Aggressive Negotiations: A Star Wars Podcast

Star Wars History. Obi-Wan Kenobi famously counseled Luke that “many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view.” Our own points of view are also shaped by our understanding of history and how it’s taught to us. With that in mind, Matt and John explore how the varying versions of history taught on a thousand thousand worlds would have shaped galactic conflict, relationships...

Writing in Star Wars. It’s hard enough reading Aurebesh, the onscreen universal language of #StarWars. But what was it like to write it, and further…how do you read ancient texts from a thousand thousand worlds in a galaxy full of tech that talks back and uses universal characters?  John & Matt try to figure out handwriting, inherited knowledge, and reading in a Galaxy Far, Far Away. You’ve fo...

An Alternate Episode VIII. Ten years ago, in movie theaters down the street…. Star Wars: Episode VII: The Force Awakens relaunched the franchise with insane box office returns, a galaxy load of goodwill, and the promise of questions answered in the NEXT episode. But many were bewildered by the path they wandered down in Episode VIII. Jedi Masters Matt and John, joined by their fellow Jedi Master Y...

10 Years of The Force Awakening. Ten years after Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the franchise finds itself again at a crossroads. So we decided re-examine our reactions and memories to the 2-billion-dollar behemoth film event, with the benefit of hindsight on everything that came after and the expectations that were set on that December in 2015. John and Matt are joined by noted droid builder, Dr....

THX-401K. How does retirement planning work in the Star Wars galaxy? When could anyone retire from being a stormtrooper, or what pension plans were there for factory workers on Corellia? Your friends at Aggressive Negotiations, Matt & John, explore everything from the likelihood of insane stock exchange trading hours to the most likely stock tips on the Coruscant exchange! Hosts John Mills and...

Thanksgungan 2025. It’s time for THANKSGUNGAN! Matt & John have a long list of what they’re most thankful for from Star Wars in 2025, from anniversary celebrations to fresh content they found to be delightful and well made. What are you most thankful for from everyone’s favorite Force-filled franchise! Most of all, they’re thankful once more for all the joy and friendship they’ve found through...

Blue Glow Binders. The issue this week for Aggressive Negotiations is…those funky binders that they put on Force users in the Star Wars galaxy! John & Matt have always wondered how and WHY they worked, when the Force is in all living things and Force users have the ability to tap into, and harness its energies. Will their attempts to construct head canon run afoul of actual lore? Do you have a...

A New Hope for 2026. In this special episode of Aggressive Negotiations, John & Matt explore what appears to be hampering Star Wars’ success in 2025: the corporate mindset! Has Lucasfilm been lost in a byzantine mess of board meeting profit discussions, causing new projects to falter and promises to wane?  But the two Jedi Masters wonder, have we now wandered the wilderness and see a brighter...

Galaxy of Terror. Inspired by Spooky Season, John and Matt discuss the story possibilities of scary stories in the Star Wars Galaxy Far, Far Away! With a thousand thousand worlds spread across the expanse and joined by hyperspace lanes, what would a ghost story look like? Would Force Ghosts and Force users form the backbone of what people thought was possible, or would skepticism win the day? And...

Galaxies, Portals, and…Sybok?. John and Matt discuss the story possibilities of the new galaxy shown in the Ahsoka series. They look at where we’ve gone so far, the clues and hints that exist already in the Clone Wars animated series, and the possibilities to weave it an important role in the founding of the primary galaxy we’ve known since 1977. They even stumble on a way that it could even tie t...

The Importance of 1997. Matt and John discuss the impact and importance of the Star Wars Special Edition’s release in 1997, and why it was such a successful and important move for George Lucas and Lucasfilm, and the franchise as a whole. They discuss memories, nostalgia, bold experiments, and their thoughts on what it all means decades later. They revisit the 1990s, a decade dominated by a long bu...

It’s been long enough! John and Matt try to figure out WHO Snoke was before we encountered him in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. Lawrence Kasdan dropped a hint in The Force Awakens press tours that there was a history to the character, but it seems we’ll never get it. So John and Matt put on their thinking caps and try to bridge this maddening gap in Star Wars history. Hosts John Mills and Matthew...

