Growing Up Skywalker

Is it a siege, or more of an infiltration? Regardless, The Mandalorian’s Chapter 12, “The Siege,” brings us back to Nevarro—and a plotline we thought we’d seen the end of. This week, we’re diving back into Project Necromancer and all of its implications. We talk through the twin difficulties of transferring both consciousness and Force affinity, question who is directing Dr. Pershing’s efforts, an...

We met the Marshall, we escorted the Passenger, and now we’re encountering…the Heiress. (It’s Bo-Katan, baybee!) In this week’s episode, we tell the entire bloody tale of Mandalorian history: Tracing the Darksaber’s path through Mandalorian society, tracing Bo-Katan’s journey from radical to royal, and asking how Din Djarin ended up in a religious extremist splinter cell. We also dig into the (ala...

Anna’s been dreading having to recap this episode for 4 ½ years. But it turns out it actually has some lovely themes of parenthood and what we’ll do for love?? In our recap of “The Passenger” (The Mandalorian, Chapter 10) we watch as Mando walks ten thousand miles in the desert heat and wades through at least one million ice spiders—and has to learn that real parents maybe, possibly, generally try...

With twists, turns, and one of the largest monsters ever seen in Star Wars, The Mandalorian’s second season starts with a cannonball. In our recap of Chapter 9, “The Marshal,” we gather a basket full of Easter eggs—and identify how they serve the plot, not just the vibes, of this dragon versus cowboys mashup. We weigh the influence of both Camelot-era fantasy and spaghetti Westerns, discuss percep...

If you could live, but only without your heart’s desire, would you still choose life? Asajj does in “Tales of the Underworld,” and the shroud of her love affair with Quinlan Vos from Dark Disciple (2015) hangs heavy over her tale. But it’s also full of surprising tenderness, self-determination, and a willingness to start new. More than any of the Tales, Asajj’s story feels like a fully realized wo...

Cad Bane is bound to a life of blood and money. (And blood money.) Will it be his only legacy? Deeply out of chronological order, we’re venturing five or six decades before the Battle of Yavin to watch Cad Bane grow up in “Tale of the Underworld.” We examine how, and why, Star Wars chose to tell a police drama, a spaghetti Western, and a Mafia crime ascendancy in the same story. We parse the fanta...

It’s the end of an era. And so many lives. This week, we trace the ways that Andor knits itself together into the wider tapestry of Star Wars, specifically by tying itself to Rogue One. We question whether the Rebels’ sacrifices are cheapened by Luke Skywalker’s heroism in Episode IV, define heroism through two key characters—Bix and Nemik—and investigate the reasons why Rebel High Command…is like...

We feel pretty confident that most sane Andor viewers skipped right from “Who Else Knows?” (S2, E11) into the finale. Turns out, there’s still a LOT to discuss in the penultimate episode of Andor ever. We spent significant time this week digging into ISB hierarchies, and how the rise and fall of ambitious Imperials has hollowed out the Empire’s institutions. We dissect ISB politics and competency...

And the death count grows. This week, in “Make It Stop” (Andor S2 E10), everyone is either leveling up, going rogue—or shuffling off this mortal coil. As we get booted another year forward in time, we talk through Lonni’s growth into a true spymaster and Dedra’s grief curdling even deeper into fanaticism. Then, looking deeper into the past, we examine Luthen and Kleya’s father/daughter relationshi...

Two ferocious monologues close the penultimate chapter of Andor, “Welcome to the Rebellion” (Andor S2 E9). To do a proper recap of this week’s episode, we also rewatched Rebel’s “Secret Cargo” (S3 E18), showing the conclusion to Mon’s journey to unite the Rebellion. We talk through Senate corruption, Luthen’s role—or lack thereof—in the Rebellion proper, and just how many conspirators it took to d...

Our hearts are heavy this week as we compare the Empire’s actions on Ghorman to real-world parallels. This week, as we recap Andor’s “Who Are You?” (S2, E8), we draw connections to the Gleiwitz incident that kicked off WWII, student massacres in Tiananmen Square, and sniper deaths in Syria—plus the Los Angeles protests and Minnesota political assassinations. It has not been a fun week, y’all!!!! W...

The girls are fighting!! And by the girls, we mean the Rebellion and Luthen (probably). In Andor’s “Messenger” (S2, E7) we parse the schism between the Rebellion proper and…whatever Luthen is up to. Relationships are at the core of this episode, and we dig into Bix and Cassian’s healthy, established love; Dedra and Syril’s anemic but weirdly passionate love affair; and Vel’s grieving process. We a...

