Aggressive Negotiations: A Star Wars Podcast

Back to Jakku. Matt and John go back to Jakku and discuss why it seems so pivotal to the sequel trilogy, whether our heroes will return to it in Episode IX, and what clues it might offer for the resolution of the saga films. Host John Mills and Matthew Rushing Send us your feedback! Twitter: @TheJediMasters Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNerdParty/ Email: http://www.thenerdparty.com/contact...

The Gift of Star Wars. John and Matt share a special holiday-themed issue of Aggressive Negotiations, discussing the many gifts of Star Wars in their lives - and fans in general - that make it the enduring touchstone for them and so many others. Host John Mills and Matthew Rushing Send us your feedback! Twitter: @TheJediMasters Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNerdParty/ Email: http://www.the...

The Captured Temple. John and Matt continue their deep-dive series on the Jedi Apprentice series from the prequel era, revisiting the seventh book, The Captured Temple by Jude Watson. They discuss what works with the characters, insights about Qui-Gon gleaned from his relationship with Obi-Wan, and ponder a new expanded universe book by Watson wherein lessons from this series are reflected on by B...

Return of the Music. Continuing their deep-dive analysis of the scores of a galaxy far, far away, Matt and John explore John Williams' work with Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. As only they can, they discuss the impact of the score, where it stands for them in the hierarchy of Star Wars music, and its brilliance as a standalone work from Williams. Host John Mills and Matthew Rushing Sen...

Tarkin Infinities. Grand Moff Tarkin is one of the iconic villains of the Star Wars saga. Commander of the Death Star, and bold enough to boss around Darth Vader, he gave shape to the villainy of a galaxy far, far away. John and Matt discuss Tarkin's role in shaping the Skywalker story, his place in the firmament of Imperial power, and ponder what the story would have looked like...if he survived...

The Mighty Chewbacca. Matt and John discuss the illustrious history and blossoming back-story of everyone's first and favorite Wookiee, Chewbacca! They chat about what makes him so magical, why he resonates so well with audiences, and how his presence enriches all of Star Wars. Host John Mills and Matthew Rushing Send us your feedback! Twitter: @TheJediMasters Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Th...

Thanksgungan 2018. It's that magical time of year when Matt and John discuss the things for which they're most thankful in Star Wars fandom over the last year, from content released to content announced. Host John Mills and Matthew Rushing Send us your feedback! Twitter: @TheJediMasters Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNerdParty/ Email: http://www.thenerdparty.com/contact Subscribe in Apple P...

Plumbing Palpatine. Sheev Palpatine has captivated Star Wars fans for decades. The embodiment of evil, a living devil sent to tempt and destroy the goodness of the galaxy. But...what if there's more? John and Matt discuss the possibility that, as the Sith are dark mirrors of the Jedi, is it possible that they are continually tempted...by the light? If so, what shows as Palpatine's hidden tendencie...

Darth Vader - Legacy's End. The new wave of content for Star Wars has had some real gems, among them the Darth Vader storylines created by Charles Soule for Marvel comics. In this episode, Matt and John look at the second arc of Vader's comic title, which examines the Inquisitorius and Jedi Master Jocasta Nu. They look at what the arc says about Vader's relationship with Sidious, the expanding und...

Empire of Music. John and Matt return to the music of the Star Wars maestro, John Williams, for an in-depth look at the score to Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. They discuss the impulses that drove Williams, how they shaped our experiences with the film, and what makes this many fans' most beloved score from the entire series. Host John Mills and Matthew Rushing Send us your feedback! Twitter:...

Bringing the Force Together. Matt and John continue their quest for clues about the sequel trilogy's direction by looking at the character Lor San Tekka, played onscreen by Max Von Sydow in The Force Awakens. San Tekka's search for artifacts has crept in through the comics, reigniting debates about Balance of the Force, the power of the past, and the identity of the future in Star Wars. Host John...

Passing the Baton. A quick fan favorite in the current Star Wars story era, Poe Dameron has become an anchor character tying together numerous arcs which answer various questions. At the core of it, though, is a character about whom we still have questions. John and Matt tackle those questions, including the nature of Poe's relationship with Leia and what that might mean for Ben Solo/Kylo Ren. Hos...

The Question of Sentience. A conversational seed bearing fruit in the Star Wars galaxy is the question of droid sentience. Spurred on by L3 in Solo: A Star Wars Story, the Jedi Masters pick up on momentum from a DragonCon panel on which John appeared, to discuss the implications and philosophical underpinnings of artificial intelligence, droid sentience, and the role of the robot in terms of the n...

