Dawnstar

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Long-time Star Wars fan with respect to the universe that George Lucas created from film to games. I'm also an independent game developer currently working on my first published title. Till then, I’m just a simple man trying to make his way in the universe.

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Which SW series in your opinion has caused the most damage to the franchise/fandom?

9

7

Aug 21, 24

Star Wars Theory

You have to remove one of the listed Star Wars films from all of history, as if it never existed in the first place, which one will it be?

8

16

Jul 10, 24

Star Wars Theory

Unused Concept art of the Grand Inquisitor from Rebels

I saw this on Twitter and wanted to share it with you all and get you're thoughts. Would you want a villain like this to appear in the franchise soon? Concept artist Pat Presley did the piece where he says, "Unused concept art Grand Inquisitor for Star Wars – Rebels. During early dev, we toyed around w/ an idea of a white-cladded villain. Suggested by our AD Kilian Plunkett as something we don’t see in SW baddies but has proximity to Stormtrooper look. I thought it was a cool idea!"2y

Star Wars Theory

Ahsoka Finale Theories

As we approach the season finale of Ahsoka, I wanted to share a few theories and questions that we can ponder before the final act. 1) Peridea's biome: A question I have had since first seeing the planet of Peridea, the homeworld of the Dathomiri witches, who would go on to colonize the planet Dathomir in the normal SW galaxy. As we can see the planet Peridea is filled with roaming grasslands, plains, and a few rocky crags compared to the planet Dathomir a planet that is comprised of harsh swamps, thick jungles, and deep canyons. Peridea seems to be more "in balance" with its natural state whereas Dathomir from a glance would appear more on the "darker" spectrum as the flora and fauna exhume the Sith standard of "kill or be killed/strongest of the fittest". So this begs the question "Why did the Dathomiri leave Peridea? Why the change in scenery? And, perhaps, what happened to the surface of Peridea? A cataclysmic event could've occurred and ravaged the surface and brought about the end of the Witch Kingdom of the Dathomiri simultaneously and has become the planet we see today after several thousand years of recovery. 2) The legends and fairytales of Peridea: We have learned from Baylan Skoll that the Jedi were told stories of a far-off galaxy. Now most stories that are passed through time are ones with life-long moral lessons attached to them. The Brother's Grim fairytales or ancient Greek Myths are what come to mind. And most of these stories do not have happy endings to accentuate the lesson the moral is trying to teach. Perhaps the stories are the histories passed from the ancient Zeffo (the alien species from the games Jedi: Fallen Order/Survivor), who also were present in Dathomir history, as history became a legend over the eons explaining the fall of the Witch Kingdom and their folly that led to their destruction. The power that Baylan currently seeks seems to be rooted in these stories. 3)Abeloth and possible force entities that lie beneath: Now many have already begun theorizing that Abeloth from the EU or "The Mother" to the Father, Son, and Daughter Force Gods of Mortis (or "The Ones") may be the key to the secrets behind Peridea and perhaps its supposed subsequent destruction. Abeloth was an eldritch entity of the SW Universe capable of making entire groups of Jedi go mad due to her mere presence in the force. Now during the Thrawn trilogy books, the Ysalamir were a species said to create a natural psychic bubble that could nullify the force, but imagine if this power is now given to a Force enitiy capable of either nullifying the force or perhaps draining it from its very essence. This could potentially cause a galaxy-ending cataclysm that would not only spell the end of (almost) all life on Peridea but also the greater neighboring galaxy causing it to be nearly devoid of all major intergalactic civilization. Perhaps this entity lies dormant on Peridea after thousands of years waiting to reawaken and begin its rampage anew and being an even greater threat than the return of Thrawn as heir to the Imperial Remnant. We could theorize that Witch magicks and sorcery are "Force adjacent", but not the same methods as deployed by the Sith and Jedi, not to get into semantics, such magicks could've been created as a means to avoid such an entity from awakening/finding the Nightmothers. It could also potentially explain why Ezra was hesitant to use his lightsaber instead of Sabine since such as display of force power through the saber could be what awakens the entity and why Baylan seeks it to bring an end to force users in the respective SW galaxy to "break the cycle" as he would see it. But what are your thoughts? Do you agree or do you think something else is behind the mystery of Peridea? Tell me in the comments below and May the Force Be With you always.2y

Star Wars Theory

If you were President of LucasFilm how would you adapt Heir to the Empire?

