Growing Up Skywalker

The trick to falling off a cliff while losing a fight? Face your past, greet your long-dead master, and become the person you were always meant to be. Our discussion of Ahsoka’s fifth installment, “Shadow Warrior,” centers on the Jedi Trials, the Hero’s Journey, and Ahsoka’s profound self-growth. Her rebirth into Ahsoka the White and a dreamy purrgil Force connection scene make this one of the mos...

“Stick together,” says local long-suffering robot. Spoiler alert—they did not stick together.  In Ahsoka’s fourth episode, “Fallen Jedi,” a cascade of escalating duels marks the most impactful episode of the series so far. And when the unprepared (Ahsoka, Sabine) meet the prepared (Baylan, Morgan, Shin), things go bad VERY quickly. This week, we discuss the motivations of our Antagonists, as well...

What a banger! What a bop! Ahsoka’s third episode, “Time to Fly,” isn’t just a visual and auditory delight—it also reframes what it means to be Force-sensitive. In our discussion, we parse the ways that Force sensitivity has been treated across Star Wars, from the “anyone could be a Jedi!” spirit of the original trilogy to the introduction of midichlorians. With this episode, Star Wars seems to st...

Double double…We’ve got two master/apprentice pairs mixing up all kinds of mischief in Ahsoka’s second installment, “Toil and Trouble.” As a show, Ahsoka is not catering to newbies. And this episode, we’re diving into the deep lore of Darths (Revan, Traya, and Sion) and galaxies (the Star Wars galaxy, and one that is yet to be named). We’re also spending a LOT of time on this show’s fascinating ba...

Not all villains are this impeccably dressed. But Ahsoka introduces some incredibly dapper baddies. In “Part One: Master and Apprentice,” we catch up with General Syndulla (busy AF), Sabine Wren (lost and traumatized), and Ahsoka Tano (just too competent for her own good).  But EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, we meet Baylan Skoll, Shin Hati, and a slightly snarkier Morgan Elsbeth. They look great. And they...

We did it! We finished The Mandalorian! Not just the finale, but the first and second epilogue too! The action-packed conclusion to The Mandalorian brought laughs, drama, and really closed the loop on the themes of the whole series. We compare two big bads of the empire, Moff Gideon and Grand Admiral Thrawn; and worry about how we still don't know where Big Blue is (or what nefariousness he&#3...

“The Spies” (The Mandalorian, Chapter 23) presents a real good news/bad news situation for the Mandalorians. The good news: Mandalore is habitable! The tribes have united! There are only a few terrible megafauna left to terrorize the planet! The bad news: The Imperial remnants have formed a Shadow Council following up on allllllll of their predecessors’ special interests, and Moff Gideon is anglin...

Is Plazir-15 a fully automated, luxury gay space utopia? More importantly, is it the first solarpunk Star Wars community?? In the Mandalorian’s Chapter 22, “Guns For Hire,” we parse the depth and breadth of droid rights while we try to figure out if Plazir-15 (ruled over by Duchess Lizzo and Captain Jack Black Bombardier) actually is the yogurt commercial utopia of our dreams. We also get mad Clon...

How much does independence from the New Republic matter to you when you’re being shelled by sentient algae/pirate king Gorian Shard? That’s the question Greef Karga and all of Nevarro have to answer this week in The Mandalorian, Chapter 21: “The Pirate.” We ask how societies in Star Wars thread the needle between bureaucracy and independence, especially when your government might be filled with se...

So we agree, Ahmed Best is the best? This week, we’re recapping the mythology-filled midpoint of the Mandalorian’s third season, “The Foundling” (Chapter 20). We parse the effects of Mandalorian myth, legend, and custom on the Children of the Watch’s community. We wonder whether Bo-Katan will stay, and where Kelleran Beq went. And we ask the real heavy-hitting questions about having sons and daugh...

It doesn’t get more packed than this plot-filled sandwich. The Mandalorian’s nineteenth chapter, “The Convert,” takes us through two action-packed plotlines: Bo-Katan and Din Djarin’s acceptance into the Children of the Watch, and Dr. Pershing’s struggle to assimilate into the New Republic. We dive DEEP into World War Two-era denazification programs as we parse Dr. Pershing’s journey, asking how t...

How scary could the troglodyte-indested mines underneath a thoroughly bombed wasteland planet really be? With a lot of “But wait, there's more” energy, this week’s episode, “The Mines of Mandalore” (Season 3, Chapter 18) brings the action! Our conversation dives into the multiple massive lore dumps we receive, and how they open new questions into Bo-Katan’s motivations, what it means to be a M...

New quests, who dis?  The Mandalorian’s third series opens with a tempting array of side quests: Spelunking into the Mines of Mandalore, rebuilding IG-11, rejoining the Children of the Watch, and actively parenting Grogu. What will Mando choose? In our recap of The Mandalorian’s Season 3 premiere, “The Apostate,” we talk through Nevarro’s glow-up, the Mandalorian covert’s new digs, and Bo-Katan’s...

