Aggressive Negotiations: A Star Wars Podcast

Star Wars in the Future.   Matt & John field some fan mail, and then discuss where they see the best opportunities for Star Wars to continue to grow and innovate as a franchise while producing quality content. Some ideas they discuss include: - Using streaming on Disney+ for one-shot stories that scratch the old “EU” itch - Finding the lane for big-screen properties that will appeal to larger...

For the Love of Star Wars.   Matt & John share a special discussion about their love of Star Wars, how it keeps the show going after all these years, and what they hope to see in the fan base going forward. Instead of a relentless wave of negativity, join them for a positive recharge as they share what makes being a Star Wars fan so special, and why they’re so happy to share their discussions...

Darth Vader: A Star Wars Story.   Does the world want a standalone Darth Vader Star Wars Movie? John and Matt debate their hottest takes on whether the OG Dark Lord of the Sith could work as the protagonist of a standalone movie. - Can the thrill sustain itself for two hours? - What is the “why” of a Darth Vader movie? - What arc could exist for him that could speak to the saga themes? - Is this a...

The Music of Mandalorian and Grogu.   Matt and John spin up Ludwig Goransson’s score for Star Wars: The Mandalorian And Grogu, the first new Star Wars film soundtrack in a stunning 7 years! With a lot to live up to, and an untested formula for a Star Wars film outing, they look at it from every angle, including: - Was it the right choice to break from a more traditional Star Wars score? - Is the s...

Book Club: Darksaber.   John and Matt have re-read the 1995 Star Wars Expanded Universe (Now “Legends”) novel “Darksaber,” and have a fresh review on the work through the lens of hindsight and fan nostalgia. They ask: - Would this hold up for adaptation in the modern era, like Thrawn? - Were creators too obsessed with “Death Star Tech” back then, too? - Are we too nostalgic about the old EU? - Wou...

Star Wars: The Ninth Jedi.   Matt and John have their full review of The Ninth Jedi, the first full-length Star Wars: Visions series. Was this bold new take on the Star Wars galaxy worthwhile? They ask: - Is canon-adjacent a worthwhile pursuit in a canon-obsessed era? - Did John’s formative childhood love for anime inform his review? - Does this philosophically align with George Lucas’ vision of S...

Star Wars Publishing Problems.   Inspired by a recent book to a new Barnes & Noble, John asks Matt if his perception lines up with reality. Looking at the Star Wars section of the Sci-Fi area, there was a disturbing sign. Does a lack of new titles and a ton of older “Legends” titles on display show a once-great publishing arm well out of steam and heading for irrelevance? What does that mean f...

The Crime of Star Wars.   John and Matt discuss whether Star Wars fans, both casual and devoted, want villains beyond the Empire. Are we ready to explore the criminal underworld’s denizens as our primary antagonists, or do we always want rebellion and empire? They discuss: - Whether criminal Star Wars plays better on the big or small screen - How it affects the stakes to take it down a notch from...

The World Cup of Star Wars.   John and Matt discuss whether there was a dominant sport in the Star Wars galaxy and, if so, what would it look like? They discuss: - How to have so many species compete with each other fairly - What options were there for competition? - Have we seen this sport onscreen already? - What in the world(s) would be fun enough that everyone would love it? All this and more...

Spurred on by a Wordpress blog prompt of the day, John and Matt discuss what it would look like if Emperor Palpatine (Darth Sidious) suddenly announced he was stepping down and nominating Darth Vader to run in a special election to let the people decide who the next Emperor should be. They discuss: - Best time period for the situation to be set - WHO would RUN AGAINST VADER? [The answer may surpri...

Pitching a Stormtrooper Show.   John pitches a new show idea to Matt, rooted in the Star Wars galaxy: - Imperial Stormtroopers in need of a new life - Like The Bad Batch, but with a different kind of arc - Keeping in Captain Rex continuity - Using the time to establish the world of the New Republic’s earliest days Should the show start on Endor after the destruction of the Second Death Star? Shoul...

The Clone Wars Saves the Day. Matt and John discuss the massive shift in Star Wars storytelling made possible by the innovative and incredible team that gave us The Clone Wars, and the resistance they faced from the fanbase at the start. They overcame this resistance and conducted a masterclass on: - How to introduce new beloved characters  - Experimenting with different genres - Keeping themes co...

The Mandalorian Chapter 24: The Return. The final episode of the third season on the Mandalorian, Chapter 24: THE RETURN, tries to wrap up a whole lot, and seems to be a true finale for the entire story. Matt and John explore what may be the final episode EVER of this online series. They look at: - Story structure and resolution of important plotlines - Challenges to how much they were trying to t...

