Star Wars Re-booted?

In the Los Angeles Times Hero Complex article, ‘Star Wars’ writer Lawrence Kasdan wants spinoff film to ‘start fresh’, Larry Kasdan who wrote "Empire Strikes Back" and has directed numerous films says he wants a "Star Wars" that everyone can enjoy -- even his grandson who is 3 is excited about it...

What is interesting is, some of us superfans, will find that all the work in the Star Wars Expanded Universe (SWEU) is trashed and mean very little. He also says he doesn't care about social media. I guess the social media metrics that test the market does not count for what a demographic of Star Wars fans find valuable.

Guess what? Politics has changed, too. Our system of government has changed. The world has changed. But past history should not be negated just because it is too much, or dry, or stories that are unfamiliar. Where are the young writers who need a chance and are massive Star Wars fans?

Perhaps it is time we secede from this unchanging Republic and create our own government that honors our business skills. It shall be called: the Confederacy of Independent Systems.

Review of Star Wars: The Clone Wars - "Tipping Points" - CIS Power!

Without getting into spoilers and details that ruin the episodes and the Onderonian arc, finally we see the power of the Separatists of the Confederacy of Independent Systems!

With General Kilani at the helm, and  his gunships! Incredible! Onderon can be for its rebels, but we are going to Aargonar!

The Onderonian rebels leader, Steela Gerrera, is dead! But not due to us...Directly!

War on Two Fronts ~ From A Seppie POV

"A War on Two Fronts" episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars started out with this fortune cookie:

It started with the usual characters

Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsoka Tano, Anakin Skywalker and Captain Rex

Captain Rex had a new uniform. Somewhat a precursor to the Imperial Uniform. But more rogue-rebel like.

***SPOILERS***

The quartet had gone to Onderon to assist the rebels fighting the Separatist Droid Army.

We are introduced to two new characters who are brother and sister - Saw Gerrera and Steela Gerrera:

Saw Gerrera

Steela Gerrera

And another character - Lux Bonteri from "A Friend In Need" in Season 4

Lux Bonteri

Together, these three formed the leadership of the rebels on Onderon. Some seems rather inept by the Jedi and Captain Rex. But for the rebels, they behaved like they did not really want assistance.

From A Separatist POV

In the very beginning, the Jedi Council disputed if they should train an insurgency to take over a legitimately established government. Obi-Wan Kenobi said that if the Jedi train them, they would be training terrorists. Anakin Skywalker disagreed. He thought their resources were so stretched out that having the Jedi fight for them would only make it harder for the other planets. Yoda agreed with Anakin. So off to Onderon they go.

The Separatists offer many valuable assets to governments that join them: Protection, Sovereignty and Freedom from the Core Planets.

Having being-to-being combat is taxing which the Republic has chosen to do. Droids are viable option for beings that are unable or unwilling to fight. Being as the creators of droids should not have to sully themselves in slogging fighting. What the Jedi did was promote terrorism toward an established government and risking the lives of the Onderonians.

From a Separatist Point of View - The Jedi put the lives of the Onderonian Rebels at risk in fighting Droid Technology. 

As a matter of fact, they're Sith...

The HOLOSEC: Social Holographic Electronic Interface Liaison Android (S.H.E.I.L.A.) reports from the Confederacy of Independent Systems from a "Separatist's Point of View" on the Season 5 trailer to Star Wars: The Clone Wars entitled, Revival and the fortune cookie is:

Features: Darth Maul, Savage Opress, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Adi Gallia, Hondo Ohnaka and Supreme Chancellor Palpatine

SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT!

Out of the gate, when the security droids approached, Darth Maul and Savage Opress easily removed them. What is interesting in the Clone Wars shows, the droid appear to "feel" things. But when Darth Maul and Savage Opress used the Force to trample them, the droids did not seem to respond to the crushing or they did not howl. Making this issue a trope one, perhaps?

Separatists Droids would not have been so easily conquered.

