You guys, things are getting so good on Resistance, and that means it’s high-time I get bloggin’! Now don’t mind me… I’m just gonna take a casual visit to The High Tower and see what I can write on… *Sneaks on over in a Kaz-like manner* *Immediately trips over Bucket*
First of all WHOA YOU GUYS, THIS IS MY 200TH POST! I almost can’t believe I made it this far. Now back to my Resistance ramblings.
After watching Kaz make some less-than-stellar friends last time ’round, it’s really nice seeing him in a friendlier place with Tam and Neeku. Even if Tam still treats Bucket with more respect and Neeku’s still… Neeku. Ah well, the road to true friendship is not always easily-walked. But they’re looking a little more like a real crew-family already! Just seeing them chat over drinks gives me some warm fuzzies. It says to me that, despite their differences, Kaz genuinely appreciates their company and wants to be friends, not just a reluctant alliance with them that’s part of his secret job. It’s just too fun spending time with this fabulous threesome this episode. I love ’em more the more I get to know them!
And in particular today, we got to know more about Tam as Hype Fazon came into the picture. If there was one thing I knew about Hype before the series debuted (just from those early character introduction videos), it was that he looked like the last person someone like Tam would’ve been friends with. Hype was clearly the definition of “hotshot,” and Tam has never been one with the friendliest disposition… or so it seemed. But this fractured friendship might explain some of her edge. Will be interesting to dig into her past more. But as is true to just about everything Star Wars, I think this’ll be something we’ll be uncovering slowly, piece by piece.
Also, Hype Fazon is a pretty cool dude despite his Starkiller Base-sized ego. Honestly, I love ridiculously flawed characters like him… especially when they seem blissfully unaware of how flawed they really are XD And yes, he does get lots of points for his epic name. I think I might have to name someone or something after him. No, not my kid, that might be going too far…
OK, so remember back on my post for The Recruit, when I mentioned that I had a theory in mind as to who the First Order spy was? You can imagine my surprise when right off the bat, Aunt Z’s theory was the same as mine! I was kind of excited to think I might be right, but as the episode went on, my certainty waned. Prior to this episode, Captain Doza made sense because he was in a high place of power, and that power could go either way. Doza might be in the market for more power and want to work with the First Order, or, the First Order might be expecting him to share that power and he would have no choice. And as a writer, I liked that he’d also make for an unexpected traitor. All we saw of him in those character introductions was him being Torra’s worrisome, caring daddy. Who would suspect that? Having seen the episode now, I still don’t know. The truth might simply be the truth, and this makes Doza the spy… but this could just be a cleverly-devised red herring. Knowing Star Wars, I’d almost think it was the latter. Maybe it’s a little of both! Doza could be trouble, but someone else far more surprising might be the real trouble. Oh, how I love the twisting turns of a good mystery-laden plotline! It’s music to my analytical writer’s brain!
And we have to talk about Torra’s room, right? We can’t not! When I came out as Torra on the starwars.com quiz, despite I knew we shared similarities, I couldn’t 100% see myself in her. But then I saw her toy collection. Plushies, action figures, and vehicle models? Well that’s settled, Torra Doza is just about exactly me! I need one of those teddy ewoks, and also that Sabine Wren original on her wall! It’s fun thinking on the hows and whys some of this stuff exists inside the SW galaxy. Like, I assume the teddy ewok was made because, after the Battle of Endor, their people gained much notoriety. But the Boushh action figure? I have no idea. Maybe Torra does customs? Either way, it’ll never stop being cool seeing such fun surprises in the Star Wars galaxy 😀 Also, this scene totally cracked me up in general… poor Kaz!
Yes, this episode is so much joy! *Shoots fists in the air like Neeku* I know there’s still a lot of Star Wars to talk about as the new year arrives, so hopefully I’ll catch you back here for a new post next week!
So glad I’m finally getting around to these posts! These last couple seasons of Forces Of Destiny have been a complete blast! And super special, too, as we look at some small moments in the lives of our favorite heroines and heroes. There’s a lot you can learn from sitting down with Maz Kanata for tea 😀 But it’s not just in the simple-but-beautiful life lessons her stories convey, it’s in all the cool Star Wars connections, revelations, and factoids we get to discover, too! So here’s a few things I learned from the stories inside of the first special.
Contains spoilers from Forces Of Destiny Volume One (but you can watch those shorts here), and a number of elements from The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, Rogue One, Episode VI, and Episode VII.
#1. Nightwatcher worms have feelings, too. And they’re also really big.
The first time I watched this, I really needed some cheering up. Soon as BB-8 and Rey showed up, though, I was all smiles and thrilled to be exploring an unseen moment inside of The Force Awakens! So, this one will always be quite special to me.
