Andor S2 Thoughts, Part 3

Hello friends! Bear with me for just a bit longer as I continue to spill out my thoughts concerning Andor S2 with the fourth Arc. If you missed it and are curious, here’s Part 1 (Arcs 1 & 2) and Part 2 (Arc 3). As usual, there are big SPOILERS!!!

Arc 4: Make It Stop; Who Else Knows?; Jedha, Kyber, Erso

Arc 4 is a bit of a denouement after the climax of the Ghorman massacre: there’s some action and anxiety as we see Dedra confront Luthen, Luthen’s attempted suicide, and Kleya’s one-woman tour-de-force in infiltrating the hospital and finishing off Luthen. Clearly it broke her heart, but it’s what needed to be done. During this episode, we get flashbacks and find out how these two met: Luthen had once been a Sargeant in an Imperial regiment, and during an attack he has a kind of breakdown at the violence and cruelty he witnesses. He escapes to the ship, not wanting to be a part of it anymore, muttering “Make it stop!” It’s here he finds a young Kleya hiding in the ship, and together they escape the carnage. It’s apparent that Kleya’s family has been killed, probably her entire community in some Imperial crackdown and has nowhere else to go. We see that it’s Kleya, really, who has been the driving force behind their partnership, who seeks revenge. Luthen teaches her that they’re in it for the long haul, that she must hide and bank the flames of her rage and use it later when the time is right, that they’ll lose again and again before they win.

The confrontation we’ve been waiting for, and it delivered. “The Rebellion’s not here anymore. It’s flown away.”

Kleya sends out a distress call on a coded signal, and Cassian defies orders again to go save her. Meanwhile, Dedra has been arrested and confronted by Krennic, who fears that the classified Death Star information has been leaked through her (I forgot to mention poor Lonni, who told Luthen about Jedha, Kyber, Erso and the superweapon, only to be killed by him, a very Luthen thing to do). Luthen told Kleya, and now she’s the only one who knows about this superweapon.

Cassian, Melshi and K2 land on Coruscant, but Dedra’s replacement, Heert, is on the way to nab her. Luckily K2 comes along with his very own hallway scene, using Heert as a human shield and plowing through the Imperials to get them out.

Krennic questions Dedra. The finger-thing was a little weird, lol. Anyone else think Krennic was a bit kooky in this series?

Kleya does not expect a warm welcome from the Alliance on Yavin, and she’s right: no one believes her story about the superweapon or doesn’t want to believe. Mon is the only one who knew Luthen and Kleya and what they did to bring this Rebellion together, and the Alliance’s brusque dismissal is infuriating. But guess what? Tivik, Saw’s man on the Ring of Kafrene, keeps contacting them, claiming he has important information about Jedha, and he’ll only talk to Cassian. Cassian’s mission to Kafrene is finally green-lighted, and he’ll be on his way to Rogue One territory very soon.

I want to talk about Leo Partagaz for a moment here. Partagaz has failed to procure the arrest of Kleya, and so must pay the price, as all Imperials must do who fail their masters. When we first meet him in Season 1, he terrified me, but over the course of the series, he grew on me. I know I wasn’t supposed to like him. But damned if I didn’t. I think it’s because Partagaz wasn’t the greedy, arrogant, ladder-climbing Imperial we usually see, throwing cruelty around like it’s rice at a wedding. He had a job to do and ran a tight ship, but the ship was doomed to fail in the end. Watching him listen to Nemik’s manifesto as he waited for his arrest made me sad. His sense of failure was palpable, but I also wonder if he was getting an inkling of maybe being on the wrong side of history. I might be reaching. But his suicide made me sad, thinking about how this man dedicated his life to all the wrong things. If only he worked FOR the Rebellion instead of against it, what an asset he’d be! But I digress.

The quieter moments of this last episode are wonderful. Vel takes Kleya in after finding her wandering around in the rain, lost and unsure where she belongs anymore. “We have friends everywhere,” she says. Vel and Cassian toasting the people they’ve lost: Luthen, Cinta, the Aldhani crew, Ghorman, Ferrix, etc. The people whose blood paved the way for Rebellion. The scene with Bail and Cassian: “If I’m going to die fighting the Empire, I want to go down swinging,” Bail says, and my heart breaks knowing that he’ll be dead within days on Alderaan. “May the Force be with you,” he tells Cassian, as this is a man who had known the Jedi and had worked closely with them. He knows the Force is real, that it’s working even now.

The montage of Cassian walking toward his U-Wing (and his destiny) is great, showing us the state and fate of several characters along the way: Kleya wakes up to a sunrise Luthen knew he’d never see; Wilmon has breakfast with Deena, his love from Ghorman; Vel and Mon eat breakfast with the troops and everyday members of the Rebellion; Dedra is in the white and orange uniform of a prisoner, mirroring Cassian’s time on Narkina 5; Saw is on Jedha, looking out at the Imperial ship looming over Jedha; Cassian glances at the Force-healer and gives her a nod as she watches him walk toward the destiny she knows is waiting for him. Just chills.

