Review of Star Wars: Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker

I will keep this review spoiler-free for now, but will expand on it once a suitable amount of time has passed. 

-Nate 

Pros
I liked a lot of things about this movie.

• It established really strong connections back to the Original Trilogy, stronger than any of those from the previous two films. In this way, it doesn't seem like it was just tacked on in order to be able to sell more movie tickets.
  
• There were satisfying story arcs for each of the main new characters—Poe, Finn and Rey—something that cannot be said about The Lost Jedi.
  
• I was also pleased by the sense of closure that was provided for characters from the Original Trilogy.
  
• It moves along at a steady clip, and never becomes boring.
• Lando!

Cons
I didn't like a few details.

• A couple of scenes had tremendous scope, to the extent that I think it could have been reduced without diminishing their overall effect.
  
• There's a character connection established that leaves a big question unanswered; given that this is the final movie in the Skywalker saga, I wonder if we'll ever learn that answer.
  
• At times I think the movie could have slowed down some and taken its time to develop some of the scenes more.

Questions
There are some big looming questions, too.

• There's the character question connection that I mentioned above.
• Outside of the current series, The Mandalorian, and the other two that have been announced—featuring Obi-Wan Kenobi and Cassian Andor—I wonder what the feature holds for the Star Wars franchise.

All in all, I was quite satisfied with this movie; I'll say more after another viewing or two, and go into more detail once it seems safe to mention spoilers.

Reviews of The Mandalorian Season 1

This post will be a series of reviews, episode by episode, of this show's first season. For now I will keep it spoiler-free.

Chapter 1

I loved a lot of things about this episode.

• The reliance on practical effects makes this feel a lot like the Original Trilogy.
• In the same way, there's a satisfying blend of recognizable species, technology and other elements from the films—Quarren, Kubaz, the reception droid, stormtroopers, Nikto—and new ones.
• The same goes for elements added in the books and comics, including beskar steel and other elements of Mandalorian culture.
• The attachment on the end of the rifle is a nice nod to the old Star Wars Holiday Special.
• Carl Weathers' appearance on the show also adds to that back-in-the-80s feeling.
• Others have already written about it, but I also really like the Ughnaut character Kuill, voiced by Nick Nolte.
• IG-11 gives us another interesting, and different, droid personality.
• There's a good mix of humor, action and story development.
• The music is good, too; I'm wondering if Disney will release the soundtrack.

I also had some questions and/or concerns.

• There are hints about the Mandalorian's background, including a certain f-word that is used to describe him.
• I want to know more about this Dr. Pershing.
• I feel sad for the caged Kowakian lizard-monkey.
• I also want to know more about the other Mandalorian character who has lines in this episode.
• Flashback scenes are also tantalizing, and I assume that we'll learn more about the story at which they hint.
• Some of the characters we've seen in the trailer are not in this first episode, hinting at developments in future episodes.
• The big reveal at the end of this episode raises many questions, of course, and only time will tell when, if or how they will be answered.

All in all, I'm quite satisfied with this episode. I loved the Ewok TV movies when I was a kid, and there's even a special place in my heart for the Holiday Special. Now I'm very pleased to see Star Wars make the transition to a live-action TV series.

I have spoken.

Chapter 2

I loved a lot of things about this episode.

• There is a lot of character development, both for the bounty hunter and his target.
• There's plenty of action, too—especially the battle that leads up to another important reveal.
• I'm happy to see the Ughnaut Kuiil in this episode, too.
• I also enjoyed a deep delve into Jawa culture, something that has been developed in expanded universe books but not in canon material.
• This episode gets down and dirty.
• I always enjoy a good montage, but I feel that Carl Weathers should have been a part of it.

I also had some questions and/or concerns.

• Why do these Jawas have red eyes?
• I still want to know what world this is, and how the Jawas have spread from planet to planet.
• The sometimes slapstick tone in my mind contrasted with the amount of violence.
• As an RPG player, the potency of the Mandalorian's rifle raises difficult questions about game balance.

Shuka! Shuka! (Transliterated from the Jawa)

Chapter 3

I loved a lot of things about this episode.

• I'm glad that this episode moved back to focusing on the main plot.
• While I don't love “grim and gritty” Star Wars, I did appreciate that, for much of this episode, I wasn't sure what the Mandalorian would do with his quarry.
• That's a whole lot of beskar.
• I enjoyed the deeper glimpse into Mandalorian culture, including conflict between members of that society.
• Also, Echuta!
• Similarly, it is fun to see familiar elements—such as the greeting droid—used in new ways.
• We see all of Mando's weapons put to work.
• At the same time, stormtroopers are being... well... stormtroopers.
• There's a moment akin to an Amber Alert that carries a lot of tension.
• The showdown is awesome.

