Horror Beyond Imagination

Sorry folks that I have been off the bloggers chair for such a long time. Watching the World Cup has been taking away most of my free time and I haven't had the right motivations to finish my piece on the Jedi Order which will be coming on it's way. Anyway let's cut the meat. 

Of all the rumors that we have seen of Episode VII, their have been some stinky ones, but none that come close to my fears of what I absolutely DO NOT want to see in the upcoming Star Wars Trilogy. This one really came close to terrorize my sanity and at the time of release and made me not want to even care about the future of Star Wars anymore. But how can I divorce myself from that? It would be like ripping a hand or something out of me. Thankfully, a well known guy from a respected Star Wars website debunked the most chilling part of the rumor. 

But anyway, here is why I consider it to be Horror Beyond Imagination, the rumor that the Inquisitors would be the villains of Episode VII, that they would try to resurrect the Sith, and that our heroes are still the Rebel Alliance and have been fighting a war for 30 years: 

1. The Prophecy of the Chosen One: Folks the truth is that whether you like this prophecy or not, it's pretty much the equivalent of Holy Trinity importance in the Star Wars universe. It's what the first six films rotated around and what arguably two of the most important arcs of the Clone Wars one way or another touched upon. This is one of the most important cruxes of the story that very few fans really understand, one which the EU certainly never did and decided to massacre it by bringing back the Emperor as a clone, having another Sith Empire take over the galaxy centuries later and so forth. So please JJ, for the love of Yoda and the Whills, DON'T BRING THEM BACK!!!!! Reducing Anakin's sacrifice to merely saving his son reduces the importance of the hero as a World Redeemer and merely makes it a family drama. It really reduces the weight and the importance of the character's act. 

2. So, Luke isn't very strong in the Force?: Here's the thing. The war between the Rebels and the Empire took about 4 years to be, in which they managed to destroy both Darth Sidious and Darth Vader, two of the most powerful beings in the galaxy. Are you seriously telling me that Luke Skywalker, a fully trained Jedi Knight, couldn't defeat a group of Force users that where probably weaker than Vader? AFTER 30 FREAKIN" YEARS? Talk about a Plot Hole the size of Jabba the Hutt. Talk about lazy and weak storytelling. 

3. What the hell was everyone Celebrating For?: So yeah, we all know that at the end of Episode VI a bunch of planets (including none other than Coruscant!) where celebrating the demise of the Empire, going so far as to bring down the statues of the Emperor and easily get rid of whatever Imperial  security was stopping them at the time. Sure, it's fairly possible the Empire didn't fall entirely, but not even in the EU did they last that long. With the Balance of the Force, it would be nice to think that the galaxy is a more peaceful and enlightened place, where war isn't breaking the toll everywhere and planets aren't getting destroyed and such. Which brings me to my next point...

4. Star Wars IS NOT meant to be a dark and depressing story at the end of the day: So you know, the generation of people in the prequels faced in the end something worse than what they could have imagined. The galaxy was left in a state of despair. But despite the fact that Star Wars deals with complex and dark issues, Star Wars has always been about seeing the goodness in people and having an optimistic outlook on life. It's very telling that when compared to many blockbusters of the last decade, Star Wars is one of the few that is life-affirming and has been for the most part, family friendly entertainment with only one film having a PG-13 rating. And contrary to many people who are so obsessed with violence and darkness, I commend George Lucas for having done that, which is something Steven Speilberg identified as what made Star Wars special, mainly it's "marvelous innocence and naivete". Making Episode VII having an apocalyptic backdrop makes the accomplishments by Luke and the Rebel Alliance worthless, ruins the beautiful ending of Jedi, and most of all isn't in accord with what Star Wars should be about. Having Luke's generation go through something just as bad, if not worse than the previous generation, is such a huge letdown and perhaps the biggest reason why the EU post Jedi was such a massive failure. 

5. OT 2.0 and so much for "Moral and Philosophical Issues": Basically what this argument amounts for is saying that if this rumor would be true, it would be basically another version of the Original films, with little regards to change the story or make it original, or even throw curveballs. It throws into question if Lucas's ideas for the Sequels are even being applied to this new series. Worst of all, it makes you think what exactly JJ Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan have been doing for this past year writing that script, considering the fact that this plot is basically an EU fanfic. I mean, why would I even want to watch another film series about the Rebel Alliance destroying the Empire, when that is literally what we saw previously in the other trilogy?

The good news, as I guess could be said is that Eric Geller from The Force.Net was informed by an unnamed source (probably Pablo Hidalgo or someone at Lucasfilm) that the Inquisitors hell bent on resurrecting the Sith would not be the villains. However, it still leaves the Empire part of the story unknown. Several other rumors have been pointing towards the direction that an Empire, albeit changed stylistically and more modern, might be the villain of the film. This could only work within the context of the story if it is a) a New Empire inspired and created from the previous one or b) a Remnant that went into hiding until the time was right. So you know folks, let's not give up hope yet.

The Yoda Arc

Literally amazing.

SPOILERS AT YOUR OWN RISK

Order 66 Arc Review

Man, this one was pretty intense. And I have to say, I don't think I have hated Palpatine more than I do now.

SPOILERS AT YOUR OWN RISK

Clovis Arc Review

If any of you have been sitting under a rock, or have been in a far away land disconnected from civilization, then you should know that all 13 Episodes of the Clone Wars Season 6 are available for streaming in Netflix. And let me say, they look gorgeous. If you wish to have a sneek peek, then by all means, be my guest and watch the trailer here:

As the Clovis arc is apparently set before the season finale events of Season 5, I decided to watch this arc first. So now, here is my review:

SPOILERS AT YOUR OWN RISK

Hayden Christensen to return as Anakin?

Thanks to a blog dedicated to Hayden Christensen we managed to find out that Lucasfilm has been promoting the Saga via China's CCTV-6  channel in a special 30 minute interview with Hayden Christensen and Anthony Daniels (voice of C-3PO). George Lucas, JJ Abrams, Kathleen Kennedy and a couple of others make appearances in that and other videos that can be found in the link below: http://www.m1905.com/video/play/728583.shtml 

Besides the fact that it's great to see Hayden again talking about Star Wars, it also brings to mind a couple of other things that are going on inside the mind of Lucasfilm. As China has become an increasingly more important country in terms of box office results, this special was probably a move by Lucasfilm in order to bring the Chinese up to the hype of Episode VII and get those who haven't seen the films interested about it. And what better way to introduce Star Wars than to bring the main character into this special? 

Despite the fact that Hayden said his appearance in the upcoming film was "unlikely" let's remember also that JJ Abrams denied his involvement in Episode VII only to later appear as director 2 months later...so how knows? 

So even if Hayden doesn't make an appearance in Episode VII, it's good to see that Lucasfilm hasn't forgotten of seeing the importance of the saga as a whole, despite what some may be led to believe. And who's to say that we won't see Hayden again as Anakin in the future? 

JJ Abrams Wants it Both Ways

So once again JJ Abrams has talked about Star Wars in an interview that was conducted recently in The Times. He had a couple of things to say about the hateboy produced "Dear JJ Abrams" video:

“I would say that (the website conveys) a feeling that we share very much… I loved how Star Wars had that sense of a world far beyond the borders of what you can see and have been told – it’s one of the things it did so brilliantly.