And the last scene on Mina-Rau: finally we see B2 having fun with his droid friend and it’s a big sense of relief that this sweet little guy is okay, but it’s Bix with Cassian’s child in her arms that is the final image of the series. Sure, it’s a bit soapy, but I loved it. Knowing that she’ll never see Cassian again, I’m glad she’ll have a part of him with her, that he’ll go on in that way. And it’s a scene of hope (that word we love in Star Wars), hope for the next generation that this Rebellion is giving them. I don’t know if we’ll ever see Cassian’s child in any future projects, but I’m not against it. And if we don’t, if he or she just lives a good, peaceful life on Mina-Rau, that makes me happy, too. Because that’s what their father was fighting for and gave his life for.

So, what’s my final assessment of Andor? Well, this fan is very happy (and emotionally moved), incredibly impressed, and hopeful (there’s that word again! lol) that we get more Star Wars like this. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Jedi and Sith and lightsabers and Force stuff as much as the next person; it satisfies the child in me, that sense of wonder that we never truly shed, and can’t wait for more. But this show satisfies the adult Star Wars fan that I am, the one that’s been on this journey with this galaxy and these characters for over forty years. It makes sense to me that Star Wars evolves, and we as fans must evolve with it. I love all the flavors of Star Wars: sometimes I want bubble-gum, and sometimes I want caviar. Shows like The Acolyte is the bubble-gum (which I chew with relish); Andor is the caviar, perhaps an acquired taste at first, but truly exceptional in the end. This is Emmy-award-level stuff, and I hope it gets all the accolades it deserves.

I probably forgot to mention a lot of stuff, but this has gone on long enough, lol. What are your thoughts on Andor? Do you want to see more Star Wars like it? Or do you think it will be a one-of-a-kind kind of show? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

Andor S2 Thoughts, Part One

Hello friends! I’ve been meaning to post my thoughts about Andor Season 2 for a while now, but I’ve been delayed by a combination of general busyness and simply being overwhelmed with its greatness, lol. I’m going to split it into two parts, the first covering Arcs 1 & 2, and Part 2 covering Arcs 3 & 4.

I don’t even know where to begin, so I’ll just begin with: I loved it. I feel it’s a masterpiece in Star Wars storytelling (both seasons, but I’ll focus on the second season here). Like Season 1, it’s unlike any Star Wars we’ve seen before: gritty, yes, and focused on the ordinary people that struggle with oppression rather than on larger-than-life figures like Jedi and Sith. And yet, it’s still quintessentially Star Wars: it’s still a story of good versus evil, though there are definitely gray areas on both sides; life for most ordinary people is messy and doesn’t fit into neat black and white boxes. It’s still about the human heart, family, love and the connections we make with other people. It’s still about doing the right thing, even when it seems the odds are against you. It’s about that Star Wars hope we always talk about. And the Force is still there; it’s a subtle undercurrent that is only mentioned a couple of times, but it’s still the spiritual underpinning of this galaxy.

In lieu of only getting two seasons, the four-arc, twelve-episode format worked well. The writers relied on the audience to fill in any gaps; in other words, they didn’t insult our intelligence, lol. So even though I would have liked some more information or storylines, I didn’t necessarily need them. The writing was tight and stream-lined, no exposition, just boom, a year later per arc. And it worked, at least for me.

I’m assuming if you’re reading this, you’ve watched the show, so I won’t summarize each episode; I’ll just touch on the big aspects of each arc and what I thought and felt about them. If you haven’t watched it, just be aware–SPOILERS!!! And please, for the love of the Force, watch it if you can.

Arc 1: One Year Later; Sagrona Teema; Harvest

The first arc deals with Cassian stealing a new TIE model from the Imperials and getting side-tracked by a bunch of newbie rebels with no leader among them. They fight among themselves, showing us how far the Rebellion needs to go to unite and work together. Some people were annoyed with this storyline, and I understand why; these people are morons, lol. But they’re also people who need strong leadership, and this is what the Rebellion needs most at this point.

The Imperials, meanwhile, have discovered a kind of mineral on the planet Ghorman that they want for the Death Star, and make plans to get it no matter what. Orsin Krennic has a secret meeting, to which Partagaz and Dedra are invited. The point of the meeting is to find a way to get the mineral from Ghorman, destroying the planet if need be, but making it look like it was the Ghormans’ fault. Krennic pegs Dedra to make it so; she doesn’t want the assignment, as she wants to keep pursuing Axis, but Partagaz tells her the assignment is a “gift.” When Dedra gets back to Coruscant, it’s shown that she and Syril are a couple, though a very weird one, lol. They finally have dinner with Syril’s mother, and Dedra’s handling of the overbearing Eadie is priceless.