I also had some questions and/or concerns.

• I still want to know on what world the Mandalorian meets Greef Karga and The Client.
• The little being in a spacesuit seemed to be making sounds like an Arakyd Viper probe droid.
• I find myself wanting to see the faces of all the Mandalorian characters.
• And I want to know more about the Twi'lek Healing Baths.
• What does it mean to “Extract the rest of the material?”
• I'm not sure that I want to see RPG stats for “whistling birds.”
• Well, now: Where is this series headed next?

This is the way.

Chapter 4

I loved a lot of things about this episode.

• This one feels like it sets the tone for a lot of the forthcoming episodes, and has kind of an old A-Team vibe to it.
• I really like this new character, Cara Dune, and hope that we see more of her in the future.
• I love a good training montage.

I also had some questions and/or concerns.

• I still have concerns about how some of the technology—namely the disintegration rifle and the tracking fobs—would be used in the RPG.
• Was I the only person who had flashbacks to Army of Darkness during the training scene?
• I can't help but wish that, in a future episode, we'll see the Mandalorian call all of his former allies together to fight some greater enemy.

Till our paths cross again.

Chapter 5

I liked a lot of things about this episode.

• I like the in media res opening.
• I also enjoyed revisiting some familiar territory, in the form of Mos Eisley Spaceport.

I also had some questions and/or concerns.

• We learn that this is where the stormtrooper helmets are posted on spears; I wonder how they got there.
• What is this sign language that the Mandalorian uses with the Tusken Raiders?
• Is that a Rebel Alliance/New Republic soldier being dragged by the dewback?
• I have mixed feelings about the pit droids in this episode.

Chapter 6

I liked a lot of things about this episode.

• I like the interesting cast of what in game terms could be called NPCs, especially the ones who accompanied Mando on the mission.
• There's plenty of impressive action, too.
• The end of the mission brings up an intriguing dilemma for Mando, and he handles the dilemma in a fun way.
• There are fun appearances by some familiar faces, too, along with some that weren't so familiar.

I also had some questions and/or concerns.

• I question why a New Republic prison ship would carry so many criminals with only one non-droid crew member.
• I am hoping that this series will continue for some time; it's building an interesting cast of characters, and I'd like to see them pop up again in the future.

Chapter 7

I liked a lot of things about this episode.

• It definitely advances the overall storyline of the series, and moves us toward what should be an important confrontation in Chapter 8.
• I really enjoyed seeing Mando reach out to some of his prior associates in order to prepare for this business.

I also had some questions and/or concerns.

• Given the cliffhanger nature of this episode's finish, there are many questions that I'm looking for Chapter 8 to answer.

Chapter 8

I liked a lot of things about this episode.

• This episode has really satisfying development for IG-11.
• Moff Gideon makes for a highly intriguing character, and I wonder if we'll learn more about his background next season.
• The same goes for Cara Dune, Greef Carga and Mando himself, given what Gideon mentions about them.
• E-WEB!
• The Armorer has a nice bit in this episode, too.
• There's an interesting variation on the familiar R2 unit.
• The fight at the end of the episode is a really fun one, as is the revelation that comes afterward.

I also had some questions and/or concerns.

• While the banter between the scout troopers made for a nice break from the serious action in the rest of the episode, I worry that too much of this could affect the overall tone of the series.
• I question why Gideon would give them so much time to make a decision, trapped as they were.
• The aforementioned revelation at the end of the episode raises some big questions, but I won't go into details so as not to spoil anything.

Come on, baby, do the magic hand thing!

Star Wars: Black Spire Novel Review

I've been intrigued recently about the new Galaxy's Edge portion of Disney World that's opening up, enough so that I picked up this novel that ties into it. I wasn't expecting much, given that I haven't much cared for the "adult" Star Wars novels that have been published since Disney bought Lucasfilm.

This time I was pleasantly surprised, though.

Black Spire does a good job of telling how two Resistance operatives go to a new world and and work to set up a new base of operations. While the story was a little slow in starting, in my opinion, it introduces interesting characters and really sets the scene for that location. Since these are not necessarily ones who'll be in the next movie, there is real risk involved for them. That heightens the action and drama, especially since many of them are likable. The action does build, too, to an exciting conclusion--and one that might connect to events around The Rise of Skywalker. (Time will tell about that.)

