Everyone in this thread loves [Star Wars]

Atomika

Talk about how great The Last Jedi is here!

AbsoluteZero

Go see a Star War.

Atomika

Also so far the new Ahsoka show could be better

imo

Desy

Quoting my last post in the old Star Wars thread:

destroyah87 wrote: »

jimb213 wrote: »

Yeah, I’m not feeling it after the first episode. Everything production-wise seems like a big step down from Andor, and I feel like I’m missing the heart of what they’re going for having only seen a handful of episodes of Rebels.

hmmm, that very much might be the fracture in/of this show? Like, I'll make no mistake nor lie; Clone Wars and Rebels are absolutely my favorite Star Wars media and it's really not even close.

The longer I sit with this thought, the more it gains weight. I love the two animated Star Wars series.

I felt like there were multiple shots in ep 1 of Ashoka that would've been rendered into a cgi shot in a new show. I grant that might not or wouldn't be the best way to create the same shot in a live-action show and that maybe to Ahoka's detriment. But I still loved what I saw in that first hour.

Chall

I'm pretty lukewarm on the show so far, but I'm a little worried about them cribbing from other recent, bad D+ shows like Obi-Wan

someone getting stuck by a lightsaber in center mass and just being fine the next scene

and Secret Invasion

episode ending with a death fakeout

. Hopefully it will pick up, I've been enjoying the actors I just feel like the writing is a little weak.

I also mentioned last thread that I've been going through the old EU books. I just finished the second Thrawn book (Dark Force Rising) and it may be recency bias but man, Ray Stevenson's character gives off some serious

Joruus C'boath

vibes

Dracomicron

I am liking Ahsoka so far, but I'm the mark, having watched all of Clone Wars and Rebels.

David Tennant is great as always. Chopper still rules, so the droids are pulling their weight.

Natasha Liu Bordizzo is good as Sabine, but frankly she's the least served character from Rebels, so I feel like she can fill the part as she sees fit. I immediately felt kinship with her when the first thing she did when she got home was feed her cat.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead I'm not feeling as Hera. I feel like her part is written okay, but the direction isn't there, or she's not into it. Oddly passionless.

Again I lament that they didn't just hire Ashley Eckstein to play Ahsoka. Nobody cares about this character more than her, not even Filoni. Rosario is... fine? She does the physical role well, but some of the emotional beats are a little flat.

Ray Stevenson was a goddamn treasure; loved him since he was Titus Pullo on Rome. What a tragic loss. His apprentice and "Merrick," the dude with the stupid inquisitor lightsaber, still need to be fleshed out (though if Merrick just gets merc'd by Ahsoka I wouldn't be sad. Inquisitors should be out-matched by real Jedi, since Vader taught them wrong as a joke.

The plot is great because the giant super machine isn't just another planet buster parfait. It's an

intergalactic... planetary... planetary... intergalactic vessel meant to go pick up Thrawn. That just leads to further questions, though, because that mean that the purgill space whales can transverse galaxies? And how do they know that this ancient star map found in a Dathomir night witch temple leads specifically to Thrawn, who left like 10 years ago? I hope these and other questions are answered next time on... Ahsoka!

Atomika

Episode One: “A Jedi! Not many of you still around!”

Also Episode One: [the next seventeen characters you meet are Jedi]

Preacher

I enjoyed the episodes. Of course this show could also use space Raylan (Spaylan? No sounds like something Sabine did to her cat).

An angle I know the show won't pursue because it'd be a little to much cross over, but maybe Ahsoka's problem with reaching Sabine is only coming from the jedi side, and someone like the Mando who is partners with Space Raylan for some inexplicable reason...

Yes I'm writing fanfiction YOU CAN'T STOP ME!

Bloods End

Dracomicron wrote: »

I am liking Ahsoka so far, but I'm the mark, having watched all of Clone Wars and Rebels.

David Tennant is great as always. Chopper still rules, so the droids are pulling their weight.

Natasha Liu Bordizzo is good as Sabine, but frankly she's the least served character from Rebels, so I feel like she can fill the part as she sees fit. I immediately felt kinship with her when the first thing she did when she got home was feed her cat.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead I'm not feeling as Hera. I feel like her part is written okay, but the direction isn't there, or she's not into it. Oddly passionless.