It was the best of times, it was the bloodiest of times. And for some, it was a very festive evening.  In our recap of “What A Festive Evening” (S2, E6), we dive into relationships in the Rebellion. Should our Rebels be giving them up for the cause, or clinging to what makes them feel human? We dive deep into engineering ethics and why Dr. Gorst definitely should have suffered more. And we parse w...

Wake up babe, new Saw Gerrera backstory just dropped. This week, we’re asking what makes a Rebel cell the “real deal.” Is it Saw Gerrera’s Cave Angels, who have all the fire—but lack direction? Is it the Ghorman Front, who want the Empire gone, but haven’t looked past their front doorstep? And do Luthen, Kleya, and Cassian count, when they keep raising the barrier to entry to the Rebellion? We’re...

If you’re looking for liminal spaces, 1 million French WWII parallels, and honeypots for days, this episode is for you. In “Ever Been To Ghorman?” (Andor S2, E4), we meditate on resource extraction and the Ghormans’ supremely reasonable political demands. We also dive deep into the history of the Maquis—the French resistance group fighting Nazis during WWII—and feel very, very worried about Bix. ...

The harvest has come in, and we’re tallying one less Rebel in its count. In the final installment of Andor’s first triptych, “Harvest” (S2, E3), we’re counting the cost of freedom. Mon sells her daughter to the Rebellion, Vel catches a glimpse of a lover who never spares the time…and one of our faves gives their life to the cause.  In a happier light, we also revel in Chandrilan wedding rites and...

Andor’s second season is a different beast—and an absolute feast of real-world parallels. In “Sagrona Teema,” (Andor S2, E2), the differences between Andor’s seasons become clear: Season 2 is faster, more mysterious, and altogether more oblique. But the parallels to life in 2025 have become even more clear. In our recap this week, we draw the lines connecting Andor to ICE deportations, leftist inf...

Fast, pointed, and irresistibly astute: Andor’s Season 2 premiere, “One Year Later,” isn’t holding any punches. In our recap this week, we discuss Andor’s magical ability to pull on both historic and modern-day threads. The super-secret Imperial summit, for instance, calls back to the World War II Wannsee Conference and its “Final Solution of the Jewish Question.” But it’s also a dead ringer for c...

With one mysterious smile, Jod’s story ends—for now—and we sweep into Skeleton Crew’s storybook ending. The real question is what happens next. This week, we talk through all the implications of Skeleton Crew’s final moments. What will happen to At Attin? And all of its meticulously trained employees? What does this mean for Jod? And the New Republic? We’re also getting HYPED (!!!) for Andor Seaso...

Is Jod falling to the Dark Side? Or is he just full of so, so many red flags? Find out in Skeleton Crew’s “We’re Gonna Be In So Much Trouble” (S1, E7). This week, we talk through what we know about Jod’s arc—from lost boy to pirate captain to potential Dark Side Force user. We discuss Star Wars’ treatment of fallen Force users and question whether Jod still has a chance at redemption. And we take...

“Zero Friends Again” was such a delightful exemplar of both Skeleton Crew and Star Wars that we spent about 15 minutes singing Bryce Dallas Howard’s praises. Then we get into the REALLY good stuff: the shapes and structures of Star Wars stories, disability in Star Wars, and community-building. (Mega points to our kiddos for building community amongst themselves, and zero points for Jod Na Nawood’s...

Not even Star Wars is immune to gentrification, huh?  In the most delightful Skeleton Crew episode so far (S1, E5, “You Have A Lot To Learn About Pirates”), our faves navigate the mud baths and grottos of the spa planet Lanupa. (It’s the former hideout of ferocious pirate Tak Rennod.) The spa offers a wealth of opportunities for our characters to dress up, let off steam, escape death traps, and fi...

What exactly went wrong on At Achrann? We have some theories… In this week’s episode, our recap of “Can’t Say I Remember No At Attin” (Skeleton Crew S1, E4) opens up a conversation that starts with the Kardashev Scale, bounces through the hypocrisy of child soldiers, and brings us around to exploring the deeper mysteries of At Attin. We also talk through the importance of great societal works, clu...

Second star to the right and straight on 'til morning. That’s how you find At Attin, right? This week, we’re recapping Skeleton Crew’s second and third installments, “Way, Way Out Past The Barrier” and “Very Interesting, As An Astrogation Problem.” They’re DEEPLY Peter Pan-coded and full of classic Star Wars homages.  Even more importantly, they’re full of mystery (and some really excellent gr...

This could be a real adventure—and a real vibe shift for Growing Up Skywalker. Hot off the heels of our coverage of The Mandalorian’s first season, we’re diving into a brighter side of the galaxy in Skeleton Crew. In our recap of the premiere, “This Could Be a Real Adventure,” we discuss the mysteries of At Attin, the tyranny of suburbs, and the glorification of busyness. We also cover the critica...