The Book of Boba Fett finishes with a bang (and a whimper, if your name is Cad Bane). In our recap of the series finale, we discuss Boba Fett’s big Mandalorian energy and how he has truly been reborn a Tusken. We talk about war—and what comes next—and chart out the possible ramifications of Grogu’s choice. The vibes? Hopeful. The aesthetics? Impeccable. This is a stellar way to close out a show. N...

Spaghetti Western truly meets space opera in The Book of Boba Fett’s “From The Desert Comes a Stranger” (Season 1, Episode 6). This week, we dive deep into Luke Skywalker’s attempt to rebuild the Jedi Order and the Pyke Syndicate’s attempt to bring about a swift victory in their war on Tatooine. We think about Cad Bane’s reasons for buying in with the Pykes, Mando’s decision to leave the Child whe...

Is this Book of Boba Fett episode…also the best episode of The Mandalorian?? In “The Return of the Mandalorian” (Season 1, Episode 5), we get exactly zero Boba Fett—which is a surprisingly low number, given the whole clone thing, but we digress. We do, however, revel in Din Djarin’s return to the small screen, Peli Moto’s utter hamminess, and the deep lore of the Children of the Watch. This episod...

As The Book of Boba Fett hits its midpoint in “The Gathering Storm” (Season 1, Episode 4), we take a critical look at its structure and debate whether this story would have been stronger told chronologically.  We also sing the praises of its practical effects, talk through body modification culture in Star Wars, and discuss the horrifying effectiveness of Fennec Shand.  New to Growing Up Skywalker...

How about that speeder chase? If you’re all about vengeance, style, and speeder scooter gangs, "The Streets of Most Espa" is the episode for you. The Book of Boba Fett’s third episode takes on the fun topics of colonization, organized crime, and violence—and makes them thrilling, stylish, harrowing, and even somewhat silly. In our deep dive, we cover the post-World War II mod culture of...

Is “The Tribes of Tatooine” the best live-action Star Wars episode yet? If not—it’s pretty dang close. The Book of Boba Fett’s second episode delivers a transcendent work of art that dives into the colonization of the Tusken people, ritual and rebirth, and the optics of power in Mos Espa and across the Dune Sea. In our deep dive, we parse the language of power spoken by the Hutts, the Pykes, and B...

The comic book vibes are strong with this one. Watching in chronological order (like we do), The Mandalorian’s Season 2 finale leads straight into The Book of Boba Fett’s premiere, “Stranger in a Strange Land.” It’s not as pulpy or epic as Robert Rodriguez’s previous Boba Fett-centric episode (“The Tragedy”), but some shots—like Boba Fett’s fist punching through the sands of Tatooine—are straight...

The Season 2 finale of The Mandalorian (Chapter 16, “The Rescue”) sweeps to a stunning conclusion. Prepare to weep. This week, we celebrate THAT cameo—and the way this episode works for both new and veteran fans. We sing praises to the all-gal attack squadron that takes Moff Gideon’s light cruiser, discuss Imperial calcification in the wake of the Death Star(s) being destroyed, and look forward to...

What line would you cross, and why? In this week’s episode, “The Believer” (The Mandalorian, Chapter 15), we go deep into that question—plumbing the depths of honor, extremism, and vengeance. Like a Clone Wars or Rebels episode brought to life, this episode is an utter treat and absolutely kicked up a notch in preparation for the finale. “Pulpy” and “iconic” are words that come to mind as Mando ge...

The tragedies of “The Tragedy” (The Mandalorian Chapter 14) are as follows: The Child is stolen. The Razor Crest is disintegrated. Boba Fett only gets to shatter the helmets of, like, 15 Stormtroopers, when we could watch it all day. This week, we’re covering themes of honor, promises, life debts, and what we owe each other. We also talk about cool Force hotspots/seeing stones, and the tension bet...

The Mandalorian’s thirteenth chapter, “The Jedi,” picks up Morgan Elsbeth’s story right where it left off in Tales of the Empire. Ahsoka’s tale, though, is another story. This week, we rehash the wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey stuff of Ahsoka’s journey, and discover just how alone she’s been since The Clone Wars. We sing Rosario Dawson’s praises, develop a hearty suspicion that Grand Admiral Thrawn and...

In “Tales of the Empire: Morgan’s Tale,” we wind through the paths of fear, anger, and finally hatred to tell a tale of witches, genocide, ambition, and revenge. But we definitely haven’t reached the end of the path yet, because Moran Elsbeth’s great destiny is still definitely a mystery??? We thread our discussion of “The Path of Fear,” “The Path of Anger,” and “The Path of Hate” with analysis of...