But what really makes this one special is that we see Rey’s kindness brightly shine through. Not only in her fierce dedication to the little droid she just met, but also in the way she treats the seemingly terrifying nightwatcher. When she takes a running leap off the beast, she make a point of apologizing to it! I think it’s fair to say most of us wouldn’t think of doing that, were we in her situation. And then she offers it a meal — which, by the way, was junk she could’ve gotten paid a meal from.
It’d be easy to get jaded and angry at life living in a place like Jakku, but somehow, Rey still has maintained a strong sense of compassion and generosity. Not really something we didn’t already know, but this was a powerful reminder. She may not yet know the power she holds, but she’s got the selflessness part of the Jedi down pat! 🙂 And like say, if not for this short, I never would’ve known how much I would want to hug a nightwatcher worm.
#2. Ketsu’s a real Rebel.
One of my favorite things about FoD so far has been getting to see more of Ketsu Onyo. She was such a great character, and her and Sabine’s friendship is epic! It’s so cool seeing what ultimately led Ketsu to join the mini-Alliance, which, otherwise, we wouldn’t know about until the last two episodes of Rebels. And though there’s an awesome brawl with a bunch of bucketheads, (who would’ve guessed you could weaponize food crates?) it doesn’t overshadow the loyalty present in the girls’ actions as they try to bring home the bacon (by which I mean ration sticks), and protect an adorable chadra-fan kiddo in the process.
It’s really quite amazing to see what a solid impact Sabine has had on Ketsu, taking the truths her Ghost family’s taught her and imparting it in a way Ketsu genuinely responds to, helping this former Black Sun bounty hunter find a new direction as not only a Rebel, but as a Ghost family cousin. Plus, since this was the first of the Rebels-related shorts I saw, I couldn’t help but get a little giddy seeing the bright lights of Garel again!
#3. Jyn and I are cut from the same cloth.
As I’ve said before, any opportunity we have to learn more about the late amazing Rogue One heroes is a great opportunity! Jyn’s always been a very relatable heroine, but I never realized until I watched this short that we have even more in common than I thought.
Watching her defend a little girl and her tooka, I couldn’t help but think, “Whoa! That is so me!” I hate injustice in any form, but when someone’s mean to children and/or animals? I absolutely would aim a fruit in their direction. Always nice to see a little of me in these amazing characters! And considering we know that Jyn was a bit of a rebel (note the lowercase “r”) at this point in her life, it’s really special to see these small moments where she was a little bit more of a Rebel, with a capital “R” 🙂
Also, how great is it seeing tookas again? The original Star Wars cat is back with a vengeance! Like seriously, that Tooki’s tough as nails. Guess that brings the number of stormtroopers who’ve been trounced by small cats to three! Oh, and it kind of cracks me up that right after Jyn shushes the cat, Tooki gives a rather insulted growl XP
#4. Ahsoka gives piloting lessons in her spare time.
Another thing I love about FoD is catching some of my fave characters outside of work. OK, so maybe flight combat training isn’t really a relaxing hobby, but it helps when you’re learning from a friend!
Like with Sabine and Ketsu, it’s just fantastic getting to see more of Padme and Ahsoka’s friendship that we don’t get the chance to see much at this juncture in The Clone Wars. Ahsoka’s still the little sister, but she’s also older and more mature now, and you can tell their bond has strengthened over the period of time between their earlier adventures and Ahsoka’s trial. And it’s also really cool getting to see Ahsoka in the role of teacher, and then seeing her student take what she’s learned and own it! Yes, it’s so special going back to the Clone Wars days for a bit and appreciating the friendships that thrived even when the war was at its worst. And also watching Naboo starfighters dash dazzlingly through comet trails 😀
5. Paintbombs are canon!
Though I made mention of this already on the post for Heroes Of Mandalore, this short is how I found out about the paintbombs first. I sort of predicted something like this existing, and it made me really happy to see it for reals. And something about watching stormtroopers run around with big blobs of yellow paint on them just makes me smile X)
But there’s much more to this short than clever weaponry. We get to see Leia and Sabine cross paths, for one thing! Though Leia at least partially knows Sabine from her last encounter with the Ghost crew, it’s too much fun watching them team up. As an artist, I love how they contrast visually, with Leia wearing stark white and Sabine covered in vibrant colors. But that’s about where the contrast ends, because both of these young Rebels know how to aim a blaster, and how to put on one epic show for the Empire! I certainly hope we’ll get to see them fight side-by-side one of these days, because that might be the epic-est performance the Rebels could put on!
Also, it was really cool getting to see IG-88 in action for the first time in the canon (I think)! Really made me realize how terrifying he is. Not a word spoken, not a single readable emotion, every move is calculating, and he’s his own master. That’s a recipe for the shivers if you ask me, but mad respect all the same!
