Top 5 Live Action Star Wars Character Meet-ups I want to see

The Disney+ Star Wars series have given us so so many amazing opportunities to see characters that have only ever been in the animated shows. We have also had the chance to see older live action characters like Boba Fett interact with new ones like Fennec Shand and the Mandalorian Din Djarin. But these worlds are so big and there are many characters who over the years have never had an opportunity to ever interact with each other. Maybe we will see some of these meet ups in Mandalorian season 3, Ahsoka, or the upcoming Cassian Andor show. For the sake of clarity, these are all characters who could canonically meet each other and I'm not cheating by using Force ghosts either because if I did Kylo Ren and ghost Anakin Skywalker would absolutely be on there (I could go on forever talking about how I think it should have been Anakin that talked to him not Han Solo in Rise of Skywalker). Anyway, all these meetings COULD and I would argue SHOULD happen either in a live action show or movie sometime in the future.

5. Din Djarin and Sabine Wren

Of all the pairings on this list, this is the one I think that is actually most likely to happen and happen pretty soon. Sabine, as fans of Rebels know, was a previous wielder of the Darksaber. She was taught to use it by Kanan Jarrus but then gave up the saber to Bo-Katan, whom she felt was the rightful person to lead Mandalore. As we know from The Mandalorian, because Bo-Katan never won the Darksaber in combat, she was not considered to true master of the saber in some kind of weird Elder Wand logic that had not been previously mentioned. Given that Sabine has been cast for Ahsoka (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) it seems pretty obvious that her meeting Din Djarin is going to happen pretty dang soon and that's gonna be pretty rad but since it is kind of a given I put it lower on the list. 

4. Grogu and Yoda

Ever since Grogu first appeared on season one of The Mandalorian, he has been called "Baby Yoda." Whether he is truly Yoda's son or just a member of the same species, we know that the two of them lived on Coruscant at the same time prior to the fall of the Republic. When Luke was training Grogu he asked him point blank whether he remembered Yoda, but we have seen that Grogu's memories are a little spotty. Still, it is not outside the realm of possibility that we get some kind of flashback of Grogu's time before Order 66 where he was trained as a youngling. In fact, I would argue that Grogu unlocking some of his previous memories will only lead him to becoming even more powerful. Could it happen? Technically yes, but I am putting it low on the list because it seems like Frank Oz is pretty done being Yoda and I don't know if they would bring in Tom Kane (who voice Yoda in The Clone Wars) to do this in live action. An animated Grogu I think might be more likely. 

3. Han Solo/ Lando Calrissian and Hondo Ohnaka 

Hondo Ohnaka is one of those characters that is so fun in the animated shows, and even appears in the theme park on Smuggler's Run, but whom we have never seen in a live action show or movie. We actually got a canon meeting of Han and Hondo in a spinoff children's novel called Pirate's Price and some of the Star Wars Adventures comics, but that absolutely is not enough for me. I really want to see Alden Ehrenreich, Donald Glover and a live action version of Hondo in the rumored Lando series having all kinds of wacky hijinks. Will it happen? I don't know. The Lando show is one of those things that they keep talking about here and there but Donald Glover seems like a busy dude. Given the box office and general reception of Solo I'm just not sure if they want to play in the sandbox anymore. However IF the Lando show happens, then 10/10 Hondo needs to be a part of it. 

2. Boba Fett and the Bad Batch/ Rex

I really really want to see Boba Fett interact with other clones, particularly as they are older and wiser now. We got a lot of animated young Boba/ clones stuff, but nothing in live action. Is Boba the only clone left after Return of the Jedi? As of this writing we don't know. There is a rumor that Rex may show up in the Ahsoka show which would be very cool. If he does, then it is not outside the realm of possibility that he could meet Boba Fett. And what about The Bad Batch? Do they survive beyond season 2 of their eponymous show?  I want to see Temura Morrison going full Orphan Black acting against different older clones. I think it would be neat. If Dee Bradley Baker can do it, why not give Tem a shot. 

1. Chopper and K2-SO

My number 1 pick is actually the easiest one, the most logical one, and the one that is the most delightfully chaotic. Fans of Star Wars who listened closely to the scene on Yavin before the battle of Scarif in Rogue One may have noticed they announced "General Syndulla" on the intercom. This refers to Hera Syndulla, captain of the Ghost and mom to the droid Chopper, the most loveable war criminal in the Star Wars universe. That means that canonically Chopper and K2-SO were both on Yavin at the same time (along with R2D2 and C3PO). Who knows what kind of crazy adventures those droids got up to while their humans were off doing important meeting stuff. We do know that K2 sadly perished on Scarif, but given Cassian and Hera's roles in the rebellion it really makes a LOT of sense if a live action Hera shows up in the Cassian prequel show, which by extension means that K2-SO and Chopper have lots of opportunities to meet. We also know that Dave Filoni loves Chopper. Not only did he create the character, he voices him in Rebels as well. This lends me to believe that Chopper's appearance in a live action show is only a matter of time. While seeing Chopper (and by extension Hera) in the Ahsoka show or one of the others set post ROTJ would be fantastic as well, I am really hoping to see him interact with K2, creating the Wario/ Waluigi to R2 and 3PO of my dreams. Imagine it: just droid shade 24/7. Amazing. 