There is some violence in this novel of the gritty type, which I don't love, but it's not enough to detract from the overall story.

All in all, I strongly recommend this novel to anyone who's interested in this time period.

-Nate

Breaking in to the Expanded Universe

Recently my friend Molly asked an interesting question: “If I want to explore the Star Wars expanded universe, where do I start?” That started me thinking, and here's my response. 

-Nate 

Breaking in to the Expanded Universe

1. Start with the young adult books.

In my opinion, the most consistently good books have been the ones intended for young adults. I especially enjoyed Lost Stars, but also liked Queen's Shadow, Ahsoka, and Rebel Rising. Those books provide more depth for some of the great heroines in the Galaxy Far, Far Away, and bridge gaps between Episodes I and II, the Clone Wars and Rebels cartoons, and the flashbacks and main story of Rogue One. Lost Stars tells a story about friends who become caught up in the Galactic Civil War, against the backdrop of events from all three Original Trilogy movies and beyond.

2. Speaking of the cartoons, they're great.

Clone Wars may have had some clunker episodes, and Rebels was a little slow in building momentum, but the animated series have provided some of the greatest moments in Star Wars outside of the movies themselves. I will admit that I haven't watched Resistance, and am waiting to see what I think of Rise of Skywalker before I do so.

3. The adult novels have been, in my opinion, hit-or-miss.

I've enjoyed some of them, especially Catalyst, which is a prequel to Rogue One. I also liked the three Aftermath novels, which tell what happened right after the Battle of Endor. The same goes for A New Dawn, which tells more about how Kanan Jarrus and Hera Syndulla first met. Others I've found to be too dark in tone, such as Lords of the Sith and even Heir to the Jedi.

4. If you're okay with reading old, non-canon books, there are some great ones.

The Han Solo trilogy by Brian Daley is perhaps the best, in my opinion. A.C. Crispin's Han Solo trilogy is good, too, if a little too grandiose at times. There's also a special place in my heart for the Lando Calrissian trilogy, which is full of strangeness but I loved it—and it explains some of the references made in Solo: A Star Wars Story. Most of the other stuff, even if I liked some of it, has been swept away by Disney, and just doesn't seem worth it to me.

Review of Solo: A Star Wars Story

It's been a while since I posted on this blog. For a few months I intended to have it focus on the time period after Return of the Jedi and leading up to The Force Awakens, but my dislike of The Last Jedi brought that to a halt. Happily, I really enjoyed Solo: A Star Wars Story, and am feeling some fresh energy and new direction.

-Nate

Review of Solo: A Star Wars Story

I really enjoyed watching this film. It was by no means perfect, but it did a good job of telling a scoundrel-oriented story in the Star Wars universe, one that entertained throughout and that introduced some intriguing new elements for the galaxy. Presented below are some of what I see as the pros and cons.

Pros

Here's what I liked.

• There were some great action set pieces, including a number of chase scenes, the train robbery that's been featured in some of the trailers, and a number of cool battle.
• The film does a good job of showing some moments that have been hinted at in other films, such as Han meeting Chewie, the Kessel run, and when Han and Chewie acquire the Millenium Falcon.
• The acting is solid; I grew to like Alden Ehrenreich as Han Solo, and loved Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian. Other actors were at least good, but usually better than just good.
• There were some nods to old Expanded Universe material, including references to the StarCave of ThonBoka, the Osseon System and the Sharu.

Cons

Here's what I didn't like so much.

• Because the film doesn't deal directly with the struggle between the Rebel Alliance and the Galactic Empire, the story doesn't have that same kind of gravitas. I think of moments like the end of Rogue One, when truly heroic actions are being taken and moments important to the future of the galaxy are happening; that's not the case in this story.
• That's about it, really; I can't find fault with much else.

Questions

Here are some questions that remain for me.

• The appearance of SPOILER toward the end of the film raises big questions about Crimson Dawn and how they tie into the growing conflict throughout the galaxy; I hope we have a chance to explore that more.
• In the same way, the film shows a moment in the development of the fledgling Rebel Alliance; I'd like to hear more about that story, too.

Review of The Lost Jedi

*SPOILER*SPOILER*SPOILER*SPOILER*SPOILER*SPOILER*SPOILER*SPOILER*

This review contains spoilers for The Last Jedi. You are warned.

-Nate

Review of The Lost Jedi

This movie had lots of positive elements. Even so, there are other aspects of it that were unsettling or even disappointing. Presented below are some of what I see as the pros and cons.