Arc 1 also shows us Bix, Brasso, Wilmon and B2 on Mina-Rau, a grain-producing planet, and they work there basically as undocumented immigrants. The people they work for like and appreciate them and try to protect them, but of course, the Empire comes calling. Not only is Bix dealing with her PTSD from her torture by Dr. Gorst, but there’s a slimy Imperial who attempts to sexually assault her. This is where we know we’re not in our usual Star Wars territory; some people took issue with this storyline, saying it was too much for Star Wars. Again, this is Star Wars for adults. If we’re going to watch Andor, we need to put our big-people pants on. Oppression absolutely includes this type of manipulation and attack, and to sugarcoat it now would do the show an injustice, I think. Brasso’s death gutted me, as it was so random and meaningless, but that was the point, too.

On the other end, Mon Mothma is preparing for her daughter’s wedding. It’s a lavish affair, a traditional Chandrilan wedding. Here poor Mon has to deal with her unbearable brat of a daughter, Luthen watching her under the guise of bringing a priceless gift for the couple from Sculden, and her friend Tay, who has been hiding her money for the Rebellion in nonprofits. Tay is not happy, having had some losses with his investments (and his wife left him, no less); and he lets Mon know he basically wants money to compensate for those losses or else he’ll spill the beans. To whom, I’m not really sure, but Luthen sees him as a threat and “takes care of it.” Mon pretends to not know what he means, but of course she does. Tay’s betrayal and Luthen’s promise to unalive him, as well as the emotional toll of her daughter’s hurtful words (and presumably some guilt in arranging the wedding in exchange for Sculden’s monetary help) takes its toll, and Mon has a drunken, dancing breakdown to the catchy tune of Niamos. Seriously, it’s a song that makes even me want to get up and dance, though it’s heartbreaking to see Mon accept the price of rebellion with a public unravelling. Even Perrin looks askance at her. Oh, and seeing Tay fly away with Cinta at the helm is truly chilling. That woman is scary, lol.

Arc 2: Ever Been To Ghorman?; I Have Friends Everywhere; What A Festive Evening

Arc 2 brings us a year down the road. After Cassian saves Bix and Wilmon (leaving our beloved B2 behind, though it can’t be helped), Cassian and Bix are living together in a safe house on Coruscant. I love seeing these two as a couple. During the first season we learn that they had been together when they were younger but broke up at some point, and Bix was with Tim, but I was hoping that she and Cassian be together again at some point. They just fit each other. But Bix is still struggling and has an addiction to some drug that helps her sleep. Luthen sends Cassian to Ghorman to see about the Ghorman Front that has formed there in the guise of a fashion designer named Varian Skye, but Cassian feels they’re not ready to take on the Empire and wants nothing to do with it.

Luthen sends Vel and Cinta instead. The two hadn’t seen each other since that quick glance at the wedding, and it’s clear that Cinta has changed. She refers to some “accident” that took her out of the game for a bit, and while recuperating, realized she missed Vel. They both told Luthen they wouldn’t take the assignment without the other. Their reunion was sweet but ended in tragedy with Cinta’s death during their mission to help the Ghorman Front, another senseless death, as it was a result of one of the Ghor disobeying their orders. I’m wondering if Cinta’s “accident” was her deliberately crashing the ship she and Tay were in at the end of the first arc and she got injured while killing Tay. We’ll never know, I guess, but it’s a leap that makes sense.

Syril, meanwhile, has been on Ghorman as an Imperial inventory manager, but was really put there to infiltrate the Ghorman Front. Syril has no idea what he’s really doing, though, as Dedra has not told him about the mineral and the Empire’s ultimate plans to destroy Ghorman. He thinks he’s just there to identify possible “outside agitators.” But he’s really there to get the Ghormans to act up so the Empire can then punish them.

Wilmon, we find, is with Saw Gererra, presumably sent to him by Luthen. He’s supposed to teach them how to calibrate some mechanical thing to steal rhydonium from the Imperials, a kind of fuel. Saw kills the guy Wilmon has taught, because Saw thinks he was an Imperial spy, trying to find out where they’ll strike next. Who knows if this is true, but Saw is paranoid and crazy at this point. So Wilmon has to accompany him to the target to get the fuel. Saw is able to breathe the poisonous stuff and is addicted to it; he calls it his “sister,” which is creepy considering he lost his sister Steela during the Clone Wars and has never been the same since. He convinces Wilmon to breathe the stuff, too, and I thought that was the end of Wilmon; he’d either die or be a permanent part of Saw’s nutty crew. But surprisingly, this didn’t happen; he shows up in the next arc alive and well.

Kleya discovers that their listening device on a piece of Sculden’s art collection will be discovered if it’s not removed. She enlists the help of Lonni during a party to remove it, and it adds an unbearable level of anxiety while Mon and Krennic trade barbs. We also see Bail Organa at the party for the first time, and that the role is being played by Benjamin Bratt rather than Jimmy Smits. It’s a bit disappointing that Smits’ schedule prevented him from reprising the role, but on the other hand, Bratt did an excellent job of Being Bail, particularly in later episodes.