Extra Solo. Join John and Matt as they dive deep into the extra materials served with the recent home release of Solo: A Star Wars Story, sharing their reactions to deleted scenes, mini docs, roundtables, and the glimpses at the decisions & reasonings for constructing the origin of a beloved hero from a galaxy far, far away. Host John Mills and Matthew Rushing Send us your feedback! Twitter: @TheJ...

Book Club: The Uncertain Path. Join Matt and John as they continue their examination of the Jedi Apprentice series from the 1990s. They discuss its place in the existing storyline, whether it should be recognized as official material for the characters, and the deeply-explored themes of forgiveness, compassion, and understanding the place of the past while moving forward. Host John Mills and Matth...

Always in Motion. George Lucas said Star Wars was meant to act like a Tone Poem, where certain story beats “rhyme.” To that end, John asks Matt if we see a broken echo between Yoda's decision to let Luke go toward a possible dark fate in The Empire Strikes Back, and Luke's temptation to eliminate Ben's future seen in The Last Jedi. The Masters then examine what this could mean thematically for the...

World Between Worlds and Sith. Star Wars Rebels introduced us to the World Between Worlds, a metaverse where a Force User could see, and be connected to, the past and the future simultaneously. Inspired by a debate between Henry Gilroy and Timothy Zahn at a Dragon Con panel, John & Matt contemplate whether the Sith ever could have opened a door to this space between moments, and what that would ha...

Dragon Con: The Clone Wars Tenth Anniversary Panel. This year the Jedi Masters were able to go to Dragon Con and be apart of the Star Wars track. So this week we proudly present one of the panels as Henry Gilroy, Bryan Young, Tom Hutchens and Melissa Pye joined Matthew Rushing to talk about Star Wars: The Clone Wars as it turns ten years old. We discuss it's creation, the movie, favorite arcs and...

Bounty Hunters. From the beginning, Bounty Hunters have been a part of the Star Wars mosaic, offering an important portrayal of the way justice might be met in a galaxy far, far away. From wild west vibes to anti-hero causes, bounty hunters have always challenged our view of how things worked. John and Matt explore the evolving portrayal of bounty hunters through the saga. Host John Mills and Matt...

The Soundtrack of Solo. One strand of the Star Wars magic is its music, as much a part of its artistic DNA as its visuals. As the saga has progressed, more composers have expanded upon John Williams' stunning work, to create a rich galaxy of sound. Join Matt and John as they discuss the phenomenal work John Powell did on the soundtrack to Solo: A Star Wars Story. Host John Mills and Matthew Rushin...

The Clone Wars Commentary. Join John and Matt as they continue to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of The Clone Wars changing fans' perception of their beloved Star Wars saga with an exclusive commentary of the 2008 film directed by Dave Filoni! Host John Mills and Matthew Rushing Send us your feedback! Twitter: @TheJediMasters    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNerdParty /  Email: an@thenerdp...

The Journey of Ahsoka. Despite initial resistance, Ahsoka Tano came to symbolize all that was best of the Star Wars mythology. Along the way, she gathered a fan base as wide and diverse as the Star Wars galaxy itself. Join Matt and John as they explore what worked so well about this character and why she continues to resonate with fans from The Clone Wars, to Rebels, and hopefully...beyond. Hosts...

The Bond/Solo Connection. Two iconic characters and their shared characteristics: John and Matt explore the similarities between James Bond and Han Solo, and discuss where those tendencies manifest themselves most visibly. They also field a listener question regarding scoring a new trilogy and what the Last Jedi novelization added to the audience's understanding. Host John Mills and Matthew Rushin...

Dooku of The Clone Wars. Who Weeps for Count Dooku of Serenno? Just in time for the #CloneWarsSaved announcement, Matt and John discuss Count Dooku as seen in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. They discuss his faults from light and dark side perspectives, and how understanding his character reshaped ideas of everyone from Palpatine to Anakin. Host John Mills and Matthew Rushing Send us your feedback! Twi...

Book Club: The Defenders of the Dead. John and Matt renew their look at the Jedi Apprentice book series, picking up with The Defenders of the Dead by Jude Watson. They examine how the book found the voices of the characters, where the story fits in our current understanding of Star Wars lore, and the current potentials of adapting the series in a new format. Host John Mills and Matthew Rushing Sen...