Aggressive Negotiations: A Star Wars Podcast

The Luke Skywalker Enigma. Star Wars: The Last Jedi has spurred a great deal of discussion around one of the central mythical figures of Star Wars, Luke Skywalker. With the new information conveyed in this latest chapter, John and Matt revisit a question they've posed before...and discover how their answers may have changed. Hosts John Mills and Matthew Rushing Send us your feedback! Twitter: @The...

The Last Jedi with Nic Anastassiou. Star Wars: The Last Jedi has garnered a wide variety of reactions from fans since its release. Matt and John welcome back a special guest this week, Nic Anastassiou, to get his reaction to the film and to discuss his perspective on the many philosophical points - as well as technical choices - presented in the newest chapter of the Skywalker saga. Hosts John Mil...

Chosen One? Star Wars: The Last Jedi begged just as many questions as it answered. One lingering question left from the Skywalker Story is the Jedi prophecy of the Chosen One. For years it's been debated who the Chosen One really was. John and Matt ask not just whether it might be Rey, but whether the prophecy was true at all. Hosts John Mills and Matthew Rushing Send us your feedback! Twitter: @T...

Who is Rey? "Who are you?". This is the question that everyone meeting Rey seems to ask. Starting with Maz Kanata’s simple question in The Force Awakens, everyone from Luke Skywalker to fans online has been asking the question of who Rey is for two years and now The Last Jedi seems to have answered it. Or did it? We delve into this latest layer to the mystery of just who Rey is and what she means...

What Happened to Phasma? Get ready for The Last Jedi as “The Jedi Masters” review and analyze the limited-issue series Star Wars: Phasma, which sheds light on how the enigmatic silver-plated super stormtrooper made her way out of Starkiller Base and into Episode VIII. Hosts John Mills and Matthew Rushing Send us your feedback! Twitter: @TheJediMasters    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNerdP...

You Must Be This Tall To Ride. John and Matt explore another foggy corner of the Star Wars galaxy this week as they ask whether the denizens of that magical place would seek out thrills in theme parks or on roller coasters. Hear what they think, and then offer your own perspective by contacting the show! Hosts John Mills and Matthew Rushing Send us your feedback! Twitter: @TheJediMasters    Facebo...

Rogue One Commentary. Get ready for The Last Jedi by breaking out your copy of the smash hit Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and syncing up to a special commentary track from The Jedi Masters, John and Matt! Or, just listen along as they discuss the film and debate their own points of disagreement about it. Hosts John Mills and Matthew Rushing Send us your feedback! Twitter: @TheJediMasters    Faceb...

Thanksgungan 2017. The Jedi Masters' annual tradition continues as they celebrate “Thanksgungan,” where they share what they're most thankful for as Star Wars fans and friends who  talk about it every week. Let's gather around and enjoy each other's company, pondering all the things  that make us glad to be Star Wars fans and hopeful for the future.   Hosts John Mills and Matthew Rushing Send us y...

Droids, Droids, Droids. Whether a golden butler, rolling Swiss Army knife, or cantankerous power 'droid, people came to understand the humanity of Star Wars characters through the surrouning automata. Matt and John discuss a question about 'droids submitted by a listener, and also discuss  their thoughts on Lucasfilm anointing Rian Johnon as the creative force behind Star Wars' next era. Hosts Joh...

Live by the Lightsaber. Star Wars' lightsaber battles dominate the imagination of generations. The distinctive hum and unmistakable blades  create an unmatchable thrill, changing with each era. In this issue of Aggressive Negotiations, Matt and John discuss what they love most about this evolving - and unique - form. Hosts John Mills and Matthew Rushing Send us your feedback! Twitter: @TheJediMast...

Star Wars Twilight? Shmi Skywalker told Anakin, “You can't stop change any more than you can stop the suns from setting.” But change can be difficult; and so, changes to Star Wars franchise can trigger a host of reactions. John and Matt discuss those reactions in light of a post online that garnered its own strong reactions, what they mean, and what it means to be a Star Wars fan in the “Disney Er...

Book Club: The Hidden Past. Matt and John return to the legends line to discuss the third book in the Jedi Apprentice series, "The Hidden Past". They look at the eternal Star Wars themes explored, the development of Qui-Gon & Obi-Wan's relationship, and other pieces of history revealed - and whether they could be worked back into the general story. They also discuss the shocking result of a poll a...