Then Darth Maul asserts his rule over his brother. That is when it is asked, why does Savage Opress have a skirt on?

Then we cut to the scene with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Adi Gallia. They land at the space station that were destroyed by Darth Maul and Savage Opress.

They speak to the warehouse supervisor that readily tells them the droids saw that the lightsabers were red. Next to casually, Obi-Wan replies:

Throughout this episode, the Jedi bring up Sith several times and no one really knows what a Sith is! It seems the Jedi do not either. But for the pirates, they have seen some things about the Sith and what they can do, but are not afraid of them.  Is this a revival regarding the Sith? What about the "rule of two" for the Sith? Is it a "revival" of sorts?

It may be a matter of strength in the Force.

Either way, it shows how easily the Sith can be defeated by rogue bands of pirates. 

An angry Sith fighting is not wise to have around. Frustration with a Sith fuels more anger and rampage.

Of course this entire arc is tied into the comic books, Shadow Conspiracy.

At any rate, both Jedi and Sith lose things. These scuffles with Darth Maul and Savage Opress in the crime world mean nothing to the Confederacy of Independent Systems!

In fact, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine of the Republic said so with just one look.

The future? Who knows, but the Separatists must deal with a new possible threat of rogue Sith capable of destroying the Droid Army. 

What was revived, here?

  

Separatist POV Episode 4.18 - Crisis on Naboo

Here is the MasterToons:


MasterToons.com by MasterToons

The moral to this episode is:

Trust is the greatest of gifts, but it must be earned.

Summary is:

Supreme Chancellor Palpatine goes to Naboo guarded by Jedi knights. Meanwhile, Cad Bane, Rako Hardeen aka a disguised Obi-Wan, and a pack of Bounty hunters put their plan into action.

What I liked about this episode: The technology was awesome!

The Holographic Disguise Matrix that one can walk into and become whatever image that is pre-programmed to be. Problem is it is unstable. It was never really discussed who made it. But obviously Confederacy of Independent Systems technology:




Next is Rako Hardeen's sniper's rifle. It had a 1000 yard scope with plasma charges. It's only drawback, was only one round. It was a nice set. And probably CIS tech, too. Merr-Sonn Munitions, Inc.???




What I did not like about this episode was too much "backtalk" and "butt kissing" by whiny Jedi. First, Jedi Master Mace Windu was pissed because Supreme Chancellor Palpatine insisted on attending the "Festival of Light" on Naboo. Then Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker almost slipped up with Senator Padme Amidala and their relationship by putting Padawan Ahsoka Tano to be her personal security. And as usual, the Jedi are totally clueless that the Sith are being crafty in the same place. It makes one wonder how easy Order 66 really was and should the Jedi Order just be put out of its misery.

The other issue was the Count Dooku show always fighting Obi-Wan and Anakin. That fact is getting boring. And the bounty hunters are not really agents to the CIS. It looks like all that there is to the CIS is Count Dooku, maybe General Grievous and that is untrue. There were many others that made the Separatist Movement and not entirely ONLY a set up by the Sith, totally.



With the showing of the Phantom Menace in 3D in movie theaters and all the young people thoroughly enjoying them, and the publication of both Darth Plagueis and the Wrath of Darth Maul, as well as the showing of Darth Maul's resurrection in the Clone Wars, it would seem that having a Separatist POV beyond the Dooku-Obi-Wan-Anakin show would be more expansive. But no, it is not. Why?



The sad part this episode cannot change. Its purpose was to show how Anakin flicks off Obi-Wan for not telling him he went undercover. Like he needed to know. But being the whiny Jedi that Anakin is, he throws up a "metallic bird" in Obi-Wan's face. Who gets Mace Windu concerned about Obi-Wan's return. But being studious, Obi-Wan discovered why Count Dooku did not show up and flaked out on Cad Bane, Moralo Eval and Rako Hardeen until Obi Wan showed his true colors.

