Rogue One Trailer speculations ...revisited

Last November I wrote a preview of Star Wars Rogue One based on the trailer. And then life happened and I never got around to seeing the movie. Thankfully it came out on Netflix a few weeks ago and I was able to scrape together a few forty minute chunks to watch the movie, I don't have the attention span to watch anything longer than an episode of Game of Thrones in one sitting.

Now that I know what happens I look back on what I thought the movie was going to be. And if you haven't seen it yet this post is super spoilery. But guess what the movie came out in the theater nine months ago, it came out on DVD/Bluray three months ago, its been streaming on Netflix for almost a month, so if you haven't seen it at this point its your own fault.

When does this movie happen? Rogue one takes place somewhere between the time of Episode 3 (Revenge of the Sith) and Episode 4 (A New Hope). How do I know this? They are building the first Death Star, and probably working on the second one as well, which became fully operational in A New Hope. Don't think it was fully operational, ask you friends on Alderaan. Too soon? And Darth Vader is in it.

I was right, it takes place right before the original Star Wars begins. But the Death Star was fully operational. Alderaan was just the first test of the FULL power of the space station.

Is that Rey?No.

So who is that woman who looks like Rey? That character is Jyn Erso. And yes it's confusing to have back to back Star Wars movies with a dark haired, feisty and seemingly independent woman as the protagonist. But they are not the same person.

And Jyn, like Rey (who she is not related to) she speaks with a British accent. But she is not related to her, or Pricness Leia, or Han Solo, or Obi Wan, or any other character you have ever seen in Star Wars. Like Jyn herself, everyone the Star Wars universe she is related is killed during this movie.

Oh my god they cast Mon Mothma awesomely. (Your kids will never ask this but your nerd friends will) That is very true. Genevieve O'Reilly played the same character in Episode 3. Oddly enough both O'Reilly and Caroline Blakiston, who played the older Mon Mothma in the Star Wars saga, are blonde in real life.

And if you thought that was amazing, please take a look at Princess Leia and Governor Tarkin before Carrie Fisher and Peter Cushing's faces were superimposed on them.

So where is Rey?Rey was born somewhere in the 30 years between Return of the Jedi and  The Force Awakens. This movie takes place somewhere in the 20 years before A New Hope. So if that character was Rey, she would have been in her 80s during the Force Awakens.
What about Finn?See "So Where is Rey?" And every African American actor that you will see on screen isn't Finn's dad. Finn may have no relation to anyone we have ever met in the Star Wars universe.

Unless Rey is a time traveler, she nor Finn are in this movie. Wait is Saw Gerrera Finn's grandfather? No he's not.

Are Luke and Leia going to be in it? My guess would be no. Since Darth Vader is there, it takes place after Luke and Leia were born. So they exist. You would assume that there won't be any reason to go to Tatooine, so there won't be a young Luke cameo. But Jimmy Smits as Bale Organa is in the movie so there may be a young Princess Leia cameo.

Darth is in the movie but he looks off. I am not sure what it was. But he was having out in the same kind of water rehab tank that Luke goes into in Empire Strikes Back. Jimmy Smits was there, but its unclear if he dies when the Empire attacks the rebel fleet, or when he gets back to Alderaan. And Leia is in the movie since it take place right before A New Hope. Luke is buying power converters at Tosche Station off screen.


The movie was great, it was a great spy thriller set in the Star Wars universe. I'm glad there were not Jedi's coming out of every corner. When A New Hope happens all of the Jedi were either dead or in deep exile, and there were only two Sith (master and apprentice). Though knowing that all the characters have to die in the end, I never got very attached to any of them. 

My reading journal - Tuesday

My daughter's teacher took making sure her class is reading to the next level. She makes them do a reading journal where you have to write about what you are reading. I love it. So this week I will do it as well.

Tuesday: in a few sentences summarize what you read today.

Beware the Power of the Darkside

By Tom Angleberger

Much to my chagrin my daughters teacher mixed up the reading journal assignments. I guess to keep them fresh. So instead of the book I'm reading ( Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman), since I didn't get a chance to read today I am writing about the book Inread last night to the kids at bed time.