Are there any meet ups you want to see? Any you think I've missed the mark on? Let me know in the comments. 

Star Wars: The Last Jedi - A Film for 2017

SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS OBVIOUSLY

SPOILERS

JUST IN CASE THE PREVIEW STILL SHOWS THIS SPOILERS ALSO

This is not going to be a comprehensive review of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, though I have a lot of thoughts and a lot of emotions about the film.  Rather this post is about a very specific feeling I got walking out of The Last Jedi that made me realize the film was perfect for this specific time and place in a way I have not seen in a major blockbuster since Captain America: The Winter Soldier.  There was no specific moment like in Revenge of the Sith where the current political situation was referenced so specifically (Anakin's "If you're not with me, then you're my enemy" echoing Bush's "You are with us or you are with the terrorists," for example) but its message is one that is decidedly political and timely.  

The history of the Star Wars cinematic universe is one that has asked us to rely on singular hero figures, namely Skywalkers, whose actions determine the course and fate of the universe.  If the prequels are to believed it was Anakin's turn to the dark side that caused the Empire to rise.  If only he had chosen another path things would be different, he could have defeated the Emperor.  If the original trilogy is to believed, it is Luke's destiny to defeat the Empire by destroying the Emperor and redeeming his father.  The fate of the galaxy, then, rests on the shoulders of individuals.  The Force Awakens doesn't shy away from this premise.  We need to find this map so we can find Luke.  We need Luke because without him we fail. Rey is a Jedi and she needs to train with Luke so that she can continue the legacy.  Maybe Rey is his daughter or niece or Obi Wan's daughter who needs to continue the tradition of singular heroes saving the galaxy.  We need to destroy this one thing, this Death Star, this Starkiller Base, so that we can save everyone.  

The Last Jedi is fundamentally different in its premise and ideology.  In many ways it shares more of its DNA with Rogue One, a story about an anonymous band of rebels who sacrifice themselves for the greater good.  Their sacrifice did not destroy the Empire.  They stole the plans for the first Death Star.  That was all.  Their sacrifice didn't magically upend the political order of the galaxy, it was simply one part in an ongoing war against Imperial aggression. Did their sacrifice matter?  Of course it did.  But given its context, the film forced us to see that even one action doesn't solve a greater problem.  In Return of the Jedi Emperor Palpatine dies.  Snoke apparently replaces him. Who is Snoke?  Does it matter? He was the next guy.  He was Pence.  He was the one who came along.  The truth is there will always be another to come along. Snoke dies and Kylo Ren replaces him.  If Kylo Ren died, Hux would take over.  The Empire and the First Order both are not dependent on the mythology of a singular leader.  Theirs is a vision of domination and control and power.  If you look at the indignant expression on Hux's face when Kylo takes control it is clear that were it not for Kylo's Force abilities he would be out of the First Order entirely, and that certainly doesn't mean that the First Order would be gone.  In fact Ben Solo's pathological obsession with both Rey and his family's legacy is often the cause of the First Order's failures.  He is a liability, not a strength.  I'm sure Hux would have been happy if Luke dispatched him on the sands of Crait.  And galactic domination would go on.  The Last Jedi forces us to see that the world, the galaxy, does not care in the long run about the petty disputes of the Skywalker family.  

The sojourn to Canto Bight, which some critics have said is unnecessary, I felt was an important reminder that the galaxy is comprised of a whole host of people who are neither wearing stormtrooper uniforms nor sitting behind the seat of an X-Wing.  The Kochs of the world, the residents of Canto Bight, are just as culpable for the slaughter as the stormtroopers who carry the weapons they provide, and they will continue on as long as the system in place to give them power exists. That system didn't go away when Darth Vader killed his master and it certainly didn't go away when Kylo Ren killed his.  Last Jedi makes us see that there is no singular hero that can fix all that is wrong with the galaxy, all that is wrong with the world.  Belief in a mythical savior, from all sides of the political spectrum, leads individuals to do stupid things.  Salvation will not come from one politician, one general, one soldier, one sword, one assassin.  The galaxy, and our world too, is the way it is because of the choices and actions of many groups of people: people who are true believers, people only out for themselves, people who seek to profit, people who are apathetic, people who are oppressed, people who are oppressors.  Even if one leader is destroyed, there will be others to take his place.

