Nomi Sunrider – Fiction’s Fearless Females

By Jeffrey Cagle of The Imperial Talker

Seeking a refuge for healing and peaceful contemplation, Jedi Knight Nomi Sunrider returns to the planet Ambria and the dwelling of Master Thon, her former Jedi Master. Traveling with Sunrider is her beloved 4-year-old daughter Vima and fellow Jedi Knight Sylvar who, like Nomi, seeks the peace and wisdom which Master Thon can offer. The joyful reunion with Master Thon is brief, however, disrupted by the sudden ambush of reptilian creatures swelling with the Dark Side of the Force and controlled by Sith assassins. Commanded to destroy Master Thon and his company, the Sith-controlled creatures surround the Jedi and launch their assault.

Different Expectations for Different Universes: Why I’m Comfortable Skipping Solo

Let me start off by saying this is not a persuasive essay; it’s an explanatory one.  I’m not trying to convince anyone to skip Solo: A Star Wars Story nor do I think they should if they want to see it.  I hope everyone who wants to see it, does.  And I hope they enjoy themselves!  I’ve talked to a few close friends who saw it and thought it was great.  I’m happy for them.  I don’t want the movie to do poorly or for people to be disappointed.  I just can’t see myself seeing it (at least not yet).  I wasn’t even going to write about this because I didn’t want to seem like I was being contrary just for the sake of it nor that I was trying to trash the film.  But people keep asking me if/when I’m seeing Solo.  I’ve discussed it in Facebook posts, messages and texts, emails, and more than a few times in person with family, friends, and students.  So I just decided to write about it.

Captain Phasma: A Lesson Learned in The Last Jedi

So this isn’t another essay or reflection on The Last Jedi.  I’m not looking deeper at the themes in the film nor am I furthering my analysis on Star Wars’ future as folklore in this post.  Rather, this piece is about an unexpected lesson I learned from The Last Jedi, care of everyone’s favorite chrome-plated stormtrooper Captain Phasma, regarding the growing Disney Canon of works in their Star Wars Universe.  What lesson, you may ask, did you glean from Phasma’s fifteen seconds of screen time?!?  While it’s probably quite the opposite of what Disney would want, I think it will make my Star Wars time far more enjoyable.

In Star Wars…Your Head Canon Is All The Matters

There…I said it.  All that matters is head canon.  The Last Jedi is on its way right?  (Yay!)  With it will come countless analyses, deconstructions, and evaluations (myself included).  No matter where you’re at in the world of Star Wars, you’re going to have opinions (myself included!).  And that’s exciting!  However, the Star Wars community can be volatile at times (especially online).  Instead of sharing our love, we seem to enjoy chastising those who love something else or love what we love in a different way.  Yet we can (and should) happily love what we love and respect what someone else loves too!  At the end of the day, no one can tell you what Star Wars stories move you.  So in the seemingly endless debate over what is or isn’t “canon” or what stories are “best,” the only important question is what do you like?  If the story moves you, it’s part of your Star Wars experience and those are the only stories that really matter. 

Star Wars ComLINKS: Favorite Female Character

Much like Woody Allen Wednesdays took a hit when teaching slowed my participation in joint blogging adventures (papers don’t grade themselves…phooey), I’ve been sadly absent from Anakin and His Angel‘s Star Wars ComLINKS for a few months.  But I’m back baby!  This month, in honor of the Forces Of Destiny cartoon shorts on the Disney YouTube channel, Jenmarie has focused our ComLINKS posts on favorite female characters.  There are so many strong women I love in Star Wars.  Where would we be without Princess Leia??  And we have Padmé Amidala, Mara Jade, Jaina Solo, Admiral Natasi Daala, Shmi Skywalker, and Ahsoka Tano too!  But for me, this post belongs to Mallatobuck.  Malla is Chewie’s wife and their relationship serves as a moving meditation on the strength of love.

Shattered Empire…and Shattered Expectations

A year ago today, Marvel Comics released the first issue of the Star Wars: Shattered Empire miniseries.  It was an exciting and central piece of Disney’s “Journey to The Force Awakens” celebration.  With the old Expanded Universe of stories “thrown out,” this was our first look at the new Disney Canon’s version of what happened immediately after the Battle of Endor.  In the year that’s followed I’ve read seventy comics, eleven novels (five were YA), watched two full seasons of Star Wars: Rebels and (obviously!) seen The Force Awakens (a ridiculous nine times in theatres).  I’ve approached the Disney Canon excitedly, eager to see their new vision of a post-Return Of The Jedi universe…and, honestly, I’ve been disappointed.  For me, it’s not as good as the old EU.  I’m sad, a little frustrated, and (perhaps weirdly) still very hopeful. 

Star Wars, Dark Empire, and the Expanded Universe

For a lifelong fan of comic books and a lover of Star Wars what I’m about to say surprises even me.  I just finished reading the Dark Empire miniseries for the first time.  For real.  How has it taken me so long to read this?!?  I can absolutely see why this is considered such a classic!  With all this excitement running through my being I thought it would be an excellent time to engage in an EPIC lightsaber duel.  However, given the fact that my lightsabers are all the way downstairs and I’m lacking an opponent at the moment, I figured I’d talk about Star Wars, comics, canon, and the Expanded Universe instead.

Star Wars ComLINKS: Favorite Star Wars Memory

I’m participating in a new series on the blog today!  For nearly a year, Jenmarie – who runs the wonderfully eclectic Star Wars blog Anakin and his Angel – has done a monthly feature she opens to all bloggers in love with the galaxy far, far away.  It’s called “Star Wars ComLINKS” and the goal is to inspire those of us who love Star Wars to get together and talk about it.  I’ve come to love participating in the Top Five Wednesdays and I also enjoy the sense of community that comes with the awards and tags circling the blogging world.  So I was excited to join Jenmarie’s ComLINKS and combine that feeling of community with STAR WARS.  What’s not to love??  Anyway, this month’s topic was to discuss a favorite Star Wars memory.

Top Five Wednesday – Most Unlikable Characters

On a non-Top Five Wednesday related note, it’s Mom’s BIRTHDAY today!  Yay!  With that being said, there’s all sorts of celebrating to do…which will actually be super welcome since writing this post has made me really annoyed.  You see, this week, the T5W Goodreads group‘s challenge was to discuss your top five UNLIKABLE characters.  Now, the trick was they weren’t to be villains per se but rather protagonists and/or side characters who are unlikable.  With that being said, let’s just go and get my controversial choice out of the way first…