Tphis book is an adaptation of Return of the Jedi, from a series of noveliizations of the original Star Wars Trilogy. Unlike some of the others this one is very close to the original. We are still in the part when the heroes are in Jabba's palace. The kids like my impression of Jabba's laugh and when I speak in huttese and whatever language that Bib Fortunate speaks in. The kids drifted off as the sand skiffs approached the pit of Carkoon, the home of the Sarlac. It's really great that they are enjoying these stories that brought me so much joy when I was their ages.

Star Wars Command

Recently a box came in the mail and even through the mailing address was a PR firm in Manhattan, I know that it actually came from a galaxy far far away. 

Inside the box were a bunch of  figures and play sets from Hasbro's new Star Wars a Command series. When my kids got home from school they couldn't wait to break into the box and check out the toys. 

As the biggest six and four year old Star Wars fans I know they were extremely excited to start playing with the figures. The mini figures which are basically slightly larger and more detailed green army men, featured most of the main characters from the six movies and from the new Disney XD series Star Wars Rebels. From the sets we got, we have Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Chewbaca, Darth Vader, R2D2, Jango Fett, the Emperor ( or Darth Sidious) and Mace Windu, along with armies of storm troopers (mostly snow troopers) and Jedi. 

Soon they realized that the coffee table wasn't big enough for their large scale battle, they moved onto the train table and let the rebels take on the empire the way they were meant to. 

My four year old liked to set up his army (the empire) but wanted no part in letting his sister try to break through his lines with the Millenium Falcon or the other ships which can launch from. spring loaded platforms. Perhaps when he's a bit older he'll get the Crossbows and Catapaults appeal these toys have. 

Both kids really liked the toys and have come back to play with them often after the first time. 

Note: While there was no expection of a review of the products Hasbro did provide me with the toys that were written about in this post. 

If you are at a McDonalds play place don't blast "Let it Go" on you very loud phone speaker. This "play place" is a sanctuary against such things. Now this guy is playing "total eclipse of the heart". Sir ... You are killing me. 

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Red state blue state

these guys don't care

I was pretty disappointed with the results of the election yesterday. But nothing really changes. 

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I read a really good post on my fellow dad Lorne's blog about his experiences this past Halloween. He is such a good story teller, and I wish I could find it in me to write as consistently good as he does. 

Check out the post  -  http://www.raisingsienna.com/stop-pressuring-girlswomen-about-their-bodies-and-marriage-already/

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I wish there were more episodes of Star Wars Lego: the new Yoda chronicles. I crack up every time I watch them.  

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Adrian Peterson beats a four year old bloody. Gets community service, and may be back on a Vikings uniform in a few weeks. Michael Vick does dog fighting, goes to prison for year and a half. And then is suspended further by the league. 

I'm guessing Michael Vick will never participate in dog fighting again. But what happens next time one of Adrian Petersons kids "disrespects" him. 

That being said, do I pick up Peterson on my fantasy team as an insurance policy. 

I had to go get a new key made for my car. How long should this take. Maybe an hour. Honda takes three hours. What the F.  I feel WTF will be a recurring theme. 

Also two hundred bucks for said key. I guess they can charge whatever considering they are the only ones who can program them. At least they added air to my tires and I got to watch Julie and Julia in the waiting room. 

Why are there people at the service department wearing lab coats?

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I am very excited about my progress with earning my woodbadge.  I could finish before Thanksgiving.  I am excited about our troop's short term prospects. But I'm a little worried about the long term. 

At this years SM training it looks like I'll be senior patrol leader. I'm pretty jazzed up about it since I never got to be SPL as a scout.  It's that kind of staff responsibility that will get me my third bead one day. Let's get my first two first. 

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Weird. 

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Really good Halloween spent with friends. Nugget claimed it was the best Halloween ever. 

FYI to all those dad bloggers who were talking about their Star Wars street cred. I think I got you all beat. 

  

Luke ... really?