Again I lament that they didn't just hire Ashley Eckstein to play Ahsoka. Nobody cares about this character more than her, not even Filoni. Rosario is... fine? She does the physical role well, but some of the emotional beats are a little flat.

Ray Stevenson was a goddamn treasure; loved him since he was Titus Pullo on Rome. What a tragic loss. His apprentice and "Merrick," the dude with the stupid inquisitor lightsaber, still need to be fleshed out (though if Merrick just gets merc'd by Ahsoka I wouldn't be sad. Inquisitors should be out-matched by real Jedi, since Vader taught them wrong as a joke.

The plot is great because the giant super machine isn't just another planet buster parfait. It's an

intergalactic... planetary... planetary... intergalactic vessel meant to go pick up Thrawn. That just leads to further questions, though, because that mean that the purgill space whales can transverse galaxies? And how do they know that this ancient star map found in a Dathomir night witch temple leads specifically to Thrawn, who left like 10 years ago? I hope these and other questions are answered next time on... Ahsoka!

it looked like it's more of map of purgill migration and Morgan is jumping a lot of steps to claim its where thrawn is, who apparently she is vibing with him

I loved MeW as space mom. She has such mom patience vibes. I also love there is no wasted time rehashing too much of rebels. It's out there you can watch it, but the bears and relationship are given out to you with all that star wars clunk

Preacher

I will also disagree about the fight at the end of episode 1.

The saber strike was intended to injure not kill, it was to the side. The apprentice wanted to stop Ahsoka, so she injured Sabine, if she killed her then Ahsoka just comes right for her

Havelock2.0

Yeah I’m also a mark for the show having watched all of Rebels.

I’m enjoying it so far but the characters start off a little flat out the gate, it felt rough. That said, they warm into their roles, and things hit a decent pace midway through the second episode, so bar any cybernetic enhanced scooter enthusiasts showing up I’m pretty sure it’s gonna be good from here on out.

Still better than BoBF

Bloods End

Also as a 90s eu fan, the reference to imperial class destroyers e wings, nr uniforms looking like they just stepped off a comic, and nicknaming a ssd (i would have lost it if they had argued about the length) I was fucking eating.
2 episode in and the closest to a classic enemy is destroyed being demolished and a inquisitor

Havelock2.0

Atomika wrote: »

Episode One: “A Jedi! Not many of you still around!”

Also Episode One: [the next seventeen characters you meet are Jedi]

oh come on

*pushes up glasses* it’s like four confirmed force users plus Sabine who’s lapsed on her training. I mean technically no one here is an actual Jedi, you got the mercenaries, a former Nightsister, and Ahsoka. Force users yeah, but Jedi?

Preacher

Man I really appreciate one common aspect Filoni has kept on his star wars shows in that so many assholes in Star wars are pretty much like assholes in our reality. "As long as the bills are paid I don't give a fuck." We got that in Mando season 3, and its here too. I appreciate it.

This episode did have the most in your face "corporate greed is bad." The only true fantasy element is the corp gets arrested.

Havelock2.0

Bloods End wrote: »

Dracomicron wrote: »

I am liking Ahsoka so far, but I'm the mark, having watched all of Clone Wars and Rebels.

David Tennant is great as always. Chopper still rules, so the droids are pulling their weight.

Natasha Liu Bordizzo is good as Sabine, but frankly she's the least served character from Rebels, so I feel like she can fill the part as she sees fit. I immediately felt kinship with her when the first thing she did when she got home was feed her cat.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead I'm not feeling as Hera. I feel like her part is written okay, but the direction isn't there, or she's not into it. Oddly passionless.

Again I lament that they didn't just hire Ashley Eckstein to play Ahsoka. Nobody cares about this character more than her, not even Filoni. Rosario is... fine? She does the physical role well, but some of the emotional beats are a little flat.

Ray Stevenson was a goddamn treasure; loved him since he was Titus Pullo on Rome. What a tragic loss. His apprentice and "Merrick," the dude with the stupid inquisitor lightsaber, still need to be fleshed out (though if Merrick just gets merc'd by Ahsoka I wouldn't be sad. Inquisitors should be out-matched by real Jedi, since Vader taught them wrong as a joke.

