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All Fired Up 4 Star Wars Day with LEGO!

May the Fourth Be With You! On Star Wars Day, some fans may well be watching the ennealogy in full–which will take all afternoon and night–and others will have other ideas in mind. That can range from having a themed party with friends or even simply partaking in some other aspect that defines what being a fan is about–sharing fun times with like-minded people! (or enjoying a light saber challenge)

I plan on dedicating some time to play LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga. I’m still undecided if I’ll only focus on Luke Skywalker’s hero’s journey or the entire family. That could take all day, or I can spend part of it enjoying the various animated series for some light-hearted fun. Or I can finally get around to building that LEGO AT-ST. I adore the whimsical, humorous nature of the fan-made videos–especially when the characters mumble. I’ve been wanting to have some fun stop-motion animating that mini-walker as it’s been on my bucket list (and was animated in stop-motion in Return of the Jedi) for a long time!

I can have various series running in the background while I’m building. The following is my ranking of the various series from best to worst, and the links go to where one buy them on Amazon USA or stream. With no surprise, one series is totally tops without being too overboard with the silliness that defines the LEGO brand.

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Star Wars: The Bad Batch in Review & Commentary

Although the wait will be long for the next season, I’m finding The Bad Batch is essential watching for any Star Wars fan.

The Bad Batch finished its first season run, and I’m still wondering when and if Hera Syndulla and Kanan Jarrus will meet. Technically, part of the runaway Jedi’s journey was covered in the comic book series published by Marvel Comics and written by Greg Weisman. I doubt the two-parter with Hera can be left just like that, with her and us knowing she’ll become a resistance fighter. As for getting cameos from past fond favourites, like Ashoka, I feel that’s not the direction Dave Filoni is aiming for.

What this season represents is in how various civilizations are not pleased at the fact The Republic has fallen and the Empire is taking over. Democracy has fallen.

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Anime Expo Lite is Coming and Star Wars!

Star Wars Anime — Image from Star Wars: Galaxy of Adventures Trailer (2019).

Anime Expo Lite
Runs July 3-4, 2021

Coming to Disney Plus
Sept 22, 2021!

The next Star Wars project, Visions, is getting a sneak preview at Anime Expo Lite, and it’s bound to be a crazy reimagining of those adventures we all love in that galaxy far, far away. Host and pop culture maven Chastity Vicencio and Lucasfilm’s Jacqui Lopez (Executive Producer), James Waugh (Executive Producer), Josh Rimes (Executive Producer), and Qubic Pictures’ Justin Leach (Co-Executive Producer) and Kanako Shirasaki (Producer) will talk about the process in putting together this anthology series before it debuts on Disney+ later this year.

What can we expect? This event requires a small $5 (USD) donation to access not only this presentation but also many more exciting news during the weekend. All proceeds supports commUNITY Action Fund by Hate is a Virus.

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Star Wars The Bad Batch Isn’t Without Its Rough Spots

I suspect the series will be about this team thwarting every attempt the Emperor has planned to extend his reach. The trade wars are over.

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Dave Filoni’s love for Star Wars makes this latest instalment, The Bad Batch, a must watch. One reason is simply because it’s a continuation of the ongoing narrative which started in the animated Clone Wars series, and another is how the psychological action-adventure drama sees the loss of freedom (and will of an individual) a permanent theme. It’s safe to say knowing the movies, Episodes 2 “Attack of the Clones” and 3 “Revenge of the Sith” will do more to establish the backdrop for anyone needing a refresher.

The first ten minutes of the pilot reveal when this tale takes place in that timeframe. One detail to take note on is that Caleb Dume, a.k.a. Kanan Jarrus of Star Wars Rebels is a Jedi in training who’s escaped death.

A hundred eighty rotations later, the team of Hunter, Tech, Wrecker, Crosshair finished their mission and are headed home to Kamino. They are still wondering what Order 66 is supposed to be about and whether that kid died “a long time ago.” When they land, the newly minted Empire is setting up shop. The passage of time is perplexing because, according to most resource guides, a cycle is often in reference to a day instead of an hour. Unless we’re dealing with a theory that there’s 42 hours in a cosmic day (aka rotation), not much time has really passed.

The team soon has Grand Moff Tarkin wanting to see how well they function. Their way of independent thinking is a result of their faulty programming. They are one of the first batches of clones created for the Republic’s War against a Phantom Menace, and since their introduction in The Clone Wars Season Seven, I’m enjoying this look at the war from a conscript’s perspective (even though they’ll eventually turn into mercenaries).

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Star Wars: The Bad Batch Psychoanalyzed!

Star Wars: The Bad Batch is set to debut May 4, with a special 70-minute premiere, and may well prove to be the new Rebels of a growing Alliance.

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Disney+
May 4th, 2021

Star Wars: The Bad Batch will debut with a special 70-minute premiere, and this team may well prove to be the new “Rebels” to join a growing Alliance. That’s my take on this renegade team of Clone Troopers with genetic defects who have broken their programming. They are the only warriors willing to take on dangerous missions, ala Mission Impossible, for the glory of the Empire. This tale takes place in the aftermath of the Clone Wars. Somewhere along the line will be a breakdown of their conditioning so they can be totally independent, true to the spirit of this franchise.

The action is more in line with Fast and the Furious, but for the characters involved. They’re generally well adjusted-well sort of. Whatever’s wrong with their neural pathways can’t be fixed in Kamino since being activated. I’m betting there was subterfuge to cause this group to be what they are. That’ll be revealed in later episodes when we look to their past. Hunter, Echo, Tech, Wrecker and Crosshair aren’t Transformers. They’ve earned their nicknames because each member is talented in their own unique way.

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The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special Builds on a Tradition

The Freemakers. You’d think there’d be room for this beloved show; this family is technically part of the LEGO Star Wars universe, and they deserve a return to celebrate Life Day rather than to be discarded.

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

On Disney+

The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special is perfect to give fans a chance to sort of forget a certain lamented television program about this galaxy, far, far away. Love that past live-action special or hate it, the only thing fans need to know is that Life Day is canon. It’s celebrated throughout the galaxy as a time for all families to get together. It was originally a Wookie holiday where they pay respect to the Tree of Life.

This animated take pokes fun at this franchise in the way many a LEGO toon does. Poe is all gung ho (willing to toss his uniform to the washer) while donning a gaudy sweater, Finn is training to be a Jedi and Ray is frustrated that she can’t train this former Stormtrooper. The nice part of this tale is that it can work as an official continuation after The Rise of Skywalker. However, because of a certain level of craziness that goes on, it’s unlikely Disney & Lucasfilm will say that it is.

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