6. Unkar Plutt’s nothing if not thorough.
Soon as I saw Rey and Han in the Falcon’s cockpit, my fangirl self completely exploded. And then seeing Chewbacca and Finn made me explode again. Seeing the Force Awakens squad all together filled me with so, so much joy! The scenes with the five of them in the film were among my favorites, so this was an absolute treat to visit a small incident we didn’t see before! It’s got just the best blend of comedic camaraderie and frantic action that makes up some of my fave Star Wars moments. And just look at that last shot of them! They really do make a good team — maybe the best team! All of them do! You don’t have to go back to Jakku to find your family, Rey, all the family you could ever need is right here on the Falcon! :3
But yes, back on the original topic, I’ve gotta give Plutt some credit… he knows his ships! Because why else would he be so determined to keep his mitts on what most people thought was garbage?
7. Ewoks invented sandals! Apparently…
We learn lots of neat stuff in this one, like that one ewok is equal in weight to two stormtroopers! (Or else the gravity on Endor is weird) And that Dee Baker does an amazing job voicing Wicket, because I seriously thought those were all original archived dialogue recordings. We already knew that ewoks can sew, but it wasn’t until I saw this short that I realized Leia had a matching pair of sandals! Considering that’s hardly a pair of shoes you’d take to a battle, I think the ewok village has some majorly-talented cobblers out here!
Honestly, this short brought up a lot of questions about the ewok dress in general. It was apparently a surprise, so how in the world did they make something so nice without taking any measurements or likely having any reference for sewing human clothing? It’s a bit of a mystery, but it might just be sheer talent on the little guys’ part 🙂
8. Cliches die when Yoda’s around.
This one has so much wow factor to it. We get to watch Ahsoka during some lightsaber practice, which I don’t think we really ever got to see inside of The Clone Wars! And not only that, but we get to watch her figuring out her second blade. I would love to know the story of how she found her new saber. It doesn’t seem a terribly common thing among Jedi, and I doubt you can just go out and decide you’ll get a second lightsaber; how did she know that she needed one?
Though we don’t yet know these answers, we do know now that adding it to her existent fighting style wasn’t easy. Leave it to Yoda to find the best way to bring out her best. You know how often you hear people throw around, “just be yourself”? It’s easy for that phrase to get old and lose its meaning. But when Yoda says, “Yourself, you must always be,” the meaning is clear and the cliche disappears! That’s why he’s the master! 😀
And yes, of course, there were some bittersweet vibes for me watching Ahsoka and Anakin duel… but it certainly doesn’t lessen how wonderful their bond was back then. Watching Anakin, I think for the first time that we’ve seen, doing some formal training with Ahsoka really is a special thing!
So, those are just a handful of the neat things I’ve discovered watching these delightful short stories, and I look forward to sharing more at a later date!
OH WOW you guys this episode! There are no words! Well hopefully they’ll be a few words or this won’t be much of a post… ha ha. Yeah let’s see if I can go ahead and get my thoughts together on all that was awesome and epic and intriguing about the season two finale, Return Of The Return Of The Jedi!
Contains spoilers from Episode VI, Freemakers episode Return Of The Return Of The Jedi, and many episodes from this past season and the last.
The wreckage from the last episode is just devastating guys. Devastating. There’s no other word that works better. Roger looking sad as he held that piece with the Freemaker insignia on it… they were some tears welling up for me. But even amidst the smoke and shattered pieces, Rowan still finds hope… and a new creative vision. I thought I’d be waiting for another season to see a new StarScavenger, but instead Rowan has pieced together a magnificent mash-up I’m going to call the StarArrow! Or maybe it could be the Phoenix Rising, or the Shantipole Shooting Star, or Out Of The Ashes, or just the HeadScavenger! (which actually kind of works weirdly enough) I’ll just let Lego do the naming I guess. But it’s amazing how two vastly different ships — one compact and strong and built for scavenging, and the other sleek and powerful and built for war — could make such a complimentary combination! Zander has full right to fanboy ’cause I definitely agree. I just do hope when I get the kits one of them will have instructions on combining the two… sadly as much as I love Legos I’m not great at building stuff without a manual yet. But that’s another story.
And oh, I’m just so so so amazed how well they orchestrated this episode, watching the Freemakers’ own battles occurring seamlessly alongside the events of Return Of The Jedi! It’s more than I ever could’ve asked for or hoped. As I’ve said before, I’d assumed the show would end before the film’s events, but I’m so glad they did things differently. I love the former Lego SW specials and shorts and miniseries, but man… what they’re doing with TFA is just so immensely incredible. The way they keep to the canon as smoothly as they do, the quality of storytelling, the real danger, the real emotion… I hope this remains a staple of Lego Star Wars forever, even at whatever point in the future this beautiful series says “goodbye” :3
Whoops I really rabbit-trailed there. This is what happens when you love a show and though you know they only called it the season finale they don’t say anything about whether the series has been renewed or not and you may not know for months what becomes of it.