The classic “blow something up and don’t look back while you walk away” scene.

After talking to Bix and becoming concerned about her health and well-being (in Luthen’s particular, selfish kind of way, lol), he sets up Cassian and Bix to get revenge on Dr. Gorst, who has come to Coruscant to enlarge the part his torture methods will be used in the Empire. Bix satisfyingly hooks him up to his own awful device, and then Cassian blows him up as they walk away. Good riddance, Nazi doctor! A fine way to end the arc.

Stay tuned for my thoughts on Arcs 3 and 4….

My Entertainment Weekend Update: What I’ve been up to

Hello friends, and happy weekend!

I’ve been away for awhile. My 86-year-old mom, who broke her hip some six weeks ago, passed away on Oct. 3rd. It was a fairly quick, but painful, decline, and it was the most difficult time of my life (and I’ve been through some stuff). I needed some time to process everything and grieve, and while that will continue for a long while yet, part of me knew that I wanted to get back to blogging soon. One of the things that kept me sane during Mom’s situation, besides my wonderful family, was continuing to read and watch all the stories that I love. It’s pure escapism, yes, but the point is I found small nuggets of joy during a very dark time.

And so, here’s a few of the things that saved me (and I really mean that) the past few months:

First off, let’s talk about Andor. I knew I was probably going to like this show when it was announced, and when I saw the first trailers, I knew I was going to love it. And it really has surpassed all of my expectations. I can’t say that I love it more than, say Obi-Wan Kenobi or The Mandalorian. I just love it differently. Or rather, for different reasons. Andor is the show that I knew Star Wars could be, if its approach changed. It’s “serious” Star Wars. It’s gritty, it’s mature (but not in a Rated-R kind of way; its maturity lies in suggestiveness), it’s political-thriller-noir. In a word, it’s sophisticated, without a lot of the camp or pulp that can define so many Star Wars projects (which I also love, by the way). It’s a slow burn that leads up to explosive violence, and then starts over again.

Andor is different–it doesn’t feel like Star Wars, somehow, but it’s also undeniably Star Wars, if that makes sense. And that might push a lot of people away, while others embrace it. From what I can tell, I’m not seeing any hate towards it, but if you love it, you really love it, or if not, it’s just not your cup of tea. And that’s fine. But I’m totally engrossed and invested, and can’t wait to see the next episode. Oh, and I love the music!

If I’m going to nitpick, it’s something that another blogger pointed out and that I hadn’t really thought about until she did: there aren’t many aliens in this show. There’s a plethora of humans, and on the Empire side I can understand that, since they’re so xenophobic. But everywhere else? Not many. There’s that tall furry guy on Farrix that Cassian talked to, and quite a few in the background on that resort planet he went to. And…that’s it? Now that it’s been pointed out, their absence is glaring to me. Huh. Maybe more will show up in later episodes.

The other show I’ve been watching is The Rings of Power. Season One just ended, and now I have to wait a long time for Season Two, lol. I’m one of the viewers that absolutely loved it. I know there are criticisms, and complaints that it mangles Tolkien’s work. I’m no Tolkien expert, so maybe that’s why I don’t give a fig and love the series. I’m a huge fan of Peter Jackson’s movies, and I’ve read The Lord of the Rings. I’ve tried to read The Silmarillion several times, and simply gave up after awhile. It’s more of a history book rather than a novel, and that just doesn’t work for me. Sorry. But it’s still on my shelf as a kind of reference.

Anyway, I think the writers did what they could to distill the Second Age into something watchable, and it worked for me. I loved all the story arcs, and didn’t feel there were too many. I loved the young versions of Galadriel and Elrond. The supporting characters were wonderful. I especially loved the friendship between Elrond and Durin. I could watch them all day, lol. Arondir was another favorite. I was totally heartbroken that a certain someone turned out to be Sauron, but in hindsight (and a rewatch) it’s not surprising. Some people thought the Harfoots were silly, but I found them charming. What can I say, I’m easily entertained, lol.

One thing that sticks in my craw is that no one can survive a pyroclastic flow from an erupted volcano. We’re talking thousands of degrees here, people. Fantasy show or not, that’s just not within the realm of believability, from a simple biological perspective. But that’s my only nitpick. Otherwise, it’s just a gorgeous and entertaining show.

I also watched all six episodes of Tales of the Jedi. This was a fun group of animated shorts that focused on key moments in the lives of two Jedi during the prequel era: Count Dooku and Ahsoka Tano. At first glance, they seem like very different people, but they have one thing in common: they both became disillusioned with the Jedi and left the Order. But the choices they made leading up to their departure, as well as afterward, show their differences. I loved both story arcs, but we already know quite a bit about Ahsoka; it was Count Dooku’s story that was really interesting. I never read Dooku: Jedi Lost (but I might do so now), but besides that, there really wasn’t that much out there that shed any light on his character and what, exactly, led up to him leaving the Jedi and turning to Sidious. I find I understand his character much better now, and maybe even feel a little bit sorry for him (but only a little). As for Ahsoka, her last episode was a kind of distilled version of the Ahsoka novel, and I’m okay with that. Oh, and Yaddle! It was so cool seeing her in action.

