Star Wars Expanded Universe Thread

[houjix]

3 episodes in and Obi-wan and I have a lot in common, we both feel old, tired, we're sick of the kids, and just want to go back to our cave to be alone.

Yes, the kid interactions did improve in this one, but I guess I'm just done with them. Clearly I wasn't expecting a show where he has to go around and rescue Leia from increasingly dangerous situations, which as I've pointed out don't really hold danger. There's just nothing there to make me want to care how he saves her, because we know he will.

Did like the Quinlan Vos reference. The Dark Disciple book was great. It was originally going to be a story arc on The Clone Wars before it got cancelled.

 

[Fitzy]

All of these are valid points, but they could be applied to literally any Star Wars project, even the good ones.

Yeah, all thoughts subjective for sure. I guess I might just be holding this series to a higher standard since there is source material bookending both sides of the time period they are in.

 

[Saul_T]

After the first two episodes, this third one has me believing there's a direction and at least some intrigue to this show. I'll stick around to the end.

 

[Triggermv]

Outside of her ridiculous chase around the palace where she was eluding her captors, I've actually enjoyed Young Leia. Without a doubt, she was at her best in this past episode when they were on the transport.

 

[EnhancedFujita]

I learned 20 years ago to stop putting my expectations of what Star Wars should be onto the media they produce. I stopped hyping them up and just watch them for the pulp Sci-Fi that they are and frankly its made them so much more enjoyable.

I've enjoyed Obi-Wan so well. I think the story and characters fit well within the Star Wars universe. It's not the best Star Wars stuff, but its not the worst either.

I liked the idea of having the plot revolve around Obi-Wan saving a young Leia. Unfortunately, shows or movies that rely on kid actors to have a sizable role is always tricky and Star Wars seems to miss the boat on this when they do it. The girl playing Leia is fine, but that's it. My biggest complaint is that she doesn't seem to act like a 10 year old. I've got a 10 year old and the actress play Leia appears to be more like a 7-8 year old. It might not seem like much but there is a big difference between a 2nd grader and 5th grader.

I like the Inquisitors as bad guys, they each seem to have their own agenda and tactics. The Grand Inquisitors scene where he's questioning the town was pretty solid and played well against Reva wanting to just destroy everything.

I hope they do more with Vader/Obi-Wan going forward because it will be a little disappointing if that's the only confrontation we get with them.

 

[Gorm]

I have a lot of different thoughts about many aspects of last nights episode. However, this is the biggie for me:

Spoiler: Ending

The fight scene between Obi-Wan and Vader felt like a well resourced fan fiction movie.

 

[Triggermv]

I have a lot of different thoughts about many aspects of last nights episode. However, this is the biggie for me:

Spoiler: Ending

The fight scene between Obi-Wan and Vader felt like a well resourced fan fiction movie.

One thing I struggled with is how old and out-of-practice they are portraying Obi-Wan in this series, which on one hand, I can see where they are coming from, but on the other, this is only 10 years after the prequels. He shouldn't be that rusty, especially when you are trying to reconcile the Obi-Wan vs Maul fight which happens 5 years after this series and can be seen below. This Obi-Wan does NOT seem rusty and seems cool calm and collected. He also takes care of Maul in a matter of seconds. Again, something just isn't adding up quite yet, but maybe it will be reconciled later in the series.

 

[houjix]

One thing I struggled with is how old and out-of-practice they are portraying Obi-Wan in this series, which on one hand, I can see where they are coming from, but on the other, this is only 10 years after the prequels. He shouldn't be that rusty, especially when you are trying to reconcile the Obi-Wan vs Maul fight which happens 5 years after this series and can be seen below. This Obi-Wan does NOT seem rusty and seems cool calm and collected. He also takes care of Maul in a matter of seconds. Again, something just isn't adding up quite yet, but maybe it will be reconciled later in the series.

It's implied that he has been straight up suppressing his force powers for the last 10 years. He's also spiritually broken due to Anakin's betrayal and presumed death. Maybe all this stuff will see a reignition of his fire that leads to him preparing for the day he needs to train Luke.

But as you can clearly see in the still from the Maul fight, Obi-wan has the higher ground. It was over before it started.

 

[BryceC]

One thing I struggled with is how old and out-of-practice they are portraying Obi-Wan in this series, which on one hand, I can see where they are coming from, but on the other, this is only 10 years after the prequels. He shouldn't be that rusty, especially when you are trying to reconcile the Obi-Wan vs Maul fight which happens 5 years after this series and can be seen below. This Obi-Wan does NOT seem rusty and seems cool calm and collected. He also takes care of Maul in a matter of seconds. Again, something just isn't adding up quite yet, but maybe it will be reconciled later in the series.