Pros

Here's what I liked.

• There was plenty of action. Even though the film ran longer than any previous Star Wars movie, it didn't seem to lag at all.
• The script provided plenty of humor, too. Some of it seemed a little goofy, but for the most part it made a nice contrast to the drama.
• As others have mentioned, the story also provides a number of genuine surprises that helped keep it entertaining.
• I am intrigued by the scene that takes place on Canto Bight at the end of the film. That provides some potential for interesting development.
• It was cool to see Luke and Leia interacting again.

Cons

Here's what I didn't like.

• Poe stages a mutiny that ultimately fails, but it doesn't matter, because someone else's actions render his efforts unimportant.
• Finn and Rose go on a mission to Canto Bight that ultimately fails, but it doesn't matter. Once again, some else takes care of it. Combined with the previous comment, this doesn't make the heroes of the Resistance seem very competent.
• The greatest act of heroism is committed by a character introduce in this film, and who dies in this film. That worked in Rogue One because I grew to like those characters in spite of their flaws. It doesn't work here, because for most of the movie I wasn't sure if she was really a hero.
• Two of the intriguing questions left by The Force Awakens—that of Rey's parentage and the origin of Supreme Leader Snoke—are ultimately dismissed. Snoke is dead now, and, if Kylo Ren was telling the truth, Rey's parents were scavengers who traded her for drinking money.
• Luke spends the first half of the film arguing why the Jedi Order has to end. He hesitates when it comes to burning down the tree that contains the first Jedi teachings, but Yoda's Force spirit seems to go ahead and make that happen. Even so, by the end Luke has changed his mind.
• Instead of developing one or both of the potential relationships for Finn (Rey or Poe), we add another character and have even less resolution.
• In the end, we're left in the same place we were at the end of Episode VII, so it feels like this movie didn't really add a whole lot to the story. Many people disliked George Lucas's work in the prequel trilogy, but it's hard to deny that they added meanigful developments to the story.

No Disintegrations (P)review

I know it's a bit late, but here's a preview of what people can expect from No Disintegrations. 

-Nate 

No Disintegrations (P)review

Page 1: Crawl

Page 2: Credits

Page 3: Table of Contents

Page 4: Fiction

Pages 5-6: Overview of what to expect from the book

Pages 7-11: Description of different types of bounties and some rules regarding them

Pages 12-41: New backgrounds and obligation information; three species—Clawdite, Devaronian and Kalleran; three new specializations—martial artist, operator and skip tracer; new motivations; two signature talent trees, Always Get My Mark and Unmatched Devastation

Pages 42-65: Five new ranged weapons, micro-rockets, two melee weapons, four suits of armor, new armor attachments, nine equipment items, some drugs and poisons, seven new starships, new ship attachments and rules for space mines

Page 66-95: Ideas for using bounty hunters in campaigns, conducting investigations, spending dice pool results, sample bounty hunts and campaigns, suggestions for bounty hunter rewards, a new mechanic called Exploits that reflect on a bounty hunter's reputation throughout the galaxy

Page 96: Ad

Star Wars: Poe Dameron Comic Review

Since the initial surge of new material surrounding Star Wars: The Force Awakens, that era in the Galaxy Far, Far Away has been slow in developing. That makes sense, too, given that work on Episode VIII is proceeding toward the film's 2017 release. It's still frustrating, though, since this time period has a lot of exciting potential. One exception to this slow pace, however, is the Star Wars: Poe Dameron comic.

There are a lot of things that I like about this comic.

• For one thing, Poe's dialogue feels like how he talks in the film; it catches his sense of humor and bravado nicely. 
• It does a good job of introducing and then building up an interesting villain, Agent Terex. He's a good foil for Poe, since he has lots of the same personality traits--paired with ruthless support for the First Order, of course. 
• There's a good blend of action and plot development. 
• There series is ongoing, rather than a limited run. This means that it'll help fill the void between now and December 2017. 
• The comic also provides an interesting model for a Star Wars RPG campaign, much like the Rogue Squadron novels and comics did back in the day. I can imagine a party of characters like those in Black Squadron, ones who have a variety of specialties, but all of whom are talented pilots. Their adventures, then, entail a combination of ground-based missions and starfighter combat. 

All in all, this has to be my favorite of the new Marvel comics so far.

Review of the Star Wars: The Force Awakens Beginner Game

There was a small amount of controversy when Fantasy Flight Games first announced this product; some fans of the game thought it would herald a new, fourth core series of products. Those fears were quickly quashed, however, and then it was left for people to wait until today for it to be released. Now the time has come.

