The Mandalore Plot - Clone Wars Season 2 Episode 12

"If you ignore the past, you jeopardize your future." 

Diplomacy or deception? The Council of Neutral Systems speaks for over 1,500 worlds who want to stay out of the war. But rumors have reached the Republic Senate suggesting that the Council's new leader -- Duchess Satine of Mandalore --  secretly building her own army to fight for the Separatist cause! Now, Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi has been sent to Mandalore to discover the truth behind these claims. . . 

While investigating rumors of conspiracy surrounding Duchess Satine of Mandalore, Obi-Wan uncovers the truth about a mysterious Mandalorian plot.

This Episode was filled with Obi-Wan as we expect, getting into trouble but it's not Anakin saving him this time.  The bad ass Mandalorians give him a little more than he can handle.  Loved the black lightsaber!!  If you were like me and your DVR didn't record it when it first aired, check out it being replayed on Cartoon Network, or http://www.clonewars.com later this week, where you will always find the latest two episodes.  Great Episode if you're an Obi-Wan fan.

Star Wars Hitchhiker

Return of the Jedi - Radio Drama NPR Novel

A Long Time Ago, In A Galaxy Far Far Away....there came a time of revolution. When rebels united to challenge a tyrannical empire. Since its defeat in at Hoth and elsewhere, the rebel alliance has rallied to press the empire hard. Interstellar war hangs in the balance and all combatance feel that final decisive battle draws near.

The Return Of The Jedi Radio Drama and NPR novelization has taken the place in my heart above the actual movie itself. The late Brian Daley produced this classic after the movie's were made and truly captured the essence of the film and made each part more personal. Darth Vader's end is so much more meaningful in this version compared to the movie. Daley captures the true father and son bond that can never be broken, and earns his place as one of the greatest Jedi's with is defeat of the evil emperor.

This version features a great addition of the construction of Luke's light saber in Obi-Wan's old home, C-3PO's confrontation with Mara Jade in Jabba's palace, and a great verbal assault between Han and Boba Fett. 6 Total Episodes on audio running approximately 30 minutes each, strongly recommend picking up.

I don't want to spoil to much but I thought I would reveal my favorite parts of this breathtaking Expanded Universe story. This is only a peak at what there is hidden in this story.

Luke is being tortured by Palpatine's lightning:

Vader: (Shouting) My Son!!!!!!

Palpatine: Vader! Release me! Vader! I command you. Put me down.

Vader: I will. Down the Core Shaft. Down to your death.

Palpatine: Vader! I am your master!

Vader: Darth Vaders master, but not Anakin Skywalker!

(Presumes to throw Palpatine to his death)


Vader's Last Breath:

Vader: I'm proud that you've grown into the man....I.....once....wanted to be......


Burning of Vader's Armor

(Trickling of fire)

C-3P0: Ugh, pardon me Master Luke, but the ewoks victory celebration will be starting momentarily.

Luke: I'll be right along C-3P0

C-3P0: But first your going to light lord Vader's.....that is your father’s funeral pyre sir.

Luke: What could be more fitting? It’s a night of lights, Ewok victory fires, rebel fireworks, even the last pieces of the Death Star burning up in the atmosphere.

C-3P0: Put that way master Luke, it does sound appropriate.

Luke: I burn his armor and with it the name of Darth Vader. May the name of Anakin Skywalker ba a light that guides the Jedi for generations to come......Rest well father, the force is with you.......

Finale.......my favorite and made the story

C-3P0: pardon me Master Luke, but may I ask why you are staring into the darkness? What are you looking at?

Luke: Not What C-3P0, Who. Don't you see them. Three comrades in arms. Obi-Wan Kenobi, Master Yoda and Anakin Skywalker.

C-3P0: My photoreceptors must be malfunctioning sir, I don't see anything.

Luke: But they're here. There fire is back in the universe. Let it burn. High and bright. To be seen by friend and foe. The Jedi, have returned.

Star Wars Hitchhiker

Heir to the Empire - 1st Book of Thrawn Trilogy

It's five years after Return of the Jedi: the Rebel Alliance has destroyed the Death Star, defeated Darth Vader and the Emperor, and driven the remnants of the old Imperial Starfleet to a distant corner of the galaxy. Princess Leia and Han Solo are married and expecting Jedi twins. And Luke Skywalker has become the first in a long-awaited line of Jedi Knights.



But thousands of light-years away, the last of the Emperor's warlords has taken command of the shattered Imperial fleet, readied it for war, and pointed it at the fragile heart of the New Republic. For this dark warrior has made two vital discoveries that could destroy everything the courageous men and women of the Rebel Alliance fought so hard to build. The explosive confrontation that results is a towering epic of action, invention, mystery, and spectacle on a galactic scale in short, a story worthy of the name Star Wars.

Heir to the Empire is the first book of the Thrawn Trilogy. Grand Admiral Thrawn (left) hooks up with an escaped Cloned Jedi from the the Pre Clone Wars Era, Joruus C'baoth (right)turned Dark Jedi, and plots to capture Luke, Leia and the Twins. The original Jedi, Jorus C'baoth, appeared in Timothy Zahn's Novel Outbound Flight, where the was killed by none other than Thrawn, short for Mitth'raw'nuruodo.

Most of the book takes place on the planet Mirkur, home of the force blocking creatures called the Ysalamir. Ysalamir are the only creatures identified to block, or neutralize the connection to the force.

