids are slaves” ethical questions, etc. etc. That’s another post. But the fact of the matter is, droid or not, Threepio is their friend, and they had to make the decision. They made it pretty quickly, though, and decided it was worth the risk.

“What are you doing there, Threepio?” I’ll admit, when he answers, “Taking a last look at my friends,” I got a little choked up.

Anyway, back to the question. I suppose you have to decide how to interpret it. Sacrifice someone’s memory, like with Threepio? Or sacrifice their life? I’m going to go with any kind of sacrifice, especially a life. A mind-wipe? That’s tough, but at least they’re alive. I guess for a droid, it’s akin to death.

In that particular scenario, I would have agreed to take the risk. But if I had to risk a human (or alien) friend? Like, their life, not just their memory? That’s thornier. If that friend was willing to do whatever was asked, insisted on it, I’d probably agree, even if I didn’t like it.

It depends on the situation and the stakes. Something like defeating the Emperor (again) so he doesn’t take over the galaxy (again) is pretty important. If it’s my child? No. Nope. My spouse? No, unless he did it to save our child. Myself? Probably, but I don’t think my family would like that, obviously. I’d want to know my child would be cared for (she has a disability). But I’d want her to live in a better galaxy. It’s such a hard question, without any specifics. Real world stuff? (Shrugs) I don’t know. Thinking about things like this ahead of time, as opposed to deciding in the moment, when you’re faced with a decision, could be very different.

That’s the best I can do with this question, lol. What about you? How would you answer this question? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

Star Wars Chat Pack: What is your favorite Darth Vader moment?

Welcome to Day 11 of my NaBloPoMo Challenge, in which I pick a random card from the Star Wars Chat Pack and answer the question.

Today’s question is: What is your favorite Darth Vader moment?

Huh, this is the perfect complement to yesterday’s question (what is your favorite Luke Skywalker moment).

So there are plenty of awesome (evil) Darth Vader moments, like:

Rogue One hallway scene. I think we had all forgotten just how terrifying Darth Vader was supposed to be. This scene in Rogue One cured that, lol. Vader inexorably chasing down the Rebels with the Death Star plans, slaughtering as he goes, is chilling and horrifying.

Basically anytime he shows up in Obi-Wan Kenobi. Vader is determined and merciless in this series as he hunts down Obi-Wan. The street scene, in particular, in which he tries to lure Obi-Wan out of hiding by killing innocent bystanders, is a shocking reminder of what lengths he’ll go to. Burning Obi-Wan, nearly choking Reva, and burying Obi-Wan with boulders add to his relentlessness. Oh, and pulling down that transport he believes is filled with the refugees and ripping it apart with the Force is impressive. Most impressive. He’s just a monster in this series, driven by rage and his need to destroy Kenobi.

There are some more poignant scenes, however, such as:

“I am not your failure, Obi-Wan.” This exchange between Vader and Obi-Wan in the Kenobi series is just so heartbreaking. Obi-Wan is in tears, telling Anakin he’s sorry for everything, and Vader says this, adding, “You didn’t kill Anakin Skywalker. I did.” At first, I thought maybe he was trying to make Obi-Wan feel better. Then I thought: nah. This is Vader we’re talking about. He’s boasting, confirmed by that evil little smile as he said it. Despite accusing earlier in the series, “I am what you made me,” he does a 180 here, taking responsibility. Basically, he’s a mess, a big wad of pain and suffering wrapped up in a dark cloak of evil. I found it unutterably sad.

But I think my favorite moment is this one, for obvious reasons:

Killing the Emperor. I suppose you could say this isn’t Vader anymore; it’s Anakin Skywalker saving his son. Still, Vader or Anakin, the man in the suit and mask decided he was done with Palpatine’s bullsh*t and wasn’t going to let him destroy his son. I can tell you that was the most electrifying (no pun intended) moment of the Original trilogy for me. I left the theater stunned and changed. I was 13 years old and I thought I’d seen the height of cinema, lol. Nothing’s come close since, except maybe The Lord of the Rings trilogy twenty years later. And I do think it’s held up over the years; I still get emotional watching it. I don’t think it needed the “Nooooo!” added onto it. Actions speak louder than words, George. But oh well. Still a good scene.

So that’s my favorite Darth Vader moment. What’s yours? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!