One thing that was so powerful to me in the film was the way in which it makes its main protagonists and antagonists alike confront the notion of heroism and villainy they have always been lead to believe.  Poe, Finn, and Luke all learn that hubris can lead you to make stupid decisions and that sometimes being the hero means doing something other than what you assumed to be true. Kylo Ren learns that even if you save the girl you don't automatically win her affection and even if you follow in the actions and footsteps of the people who came before you, that doesn't make your power assured. It is beautiful that all four of these men learn these lessons from powerful women who have their own agency. In fact if anything is defeated in this film it is the male ego, which is why I think the film has gotten quite a bit of criticism from men.  The women in the film, specifically Rose Tico, Admiral Holdo, General Leia and Rey, go on their own personal and emotional journeys as well.  Rose realizes that the sacrifice she admired in her sister isn't the only way one can be a hero.  Holdo realized the opposite: that sometimes even when you want to be practical and less reckless that self sacrifice is necessary for the better good.  Leia realizes the lesson Luke was trying to teach her all those years ago on Endor, that this power was in her the whole time, that he would never be the only one that was needed to keep the Force in balance.  Finally Rey learned that good and evil are more complicated things than you wish they would be, that it is the choices we make not a destiny, not an ancestry, that makes us who we are.  Rey is not a Skywalker or a Kenobi or anybody but herself: a powerful wielder of the Force, a hero because she decides to be, because she wants to be.  

As President Obama famously said, "We are the change we seek" and The Last Jedi, while not paraphrasing these words exactly, sets up a future of the Star Wars universe where change comes not from "chosen ones" but from individuals, from ordinary people making choices, learning lessons, failing, growing, helping each other.  Real change to the galaxy will not come from Rey or the maybe 20 or so people who survived from the Resistance, it will come from people on all the worlds across the galaxy.  Nobody is coming to save those enslaved children on Canto Bight, nobody is coming to rescue the other people on Jakku or Tattooine who are oppressed.  Nobody is coming.  It all comes down to you, to us, to the people, to rise up and defend their homeland, to take down their oppressors. The Force does not belong to one group of people and the power of the Force does not belong to Jedi alone.  The Force exists and will exist regardless if people are there to use it to float rocks, and you don't need to be able to float rocks to take down systems of oppression.  We are the Resistance, we are the change. 

On Belief

      A while back, I wrote a post about the challenges of being an atheist Jew raising a kid.  That post was mostly about the importance of preserving cultural heritage while at the same time acknowledging that I do not believe in god and it is not necessary for me to encourage that belief in my child.  But lately, I have come to realize that the discussion regarding belief is even more broad than that.  We expect children to believe little lies, to believe in magic, to believe in the powers of the imagination.   The real question is, why?
   

I will never get this 

      Most adult Christians I know do not believe in Santa Claus. I'm not going to argue the existence or divinity of Jesus, that is neither here nor there.  Even the most religious Christians I know do not believe in Santa Claus.  In fact, many are upset that the notion of Santa has taken over the *real* meaning for Christmas, that of the birth of their Lord.  So why do we perpetuate this myth?  Why do grown adults dress up as Santa, take their children to visit Santas in the mall?  Let's take religion out of the equation entirely.  Many children when presented with an adult in a Batman costume, will believe this person to be the actual Batman.  Many children when taken to Disneyland to get their pictures taken with actors in princess costumes, are told that these are the actual princesses and they believe.  They ask the princesses where their horses are, they ask Batman how Robin is doing.  The adults in these situations, both the adults in costumes and the parents of the children, perpetuate the myth that these are the actual heroes, the actual characters from their stories.

     A few months ago, for my daughter's 5th birthday, my parents and I took her to Disneyland.  My daughter has long lost interest in Disney princesses, in the idea of princesses entirely.  Whereas even just a year ago she claimed that the Elsa at her friend's birthday party was the real Elsa and the Elsa that she saw at Disneyland was pretend, she now held no illusions:  those princesses were ladies in costumes.  HOWEVER, when my daughter participated in the Jedi training institute, she really and truly believed that she was using the powers of the Force, that the Force was real, that Darth Vader was real, that Chewbacca and Han Solo and Finn and Rey were all 100% absolutely real, they just lived in space.  The reason?  Well, they were played by real people.  The Disney princesses were pretend, according to her, because they were cartoons.  That as much she understood.  But films with real actors?  That was real.  I tried to explain to her that it was all pretend, but it never really sank in. I would tell her it was pretend, but she didn't really understood what that meant.

