Category Archives: Star Wars

The Force Awakens Teaser Trailer: Our Reactions

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The Force Awakens Logo

Brian: I’m still bouncing. The whole thing was just a rising linear progression of excitement. Right until we got to the X-wings and my heart about shot out of my chest. Then the Falcon shows up and I go straight to crying. It’s Star Wars. The universe feels dirty and lived in again. This feels like the thing I grew up with, and I love it. After you watch the trailer it gets even better. If the characters they showed were nominally the Big Three of this film, there isn’t a white male in the group. It’s progress, actual tangible progress, and I’m thrilled. Today The Force Awakens ceased being this nebulous thing that existed somewhere in the future and became something that’s actually happening. It’s a thing that’s happening and it looks like they’re doing some extremely exciting things with it. I cannot wait.

Nanci: I will admit, I am disappointed we didn’t get a shot of Luke in the teaser. I really, really, really wanted to see him. However, after thinking about it, I realize they made the right decision not to show the old Big Three. They wanted to show that while The Force Awakens will harken back to the Original Trilogy in terms of aesthetics and theme, it’s still a new story with new characters (and new music!). Instead they showed us the new Big Three (or at least I hope they did), and wow did they just stoke my interest big time. I need to know more about the characters John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, and Oscar Isaac are playing. I need to know all about Isaac’s X-wing squadron. (Please can we get a book or TV series about them?) I need to know who that robed figure is; I’m thinking Adam Driver. Not to mention who’s saying the voiceover! (von Sydow or Serkis, probably.) I will end my rambly thoughts with this: while I won’t rest until I see Jedi Master Luke Skywalker wielding a lightsaber, seeing new X-wings made me nearly bounce out of my skin. I am excited. (But not as much as I could have been.)

Bria: Sobbing.  Just gross hyperventilating sobbing.  We have new Star Wars footage for the first time in almost ten years and there’s nothing that could have made me happier except for watching the movie.  The sight of the Falcon and the X-Wings made me squee but what will be sticking with me is that John Boyega was the first person we saw on screen.  Just think about that for a minute.  The first two characters we saw are a black guy and a woman.  DIVERSITY IN THE GFFA.  I’d also like to say that Daisy Ridley couldn’t have possibly looked more like Padmé dressed like Ania Solo in the trailer if they’d tried.  Honestly, there’s nothing that I didn’t love about the trailer.  GIVE US THE NEXT ONE.  AND THEN THE MOVIE.

Sho:  I’m so excited. I really want to know who John Boyega and Daisy Ridley are, who the gravely voice is, who the adorable little rolly droid is. And that scene with the X-Wings was just beautiful. And the lightsaber looked very striking but I’m not sure that cross guard would accomplish anything other than to make the wielder need to be extra careful of their fingers. I am 100% with Bria on how awesome it is to have John Boyega and Daisy Ridley be the first two characters you see. And does this portend how important their characters are in the film? Oh, please let this portend the importance of their characters in the film.

The Force Awakens Trailer To Be On iTunes Friday

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The Official Star Wars Twitter account just announced that The Force Awakens teaser trailer will also be available via iTunes on Black Friday.

This follows the previous announcement that it will be debuting in 30 theatres around the United States from earlier this week.

We got our first hint about the Friday online release approximately thirty minutes prior to the official announcement when the official Star Wars Italy twitter accidentally tweeted the news preemptively but quickly deleted the tweet.  It’s great to see the news confirmed though and we here at Tosche Station are very glad that the fandom will get to experience this first trailer together.

Star Wars Teaser Trailer Confirmed for Select Theaters This Friday

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Earlier today, Bad Robot tweeted a note by J.J. Abrams that confirms that the first teaser for Star Wars: The Force Awakens with debut this Friday, November 28 in select theaters and that it will be 88 seconds long:

In case that image isn’t loading for you, the note says

A tiny* peak at what we’re working on–this Friday in select theaters. Hope you enjoy, and have a most excellent Thanksgiving!