The plot is great because the giant super machine isn't just another planet buster parfait. It's an

intergalactic... planetary... planetary... intergalactic vessel meant to go pick up Thrawn. That just leads to further questions, though, because that mean that the purgill space whales can transverse galaxies? And how do they know that this ancient star map found in a Dathomir night witch temple leads specifically to Thrawn, who left like 10 years ago? I hope these and other questions are answered next time on... Ahsoka!

it looked like it's more of map of purgill migration and Morgan is jumping a lot of steps to claim its where thrawn is, who apparently she is vibing with him

I loved MeW as space mom. She has such mom patience vibes. I also love there is no wasted time rehashing too much of rebels. It's out there you can watch it, but the bears and relationship are given out to you with all that star wars clunk

Morgan does mention the tale of people coming over from another galaxy in ancient times, and the map shows the purgill migration between the two. The Ancients could have captured purgill to use as a method of hyperdrive. IANAH but I remember reading a story about how ancient peoples of the pacific used to harness sharks to pull their boats when the wind wasn’t blowing. It’d be like a Nantucket Sleigh Ride but in space and significantly more dangerous

Kruite

Havelock2.0 wrote: »

Bloods End wrote: »

Dracomicron wrote: »

I am liking Ahsoka so far, but I'm the mark, having watched all of Clone Wars and Rebels.

David Tennant is great as always. Chopper still rules, so the droids are pulling their weight.

Natasha Liu Bordizzo is good as Sabine, but frankly she's the least served character from Rebels, so I feel like she can fill the part as she sees fit. I immediately felt kinship with her when the first thing she did when she got home was feed her cat.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead I'm not feeling as Hera. I feel like her part is written okay, but the direction isn't there, or she's not into it. Oddly passionless.

Again I lament that they didn't just hire Ashley Eckstein to play Ahsoka. Nobody cares about this character more than her, not even Filoni. Rosario is... fine? She does the physical role well, but some of the emotional beats are a little flat.

Ray Stevenson was a goddamn treasure; loved him since he was Titus Pullo on Rome. What a tragic loss. His apprentice and "Merrick," the dude with the stupid inquisitor lightsaber, still need to be fleshed out (though if Merrick just gets merc'd by Ahsoka I wouldn't be sad. Inquisitors should be out-matched by real Jedi, since Vader taught them wrong as a joke.

The plot is great because the giant super machine isn't just another planet buster parfait. It's an

intergalactic... planetary... planetary... intergalactic vessel meant to go pick up Thrawn. That just leads to further questions, though, because that mean that the purgill space whales can transverse galaxies? And how do they know that this ancient star map found in a Dathomir night witch temple leads specifically to Thrawn, who left like 10 years ago? I hope these and other questions are answered next time on... Ahsoka!

it looked like it's more of map of purgill migration and Morgan is jumping a lot of steps to claim its where thrawn is, who apparently she is vibing with him

I loved MeW as space mom. She has such mom patience vibes. I also love there is no wasted time rehashing too much of rebels. It's out there you can watch it, but the bears and relationship are given out to you with all that star wars clunk

Morgan does mention the tale of people coming over from another galaxy in ancient times, and the map shows the purgill migration between the two. The Ancients could have captured purgill to use as a method of hyperdrive. IANAH but I remember reading a story about how ancient peoples of the pacific used to harness sharks to pull their boats when the wind wasn’t blowing. It’d be like a Nantucket Sleigh Ride but in space and significantly more dangerous

Rosario doesn't know what to do with herself in every dialogue scene. She's pacing and always glaring over her shoulder. Dialogue is pretty bad too.

AnteCantelope

If I've only seen a few episodes of Rebels, am I going to be lost? Or is there some sort of catch-up?

Mvrck

AnteCantelope wrote: »

If I've only seen a few episodes of Rebels, am I going to be lost? Or is there some sort of catch-up?

Eh that's gonna vary by person I think. Like, from a barest plot point of "what is going on" the show explains everything. From a "why should I care about these characters" I would say it's about as good as any other show that opens up without a random exposition dump?

