Welcome once again to our weekly round-up of Star Wars news from across the galaxy. This was an exciting week to be a Star Wars fan! Sit back, relax, and enjoy re-living some epic moments from the GFFA, or use this opportunity to catch up on anything you may have missed in the whirlwind of amazing things we got to enjoy this week. Let’s dive in, shall we?
The week kicked off with some exciting news for our Of Dice and Droids crew and fellow roleplayers worldwide when Fantasy Flight Games announced a new sourcebook for the Star Wars RPG. Dawn of Rebellion, scheduled for release later this year, is the first sourcebook of its kind, designed to be used alongside the existing SWRPG modules.
Primarily focusing on the years preceding the Battle of Yavin, Dawn of Rebellion features descriptions, context, and statistics for many of the iconic characters and vehicles appearing in the Star Wars: Rebels television show and in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story…..
Dawn of Rebellion will equip players and gamemasters with new options, guides, and insights for the Star Wars Roleplaying Game when it releases later this year. In the meantime, stay on alert for more previews for how this exciting new book will expand your games of Star Wars Roleplaying!
This book is set to deepen, rather than broaden, the already expansive Star Wars RPG universe. The artwork is beautifully done, and the information contained within is likely to be an invaluable resource to Game Masters the galaxy over.
SDCC “Star Wars Adventures Preview:
Although the regular run of IDW’s “Star Wars Adventures” all-ages comic series isn’t scheduled to appear until later this year, the creators put together an ‘ashcan’ edition just to tease at San Diego Comic Con. The nine-page preview is available ONLINE for folks who were unable to see it in person at the con.
The art style is charming, enjoyable, and approachable to youth and adults alike, and the stories we glimpse in the preview set us up for a delightful romp through the Galaxy Far, Far Away.
My Kallus has a First Name:
Dave Filoni told fans this week on Rebels Chat that the proper name of Agent Kallus (previously known only as ISB-021), is Alexsandr. Filoni said as well that the name was in his head, but not necessarily canon. The name (with updated, Star Wars spelling) was later confirmed by Lucasfilm Story Group’s Leland Chee, so it’s safe to presume that it’s written in permacrete. Update your fanfics accordingly.
This week saw the announcement of the nominees for the 2017 Emmy Awards, and the Star Wars family was well represented among the nominees. Congratulations to Star Wars Rebels for their nomination in the Best Children’s Program category! And congratulations to our friends at The Star Wars Show for their nomination in the Best Short-Form Variety Series category! Carrie Fisher also earned a nomination in the category of Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on Catastrophe.
To the Galaxy’s Edge and Beyond at D23:
This weekend, Disney’s D23 Expo was held in Anaheim. As expected, the event was chock-full of Star Wars news. Check out StarWars.com for wall-to-wall coverage. Highlights below:
Prepare to Visit the Galaxy’s Edge:
During the Parks and Resorts panel, Bob Chapek (Chairperson of Walt Disney Parks & Resorts) made a few exciting announcements regarding the upcoming Star Wars themed areas coming to Disneyland in Anaheim and Walt Disney World in Orlando. In addition to letting us know that the lands will be officially be known as Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge (that’s right, folks, we’re not supposed to call it “Star Wars Land” anymore) and that they’re on pace to greet visitors in 2019, Chapek gave us a few details on the attractions that will be included. Among them are a life-size Star Destroyer hangar (the largest-scale attraction in Disney Parks history) and one that will allow guests to get behind the yoke of the Millennium Falcon (not a scratch, you hear me? Or you’re liable to find yourself in trouble). View a scale model of Galaxy’s Edge HERE.
Visitors to the Walt Disney World Resort are in for an additional treat if they choose to book a room in the planned Star Wars themed resort hotel. The resort, including wardrobe, a room with a view of space (yes, you read that right), and a 100% immersive story experience, will give guests a chance to live full-time in the GFFA for the duration of their stay. The multi-day experience is liable to be pricey, with packages rumored to run upwards of $1000, but Disney parks enthusiasts are confident that it will be worth the expense.
The team here at Tosche Station is already planning a group pilgrimage, complete with our own brand of shenanigans. Join our Patreon supporter Slack channel to listen in on some of the hijinks!
But wait! There’s more!
Guests at the D23 “Level Up” Panel got a thrilling preview of this much-anticipated video game title. The game will allow you to enter the world of Imperial Commander Iden Versio as she leads Inferno Squadron in the wake of the destruction of the second Death Star. (Editor’s Note: Bria basically just cried the entire time during the panel. It’s fine. Everything’s fine.)
The panel revealed artwork, screenshots, and story details to an audience excited by the single-player and multiplayer game that is scheduled for release on November 17th. Also prominently featured were actress Janina Gavankar (the human behind Versio’s onscreen presence) and a stunning Behind The Scenes video.
It’s official- the Space Twins are Legendary:
The 30th annual Disney Legends Awards ceremony was held this weekend during D23. Hosted by Bob Iger, Disney CEO, the ceremony means to honor “those who’ve made a significant impact on the Disney legacy.” Both Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher were included among this year’s honorees.
Mark Hamill, who accepted both awards (as Carrie’s daughter, Billie Lourd was unable to attend due to professional obligations) had nothing but love for the Disney brand and the impact it’s had on the Star Wars franchise. He also had a few touching words about his “super cool space sis.”
Although no details about Episode VIII were spilled, Iger referred to the film as having, “Mark’s best performance as Luke Skywalker to date.” As if we weren’t already excited for December.
For many fans, the climax of D23 was an appearance by The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson. He was joined on stage by several members of The Last Jedi cast and together they debuted an all-new behind the scenes reel for the film. The reel shows us new creatures, a glimpse of the exacting fight choreography, a look at Chewbacca’s impeccable coiffure, and our first look at Veronica Ngo as Resistance gunner Paige Tico. (Editor’s Note: AND WE ALSO SAW ROSE IN AN FIRST ORDER UNIFORM THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.)
It’s Carrie Fisher who gets the last word in the three-minute video, and I will give that honor to her here as well. It should come as no surprise that she so succinctly wraps up the appeal of Star Wars to so many of us.
“It’s about family,” she says, “and that’s what’s so powerful about it.”
And that’s it for this week’s news! Send Star Wars news tips to Tosche-Station.net and send huggable porgs to Twitter’s @mandatheginger.
Darn, I thought Kallus’ first name was Hottjeph.