New Testingstan

I don't think he is named in the movies. I spent some time today writing about why SW is actually far better than we remember or give it credit for. All because of reading this. A kid watching it for the first time doesn't have the education or background to pick up a lot of the stuff Lactor does, but it's primarily young kids getting exposed to it for the first time.

He's named in the credits.

Ep3 pt2 is up.

Amazing what new eyes do:
"So did Yoda. As he escapes the planet in a little pod, he bids farewell to…Chewbacca.

OH GOD. That’s the real reason Chewie gets angry while playing space chess with 3P0! It’s not because he’s losing: At the same time as the game is being played, Han Solo is disparaging the Jedi and the Force. Chewie knows better, and always has."

I finally had time to sit down and read all this and I have to say that I guess the machete viewing isn't as bad as I'd expected. Or maybe it's just because she's one of the few people who thinks AotC is a good movie and it's rubbing off.

Thanks for linking this. It's really fun to read, and there's a few thoughts and things noticed that are giving me new perspective on films I've seen dozens of times, which is always fun.

that's fat shaming.

you don't have to put up with what Jeff Bridges had to do in Tron 2, Commodore Blair.

I would love to see the SW EU get completely trashed by fat leia and luke

I would prefer if they just let the actors look like normal people their age, and turn Star Wars 7 into a sci fi version of RED.

Civil War Man wrote:I would prefer if they just let the actors look like normal people their age, and turn Star Wars 7 into a sci fi version of RED.

*opens mouth*

*closes mouth*

*opens mouth*

You know what that's the best idea I've heard for #7 so far

Pardon my ignorance, but what's RED in this context ?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1245526/

It's about retired super-special-forces/underworld types being forced out of retirement to save the day.

Ah, I see. It was called "The Expendables" here (movie in french, title in english).

Are you sure you're not confusing this franchise? Similar concept but done differently.

Now that you're talking about it.... Yeah, got them totally confused.

Given I've not watched either, that's not surprising.

I actually linked the IMDB page, but I guess I can see how my description would make someone think of expendables.

'Saw Bruce Willis' face on the poster and that was "enough" to "clue" me.

Oxymoron wrote:Now that you're talking about it.... Yeah, got them totally confused.

Given I've not watched either, that's not surprising.

The first is totally fantastic.

I'm 97% sure that Expendables 2 only exists so that Jason Statham could say "I now pronounce you man and knife."

So I got to thinking about the The Force Unleashed the other day, and the more I think about it, the more I realize that it was a pretty decent game, with a pretty good story, that was ruined by the licensing necessity of including Vader and the Emperor.

Now I know RogueIce is probably sharpening a knife for my back right now but hear me out for a second. Break the story of TFU down into it's most basic elements.

1. Sith Lord kills Jedi Master and kidnaps his son
2. Sith Lord raises said son as his apprentice and sends him out to kill the enemies of the Sith Empire
3. The Apprentice re-connects with his past, turns to the light side, and confronts his former master.

That is the recipe for a fucking epic story right there. Imagine if it had been set during the Old Republic era, or during the OT era with one of Palpatine's inquisitors as the Sith Master instead of Vader. Most of the problems (at least the ones I have with the game) are the result of making Galen Marek an apprentice of Darth Fucking Vader and having him defeat both Vader and the Emperor one after the other. It's the connection with the well-known movie characters that catapults him into being a worthless piece of shit Mary Sue. If the licensing arm had been able to resist shoe-horning in well known movie characters and events, I think TFU would have ended up being a much better game.

Darksi4190 wrote:So I got to thinking about the The Force Unleashed the other day, and the more I think about it, the more I realize that it was a pretty decent game, with a pretty good story, that was ruined by the licensing necessity of including Vader and the Emperor.

Now I know RogueIce is probably sharpening a knife for my back right now but here me out for a second.

Now that's just absurd and you know it.

*picks up rifle case and heads for the door*

Darksi4190 wrote:Break the story of TFU down into it's most basic elements.

1. Sith Lord kills Jedi Master and kidnaps his son
2. Sith Lord raises said son as his apprentice and sends him out to kill the enemies of the Sith Empire
3. The Apprentice re-connects with his past, turns to the light side, and confronts his former master.

That is the recipe for a fucking epic story right there. Imagine if it had been set during the Old Republic era, or during the OT era with one of Palpatine's inquisitors as the Sith Master instead of Vader. Most of the problems (at least the ones I have with the game) are the result of making Galen Marek an apprentice of Darth Fucking Vader and having him defeat both Vader and the Emperor one after the other. It's the connection with the well-known movie characters that catapults him into being a worthless piece of shit Mary Sue. If the licensing arm had been able to resist shoe-horning in well known movie characters and events, I think TFU would have ended up being a much better game.