It doesn't hold your hand, but it's got an opening crawl that lays out the basics, and then it just lets it characters go do their thing, and you get a decent sense of what is going on.

But if you don't want to go watch Chopper and all the rest be awesome in Rebels (Spoilers to follow):

No, seriously. Spoilers for the end of Rebels and all that entails.

Basically Thrawn was the big bad for the latter seasons, especially his development of the TIE Defender project on Lothal, as a direct counter to the threat posed by Rebel starfighters.

After a disastrous raid to destroy the production facility is wrecked by said Defenders, Hera is captured, Kana sacrifices himself so everyone can get away, the Rebel Alliance more or less writes off the Ghosts and Lothal. Ezra winds up planning and leading an assault on the Imperial Command Sphere, to both trap all the Imps inside, and to lure Thrawn into a confrontation where he can use a herd of Purgill to destroy/remove the Imperial fleet. There's a lot of Force stuff involved as well, but doesn't seem like Ahsoka is going to reference it too much as of yet.

The story ends with the Empire fucking off of Lothal completely due to their bigger problems with the Alliance, Hera rejoining the Alliance proper, Sabine sticking around Lothal as her new home. And a cryptic message from Ezra that he's counting on her, which Sabine says as the last line is that it's time to bring him home.

So all that said, my thoughts on the first two episodes:

Spoilers for the first two episodes of Ahsoka now:

The bleh first:

• Rosario Dawson still seems very limited by the prosthetic. She also just seems too...old. Not age wise, but years wise. Even Rebels Ahsoka had life and pep to her from Ashley Eckstein's performance. All that energy just seems to be missing. I don't like being mildly disappointed by the title character of the series. She's serviceable, but underwhelming, with none of the edge and attitude that made Ahsoka fun at her best.
• Hera is also a bit of an undersell, though to a much lesser degree. I actually thought she did really great in most of the mom/liason scenes, but similarly the final flight to put the tracker on, just didn't quite have the tension and energy in the voice acting Rebels established. Maybe it's just the different voice throwing me.
• I think that 95% of the lack of context and story is fine, but they really probably should have dropped in (or kept in) a line about why Sabine is the obvious choice for unlocking the map. Her being a certified technical genius isn't something that was really pointed out, and if you didn't know that from Rebels then it might seem off that Ahsoka and Hera pick her out of everyone.

The good:

• The Witch's temple puzzle seemed ripped right out of a KOTOR game or similar, so props for capturing that feeling. As well as the immediate "Okay now he have *another* side quest because of course we couldn't just read the map" bit.
• Seriously, this show basically feels like a KOTOR storyline set in the post-ROTJ era. This is a very, very good thing in my book.
• Sabine is 100% Sabine. All the complaint I have about the lack of energy from the other actresses is completely lacking here. She brought the energy in her fight with the droids at the end of the first episode. "That's too bad" followed by the instant snap-hiss was basically perfect.
• Our grey/dark Jedi are a breath of fresh air from the Sith. They only kill who they have to, and left most of the New Republic crew alive, and didn't necessarily go for killing blows if they didn't need to to take someone out of the fight (you see one trooper go down with a massive leg wound, and I think he's who we see later on a med cart in the hanger on Home One). They aren't good people, but they aren't evil for evils sake.
• The world building continues to be amazing through the shows. Correllia was wonderful, the ship designs were cool, the Witch's temples/monuments were neat.
• Love the call backs without hitting you over the head with them. HK droids, SSD, the Loth cat, E-Wing, Home One - and Hera apparently being in command of it! General Syndulla indeed!

The other:

• I've already seen here and in other places complaining about a "death fake out" at the end of Episode 1. Like...that seems to be the most uncharitable read of it as possible, especially considering it wasn't framed that way in film shorthand (IE we are kept with Sabine's perspective as she loses consciousness, which isn't how death scenes are generally portrayed). And that's ignoring the whole meta narrative of the fact that there's tons of promo material out there of her with short hair and clearly it's a story about Ahsoka and Sabine together. It's pretty clearly a stakes setter - "hey, this person loses the minor bad guy in Ep 1, lets see how she grows and then beats them later".
• A+ in tying Thrawn into extra-galactic stuff, since the whole first reference to that came from in the original Thrawn series with Outbound Flight. It also provides a very plausible reason as to why he's stayed gone, if he lacked a means to return with Ezra's help.
• The subtle references that the Purgill are from or inhabit this other galaxy in the unlocked map details were awesome.
• It still has the messaging, if a little less direct, about how fascism thrives because people are selfish. Though it could have been delivered slightly better. A more competent show would have had the corporate guy shocked at how they betrayed him even though he was such a good boss by paying them wages. "I can't believe the Loth cats ate my face" moment would have felt less awkward than the exchange we got between Ahsoka and Hera. But at least it was there period. Maybe Andor opened the door for more dunking on the Imps directly once more.

Overall I like it. I'm not as enamoured as I was with Andor, but it's a nice contrast in that it doesn't have to be insanely heavy, it can just be direct and have some fun moments, and continue expanding the setting out into other places.

McRhyno

I liked a lot of the story being told but something's off with the editing/pacing. It's slow to the point that this could have been one 60 minute episode instead of two 40-45 ones

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VoodooV

I doubt it will happen as I'm sure they're just picking and choosing points of lore, but there has been speculation that the ancients are..

the Rakatan and the maps are the star maps to the Stare Forge from KOTOR and that this could eventually tie into Revan.

I'm not holding my breath, but....

RocketSauce

I’ve watched all of Rebels and Clone Wars but can’t say I’m excited for this. I’m getting the impression it’s 90 minutes of Leonardo DiCaprio pointing .gif.

Sprout

Not really? It is very much a continuation of the animated stuff (right down to Clancy Brown reprising a character he voiced on Rebels). But the story it's telling is one about found families reuniting and all of that. This show isn't Andor, and it's not trying to be Andor.

Atomika

After two episodes I am very much not impressed.

This is a strictly fans-only affair, and by that I mean fans of Clone Wars and Rebels.

It’s poorly written, poorly acted by most, poorly edited, and very poorly photographed and composed. The score, Ray Stevenson, and Chopper so far are the only consistently good things, and everything else ranges from underbaked (Sabine) to outright terrible (Nightsister Lady). Dawson’s choices are just so wrong for this character, there’s no life in her at all and she plays the part like a smug antisocial wine aunt.


Obviously there’s no one to blame here other than Filoni.

Inquisitor77

I am enjoying the show. Perhaps I should dislike it for not being Citizen Kane but I've never had high standards for Star Wars.

RocketSauce

Inquisitor77 wrote: »

I am enjoying the show. Perhaps I should dislike it for not being Citizen Kane but I've never had high standards for Star Wars.

There’s a reason why A New Hope and Empire are on a lot of best of lists (or used to be before brand dilution) and in the LOC film collection. Having grown up with those, having high standards isn’t a bad thing.

I’m not wanting this to be another Andor. Just to be made with the same levels of giving a shit. As Atomika mentioned, the craft involved in how the thing is presented is as much a part of engaging as it is seeing characters and pew pews.

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Hahnsoo1

The show does renew my crush on Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who still looks stunning in all that makeup/prosthetics. It’s also appropriate that she’s in Star Wars now, considering that she recently married Ewan McGregor. The two of them sing songs and play guitar/uke together, and it’s just too adorable.

Preacher

Ha they met on fargo, adorable. I can't remember if Fat Damon and Kirsten Dunst also met on that show or were already married prior to it.

Dracomicron

Atomika wrote: »

After two episodes I am very much not impressed.

This is a strictly fans-only affair, and by that I mean fans of Clone Wars and Rebels.

It’s poorly written, poorly acted by most, poorly edited, and very poorly photographed and composed. The score, Ray Stevenson, and Chopper so far are the only consistently good things, and everything else ranges from underbaked (Sabine) to outright terrible (Nightsister Lady). Dawson’s choices are just so wrong for this character, there’s no life in her at all and she plays the part like a smug antisocial wine aunt.


Obviously there’s no one to blame here other than Filoni.

I feel like you're not giving Clancy Brown enough credit. He got as much screen time as Chopper, and was consistently good (again beating the drum of ("VAs should play the live action characters if at all possible").