Mandalore Arc: Season 2. John and Matt revisit a classic arc from Star Wars: The Clone Wars to find fresh insights and story expansions. Starting with “The Mandalore Plot,” they look at revelations about Obi-Wan's past through Duchess Satine, the meaning of Anakin's development, and the critique of what the Jedi are becoming. Hosts John Mills and Matthew Rushing Send us your feedback! Twitter: @Th...

The Rey/Ezra Connection. Star Wars is a tone poem, with echoes of each generation finding cyclical resonance with the next. In this light, the Jedi Masters ask, “Is it possible Ezra and Rey are an echo of each other?” They look at other echoes in the saga to see if maybe Ezra is a hint of the unknown journey we know Rey has just begun. They also discuss the results of an online poll asking what th...

Lucas IS Lando. An entrepreneur ventures out beyond the boundaries of an Empire hoping to escape its control and build a peaceful life among cloudy dreams. Lando Calrissian? George Lucas? Or maybe both? John and Matt explore the idea of Lucas as Lando (metaphorically) in this episode of Aggressive Negotiations. They also go over the results of a poll asking, “Would you be disappointed if Luke does...

Henry Gilroy: Star Wars Comics and Animation. Matt and John discuss the results of show polls about JJ Abrams returning for Episode IX, and if Disney should continue making Episodes after the sequel trilogy is complete. Then, they share a panel from Dragon Con featuring Henry Gilroy, a veteran writer of Star Wars comics, as well as Batman: The Animated Series, The Clone Wars, and many others. Gilr...

Masculinity in Star Wars. Matt returns from DragonCon and fills John in on all the excellent panels and atmosphere from the Star Wars track. They discuss why Star Wars Phasma is resonating with fans, and present a recording of one of the panels Matt moderated at DragonCon, “Masculinity in Star Wars” with authors Timothy Zahn, Kevin J. Anderson, Claudia Gray, E.K. Johnston, Michael Stackpole and My...

The Women of Star Wars. John and Matt bring you a very special episode focused on the female characters of the Star Wars galaxy, from Padme to Ahsoka, and Hera to Phasma. They look at how the women of *Star Wars* have changed and grown since the first days of Leia Organa, how their stories have shaped the mythos of that magical space, and what their stories tell us about how the storytelling style...

The Genre of Star Wars. Matt and John open the Council Chambers to offer ideas on different genres that could be brought into the Star Wars universe. They discuss what types of films could broaden the scope of a galaxy far, far away in the age of the spinoff film. Along the way, they surprise each other with the genres they think could help keep Star Wars fresh and exciting. Hosts John Mills and M...

Marvel's Darth Maul. John and Matt look at Marvel's recent Darth Maul limited series. They examine every aspect to find out what it says about the strengths and weaknesses of modern Star Wars comic book storytelling, and what might need to change to keep fans invested. They also discuss some new poll results from questions on the show Twitter account, @TheJediMasters! Hosts John Mills and Matthew...

Expectations. Every major franchise faces a two-headed monster: Marketing & Expectation, the Fode & Beed of the podrace to  wooing and satisfying an audience. In this episode, Jedi Masters John & Matt explore how they see the marketing shaping up for Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, and whether past Star Wars marketing efforts tell us something about how it's going to play out. Hosts John Mills and Ma...

Rebel Flashpoint. A character in another franchise once stated, “History is replete with turning points.” And so it is with Star Wars. The “Jedi Masters” train their gaze on one such turning point in Star Wars history this week: the destruction of Alderaan. They look at it from every angle, from the tragic loss of life to the amplitude of the rallying cry it would serve for a Galaxy finding itself...

Rogue Notes. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story made a mark as the first “Anthology Movie” of the Star Wars franchise, but it didn't settle for that. It was also the first Star Wars movie scored by a composer other than John Williams. The revered Michael Giacchino, known for working regularly with JJ Abrams and making pithy puns of his track titles, took up the baton. John and Matt discuss what what not...

Destiny's Force. Star Wars: Forces of Destiny is a series of animated shorts that debuted recently on Disney's YouTube channel. The series tells brief stories centered on the famous heroines of the Star Wars galaxy and spans the entire established film timeline with Rey, Ahsoka, Padme, Leia, Jyn, and Sabine all featured. Join Matt and John as they explore these stories and discover what messages t...

Jedi Rumination. More details on the Masters meeting, and their journey to Skywalker Ranch! After numerous requests for more detail, John and Matt return to reminisce about the first time they met in person, and a few more special moments about touring ILM, San Anselmo, the annual Lucasfilm picnic, and of course the fabled slice of paradise in the hills built by Mr. George Lucas. Hosts John Mills...