Star Wars Political Talk. Matt & John discuss how free the political speech of that Galaxy Far, Far Away was (or wasn’t), and how it would have been disbursed. Did the Empire tolerate political dissent for its own nefarious goals? Did people get arrested for sharing controversial content? They explore these issues as well as the fun possibilities there were for how the Holonet must have looked...

Greetings from Coruscant Park. John & Matt discuss whether there were Theme Parks in the Star Wars galaxy far, far away! They agree there must have been, but what did they look like? How can you bring a thrill to beings who travel through hyperspace? What kind of waivers did you need to sign to ride the Podrace Express Coaster? Let’s discover what thrills, chills and roller coaster hills there...

Why Did Vader Fly Away? John & Matt discuss the possible reasons Darth Vader kept flying away from Yavin 4 after gaining control of his ship at the end of the original Star Wars. In light of the might displayed at the end of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, why didn’t we see Vader strike back a little more immediately than we got onscreen? Hosts John Mills and Matthew Rushing You’ve found the bes...

Galen’s Revenge. John & Matt ponder why the Death Star even had a trash compactor in the first place, and chat about possible reasons to justify it, in the way that it exists. They stumble on one idea that’s just poetic enough to make sense, disturbing enough to be possible, and at the same time honors the small acts of rebellion someone like Galen Erso could have made along the way. Hosts Joh...

The Sound of Star Wars. John & Matt break down how Lucasfilm can win the content war in a challenging, glutted landscape - short form audio content. Audio books are taking off again, so embrace the model and do what George Lucas himself championed by finding ways to elevate and enhance Star Wars in unique ways! Hosts John Mills and Matthew Rushing You’ve found the best Star Wars podcast with o...

Sheev Palpatine Phone Home. John & Matt play Galactic Realtors in this week’s show, searching for the perfect place to have served as Palpatine’s abode! Did he live in modest quarters below the Senate? Was the Jedi Temple his vindictive Palace of Pleasure? Would he have returned home and lived on Naboo just to give more pain to Vader?  Where do YOU think Palpatine lived? Hosts John Mills and M...

Getting Weird with the Force. It’s always risky to try to expand Star Wars lore. People have very set ideas of what works, and what doesn’t. Matt and John try to figure out the magic formula for making original Star Wars works that explore aspects we don’t understand, and whether we were ever really meant to understand them in the first place…or engage in the unanswered questions with our own imag...

Andor: Season Two. This week we are diving back into the world of Andor with its second and final season, which of course means a crossover with The 602 Club, plus we are joined by none other than K-2SO translator, Darren Moser!  Hosts 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 creat...

Set Lightsabers on Stun. John and Matt boldly go where no other fans have gone before…as they debate which Star TREK captain would fit best in the Star WARS galaxy!  Hosts 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 of Star Trek ,...

A Star Wars Celebration. Celebrate 400 Episodes of Star Wars goodness with Matt Rushing + John Mills as they welcome a special guest from Lucas Animation, Nic Anastassiou, to discuss the past, present and future state of Lucas’ legacy and the responsibility of balancing progress and innovation with the traditions that established the storytelling tradition!  Hosts John Mills and Matthew Rushing Sp...

Tales of the Underworld. This May the Fourth the Force was strong as Disney+ debuted the latest Star Wars animation anthology, Tales of the Underworld which focused on two fan favorite characters, Asajj Ventress and Cad Bane. To celebrate, Matt and John crossover with The 602 Club to discuss the series! Host John Mills and Matthew Rushing Welcome to the best Star Wars podcast with unique discussio...

Twenty Years of Revenge. Celebrate 20 years of Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith with Matt & John as they share what the film has meant to them, how it’s held up, and its impact on modern film history. Was this a gold standard set, or a letdown for fans? Are there heroes on both sides…or is there truly something more to this blockbuster of the early 2000s? Host John Mills and Matthew...

Andor: We’ll Always Have Rix Road. The final two episodes of Star Wars Andor give Matt and John plenty to discuss as the arc resolves from Season 1. We see the fear, anger and hate boil over into a riotous uprising on Ferrix, with Andor caught in the middle as he returns to try to save Bix and mourn his mother. Did they hit the right pace? Did they break the story effectively across two episodes?...