Plot-wise, bleech!

But tech wise, behind the scenes, the voice actors did an EXTRAORDINARY JOB!

Mr. Stephen Stanton voices Moralo Eval - realized that he spoke in the 3rd person.

Mr. James Arnold Taylor voices Obi-Wan Kenobi and Rako Hardeen - which was a lowering of his voice that was not difficult for him to do.

Mr. Ian Ambercrombie who voiced Supreme Chancellor Palpatine - passed away before this episode aired, publicly. He will be sorely missed.

To the voice actors, thank you for your technological advances.

Separatist POV Episode 4.16 - Friends and Enemies

The episode is shown >here<
Cad Bane
Moralo Eval
Rako Hardeen


The story moral is:

Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer...
~A Sun Tzu quote

***SPOILERS***

We start by our three amigos crashing their escape ship into a swamp on Nal Hutta...Haha Get it! Yoda... Swamp... nevermind... But Rako Hardeen (Obi Wan Kenobi undercover) decided to tear up the ship so he could gain traction with Cad Bane and Moralo Eval.

After the blame game, they walk into an outpost. There was writing was on the billboard was it Huttese? They had to get out of their prison "digs" because it caused too much attraction. Nevermind discussion about bathing... Of course that is never discussed in a Star Wars flick other than BACTA tanks. So they go to a resale shop and Cad Bane searches for a new hat just like the Spaghetti Westerns, Cad Bane says, "I don't like helmets..."

Interestingly the Rodian's name is Pablo... Like Pablo Hidalgo? The writer for the Fanboy organization for Star Wars and much more? Perhaps? But Pablo the Rodian takes a hit from Cad Bane.

Moralo Eval appears more like the fighting General Thade on "Planet of the Apes



When Obi Wan tries to go with Cad Bane and Moralo Eval, he gets gassed and punched in the face as Rako Hardeen. Obi Wan Kenobi bites the dust again! Everyone beats him up and he becomes a "guest" of the Hutts. The interesting fact I wonder was Cad Bane jealous of Rako Hardeen? Why? Because he took down a high ranking Jedi? What was it about Rako Hardeen he did not like? The fact Rako Hardeen "reeked of Jedi"?

But Obi Wan as Rako Hardeen could not stay away from using his Force Powers to leave from being a guest of the Hutts.

Finally, this episode had the Supreme Chancellor with Anakin Skywalker in his office. Sadly, this episode has to be dedicated to Mr. Ian Abercrombie who voiced the Supreme Chancellor in the Clone Wars.

Somehow this ship got overtaken by local forces and ask Cad Bane and Moralo Eval return to the stinking city they found Rako Hardeen (Obi Wan) drinking again! What it was perhaps is "Blue Milk"???

When Anakin Skywalker is given leeway to seek the killer of Obi Wan--so he thinks by the Supreme Chancellor--with his padawan, Ahsoka, she remarks, "When you want to fight a lowlife, start at the Saloon."

They go to the Saloon and well Anakin is really using his Force Choking skills way too much these days... Is he getting reported? Probably not.


They find out which planet the "three amigos" go and immediately Ahsoka Tano finds them because she does not like Cad Bane's hat...

There is a bit of a skirmish in flight and Rako who is flying the ship, says "Anakin". Perhaps, Moralo Eval and Cad Bane heard him say it? Keeps us watching it.

So Skywalker can tell Obi Wan is still alive through what is called a "Force Bond". So why hide this from Skywalker? They do not trust his wily thoughts that betray him? He would go and tattletale to the Supreme Chancellor, which he did...So it seems like he is following his destiny...


Overall the episode is called a "filler" episode. The link to tell the next story which is called "The Box". Somehow, Obi Wan Kenobi as Rako Hardeen will knock it out the box? Anyhow, the preview can be seen >here<

It seems exciting enough because true Separatists, Count Dooku, is in it.

