The Force Ghost of BFDs Past

A long time ago, in a blog place very, very near... there were blogs o'plenty celebrating BFD (Balanced Force Day).

Out BFD wishes were told in story and song, pictures and blogs.

But alas, the bloggers are no more.

It's a dark time for the rebellion... I mourn the loss of the SW Blogs like an old friend. This was once the first place I clicked on when I went online, but now it's maybe once a day if that.

The salad days are over... I miss them, and I don't even eat salad...

But... instead of being sad, let me just say this:

Have a great BFD or whatever you celebrate. Merry Christmas, Happy Belated Hanukkah and Winter Solstice, and a HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone!

May the Force be with us all.

A Fan Left Behind

Three years after my wonderful trip to C-IV, I am sitting home during C-V... seething with jealousy over my friends' participation.

Don't get me wrong, I wish them a WONDERFUL time! I just want to be there!

So, to ease my pain, I popped ROTS into my laptop last night and watched most of it up-close... and realized all over again what a wonderful movie it (mostly) is. For one thing, I was struck by the details in the background in many scenes. Details that a lot of filmmakers would leave out, or not even think of.

Everyone who's seen the film probably appreciates the opening battle scene. Such attention to details! Yes, I know about the kitchen sink! But there are other places where this attention to detail really grabs me.

For instance, take the scene where Obi-Wan flies out of the troopship and into his hyperdrive ring... as he leaves the ship you can see the night lights of Coruscant in the background... and the music is PERFECT as "The Light of the Force" plays in the background...

Did I mention that John Williams is a genius?

Ewan McGregor is awesome as Obi-Wan Kenobi, and his performance on the platform of Mustafar is one of the best ever... Anakin, my allegiance is to the Republic, to Democracy! And his rendition of You were the Chosen One is so full of pain and anguish... and he's so damn hot, too.

I'm sorry to say that the weak point of the movie is Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker. To me, Anakin should have been older and more mature. A hero, not a whiny baby... I know a lot of women think he's cute, but damn... he needs to be slapped across the face and told to STFU...

Mace Windu is badass and very manly as takes on the Chancellor, but what's with the easy deaths of the Jedi who accompanied him? Come one, a couple minutes of fighting would have been awesome!

I've seen a lot of criticisms over the years of Natalie Portman's portrayal of Padme, but I noticed her scenes with Obi-Wan are much better than her scenes with Christensen, and perhaps this is a reflection of his lesser talent rather than hers. For example, she's good in the scene with Obi-Wan on the balcony of her apartment, but cheesy in the apartment scenes with Anakin.

So, if you're suffering from Con Withdrawal, I recommend a DVD at least once a day! Throw in a little fan fiction and some Star Wars Galaxies and the weekend is not lost after all.

May the Force be with us all!

May 25, 1983

Overshadowed by the birthday of "Star Wars", it's the anniversary of another SW movie, "Return of the Jedi"

* * *

OK, I admit it; I didn't see Star Wars on Opening Day. But I did see ROTJ on May 25, 1983. There weren't any midnight showings in those days, at least not that I ever head about. The first showing was at 7 pm.

We got tickets in advance... Met up with my sister, her daughter, a friend and stood in line for two hours.

I seem to remember that line as being one of the most fun things about the movie! Everyone was so excited. The biggest question on everyone's lips was "Is Darth Vader really Luke's father?"

Hot buttered popcorn and Cokes with ice... cheering when Boba Fett falls into the Sarlaac... laughing at the walkers getting crunched by the huge logs... cheering again when the Emperor went down the shaft... (bloodthirsty bunch, weren't we?)

It was the first of several times I saw the movie in a theater (it was years before it came out on home video) and I always thought of it as a "feel good movie"... the good guys won... good triumphed over evil... Leia and Han got together... the Emperor croaked... LOL

All that summer I went to see it when I was stressed! LOL

So, happy birthday to Star Wars in general, and Return of the Jedi in particular. I will always love you!

May the Force be with us all...

It's Not About Boba Fett!

Happy thirtieth to The Empire Strikes Back OR What do you mean "Episode 5?"

I know I'm not the only one who's getting a little tired of Boba Fett being shoved in our faces for the 30th Anniversary of TESB. From the CV logo to Tee Shirts, it's just too much.

The Empire Strikes Back is the favorite of the Saga for a lot of fans. Trying to make Boba Fett, who had but three lines, the focus of this film is to totally disrespect a magnificent movie.

I saw TESB originally in a theater, as it was meant to be seen... after three years of anticipation! And with a lot of "Episode 5? What do you mean 'Episode 5'?"

And I saw it several times, probably two-dozen times... and Boba Fett, whose name I didn't even know, was not an important part of it. He was just the scum of a bounty hunter who took Han away at the end.