The Mandalorian Chapter 23: The Spies. Does Chapter 23 of The Mandalorian, THE SPIES, point the way to a strong season ender? John and Matt explore the points of this episode to discuss: - Whether the spies have enough screentime in the season - If the episode itself is balanced - The limitations of the Volume in certain circumstances - If that cliffhanger was effective - How it might point the wa...

Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu. On November 12th, 2019, live action Star Wars returned to the small screen where its previous success was tenuous at best and by the end of its first episode, The Mandalorian had fans hooked! In this episode of Aggressive Negotiations we crossover with The 602 Club so Matthew Rushing and John Mills can talk about the first Star Wars movie in 7 years, The Manda...

The Mandalorian Chapter 22: Guns for Hire. Does Chapter 22 of The Mandalorian, GUNS FOR HIRE, deserve its rep as a bad episode? Matt and John explore the mysteries of this episode to uncover: - The heights of outer rim fashion in the Galaxy Far, Far Away - Whether stunt casting works well - If tying the Clone Wars into the Mandoverse works for casual fans - Whether the lost Rangers of the New Repu...

The Mandalorian Chapter 21: The Pirate. Episode 21 of The Mandalorian, THE PIRATE, is a great episode hampered by its placement in the season, and a resolution that’s less than satisfying. Ride along in this combat-ready episode for: - Thrilling air battles above Navarro - The fate of Captain “Easter Basket” Shard - A new home for the Mandalorians - Bo Katan being shown to lead a new way forward f...

Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord. The character of Darth Maul showed up first in The Phantom Menace, a villain of few worlds but one that was forever etched in fans minds as one of the coolest they’d ever seen, which meant he just couldn’t stay dead forever.  In this episode of Aggressive Negotiations we crossover with The 602 Club so Matthew Rushing and John Mills can talk about Star Wars: Maul - Sh...

The Mandalorian Chapter 20: The Foundling. Episode 20 of The Mandalorian, THE FOUNDLING, features a lot of firsts, and explores more of Bo Katan’s religious experience with Din Djarin. It delivers: - Djarin introducing Grogu & the viewers to Mandalorian combat training.  - Bo-Katan leading a hunting party, which includes Djarin and Ragnar's father Paz Vizsla.  - A rhyming flashback for Grogu a...

The Mandalorian Chapter 19: The Convert. Episode 19 of The Mandalorian, THE CONVERT, promised time to explore Bo Katan’s religious experience with Din Djarin during his dive in “The Mines of Mandalore.” But it takes a sharp left after a thrilling TIE Interceptor battle in space and atmosphere. It goes on to deliver: - The fate of Doctor Pershing, the mad scientist who cared for Grogu even though h...

The Mandalorian Chapter 18: The Mines of Mandalore. Episode 18 of The Mandalorian, THE MINES OF MANDALORE, delves deep into the bowels of the surprisingly-habitable planet, where machine monsters lurk and barbarian hordes thrive. We also see: - Bo Katan taking her next steps on a journey of faith - Grogu learning and applying knowledge - Breathtaking environments in The Volume - The disadvantages...

The Mandalorian Chapter 17: The Apostate. Episode 17 of The Mandalorian, THE APOSTATE, brings Mando back to the Covert with Grogu as he seeks absolution for having removed his helmet and the show seeks to restart after a long hiatus. We also learn: - Navarro has changed a lot - Tatooine is the place for everything Outer Rim - Bo Katan has lost her team - Mandalore may be habitable after all - The...

The Mandalorian Chapter 16: The Rescue. Episode 16 of The Mandalorian, THE RESCUE, stages the intense mission to grab Grogu from the clutches of Moff Gideon, and features: - A diverse cast of heroes and villains - A showcase of Dark Troopers - The tight pacing of director Peyton Reed - Some of the best-kept plot secrets of any show in history  - The return of Luke Skywalker as a heroic Jedi Was th...

The Mandalorian Chapter 15: The Believer. Episode 15 of The Mandalorian, THE BELIEVER, stages a bold chapter involving movie homages, fan favorite characters, and more…including:- A clear tribute to The Wages of Fear, a 1954 French Film-Noir classic - The nature of Miggs Mayfeld’s antagonism toward faith - Din Djarin’s belief system and what can be compromised for important causes - The horrors of...

The Mandalorian Chapter 14: The Tragedy. Matt & John endure THE TRAGEDY in The Mandalorian, breaking down all the aspects of Chapter 14, as this latest installment in the “Mandoverse” - Travels to a planet with deep ties to Star Wars and gaming lore, Tython - Brings Boba Fett back into action with brutal fighting action  - Sees the Moff Gideon engineer the kidnapping of Grogu - Shows Grogu bea...