Onto books: I read and loved the Star Wars High Republic novel Path of Deceit, by Justina Ireland and Tessa Gratton. (I originally thought I was going to wait a bit on the High Republic books, but who am I kidding?) It’s a YA novel, the first book out of Phase 2, which takes place 150 years before the events of Phase 1. It takes place on Dalna, a familiar planet from Phase 1, and concerns mostly the two young protagonists: Kevmo Zink, a male Pantoran who is Padawan to Jedi Knight Zallah Macri; and Marda Ro, an Evereni female who is a member of the Force cult The Path of the Open Hand. The Path believes that the Force must be “free,” meaning it should not be manipulated in any way, including, of course, the way the Jedi use the Force. It’s considered a sacrilege. The Jedi are on Dalna investigating the theft of a Force artifact, which happens to have been stolen by the Path (they call it “liberating” the Force by keeping these artifacts from those who would use them).

Kevmo and Marda form an instant attraction, but Marda has a hard time reconciling his Force use, and Kevmo needs to be reminded about attachments from his master. I knew their feelings for each other would only lead to ruin, and I was right. No spoilers, but it’s not a happy ending. And the fact that Marda’s last name is Ro (the same as the main villain in Phase 1) doesn’t bode well, either. I might do a book review in another post later, because I really enjoyed this one and there’s so much to discuss.

On my Kindle, I finished Crash of Fate, by Zoraida Cordova (who happens to be the author of the next HR novel, Convergence, out on November 22nd). This is a YA novel that takes place during the sequel era, at Black Spire Outpost on Batuu. I really enjoyed Black Spire by Delilah Dawson, an adult novel that takes place on Batuu as well, so I thought I’d revisit it. The book was fine–two young people who grew up on Batuu together are reunited years later and fall in love, all the while having adventures together at the Outpost. We see familiar faces and places of the planet, and it’s fun but ultimately rather forgettable. They do eventually run into some Resistance members that have taken up residence there from the book Black Spire, but they’re just making a delivery and it’s a very brief moment. I kind of wish the Resistance played a bigger part in the story, or maybe even seen Vi Moradi. Oh well. At the end of the book it’s implied that the two young people may join the Resistance, but that’s it.

In between Star Wars books I’ve been reading The Broken Earth series by J.K. Nemisin. I’m on the second book of the trilogy, The Obelisk Gate. This series is so absorbing; it’s unlike anything I’ve read before. I can’t even begin to explain it, and this post has gone on long enough, lol, so I’ll just say if you like apocalyptic fantasy, or African-inspired fantasy like the stories of Nnedi Okorafor, you’ll want to read this.

Anyway, that’s what’s been keeping me afloat during this sad time of my life. I thought I wouldn’t be able to focus on anything because of my grief, but I just turned to these things even more fiercely. Mom would have wanted it that way.

Burning Sylvie Questions

It’s no secret I LOVED the Loki series, and I spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about it, lol. Some of the things that I think about concerns Sylvie, and while we all still have questions about her and her life, I thought I’d articulate mine here:

Did Sylvie have Thor for a brother? We only have a little bit of information about Sylvie’s childhood, and she herself says she doesn’t remember a lot. One thing she doesn’t mention is Thor for a brother. In fact, I get the feeling she was an only child. Adopted, yes, and Odin and Frigga told her she was adopted (unlike Loki). But she never talks about siblings, which is something I think she’d remember. Without a brother like Thor to compete with (as Loki did continuously), her childhood was probably idyllic. Probably why she’s so furious it was taken away from her, understandably.
What was Sylvie’s nexus event? This is an obvious question that we have no answer for, but we can speculate. She must have done something to cause the TVA to come after her. I’ve seen fans consider the idea that Sylvie (probably as a result of her happy childhood; see above) was on track to be a good Loki–in other words, a Loki who doesn’t cause trouble, who isn’t a villain that makes others become their best selves. And the Sacred Timeline demanded that Loki do this, that he/she be the villain. I feel like there’s more to it than that, though. Sylvie asks Renslayer what her nexus event was, and Renslayer replies, “I don’t remember.” But we know darn well she remembers, she’s just not saying. Ironically, if Sylvie was going to be a good Loki, it’s that very thing that causes the TVA to rip her from her childhood and create the vengeful, perhaps even selfish, being that she is. They created a monster that tore them down, out of something good.
Does Sylvie really love Loki? Clearly, the mission has always been more important to Sylvie than anything or anyone else. She’s focused like a laser on her vengeance. That doesn’t mean she doesn’t have feelings for Loki (grudgingly). But it seemed to me at first that Loki had more feelings for her than she had for him, and it didn’t bode well. I just knew his heart was going to get broken, lol. When Loki gets pruned right in front of her, there’s almost no emotion on her face. And he was just about to bear his soul to her, and she had no idea what he was talking about, lol. Later, when she’s talking to Renslayer, Renslayer says “What if I told you we could get Loki back?” Sylvie says she doesn’t believe her, but even so, how will that help her find who’s behind the TVA? Or when she’s in the car with Mobius, and he says maybe Loki is still alive, she replies “It doesn’t matter.” She’s so focused on the mission, I just don’t see any room for love. Yeah, she kisses him, but was it real or just to distract him while she grabbed the tempad to throw him back to the TVA? Believe me, my sentimental heart wants to believe that she does love him–in her own way, I guess. But Loki wanted nothing more than for her to be okay, and she–well, she threw him away. It all makes me want to get on board with the Loki/Mobius shippers, lol. On the other hand, when Renslayer asks her if she has any good memories, Sylvie replies “Just one, really.” And we’re to assume it was the moment she and Loki held hands and looked into each other’s eyes on Lamentis, seconds away from destruction and death. So my verdict is that she cares for him, but isn’t willing to go any farther than that, at least until the mission was finished–when she killed He Who Remains. But after? We’ll have to see in Season Two!