     A few weeks ago The Force Awakens came out on DVD.  She had already seen the film 3 times in the theaters and had occasional nightmares about it, despite the fact that she loved it.  Kylo Ren was scary.  I tried to reassure her that it was all made up, but despite that she would have bad dreams. We watched the film together on DVD and she seemed fine during the film, but when it came time to go to bed, she told me she couldn't sleep for fear of having another nightmare about Kylo Ren.  Instead of telling her once again that it was all made up, I showed her.  I pulled up the "Please Mr. Kennedy" song from Inside Llewyn Davis where Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, and Justin Timberlake sing together.

     "See," I said, "This is Oscar Isaac.  He is an actor.  In Star Wars he plays Poe, but in this movie he plays a singer.  This is Adam Driver.  He plays Kylo Ren.  In this movie he plays a singer too.  In real life Oscar and Adam are friends."
   

     Then I showed her more pictures of Adam Driver taken by paparazzi when he was walking down

A random picture of Adam Driver
that helped my daughter not have
bad dreams

the street, pictures of Adam Driver wearing normal clothes, pictures of Adam Driver doing press for the movie.

     "See Adam goes to work every day and he puts on a costume, just like you have your costumes, and he plays pretend and people take pictures with a camera.  Then at the end of the day Adam goes home to his house or his trailer, which is like a big RV like your grandpa has, and he heats up his food in the microwave, and he goes poop.  Adam Driver is just a regular person who gets paid money to dress up and pretend."

     "But how does he use the Force?" she asked me, "What about the real Jedi?"

     "Do you really want to know?" I asked her.  I wasn't sure.  Should I really ruin everything, ruin her imagination, destroy her belief entirely?

     "There is no such thing as the Force.  It is pretend.  One day a long time ago, a man named George Lucas thought of a movie called Star Wars.  And he wrote the story.  And then people dressed up in costumes and pretended his story."

     "But when I was at Disneyland we all worked together to use the Force to raise the temple thing," she replied.

     "It was an elevator.  A man in the back pushed a switch and it made the elevator go up and down."
   
      The next day after she woke up (after having no nightmares, I might add) I showed her the special features on the Star Wars DVD.  She watched with rapt attention as people built the sets, as they used wires to throw people across the room, as they used computers to make spaceships fly through the sky.  She watched as actors talked about how they got ready for their roles, how they felt when they started working on Star Wars because they were such big fans already.  She watched as engineers constructed puppets, masks, costumes, droids.  She was positively fascinated.  I thought I was taking something away from her, destroying her innocence somehow.  Instead I only sparked her creativity even more.  The Force was something magical that only Jedi could do.  This was science.  This was art.  This was technology.  This was acting.  These were real people.  This was something she could do.  For the past 2 weeks the only thing she has watched on TV have been the bonus features from Star Wars.  She watches and rewatches the craftspeople hard at work.  She calls them by name.

"There's Adam," my daughter says

   "There's Adam," she says when Kylo Ren walks across the screen.  "There's Mark, there's Daisy."

     She isn't afraid anymore.  She doesn't have nightmares anymore.  She sees the people as people, truly as people, not as the characters they portray.  I was a little sad in a way, sad that she doesn't have that naivete.  Something had changed in her, she grew up a little bit, she put childish things behind her.

     Or so I thought.  Until she lost her tooth 2 days ago.  And told me most adamantly that we needed to put her tooth under her pillow so that the tooth fairy would come.  At 10 o'clock at night, I wrote my daughter a note in pink flowing script and signed it from the tooth fairy.  I put it in an envelope along with a Sacajawea dollar and put it under her pillow.  In the morning, she burst into my room to show me the letter she had gotten and asked me to read it.  She asked me quite plainly if I had left it there.  Maybe I should have told her the truth.  In fact, I'm not sure why I didn't.  Instead I said,

    "What do you think?"

    To which she replied, "I think the tooth fairy did it.  How do you think she knew my name, though?  I bet she was flying outside and then heard you talking to me."

   "Yep, I guess that must be it"

    I don't know why I maintained the fiction.  I don't know why I maintained the lie.  Maybe it is just sort of fun to believe: to believe your letter is coming from Hogwarts, to believe that fairies deliver money in exchange for teeth, that men in red suits deliver presents.  Perhaps in a world that is so seemingly mundane and dull, that to touch a little something magical makes us feel something more. I don't quite know the answer.   All I know is that I now I have a 5 year old daughter who calls Kylo Ren "Adam," who wants to be a scientist when she grows up, and who believes in the tooth fairy.  I don't think that's such a terrible thing.