If you watch the first movie, you don’t actually know exactly what the Empire is trying to do. They’re going to rule by fear – but you don’t know what their end game is.

The beauty of that movie was that it was an unfamiliar world, and yet you wanted to see it expand and to see where it went.”

Any self respected Star Wars fan who reads this at first might feel like they want to cry their eyes out in a bench at their local park, but reading things further will make you reach a different conclusion.

"Abrams is eager not to criticize the more recent movies and suggests that he may need to tread a careful line not to alienate fans of the originals and the younger fans of the prequels. 

He said: A lot of kids who grew up with the prequels when they were young really do identify with those movies as much as my generation identified with the originals."

So there you have it: JJ Abrams wants it both ways. And it doesn't really surprise me. 

For starters, we realize that the hateboys count on Abrams on bringing him the Star Wars they want-which probably includes his friends Damon Lindelof and Simon Pegg. On the other hand, the younger fans (including his kids) and GL himself, are keeping a somewhat close eye to see that the film is a valid continuation of the saga. With that type of pressure, he has the unimaginable task of having to, you know, please everyone. And that obviously is something that remains to be seen until the film is released, but meanwhile, he is walking in the thin line that both sides of fandom are standing on.

Will he be able to pull it off? Nobody knows. What we do know is that if we analyze these recent comments with ones he made previously, we see the parallels and get to understand Abrams' point of view better.

Abrams: Well, I’m just a fan of "Star Wars.” As a kid, “Star Wars” was much more my thing than “Star Trek” was. If you look at the last three “Star Wars” films and what technology allowed them to do, they covered so much terrain in terms of design, locations, characters, aliens, ships — so much of the spectacle has been done and it seems like every aspect has been covered, whether it’s geography or design of culture or weather system or character or ship type. Everything has been tapped in those movies. The challenge of doing “Star Trek” — despite the fact that it existed before “Star Wars” — is that we are clearly in the shadow of what George Lucas has done.

Abrams: It's funny how in a weird way sometimes by demystifying a character it takes away from some of the fun that you felt about that character. It takes the mystery out of it. Sometimes a character is more interesting when you don't know everything about them. Even someone from my generation -- and I'm ancient compared to so many of the Star Wars fans out there -- for me the character of Darth Vader was always so compelling because you were putting together all these thing in your head and making all these assumptions, that to get to know Anakin as much as we ultimately did changed the way you consider Darth Vader. It's crazy that my kids relate to Anakin; which to me is criminal because I grew up believing Vader was a bad guy. I related to Luke and Leia and Han Solo. You just don't relate to Vader! I still think it's wrong to be on Anakin's side. So I guess there's no one character I can point to and say that I want to know more about him or her, it's just that Star Wars is so vast it would be great to find new characters that have that level of emotional intimacy.

Here, we can see that Abrams not only had admiration for the prequels in terms of the ground it covered and the places it visited, he also conveys a similar feeling of what he said about the video: primarily that he likes the idea of mystery that existed with the original films, but at the same time realizes that his kids and others relate to the characters of the prequels. 

See folks? There's nothing to worry here. I'm fairly positive Episode VII will deliver. Whether or not it will please both fandom's, is something less than likely since it seems pretty clear that he is following GL's advice, at least as far as Jett Lucas is concerned. 

Halloween: Anakin Skywalker

This Halloween I had the chance to be Anakin Skywalker at the end of Return of the Jedi (without being a blue ghost). I've had various Star Wars costumes throughout my life, going back to when I was 6. I remember that year I was a young Anakin with a podracer suit. 

As I grew older, I began to make combinations with different sets of costumes and made up my own costumes along the way. One of those combinations came to be part ninja, part Jedi, and part Jack Sparrow. I also remember the next year I had the chance to be a part Jedi, part farmer with a cape. I friend of mine gave that costume the nickname of "bounty farmer". 

Anyway, I look forward to being Anakin or some other Jedi in the future. 

Top 100 Star Wars Characters 10-1

As I said way back in February when I was starting this list, their would be characters you think deserved to show up that never made it, and characters you thought didn't deserve to be in it. However, as a very wise man once said, all good things must come to an end. So with you, the Top 10 Star Wars Characters. At least, for now. 

Episode VII: Five Burning Questions

These are the burning questions that have been raised due to the fact that Episode VII is getting released  in 2015. Mind you, for anyone who isn't a die-hard Star Wars fan, that this film release is a paradigm-shifting act. It will potentially change the way we see Star Wars, forever. 

1. Is their any story worth telling? 

The truth is, the biggest question we all have as Star Wars fans, is, what more can be left to tell after the ending of Return of the Jedi? Anakin was redeemed, Luke had become a Jedi, The Empire was gone, The Sith were destroyed, Han and Leia were in love and the Ewoks were happy. One of the few ties that were left unanswered is how Yoda told Luke ''to pass on what he had learned''. Which brings to the next question...

2. How will Luke's New Jedi Order be? 

Essentially, one of the few things we can be almost certain about Episode VII, is that in the 30-40 years since ROTJ, Luke must have founded a New Jedi Order. He probably restored it at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, and went off to train Jedi, possibly Leia being the first. Obviously a couple of questions related to this do come up: How many Jedi will the new Order have? My guess would be that if Luke trains his students the ''rushed'' way he was trained, we might have anywhere from 20-30 Jedi. But who knows? Another question that remains is, how will the new Order be in comparison with the old one, and how will it act in relation with the Republic? Which leads us to...

3. Will Leia be a Jedi or a Senator? 

Luke told Leia in Episode VI that in time she would learn to use the Force like him. One would think that the first student Luke would have trained would have been Leia. At the same time, it raises question to the whole Attachment issue of the Jedi Order, and whether or not it will exist in this New Order. A primal assumption everyone has made is that Leia and Han Solo will be married in Episode VII. If the Celibacy part of the Order is kept, you can guarantee that Leia will be portrayed as a politician. Though if she is a senator, it does raise the question: Senator of what planet? 

4. Will Luke be Married? 

George Lucas stated back in an interview in 2008 that in his vision, Luke never got married. If Lucas didn't change his mind since then, we can assume that the Celibacy part of the Jedi Order was maintained. If however, Lucas changed his mind at some point, then it raises the question: Who will be Miss Skywalker? Will it be Mara Jade, or someone else? And if it is Mara Jade, who will portray her? One thing I know for sure is that, it would be a pretty big change if a Skywalker isn't the protagonist of the next trilogy. 

5. Who Will Be The Main Villain? 

The success or failure of this trilogy rests primarily on this main crux, primarily because if handled wrongly it can lead to horrible decisions. We can't have the Sith back as the villains of the next trilogy: It's too problematic on several fronts. And besides, we already saw them take over the galaxy and be destroyed, so their is little purpose in seeing them again. As I have said before, a third faction of force-users is needed. The spiritual and religious part of Star Wars needs to be respected above all else, and it would be excruciatingly painful to see it slip by. 

These, folks, are perhaps the most important questions I have, and several of you might have, as we move forward. 