What I was intending to talk about last paragraph was Palpatine’s “best day ever”. It’s so interesting to realize that Sidious had other things he was doing that day, other things going on than just him sitting in his throne, preparing to make a chilling reveal to the son of Skywalker. He’s still the Emperor! Still has places to go, things to do, Rebels to crush, weapons of mass destruction to wield! The guy had no reason in the universe to think today’d be the day his apprentice turned on him and sent him sprawling into Death Star II’s energy core. For pretty much the first time ever, I’ve really started to wonder a bit about all of Sheev Palpatine’s story we don’t know, how he got from decent human being to the ultimate evil. It’s almost as though seeing him so blissfully unaware of all that was about to go down has made me see him slightly more as a human being. Weird. Need some canon answers on this now.
And we can’t forget the return of the return of the Kyber Saber! What a truly awesome twist! After all the Saber put them through last season, now it’s the one thing that evens the odds and could save them all. Love when stuff like that comes full circle! It’s nice to put aside the weapon’s destructive past and see it as the force of light it was always intended to be. I’m *sigh* gonna miss it, but it was the right way to go for sure.
So never in a billion years did I see coming who that Death Star operator was. Safe to say you didn’t either. In the space of those few minutes after we watched said operator take a look back at our heroes, I ran through every character we’ve seen in the series (and a few we haven’t) and how they might possibly make sense and be here right now. I think I did consider Luke for a second because there was the thought that maybe he was on his way back to Endor at this point. Once I knew it was a she I considered Maynar briefly but that made even less sense since clearly the operator was a human. I think I might’ve briefly briefly thought maybe it was Sabine even (and seriously that would’ve been so cool!). But nope.
IT WAS BECKY. SMOOCHENBACHER. OMG WHAT.
I haven’t been this shocked since I watched Kylo Ren offer his hand to Rey in the Episode VIII trailer. But this was a slightly better kind of shock because it was followed up by me guffawing loudly. Zander’s reaction is still the best thing I’ve seen all week XD And crazily enough this all does make sense. Like I’ve theorized before, Becky was a customer of theirs when she inadvertently damaged her parents’ expensive spacecraft. Zander and Becky only caught the smallest glimpse of each other, unbeknownst either knew they existed. But he got her name on the financial records, and she got his name on their business card… and that was enough. Then I’m betting her parents sent her to the Imperial Academy after they found out about her joyride, and here we are. So all this time Zander had a crush on a girl who was as much a hopeless romantic as he is. How perfect is that?! They barely know each other and yet it’s like they’ve known each other forever! Well, I guess that’s a tendency with teenage love, but I’m all on board the Zanecky train anyway ❤ OK glad I got that all out I’ve been fangirling over this all week.
Anyway, WHAT A CLIMAX! I’m sure I’ve already said this before elsewhere, but it adds so much depth when you find see how many other stories surround the stories we already know. It’s one of the things I’ve loved most about all these new SW stories lately. To think that smack in the middle of the battle of Endor, there was a whole other dramatic confrontation going down right on the Death Star’s core! I was assuming that a weapon as powerful as the Kyber Saber would make dust out of M-OC instantly. But I’d forgotten he’d be fighting kyber with kyber. And of the two the droid has the bigger, more powerful one. You know what I’d said last finale on the Saber, and how because of its size it’s like putting together several thousand normal-sized already-powerful crystals together until they reach several feet in length equaling a massive mind-blowing amount of power? Well now it occurred to me how many more crystals the Arrowhead‘s former core was comprised of. It’s probably… IDK four times that? Gosh I’m really really really glad Palpatine never got that ship now. If a Forcewielder holding the Saber could tear apart moons… what do you think a Forcewielder flying the Arrowhead could’ve done? Probably could tear right into hyperspace! And probably worse things! True, the crystal in the Arrowhead functioned primarily as a shield, but it did aid the embersteel blade so… I think my theory’s right. So yeah M-OC was a terrifying force in every way possible… but when his “perfect” logic fails his core directive, Ro takes the shot and finally, finally wins.
But he only ultimately wins because his so-called “weakness”, his family, wouldn’t go anywhere without him 🙂
And so we follow with the ultimate in happy endings, the ewok party! It’s one of my forever favorite scenes in the Skywalker saga (’cause you know I’m a softie like that), and it just got even sweeter as we get to watch the Freemakers join in :3 Also bonus Hera and Chopper are out there gettin’ down! Thanks to them I spent a lot of this scene looking for other familiar SWR faces even though I know they’re not going to go and spoil something like that, but it’s still fun looking. And I definitely need an episode in the future with all our favorite Rebel droids on an adventure of some sort (would love to know what Threepio would say to that! I get the feeling Artoo already doesn’t approve XP). But perhaps the best new moment I saw at the celebration? Watching Rowan finally show Luke the power he’s had all along.
