The lovely human beings over at The Brothers Brick have posted an image from either the London or Nuremburg Toy Fair (which one isn’t made clear in the post), giving us a look at some of the Lego Star Wars sets we can expect this summer. Hop behind the break for a look (as well as my — ahem — expert analysis).
Tosche Station Radio #141: The New Republic Flies Again
Coming up on this episode of Tosche Station Radio: Brian and Nanci are going on a boat, The Expanse is awesome, John Boyega is ripped, and the New Republic flies again!
Tosche Station Radio is the official podcast of Tosche-Station.net and a part of Majestic Giraffe Productions. If you like what you hear, please leave a review on the iTunes Music Store. We can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.
Nanci and Brian are the co-founders and writers of Tosche-Station.net. You can find Nanci on Twitter with the handle @Nancipants and you can find Brian with @LaneWinree.
This podcast has been brought to you in part by Her Universe and your support on Patreon!
Rebels Review: Legends of the Lasat
This week on Star Wars Rebels, we finally got some backstory about our favorite grouchy muscle guy on the Ghost, Garazeb Orrelios. We also got a return of fan-favorite scoundrel with indeterminate loyalties, Hondo Ohnaka!
“Legends of the Lasat” features the crew’s mission to rescue two refugees, who turn out to be Lasat, aka Zeb’s species. Only thing is, Zeb thought he was the last of his species. So why isn’t he overjoyed to see more of his people still alive?
Turns out the two Lasats are kind of wacky, and you can’t fault Zeb for thinking they’re kind of crazy. They want Zeb’s help finding their new homeworld. Zeb hesitates at first; then the other Lasats defer to him as part of the honor guard, and refer to him as captain. That made me sit back and go, “aw, Zeb, you’re important!” I really need to know more about his history.
In the end Zeb uses his apparently magical bowrifle to send the Ghost into a sea of black holes to find the new home of the Lasat. Yes, you read that correctly: a sea of black holes. This is definitely one of those stories that puts Star Wars firmly in the “space fantasy” genre.
There’s a lot of mysticism in this episode, which can sometimes (*cough* Mortis *cough*) make me roll my eyes, but here it didn’t bother me. I like the idea of people other than the Jedi and Force users being spiritual and respecting the Force. To go along with the mysticism, the Rebels team really overdid itself with the episode’s visuals. The scene of the Ghost approaching the cluster of black holes was absolutely gorgeous (and I’m not the only person who thought of the Maw at first glance, right?). I’ll never grow tired of seeing crazy hyperspace shots, whether it be in Rebels or in The Force Awakens. And the music…wow, the music was just incredible. Why is that not in my earholes yet?
We got a lot of nice character moments with Zeb in this episode, seeing him as a reluctant hero and then accepting his destiny to help his people find a new home. Turns out that there are already Lasats living on the planet when they arrive, which makes it easier for Zeb to return to the Ghost. He’s already found his new home with Kanan and crew, but he’s more than willing to help other Lasats they may come across find their way to the new homeworld. After all, they have the hyperspace coordinates now and don’t have to black hole diving again! (This also makes me hopeful that, maybe, perhaps Zeb can survive the Galactic Civil War and live in peace afterwards?)
I’m definitely looking forward to seeing more Zeb episodes in the future. He’s a funny character, but with a lot of depth, and Steve Blum plays him wonderfully. I’m also dying to know what happens to Hondo! Last we saw him, he was with the Imperials, having sold out the Ghost crew. Does he get away? Do they kill him? They can’t kill Hondo, despite his questionable loyalties! Inquiring minds need to know what happens, Dave Filoni!
“Legends of the Lasat” was a solid episode, and I hope this trend of character-focused episodes continues into the second half of Season 2.
If you haven’t already, check out Rebels Recon for the best Pablo Hidalgo question yet.
Lego Winter 2016 sets coming to U.S. in March
Gird your wallets, fellow U.S.-based Lego fans! The Winter 2016 wave of Star Wars sets — already available in other parts of the world, grumble grumble — are finally coming to our beleaguered shores in March, according to reports from The Brick Fan and AZ Central. This wave features the sets we previously reported were coming, including an updated ETA Interceptor for Obi-Wan, a Bespin carbon-freezing chamber, and an updated version of the droids’ escape pod from the original Star Wars film. Have a look at the box art below, and let us know in the comments which sets you’re planning on picking up.
Review: Obi-Wan and Anakin #2
Do you know what would have been a better title for this lovely comic by Charles Soule and Marco Checchetto? “Obi-Wan and Anakin and HOLY CRAP PALPATINE NO!”
After crash-landing on Carnelion IV, Obi-Wan and Anakin find themselves pulled into the middle of an intense battle between the Open and the Closed. It’s not long before it becomes clear that there’s more going on here than either group is letting on. In the past, young Anakin pays a visit to Chancellor Palpatine.
I wish that I could focus my musings on this issue to be more about the Carnelion IV parts but everything Soule is doing with Palpatine is incredible and he’s not even doing that much. Palpatine’s page time in this book is short but a combination of Soule’s writing and Checchetto’s art packs a hell of a punch. There’s a page that got an honest-to-goodness audible reaction from me and that doesn’t happen every week with comic books. If Soule wasn’t already lined up to write Poe Dameron after this, I’d be clamoring for a Palpatine book from him.
That’s not to say that the main story isn’t good. I’m curious to see both where it goes and who exactly sent the distress call. There’s also clearly a ton of history between the two people that could likely make for a fascinating tale all on its own. It’s also fun getting to see Master and Padwan work together but also have their moments to shine.