American Graffiti

American Graffiti is a coming of age film made by George Lucas after he had a bet with friend and mentor, Francis Ford Coppola. The film was released on August 11th, 1973 and was based on George Lucas's life as a teenager growing up in Modesto, California in the early 60's. 

The film stars Ron Howard, Richard Dreyfuss, Paul Le Mat, Cindy Williams, Charles Martin Smith, Wolfman Jack and Harrison Ford in a cameo. The main characters are all friends who live in Modesto, as the film details their lives during an entire night, as they party, have fights, and cruise in their cars, the way life was for young folks back in the 60's. 

It's curious to note that three of the main characters in the film where all based on George Lucas at different points throughout his early teenager/young adult life. George may not have been the most popular kid back in the day, but he later went off to become a hell of a car racer. His passion was at one point so big that he wanted to go into car racing professionally, but a terrible accident at some point in his life ended his dream. Some of that passion must have lived with him, since in all of his films, some type of race occurs, be it a normal car race, a Podrace or a Trench Run. It's even known that Lucas went recently to a Formula 1 race in Monaco. 

The importance of American Graffiti, looking back on it in retrospect, is to show that whoever you were in High School: be the popular kid, the normal boy, or the underdog, won't determine your success later in life. If you need anymore evidence, simply look at the maker himself. This theme is also evident in the Star Wars films, as both Luke and Anakin came from humble origins, and were underdog's that became heroes once they embarked in an adventure. 

I personally think that the film is a fun one to watch, that also has a message of ''simplicity'': Life was better in the old days, when it revolved around small towns and everyone knew each other, and when young folks would listen to rock and roll and cruise in their cars because their was nothing better to do. Nowadays the world is a much more complex place, where popular culture has enforced a ''mono-culture'' in film, music and other media that seeks to get young people to identify with vice, misogyny and materialism over their traditional values. 

George Lucas had proven to the world that he could make a successful film that the public would love. He had the vision and the capacity to make Star Wars. The rest, you could say, is history.

Rating: 8.5/10

Possible Planets and Locations for Episode VII

It seems that it has been forever since I have made any speculation post regarding Episode VII. An important one of course, and one I seem to have missed at some point, is the speculation regarding what planets and locations we will see in the next Star Wars films. Here are some possible places we might see:

1. Coruscant

If their is one planet that must return in the next films, it's Coruscant. The capital of the Republic and the Empire, which was encompassed of one big city, was very prominent in Episodes I,II and III. In Episodes IV and V it's completely absent and in Episode VI we only see it at the very end, when everybody is cheering over the destruction of the Empire, statues of Palpatine are torn down and stormtroopers are incapable of stopping the masses of happy people. We barely saw it in the later films, due to the fact that most of the action took place in the Outer Rim, where the Rebels where building up their armies and recruiting star systems to support their cause. However, assuming that the Republic has been restored and fully functional in Episode VII, we will likely see Coruscant again. It would be nice to see some changes to the city compared to what we saw previously, as well as bring back major points of importance, like the Jedi Temple and the Galactic Senate. So, if anything, Coruscant is a given in the next trilogy. And to all the haters who can't stand CGI: If you don't think the picture above looks realistic, their is something wrong with your eyes and you better go see a doctor. 

2. Tatooine

Despite the fact that Tatooine is a backwater planet located in the Outer Rim, it's by far, the single most important planet in the Star Wars saga, due to the fact that it's where Anakin and Luke Skywalker were raised and the place where the Jabba the Hutt lives and appears in 5 of the 6 films. It's hard to see how Tatooine could be involved in the next trilogy in particular if Luke's kids are raised in Coruscant. But, you never know. The only requirement would be to go to Tunisia. 

3. Naboo

Coruscant, Tatooine and Naboo are the 3 most important planets in the six films. Naboo would be the third in that ranking, since it's the home planet of Padme Amidala, mother of Luke and Leia and wife to Anakin. Naboo features prominently in Episodes I and II and briefly in III and VI. Whether or not we see it again in Episode VII and beyond is anyone's guess. The same problem exists here as it does with  Tatooine in the sense that it's difficult to see how it could be involved. I would imagine however, that Luke and Leia might have visited the planet at one point, in order to find out more about their mother. 

4. Dathomir

I'm simply throwing in a wild guess here, but if the Nightsisters do turn out to be the villains of Episode VII, then I guarantee you we will see the red planet Dathomir once again, as seen in The Clone Wars. 

5. New and Unknown Planets

In every Star Wars film we are always introduced to at least one new and exciting planet. My bet on Episode VII is that we will likely see more than one new planet. We may likely also see some familiar places from either TCW or the films, planets like Mandalore, Bespin and Felucia. Some rumors have indicated that partial filming may take place in Ireland, which would allow for us to see a new and distinct planet. At the same time, I am 99.99999999% certain that Coruscant WILL appear in the next film. 

Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi

Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi is the epic conclusion to the greatest film franchise of all time. At least, until 2015 comes around. George Lucas had previously planned for Episode VI to be a mere continuation of the saga, having the episode be a bittersweet ending that would lead in to VII, VIII and IX. However, he had a change of heart at one point, which led to Gary Kurtz be kicked out of the producers seat. Kurtz has since then been on a vendetta against George, accusing him of being ''greedy'' and in favor of the marketing of toys instead of the films. In all honesty, over the years George has proven to be anything BUT a greedy man, which only shows that Kurtz accusations and the hateboys efforts have been a colossal waste of time.  

Anyway, going back to Episode VI. At this point, Palpatine is near final victory in his quest to purge the galaxy from adherents of the light side. Now that the second Death Star has been in construction for a few years, and is reaching near completion, he has personally allowed for the Bothan spies to know the location of the Death Star, in order to lure the Rebel fleet in a battle that will destroy them, and seduce Luke Skywalker into the dark side, therefore replacing the ill and robotic Darth Vader. Palpatine has always achieved his evil and diabolical goals in the past, why should it be any different now? 

Darth Vader in the meantime, has every intention of joining with his son in order to defeat the Emperor.  Both of them have the Sith Rule of Two in mind, but the difference is, that while Darth Sidious demonic soul only wants to finally achieve victory for the Sith and the dark side, Vader is beginning to feel conflicted in the inside regarding what he should do. 

On the other side of the galaxy, while Admiral Ackbar and Mon Mothma are preparing themselves against the decisive fight over the control of the galaxy, Leia, Luke, Lando, Chewie and the droids are over at Tatooine figuring out how to free Han Solo from the clutches of Jabba the Hutt. Lando entered firstly undercover, and later the droids would follow as a way to see if Jabba would give Han. After he refused and kept the droids, Leia had to enter disguised as a bounty hunter, with Chewbacca as a ''prisoner'', in order to free Han. Leia would later take the droids and Chewie, with the help of Lando. Since that also failed, Luke Skywalker, as a near trained Jedi had to come and bargain by force with Jabba. Luke then falls into a pit and faces the monstrous rancor, only to end up killing him as he chokes with the door. Han, Luke and Chewbacca are all sentenced to death, to be eaten by the Sarlacc.