Not to totally throw cheese all over the post, but… it’s more of a happy new beginning than a happy ending 😀
See what I mean? SO MUCH WOW! I hardly know how to fully express how happy this show makes me right now, seriously. So have a bunch of emojis!
😂😂😄😃😀😊😍😍😊😀😁😆😆🤓🤓🤗🤗💖💜💙🎆🎇🙌🎆🎇
I will see you tomorrow to talk Rebels, and more Star Wars in general in the weeks to come!
So, it’s safe to say that graphic tees probably make up the majority of my wardrobe. I love the style’s versatility and the infinite number of designs you can find, especially when it comes to fandom-related ones. It’s probably not surprising to say that I own more Star Wars shirts than any other fandom. Thinking on this fact, I found I really wanted to write about the art of my Star Wars shirts and how the right design can speak volumes. And also give the artists some serious credit where credit is due, because I love these tees so much :3
NOTE: Contains spoilers from Episode VI
My very first Star Wars tee was this Olly Moss piece from Hot Topic. There are many reasons this Return Of The Jedi one caught my eye: the dramatic, modern design, the contrast of dark and light, that rich, swoon-worthy shade of teal-green… but what I love most about it is that it captures both the excitement of the battle of Endor and the beauty of Vader’s redemption. An AT-ST clomps around beneath the trees as silhouetted ewoks watch from above. But when you zoom out of the scenery, you realize the gnarled branches form the Darth’s menacing helmet. I love also that it’s a shirt celebrating Episode VI, which holds a special place in my heart — partly because my first viewing of the film helped further my growing love of the series as a whole. And of course, I’ll always argue that the movie needs more love, so wearing this one is a great way to make clear to the world that I love all chapters of the Original Trilogy equally 🙂 As I said on an old tumblr post, Olly Moss is awesomesauce!
When I spotted this one at Walmart, I knew it was definitely for me. I’m pretty short, but Yoda never fails to remind me that “size matters not”! I love this one’s comic-y design and bold lettering. And though you can’t tell in this picture, it’s a gorgeous, vibrant shade of green that seems to get more colorful every time I step into the sun! Plus, the tee’s super super comfy. I honestly probably wear this one more than any of the others just because it’s so easy and comfortable. Yoda wins the day in all the ways!
This Fifth Sun sublimated Chewbacca is just beautiful, you guys. Whoever designed this needs to be showered in wookiee cookies. I don’t have an abundance of brown shirts, so this rich, chocolate-y tone is a great addition to my collection. And on top of that, it’s excellent quality and made of a super-hardy material. But the best thing about it, of course, is seeing Chewie’s smiling face and soulful blue eyes every time I pass a mirror — and then working on my Chewbacca impression once or twice 😀 It’s bold and brilliant, and I wish I could find more of these lovely sublimated tees again (I could sure use a Wicket one…)
Hot Topic’s BB-8 schematics is just loaded with detail and adorableness. Not to mention being another one of my more relaxed and comfy tees. The white and orange pops off the charcoal background nicely, and knowing a little as to how BB functions makes me feel pretty Star Wars smart. And whenever I pass a mirror, I just want to hug myself because it’s the closest I’ve come so far to hugging the precious ‘mech ❤ Plus, I’ll always be able to look back on this as the one I got the year The Force Awakens came out. This shirt’s a classic, and it’s no wonder they sold them as long as they did!