From a Separatist POV:

Apparently there is a weapon of sorts that the CIS needs to obtain. In reality, only a badass Force User can get it. Is Obi Wan Kenobi unknowingly going to be able to get it? Dooku can root them out. But the moral to this episode is friends close and enemies closer... Aside from who is the enemy here, these measly Bounty Hunters or others more afoot: Supreme Chancellor or better yet, the Jedi for crafting up an elaborate scheme to get a handle of what is going on. NONE of them could handle NOT being without their Force Powers!

Cad Bane was flying around with one boot jet and still whooped up on Anakin Skywalker's butt! So how come these Force Users have ALWAYS use their powers?

Fight your own battles! PLEASE!

Star Wars TCW Episode 4.15 "Deception"

The new Star Wars: Clone Wars is entitled Deception

Here is the MasterToons

The morale of the story is:

All warfare is based on deception

***SPOILERS***

It stars Raiko Hardeene - a human sniper for hire -- which Obi Wan Kenobi takes on the persona to sneak into prison, Moralo Eval - a Phindian Separatist crime lord and the Cad Bane - a Duros bounty hunter. The setting starts on Coruscant, particularly a prison on Coruscant.

When the Jedi learn of a Separatist plot to kidnap Chancellor Palpatine, one of them must go deep undercover as a hardened criminal to extract information from the conspirators.

Overall, this episode has raised various questions since the preview was released.

It was a more enthralling episode versus say... Mercy Mission. Is it better than the Umbara arc? Not so sure.

From a Separatist POV:

First for the Jedi to break into prison on Coruscant is beneath them. Why would they take on the harden criminals of the Coruscant Underworld in a prison setting? Nonetheless this is what Obi Wan in his Raiko look-alike contest did. When he got in there, he tried to "hang out" and be cool with those whose lives have been seen living crime. And he could not hang...

What was funny was NO ONE picked up that the Obi Wan-Raiko look-alike was "odd". Bossk the Transdoshan did find the oddness about "Raiko". Boba Fett as a young teenager did not think there was oddness. Not even the clones find "oddness".

What was odd about him was he did not speak, ignorantly and arrogantly. Most cocky assassins who brag, especially ones who assassinate Jedi without longevity are flagrant in their accomplishments. Or at least this is how this series was filmed.

Obi Wan may have looked like Raiko, but his behavior and mannerisms were not that way at all.

Obi Wan has no humility. All he knows is "temple life" -- a cloistered view of the Galaxy. Grit, though he has seen it, negotiated it and processed through it, still has not given him humility.

And from a Separatist POV, this contentious behavior is what breeds the anger to seek justice for liberty from The Old Galactic Republic and the Jedi.

The Separatists deserve FREEDOM, LIBERTY and RIGHTS to pursue happiness!



Watch the preview of the next episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars

From the Seppie POV: TCW Epi 4.14 - A Friend In Need

The new "Star Wars: Clone Wars" episode entitled, "A Friend In Need" premiered today.

Here is the show on Master Toons:



The pre-moral to the story was:

Friendship shows us who we really are.

Without going into too much spoiler detail, Padawan Ahsoka Tano runs to save Lux Bonteri, the son of the late Separatist Senator of Raxus, Mina Bonteri. There is an underlying romance, but it is never fully pursued.

There are negotiations to find diplomatic means to end the war between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems.

The leaders on the Separatist side had really never been seen in any major Episodes. Moreover, they are dressed similarly and gray; whereas the leaders of the Galactic Republic were "colorful" and "vibrant" and well known. Padme Amidala and Bail Organa and Mon Mothma...

The Duchess of Mandalore oversaw the meeting because the "rational" Mandalorians were neutral in the Galaxy!

When Lux Bonteri interrupted and declared Count Dooku as a murder, it was the Separatists that removed him from the negotiations. While be pulled away, Lux Bonteri screams, "Count Dooku is deceiving you!"