Once R2-D2 releases Luke's lightsaber, and Luke uses it, we clearly see that in the interim between Empire and Jedi, Luke has gone into training of his own. The EU goes off to reveal that Luke went into Obi-Wan's home in Tatooine and uncovered a journal that allowed Luke to continue his training, and had instructions into the construction of a lightsaber. Boba Fett dies in the most comedic way possible, something undermining for such a serious character. Jabba also dies at the hands of slave Leia.  Leia, Han, Lando and Chewie go to reunite with the rest of the Rebel fleet. Luke meanwhile, goes to Dagobah in order to fulfill his promise to Yoda.

Yoda on the other hand, is very ill at this point, facing death at the age of 900 years. He talks with Luke for one last time, confirming Vader's parentage to Luke, and reminding him that he is the last of the Jedi. After Yoda vanishes, Luke talks to Obi-Wan's Force Ghost. He gives us the famous A Certain Point of View line, reveals that Luke is Leia's sister, and says that he must defeat Vader and the Emperor in order to be a full fledged Jedi. Luke however, believes he can redeem his father.

Luke then arrives and meets with the other Rebels, in order to plan their battle. The Big Three along with Chewie and the droids must go into the Sanctuary Moon of Endor in a stolen Imperial Ship in order to infiltrate the shield that is protecting the Death Star and destroy it. Along the way in Endor, they meet with the Ewoks, a strange group of beings all the size of a 6 year-old. The Rebels ally with the Ewoks in order to infiltrate the shield generator. In the night before the epic battle, Luke must go into the Death Star, and fulfill his destiny as a Jedi. Before he goes however, Luke tells Leia about not only her parentage, but their relation as siblings. Leia is obviously affected by this, as Luke leaves to the unknown.

The Battle of Endor begins the next day. Admiral Ackbar and Lando Calrissian using the Millenium Falcon are ready to lead the Alliance into victory. As they realize that the shield generator is still up, they are forced to attack the Imperial Fleet first. Han, Leia and Chewie lead the fight with the Ewoks to infiltrate the shield generator and destroy it. Neither fight goes well at first, since the Death Star destroys two Rebel cruisers, and the Ewoks have several casualties.

Palpatine meanwhile, is in his tower on top of the Death Star, seeking to turn Luke into the dark side, telling him that the only way to save his friends and family from dying in battle is to join him, much like how his father was turned decades back. Luke faces uncertainty, and despite the fact that he can overpower his father in combat, he isn't sure of what to do. Darth Vader, feels even more conflicted as the story progresses.

Han Solo, then with the help of Chewie, figures out how to trick the Empire and enters the shield generator. After implanting some bombs, the shield gets destroyed, and Lando along with Wedge and other Rebel pilots charge deep into the heart of the Death Star, in order to destroy it. Darth Vader meanwhile, discovers that Leia is Luke's sister after reading his mind. Once Vader threatens to turn Leia to the dark side, Luke reacts violently, defeating his father in confrontation. and caling the attention of Sidious. Sidious orders Luke to kill his father, and finally embrace his apprenticeship to the Order of the Sith Lords. Luke looks in disgust to see that Darth Vader had a robotic hand, much like how he also has one. He realizes in horror, how his vision in the cave of Dagobah of becoming another Darth Vader is becoming more and more real. He then rejects the dark side of the Force and declares himself a Jedi, like his father before him.

Palpatine gets upset to realize that the ultimate apprentice won't turn, so he decides to electrocute him with Force lightning. As Luke Skywalker stands on the door of death, his father realizes that Luke is the only person who ever loved him that has a chance of being saved. That's when Darth Vader returns to being Anakin Skywalker, and throws Emperor Palpatine down a reactor shaft, destroying the Sith Lords once and for all. Of course, Anakin's sacrifice comes at a high cost, having his own lung respirator largely damaged. He tells Luke to take his mask off, in order to look at him with his own eyes. Once that happens, Anakin says his final words to Luke, before he dies.

Luke manages to escape the Death Star on time, as Wedge and Lando blow up the Death Star on time. Han and Leia declare their love for each other, while Luke burns up his father in a Jedi-type funeral. As we see, various planets around the galaxy, including Naboo, Coruscant and Tatooine celebrate the victory of the Rebel Alliance over the Empire, and the restoration of democracy into the galaxy. As the Rebels celebrate on Endor, Luke notices the force ghosts of Yoda, Obi-Wan and a younger Anakin Skywalker. The Jedi have returned.

Return of the Jedi is by far my favorite Star Wars film. It's a great way of ending a mythic saga that tells us in the end that good will prevail over evil, that their is a transcendence beyond the universal tragedy of man, one of redemption and hope, that lives on in many of the worlds mythic traditions. Star Wars brings up that concept, and no better example exists of that than Return of the Jedi.

Finest Moments of the Film:

1. The entire sequence in Jabba's Palace and the Sarlacc pit. It has always been one of my favorites.

2. The arrival of the Emperor, the death of Yoda, and Obi-Wan's conversation with Luke.

3. The Space Battle of Endor, including the ''It's a Trap'' moment.

4. The Fight Between Darth Vader, Luke and the Emperor.

5. Vader's redemption and his death. Makes me tear up every time.

6. The Victory Celebration.

Rating: 10/10

The Birth of the Hateboy Nation: Eli Roth

It's difficult to pinpoint exactly when certain historical events happen. For example, It's difficult to say exactly when the French Revolution came to an end. Some Historians say it ended when Napoleon was crowned Emperor of France, while others assert that it didn't end at that point because France had Monarchs  after the end of Napoleon's rule. In a similar fashion, it's difficult to pinpoint the birth of the Hateboy movement. Some will argue that it all started in 1997, when fans went to see the Special Editions, and they were angered by the changes George Lucas made, in particular the whole ''Han Shot First'' stupidity. Others might say that it really wasn't born until the internet united the haters and made them a powerful force. Regardless of when this Weapon of Mass Destruction was born, it's important to note that perhaps the people most influential in dispersing the seeds of this movement, either intentionally or unintentionally, where the critics who reviewed The Phantom Menace. We know that Roger Ebert liked Phantom Menace,  but other critics like Peter Travers from Rolling Stone didn't. But what most people don't know is that one of the earliest reviews of the film came from none other than Eli Roth, director of horror and violent films, since it was published before the film was ever opened to the public. In several ways, Eli Roth is one of the founding fathers of Hateboy Nation. The term Hateboys, however, was coined several years later by the blog A Certain Point of View.net. 

Once notorious hateboy Mike Ryan from the Huffington Post unearthed this review, We can now see more clearly some of the ''genesis'', the reasons why most hateboys didn't like the prequels and why several at the end of the day, don't really like Star Wars. 

Let's see how it starts: 

Few films in history have had greater anticipation than The Phantom Menace. People have been waiting on line for over a month to get tickets. I know I have been waiting since 5th grade, following every rumor in "Starlog" and on the Internet. So here's the kicker: IT SUCKS. I'm sorry, it does. I know it's sacrilege to criticize George Lucas or the Holy Grail of movie trilogies, but after waiting 16 years I can honestly tell you this film is an unbelievable disappointment. People may say that waiting 16 years for anything will be a disappointment, but I waited 16 years to get laid and that really lived up to all my expectations. Okay, I'm lying, I didn't get laid until I was 18, but you get my point.