TESB is about the Rebellion. Imagining the Rebels living on the run, hiding out on an ice planet, evacuating in a panic, not knowing who would make it out and who wouldn't.

It's about Luke and Yoda, and the training of a Jedi. Everything we learned about the Force, and the principals of the light side, the dedication of a Jedi Knight.

It's about Han and Leia and the development of a love affair. Who could forget Han's "I know" with its rich, multi-layered meaning.

It's about Lando and his betrayal of Han. It's about the Empire.

It's also about Luke and Vader. Was he really Luke's father? Or was he telling one big, fat cosmic lie? Ha, wait three years to find out!

The Empire Strikes Back is a great movie, one of the best ever made. It's about heroes and their adventures.

It's not about Boba Fett. So enough already!

Always and Forever

Always and forever
Each movie with you
Are better than dreams to me
You know that it's true.


Ah, Star Wars... I love you so much. You may change, but I won't. Prequels come and cartoons go, but my love for you will always be.

And no, it's not just Obi-Wan! LOL (Some of you know me so well!)

Ever since that fateful day in 1977 when my sister said "You HAVE to go see this movie!" I've been hooked. I can't count the number of times she and I saw ESB together. The first time I heard "No, I am your father!" she poked me in the ribs and whispered, "What do you think of that?" LOL

I loved ROTJ, too. I loved how the good guys won and everything worked out fine. I like happy endings. I like heroes who are good guys.

I liked seeing Boba Fett DIE!

I admit I never thought the PT would be made. And it took a while for TPM to grow on me. I thought it was OK, but it didn't take my breath away like ANH (then called simply "Star Wars") did. I thought Qui-Gon was hot, and the Queen had on too much makeup.

But after watching AOTC and falling hopelessly in love with Obi-Wan Kenobi, I appreciated it more. I really think of the PT as a whole greater than the sum of its parts.

And I like The Clone Wars. I don't care if it is a cartoon... it's FUN! Not every episode, mind you, but overall I enjoy it. Who would have thought I'd love the Madalorian story arc, but it was the best by far. Should have been the season finale...

I'm sad that I can't go to C-V since I had a blast at C-IV, but it's not in the cards for me this time. If it had been in California I might have been able to swing it, but maybe next time.

I'm sure I can live it vicariously through Jedi Master Mina anyway. She promises to spam the crap out of my email... LOL

I'm off to dream of Obi-Wan and more STAR WARS!

ACROSS THE STARS

All my exes live in Hyperspace...

Well, that's not exactly true. It would be more accurate to say that all my friends are ex-Hyperspacers... and soon we all will be.

Most of the friends I have now I met through Hyperspace, through these very blogs, in fact. Back in the heyday of blogging, this was my first stop every time I logged onto the Internet. There were always new blogs up to read, to comment on, to laugh at, get mad at, to cry at...

We shared all sorts of things; from the personal to the amusing to the mundane... we shared our love of the saga along with our disagreements...

Together we celebrated C-IV! A whole day of the convention just for Hyperspace members. I felt so special wearing that red lanyard (yeah, I'm a geek)...

But, sadly, most of the bloggers I met at that monumental Meet 'n Greet party that night are no longer members here. Sure, I have other ways of keeping in touch with them, but it's just not the same.

The salad days are over.

He's Got to be Strong, and He's Got to be Fast, and He's Got to be Fresh from the Fight

"We'll handle this!"

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan don't bat any eye at the frightening visage of Darth Maul in The Phantom Menace. They know it's up to them to chase this monster down, and they aren't the least bit frightened. They know it's their duty as Jedi, and as men of honor they fight to the death to protect not only the Queen, but the light side of the Force.

"Another happy landing."

Obi-Wan and Anakin disembark the Invisible Hand with hardly a hair out of place, after mounting an seemingly amazing rescue, a capture by Greivous and a daring escape, and a near fatal landing. All in a days work. Obi-Wan looks pretty damn good for a guy who was knocked unconscious for at least 10 minutes. But they are heroes. We expect it. Obi-Wan takes off for parts unknown, perhaps to have a drink and meet a "friend" while Anakin rushes into the arms of his wife. Fresh from the fight, indeed!

"Let's go, and don't forget the droids!'

Luke barks a quick order after saving them all from the clutches of Jabba, suffering no more that a scratch on his prosthetic hand. Thinking about death and danger? No, he's a Jedi after all.

He also looks calm and collected as he tosses his lightsaber aside and stated, "I am a Jedi," and virtually spits in the eye of the Emperor.

"Someone's got to save our skins!"

Princess Leia gets into the fray, and she's not even a Jedi at the time. But she's strong, and fearless and knows action is better than inaction when your life is on the line. "Get into the garbage chute" beats going back to a cell block to await execution!

"Sorry about the mess."