Explain your answer in the comments. Or if you have an alternative adaption of Heir the the Empire, share it below. May the Force Be with You, Always.3y

Star Wars Theory

Wisdom from the Maker, The Star Wars Archives (part 2)

Hello all, in the face of these dark times for the Star Wars franchise, I'd like to share a few excerpts from "The Star Wars Archives" from the maker himself George Lucas. How the struggle between the light and dark side of the force reflects the struggle of human nature between selfishness and selflessness. I can't help, but recognise the cruel irony given how recent Disney's fear of losing the fandom by doing almost everything it can think of to appease the fans (TFA, Kenobi, Ahsoka, etc) while KK's blatant greed and possessiveness has been driving away practically everyone for years now to the point to where the franchise may never recover. So what do you think of these words of wisdom from George Lucas? Do you agree? Lemme know in the comments below and May the Force Be With You, Always.3y

Star Wars Theory

TBB Theory: The Kaminoan Contingency Plan

With two seasons of the Bad Batch down and one more to go, there’s been a few details that I haven’t seen much discussion over.  Where are the Kaminoans in all of this? We know from the season one finale that Tipoca City, the last and only bastion of Kaminoan society, had been destroyed by Admiral Rampart on Palpatine’s orders.  However, we saw that the entire city was abandoned before the city’s destruction, excluding the Batch and Crosshair’s team. So here belies the question were the Kaminoans wiped out off-screen due to the sheer magnitude of their destruction and to keep the show at a PG-13 rating? Or has this all been a lie perpetuated by the Empire to cover their research into cloning technology? We know that researchers like Nala Se and key political figures like Lama Su are being held captive at the Mount Taniss facility, but was that all that was taken? For some of you who don’t know that Kamino, hundreds of years before the events of AOTC, was a lush planet with mountains, plains, forests, etc. Due to an environmental disaster, the planet’s glaciers began to melt causing the entire world to be engulfed by its oceans. In response, the Kaminoans built what is now Tipoca City and resorted to intense eugenics to sort out those that would genetically prosper in the coming apocalypse, thus resulting in their renowned affinity for cloning technology and genetic manipulation. As a result of their living conditions, every Kaminoan citizen is genetically tailored to aid in the pursuit of Kamioan scientific advancements meaning every citizen contributes from medical scientists to agriculturalists. So by default, the Empire would have no choice but to take practically every Kaminoan citizen with them to Mount Taniss to keep the entire Kamioan program intact. Which seems uncharacteristically merciful of the Empire, but still a possibility. The other option is that the Kaminoans actually were wiped out off-screen and the entire race is doomed to eventual oblivion. Or are they? Now some may remember the facility on Bora Vio in season one where Omega was kidnapped by Cad Bane on orders from Taun We. Here we see multiple vats of unknown failed Kaminoan experiments, to what end we don’t know. It is possible that in the case of a civilization-ending catastrophe the Kaminoans had prepared a contingency plan in an effort to save the last of their race from extinction. Having made a deal with a known Sith Lord, whether it was Tyranus and/or Sidious, the Kaminoan elite would’ve been wise to air on the side of caution as betrayal was inevitable.  Here’s where Omega fits in, many who have studied Biology know that all living cells contain chromosomes that store genetic information; for males, they are represented as XY, and for females, they are  XX referring to the shape/amount of chromosomes present in one’s cells. So in order for Omega (and her sister) to exist the Kaminoans must have discovered a way to add chromosomes to a single parent cell creating a female pattern where only males were possible to be replicated. With such technology, the Kaminoans wouldn’t be far behind mixing and creating new genetic makeups of their species. All they would need is a large enough genetic library to diversify their genetic material and they may have more than one secret facility that we haven’t seen yet. This may have been Taun We’s mission had Fennec Shand/The Batch failed to rescue Omega and why Omega is so important to many cloning operations for both the Empire and Kaminoans. A contingency plan that may come to fruition in the final season of The Bad Batch. So what do you think? Are the Kamioans gone for good? Have they been kept off-screen or are they obliterated for the time being? Lemme know what you think in the comments and May the Force Be With You, Always.3y

Star Wars Theory

New Republic Bomber concept art

Hey all, I know it's been a while, but I recently saw the concept art for a New Republic torpedo bomber by VFX Art Director and Senior Concept Artist, George Hull on Twitter and wanted to share it here.  Mostly likely based on the Northrop YB-49 strategic bomber created by the U.S. in 1947. Originally they were designed in 2015, so they were probably meant to appear in TLJ during the opening battle sequence. Think it would've been cool to see the Rebel/Resistance acquire more starships of this scale to place them on equal footing with the First Order, but I digress. So what do you think of this concept art? Should it have been in TLJ?  Will we see in the near future with the "Heir to the Empire" adaptation on the horizon? Lemme know in the comments and May the Force Be with you, Always.3y

Star Wars Theory

Indie Developers of Episode 1: Racer inspired videogame drop new trailer.

About a year and a half ago, I posted about a two-man developer team working on a game reminiscent of the classic Star Wars Episode 1: Racer that was still in early alpha at the time. As of today, they released a new trailer showcasing the game as they approach their release date in the near future. While very close to the original game they added more combat options in the racers (in the original game only Sebulba had a flamethrower) allowing for a more chaotic twist to the game overall. Hope you guys check it out and support the developers by spreading the word around and wishlist on Steam. And you can still download and play the alpha build for free here. Supporting games like these greatly helps independent developers and allows for more content inspired by games/films that we love. Hope y'all are having a good day the force will be with you, Always. 3y

Star Wars Theory

You can only watch the intro, middle, or finale of every trilogy for the rest of your life.