Really Eli Roth? Really? Comparing the experience of watching a Star Wars film to sexual intercourse is the lowest form of male primate ritual. Any Star Wars fan that truly loves the films knows that the Star Wars experience is one of pure connection with your soul. It's not a love affair, it has absolutely nothing to do with that. Any person who gets married because they think it's a very long love affair will be divorced very soon, because they all end in disappointment. So in truth, it's no wonder Eli Roth makes this comparison: he probably wasn't enamored with Star Wars in the first place. 

Let's start with the first problem of the movie, the title. What does it mean? I have no idea. Having seen the film, I still have no idea. I'm guessing it's a reference to Anakin Skywalker, but your guess is as good as mine.

This proofs he probably never understood the film in the first place. George Lucas managed to fool him into thinking that Palpatine and Sidious are two different persons, hence the title of the film.

At this point I realized that Han Solo and Chewbacca wouldn't be appearing any time soon, and I got a bit worried. It wasn't the fact that half the film was computer generated and it was starting to look more like A Bug's Life than Star Wars, it was the embarrassing dialogue that Lucas wrote.

The whole argument against Lucas with the ''bad dialogue'' makes you think that they never paid attention to the dialogue of the previous films. It's not meant to be Shakespeare, it's meant to sound big and epic and so forth. How could Han Solo show up if he was just a baby? Weren't we supposed to see a different story? Simply because Chewie doesn't show up, it doesn't mean its a bad film. After all, the Star Wars universe is pretty big. Apparently Eli Roth didn't bother to notice that the film was shot in Tunisia and in Italy, for Tatooine and Naboo, nor did he realize that Coruscant had to be CGI because their was no other way around it. So anyway, that argument is completely invalid. 

Imagine the worst aspects of Jedi--the Ewoks--exploited in mass form and forced upon you throughout the entire film. I was cringing every second Jar Jar was on screen.

And yet Eli Roth said that he loved the Ewoks recently, in the Return of Return of the Jedi video. Is he just making up excuses simply because the prequel hatred bandwagon is based out of emotion and not facts? 

In Phantom Menace, when a ship crashes during a race, an ESPN-type announcer says "I don't care what planet you're from, that's gotta hurt!" Is that supposed to be funny? Whereas the previous films were based heavily on Greek mythology, this film is based on popular culture.

Again, Eli Roth ignores the fact that Episode I is the most influenced by Akira Kurosawa's The Hidden Fortress, as he ignores that Anakin's early stages of his hero journey is very similar to Luke's. So much for Joseph Campbell, whose influence is as much, if not more, visible in this film than in A New Hope. What about the virgin birth? What about Darth Maul, who clearly resembles Satan? And what about Qui-Gon? Did nobody notice how similar he is to Obi-Wan in Episode IV? I could go on.

And finally, Eli Roth's prediction of the future comes true, to a certain extent at least: 

I was so angry after the film I wanted to punch someone in the face. I was tempted to go to Hollywood Boulevard, outside Mann's Chinese Theatre, and scream to the crowd who have been sleeping outside since March: "It sucks. Go home. Go back to your non-existent lives! It sucks!" I have a feeling that there will be riots in the streets when this film comes out. Star Wars fans will be so shocked and appalled that they will harass George Lucas into seclusion, and he'll get so pissed off he'll just say "fuck it" and chuck the whole thing. Or he could play it smart and stick to writing the story and leave the dialogue to people who actually know what they're doing.

What is true is that for the years that followed, a small but annoying group of ''fans'' have been doing everything in their power to discredit George Lucas and his films. The funny thing is that the guy who prophecied everything is apparently no longer a hateboy anymore. At the same time that this got unearthed, Mike Ryan contacted Eli Roth, and he has some things to say that distinguish him from the guy who wrote this review in 99. 

I wrote that review very much in the style of my all time favorite movie review, which Steve Martin wrote in his book "Cruel Shoes" as a 'rejected New Yorker submission' reviewing "Alien," where he admits to falling asleep in the film and not remembering anyone's names. I knew Jordan Hoffman from NYU and had written a screenplay for him when he was working for Andrew Lauren (son of Ralph, who was producing at the time), and so Jordan asked me to write that and credited me as "Hollywood screenwriter," despite the fact I had never done anything in the business. I didn't really worry about making enemies because I was dead certain nobody I mention in the review would ever read it. Oops. Now I know the people at Skywalker and they're so nice and invite me to all kinds of Star Wars events, but I'm guessing that now that you've unearthed this treasure I won't be on their Christmas list, despite my enduring love for Star Wars.  

Now I look back at that review and all I can say is, I'm so happy I have a life now. Having received similar scathing reviews (and worse ones), I read it and laugh and realize that the only crime against cinema was getting that upset at a movie that was never intended for me. I've met so many young people who love the "new" Star Wars films, because that's who they were made for. Thinking that George Lucas made "The Phantom Menace" for me is symptomatic of my entire generation who grew up with Star Wars, because as kids in the 70's and 80's, those films were made for us. We just assumed that would continue in the 90's (and secretly hope it does with J.J. Abrams at the helm of the new ones). So while I won't be ordering the Phantom Menace special edition Blu-ray anytime soon, I don't take the film as a personal assault against my childhood. At least not in front of girls.

So at the end of the day, it doesn't really matter what Eli Roth thinks with regard to Episode I, due to the fact that he obviously isn't a hateboy anymore. He realizes that their are plenty of folks who love these films, and that George always intended the film to be for kids. So Eli, I want to say personally that  your view on Episode I is forgiven and thank you for not being a hateboy. I wish Simon Pegg and the rest of the crowd, could learn Eli Roth's lesson, someday. 

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is the Star Wars film that manages to bridge the saga together. George Lucas needed to end the trilogy on a high note, and tell the story the way it was intended to be. Parts of the film, as seen in a recently released conversation between Lucas, Howard Kazanjian and Lawrence Kasdan dating back to the early 80's reveal that many of these plot points had been mapped out way back. George simply needed to make some re-writes, and improve the story. 

Palpatine is in the final stage of the Sith Grand Plan. He now has, unlike the previous two films, 3 goals in the entire film. First he needs to turn Anakin Skywalker into a fearsome Sith Lord. He has to also get rid of the Jedi in order to eliminate any threat to his rule and finally, declare himself Emperor of the galaxy. Sadly, to the disfortune of our héroes, Palpatine's plan gets carried out at the end of the day. 

Anakin, now a much more mature Jedi Knight, is seen as the kind and good hearted hero that Obi-Wan describes in A New Hope, at least at the beginning of the film. Obi-Wan is now a leading member of the Jedi Council, a very wise Jedi Master in his own right. Padme Amidala, continuing to serve as Senator of Naboo, is pregnant with twins. Padme's pregnancy puts in danger the secrecy of her relationship with Anakin, while at the same time she is increasingly worried with Palpatine's dictatorial powers, as is her fellow senatorial friends, Mon Mothma and Bail Organa. 

Anakin's defeat of Count Dooku, at the command of Palpatine further enact the character into the clutches of the dark side. But perhaps Anakin would have never turned had he not dreamed the nightmare of Padme's death in childbirth. That my friends, was the catalyst that turned everything upside down for our hero. 