Han Solo may be a scoundrel, but he's a hero, too. Greedo didn't shoot first, he never shot at all. He threatened Han's life, so Han killed him. It was so cool.


So what is the point of all this rambling? I like heroes. One fresh from the fight would always be welcome at my door!

Watch "The Clone Wars" You Must!

I'm surprised there aren't more blogs about The Clone Wars series. I'm really enjoying it. Season One was good, but Season Two has just been awesome so far.

Some people think it's just for kids, but it's not. There's something there for everyone! And it's Star Wars! We can't have too much of that!

It really bothers me how they go weeks without an episode, though. I've heard the blame is on Cartoon Network for that so let me just say to them: "YOU STINK!" if that's true.

However, during this current hiatus, I've rewatched a couple of episodes... thank the Force for the invention of the DVR... and upon a second or third viewing the amount of detail in this series really comes to life.

A steering wheel aboard a starliner. Seeing the terminator line and a partial nightside view of Coruscant. R2-D2 snickering. Little things that make it so much more than an ordinary cartoon!

Another thing that strikes me is the portrayal of Anakin Skywalker. Now, anyone who knows me knows that I don't like Anakin. He was the biggest disappointment of the PT for me.

I always pictured Anakin as someone heroic, not the whiny, emotionally weak boy we saw in the PT.

And I have to admit; TCW Anakin is more to my liking. He's a hero, brave and fearless. And the relationship between him and Obi-Wan is priceless!

His fall become more tragic when we can view him as a hero and not a victim.

As an Obi-Wan fan I have to say that TCW Obi-Wan is adorable. That dry sense of humor is blossoming. He's really enjoying Anakin's struggles with Ashoka, and you can sense his satisfaction at his former Padawan getting his due!

James Arnold Taylor does a great job of voicing Obi-Wan.

Their friendship has really deepened, too and this really makes Obi-Wan's heartbreak at the end of ROTS all that more bitter.

I even like the portrayal of the Clones... What is the galaxy coming to...

The Duchess of Mandalore

"The Duchess of Mandalore" was another great episode of The Clone Wars featuring the Duchess Satine, a woman of power and strong convictions.

Normally, I'm not a fan of pacifists, but the Duchess does see fit to defend herself and her home planet if necessary, so I'll cut her a little slack. She is committed to peace and neutrality, and I admire those who stand up for their beliefs, as long as they aren't too stupid. She seems willing to fight the Death Watch if need be in order to maintain their peaceful way of life.

Peace and freedom don't come without a cost!

Perhaps she sees the corruptness of the Republic government, and refuses their "help" out of fear for her homewold's independence.

There's a nice bit of further interaction between her and her old flame Obi-Wan. They really make an attractive couple, but sadly they cannot be together. It's too bad; they could have had Force sensitive children with Satine's strong will... those children might have saved the Jedi Order!

I'm not sure if I was Obi-Wan I would have worn my armor while trying to sneak around Coruscant. "Nice disguise," he tells Satine, but his wasn't so great. LOL

All in all it was a good episode, I hope we see more of Satine in the future!

Another Side of a Favorite Jedi Master

Thanks to last night's TCW episode, we now know that Obi-Wan has a past that he's never spoken of, one that perhaps gave him a different view of Anakin and Padme.

Yes, Obi-Wan had a girlfriend. A lover. The Duchess Satine. A beautiful woman of power, someone he both protected and loved when he was much younger.

The entire episode is amazingly entertaining, with both fun and action. A re-do of the elevator scene from AOTC, only this time it's Anakin sensing Obi-Wan's tension was so funny.

And Anakin's question to him, "were you and Satine ever..." was easily answered, "yes" without the word being spoken.

But the true heartening moments come near the end, when Satine thinks they're about to die and tells Obi-Wan that she's always loved him, and he says that if she'd only said the words back then he would have left the Jedi for her.

Amazing... although I can't imagine Obi-Wan as anything but a Jedi Knight, it is finally shown that perhaps he does understand Anakin all too well.

Satine. A lovely lady with a lovely name. Did Obi-Wan think of her every time he saw a beautiful woman?

And some wonder why he was so blind about Anakin and Padme... perhaps that blindness was fueled by own memories? Memories of a love and a passion that he passed by in order to be a Jedi.

"You've made a commitment to the Jedi Order," he tells Anakin in AOTC. And now we know he's speaking from experience. The experience of loving someone he should not have.

I think it's more likely he was not blind to Anakin and Padme, but rather compassionate. Having had his own love end in heartbreak, we assume, could he simply not bear to put his Padawan through the same pain?

Or did he assume that Anakin, too, would do the right thing and walk away from his love, and uphold his commitment to the Jedi Order rather than do the wrong thing and then live a lie.

Poor Obi-Wan! Even when he does right, he doesn't come out ahead. But he does come out with his honor.

GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN, MY MASTER

The first time I saw Obi-Wan on Mustafar in Star Wars Galaxies, he led me on a mission that tested my resolve as a Jedi Knight.

Later I went back and tried to summon him again, just to see how he was doing, and I got the message "What has been done cannot be undone," and he did not appear.

So imagine my surprise, while roaming the burning plains, he appeared to me out of nowhere. "Good to see you again, Gidrea Lightsky," he said. "You are a hero unlike any other, my young friend."

Wow, Obi-Wan came out of hiding and spoke to me! Woo hoo! I don't know about the "young" part, but I suppose after the millions of years he's been hanging out there I probably do seem young to him.

Mustafar. The place where Obi-Wan suffered his greatest failure. Not the failure of Anakin's training, for I think he did the best he could with that. But his failure to destroy him, his failure to kill him and destroy the evil monster he had become. His failure that cost the galaxy dearly over the next 19 years.

Would it be any wonder that he'd haunt Mustafar?

In the game, in the background of the cantina at the mining facility, there are Mustafarian miners chatting, and one of them says that he saw that ghost fellow again the other day. His friend tells him he's crazy, of course, but he insists that he's seen him. And he says that the ghost doesn't seem mean or anything, and in fact he gives him a peaceful feeling.

Going to Mustafar to find peace. And he spends his afterlife helping young Jedi like me. Only a Jedi would do something so selfless.

A true Jedi, one with a good heart and a conscience. Obi-Wan.

OT, PT, SE, EU, SWG, TCW... If It's a Star Wars Acronym, I Want More!

I can't get enough Star Wars. Maybe it's a disease, but if it is I want to die from it.

OT, PT, SE, EU, SWG, TCW... if it's a Star Wars acronym, I want more.

I watch my DVDs. I watch videos on YouTube. I read Fan Fic. I play Star Wars Galaxies. I faithfully DVR The Clone Wars and save the episodes forever.

I sew Jedi costumes and belong to the Rebel Legion. I went to C-IV.

I have some Obi-Wan toys and collectibles, and a gigantic Lego Luke Skywalker.

I read the novels, and even some of the kids' books. (Jude Watson's series are great).

No, I don't like everything out there, especially in the EU. I don't like the Clone Wars novels, and I hated "Darksaber." I skimmed through most of the New Jedi Order just so I'd know where the storyline went, but though it was too long and drawn out for my taste.

But I have to confess; it hasn't been non-stop since 1977. There were the Dark Times in the late 80s and early 90s when there was a noticeable lack of Star Wars. I wondered if my beloved saga was dying a natural death.

But the books started appearing. And rumors of the PT started. I started to notice toys again.

Then the Special Editions came out! Woo-hoo, Star Wars was back! After 12 years of watching on video tape, I saw the movies they way they were meant to be seen... on a big screen with THX sound and a large popcorn...

I was hooked all over again. And by the time ROTS came out on 2005, I was an addict all over again.

So if this is a disorder, I want more! Don't try to cure me, I'll happily live this way, except for one thing: I can't get enough Star Wars!

The Odds of Surviving Thirty Years are 3720 to 1!

It's a celebration of a lot of fans' favorite Star Wars episode, The Empire Strikes Back.

I remember it very well, as I saw it at least a dozen times in the theater. That was a lot of popcorn ago, but I have a little tribute here from one of the more important characters in the saga:


He awoke that morning, as he did every morning, in his gray, formfitting sleepcouch that matched the gray carpeting and wallpaper in his room. It was 0500 Bespin time, time for nutrients and a sonic shower.

Sometimes he missed taking water showers, but he couldn't risk shorting out his cybernetic implants. Ha, he thought, where would Baron Administrator Calrissian be without him and his implants?

The only thing that bothered him about his job, really, when it came right down to the nuts and bolts... the only thing that bothered him, besides the nuts and bolts, was his puffy yellow sleeves.

Blast it; he was just like that Vader fellow, half-man, half-machine. He should have a snazzy black leather outfit, too. He'd told Calrissian that disco was dead on twelve systems, but new uniforms just weren't in the budget.

And the day that Lord Vader arrived on Cloud City, everyone should have seen Lando shaking in his shoes, making deals right and left to save his own ass.

And who saved all their butts in the end? Who called out the troops and rescued the Princess and the Wookiee? He, Lobot, had. Ha, Calrissian had been lucky that Wook hadn't strangled him!

He sighed, remembering that day. His moment in the sun. And he'd spent it standing in front of Imperial Stormtroopers wearing puffy yellow sleeves.

When it came down to the nuts and bolts, that's what truly bothered him.




A few of my friends have written their own little wishes, and they're only a click away...

Happy Birthday ESB from the Official PLB Fan Fiction Club!

R2-D2
IG-88
Wes Janson
Carlist Rieeken
Capt. Needa