Aside from a Star Wars fan wondering, the "does he know about what is going on in the Galaxy" we are left with this let us gloss over it. And sure, would the Separatists want to keep this kind of "does Lux Bonteri know of the Sith plot to takeover the Galaxy and kill all Jedi"?

Obviously, Dooku who met him in holographic image wanted Lux Bonteri dead. But, what was more intriguing that Lux has gotten sly after his mother was assassinated... He intended to sell that information to the notorious Mandalorian Death Watch:




Now aside that the story arc of the Death Watch or the 'Ade Kyr'stad appears awesome during this episode, it seems and it would be nice to learn more about them, glean what scraps that are available, Death Watch were really fighting for survival, rather than the ugly terrorists that they were portrayed as.

Death Watch was brutal because they were angry for what the Separatists and the Jedi did to them. They were getting it from all different ends.

Courtesy of DoDeathWatch.com

Count Dooku dicked Death Watch and they wanted revenge. Did Count Dooku or Darth Tyrannus have more Sith control over the Separatist movement than that of Darth Sidious' Republic? How?

And from a Separatist point of view, was Count Dooku as a Sith Leader any worse that Chancellor Palpatine?

The oddest thing was Death Watch "tortured" droids. They used them for target practice. But the "empathy" as displayed for these droids seemed misplaced as they are programmed and can be rebuild. It could be an interesting concept that Death Watch knew a lot more than what has been lead to believe. The amount of resources at their fingertips was impoverished and they acted out brutally with pillaging the nearby towns.

Pre Vizsla exclaimed to Lux Bonteri after uncovering Ahsoka Tano Jedi ties, "The Jedi are no different than Count Dooku and you played a part! It is no different! It’s justice!"

Death Watch wanted justice to how they were ostracized by all sides around them and acted out poorly.

The big question is did Death Watch suspect Sith involvement in this war, and is that why they were ostracized from everyone?

Something About Masters and Their Origins

The new "Star Wars: Clone Wars" episode entitled, "Escape from Kadavo" premiered today.

Here is the show on Master Toons:



The overall episode was really good in terms of entertainment value. Throughout this arc, it shows the boyish playfulness of being a Skywalker. The sleight of hand and going by the see of one's pants. There was a lot of that done by Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker.

There was a showing of the horrors of enslavement from the perspective of Jedi Master Obi Wan Kenobi. It is when he realizes his actions were meant to defeat his soul. But what is bad about doing that to Force Users are when they are adults, they can use powers in the Force that are utterly destructive.

Which actually came as a shock to the Zygerrian Queen, Miraj Scintel, that ultimately the people that kept her in power, not the Confederacy of Independent Systems--but actually the Sith--who only desired annihilation of the Jedi. It is that "sleight of hand" tricks that Queen Miraj Scintel failed to see and her arrogance until her very last breath which was reminiscent of "Return of the Jedi" movie.

At any rate what is the Confederacy of Independent Systems point of view:

Why use sentient being slaves when there are droids? They can easily be manipulated and do things without questions.

Aside from all the CIS characters who are always cast as villains seem to die at someone's hands that is either Jedi or Sith, the fact remains their permanence reigns in what is really going on--The Sith want power and they are using both the Republic and the CIS to add a false war. How many CIS leaders had an inkling of that occurring?

The Jedi has their suspicions. But did any non Force User have suspicions? Someone in the CIS HAD to know besides, our top characters that get dealt with in Revenge of the Sith.

Again, the CIS gets blamed for actions really taken over by a wayward Sith led Republic. What is surprising is no one thought none the different. I would expect that from the Jedi, but now the CIS, too? GEEZ!



As an aside: I would like to thank Lucasfilm and the Clone Wars showing this episode of how humiliating slavery is. And the "good" that the Jedi are supposed to do. As a roleplayer who was bullied in protesting any "slave girls" or "slave trade" specific sites for sexual RP, I think Lucasfilm added what the horrors really are when one is enslaved. Thank you for adding to the canon.