Anakin, having suffered painfully from the death of her mother, not being able to accept that he can't control the fate of those he loves, ultimately leads him to do anything possible to stop Padme from death. Being tormented with this vision, combined with the fact that Obi-Wan leaves to Utapau to defeat General Grievous, leaves Anakin vulnerable. Sidious takes advantage of this and starts to work on him. He makes him doubt his relationship to the Jedi Order and makes him think that good and evil are simply points of view. Ultimately, throwing in a little tale of his old master, Darth Plagueis, he manages to finally have Anakin be interested in finding the ways of the Sith, and save her wife. After all, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

Anakin, unable to let go of Padme, sells his soul to the devil, and becomes the dreaded Dark Lord of the Sith, known as Darth Vader. He goes to the Jedi Temple, in order to wipe out the remaining Jedi left in Coruscant. Palpatine sends a message via the Holocron to Commander Cody and the other clone officers, to execute Order 66, and kill the Jedi. Obi-Wan survives by chance. Yoda senses the entire tragedy happen, and his expression of sadness is so tremendous you can't help but feel his pain. He realizes that Commander Gree is about to kill him, and in a move of a few seconds, kills him and the other officer. Chewbacca and Tarfful help him escape.

Palpatine on the other hand, with the Separatists basically at the mercy of the Republic at this point and the Jedi all but extinct declares the first Galactic Empire. Bail and Padme witness in horror as the apparent kind and honest man reveals himself as what he really is.

Obi-Wan and Yoda realize that they must act as quickly as possible in order to defeat the Sith. Yoda gives his best in an epic duel with Sidious, but despite his impressive skills, is simply unable to kill the Emperor. Obi-Wan on the other hand, goes off to Mustafar to try and defeat Anakin. He watches in horror and pain as his former friend burns in the lava.

Obi-Wan goes off in Padme's Naboo starship to the asteroid field of Polis Massa, where Bail Organa and Yoda await them. Padme is sent to the emergency room, where she gives birth to the twins, Luke and Leia. Padme is apparently dying, for reasons beyond comprehension. As she dies, the newly built and fully restored Darth Vader shines in the medical room in Coruscant, with his distinct black cloak, black armor and faceless mask. As Palpatine tells him that he killed Padme, Vader rages in anger, destroying whatever he had left of Anakin. Padme has her funeral in Naboo, with Jar Jar, Boss Nass and others, mourning over the death of the heroine of Naboo. Obi-Wan delivers Luke to his family in Tatooine, while Bail Organa adopts Leia in Alderaan.

Another theme that this film deals with, despite it's limited screen time, is the one of immortality. We learn from Palpatine's tale of his master, which proves to be for the most part true as seen in James Luceno's novel, that the Sith are so selfish that they can't bear the thought of death. The Jedi on the other hand, realize that the true path to immortality is that of selflessness and love, which Qui-Gon learned at some point and passed on his knowledge to Yoda and Obi-Wan. They realize that their is a good path to the afterlife, while the Sith are traumatized of dealing with hell.

Revenge of the Sith is by far the biggest Star Wars film. It has the most number of planets, most number of characters, and most number of lightsaber duels. Despite all of this, it has always been my least favorite Star Wars film. I think it's as good as the other Star Wars films, but the biggest problem it has is that it's the only Star Wars film that isn't for children. It's too tragic and dark and sad. Of course, George Lucas couldn't make the film any other way, so it stands as it is.

The hateboys tended to dislike Sith the least, probably due to its darker nature and the fact that it's the most similar to Episodes IV, V and VI.

Now that Anakin has become the fearsome Darth Vader, is he still the Chosen One? With the Empire hunting down the last of the Jedi, what hope remains for the galaxy? Or was Padme right when she said that their was still good in him? Only time will tell.

Finest Moments of the Film:

1. Battle Over Coruscant. In particular the opening scene with the Force theme.

2. The Tale of Darth Plagueis the Wise. It really made me wonder about who was Darth Plagueis and about the nature of the Sith.

3. Obi-Wan vs Grievous. Great fight.

4. Palpatine's declaration of the Empire.

5.The fight between Anakin and Obi-Wan and Yoda and Palpatine

6.The deilvery of Leia in Alderaan and Luke on Tatooine

Rating: 10/10

Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones

Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones continues the story that was begun and established with Phantom Menace. George Lucas was determined to continue, regardless of what the critics and the public thought about it. 

The film takes place ten years after the events of Phantom Menace. It's drawn significantly closer to the inevitable events that will spell doom to several of our heroes. Palpatine, now having been Chancellor of the Republic for a decade, has every intention of furthering his quest for total and unlimited power. While the deeper implications of how the Sith Grand Plan is enacted are talked about in Star Wars: Darth Plagueis, we know that Sidious has taken at this point a new apprentice, Count Dooku, or known now as the Sith Lord Darth Tyranus. Tyranus was once a Jedi, none other than the master of Qui-Gon Jinn. The death of his apprentice, combined with a lack of faith in the Jedi Order and the ongoing corruption in the Senate convinced Dooku to join the dark side.

Dooku has every intention of ruling the galaxy with an iron fist along his master. Too bad for him that his fate was already sealed once he became the apprentice of Sidious. Palpatine only needed Dooku until Anakin was old enough to be turned to the dark side. Anakin was to be the ''Ultimate Sith''.

Palpatine has only one goal in the entire film: start the Clone Wars. Dooku has already become the leader of the Separatists and has seceded thousands of systems from the Republic. Sifo-Dyas had already created the Clone Army under the request of Hego Damask (Darth Plagueis) and had been assasinated by Dooku shortly after the creation. Dooku then went off to erase Kamino from the Jedi Archives, in order to keep the army a secret until the time was right.

As more and more Senators become aware of the army the Separatists are building and the threat they  pose to the Republic, the Military Creation Act starts to take strength, since the Jedi aren't enough in numbers to protect the Republic. Padme, now Senator of Naboo, goes to Coruscant to be against the act, when her ship is bombed after landing. This leads to a chain of events that make Obi-Wan go to Kamino and find out who is the mysterious bounty hunter sent to murder Amidala. He leaves his apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, to escort Senator Amidala back to Naboo, in order to make him go in an assignment of his own.

What follows is a nice backdrop between a romantic, beautiful, almost dream-like scenes involving Anakin and Padme, and a more mysterious and dark tone to the story, as Obi-Wan seeks to unravel the mystery of the assasination attempt, which leads him to the clone army in Kamino and the discovery of the bounty hunter Jango Fett. He realizes that their is more going on that what can be perceived, and in a desperate chase to get some answers from Jango, he tracks him down all the way to the droid foundries of Geonosis. Obi-Wan gets confirmation of the creation of the droid army and every intention they have in attacking and overwhelming the Jedi. This is when Palpatine tricks Jar Jar into helping him, as he gains emergency powers and authorizes the use of the recently discovered clone army.

Anakin is still the only hope the galaxy has of being saved, but things only appear to get more complicated for him. His inability to save his mother from death makes him go through fear, anger, hatred and suffering. His love for Padme and his obligations to the Jedi Order only make him more conflicted in the inside.