Stole this question from r/StarWars on Reddit, but I'm curious about the consensus on this site. Personally, my choice would be #1 since I have a great appreciation for introductions when it comes to fiction/franchises. TPM is my favorite SW film with ANH following closely behind it and I might put on TFA every once in a while since it's the ST film I can most tolerate.  I enjoy going back and remembering when I didn't have an encyclopedic knowledge of SW lore and everything was new and fresh to me, not fully knowing where the story was going to go or how things were going to transpire. But what would be your choice out of the three presented? Please explain why in the comments below. And may the Force be with you, Always!3y

Star Wars Theory

The Numerology behind Andor (Spoilers!)

For those who do not know what Numerology (also known as arithmancy) is it is the "belief in an occult, divine or mystical relationship between a number and one or more coinciding events. It is also the study of the numerical value, via an alphanumeric system, of the letters in words and names." In short, all human cultures/religions attribute certain "traits" to numbers. For example, the number " 3 " is considered holy in the west under both Christian (representing the holy trinity) and Jewish contexts. " 7 " is normally considered "lucky/fortunate" in western culture due to the probability of a pair of dice being double of " 3 " + 1 thus skipping the unholy/unlucky " 6 ". Along with the added context, the Christian parable of forgiveness (70 x 7) and several numerical patterns are seen in the Old Testament as well. However eastern culture is fairly different like how " 4 " is considered unfortunate (namely because of how close the number "four" sounds to the word "death" in the Chinese language when spoken) compared to " 6 " in the west. We see in Andor that there are seven levels in the Narkina 5 facility, where seven workstations with groups of seven workers with seven guards assigned to each level. In an article about Chinese numerology. "East: 7 is an auspicious number in Chinese Numerology, as it sounds like the words used to convey togetherness and connectivity. The number 7 in Numerology is associated with the Metal element, which supports the idea of abundance in friendships and relationships." source. So from this interpretation, we can see that the usage of the number seven in Andor ep.8 is to represent the "metal" machine-like operations. How the Empire is using everything and everyone as a cog working together under the tyranny of the imperial war machine. Perhaps even hinting at things to come in the future as the seven levels of Narkina 5 eventually stage a revolt. Also to retroactively bring about the relevance of the number seven in other episodes, the rebel infiltration squad on Aldhani in ep.4 - 6 made up a total of seven. Thus using the more positive interpretation of eastern numerology of people working together towards a common goal. Hope you all found this interesting, and May the Force Be With You, Always.3y

Star Wars Theory

Rian Johnson doubles down on TLJ, five years later

I don’t normally make posts like this on here, but I have a lot to say about this short interview with Rian Johnson on TLJ in hindsight. The author of this article is already delusional starting off with the idea that the “fan’s weren’t prepared” for TLJ when it came to theaters as if the film is some misunderstood masterpiece that the fans cannot comprehend (meanwhile the PT will always be regarded as “controversial” or “poorly executed” by the mainstream media). The audacity of the article to immediately talk down to anyone that disagrees is annoying and pedantic. The article also says how TLJ “expanded” on the plot threads of TFA. Oh you mean how we never got an answer for why Maz had Anakin’s lightsaber or how it got there? Or who were the Knights of Ren and where were they? How did the First Order take over the New Republic in a matter of hours (not days, not months, not years, literal hours)? Who was Snoke? Where did he come from? Was he a Sith Lord? Where was he during the PT/OT? What was even Snoke’s overall goal in the first place? When & how did Kylo Ben turn to the Dark side? Why does Threepio have a red arm that magically goes away? All of these questions and more are never addressed in the ST at all and yet TLJ is being lauded for it’s addition to it, like did this author even watch the same film? Then they move onto RJ’s bit about mythology and how Luke needs to believe in his own myth again. Here’s the thing though, Why would Luke believe in his own myth in the first place!? Throughout this he entire OT Luke is always bailed out by his friends and family. Luke makes the torpedo shot on the Death Star because of Han knocking out Vader, Luke escapes Bespin because of Leia and Lando, and Luke is saved by Vader, returning as Anakin, to destroy the Emperor. So why would Luke be so egotistical to so deeply believe in his own hype that the mere contradiction of Ben’s turn to the Dark side (after attempting to stab him in his sleep, of course) is enough to make him forsake everything (his friends, family, and the entire galaxy) and become a depressed suicidal hermit for the next decade when he didn’t accomplish any of those things by himself. The legend of Luke Skywalker may be the mistake of an outsider, but why would Luke give into that legend when he knows the truth behind it? Unless Rian Johnson believes that Luke is an absolute narcissist, which given his apparent lack of understanding of SW in general is not surprising in the slightest. And before anyone thinks that the “don’t believe in your own hype/myth” lesson hasn’t been done before in SW, the entire Jedi Order in the PT was overconfident in their own legend and was one of the primary reasons for their demise. The Jedi Order was so overly confident in its moral upstanding that they couldn’t see the knife that was going into their back, that is one of the main points that the entire PT is making and Luke for some reason just falls into the exact same trap despite supposedly having this knowledge. The article also doesn’t address why every other character gets unceremoniously sidelined in favor for Luke, Rey, and Kylo. How Finn and Poe get next to no character development over the 2 1/2 hour runtime, only to spout out lessons that have already been done before in SW and much better under George Lucas, who doesn’t talk to his audience like they are a bunch of simpletons. But that just shows how much Rian Johnson really cares about SW, he just wanted to make his “mark” on the franchise and show off his “hot take” on Luke Skywalker and walk away, character and plot consistency be damned. After all of this I don’t think Luke Skywalker is the one in need of an ego check, but hey the mainstream media will always be there to stroke Rian Johnson’s ego whenever he asks for it. I could go on, but this has turned into a long enough rant already. What do you guys think of this interview? Do you agree or have something else to add? Lemme know in the comments and May the Force be with you, always.4y

