Aggressive Negotiations: A Star Wars Podcast

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...

The Mandalorian Chapter 14: The Jedi. As we continue our countdown to The Mandalorian & Grogu, John & Matt celebrate the Season 2 episode of The Mandalorian, Chapter 13: The Jedi. This episode ties the lore of the Star Wars galaxy ever closer together as Ahsoka Tano joins live action, and we learn that she’s still in pursuit of Grand Admiral Thrawn. Share the episode that changed Star Wars...

The Mandalorian Chapter 13: The Siege. Counting down to The Mandalorian & Grogu, Matt & John delve into the Season 2 episode of The Mandalorian, Chapter 12: The Siege. We learn the Empire is not dormant at all, but rather active in trying to resurrect itself…and maybe someone else! Host John Mills and Matthew Rushing  You’ve found the best Star Wars podcast with one-of-a-kind discussions i...

The Mandalorian Chapter 11: The Heiress. As we continue our countdown to The Mandalorian & Grogu, Matt & John delve into the third episode of Season 2 of The Mandalorian, Chapter 11: The Heiress. This episode roots the series even further into the larger Star Wars lore, bringing in Bo-Katan Kryze, a core legacy character from animation, showing clues of the Imperial Remnant’s increasing vi...

The Mandalorian Chapter 10: The Passenger. As we continue our countdown to The Mandalorian & Grogu, Matt & John delve into the next episode of Season 2 of The Mandalorian, Chapter 10: The Passenger. Leaving Tatooine, we take on a slow passage through space. Along the way we encounter a frozen planet, X-Wings, Republic laws, creepy ice spiders, and ethical questions that tortured the fanbas...

The Mandalorian Chapter 9: The Marshal. As we race toward the release of The Mandalorian & Grogu, Matt & John revisit Season 2 of The Mandalorian, starting with the season premiere episode. Chapter 9: The Marshal takes us back to Tatooine where we experience a new adventure centered around a mining town, the chaos after the Galactic Empire’s fall, the Tuskens, and some armor that’s been a...

Galactic Companies, Galactic Problems. Running a company’s tough. Running a galaxy-wide company’s got to be near impossible with all the different considerations and concerns you have to navigate. John & Matt spend this week wondering about how companies would have to navigate burdensome and difficult regulations, rampant corruption, and clashes of cultures in the quest to make enough credits...

What if Dooku Played to Win? Was Dooku’s big mistake that he didn’t play to win? John and Matt wonder about how and when Dooku failed as a Sith apprentice and how he could have won. Host John Mills and Matthew Rushing You’ve found the best Star Wars podcast with one-of-a-kind discussions in the spirit of fun! While you’re here, look around our creator-focused network of podcasts with all the best...

Star Wars: Rise of Filoni. Now that Lucasfilm has Dave Filoni as a new leader, John & Matt chat about the opportunities for a new Star Wars era of storytelling and audience engagement.  They also debate if Disney has smartly set him up for success by installing him at a critical point when so many fan-favorite character projects are about to launch. Perhaps most importantly, they touch on the...

Build Batuu Better. Now that Disney is updating Batuu at Galaxy’s Edge, Matt & John discuss what they should do to make the most of this legendary opportunity to revisit and enhance the signature Star Wars theme park experience! You’ve found the best Star Wars podcast with one-of-a-kind discussions in the spirit of fun! While you’re here, look around our creator-focused network of podcasts wit...