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Hey, space cadets! It may be mid-week, but we’re bringing you some fun bonus sci-fi content. Our podcast normally features three hosts—Mattroid, Solo, and Station!—and we look at a specific science fiction theme or franchise and take the discussion where no show has gone before.
But in this special bonus episode we’re doing things a little differently. Here, Matroid and Solo discuss the latest (and final) trailer for upcoming fantasy film Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Always a dynamic duo, these two spend some time theorizing on the unknowns of the coming film, discuss a scenario in which both may end up crying in the theater, and they even struggle through an embarrassing situation as both fumble for several awkward minutes to find a popular, easily discoverable image on the internet. Unedited, in all it’s glory.
What you’ll hear:
-A bad recording due to Mattroid’s stupid phone!
-Discussion of the 3rd and final Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer and more!
-Details on how to be a part of another spectacular giveaway! Collectable Star Wars figurines, courtesy of show sponsor Yo Joe Depot, will be given away to a listener in the -first week of November – listen to the episode for details!
I’m glad Solo was also having a tough time finding the poster Matt was talking about because I had no idea what Matt was talking about. Ha.
So that no one else has to hunt down the poster, here’s the one Matt was talking about:
http://a.dilcdn.com/bl/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2015/10/star-wars-force-awakens-official-poster-691×1024.jpg
It’s on the Star Wars site too. Thank you for posting it!
In attempt to recreate your search, I happened across the original Drew Struzan poster (that I didn’t know existed until today) and I think it’s interesting to note that Rey looks a little evil and is standing directly between the dark side and the light side.
http://www.slashfilm.com/the-force-awakens-poster/
I just hope that Storm Troopers are no longer clones because I will be pissed if John Boyega is supposed to be a clone of Jango Fett. It’s either too inexact or blatantly racist if they didn’t realize or care that Temuera Morrison is Polynesian, effectively wiping my entire race out of the Star Wars universe after a lifetime of wanting to see myself in a big budget movie, but having to relate to Ewoks and Wookies. As long as he’s just a guy and not a clone, I’m fine with it. Otherwise, I’m going to bummed. Not in a PC way, but really in my tiny little heart.
My belief is that they ceased being clones by the time ANH shows up.
Finn is not a clone.
And just for you, my friend, it’s (probably) widely believed (in very small circles) that the first Jedi ever was Polynesian. So…not to make light of your statement–which I support–but to make light of your statement a little, because I’m a dick.
That’s weak, Mattroid. You can’t compare the power and impact of the characters in those first three films to what some nerds theorized in Bantha Tracks or in some online forum.
Who was the first Jedi ever that you speak of? If it’s not on the original trilogy, I don’t really care all that much, but I’d love to know. I don’t count any of the cartoon horseshit. I don’t mind the novels or comics, but JJ said they’re not canonical to these films, so I’ll go with that because it suits my tastes better.
The only explanation that would totally satisfy me is if JJ said he’s discounting the prequel’s altogether because they’re crap. Otherwise, I want some Polys.
What is your basis for saying that Storm Troopers aren’t clones by the time we get to ANH? They all have the same voice in that film. We’ve been told (in retcon) that the reason they are so clumsy is because they’re copies of a copy … the clones win the clone wars, so why would they be replaced?
And … I tend to agree that it makes sense that Finn is not a clone, but how do you say that so confidently?
Ha ha ha…
First off, almost all of what I was saying was either a joke or pure speculation based on nothing at all.
However, I believe they are no longer clones because I choose to; I like that better than the alternative.
See, I imagine the war has been rough, but the need for clones has also passed because recruitment–particularly forced enlistment–has become he standard. I imagine the clone wars were the last of the clones.
As for Finn, I say it definitively because I have read something asserting as much and because I refuse to believe they’d be so insensitive to state that a black man could be a direct clone of a Polynesian man. That’s absurd.
That said, I can’t wait for Boyega in this film; I look forward to him more than anyone not in the OT.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The Empire took control using clones, so I don’t see any reason to discontinue that program.
Of course, the Star Wars Wiki completely backs up what you are saying, but that’s all “expanded universe” stuff that we know will have no bearing on the new trilogy, so I’ll be curious to see how it is explained (if at all).
Expanded Universe isn’t necessarily out, rather it may or may not have any canonical bearing on the movies. “The right to pick and choose,” I believe was the phrase used when asked if it would be used in the movies.
I’d be happy with a shot of some Polynesian sauce from Chick-fil-A.
