Friends of the Force: A Star Wars Podcast

Travel with us to a galaxy far, far away as we embark on the journey of a lifetime! Comic writer Tommy Stella joins us to see who can build the best Star Tours adventure. In this friendly competition, we select a pilot, dive deep into the lore of our rides, and choose six destinations among the following categories: the High Republic; the prequel, original trilogy, and sequel eras; live-action and...

Lucasfilm junior creative executive Emily Shkoukani joins us to talk about their work on " DAWN OF REBELLION ," the latest Star Wars visual guide they co-authored alongside Pablo Hidalgo that covers the 19 years following Revenge of the Sith. Thank you to DK Publishing for the review copy! Website: http://www.friendsoftheforcepod.com Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/friendsofthe...

It's the beginning of the end as we take our first steps into The High Republic Phase 3 with " The Eye of Darkness " by George Mann. We discuss the identity crises weighing down on Elzar Mann and Avar Kriss, the game of chess between the Republic and the Nihil, hope surviving in the darkest of times, why turning fear into strength is the key to the Nameless problem, and more. Indepen...

Star Wars author George Mann joined us on Life Day to celebrate the release of his newest book "The Eye of Darkness," which kicks off The High Republic Phase 3 one year after the events of Phase 1. We discuss Avar Kriss and the weight of expectations, Marchion Ro's methods and motivations, Elzar Mann reeling from the loss of Stellan, and more. Plus, we get a very small tease of Georg...

We are so back baby! With the launch of The High Republic Phase 3: Trials of the Jedi, we're previewing what's to come for our heroes as we reunite with them one year after the fall of Starlight Beacon. What exactly are the "trials" of the Jedi? Is confronting fear the destiny of a Jedi? How exactly do we solve the Nameless problem? We're exploring all of these ideas and so m...

Adam Lance Garcia joins the podcast to reunite us with the beloved Dexter Jettster in his short story "The Veteran" — featured in 'From A Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi.' We discuss Dex's appearances across multiple eras, the guilt he carries from one Kamino saberdart, and the Empire's end reigniting hope for a brighter future. Website: http://www.friendsofthef...

We're diving into "Tales of Light and Life," the newest short-story anthology spanning all three phases of the High Republic, to discuss where our characters have been, where they may be going, and the aftermath of Starlight Beacon's fall. Independent Bookstore of the Week: Joseph-Beth Booksellers (Cincinnati, OH) Note: this episode was recorded during the 2023 ⁠⁠⁠⁠SAG-AFTRA stri...

This week's episode is a gift freely given! We're joined by author Tessa Gratton whose short story "A Closed Fist Has No Claws" appears in the newest young-adult anthology 'Tales of Light and Life.' We dive into the continuation of Marda Ro's path, planting the seeds of Nihil ideology, writing in second-person POV, the definition of "home" in the High Republ...

This week, we had the pleasure of speaking with Del Rey / Random House Worlds senior editor Tom Hoeler , who has worked on numerous Star Wars publishing projects including the most recent anthology “From A Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi.” Tom shares his insights into the making-of process on all three entries as well as the opportunities that come about with 40 stories from 40 authors....

Delilah S. Dawson joins us to discuss "Star Wars Inquisitor: Rise of the Red Blade," which marks her first full-length Star Wars novel since 2019. We cover Iskat Akaris' fall to the Dark Side, the Jedi as instruments of war, the appeal of Inquisitor-focused stories, and more. Thank you to Random House Worlds for our review copies. Note: this episode was recorded during the 2023 WGA a...

The High Republic Phase 2 comes to a shocking conclusion in "Path of Vengeance" by Cavan Scott, and we're excited to finally chat about it! We dive into the Path of the Open Hand's transformation into the Nihil, Marda and Yana's conflicting motives, Matty's greatest test yet in the face of fear, and much more. Plus, we turn #EggTalk all the way up by defining the sin done...

Ready, set, go! It's time for the Hyperspace Chase as we dive into 'Quest for Planet X,' the latest High Republic middle-grade novel by Tessa Gratton. We explore themes of acceptance and independence through Rooper, Dass, and Sky; the privatization of hyperspace lanes in an age of exploration; Planet X's origins and its similarities to the Garden of Eden as a paradise; and much mor...