Those are my main questions about Sylvie, and I really hope we get more answers and insight in Season Two. Hurry up, Disney+!

My Ranking of the New Upcoming Star Wars Shows

With the release of the cast of the Obi-Wan Kenobi show, and a new trailer for The Bad Batch, it’s ratcheting up my excitement for the new shows. First, I want to briefly address these recent announcements, and then I’ll rank all the new upcoming shows based on my preferences and why.

First, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Starwars.com released the cast list and stated production will begin in April. From what we understand, it will release sometime in 2022. I’m going to go ahead and admit I don’t know half the actors in the cast list. Ewan and Hayden are obvious, and Joel Edgerton and Bonnie Piesse are returning as Owen and Beru from Revenge of the Sith. The only other person I know is Indira Varma from Game of Thrones. But that’s all right–I prefer unknowns (to me) in Star Wars, as they don’t bring along any of their other roles. They’re blank slates and can truly become the character for me.

As far as the trailer for The Bad Batch, it’s getting me a bit more excited for the show. The characters themselves aren’t as interesting to me as the setting of the show itself–post Order 66 as the Empire takes power. I love the Clones and want to see what happens to them after that fateful order, and whether or not the Bad Batch have a chip in their brains as well (I’m guessing no? Maybe?) Fennic Shand is an interesting addition, and was that Saw Gerrera I saw? As far as that kid goes–hmm. Not sure what that’s all about, but we’ll see. Looking forward to this show’s premier on May 4th.

So, without further ado, here’s my personal rankings based on my excitement and interest of the new shows coming up:

10. Droids. I don’t necessarily hate the kid’s shows, but no thanks.

9. Visions. I’m not sure what this is all about, but it might be interesting.

8. Lando. Look, I love Lando, but for a whole freaking show? I’m not sure that will work. But of course I’ll watch.

7. Boba Fett. So I loved Boba in The Mandalorian. Does that mean I want a whole show of him? Not really. But I’ll tune in to see what it’s all about.

6. Rogue Squadron movie. Not a show, of course, but the next movie coming out in 2023. I’m not a huge fan of pilot stories, but it’s a Star Wars movie. I’m going to go see it.

5. Rangers of the New Republic. Again, pilots. But will probably cross-over with Mando, so I’m on board.

4. The Bad Batch. As explained above, I want more Clones. This is what we get, so I’ll take it. I’ll probably love it, lol.

3. The Acolyte. Super curious about this one. I think it takes place about 50 years prior to The Phantom Menace, at the end of the High Republic. I’m thinking darksiders, Sith stuff, maybe Plagueis or Palpatine. Finally, some Force-users! Dark side, in all likelihood, but I’ll take it.

2. Ahsoka. Duh. I can’t wait to see Ahsoka in live action again, looking for Thrawn, maybe find Ezra, maybe with the help of Sabine. This one’s gonna be good!

#1. Obi-Wan Kenobi. This is, of course, my number one, because: Obi-Wan. As you might have figured out if you read this blog, Obi-Wan is my favorite character. For a long time, fans have wondered–just what did Obi-Wan do to fill his time on Tatooine while watching over Luke? And since most of us would happily watch Obi-Wan drink tea in the desert for 6 hours (am I the only one?) this will be a real treat. With Hayden coming back as Darth Vader, the excitement level is off the charts, at least for me. I can’t wait to see how it’s all gonna play out.

I didn’t include The Mandalorian Season 3 simply because it’s not a “new” show, but obviously looking forward to it returning, sometime in 2022. I’m really gonna miss Baby, though.

What are your thoughts on these shows? Which ones are you looking forward to? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

The Mandalorian: Chapter 13–The Jedi

So we’ve finally seen Ahsoka make her live-action debut, and I have to say it was pretty amazing!