There’s no way that all Stormtroopers were still clones in A New Hope. And here’s why:
Leia comments that Luke, while disguised, is “a little short for a stormtrooper”*. So if they were actually all clones the height discrepancy would have been so blatant that Luke would have been stopped within seconds of wandering round the death Star in that armour. Clones all of the exact same height (and Imperial officers used to seeing clones all of the exact same height) are not going to be fooled by a short-arse in masquerade. The fact that he gets away with it surely speaks to the fact that there is some precedent for variation in the heights of Stormtroopers; hence they aren’t all clones.
*I’ve actually heard Leia’s comment used before as evidence that the Stormtroopers are infact clones but to me it’s obviously just a sort of sardonic allusion to the fact that Luke isn’t quite the standard physical specimen selected for Stormtrooper training.
Also, it’s blatantly clear that “the clone wars” was just a cool sounding thing that Lucas dropped into the dialogue. There’s no way he had it all planned out while making the original movies and there’s no way that the original intention was for Stormtroopers to be clones. Especially given how he signed off on all kinds of EU stuff that made it clear they were just conscripted humans. I know that stuffs not canon any more. But it was at the time.
Dude, c’mon. There was never another wave created when the clone wars ended. Also, the clones are on an accelerated growth cycle to get them ready for battle faster, so they age and die faster. So you put those together and most of the clones were dead by the time A New Hope comes around, and thirty years later? All of the troopers are recruits, no more clones. You’ve got to watch Rebels and Clone Wars, they’re cannon and they explain it all.
As said by a scientist, so…
Mattroid = 1
Spacewolf = silly loser
If I had to pick one person to have the force, it would be Rey. But maybe there is more than one, since the force is awakening and all. Force or not, I bought my son a Finn action figure and it comes with a lightsaber, so there is a good chance that it becomes his by the end.
I’d pick Poe, because he seems awesome. But I believe the three central protagonists will all be “force sensitive” much in the same way our original trio was; two with the force, one (like Han) who may but we are never outright told.
“Honky religions” Hahahaha These movies are anti-white! #boycotthonkies
Yeah. I couldn’t stop laughing at that unintended gem.
There’s plenty of humor in Super 8 despite the very serious stakes and overall tone.
JJ’s Star Trek had humor too, right?
I think it will be fine.
Yeah. And I think you’re right, too. But coming off the prequels, and based on the trailers–which is admittedly a small sample size–I could see there being little humor. Which I’m okay with, but I don’t want a dark movie just so it can be a dark movie. You know?
I gotcha. I think JJ likes to mix dark with humor AND tear-jerkers. He wants to get all the feels in there. Every single feel.
I just hope JarJar is back, he was so funny and so vital to the storyline…
I know you joke, and you’re not necessarily wrong, but without Jar Jar Palpatine doesn’t become emperor (at least not in the same way).
it would be a giant doofus that no one likes that helped destroy the galaxy.
I think Han is a better person to kill off than Luke, but I’d be OK with Luke–just not at the start of the movie. Give us at least a movie or two with the original three before we kill anyone off. Of course, if Luke does die, he’ll still be in all three movies, just as a force ghost. Or, as I like to call it SPAAAAAAACE GHOOOOOOST! By which I mean SpaceWolf.
Honestly, as long as we get meaningful time with the characters AND any deaths have meaning, I’m okay with it. But Luke…that would be among the hardest to accept screen deaths I can think of.
I just think the chances of Luke dying before this trilogy wraps are about 80/20% and I wouldn’t be shocked to see him go out at the end of the first one, pulling an Obi-Wan (not only in death, but also in returning as a prominent Space Ghost).
I think Han will die by the end of the trilogy, for sure. I give him a 90/10% split for dying in the first episode.
Leia probably lives. I hope to hell Chewie lives too. At least long enough to get his medal that I convinced Rian Johnson to give him.
Actually, I’m pretty sure when Rey is crying, she’s standing over Chewy, who would likely be dead.
Just a notion from examining the frame. Could literally be a hundred different possibilities. But I hope Chewy makes it out of the trilogy alive.
If that’s true, The Force Awakens meets Dr. Walking Dead’s criteria for a “serious horror film” for crying out loud! You don’t kill the dog! That would be a far greater tragedy than either Luke or Han dying, in my opinion. Just cruel.
My friends and I have a theory that Luke might end up being the bad guy and that’s why we don’t see him in the poster or the trailers. But we don’t have any substantial information to back that up other than our instincts telling us that.