I think that's part of the series - it's 10 years after the prequels, yes, but he buried his lightsabers. He hasn't used the force. He's totally rusty, but more than that, he is a person with no confidence and a person who is very afraid. He's absolutely terrified of Vader. What we're seeing is a bridge between the brash, confident Kenobi in the prequels vs. a guy who is sure of himself after these events.

 

[Carlisle Clone]

Star Wars fans....why cant we just enjoy things for what they are? Must everything be looked at through a microscope? It amuses me the things people choose to ignore while nitpicking at other issues. None of it is real people.

Its almost like "Ope, new Star Wars movie...lets see what they F'd up in this one" is the mantra. Stop making yourselves miserable and just enjoy them for what they are.

 

[BryceC]

One thing I struggled with is how old and out-of-practice they are portraying Obi-Wan in this series, which on one hand, I can see where they are coming from, but on the other, this is only 10 years after the prequels. He shouldn't be that rusty, especially when you are trying to reconcile the Obi-Wan vs Maul fight which happens 5 years after this series and can be seen below. This Obi-Wan does NOT seem rusty and seems cool calm and collected. He also takes care of Maul in a matter of seconds. Again, something just isn't adding up quite yet, but maybe it will be reconciled later in the series.

Some spoilery thoughts about this too, and some of this stuff is speculation:

Spoiler: Kenobi's weakness

So, a few additional thoughts on why Kenobi is so weak, unsure of himself, etc.

1. I think he's basically cut himself off from the force here, but beyond that I think there are other good reasons why he's so weak. Kenobi is a guy who has a lot of regrets currently. He talked about missing his biological family, but that he had a new family with the Jedi... but that's gone too. He's been basically alone for 10 years. He's trying to reach out to Qui-Gon, but he literally can't do it.

The things that make a Jedi strong, the compassion, the goodness, he has suppressed or stamped out of himself. The things that make a Jedi weak, he's gained. He's completely afraid. He has no confidence.

2. The lightsaber thing. He buried it for 10 years. Yeah, he's probably rusty. More than that, somebody made a good point on the ringer-verse pod about this, the last time he fired up that lightsaber he cut the limbs off of his apprentice, the guy who he loved, and created an absolute monster. When he's squeezing it and wringing it in his hands when he first sees Vader I think has to do with that. He's a guy who has been having nightmares about this for 10 years.

So how does this get resolved?

I think he finds connection again by finally being able to commune with the force ghost of Qui-Gon, and he learns to hear the living force again. He comes to some sort of agreement with Owen and they form some kind of casual truce or agreement regarding Luke. His life gets new meaning and he gets a new confidence in the future. When Maul shows up, that lightsaber isn't buried in the desert sand. It's on his person. He's ready. He's not "Hello there" jumping in with Grevious Kenobi, but he knows who he is and what he's doing.

 

[BryceC]

Star Wars fans....why cant we just enjoy things for what they are? Must everything be looked at through a microscope? It amuses me the things people choose to ignore while nitpicking at other issues. None of it is real people.

Its almost like "Ope, new Star Wars movie...lets see what they F'd up in this one" is the mantra. Stop making yourselves miserable and just enjoy them for what they are.

I go in expecting to like everything Star Wars. Sometimes I'm disappointed but I'm not going to spam Rotten Tomatoes and go bananas about it. Here is the thing with Star Wars, especially in it's current form: You're going to get some more, so if you don't vibe with this one, just wait you'll get one for you.

 

[houjix]

Star Wars fans....why cant we just enjoy things for what they are? Must everything be looked at through a microscope? It amuses me the things people choose to ignore while nitpicking at other issues. None of it is real people.

Its almost like "Ope, new Star Wars movie...lets see what they F'd up in this one" is the mantra. Stop making yourselves miserable and just enjoy them for what they are.

But what if what they are is poorly written, poorly acted, and poorly produced? While I'm certainly not going into any of these to see "what they F'd up", I can be disappointed with something after the fact for the choices they made. There can be objectively bad entries of the things I love and enjoy, not just ones that didn't live up to my expectations.

Ultimately, as they continue to produce content that exists between TPM and TLJ, they are for the most part bound in by major events. The Mandalorian has managed to mostly carve out a niche in this timeframe, but even then it is relying heavily on existing connections to build an audience.