Star Wars Theory

Wisdom from the Maker, The Star Wars Archives

"Love is selfless. Love that is conditional, or transactional, is not love. Anakin's "love" for Padmé was possessive and selfish. It was not love. Padmé's love for Anakin was selfless. Seeing him become possessive, and selfish, and greedy for power broke her heart." "This was the basis for Anakin's relationships—the death of his mother, and being unable to accept that, led to his fear for the death of Padmé, and his subsequent actions led to the dark side. That is his lonely place." -Paul Duncan4y

Star Wars Theory

Heaven, Hell, & Everywhere in-between in Star Wars part 3: Purgatory, Limbo, and the Void

Hello all, I apologize for the delay, but I have finished the final part of this analysis series. The last two parts of the series were about planets/places that represented or bore qualities associated with either Heaven or Hell. This post will be examining the planets/places that don't bear qualities of either side of the mythical dichotomy within the SW universe and how they relate to other parts of the mythology. No art history lesson for the beginning of this post (little film history though, so you are not getting out of learning something this time). So, join me as we look at the middling planes of existence that SW has to offer. 1) Tatooine: It might have surprised some that Tatooine did not make an appearance in the earlier posts of this series, despite it being an iconic location having made an appearance in five out of six films in the saga. The reason for this is that I believe that Tatooine represents purgatory, at least in some minor sense. For those uninitiated Purgatory is a place in the Christian (mainly catholic) afterlife commonly believed to be neither Heaven nor Hell. It is a place where sinners who either were not baptized by the church or had accepted the word of God are sent to pay penance for their minor sins on earth and eventually work off their sin to get into heaven. The reason Tatooine is purgatory in my mind is that Tatooine is heavily based on the 1942 film Casablanca where refugees fleeing the Nazi invasion of Europe congregate, waiting for passage to salvation in the United States. On a similar note, we also learn that Tatooine is where Obi-Wan Kenobi pays penance for his failure in teaching Anakin Skywalker that he watches over Anakin's son, Luke, in the prospect of a second chance for new hope to bring balance to the galaxy. Other than that Tatooine is this cruel irony in the grand scheme of the saga as the planet itself is a backwater fringe world that also happens to be the stage for some of the most important events in the SW galaxy. This aspect plays into the origin of Anakin Skywalker since his story resembles the classic messianic tale of the virgin birth, similar to Jesus Christ, Anakin originates in a location that closely resembles ancient Nazareth not only in climate but in reputation as well. Showing how Anakin is a boy born into a "neutral" world, one that is a far cry from paradise but still isn't deprived of all goodness like Hell (greedy perhaps, but not wholly evil), helps show how Anakin's fate is undetermined when we first see him in TMP. 2) Kamino: When we first see this planet in AOTC is shrouded in mystery, as Obi-Wan continues his investigation and after flying the rain clouds that constantly obfuscate Kamino's surface he is greeted by Tipoca city. This planet quite possibly represents Limbo, a place in Christian mythology where children who die at birth or young age and aren't baptized go since they haven't committed any sin other than being born into already sinful humanity. The reason I believe Kamino represents Limbo is because it is the origin of the Clone Army of the Republic, children who are artificially created and therefore lack connection to the living force. With its stark white interiors and aloof residents, it's hard to imagine anyone living there and having a "natural" well-rounded life. Kamino's surface also reflects the theme of creating life, for as we all know that biological life begins from water (a common occurrence in origin mythologies across the world), so the entire planet being one large ocean supports this theme. 3) Death Star: Though not technically a planet, it remains a very important symbol both within and outside of SW. The Death Star is quite possibly the greatest haven for evil and can be debated to be even worse than hell itself in some respects. This makes the Death Star qualify for what is known as the Void, a place devoid of natural life as its sole purpose is to bring ultimate destruction through complete and total annihilation of entire planets. Even Hell has some sort of life and activity; erupting volcanoes, firey pits, demons, and the souls of sinners take residence there, but in the Void, everything is uneventful, stagnant, and unchanging. We see this as imperial officers and stormtroopers casually walk to and from locations within the great space station like mindless machines going about their day surrounded by seemingly unending halls of sterile black and grey (in contrast/similarity to Kamino's pure white aesthetic). Though the Death Star may take the form of a small moon it is a vicious mockery of planets that support and create life and all things touched by the living force. The symbology of a complete circle (referenced by Vader in ANH) is often the symbol associated with death in most human cultures as it represents the close of the famed "circle of life" or "wheel of life" seen in Hinduism. That is why when the Death Star II is under construction the Rebel Alliance hurry to prevent its completion to prevent the great circle from closing again. 4) Coruscant: Sitting within the galactic core of the SW Galaxy, Coruscant represents the very heart of a fledgling democracy. From its towering skyscrapers to the sophisticated Jedi temple the entire planet is completely covered with urban aesthetics akin to major cities like New York or Tokyo. As we see in AOTC, however, beyond Coruscant's glimmering surface lies a seedy underbelly not too far down in its bowels where shady characters congregate in betting parlors, something that would be more akin to Tatooine rather than a place of supposed prosperity and certainly not a place where the Jedi are to be concentrated. No real mythology connection is here other than the reference to the film Metropolis, it's more of a subtle commentary on political/industrial exploitation commonly seen in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It's here on Coruscant in ROTS that when Anakin makes his ultimate decision to dedicate himself to the dark side we see the literal sunset on the Republic and then rise with the Empire. 5) Hoth/Yavin 4: No real snappy title for what these places represent since we don't see these places for very long, but these locations do show how the Rebel Alliance operates compared to the Empire. For Yavin 4 a jungle planet that the rebels use a temple made out of stone as a sanctuary. This location shows the contrast between the crude machine-like architecture of the Death Star/Empire but also the Rebel Alliance's religious aspect versus the Empire's "atheistic" nature. Hoth is similar, where the rebels try to use the planet's natural temperature to carve out a base within the ice banks. Another thing about Hoth is how similar it is to locations like Tatooine (just taken to the opposite extreme in terms of climate), where the flat planes of snow and ice lend a kind of neutral landscape. This place allows Luke to perceive the ghost of Obi-Wan, a location that would be ideal for one to commune with the dead in other mythologies. So there you have it, all planets and locations that are seen in the SW universe and seeing whether they be Heaven, Hell, or somewhere in-between. Hope you learned something as you followed along with this series and can appreciate some of the more subtle/finer details that went into the creation of some of the most iconic locations in science fiction. Hope you enjoyed the final part of this series as it was fun to go into various mythologies/references within the SW universe, and as always, May The Force Be With You.4y

