Many key prequel story beats feel prototyped in Return of the Jedi first, from multi-threaded climaxes to convenient character reveals. Jedi altered the direction of the franchise forever, making it the unexpected fountainhead of so much Star Wars. #StarWars #Prequels #ReturnoftheJedi #ThePhantomMenace #MovieTwists
Anakin turned to the dark side unable to accept loss. George Lucas created a cautionary tale about what happens if you can't accept change. #starwars #revengeofthesith #georgelucas #divorce #loss
Josh sees troubling parallels between Anakin only caring about his personal attachments leading him towards the dark side, and how individuals acting selfishly can lead democracies down a pathway enabling fascism's rise. It's no longer just neat symbolism - the prequels show collectivism's decay. #StarWars #Prequels #AnakinSkywalker #Fascism #Democracy #starwarsisforeveryone
Darth Vader is portrayed by different actors across films, originally not even intended to be Anakin. He was a composite, evolving with the franchise. #starwars #darthvader #characterdevelopment
The Galactic Senate's corporatism as depicted in The Phantom Menace left the Republic vulnerable to fascist control. Episode I invites parallels to 1990s America and radically questions private companies having political power. George Lucas delivered a bold political message. #starwars #phantommenace #georgelucas #neoliberalism
Before the prequels existed, Darth Vader’s redemption in Return of the Jedi was more about developing Luke's inner battle with good and evil than redeeming Anakin. the arc foreshadowed Luke's own failures against darkness in The Last Jedi. #starwars #darthvader #lukeskywalker #herosjourney #redemptionarc #thelastjedi #starwarstheory
Andor aptly captures the reality of police brutality and unaccountable authority. The scenes depict cops escalating situations and assuming anyone could be a threat or enemy. This "us vs them" warrior mentality erodes civil rights. Are the "good guys" really the ones blindly following orders and rules? Or those who…
Should I post my old fan film lightsaber test footage? 😳 There's definitely personal embarrassment holding me back. But I owe it to legendary Star Wars Kid to put myself out there! My friends give me the confidence I need to embrace the cringe. 💪 We had such a blast…
This clip highlights an amazing subtle character moment about Mon Mothma's husband Perrin that gives him surprising depth. Perrin's indifferent to politics, just wants his lavish lifestyle. But in the shadow of fascism, that takes on new meaning, forcing difficult choices in their marriage. It's a complex dynamic you never…
Showrunner Tony Gilroy freely admits he's not invested in Star Wars lore. But that allows him to craft complex characters by reacting to the restrictions of canon provided by the Lucasfilm Story Group. This outside perspective leads to the franchise's best complex character writing! #Andor #TonyGilroy #DontCareAboutLore #ComplexCharacters #StarWars #CharacterStudy…
Josh and Emily admit they spend more time than most people pondering the Star Wars universe, and argue that the franchise's ability to captivate fans makes it a worthy subject for academic study. #StarWars #AcademicStudy #FandomCulture
We have a spirited debate over whether Andor marks the pinnacle of Star Wars storytelling or if the OG trilogy still wears the crown. We break down how Andor pushes the boundaries of the Star Wars universe with its complex themes, stellar acting and writing, and cinematic production values. But…
Few fans know that a decade before Star Wars, avant-garde filmmaker Arthur Lipsett created a 10-minute short film called #2187 that introduced the concept of "a force that binds all life." Lipsett's ideas on human transcendence left a profound mark on George Lucas. Arthur Lipsett is an unheralded prophet of…
ROGUE ONE and ANDOR shift the focus of Star Wars to show the brutality of life under the Empire's occupation. No abstraction here - it's the struggle of everyday people trying to reclaim their street. #RogueOne #StarWars #Andor #TheEmpire #EverydayRebellion
We're joined by editors Dr. Emily Strand and Dr. Amy H. Sturgis to discuss their new essay collection "STAR WARS: ESSAYS FROM A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY." From in-universe lore to real-world influences, this compilation of academic analysis reveals new depths even diehard fans may have missed. Guest Info: Dr.…
Fan editor HAL9000 on what George Lucas thinks of fans reworking his films
Another installment of our alternate universe what ifs: what if the sequel trilogy was made in the 1990s? Following up on our Prequels 1986 episode (http://www.trashcompod.com/13) (www.trashcompod.com/13 (http://www.trashcompod.com/13)), we continue the experiment and imagine who might have been cast in and chosen to direct the sequel films if they had…
Josh's sister grew up in the shadow of a huge Star Wars nerd. She also married one! Josh talks to both ALLIE and SHAWN after they embarked on a chronological rewatch of all the movies in preparation for one of the Disney+ shows to drop. What were their impressions of…
Most of the gang here grew up with the original trilogy as the only Star Wars there was. I've been curious to get the perspectives of people who grew up with the prequels. This week I chat with OriginalTrilogy.com (http://OriginalTrilogy.com) forum member Octorox, aka Keith, about his experience getting into…
BRACEY and JONNY join Josh to discuss the final Star Wars prequel, Episode III: REVENGE OF THE SITH. We talk about how our perception of this movie has changed over time, whether it's the best of the prequels, and how it contains George Lucas's definitive statement on life. TRANSCRIPTS AT…
More than 20 years before Revenge of the Sith would grace our screens, there was STAR WARS 3: FALL OF THE REPUBLIC (From the Adventures of Obi-Wan Kenobi). This infamous fan script made the rounds in fandom for years, many believing it to be the actual script for the third…
Where were you in 2002? RUSS and FREY join Josh to discuss the middle part of the prequel trilogy, ATTACK OF THE CLONES. We end up talking a surprising amount about the HAL 9000 fan edit of this movie*, and how it reveals the good movie lurking within. But whether…
STAR WARS has always been at the forefront of technological innovation in filmmaking. Whether it's the prequels pioneering use of CGI, STAR WARS: Episode II - ATTACK OF THE CLONES being the very first feature film to be shot on digital video rather than traditional celluloid film, or the recent…
The most-anticipated movie of all time came out almost a quarter of a century ago, and we, like the all-powerful Sarlacc, are still digesting. Josh, Chris, and Jonny are joined by the famed fan editor HAL 9000 as we reminisce about Episode I - THE PHANTOM MENACE and discuss how…