Jump into the world of ‘Star Wars Jedi: Survivor’ as we chat with actress Debra Wilson, the voice behind Jedi Master Cere Junda! We discuss her awakening in 1977 after seeing Star Wars forty-plus times in the theater, how she approached the role of Cere, what it means to rebuild the Jedi's legacy, her emotional last day on the set of Survivor, and much more. SPOILER WARNING: We dive into heavy...

We're back with more High Republic coverage as we near the end of Phase 2! On this episode, we're taking a deep-dive into "Cataclysm" by Lydia Kang, which finally brings us to the long-awaited Night of Sorrows. We discuss the books' core themes of concealment, forgiveness and second chances as it relates to Axel and Gella, motherhood through the eyes of Chancellor Kyong Greyl...

Join us on our journey around the globe as we dive into Star Wars Visions: Volume 2, which features nine original short animation films from Spain, Ireland, Chile, Britain, South Korea, France, India, Japan, and South Africa. We cover why Visions is one of our favorite Star Wars projects to date, highlight our top three shorts, and talk about other notable moments throughout the anthology. You can...

Embark with us on a journey to Tenoo as we celebrate the release of Young Jedi Adventures! We sat down with the creative team behind the series made up of executive producer James Waugh, executive producer/showrunner Michael Olson, and consulting producer Lamont Magee to get an inside look at how this idea came to fruition. We then chatted with some of the voice cast including Jamaal Avery Jr., Tr...

Another year, another Star Wars Day! May the 4th be with you, listeners. As part of our annual Friends of the Fourth" special episode, Sarah and Brad share their top 10 favorite Star Wars memories from the past 365 days including favorite tv moments, personal fan experiences, two Star Wars Celebrations, and more. Plus, our listeners sent us their most memorable moments of this year in Star Wa...

For Mandalore! We conclude our Mandalorian coverage by discussing the final three chapters of season three — Guns for Hire, The Spies, and The Return — and how we feel about the season overall, including what we loved and some areas for improvement. Website: http://www.friendsoftheforcepod.com Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/friendsoftheforce Twitter: https://twitter.com/FriendsOfForce I...

Brad has returned from London to share more about his experience at Star Wars Celebration Europe! Plus, news, news, and so much more news including the newest slate of Star Wars films, Andor season two updates, an Acolyte trailer, The High Republic Phase 3 titles, and Visions Volume 2. We discuss what we're most excited for, the moments that sent Star Wars fans into an absolute frenzy, and we...

Trust in the Force! Brad and Sarah dive into the latest adventure with Cal Kestis and the Mantis Crew in "Star Wars Jedi: Battle Scars" by Sam Maggs. We explore the themes of identity, healing, found family, and legacy. Plus, we share our player experiences with Jedi: Fallen Order and look ahead to Jedi: Survivor! You can listen to our interview with Sam Maggs here . Thank you to Random...

We're back with more DJARIN JARGON to discuss "Chapter 19: The Convert," "Chapter 20: The Foundling," and "Chapter 21: The Pirate." How are we feeling midway through season three? Can all Mandalorians unite under the Mythosaur? Will Bo-Katan and the Armorer kiss (pleeeeeease!)? Is the New Republic reintegration efforts... complicated? All of this and more on today...

We're joined by author Lydia Kang to discuss her newest Star Wars novel " Cataclysm ," which is the final adult novel in Phase 2 of The High Republic from Random House Worlds. Lydia shares her history as a Star Wars fan dating back to the Ewoks series before diving into Cataclysm's many facets including Axel Greylark in all of his chaotic glory, the resiliency of love in a war-to...

On today's episode, we're discussing the two-part season finale of The Bad Batch, "The Summit" and "Plan 99," as our emotions hit an all-time high with this series. We try not to cry too much on this one, but, then again, when have we ever followed orders? As a reminder, we will be live-tweeting next week's Bad Batch panel at Star Wars Celebration Europe, so be sure...

We're finally back to continue our discussion on The Bad Batch Season 2 with Episodes 9-14 (our very special six-episode extravaganza)! These last few weeks have been *packed* with some of our favorite moments from the entire series, and we're excited to dive into its many facets as we prepare for a high-stakes, action-packed finale. Check out UnwhitewashTBB here: https://linktr.ee/unwhite...

It's officially Oscars weekend, which means it's time for another installment of the Golden Gorg Awards! This year, we're celebrating achievements in live-action Star Wars television by nominating our favorite performances, episodes, writers, and music to determine who will take home the coveted Gorg. Our pool of candidates includes Andor, The Book of Boba Fett, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and seasons one and...