Rosario Dawson did an excellent job with the character (though if I’m being nitpicky, something about her montrals and lekku just weren’t right…but I’m not gonna be that person). I’m glad the show began with her right away, rather than a slow build-up where we’re left saying, where’s Ahsoka already????

The Mandalorian: Season 2/ Episode 5 "Chapter 13: The Jedi" – Recap/ Review (with Spoilers) — Our first glimpse of the incomparable Ahsoka.

I loved the look of her twin white lightsabers against the fog and gloom of the planet, and honestly, it was just fantastic seeing lightsabers at all. I love The Mandalorian for being its own thing, but NOW it really feels like Star Wars.

There’s so many things to unpack here, I won’t do a plot summary, just a running commentary on what I thought was interesting, exciting, and just plain cool in this episode.

The planet Corvus is a lot drearier and gloomier than I thought it would be, considering Bo-Katan named it as a “forest planet.” But clearly the environment has been ruined by the plundering the evil Magistrate Morgan Elsbeth (such a normal, non-Star Warsy name!) has wreaked on the planet. And the natives are suffering; it seems like a natural place for Ahsoka to be, to fight injustice and cruelty.

Baby Yoda's name revealed & more - The Mandalorian Chapter 13 review — Where is Grand Admiral Thrawn?

But the real reason she’s there is that she seeks information from Elsbeth: the location of her “master”, who I assumed was Moff Gideon. When it was revealed at the end that she was looking for Grand Admiral Thrawn, I merely said, “Hmmm, interesting,” to my husband (a casual Star Wars fan, though a big fan of the Mandalorian–he had no idea who Thrawn was, but I try not to lecture him with Star Wars 101 unless he asks); while the hard-core fan in me was doing jumping jacks of joy. Thrawn! So she is still looking for Ezra. I assumed Sabine was off following another lead, but maybe we’ll see her soon, too.

Baby Yoda's Real Name and Backstory Revealed in The Mandalorian Chapter 13 — “I hope it’s about him.”

Anyway, I thought the best part of the show were the Ahsoka and Child scenes. I’ve read in other places that Ahsoka knew Grogu (our Baby’s name!) at the Temple, but I don’t think so. They were there at the same time, but he was a youngling, an infant, really, and she wouldn’t have crossed paths with him in all probability. And she had to get his story from Grogu himself. I think he’s a delightful surprise to her, which you can see on her face, along with the fond remembering of Yoda. She’s gentle and respectful of him, but he’s also an enigma.

I’m not surprised she refused to train him. Clearly, Grogu is deeply attached to Din, and is full of fear. Fear of the others who seek him, but also fear of losing Din, the closest thing to a father he’s ever had. I think when he refused to use the Force during Ahsoka’s test, it wasn’t because he was being stubborn, as Din claimed. I think he didn’t want to show his powers, knowing it might mean he’d have to stay with Ahsoka. He didn’t want to leave Din. I don’t think he ever will.

And Ahsoka sensed this, and knew that it was too late to train him, remembering what happened to Anakin. She wasn’t even going to go there. Her recommendation to bring him to Tython caused all kinds of speculation on what Jedi may answer Grogu’s call. Luke? Ezra? Someone we don’t even know? But there’s another possibility: a dark Force user. A possibility I fervently hope doesn’t come to pass.

Five Thoughts on The Mandalorian's “Chapter 13: The Jedi” – Multiversity Comics — Battle of the Warrior Women

The battles between Ahsoka and Elsbeth, and Din and Lang (Michael Biehn, who I didn’t immediately recognize), were very cool. Ahsoka and Din win the day, and the town is free once again.

I found it interesting that we don’t know if Ahsoka actually killed Elsbeth, or got the information she wanted. I guess we have to wait to find that out.

Oh, and one thing I saw that made me ridiculously happy was a brief glimpse of Ahsoka’s owl, Morai. It almost blended in with the forest, but it was sitting up on a high branch while Din and Baby were looking for Ahsoka. Anyone else see it?

So off to Tython, but I have a feeling the next episode will be a side-track sort of show, maybe a run-in with some baddies, with the last two shows being a two-parter finale on Tython. Just my guess.

Loving this show more and more, and can’t wait to see what’s in store!

The Mandalorian: Chapter 12–The Siege

Mandalorian Spoilers Ahead!!!!!

So Din makes a stop at Nevarro for some much-needed ship repair, and reunites with Cara Dune and Greef Karga. They’re delighted to see him–and the Child, of course–but, like everyone else on this show, they need his help for something.

Cara and Greef have turned the town around, and would like to mop up any remaining Imperial presence. There’s a bunker or headquarters in the lava canyons outside of town, and they’d like his help in blowing it up.

So Din reluctantly leaves the Child in a classroom (where the old cantina used to be) and sets off with Cara and Greef, along with the blue Mythrol we saw in Chapter One. He’s working off a debt to Greef, and naturally would rather be elsewhere.