As Obi-Wan, Anakin and Padme are about to be executed, a series of events to save them occur, all of them leading to the start of the Clone Wars. Dooku returns secretly to an abandoned warehouse in Coruscant and meets with his master. Palpatine has accomplished his goal. While Obi-Wan is happy that the Clone Army gave the Republic a victory, Yoda realizes that the shroud of the dark side keeps falling, and that the Sith have some involvement in these series of events. Anakin and Padme quietly get married next to a beautiful lake, looking at the sunset.

Attack of the Clones is a lot like it's predecessor, with the exception that this story is darker but at the same time, it's more hopeful. Another great Star Wars film that get's bashed more for emotional reasons than anything else. It's still remembered rather well, by folks like me how went to see it in theaters when they were 8.

Finest Moments of the Film:

1. Yoda and the Younglings. It's one of the most innocent parts of the film, and certainly a great one.

2. When Obi-Wan and Lama-Su see the clone army training, followed later by Jango's duel with Obi-Wan. One of the best fights in the saga.

3. When Anakin is on his speeder bike and Duel of the Fates plays. It makes you think of the conflict he feels himself.

4. The scene where Jar Jar gives emergency powers to Palpatine. The speech he gives is so inspiring, it makes you believe for a few seconds that he has good intentions. Almost.

5. The fight in the arena on Geonosis, followed by Yoda's fight with Count Dooku. I always imagined that Yoda was an excellent swordsman before I saw the film.

6. The marriage of Anakin and Padme. If you don't think that's romantic, I don't know what is.

Rating: 10/10

Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace

Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is an excellent film. Perhaps the best of the prequel trilogy. No really, it is. No apologies to the hateboys.

George Lucas decided to start writing the new Star Wars trilogy on November 1, 1994. The screenplay was adapted from a 15-page outline written in 1976. Ultimately he was aiming for a story set in the same universe as Episodes IV, V and VI, but he obviously needed to tell it from a different point of view. The same thing that inspired him to make the previous films helped make this one. 

We are introduced to the source of evil that manages to manipulate the events of the entire saga. Although explained in greater detail in Star Wars: Darth Plagueis, We learn that Palpatine secretly the evil Sith Lord Darth Sidious is instigating an evil, very evil plan that has been in the making for a millenia: To crown himself as ruler of the galaxy, and destroy democracy and the Jedi Order from within. This film makes it much more clear that the ''Wars'' in the ''Star Wars'' title is far more than simply droids vs Gungans, droids vs clone troopers and stormtroopers vs rebels: The real fight is between the cosmic forces of the dark side and light side of the force, more specifically, the most powerful users of each, the Jedi and the Sith.

The Jedi are at their height, but at the same time, they have little understanding of who or what is behind the Trade Federations motivation to invade Naboo. After a short, but intense confrontation between Qui-Gon Jinn and Darth Maul, Qui-Gon comes to the unequivocal conclusion that the mysterious tattooed zabrak warrior is indeed a Sith Lord. The Jedi Council at that moment, realizes that this trade blockade, is much more serious than they had first thought. Ultimately, they know it's a Sith who was behind everything, they just don't know which Sith.

That's when we turn to Palpatine. He has only one goal in the entire film: to go from being Senator of Naboo to Supreme Chancellor of the Republic. Queen Amidala, as said by Sidious himself is ''young and naive'' and will do what it takes to save her people. Sadly, saving her people ended up making possible a scenario beyond the worst fears of any of the heroes.

Despite the mysterious dark forces that are conspiring against our heroes, hence the title ''The Phantom Menace'', the galaxy still has hope of being saved, by none other than the hands of a 9-year old slave  named Anakin Skywalker, whom lives with his mother in the backwater and hostile desert world of Tatooine.

Qui-Gon is the Jedi who realizes not only that the Sith are behind the entire blockade, but that this boy is the prophecied ''Chosen One''- an ancient Jedi prophecy that spoke of a being that would bring balance to the Force and destroy the Sith. The rest of the Jedi Council is nevertheless skeptical of Qui-Gon's claims, fearing instead the clouded future that is in store, and not realizing that they could have stopped this menace if their minds had been on the ''here and now''. It does bring to question what would have happened had Qui-Gon not died at the hands of Darth Maul. Would he have stopped young Anakin from becoming the fearsome Darth Vader? Would he have seen that Palpatine was a soul of irreparable evil that really didn't have the best interest of the people? The only thing that we know for sure is that Qui-Gon knew the outcome of the entire thing before it had even begun.

The beauty of Phantom Menace lies on the fact that it deals with an incredibly evil plot from the side of the villain, yet it tells a relatively straightforward and fun adventure. That is perhaps one of Lucas's greatest gifts: despite the fact that Star Wars deals with complex and dark themes, it ultimately is a story that is engulfed with a hopeful and positive message. Few other franchises manage to have that chemistry and in fact, most tend to slip towards the side of darkness too far in.

The story introduces us to great villains, Sidious and Maul, a wise and powerful mentor, Qui-Gon, a arrogant yet far more mature for his age Obi-Wan Kenobi, a beautiful and strong willed Queen Amidala, a young and nice Anakin and the stooge that is Jar Jar Binks. I do have to admit however, that Obi-Wan became my favorite Star Wars character when I first watched this film in 1999, primarily at that point because he defeated Darth Maul. Nowadays, my reasoning is more complex.

Ultimately, we all knew that Phantom Menace was going to be huge from the day it got announced, even if today a portion of Star Wars ''fans'' (hateboys), apparently have nothing better to do and continue to bash a film they should have moved on from a long time ago.

For the fans who actually liked this film, and to the new generation that was introduced to Star Wars by this film (including myself), Phantom Menace stands as proof that Star Wars is a multi-generational film saga, something that can't be said for other franchises.

Finest Moments of the Film:

1. The beginning of the film: When Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon talk about the Living Force, and Nute Gunray, petrified, talks to Sidious about the Jedi who have come as ambassadors. The action that follows sets the film to a great start.

2. The introduction to the underwater city of Otoh Gunga. Truly one of those Star Wars moments when you ''experience the wonder''.

3. The Podrace. One of the most memorable moments of the saga.

4. Anakin's farewell to his mother Shmi. It stands out as one of the saddest moments of the film, and also one of the most tragic in retrospect, if we know what happens later.

5. The Duel with Darth Maul, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. Probably the best lightsaber fight of all six films.

Rating: 10/10

The Death of the Main Villains Part 1

One of the often most criticized parts of Phantom Menace, and that of Episodes I-III in general, has to do with the appearance of the villains, in particular the Sith. The hateboys often times will go on record to say that they liked the fact that Darth Vader was a recurring villain in Episodes IV-VI, and that Darth Maul should have been the recurring villain of Episodes I-III. Here is why that was and is not a good idea. 

For starters, the idea of having Maul run away from a Padawan, just after he killed his own master, completely destroys the legitimacy of Episode I, and his own character. Maul's ''death'' brings closure to the film itself, and allows to elevate the character of Obi-Wan. A great part of the reason why I love Obi-Wan Kenobi, and why he has been my favorite Star Wars character ever  since I was a 5-year old boy who watched Phantom Menace in theaters, has to do with the fact that yes, he ''killed'' the supporting villain of the story. We obviously know that Jedi are only supposed to kill in self defense, and that is exactly what Obi-Wan did, which brings to show you how much he personifies the Jedi Code itself.