TBH I don't disagree as such with that. Just keep the ending in there, that he dies (and no clone resurrection bullshit) and it'd be a nice tragic hero kind of story.

But yeah, it's the whole OT thing. Plus it's him "founding" the Alliance and the family crest that sparks my nerd rage. Especially the latter: I liked the original symbolism of the Alliance Starbird, phoenix rising from the ashes and all. It worked. But being Marek Family Crest is like...this dude is apparently a bigger Jedi Hero to the Rebellion (and New Republic, since they kept the symbol) than Luke Fucking Skywalker apparently.

But then the more I thought about it the more it annoyed me that the Alliance was not just founded by Garm Bel Iblis, Mon Mothma and Bail Organa, three completely non Force sensitive individuals. No, it was a scheme of the Emperor and Vader you see. Also they totally needed Jedi to do anything, and were inspired by Marek's Noble Sacrifice to band together. No, it just couldn't be three 'mundanes' who brought the Alliance together and set the galaxy on the path to freedom: they needed fucking Jedi to help them out. And it was all a setup anyway.

So yet again I find myself musing on a couple of Star Wars topics. My thoughts are as follows.

1. I am developing certain concerns about the new cartoon series that is in the works. By all extents it looks to have an excellent creative team on board, but even the greatest creative team can be hamstrung by network brass who don't want certain things in kids cartoons. TCW was given a remarkable degree of freedom as far as children's programs go. CN made them censor a couple of things for the broadcast versions, but more or less what we saw on the screen was the creator's intent, with little interference from the network. I honestly don't think we're going to see that level of non-interference from the network execs at Disney XD. Cartoon Network had previously demonstrated a willingness to allow show creator's greater freedom with regards to things like on-screen character death or romantic relationships between characters with shows like Justice League. To the best of my knowledge, Disney XD has not demonstrated anything similar. People anticipating the series need to face the very real possibility that something like a "no one gets shot on screen" rule will come down from the Execs, and basically turn the show into the 80s G.I. Joe cartoon.

2. On the upcoming de-canonization of the Expanded Universe. We all know it's coming, and the rough details in the recently released casting call only further cement that view. I was talking with a fellow SW fan over XBOX Live yesterday, and we both agreed to avoid SW-centric discussion forums or web sites for a couple of days when the formal announcement is made, in order to avoid getting caught in the shitstorm that announcement will unleash. There are two places in particular that I will not touch with a ten foot pole for at least five days after the announcement. The first being SDN's Pure Star Wars forums. Even worse than people lamenting the "loss" of the EU, will be people like Havok and Elfdart frantically stroking each others hate boners and viciously attacking anyone who has anything positive to say about the EU. When the announcement is made, I fully expect someone on SDN to make some sort of thread to discuss whatever fond memories they may have of the expanded universe, and I fully expect Havok to shit that thread up within four posts.

The other place I intend to avoid is the SB.com "versus" forum. Unlike the completely wars-dominated SDN, there are still pro-trek vs. debaters there, and I suspect that the decanonization of the EU will cause every trektard in existence to come spilling out of the woodwork like shit from a backed up sewer, eager to finally "win" the debate once and for all now that a great deal of the evidence for high-end SW is "thrown out." The usual, easily baited wars fans will rush to engage them, and the whole thing will turn into a god-awful shitstorm.

I'd be surprised if they did anything so formal as a "Yep the EU is dead" announcement. Instead they'll just do the movies and TV shows and whatever happens, happens.

Which means the AOTC ICS should totally not be retconned and thus 200 gigatons, concession accepted.

I would add a third place to avoid though, in the event your prediction comes true: Wookieepedia.

RogueIce wrote: I would add a third place to avoid though, in the event your prediction comes true: Wookieepedia.

Oh god I forgot about Wookieepedia. The hyper-inclusionists are going to be having total fucking meltdowns.

TFN will be an interesting split, I think. I heard it got pretty vicious over the TCW vs Lit fans regarding continuity. I can't imagine what'll happen when Episode VII hits and there's no hint of the Solo Twins to be seen (if that ends up being the case).

You know I quite enjoyed reading the EU novels I did before I went online and discovered that unbeknownest to me they were the worst things ever.

But in the end, I still go that enjoyment from reading them at the time, no matter what the internet and no matter what the canonical status of them is. So long as lucasbooks don't kick down the door and burn my wraith squadron books. I'm A-OK.