Turns out, the bunker isn’t as abandoned as they thought it was, and they have to take out some stormtroopers. They manage to set the reactor to blow, but on the way out they make a weird discovery–the place is actually a lab and–ew, are those Snokes???

We see a hologram of Dr. Pershing (he of the big round glasses) and find out what they want with the Child: his blood, which is “high in M-count” (midi-chlorians), to infuse into the test subjects.

So, let’s just stop right here for a moment. If you’re more than a casual Star Wars fan (and if you’re actually reading this, that’s probably the case), alarm bells should be ringing right about now. To me, it seems that the Imperials are working on the “dead” Emperor’s contingency plan: creating a viable, Force-sensitive body for his evil marbles to inhabit. (I just thought of something: where, exactly, ARE his marbles? Question for another day). I’ve heard other theories, but this just seems the simplest and most obvious answer as to what’s going on. But I could be completely wrong.

Anyway, the clock is ticking to detonation and Din, having learned that Moff Gideon is still alive and a threat to the Child, takes off on his jetpack to get the kid, while the others make a run for it in some old ship they find (yeah, “some old ship.” I’m not good with ships and that sort of thing. I think it was called a marauder).

A wild chase through the lava canyons ensues, as they’re pursued by troopers on speederbikes and some TIES. They make it back to the town with the help of Din and the new-and-improved Razor Crest. He takes off from there to head to Corvus to find Ahsoka (yay!).

Back on Nevarro, Greef evades the questions of the New Republic X-wing pilot, Captain Carson Teva, who we saw in Chapter 10; said pilot then has a little talk with Cara Dune. He tells her that the New Republic needs soldiers like her, but she turns down the invitation. He notices on his data pad that she’s from Alderaan, and asks what I consider to be a silly question:

“Did you lose anyone?”

Um, the whole planet was destroyed. What do you think? Anyway, she replies she lost everyone. He leaves her a medal of some sort (New Republic or Rebellion), perhaps as a reminder or a permanent invitation.

And, it turns out that the Mimbanese who fixed the Razor Crest is an informant for Moff Gideon and planted a tracker on board (I thought that little look he gave before fixing the ship was suspicious), so Din will be followed to Corvus. Do I see a confrontation on the horizon between Ahsoka and Gideon? We’ll see. The last shot is of Gideon on board his ship looking over a room full of black armor, which may possibly be Death Troopers. Or Shadow troopers, or Dark Troopers, or who knows what. Either way, it doesn’t look good for our heroes.

Shout-out to the Child for another consistently adorable performance. Despite the whole egg controversy (which I thought eye-rollingly silly), I believe this sweet baby can do no wrong. Even when he vomits blue cookies.

The Mandalorian May Explain an Unsolved Mystery from Rise of Skywalker | Vanity Fair — Are those macarons?

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Rebel Love

After watching The Clone Wars (and absolutely loving it), I moved on to Rebels. I’d heard good things about it, but I wasn’t sure. How can anything top Clone Wars? I’ll probably just be disappointed…but I knew Ahsoka made an appearance, along with Captain Rex. Darth Vader, Maul, even Obi-Wan. How could I stay away?

So I gave it a try. The first few episodes, I thought, hmm, I don’t know. It’s not really catching me. But that’s how I felt with Clone Wars at first. So I kept watching. And I’m so glad I did. As Season One drew to a close, I knew it had me.

Season Two was when things really picked up, and it only got better from there. I just finished Season Four, and I got a little emotional that it was over, at how wonderful it was, and the questions I still had.

I thought I’d highlight a few favorite moments from the show:

❤️❤️❤️❤️ — Ahsoka’s and Rex’s reunion (cue lump in throat).

I thought the Grand Inquisitor was pretty cool.

Yes yes yes yes yes I love my intelligent, calm, collected blue boyfriend 💙 — I was never very interested in Thrawn, but now I am. On to the Thrawn books!

redteamdoyle: “kallus + fucked up ”(GIF set) — I kind of liked Agent Kallus even before he became a Rebel.

Star Wars Rebels - Kanan Jarrus Also Wookiepedia is a great star wars informational site, use it all the time — Every single scene with Kanan Jarrus. Every. Single. Scene.

Star Wars: New Look at Obi-Wan Kenobi vs. Darth Maul Rebels Rematch — This confrontation also gave me goosebumps. Obi-wan is simply amazing.

I’m in love with the lothwolves. (I like the lothcats, too).

Jacen Syndulla: Answers to All the Big Questions After the bombshell finale revelation that Kanan and Hera actually had a son, I found myself pouring through all the Kanera moments in the rest of the... — I didn’t see this coming at all, but it delighted me.

Ezra Bridger is lucky to have these two women who care about him, that’s all I can say. Except maybe “sequel series, please.”

There are so many more fantastic moments in this show, I could go on and on, but these were at the top of my list. Rebels truly exceeded my expectations, and if you haven’t checked it out yet, you’re really missing out on some great Star Wars moments.

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