And yeah, Luke’s death would be the biggest blow by far. Chewie is cool but meh. Unless they have him die in a gloriously heroic way, I probably won’t affect me as much if he lives or dies. I mean, half the time I can’t understand what the guys is saying!
What about a far more simple explanation for the lack of Luke involvement in the posters and trailers? Luke’s role is fairly minimal in this first movie and it’ll be the other two movies in which he has more involvement, thus he’ll be on those posters.
Well we’ve seen shots of Kylo Ren, the masked bad guy, without his helmet on and he’s definitely not Luke. I’m betting he’s Han and Leia’s son who Luke trained as a Jedi but ended up turning to the dark side. Maybe leading to Luke, crippled by shame and failure, to become a hermit much like Obi Wan. And I’m seriously expecting the arc of this trilogy to be about Kylo Ren’s redemption.
Well he’s already been filming for the next one on that island in Ireland. so at least his force ghost is around, if not his real self. He could Obi-Wan it and die to give purpose to a new main character, but I bet he sticks around from the rumors I’ve heard. We might have a great storyline involving him if rumors prove true also.
Don’t let me interrupt the two of yous witty Bantha… but what say you about why doesn’t Chewie have any graying hair?
Good genes. Good enough for me 🙂
Does Just For Men not exist in a galaxy far, far away?
Maybe Wookies live for like a thousand years? you don’t know! hahaha
I’m not some super Star Wars fan or anything. I mean, I own five of the six previous movies on DVD. I went to see Episode III in the theater the day it came out in a pretty fun experience as it was my final day of high school, so all seniors had a half day. Once classes let out, a bunch of us drove over to the theater for the next showing. I plan on seeing Episode VII in the theater as well. However, I can’t say I’ve cared enough to follow any of the news other than looking at a couple of posters and one or two of the trailers.
That being said, I love that the trailers aren’t revealing much. Way too much gets revealed in trailers these days. At this point, all I know about this new movie is that some sort of bad guys rise up with Kylo Ren being the new Darth Vader-type figure, a bunch of the old characters are back, and the potential two new heroes is that Daisy chick and the black guy who is still out of breath from running. At this point, I think that’s all we should know about the movie. I really dig the whole mystery surrounding this new movie.
Hats off to the filmmakers for marketing this film in the right way unlike nearly every other major studio release.
ok, little bit of science: liquid water is one of the most rare forms of H2O in the universe, so desert planets abound! and it’s called Jakku
Boo
Boo, boo, boo, and of course BOOOOOOOO!…..:)
But I do love the science knowledge about liquid water, I had no idea.
StarForge on that poster in the upper right, that’s what I bet it is. Expanded U Darth Revan stuff there…
Starforge as in the ancient sith weapon….not the shipyard.
wait, maybe I do mean that, now I can’t remember…it’s been too long…
and they did name the new base Starkiller, soooo….
All awesome! Now shut up so I learn nothing else until the movie.
I search Facebook do Yo Joe Depot and find nothing…:(
“Search for” oops
Yeah, it must have changed. I know he’s working on a legit site, too. I’ll get info for everyone.
He is actually just on Instagram right now, but like Matt said, working on a full site.
For anyone interested in entering the drawing for the Star Wars figures, the contest rules can be found on our special Halloween episode!
I hope they tone down the lightsaber duels. The prequels proved bigger isn’t necessarily better. As for Luke, I think it would be awesome if he doesn’t appear until the end of the movie. Thinking The Wizard of Oz or even Wolfman Jack in American Graffiti.
As for story, I wonder of the latest trailer is saying the original rebellion failed even after the Battle of Endor. Or maybe the war is still going on? The trailers suggest the Empire remains very powerful.
I like your idea for Luke, for sure. And I can get on board with less saber action as long as it serves the story and is well executed.
And I’ve wondered about the state of the Rebellion, too. After ROTJ it was largely assumed the war was over or ending (according to the movies, at least.)
This one wasn’t quite the quite the final trailer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdAUiyeJMFQ
quite.
If you’re American it is!
I kid. The international trailer was weird but pretty good.
I think it was specifically Japanese. Which makes sense considering teh large amount of screen time given to BB-8 (their cultural obsession with robots) and the emphasis on family/lineage aspects (traditionally extremely important element of Japanese life).
Either way some of the shots just look mindbogglingly awesome.
Agreed. The intro shot of Rey standing in front of the engine exhaust of a Star Destroyer is soooooo awesome. Also the on-the-wing shot from an x-wing. WOW.
More new Star Wars footage in the form of a TV Ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1lp69VrkgI