Star Wars Theory

Will we see the Stark Hyperspace War in Tales of the Jedi?

In legends, prior to the events of the Prequel Trilogy, there was an event known as the "Stark Hyperspace War" where a band of pirates, mercenaries, and bounty hunters banded together to create the "Stark Commercial Combine" that would constantly raid Trade Federation ships and turnover their supplies at a profit in the Outer Rim (all orchestrated by Palpatine, of course). This escalated to the point to where the Trade Federation called upon the Republic to provide military aid through the Jedi Order and other Republic peacekeeping forces. Led by a Wookiee Jedi Master named Tyvokka, all of the major players in the PT were involved including, Qui-gon, Obi-Wan, Quinlan Vos, Plo Koon, Mace Windu, Dooku and many more (including the start of Bossk's career).  This also was one of the major events in the military career of one Wilhuff Tarkin serving under his uncle who was in charge of coordinating the Republic forces against the Stark Combine. During this time, the divide between the Jedi and Republic military was clear as the, Jedi Order at the behest of then Senator Finis Valorum, as a peacekeeping force to help facilitate negotiations (obviously things go awry very quickly). The result of the war set the stage for the events of TPM with the appointment of Finis Valorum as Supreme Chancellor, the appointment of Nute Gunray to Viceroy of the Trade Federation, and expanded militarization of the Trade Federation droid security forces due to a vastly crippled Republic Military. I mention the possibility of this event with the evidence that in the first episode of  "Kenobi", as Leia watches starships enter and leave the atmosphere of Alderaan she mentions "… probably an Antarian Ranger, searching for pirates", these rangers were some of the Republic's finest commando's that even escorted Jedi on Republic diplomatic missions and were some of the main combatants during the Stark Hyperspace War. That and along with the fact that we know that the Tales of the Jedi is set prior to the events of the PT it only makes sense to involve this major event in Legends and bring it to life. What do you think about this theory? What other events like the Stark Hyperspace war should be bought back into canon? Lemme know in the comments and May the Force Be With You, Always. 4y