Atomika

Clancy Brown always gets an A+ for being Clancy Brown

The_Infidel

Good stuff to start.

I see everyone is playing to type and are now script doctors and acting coaches...and production designers, lighting techs, I dunno, foley artists too?

The_Infidel

Oops

Atomika

The_Infidel wrote: »

Good stuff to start.

I see everyone is playing to type and are now script doctors and acting coaches...and production designers, lighting techs, I dunno, foley artists too?

Hey hey hey this is not productive

“let’s see you do better” is not valid rhetorical discourse


And several of us here actually work/worked in the industry, so your point doesn’t even stand

Snicketysnick

As someone who has watched a small bit of clone wars and zero of rebels, this seems fine? Like, it's not weighty blow your doors off good like Andor was, but Andor was *exceptional*

True, shows and films should aspire to be greater than alright but sometimes simple and by the numbers will do.

Preacher

I liked it fine, we got to see some Jedi stuff, Ahsoka is a fun character who they let actually fight (I enjoyed I thought during her first fight "well you already cut the floor once why not do that again" and then she did).

I also forgot that Ray Stevenson died, so when it said "for our friend Ray" it had slipped by me.

And David Tenant the no shit given Droid is amazing. "You are the worst padawan this is true" damn David just don't cushion that blow at all.

Marathon

McRhyno wrote: »

I liked a lot of the story being told but something's off with the editing/pacing. It's slow to the point that this could have been one 60 minute episode instead of two 40-45 ones

I’ve just watched the first episode so far, but I agree with the odd pacing. I don’t know that we truly needed a long drawn out puzzle solving scene with Ashoka in the temple.

Preacher

I liked the puzzle scene if only because it felt like me in a video game.

Dracomicron

Preacher wrote: »

I liked it fine, we got to see some Jedi stuff, Ahsoka is a fun character who they let actually fight (I enjoyed I thought during her first fight "well you already cut the floor once why not do that again" and then she did).

I also forgot that Ray Stevenson died, so when it said "for our friend Ray" it had slipped by me.

And David Tenant the no shit given Droid is amazing. "You are the worst padawan this is true" damn David just don't cushion that blow at all.

I am legit interested in why Sabine became a padawan at all. Kanan established that she has almost no Force potential in Rebels, and being a Jedi is (or should be) a lot more than knowing how to swing a lightsaber around (which she already knows from her time with the Darksaber).

I suspect that it has something to do with Ezra (since she uses his saber) and following in his footsteps, but, girl, you got a lot going on already, being a Mando noble artist and tech genius.

Also, if I didn't know better and was watching more casually, the bitterness between Ahsoka and Sabine could read as ex-girlfriends, whith Sabine's mom and Ahsoka's friend trying to get them back together.

Marathon

Preacher wrote: »

I liked the puzzle scene if only because it felt like me in a video game.

I liked it too for that same reason, but after watching her slowly complete the first step in solving it I didn’t need to watch her do it twice more.

Havelock2.0

Dracomicron wrote: »

Preacher wrote: »

I liked it fine, we got to see some Jedi stuff, Ahsoka is a fun character who they let actually fight (I enjoyed I thought during her first fight "well you already cut the floor once why not do that again" and then she did).

I also forgot that Ray Stevenson died, so when it said "for our friend Ray" it had slipped by me.

And David Tenant the no shit given Droid is amazing. "You are the worst padawan this is true" damn David just don't cushion that blow at all.

I am legit interested in why Sabine became a padawan at all. Kanan established that she has almost no Force potential in Rebels, and being a Jedi is (or should be) a lot more than knowing how to swing a lightsaber around (which she already knows from her time with the Darksaber).

I suspect that it has something to do with Ezra (since she uses his saber) and following in his footsteps, but, girl, you got a lot going on already, being a Mando noble artist and tech genius.

Also, if I didn't know better and was watching more casually, the bitterness between Ahsoka and Sabine could read as ex-girlfriends, whith Sabine's mom and Ahsoka's friend trying to get them back together.

I remember her training with Ezra and Kanan so as to be able to wield the Darksaber, and I vaguely recall that she was somewhat force sensitive but like she wasn’t going to be telekinetically lifting rocks or mind tricking anyone anytime soon