Aggressive Negotiations: A Star Wars Podcast

Issue 021: Directing Revenge Continuing their series examining the direction of the Prequel Trilogy, John and Matt ask each other who, if not George Lucas, would have been well-suited to directing Revenge of the Sith? What could a different director have brought, and how would it have shaped the story on the final chapter of George Lucas’ vision for the Skywalker Saga? In this episode of Aggressiv...

The many places of the Star Wars galaxy. The rich tapestry of Star Wars has always been woven between fantastical places and planets. So project yourself into that place, and ask yourself if there’s somewhere you’d like to live. What jumps to mind, and how do you see yourself there? In this episode of Aggressive Negotiations, Jedi Masters Matthew Rushing and John Mills review the travel catalogue...

The Attack of the Clones soundtrack. As the prequel trilogy entered its second chapter, John Williams continued to build his sonic oeuvre from a galaxy far, far away. While The Phantom Menace told a tale of wonder, discovery, and heroism, Attack of the Clones was to be a tale of intrigue, mystery, and fateful love.  In this episode of Aggressive Negotiations, Jedi Masters John Mills and Matthew Ru...

The Case for Revenge of the Sith The prequel trilogy encountered a far chillier reception than the original Star Wars trilogy, or even The Force Awakens. However, there were fans who not only enjoyed the prequels, they’ve dared to find things to love about them. They’ve even chosen one of them as their favorite of the saga. In this episode of Aggressive Negotiations, Jedi Master Matthew Rushing as...

Characters on Every Side. The Star Wars galaxy has always been a wonderful example of an expanded story universe. Colorful characters in each frame constructed a fantastic depth to root the stories within a cinematic reality that  compelled you to imagine limitless stories with amazing action. In this episode of Aggressive Negotiations, Jedi Masters Matthew Rushing and John Mills explore their fav...

Defending Your Star Wars. Two years before The Phantom Menace tore apart friendships, George Lucas tested the world with the Star Wars Special Editions. An opportunity to restore a deteriorating print became a project where Lucas made changes both small and large. What were the pressure points that caused the more extreme reactions, and were there choices that could have been made differently that...

The direction of the prequel films became a contentious point among Star Wars fans as The Phantom Menace hit theatres in 1999. This debate became more pointed when George Lucas stayed in the director's chair for Attack of the Clones, as many fans voiced the opinion he should have handedthe reigns to someone else. So what if Lucas, the victim of stinging criticisms, had decided to do just that? In...

The voice of the Star Wars films has always been more than dialogue. John Williams’ inescapable score set the emotional tone and resonance which transcended the words and direction, transporting modern audiences back to the feeling of the Silent Era when music was the only soundtrack provided. His work indelibly marked film culture in a way that grounded future works of fantasy.  In this episode o...

Bonus 001: The Commentary Awakens Happy May the 4th! Celebrated across fandom as “Star Wars Day,” we’re sharing an exclusive commentary to pair with “The Force Awakens.” It’s our way of saying “thank you” for your listenership and support. Joined by Jedi Council members from across the galaxy, or at least the globe, get what Lucasfilm failed to give you on the home release of Episode VII - an insi...

The Force Awakens. Our most contentious negotiations occur this week, as our examination of The Force Awakens Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital Download continues, as we move from discussing the special features on the latest Star Wars home release to the film itself. We assess how home viewing alters estimation of the film, new reads on the material, and what flaws are highlighted and strengths magnified. Are...

The Extras Awaken. April 4, 2016 will be a day long remembered…at least for a while. It saw the release of the second most successful film in history in box office terms, *Star Wars: Episode VII: The Force Awakens*. Fans are now able to feel the rumblings of the dark side, the heat of Jakku’s sand dunes and the thrill of a Rathtar attack while on the comfort of their own couches. In this episode o...