The best compliment that I can pay this comic so far is that it’s not quite what I expected but it’s definitely something that has me impatiently waiting for more every time I finish an issue and if that’s not a solid recommendation from me, I don’t know what is.
Of Dice and Droids Episode II: This Ain’t no Place for no Hero
THE END OF ALL THINGS
EPISODE II: THIS AIN’T NO PLACE FOR NO HERO
The galaxy stands on the edge of a blade. The struggle for control is constant, with crime cartels and gangs seizing even the smallest opportunities to gain an advantage.
One such opportunity has presented itself to the Mytaranor Group a trading syndicate operating outside of the Empire’s control. The Hutt Cartel – normally Mytaranor’s rivals, are offering a place at the bargaining table for the Group, but they are not alone.
Wary of Hutt treachery the leaders of Mytaranor look for a means to sway the negotiations, calling upon a trusted team of outsiders with aims to rig the game in their favor before it even begins.
The Cast:
- Tom the GM
- Gin played by Saf
- Percival played by Jay
- Shoto played by Sho
This podcast has been brought to you in part by Her Universe and your support on Patreon. Be sure to subscribe on iTunes to hear even more adventures! You can also subscribe to the Tosche Station master podcast feed for even more great Star Wars content.
Tosche Station Radio #140: More Like Poe DAMNeron
Coming up on this episode of Tosche Station Radio: Brian and Nanci are caught up in The Expanse, Harrison Ford can’t escape Disney quite yet, voice actors were busy in TFA, and the crew of Rogue Podron join us to drool over X-wings.
Tosche Station Radio is the official podcast of Tosche-Station.net and a part of Majestic Giraffe Productions. If you like what you hear, please leave a review on the iTunes Music Store. We can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.
Nanci and Brian are the co-founders and writers of Tosche-Station.net. You can find Nanci on Twitter with the handle @Nancipants and you can find Brian with @LaneWinree.
This podcast has been brought to you in part by Her Universe and your support on Patreon!
Rebels Review: The Protector of Concord Dawn
It’s been and up and down season of Rebels for me. Every now and then, there’s a great character episode I love to pieces, but mostly it’s been Ezra, Ezra, Ezra and more Ezra. This episode was a whole lot more of the former than the latter.
Sabine had an episode to shine earlier this season, but for large chunks of the second season run it feels like she’s been sidelined. That definitely isn’t true in this episode. We get a little bit of everything. Attitude and characterization for Sabine, Madalorian backstory, and even Kanan proving that Hera is his anti-Idiot ball.
The crux of the episode is the Rebels are searching for a new hyperspace route since the Imperials are cornering them left and right. Sabine suggests a shortcut through Mandalorian space, which prompts her to leave with Hera and Phoenix squadron to secure safe passage. The Mandos aren’t happy to see them, a few members of Phoenix squadron are killed, and Hera is badly wounded. Thus sends Sabine on a Western-style quest for vengeance. VENGEANCE!
I could keep breaking down the plot and the set piece detail, but let’s get into what made this episode so great. Sabine finally, after really a season and a half, had a chance to shine. She’s been begging Kanan and Hera for a chance to prove that they should trust her, and in this episode she made it clear why everyone needs to stop doubting her. Sabine is more than just an artist and explosives aficionado. She proves she’s smart and more in control of her emotions and surroundings than anyone has given her credit for.
If there’s something I’ll take issue with in this episode, it’s going to be something that has bothered me all season. Every episode seems to find a new way to sideline Hera. This time around, it’s putting her in the medbay. As great as this episode episode was, imagine how much better it would have been if it was Hera in Kanan’s place. Just let Hera do something outside of the one token episode about her, please.
Overall this is probably my second favorite episode of the season, right behind Wings of the Master, and one of the better ones in the whole run. More character focused episodes, please!
Review: Kanan #10
What time is it? Kanan comic time! Get excited because it’s time for another gif review of Kanan #10 by Greg Weisman and Pepe Larraz!
(I’d like you to note how many of these fine gentlemen are also rocking the sweet Kanan ponytail.)
There is Peace: Anakin, Ezra and Emotional Support
Yoda: Inside you much anger, much fear.
Ezra: I just want to protect myself and my friends.
Yoda: And this is why you must be Jedi?
Ezra: Yes, and not just them. Everyone. I’ll protect everyone. Before I met Kanan, I only ever thought of myself, but Kanan and the rest, they don’t think like that. They help people, they give everything away, and I see it. I see how it makes people feel.
Yoda: Feel, yes. How?
Ezra: Alive. They feel alive, like I do now.
– Rebels S01E09, Path of the Jedi
Anakin at nine: The golden child of the twin suns, given the choice to leave his hard but love-filled slave life behind to become a champion of the galaxy. He is warm, talented, and compassionate, but fear and anger already have firm footholds in his heart.
Ezra at fourteen: A street rat who will help others subjugated by the Empire, as long as it suits him. Trust doesn’t come easy after years of being alone and he is afraid, though he’ll never admit it. Still, there is goodness deep inside him, and Hera and Kanan encourage the light inside him.
Both of these young boys are taken in by a new family at the start of their respective stories, the promise of becoming a Jedi dangled before them. We know where Anakin’s journey takes him—his fall, his redemption at the end—but we don’t know where Ezra’s heading yet. His future is totally open.
Source: Lucasfilm.