Going back to Maul, even if you find a way to keep him alive while not destroying Episode I, you still have to face the fact that it's going to be difficult for this guy to be running around from the Jedi for a decade until the Clone Wars start. He would have been more of Obi-Wan's foil than he ever was of Anakin, since well, Anakin only knew Qui-Gon for like a few days, while Qui-Gon had been Obi-Wan's father figure. Bringing Obi-Wan towards the dark side simply isn't how the story goes, nor is it in the nature of his character. And besides, a duel between Yoda and Maul simply won't work: Yoda would kick Maul's ass in five minutes similar to how Sidious kicked his ass in the Clone Wars. Having Maul die at the hands of Yoda would force Sidious to get some kind of apprentice to run the Separatists for him, and that villain would have had only minor screen time in Revenge of the Sith. So in the end, it was a wise choice to have Maul ''die'' in Episode I, and have Count Dooku be the villain later on. 

In Part 2 of this series, I will discuss about Maul's return in the Clone Wars, and how his return is different from that of other Star Wars characters. I will see if I can also talk about why Count Dooku is a great Star Wars villain. 

The Wrong Jedi Review

After a depressing week in which I dedicated myself into completing my social service hours in order to graduate from High School, I come to see the conclusion of Season 5. I woke up this morning from a series of weird dreams and nightmares all relating to the episode I just watched, acting as a sort of a premonition to what was about to happen. In all honesty, this was an outcome I did not expect. I mean, has the world gone crazy? First we get that Episode VII is coming out in 2015, now that Ahsoka LEAVES THE JEDI ORDER??????????

This was an unexpected and rather depressing turn of events.While I knew that Ahsoka's fate was inevitably going to be determined at some point, this was the option I least thought possible, and yet it happened. I was in a very tense state the entire episode, and this all became even worse when I realized that Tarkin and most likely Palpatine, where behind the events that led to Ahsoka deciding not to come back to the Order after the trial. At least Obi-Wan was smart in not being in favor with Ahsoka being expelled so that she would face trial.

I can understand Anakin's anger in more than one way, and I guess we all saw in a deeper way why he ended up turning to the dark side. The gargantuous question that we all are thinking right now is, what the hell happens to her now? Does she turn to the dark side and become Count Dooku's apprentice? Does she become a bounty hunter with a conscience, similar to how Sugi is? Does she end up facing Darth Vader at one point after the Clone Wars? Does she help Bo-Katan reconstruct Mandalore? Does she have a romance with Lux Bonteri? Does she end up joining Luke Skywalker's New Jedi Order in Episode VII? Does she live as a hermit with the Ewoks? Which one is it, Dave Filoni?

All of this bogs down eventually to this: This character has been building up in the subconscious of everyone for the past 5 years, becoming more and more of a Jedi as time passed. And now that this bomb was dropped in front of our backyards, what was all that character development for at the end of the day? All of these things remind me of an EU book I read a while back titled Legacy of the Jedi, which was basically focused on the character Lorian Nod, whom was also expelled from the Order at about Ahsoka's age and was a friend of Dooku's. Nod eventually looses his own abilities to use the force, which brings to question, will Ahsoka loose those abilities?

I'm not sure about anything anymore my friends. The matter of the fact is that until I don't see the other part of the story, I can't say if Ahsoka's departure from the Order was a good move at the end of the day. For now, I'm basically like when I first saw Empire, bitterly disappointed. Until I don't see what is at hand next I won't know if I truly liked this ending or not. For now you're all welcome to join me, at the Home of the Blues. link

To Catch a Jedi Review

Well folks, I'm sorry to say this, but I'm pretty sure that Barriss Offee is the Jedi behind the attacks on the temple, and the disenfranchising of Ahsoka. When Eric Goldman from IGN proposed that idea, I didn't believe it at first, but all the evidence points towards that direction. We got to see more of that 1313 videogame scenario, and part of the Coruscant underworld, which is meant to be seen more in the upcoming Star Wars live action series in a few years. We also got to see how much further redeemed Asajj Ventress is at this point, and the alliance she had with Ahsoka was quite interesting. Mace Windu has been doubting on Anakin's ability from this time period, which will later turn out to be a catalyst in Anakin's fall to the dark side.

Anakin and Plo Koon managed to capture Ahsoka in the end, and the next and final episode of  Season 5 pinpoints towards the fact that we will see the trial Ahsoka will apparently be on. I wish to see how all of this is connected with the Sith Grand Plan, and see more questions answered on the next episode.

Mark Hamill on Episode VII

Well friends, some of the biggest questions regarding Episode VII, have been at least, to a certain extent revealed, in an interview they did to Mark Hamill. We happen to know certain things which are shown below:

"They're talking to us," he reveals. "George [Lucas] wanted to know whether we'd be interested. He did say that if we didn't want to do it, they wouldn't cast another actor in our parts – they would write us out. … I can tell you right away that we haven't signed any contracts. We're in the stage where they want us to go in and meet with Michael Arndt, who is the writer, and Kathleen Kennedy, who is going to run Lucasfilm. Both have had meetings set that were postponed -- on their end, not mine. They're more busy than I am."

Right from those few sentences Hamill said, we already see that Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher have been in the talks to see if they will reprise their famous roles. And by the looks of things, if they decide not to appear, their characters will be taken off the film and they could potentially move the film even further into the future. The film is going to be set somewhere around 30-40 years after Return of the Jedi, in which the EU will likely be overwritten. The thing that perhaps worries me the most, is that if they decide not to be a part of Episode VII,then things could go potentially bad.

When we do the jump from Revenge of the Sith to A New Hope, we get to see in Episode IV and beyond, many of the familiar faces we saw in the previous films: Obi-Wan, Darth Vader, Boba Fett, Chewbacca and Tarkin show up in Episode IV while Yoda and Palpatine later make an appearance in Episodes V and VI. So, I don't know. It's too much of a risk if C-3PO and R2D2 are the only familiar characters who will show up in the next episode.

 "I said to George that I wanted to go back to the way it was, in the sense that ours was much more carefree and lighthearted and humorous – in my opinion, anyway. And another thing I'd want to make sure of is are we going to have the whole gang back? Is Carrie and Harrison and Billy Dee and Tony Daniels, everybody that's around from the original [returning]? I want to make sure that everybody's on board here, rather than just one. I guess I'll have to tune into your show to figure out who's on board."

I have to agree with Hamill on this one. While Episodes I-III where telling the tragic story of Anakin Skywalker's generation, Episodes IV-VI show that the generation of Luke Skywalker managed to triumph. This is one of the key points in which the EU failed at magnificently, and one that Hamill will likely assert in Episode VII and beyond being like. Of course, they will tell a different story from the one told in Episodes IV-VI, but it should be more lighthearted than Episode III. Anthony Daniels will more than likely reprise his C-3PO role, and the others have expressed interest in returning. Let's cross our fingers that all of these guys return, people!!!!!!