Star Wars Theory

Heaven, Hell, And Everywhere in-between in Star Wars, Part 2: Heaven/Paradise

About a week ago, I made part 1 of a post that went through the various planets of Star Wars that brought about imagery or were to evoke the themes of Hell. This post will be about the opposite side of that dichotomy, the imagery of Heaven or at least Paradise in the Star Wars universe as it is seen in the Star Wars galaxy. So come with me as we move onto greener pastures, find the waters of life, and perhaps find a place of enlightenment along the way. Prelude: Once again, I will preemptively go through a bit of art history with the painting aptly named Paradise by Jan Brueghel in 1650. Here we see the common interpretation of Paradise as the mythical Garden of Eden, where animals are living together naturally as God had intended, untouched by man & sin. Heaven is commonly synonymous with Paradise even outside the Western Judeo-Christian interpretation of the phrase. The common theme of natural symbiosis and the balance of all living things together in harmony with nature is across almost all earth's cultures. With this in mind, we shall explore the planets that closely fit these criteria. 1) Alderaan: Though this planet is shown briefly in the films, A New Hope and Revenge of the Sith, and now in the latest episodes of Kenobi, it shows how the galaxy ought to conduct itself. Alderaan represents the ideal way to live, though technologically advanced the architecture isn't crude or invasive, and no signs of pollution or overcrowding can be seen on the expansive vistas and alpine terrain that Alderaan's surface possesses. As pacifists, the people of Alderaan prefer diplomacy over violence to settle conflicts. Bail Organa is shown as a paragon of the Alderaanian people as he embraces their traits for peace, justice, and cooperation. 2) Naboo: Similar to Alderaan we see how the Naboo city of Theed gracefully stands amongst the open plains of Naboo's surface and how the native Gungan population lives in bubble-like cities. Both live in tandem with one another, living amongst nature as the Gungans live in the swamps teeming with aquatic life, and the Naboo people live with hanging gardens and open atriums. The only time the balance between the Naboo and Gungans was disrupted was during the invasion of the droid armies of the Trade Federation. What I would like to note is the line in TMP when Anakin first meets Padme he asks, "Are you an angel?" Now we, the audience, can chalk this up to the childish naivety of a young boy asking the girl that is an outsider if she resembles a supposed alien race that star pilots refer to as "angels" as a slang term (like how Ithorians are called "Hammerheads"). However, if we take this line from a mythological standpoint since Padme hails from a paradise in the galaxy, she can be interpreted as an "angel" in a very real sense. If you think that's a bit of a stretch remember, George Lucas always called Palpatine "the Devil" who we know is a fallen angel in Christian mythology, and he also happens to hail from Naboo just the same as Padme. With this mythological perspective, we can also interpret that when Maul is defeated in the reactor shaft on Naboo, Maul is literally a demon being cast out of heaven via the pit and later ends up in the hellish garbage world of Lotho Minor. So perhaps Naboo is more equivalent to Heaven than most places in the Star Wars universe. 3) Dagobah: The swampy marshes of Dagobah are filled to the brim with various lifeforms, both big and small, all circling one another in natural balance. Untouched by civilization the planet remains as a remote sanctuary for an exiled Master Yoda. No longer surrounded by the superstructures and pollution on Coruscant, Yoda can deepen his connection with the force. This unattended, but well-hidden garden allows for even the most stubborn of apprentices to feel the presence of the force in its most natural state. 4) Kashyyyk: Seen briefly and known as the Homeworld of the Wookiees, we can see even at a glance that the planet resembles the planets that we have already explored. Wookiee architecture revolves around the giant Wroshyr trees where they build their homes. Even their technology is inlaid with the properties of the woods that they call home, and they go so far as to resemble the more naturalistic designs of insects in their transports. Before Kashyyyk became one of the first victims of the newly christened Galactic Empire, the Wookiees were able to live in harmony with the planet.  5) Endor: The primitive moon of Endor, of course, resembles a lot of similarities to Kashyyyk, from the treehouses to the naturalistic technology (though minimal). Here it's more of a pure innocence (like the Garden of Eden) from the Ewoks that had the Empire not chosen to build the second Death Star in the moon's orbit, the Ewok's only problems would be their natural predators and hunting/gathering for food. The environment of Endor is thrown out of balance by the invasive machinery that the Empire places on the surface. Once the Empire is defeated, balance is restored not only on Endor but across the galaxy. Bonus) Tython: Recently added back into Canon via "The Mandalorian" the planet Tython in Legends was where the Je'daii order was originally founded. Here we see once again nature and civilization living in harmony with the ancient Je'daii temples overlooking the verdant horizons. A testament to keeping balance with the natural order and living symbiotically with all living things is where the force resides at its strongest. Thank you for reading, I hope this post has helped you understand and appreciate these places in the SW galaxy from a new perspective. I'm not finished with this series however, part 3 will be going into Purgatory, Limbo, and the Void for all of the planets/locations that I haven't gone into yet. Hope you enjoyed it, and may the force be with you always!4y