Finally, this is my gorgeous First Order Troops shirt from UNIQLO, probably the highest-quality one I own. Normally I’m not big on shirts with just stormtroopers or Vader on them. I know why people like them on shirts, as they’re iconic and utterly cool. But as much as I love these baddies, I find a lot of these designs to be too basic for me, and I oftentimes would rather have Jedi, Rebels, droids, and other heroes front and center (I still long for the day I can find something perfect with Obi-Wan on it). But this stormtrooper-centered design is anything but basic. This striking painting with echoes of Takodana’s blue sky and sparks of red blasterfire is placed nicely on the shirt’s lower half, with the logo for Episode VII placed above on the lapel. Everything about this is rich, exciting, and dynamic, and takes me back to one of the film’s most thrilling scenes. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what UNIQLO does for The Last Jedi…
So with all that being said, if you drew or painted any of these pieces, you are incredibly awesome, and thank you for taking the time to make such a unique, outstanding piece of clothing. As for the rest of you reading this right now, I hope I awoke some newfound appreciation for your own Star Wars shirts or inspired you to get your first one! After all, a good Star Wars tee is perhaps among the most easy and versatile ways to show the world your SW love, and to find others who share that love 🙂
Since the Ghost crew took last Saturday off, you know what that means… it’s back to the Freemakers! And the episode we’re digging into today just so happens to be one of my favorites (even though they’re all my favorites), The Maker Of Zoh! Grab a hot cup of motor oil kaffe and read on! NOTE: Contains spoilers from The Clone Wars “Siege Of Mandalore” arc, Rebels episode Twilight Of The Apprentice, The Yoda Chronicles, The New Yoda Chronicles, and Freemakers episodes Crossing Paths, The Test, The Kyber Saber Crystal Chase, and The Maker Of Zoh
Things have been pretty tough for the Freemaker fam these last couple days. A certain dark side-wielding Imperial is to blame. But perhaps things might not’ve been so difficult had they known R0-GR’s transmission pack had a tracking device the whole time. Roger knew about it but never considered it might have been the source of Naare’s constant one-step-aheading. Unfortunately this discovery is too late to make much of a difference — the last crystal’s on Hoth and Naare already knows this. So it’s either the Freemakers go to Hoth and she kills them or they don’t go and she finds the crystal and the Emperor kills everyone. But there is a third option, and it’s on Zoh. Rowan recalls what Maz Kanata told him about this person they could go to when things got desperate, and I’d say this whole situation qualifies. The uninhabited trash planet doesn’t sound promising, but hey, it’s not Hoth! That’s already a win! Oh, we’re off to see the Maker, the wonderful Maker of Zoh! *shot*
At first glance, Zoh isn’t terribly spectacular, but as they land the StarScavenger, the Freemakers come upon a fascinating array of massive, eclectic, but incredible scrap sculptures towering above them. The rest of the crew’s not sure what to make of it, but Rowan’s got a good feeling about this… which doesn’t last long when suddenly droids rise from the mechanical refuse. Lots of droids, from super battle droids to astromechs to pit droids and all the others I can’t rightly name. And they don’t like the Freemakers’ presence here. Zander sends Roger out to speak to them, but the instant their skeptical leader eyes the battle droid’s dismembered transmission pack, everydroid and their brother pulls out their weapons on the humans. Surely they would’ve made quick work of the family… had a voice not commanded them to cease their fighting… a voice I felt I recognized from somewhere but wasn’t sure where. With a wave of his hand, the mysterious figure disassembles the boulder of scrap metal that nearly was used on Rowan. The being must be Force-sensitive, but I still couldn’t place who this was. But then his left hand… it glows blue with the pure power of four kyber crystals. I squee-gasped with surprise: IT’S JEK-14. JEK is the one these droids address as The Maker. Oh my gosh you guys this made me so insanely happy I could hardly breathe! Considering how close-to-canon The Freemaker Adventures is, I wasn’t sure if the events of previous Lego SW specials were canon in this near-canon-ness. OK I’m not sure that made sense. What I mean is, one of the things that stands out most about TFA compared to previous Lego SW is that they strive to keep it as true to Star Wars as it gets, with the exception of some fun Lego stuff here and there. The older ones weren’t bad or any less fun by any means, they just mostly kept it light and played around with a lot of jokes that don’t quite quite fit the canon. Because of this, I wasn’t sure if they would consider both The Yoda Chronicles and The Freemaker Adventures in the same boat. I mean, I always kinda did, as I consider most Lego SW stories canon and take it all as seriously as the rest of SW. But whatever the case, they brought JEK-14 back and in the most amazing way. Anyway, JEK apologizes to the Freemakers for his overprotective shootystabbycrushy friends. Bossdroid N-3RO argues he has a right to overreact, looking at the lightsaber wound on one of the super battles, but JEK gets mouse droid Fixer right on it. The old clone gives the young scavengers full reign to take whatever scrap they need, but it’s not scrap they need, it’s help. And seeing how The Maker is a Forcewielder, Rowan believes he can help him with his Jedi training. But that’s exactly what JEK doesn’t want to do. “But the fate of the galaxy is at state!” “That’s what they all say… ‘One last battle to end all battles’, but there’s always another.” OK this just got so deep and so real I can’t even.
