The Past Is Past, Until It’s Not: Marchion Ro’s Struggle Against History in The High Republic

I spent a lot of The High Republic struggling with Marchion Ro and the Nihil. I didn’t find them very interesting. Their motivations felt one-dimensional. Marchion Ro came across as every college libertarian who reads Atlas Shrugged and makes it their personality. They presented a host of technical problems for the Jedi — how to […]

Not Just Programming: Why Droids Deserve Moral Consideration

During an audience Q&A at the ATX Film Festival, Tony Gilroy revealed that he named B2EMO, the Andor family droid, after his son’s corgi, Bemo. Ever since season one, fans have pointed out how B2EMO resembles the old family dog, from his unwavering loyalty to Maarva to his bed-shaped charging station. The closing minutes of […]

Who is Speaking About the Geonosians?

Andor is a human story: it’s about love and loss and rage and resistance and the price we pay to make a better world, one that we ourselves may never get to inhabit. It’s also a human story. There are aliens in Andor. Brothers Benthic and Edrio return as part of Saw’s Partisans, as does […]

Exploring Sacrifice in Andor and Revenge of the Sith

This week saw the release of the first three episodes of Andor’s second season and the 20th anniversary rerelease of Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. On the surface, these two stories are starkly dissimilar. Andor is a realistic tale about the cost of war and the impact of fascism on everyday people, while Revenge of the Sith is the tragic […]

The Jedi Order: Understanding Strength in Diversity

The animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender holds the title of one of the best animated shows of all time—so much so that it spawned a live-action reinterpretation on Netflix. While not quite reaching the same heights as the animated series, the live-action show is a solid adaptation that resonates in a similar fashion to […]

Paths of Light and Shadow: Exploring Moral Journeys in Tales of the Empire

Tales of the Empire, the new Star Wars series released on May 4th, is a beautiful exploration of how we react to injustice, who we become because of that reaction, and the paths we can end up following as a result. The first three shorts, entitled The Path of Fear, The Path of Anger, and […]

Attachment, Connection, and the Fall of the Jedi

The fall of the Jedi is a nuanced and ever-evolving story that grows deeper with each new Jedi story told. From Ahsoka to Cal Kestis, from Obi-Wan to Anakin, each Jedi had their own strengths and weaknesses that eventually led to their downfall. Thus, when considering the root problems of the institution itself, one must […]

Best of the Book: Crimson Climb

E.K. Johnston has become the de facto choice to author any young adult novel about a female character in the beloved galaxy far, far away. After her Queen’s trilogy and Ahsoka compelled readers with their character development over plot focused storytelling, Johnston has picked up her pen once more to explore a character, Qi’ra, that […]

Best of the Book: Eye of Darkness

Despite a plethora of new installments coming out this year, it feels like Star Wars is also returning to The High Republic with the release of Eye of Darkness by George Mann. The novel takes readers into Phase Three of the initiative, back to the main timeline after a trek backwards in Phase Two. While […]

Inquisitor: Rise of the Red Blade Shows How Complete The Jedi’s Failure Was

Spoilers for Inquisitor: Rise of the Red Blade The fall of Anakin Skywalker is a compelling tale of what happens when jealousy, attachment, and anger take root in one’s soul. At the same time, it is an example on what can happen when the systems that are supposed to work for the people begin to […]

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