I was somewhat hopeful they would continue the story forward after TLJ so we could be freed from the restraint of the Skywalker timeline, but instead it looks like they are going to lean into the High Republic era. Being set about 100 years before the TPM does free it up somewhat, but if Yoda ever shows up, I'll have zero worry about his survival, regardless of the odds.

 

[Triggermv]

But what if what they are is poorly written, poorly acted, and poorly produced? While I'm certainly not going into any of these to see "what they F'd up", I can be disappointed with something after the fact for the choices they made. There can be objectively bad entries of the things I love and enjoy, not just ones that didn't live up to my expectations.

Ultimately, as they continue to produce content that exists between TPM and TLJ, they are for the most part bound in by major events. The Mandalorian has managed to mostly carve out a niche in this timeframe, but even then it is relying heavily on existing connections to build an audience.

I was somewhat hopeful they would continue the story forward after TLJ so we could be freed from the restraint of the Skywalker timeline, but instead it looks like they are going to lean into the High Republic era. Being set about 100 years before the TPM does free it up somewhat, but if Yoda ever shows up, I'll have zero worry about his survival, regardless of the odds.

Kathleen Kennedy just said a few days ago that all the new movies coming up will take plan after TLJ

 

[BryceC]

Kathleen Kennedy just said a few days ago that all the new movies coming up will take plan after TLJ

Did she say how far? I mean is Rey going to be back?

 

[HFCS]

Star Wars fans....why cant we just enjoy things for what they are? Must everything be looked at through a microscope? It amuses me the things people choose to ignore while nitpicking at other issues. None of it is real people.

Its almost like "Ope, new Star Wars movie...lets see what they F'd up in this one" is the mantra. Stop making yourselves miserable and just enjoy them for what they are.

Rogue One and majority of Mando episodes prove that most fans can be given what they actually want…an extension of the original trilogy with decent writing/dialog/acting that isn’t just recycled plot lines.

This series can still go either way.

I will agree that Star Wars fans are about 100x worse than MCU fans who just grin and consume whenever an MCU movie sucks. Trekkies are the worst by far actually, the Trekkie mindset would have raged against Empire Strikes Back in 1980. They hated Picard and crew at first. I’ve seen every episode but refuse to call myself a Trekkie as they are so nuts.

 

[HFCS]

Did she say how far? I mean is Rey going to be back?

As much as I love R2 at some point the droids lose specialness when they are in double digit movies.

 

[Triggermv]

Did she say how far? I mean is Rey going to be back?

She didn't say how far, but at the same time, she said they are moving on from the Skywalker saga. So, putting two and two together, I wouldn't be shocked if we saw a bit of a time jump ahead of us.

 

[NorthCyd]

One thing I struggled with is how old and out-of-practice they are portraying Obi-Wan in this series, which on one hand, I can see where they are coming from, but on the other, this is only 10 years after the prequels. He shouldn't be that rusty, especially when you are trying to reconcile the Obi-Wan vs Maul fight which happens 5 years after this series and can be seen below. This Obi-Wan does NOT seem rusty and seems cool calm and collected. He also takes care of Maul in a matter of seconds. Again, something just isn't adding up quite yet, but maybe it will be reconciled later in the series.

I don't think it takes much imagination to answer why he might be more confident in that scene. Maybe Obi-Wan has been letting himself go in the last 10 years dealing with the loss and grief, and then this is a turning point for him and he starts to be more disciplined about keeping himself in game shape for the next 5 years. When it comes down to it, a story writer can come up with all sorts of explanations for that.

As an aside, I love that scene. Reminds me a little of kendo fighting where it's all over in a couple of moves.

 

[HFCS]

She didn't say how far, but at the same time, she said they are moving on from the Skywalker saga. So, putting two and two together, I wouldn't be shocked if we saw a bit of a time jump ahead of us.

I used to read some dark horse comics in mid 90s that were like 1000s of years in past and I think that actually worksso much better for anything prequel-ish. I’m sure they aren’t considered canon but some aren’t bad, I think same series had novels.

For jumping ahead it’s hard to say. Is it better that known heroes are just old people like lando/han/leia/Luke in recent movies or better that Luke is some legend from many 100s of years ago.

In the walking dead comics there is a 10 year time jump that is awesome. They couldn’t do it on show and keep cranking out episodes and I think show would have been better off actually taking 10 year break at its peak and coming back accurately vs what happened.