Let’s talk a brief history of JEK-14 for a minute or two. JEK-14 began life as a full-grown clone trooper, enhanced by kyber crystals and intended as a Separatist weapon by Darth Sidious. His first words were “I am ready to fight… for the Sith”, and without question he used his own brand of Force lightning on Jedi masters Mace Windu and Yoda. However, when commanded to actually kill Yoda, he couldn’t do it. Both the Jedi and the Separatists wanted JEK on their sides, but JEK refused, and the Force-sensitive clone fled for Hoth, where he found solace in using the Force to build works of art. However, the Separatists found him and cloned his Forcewielding self until he was barely alive. Miraculously, JEK-14 fought back and destroyed the dark side clones. Ultimately he chose to leave on a peaceful note, but intent on never again getting involved with the war. He went from there to Endor, where he helped build things for the ewok community. When the Jedi needed help, they sought him out, and it was only the kindness and innocence of Yoda’s padawans that convinced him to do so. In fact, had he not had such good relations with the younglings, far worse things might’ve happened. Some years later at the end of the Clone Wars, Yoda’s padawans convinced him to come back and help them get back the holocrons from the Jedi Temple. I don’t know for sure what he was doing in the time in between, but as I noticed watching this episode, the decorative clasp on his outfit has the Mandalorian beast-skull icon on it. Hehe I was actually right when I surmised he might’ve gone there! He clearly spent some time one what he assumed was a peaceful world, probably to be highly disappointed when the Siege of Mandalore occurred right before the war’s end. It was thanks to him that the Jedi made it safely offworld, and with the holocrons that Obi-Wan intended to use to train Luke someday. JEK spent the next 20 years in peace on Naboo before Yoda summoned him to Tatooine, where he would briefly join the fight against the Empire. He helped the Alliance for some time, before finally leaving them likely after they established their base on Hoth. And now, he’s made a home on Zoh, where he has all the building material he could ever want, all the friends he could ever need, and no one on his doorstep asking him to fight their battles. Until now. It’s only when Rowan explains how the Sith used him that JEK puts his pride and hurt behind him. Because once upon a time, the clone was used the same way. He’s not a Jedi, but he decides he will teach Rowan everything he knows about the Force. The Freemakers’ll be hanging out here for a while looks like. But N-3… bro’s not a fan…
Meanwhile, Graballa’s fleet was waiting outside Hoth. And waiting… and waiting… and waiting some more. Naare knows they’ll come. Graballa, however, is bored out of his mind. Both get slightly more than they bargained for though when their bosses come on the holo. Naare and Graballa are two very different varieties of scum and villainy, but the one thing they both have in common is that, for all their scum and villainy, they’re still pretty low on the food chain. Jabba doesn’t approve of his cousin’s latest harebrained scheme and Sidious is (as per usual) quickly running out of patience waiting for that Kyber Saber. Unsurprisingly, both Hutt and Imperial Agent are unsuccessful in convincing their higher-ups of their plans. We’re reminded in this scene that there are greater evils at work here and it’s terrifying. I do find it interesting that Naare approaches the Emperor this time not irritated or angry, but honestly kind of… afraid. Many times before, she’s addressed him with a prideful confidence we often see in second-rate darksiders, but it’s almost as though something happened recently to shake that foundation a little. Perhaps Sidious did something to remind her of her place, and what consequences await her if she fails. Maybe I’m reading into this too much, but if you’ve been reading these TFA posts for any length of time, you know I do a lot of that. But can you blame me? They are telling great stories here and I’m super curious about the things left unstated! But yah she feels ya, Graballa.
Watching JEK-14 training Rowan is basically one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen in my life. Like seriously. JEK has always been amazing with kids, and seeing him teaching his understanding of the Force to Rowan his just… wow. It’s something real special. I love his angle on the Force: the dark side destroys, but the light side creates. It’s a really great unique angle that feels appropriately Lego but also perfectly Star Wars. A very tangible point of view that perhaps no other Jedi master could offer… one that could only be explained by a Force-sensitive clone trooper who desired only to create. And perhaps someday Rowan will take these lessons and impart them on another young Forcewielder. FEELS FEELS FEEEEELS. Buuuuut again… N-3 is not a fan. The bossdroid’s convinced that The Maker might join the Freemakers and leave them if something’s not done. And if he leaves, they’ll be back to being useless, purposeless scrap. That does bring up a good question: do they truly see JEK as their friend and simply don’t want him to leave, or are they concerned mostly about being purposeless? Or are they concerned that, without The Maker, they will be have no one to protect them from any scavenger looking for a few spare parts? Or maybe it has something to do with him being “The Maker”, in that to the droids, he’s kind of a deity. IDK Maybe I missed something but any way you spin it it’s an interesting thought. N-3 is a very very desperate droid… and also very very convincing.
Elsewhere, Zander and Kordi hadn’t had much luck salvaging. Not a useful piece of junk in sight, it seems. Roger was trying to help, but after nearly crushing them with a toppled junk sculpture, the sibs give him the slip. It’s then when N-3RO makes his move, inviting his fellow “unappreciated” droid brother for a nice long oil bath. N-3 suggests that, perhaps, the battle droid should remain on Zoh, in paradise, away from ungrateful, uncaring masters who’d eventually scrap him. R0-GR won’t allow himself to believe the Freemakers would ever do such a thing, but considering recent events, there’s perhaps a niggling of doubt. Oh poor sweet Rogerrrr… 😦 Whatever the case, N-3RO’s got other plans for Roger’s masters… plans like leading Zander and Kordi into a trap.
