Aggressive Negotiations: A Star Wars Podcast

Masculinity in Star Wars. Matt returns from DragonCon and fills John in on all the excellent panels and atmosphere from the Star Wars track. They discuss why Star Wars Phasma is resonating with fans, and present a recording of one of the panels Matt moderated at DragonCon, “Masculinity in Star Wars” with authors Timothy Zahn, Kevin J. Anderson, Claudia Gray, E.K. Johnston, Michael Stackpole and My...

The Women of Star Wars. John and Matt bring you a very special episode focused on the female characters of the Star Wars galaxy, from Padme to Ahsoka, and Hera to Phasma. They look at how the women of *Star Wars* have changed and grown since the first days of Leia Organa, how their stories have shaped the mythos of that magical space, and what their stories tell us about how the storytelling style...

The Genre of Star Wars. Matt and John open the Council Chambers to offer ideas on different genres that could be brought into the Star Wars universe. They discuss what types of films could broaden the scope of a galaxy far, far away in the age of the spinoff film. Along the way, they surprise each other with the genres they think could help keep Star Wars fresh and exciting. Hosts John Mills and M...

Marvel's Darth Maul. John and Matt look at Marvel's recent Darth Maul limited series. They examine every aspect to find out what it says about the strengths and weaknesses of modern Star Wars comic book storytelling, and what might need to change to keep fans invested. They also discuss some new poll results from questions on the show Twitter account, @TheJediMasters! Hosts John Mills and Matthew...

Expectations. Every major franchise faces a two-headed monster: Marketing & Expectation, the Fode & Beed of the podrace to  wooing and satisfying an audience. In this episode, Jedi Masters John & Matt explore how they see the marketing shaping up for Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, and whether past Star Wars marketing efforts tell us something about how it's going to play out. Hosts John Mills and Ma...

Rebel Flashpoint. A character in another franchise once stated, “History is replete with turning points.” And so it is with Star Wars. The “Jedi Masters” train their gaze on one such turning point in Star Wars history this week: the destruction of Alderaan. They look at it from every angle, from the tragic loss of life to the amplitude of the rallying cry it would serve for a Galaxy finding itself...

Rogue Notes. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story made a mark as the first “Anthology Movie” of the Star Wars franchise, but it didn't settle for that. It was also the first Star Wars movie scored by a composer other than John Williams. The revered Michael Giacchino, known for working regularly with JJ Abrams and making pithy puns of his track titles, took up the baton. John and Matt discuss what what not...

Destiny's Force. Star Wars: Forces of Destiny is a series of animated shorts that debuted recently on Disney's YouTube channel. The series tells brief stories centered on the famous heroines of the Star Wars galaxy and spans the entire established film timeline with Rey, Ahsoka, Padme, Leia, Jyn, and Sabine all featured. Join Matt and John as they explore these stories and discover what messages t...

Jedi Rumination. More details on the Masters meeting, and their journey to Skywalker Ranch! After numerous requests for more detail, John and Matt return to reminisce about the first time they met in person, and a few more special moments about touring ILM, San Anselmo, the annual Lucasfilm picnic, and of course the fabled slice of paradise in the hills built by Mr. George Lucas. Hosts John Mills...

A Jedi Pilgrimage. It's a privilege to bring you this episode of Aggressive Negotiations, recorded after a special visit to Skywalker Ranch in Marin County, California. Matt and John are joined by special guest Nic Anastassiou to discuss the impact of what they saw while there, and what it reveals about George Lucas as a person as well as his legacy. Hosts John Mills and Matthew Rushing Send us yo...

The Kyber Calls. It's a special issue for Aggressive Negotiations!  Long-time listener @nerf22 on Twitter asked us what we thought our trials would have been, as padawans on Ilum to find our lightsaber crystals. In trademark fashion, we learned a little bit more about ourselves and each other as we imagined how the Force would have guided us to the special kyber crystals that have come to mean so...

The Dark Rival. Matt and John return to the Jedi Apprentice series with the second book, The Dark Rival, by Jude Watson. Plumbing the depths of the Legends line, they discover once again that there are gems all through the mines of the Star Wars universe.  A book for a younger audience, they nonetheless find themselves exploring the dark recesses of the Force, apprenticeship, and the ghosts of Qui...