Star Wars Theory

Heaven, Hell, & everywhere in-between in Star Wars, Part 1 : Hell

Hello everyone, I recently decided to go and do a deep dive into some of the most iconic locations in SW and explain some of the meaning behind them and where they originate. These locations are used to subtly invoke various thoughts, feelings, and themes through visual means. As you could've guessed from the title of this post, I'm going to start with probably some of the most recognizable iconography throughout the saga first. So, I would be honored if you would join me as we delve straight into the pits of hell, from crude machinery to the literal plumes of fire & ash. Prelude: Before we begin, I would like to show you one of the primary sources that almost all of these places share similarities with or pay homage to. That source is the famous painting by John Martin called Pandemonium created in 1841 inspired by the 1667 book Paradise Lost and now hangs in the Louvre Museum in France. Here we see the mythical creation of Hell as the recently fallen angel Lucifer, renamed Satan, looks over his newly created palace built in an hour. Dressed as a Greek warrior (presumed to be Achillies), he peers over the vast plane of volcanic rivers & ashen wasteland to where his army of demons stand at attention. Barely piercing through the plumes of smoke you can see lightning attempting to strike, that even the power of heaven cannot pass fully into the forsaken realm. With these images in mind, certain patterns shall appear. Now without further delay, we shall begin; 1) Geonosis: This planet is perhaps one of the more prominent locations on this list, but it is a fine example compared to what we learned looking at Pandemonium. On the surface, the crude Geonosian spires reach the sky above the arid canyons and sharp crevices. Only the insectoid species of the Geonosians could be comfortable in a place like this as it would be forboding and unwelcoming to many. Under the surface, we see the droid factories where the sparks of machines are tireless constructing various tools of war and where our heroes, Padme & Anakin, are captured by the enemy. The Geonosian colosseum is where our heroes are forced to fight in a pit against ferocious monsters. The rest of the Jedi Order follow as they descend into the arena, thus resulting in the opening battle of the Clone Wars pushing the galaxy further into chaos and furthering Palpatine's ascent to complete domination. And it's from here that the plans for the ultimate weapon, later known as the Death Star originate. 2) Bespin/Cloud City: This location is a bit of a two-sided coin as our heroes approach a literal city in the sky decorated with hallways clad with white, reflecting the sunlight throughout the entire structure. Once they are betrayed by Lando, as George Lucas once said, "Our heroes think that they are safe in heaven only to find themselves in hell..." the security and placidness of Cloud City now turn into a hellish nightmare. Hidden behind closed doors is the carbon freezing chamber, where heavy machinery and clouds of exhaust obfuscate the audience's vision. The menacing red light coming from below is the only light source in the room as Leia, Chewbacca, & C3-P0 helplessly watch Han frozen in carbonite as the villains callously observe off to the side. But it doesn't end there, during the duel between Luke and Vader Luke is led away from the carbon-freezing chamber and onto a catwalk overlooking a pit-like air shaft. After a cruel revelation and being tempted to join the dark side, Luke escapes the oppressive environment and falls back into the safety of his friends. 3) Utapau: This is one of the more subtle/atypical of the locations we've seen so far, but like Bespin, there is more going on beyond the surface. On the surface, there doesn't seem to be much going on for the planet, the vast open plains almost make the place look naturally benign. It is only when we explore the sinkholes that dote across Utapau's surface we see some more nefarious implications. When Obi-Wan lands in the search for Grievous, he is met by a group of local Pau'ans that tell Kenobi that Grievous is on the "tenth level" where Grievous, his army, and the Separatist leaders congregate. This information is important, for in the mythical story of Dante Alighieri's Inferno the pits of hell are divided into nine rings, with the final and deepest ring reserved for traitors, betrayers, and oathbreakers. Once Kenobi chases and finally defeats Grievous, he is betrayed by Cody and 212th as Order 66 is issued, and where Kenobi falls all the way to the bottom barely escaping with his life. 4) Mustafar: Saving the best and most obvious location for last is the planet Mustafar. The planet's surface is almost completely covered in lava and ash as distant volcanoes violently erupt in the distance, but the mining facility and its machines continue unbothered. Here the fallen hero Anakin Skywalker continues his murderous rampage against the Separatist leaders, who are the final victims of Palpatine's ultimate betrayal. While awaiting further instructions, Anakin reflects as he observes the lava flow, shedding a tear for the man he used to be and what had led him to get to this point. Despite the pleas from Padme and the verbal confrontation of Obi-Wan, it is far too late for Anakin to turn back as he has embraced his new power-mad state of the dark side and attacks his former master in a blind rage. After leaving almost the entire mining facility in ruins, does the epic duel end on the ashen bank of a lava river where Anakin's fatal mistake and pride nearly kill him. Here Anakin is maimed, scarred, burned, and left for dead as the ultimate price for his crimes, but his pain has only just begun. From the ashes of Anakin Skywalker, raises the specter of Darth Vader, a hollow tormented soul artificially given life to serve for eternity. Bonus) Korriban/Moraband: Although not seen in the films the planet of origin for the Sith still borrows similarities from the places we've explored above. The inhospitable sands of Korriban reveal some of the cruelest landscapes. The large pyramids, lavish tombs, and imposing statues built by slaves still stand menacingly tall as reminders of the once great and terrible Sith Empire. Structures that still bring bone-chilling fear to those that look upon them and the pained cries of the restless spirits of ancient Sith Lords long past can still be heard across the winds. Of course, these are just one of many facets & patterns that are present throughout the entire Star Wars saga and there are many more things that were not mentioned in this post that could be applied. Thank you for reading, I hope you've learned something from this post and I will be working on part 2 some time in the future. May the Force be with you, always.4y

Star Wars Theory

Ever heard of the most blatant SW rip-off? Meet Starchaser: The Legend of Orin (1985)