So Civilized. “The weapon of a Jedi Knight. Not as clumsy or random as a blaster. An elegant weapon, from a more…civilized age.” In 1977, the character of Obi-Wan Kenobi introduced the world to the lightsaber with those words. As the energy blade emitted from that gleaming metal hilt, it captured the imaginations of children and adults without exception. In this episode of Aggressive Negotiations,...

The Expanded Universe. The Star Wars Expanded Universe has been a source of great joy, angst and debate for fans since the 1990s. While the comics of the 1980s and the West End Games source materials could coexist without conflict, the later EU found itself the source of continuity errors, conflicting writer interpretations, a perpetual second act, and vociferous arguments about how authoritative...

Breaking Anakin Part 2.  Anakin Skywalker’s fall is such a pivotal moment in Galactic History, there are multiple perspectives not just on its impact, but its causes. We conclude our duo logy on this linchpin of Star Wars lore by switching out the hot seat and seeing what different aspects can be teased out about the alleged Chosen One’s destiny and the parts played by the people in his life. And...

Breaking Anakin Part 1. “For over a thousand generations, the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic. Before the dark times, before the Empire.” These are the immortal words of Obi-Wan Kenobi as he explained to a young Luke the impact of Darth Vader and his choices on the galaxy. The Prequels would show fans just exactly how that happened and the way Anakin helped...

Representatives of the Jedi Order. Who represented the title of Jedi best? With a disparate Order from thousands of cultures, who managed to rise above and help define what it meant to be a Knight or a Master? After all, how we behave reflects on who we’re trying to be. In this episode of Aggressive Negotiations, Jedi Masters John Mills and Matthew Rushing turn their focus to the Jedi that helped...

Jedi Power Battles Unlimited power? Through the years and the many media in which the Jedi Knights of the Star Wars galaxy have appeared, their powers have been defined and expanded. Whether through what was shown on screen, demonstrated in supplemental books, or established through video gameplay, what a Jedi can do has shifted like sands on a Coruscant beach. In this episode of Aggressive Negoti...

Issue 005: Are the Jedi Necessary? The accusation has been brought against the Jedi that all the problems in the galaxy find their way back to the action or inaction of the Order. Would the Star Wars galaxy have been better off if the Jedi never existed? In this episode of Aggressive Negotiations, Jedi Masters John Mills and Matthew Rushing discuss if the Jedi are necessary in Star Wars, what do t...

Jedi That Were, Jedi To Be. The Jedi Order. The iconic knights of the Star Wars galaxy have been defined and redefined many times on film and in print, and they are being reinvented once again with the coming of The Force Awakens. But who were the Jedi? What did they mean to a storyline filled with rogues, rebels and lightsabers? In this episode of Aggressive Negotiations, Jedi Masters John Mills...

Favorite Ships. Design has always been one of the core pillars of the world building in the Star Wars galaxy, and one of the key stones in that pillar has been ship design. From the simply cool to the downright iconic, fans of all types can acknowledge the influence the design of Star Wars has played in their enjoyment of the still-expanding saga. In this episode of Aggressive Negotiations, Jedi M...

Friendship. Friendship is one of the most powerful forces in life, whether it’s our galaxy or one far, far away. A key element of Star Wars: The Force Awakens is the new friendship between Poe and Finn, which left the Masters pondering, “Is this the first true friendship in Star Wars?” In this episode of Aggressive Negotiations, Jedi Masters John Mills and Matthew Rushing discuss friendship in the...

An old debate has found new life with the addition of Episode VII to the Star Wars saga: The endless discussion about the order in which to watch the movies. Do you watch them in release order, story order, or mesh the series into a modified “Machete Order” to account for the new story? Does the addition of The Force Awakens complicate the question of how to introduce someone to Star Wars if they...

This is Aggressive Negotiations: A Star Wars Podcast. We are not your usual Star Wars show as we cover no news or current events in fandom, no we talk about all the things you always wanted to talk about but no one ever has.  In our pilot issue hosts Matthew Rushing and John Mills discuss the small moments in the Star Wars franchise that stand out and how those small things impact their love of th...