Luke learns on this mission after being captured by Mara Jade, about her prior pursuit to kill Luke, during Episode 6, and the hardship he caused her by killing her master Darth Siddious. As previously the Emperors Hand, the relationship with his future wife is slowly being forged, but still working on separate sides of the table.

I'm not a huge fan of Timothy Zahn's Star Wars Novels but this book keeps you wanting more and move on to the next book!

There is a spy hidden amidst the New Republic and read more of the trilogy to find out more.



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Lightsaber Lost - Clone Wars Season 2 Episode 11

If you didn't watch it, check out http://www.starwars.com/ later this week and watch it.  I thought this week was going to be a weaker episode but ended up delivering.

Anakin and Ahsoka are traveling thru the slums of Coruscant looking for a black market weapons seller.  Anakin makes the arrest but Ahsoka gets her lightsaber pick pocketed from her.  She teams up with an older Jedi Tera Sinube, looking to keep her mistake from her master Anakin.  New characters are introduced within the Jedi order, I was most pleased to see Tera Sinube, the male Cosian show at the left.  Although his character strongly reminded me of the way Yoda is portrayed in the Clone Wars, but was still very cool. 

If you know who Aurra Sing is, I was kinda worried during the episode because the image to the right is of a new character Cassie Cryar, who had possession of the lightsaber and said she had never held a lightsaber before.  Aurra Sing on the other had is an ex-Jedi Bounty Hunter bad ass and I was really hoping they didn't ruin her history, but all was fine.  Aurra is the picture on the right, I'm not crazy they do some what resemble each other.

 Ahsoka learns a valueable lesson as a Jedi, and in the end the student becomes the teacher.

Watch it if you haven't, the Clone Wars isn't for just kids.  Next week looks to promise not to disappoint, Obi-Wan and Mandalorian's brauling it out and it appears Obi-Wan has his hands full, probably another Anakin rescue for Obi-Wan.

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Did you know......Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas & General Grievous - The Old Republic

If you've watched the movies you've heard of Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas and you know part of the impact on the Attack of the Clones and essentially The Clone Wars. What you may not know is why his impact with General Grievous and how the Sith Lords twisted his precognition of a great war 10 years later to their advantage.

Sifo-Dyas was a Jedi Master who had the gift of precognition and who was also good friends with the Jedi Count Dooku. Sifo-Dyas foretold the Republic would face a great war and secretly ordered the clone army. Count Dooku was no longer of allegiance to the Jedi and an apprentice of Darth Sidious, and was foretold about Sifo-Dyas and his order of the clones. Dooku would later kill Sifo-Dyas casting his allegiance to the Sith. We all know the Clones were used for the Republic for the Clone Wars and were later the Destruction of the Jedi. But......That's not all for Sifo-Dyas.

Dooku kept Sifo-Dyas' body frozen for many years and was put to use to construct the abomination of half sentient and half cyborg creator that is......General Grievous. A blood transfusion was needed to keep what was known original as Kaleesh General Qymaen jai Sheelal alive and turned into General Grievous. An early experiment similar to the construction of DarthVader.

Grievous was in a shuttle that was sabotaged and exploded almost killing Sheelal. Dooku and Sidious commissioned the transformation, that took place on Geonosis, from the Kaleesh General to the wicked General Grievous.

Although I have not found it questioned by any one, I have always wondered, General Grievous states that he has been trained in Jedi Lightsaber combat but knows nothing of the force, baring no force connection. But if it was Sifo-Dyas' blood, and midiclorians are found in the blood, should Grievous had a force connection???

This can be found in the Expanded Universe Comic - The Eyes of Revolution - a short 14 page comic but very important to Star Wars History.

"Back away! I will deal with this Jedi slime myself!"

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Tatooine Ghost - Novel - New Republic Era - Post Episode 6

Tatooine Ghost is an astonishing "home coming" for the Skywalker heritage. Leia and Han's journey on her father Anakin's home planet hit home for me and was a great adventure and a great place to start reading Expanded Universe novels post Return of the Jedi.

Leia, Han, Chewbacca, and C-3P0 being their journey to Tatooine to purchase by auction an important piece of Alderaan's legacy, Killik Twilight. Leia is pregnant with their twins and has not started her Jedi Training and still learning the ways of the force. Thru this story, Leia is learning about her fathers past history as a legendary pod racer, her fathers past friends and family, and for the first time seeing her grand mother. They acquire more on this mission than just of Alderaan's past, but more of Leia's.  The items they acquire on this mission are to good to speak of and must be read to appreciate the greatness of this novel.

There is no shortage of fighting with Han Solo and Chewie, but the story is more about Leia's learning and accepting of who she, who her family was, and learning that what was behind Darth Vader's mask was really her father and how great of a person Anakin Skywalker was.
 
Check out the Clone Wars tonight with me at 9 on Cartoon Network and I'll be talking more about it later.
 
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Dancing with the Star Wars Stars

I'm a little ashamed to say I've watched this twice.....Chewbacca and the Jawa dancing to Foot Loose, really funny......Padme, Leia, Zam, A Gamorean, and a Ewok dancing to Girls Just Want To Have Fun, still funny.......Vader and a bunch of Storm Troopers Dancing to Thriller, Hilarious!!  Enjoy!! 



Star Wars Hitchhiker