A heavy metal-styled animated film that was said by the New York Times, "such a brazen rip-off of George Lucas' Star Wars that you might think lawyers would have been called in". Let's see the list of commonalities between Starchaser and Ep.4 A New Hope: - The main protagonist finds a magic sword and with the guidance of a wise old man starts his quest to fight the tyrannical forces of the galaxy. - a gunslinging smuggler that is indebted to a crime lord, who owns a fast starship, and by the end of the film grows a conscience through his interaction with the protagonist. - a masked main antagonist that is later revealed to be a mechanical cyborg. - a pair of sassy android characters that follow the protagonists. - a princess that is captured by the main antagonist only to be rescued by the protagonists. - The main protagonist wields a magic "force" to power the magic sword that is not realized until the end of the film which he uses to defeat the main antagonist. These similarities as well as many more not mentioned here, along with well over a dozen straight shot-for-shot rips taken from the Original Trilogy, it's easy to see why this film didn't quite meet a welcome reception at the box office. Ironically enough the rights to the film were bought in 2012 with the buyers looking to perhaps create a "live-action" remake of the film🤣. Just a funny tidbit I wanted to share with everyone, hope you enjoyed it, and May the Force Be With You, Always!4y

Star Wars Theory

Top 5 things I LIKE about the Sequel Trilogy

Many of you here, including myself, did not enjoy the Sequel Trilogy as a whole for many & various reasons. From hyperspace ramming to force astral projection, the ST had introduced a plethora of things we fans take issue with. However, to shed a little positivity on the subject, I decided to share my top 5 things that I liked about the ST. 1) The First Order Trooper armor designs: This one is probably because they were designed by no other than Doug Chiang (one of the lead designers during the PT, Mando, BOBF, etc.) who had also designed the Clone Troopers during AOTC & ROTS. The First Order Troopers have that same familiar Stormtrooper look, but it is now more sleek and refined after 30 years of time has passed and the specialist troopers look just as interesting, if only it accounted for their aim 😜. 2) Kylo Ren's TIE Silencer: Definitely one of the more original designs made during the production of the ST. The TIE Silencer sports the appearance of a cross between Vader's TIE advanced as seen in ANH and the TIE Interceptors seen in ROTJ. Its angular appearance gives it a more menacing look than its other TIE counterparts making it a fitting vessel for Kylo Ren. 3) Rey's Lightsaber: Perhaps a bit controversial, but I actually liked Rey's saber design & color at the end of TROS. Since it's made from parts of her staff and the color makes her more unique amongst other Jedi protagonists (and after witnessing a film oversaturated in the color blue it would've made things a lot easier on the eyes). That being said it would have been much better to have seen her create and earn her own lightsaber (perhaps go double-bladed) as part of her growth as a character and as a reflection of her Jedi training (but who needs that am I right?). 4) The Supremacy: Here we see Snoke's flagship, one of the most gargantuan capital ships seen since the Super Star Destroyer "Executor" in ROTJ. In all honesty, this should've been the vehicle introduced in TFA instead of Starkiller Base because a mobile command center with the capabilities of docking multiple smaller Star Destroyers would have been an intimidating feat for the Resistance to eventually overcome as this behemoth slowly crawls across the galaxy conquering all in its wake. Unfortunately, it was unceremoniously demolished by the end of TLJ so we'll never see it in full action. 5) Non force users in melee combat: While the Knights of Ren were reduced to nothing more than back dressing (should've been the main antagonists in TLJ if you ask me, but I digress) and the Praetorian Guards were perhaps involved in one of the worst choreographed fight scenes in cinema, the idea of enemies employing more aggressive means of offense is still something I enjoy. In an age where the Jedi are struggling to survive and there are known Jedi hunters across the galaxy, in a universe that has weaponry like vibroswords, lightwhips, & electrostaves, etc. the possibilities were endless. I was looking forward to enemies employing unorthodox melee weapons and create some truly creative action sequences and it would've been a different kind of action as we've already seen the usual saber vs. blaster & saber vs. saber. And while we did get some of that action, none of it was as satisfactory as I had originally hoped. So there you have it, the top 5 things I like about the Sequel Trilogy. What do you think? What are some of the things you like about the ST? Leave a comment below and May the force be with you, always!4y

Star Wars Theory

Will we see the first time Kenobi adopts Qui-Gon's saber stance?

As we all know Obi-Wan will be coming into contact with the Grand Inquisitor at some point in the upcoming series. From what we've seen in Rebels and have come to expect from the Grand Inquisitor is his ability to identify his opponent through their lightsaber combat technique as we saw in his initial duel with Kanan Jarrus. So I'm curious if we'll see him square off with Obi-Wan in a similar way and that could be how Vader gets involved is when the GI reports back after their initial encounter with the information that Obi-Wan is "possibly" alive. Realizing that he's outed himself by clinging to his old ways, Kenobi begins to adopt Qui-gon's lightsaber form as means to throw off the Inquisitors & Vader. This would also add to the final duel between Obi-Wan & Maul in Rebels as it shows that Kenobi's first emotional kneejerk instinct was to go back to his old lightsaber form before realizing his error and switching. Just a thought I had. What do you think will happen in the Kenobi series? Lemme know in the comments below.4y

Star Wars Theory