So Rowan’s lessons were going quite well, thanks to JEK, he was able to construct a perfect speederbike out of spare parts. Which, true to his nature, Ro immediately hopped on and rode off. With a smile, JEK-14 follows on his own construction. Again AHHH I LOVE THIS. If Luke doesn’t become his official master then JEK totally should! It’s a good thing Rowan and JEK went for a ride, though, because they soon found Kordi and Zander chained up with a half a TIE hovering above their heads. N-3R0 insists that these trespassers have corrupted The Maker’s mind and that he’s doing the right thing by destroying them. Rowan expertly puts together a crate to shield them and attaches it to the speeders to get them to safety. Now if he and his master can stop the revolt without destroying the droids or getting killed themselves, it’llve been a good day! The two hold their own really well for a while, but when Rowan gets captured and JEK in turn lets his guard down, the droids get the better of them all. Roger returns from his oil bath to find his masters surrounded at all ends as N-3 has decided to “deactivate” them all, including JEK, who he now considers “beyond saving” O.O The bossdroid promises Roger complete freedom once the humans are out of the way. However, the old clanker’s come to a different conclusion. N-3 tried to convince him that the Freemakers’ frustration with him would ultimately end in a garbage disposal, but Roger has no doubts where he stands with his masters, because they’re not just masters, they’re family. In families, people make mistakes, they get mad at each other, but temporary frustration doesn’t turn their bond into scrap; they forgive each other, they love each other, they fight for each other. He might be a droid, but first and foremost he’s a Freemaker. And he takes that transmission pack with the family insignia on it and puts it back on. Now those droids are gonna have a whole ‘nother problem to deal with. OK I’m sorry I botched that moment but it’s truly amazing how strongly Roger cares for his family. In the past, he’s had a tendency to come off a little… I hate to say “jerky”, so let’s just say… “highly opinionated” with the Freemakers’ decisions and ideas. Oh wait “self-centered” that was the word I was looking for! Yeah he sometimes comes off like he cares more about himself than the others, but in his heart he truly considers them family, and he loves them even if they sometimes get on his nerves and force him into dangerous adventures… and vice versa 🙂 But oh yeah now here comes Graballa’s ship! Nuts I wish I knew its name so I wouldn’t have to keep calling it just “Graballa’s ship”. In the midst of the chaos, the Freemakers are able to make their escape. JEK remains behind to protect the droids, even after all they’ve done. But that’s not the last noble thing he’ll be doing today. Just as the Freemakers got out of the frying pan, they walked into the fryer as Naare pulled her red-blade out on them. Rowan was ready to take her on, whatever it took, but JEK-14 stood between them, urging Rowan and his family to go on. Oh man I’m getting all teary-eyed writing this. As Naare addressed him as the “failed experiment”, my respect for her dropped a few points. It’s an amazing duel though, as she fights with her lightsaber, while JEK fights with nothing but the pure Force running through his blood. He creates obstacles to throw in her way, but she just as easily tears these structures apart. Had this been a fair fight, I believe JEK was the stronger of the two, even without formal training. But it was not so… using every inch of darkness in her soul, Naare began to form a mountain of refuse around the clone. Rowan watched in horror as The Maker of Zoh was slowly buried in the scrap. Before going down, JEK called out to his apprentice “Trust in the Force. Be a builder, Rowan!” and I started bawling here, crying out “HE DONE PULLED AN ‘AHSOKA’!!” Because of JEK-14’s sacrifice, the StarScavenger was able to get offworld and away from their enemies’ grasp. Over the transmission pack, Rowan makes very clear to Naare that he will be getting that final fragment. JEK not only taught Rowan a new understanding of the Force, but I believe he’s also heavily inspired bravery in his apprentice, and in the rest of the Freemakers as well, in their most desperate hour.
On Zoh, a recently reconstructed N-3RO (post being blasted by Graballa’s fleet) wakes up to a world without The Maker… and also a restraining bolt because bro was well overdue for one of those. BL-OX now knows they never should’ve listened to him, as now, their master is no more. I started getting weepy again as I recalled all of the amazing things JEK had done and the incredible man he was. And then… An arm shot out of the scrap.
The spark of the Force still electric in his veins, a blaze of pure Force shoots from his hand. JEK LIVES.
So I basically drowned in feels the rest of the day. Happy feels that JEK is alive. Sad feels that Rowan believes he lost his friend. Nostalgia feels from seeing JEK again. Really all the feels. I so so much love this episode and, again, this series. It felt awesome writing about them again. And I certainly will soon! Whenever the Rebs go on hiatus I’ll bring some more Freemaker follow-ups until I hit the season finale! As long as I live and breathe I’m never gonna wanna stop talking about Star Wars 😀
Padawanline 
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