Best,

JJ

*88 seconds

Regal Entertainment has posted a picture of Mon Mothma and a note to check their website soon for information about which of their theaters will be involved in the teaser debut, implying that at least some of the select theaters will be theirs.

As of yet, no theaters have been officially confirmed for the debut.

UPDATE: AMC had joined Regal in confirming that some of their theaters will be involved in the debut:

The specific theater locations that will show the teaser remain unconfirmed.

UPDATE THE SECOND: Cinemark has joined the league of theaters debuting the teaser, posting this tweet in confirmation:

Again, still no word on specific theater locations.

UPDATE THE THIRD: The official site has confirmed the theater locations that will show the teaser on Friday, as well as confirming that the teaser will be in theaters worldwide after this weekend. There are thirty locations total, 28 of which are in the US and two of which are in Canada. Check out the complete list here.

Jedi Apprentice Reread 1 — The Rising Force

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JA 1 Rising_Force_coverThe Jedi Apprentice books hold a special place in my heart.

Released between 1999 and 2002, the series is comprised of eighteen regular books and two “special edition” books chronicling Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon’s adventures and relationship from its start until shortly before The Phantom Menace.  While I was already a big fan of Star Wars by the time the first one came out and had already been introduced to the Expanded Universe through reference books like the Essential Guide to Characters, the Jedi Apprentice books were the first Star Wars novels I read and, more than that, they were some of the first books that got me excited about reading.

While later the post-Return of the Jedi books became my main focus of interest is the Expanded Universe, this series and its characters remain very important to me. As this series now falls under the Legends banner and a new trilogy of Star Wars films looms on the horizon, it’s been over a decade since I last picked up a Jedi Apprentice book and my perspective has changed quite a bit in those years.

It seems about time I reread these books and see how well they hold up.

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Del Rey to Give Away Advanced Copies of Heir to the Jedi

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Heir to the JediIf you, like us, are eagerly awaiting getting your hands on another Star Wars book to read, you may be in luck. Today Del Rey announced on their Star Wars Books Facebook page that they will be giving away advanced copies of Kevin Hearne’s upcoming novel Heir to the Jedi during Monday’s airing of Rebels. They will reveal on Monday how to enter to win, so if you’re interested be sure to check their page then. You can read the full announcement here.

And if you don’t end up being one of the lucky winners, Heir to the Jedi will be released in hardcover, ebook, and audio formats on March 3.

Review: Star Wars Rebels: Empire Day

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rebels logoAnd with that, those who were worried that Rebels wouldn’t have the gravitas of The Clone Wars found themselves with one less thing to worry about.

“Empire Day” begins with Hera, Sabine, and Zeb making their way into an alley of a somewhat remote outpost on Lothal. As they disappear, Sabine stops and gazes out into the distance, where she sees Ezra and Kanan training.

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Thrawn Trilogy Retrospective: Heir to the Empire Chapters 21-23

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In our last installment, Talon Karrde and his crew picked up Luke Skywalker and is holding him on Myrkr against his will. And Han and Lando are on the way. The chapters are getting really long now, and so are the recaps! Here we go! 

Talon Karrde's Myrkr base

Talon Karrde’s Myrkr base

Oh phew, Chapter 21 starts and we’re back to Karrde and Mara! What can I say–I’m predictable. Karrde tells Mara her that Han Solo and Lando Calrissian are on their way to Myrkr, which obviously has negative implications on the current “kidnapping Luke Skywalker” scenario. Mara tells Karrde he has no obligation to speak to them, but Karrde informs her that his associates debts are his own, and she should know that by now. She has a horrible thought, and asks if he’s going to give them Skywalker. Karrde seems disinterested in the matter, but she can sense the truth: he wants more than anything to know why she hates Skywalker. (Because he loves information more than anything!)  She refuses to say why she hates him; they bicker some more about why Han is there and what to do with Skywalker.

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