Do You Wanna Build a Death Star? The Death Star. Its name is an iconic symbol of a Galactic Empire's power and merciless retribution for those who fail to toe their tyranical line. A massive space station created for the sole purpose of fear and domination. But John and Matt ask a very important question, one that seems to have slipped through the cracks of forty years of Star Wars fans' analysis...

Star Wars Comedy. Few things can be as polarizing as comedy. What tickles a funny bone for one may leave another bored, or even irritated at how the joke is told. Star Wars has, unsurprisingly, found those who like some aspects of its humor and others who like others, and the occasional moments where opinions converge. Join Matt and John as they look back on the chucklers, the gags, the pratfalls...

Lego Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures. Execute Issue 66! Matt and John welcome two very special guests to Aggressive Negotiations this week, Bill Motz and Bob Roth. The Executive Producers of Lego Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures, sit down and discuss this fantastic animated show with us. Bill and Bob share the inspirations for the show, the challenges in bringing it to screen, and why this...

A Personal Star Wars Story. Join John on a special episode as he discusses with Matt the impact that Star Wars has had on him and how it helped him deal with some difficult times in his life. What marks did it leave? Which characters speak to him? Why does that galaxy far, far away still resonate? Learn all that, and more. Hosts John Mills and Matthew Rushing Send us your feedback! Twitter: @TheJe...

Taking Star Wars Personally. Join Matt on a special episode as he discusses with John Mills why Star Wars resonates with him. What are its influences? Which characters means the most? Why does that galaxy far, far away still speak to him? Learn all that, and more. Send us your feedback! Twitter: @TheJediMasters    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNerdParty /  Email: an@thenerdparty.com Subscr...

Lucas' Mythology. When George Lucas created Star Wars, his express purpose was to tap into the wonder and enchantment he saw fading in the (Post-)Modern Era. Seeking to create a “good, wholesome adventure,” he worked to inject an antidote to the creeping cynicism growing out from the battles and scandals of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Join Matt and John as they discuss what comes across from L...

Rogue Extras. Rogue One has landed on your digital devices and BluRay players, with a cargo hold full of rebellious extras. Matt and John look at those extras as only Aggressive Negotiations can, examining the approach, the completeness, the successes, and the shortcomings of the behind-the-scenes ephemera that fans and casual viewers enjoy to watch. They compare it to their expectations, and to t...

Star Wars Celebration Roundup. Jedi Master Matthew Rushing is back from his travels to #SWCO and shares his thoughts on the exclusives, the engagements, and the show behind the show. Find out from someone who was there first-hand as an emissary of The Nerd Party what you can expect, what you might have missed and what everyone will be talking about in a few short months. The party's not over Maste...

Rebel Music. Star Wars Rebels made a splash a few years ago by introducing a new band of heroes from the period in the galaxy far, far away that's shortly before we first meet Luke Skywalker onscreen. The show has met with mixed success in the fanbase's eyes. This being a series of stories from the space opera we all love, music serves as a natural focus for criticism and praise. Join Jedi Masters...

The Force of Perspective. Obi-Wan Kenobi told Luke that many of the truths we cling to “depend greatly on our own point-of-view.” It was an artful dodge about Luke's lineage, but Star Wars fans have long wrestled with how far this applies to the Truth and the Force. Join Jedi Masters John Mills and Matthew Rushing as they debate the possibilities in light of a passage from the Journal of the Whill...

Book Club: The Rising Force. The Star Wars Expanded Universe has been fluid, like a river of ideas, since its inception. In that great river have flowed many works, among them the Jedi Apprentice series released in 1999 which gave the back story of how Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan became student and teacher.  Join Jedi Masters Matthew Rushing and John Mills as they revisit this book to look at its implicat...

A Different Return of the Jedi. Released in 1983, Return of the Jedi spent decades as the black sheep of the Star Wars saga. Though the conclusion to a legendary film series, as its audience aged they created new complaints with each passing year. Endless comments about Ewoks, endings and supposed alternate visions have become the stuff of legend. Join Jedi Masters John Mills and Matthew Rushing  ...

Favorite Star Wars Toys. Few items in modern times have reached the totemic value of Star Wars toys. From the blockbuster figure line from the 1970s to the modern collectible market of today, even those who have never seen Star Wars have seen its imprint on aisles from Target to their local supermarket and everywhere in between. Join Jedi Masters Matthew Rushing and John Mills  as they stroll down...