           

In its layout, this set is very similar to the ones that preceded it. It comes with a map, a short introduction, an adventure booklet, a rules booklet, tokens to represent characters, and vehicles and creatures. The adventure scenario is pretty straightforward, involving a band of nomads who make a surprising and important discovery aboard a downed Corvette but run afoul of a local criminal gang. From there, however, the story takes a surprising turn, throwing the PCs into the middle of the conflict that is erupting throughout the galaxy. It even has suggestions for adventures occurring after the First Order's destruction of Hosnian Prime.

           

That, in the end, is what I think makes this set worthwhile for fans of The Force Awakens. It is the first RPG product specifically related to the new movie(s), bringing Star Wars roleplaying into the new era. To me that's notable because I started playing the d6 version of the RPG from West End Games in the late eighties or early nineties, back when there was nothing but the Rebellion Era. Some ten years later, when the prequel movies were hitting the theaters, Wizards of the Coast put out its d20 version; with that and the RPGA's Living Force Campaign, I associated those rules with the time period leading up to the Clone Wars, the fall of the Old Republic and Order 66. This boxed set, then, takes the new FFG rules and sends them into the new era.

       

In that way, the set achieves its core purpose: It provides an introduction for new players, especially for those whose first Star Wars experience might have been Episode VII. What is more, it leads right into a downloadable adventure, A Call for Heroes. This promises to explore even more of this time period, and GMs can always adapt material from the other FFG core rulebooks and sourcebooks, along with elements from the movie(s). The boxed set also includes a map of the galaxy—including the new planets Jakku, Takodana, D'Qar, Hosnian Prime and Starkiller Base—which is a nice addition. There are also stats for some of the character types who serve the First Order, the Resistance and various criminal organizations,

           

Finally, it comes with another set of dice, which are always handy.

           

 For these reasons, I believe this set is invaluable for GMs who want to launch campaigns in the new era of Star Wars.

Review of A Call for Heroes

After reading through this scenario, I've found some things I like and some that I don't. They are:

• Positive: The document, thirty pages long, presents three separate “missions” that the PCs can undertake. One is a raid on an old Imperial communications station, another is the exploration of an old Imperial research facility, and the last is a return to Jakku to help deal with the Strus Clan enemies made during the scenario Discovery on Jakku from the boxed set. This could easily make for three sessions' worth of play.
• Positive: These scenarios provide a good mix of encounters, with fast action, creepy atmosphere and good roleplaying opportunities at different times.
• Negative: I wish that the scenarios had maps. While I know that the Star Wars RPG doesn't rely on maps for game play, I still like to have them to set the scene for the players.
• Negative: Although I figured this might be the case, there aren't many details about what the Resistance (or the rest of the galaxy) is doing in the aftermath of The Force Awakens. I understand why this is, of course, since Episode VIII is still in production, but I'd hoped that there might be a few tidbits.

All in all, A Call for Heroes provides a solid resource for adventures, even though most GMs would need to do some extrapolation in order to continue developing a campaign in the Episode VII era after this scenario is finished.

-Nate

Bloodline Review

Yesterday I finished the newest addition to Star Wars literature, the novel Bloodline by Claudia Gray. This one had me excited for a while, for multiple reason. For one, I quite enjoyed Gray's young-adult-oriented Lost Stars. For another, this is the first adult novel since Aftermath to deal with the time period between Episodes VI and VII, and this one is a lot closer in time to the events of The Force Awakens.

This novel did not disappoint. While it's not the most action-packed entry in Star Wars literature--along that line, I think it's hard to top any of Brian Daley's Han Solo novels--this one held my interest throughout the story. There are some action scenes, but they take second place to the drama that comes from political intrigue. Although that might not sound so exciting, it really was. It was interesting to see some of the machinations in the New Republic Senate that lead up to the formation of the First Order and the Resistance, especially as they directly affected Princess Leia. I can't say too much without spoiling things, but secrets are revealed that have heavy ramifications.

Perhaps most importantly, Gray does a good job of capturing Leia's character. Her voice--internal and when used to address other characters--rang true to what we know of Leia from the movies. She has some good interaction with Han, too, in scenes that help to explain their situation in Episode VII. There are some new characters, too, who are likable without overshadowing our main protagonist. Finally, the novel includes a foldout political poster that captures the spirit of the novel well. All in all, Bloodline sets the bar high for any other books set in this time period.

-Nate