Category: The Force Awakens

Ahch-To Or Bust: The Mynocks’ Adventure Across Ireland

Posted on July 2, 2018June 29, 2018 by Head Butler Ryan

Even drenched from the ocean’s spray, nothing could drown out my enthusiasm as we boated out into the wild sea. Swelling in my ears was “Rey’s Theme,” along with “Jedi Steps,” though no one was playing the tunes aloud. Alongside me, besides a handful of strangers and the driver, were two of my best friends, found at a Star Wars convention three years prior. On the horizon, an ancient, mysterious island, Skellig Michael, which I’ve only seen in my dreams (and a film or two), the culmination of our own long and nearly 100% cancelled journey to Ahch-To. Here’s the tale of the Mynocks’ Adventure to Ireland: Ahch-To or Bust. Continue reading “Ahch-To Or Bust: The Mynocks’ Adventure Across Ireland” →

Canon Comic Review: Poe Dameron #28

Posted on June 20, 2018October 29, 2018 by Head Butler Ryan

– Spoiler Review –

Poe Dameron issue #28 continues to show how “The Awakening” arc is a breath of fresh air for the series, as it starts with a surprising, but tasteful twist and ends with a cliffhanger which will keep you asking for more. And this is after learning the series will officially end in September! Continue reading “Canon Comic Review: Poe Dameron #28” →

Canon Comic Review: Poe Dameron #27

Posted on May 23, 2018October 29, 2018 by Head Butler Ryan

– Spoiler Review –

Poe Dameron #27 continues unveiling Black Squadron’s various shenanigans behind-the-scenes from the main events of The Force Awakens, while giving us more delightful moments post-The Last Jedi with the Big Three (as it were) of the sequel trilogy. Continue reading “Canon Comic Review: Poe Dameron #27” →

Canon Comic Review: Poe Dameron #26

Posted on April 18, 2018January 6, 2019 by Head Butler Ryan

– Spoiler Review –

Poe Dameron #26 provides readers with the first glimpse post-The Last Jedi, as Poe, Rey, and Finn pass the time on the Millennium Falcon by hearing Poe’s journey through the recent sequel trilogy films, all of which means “The Awakening” is off to a splendid start that’ll have fans grinning from ear to ear. Continue reading “Canon Comic Review: Poe Dameron #26” →

The Curious Case of Force Ghosts

Posted on September 25, 2017December 18, 2017 by Head Butler Ryan

Force Ghosts, Force Spirits, Blue Jedi Group…call it what you will, but they’ve had a complicated and varied history in Legends, as the ability for Force users to become one had editors and authors alike jumping from retcon to retcon as George Lucas decided to fill in the blanks slowly over time. Once those stories were placed aside for the new canon, Force spirit practitioners went from over 80 individuals to 5 (!), the process and ability to become a spirit stayed complicated but was given some clarity, while Force spirits have since been rarely touched on or discussed. In the Curious Case of Force Ghosts, I’ll be looking at how even though the whole idea of Force spirits got simpler, it has gotten equally more complicated (Yoda’s The Clone Wars arc helped on both ends), offering up curious questions including why Anakin Skywalker hasn’t made many visits (yet), and who’s still haunting around in the sequel trilogy. Strap in, unless you’re a ghost of course then float around at your leisure, as Detective Mynock is about take you on a ghoulish ride into the spirits of Star Wars where the answers might be more fleeting than any of us would like at the moment. UPDATE 12/18/17: I’ve included a section with details gleaned from the release of The Last Jedi. It’s full of spoilers, so don’t read it if you don’t want to be spoiled. Continue reading “The Curious Case of Force Ghosts” →

Interview: Colin Jackman, Key Sculptor with Lucasfilm’s Creature Department

Posted on July 10, 2017June 26, 2018 by Elliot

Colin Jackman Interview — Image Credit: Cinefex

Behind every great creature of the Star Wars universe, there are plenty of humans working hard to make them believable for the audience, even if the character might only appear for a few moments on screen. Given how much details goes into even the most minor of background aliens, it’s no surprise one of the creatures could go on to have a giant fan following no matter their screen time. If you’re curious to learn more regarding behind-the-scenes details for the creation of said creatures, specifically those from the most recent of films The Force Awakens and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, then we here at the Manor have a treat for you. Thanks to some connections by Elliot (his network of spies rivals that of only the Bothans, pre-Death Star II of course), we managed to get an interview with Colin Jackman, a sculptor and special effects man who’s not only worked with Lucasfilm on TFA and Rogue One, but has a long list of projects including Guardians of the Galaxy, Jurassic World, Harry Potter, Band of Brothers…and then some. Together Ryan and Elliot cooked up some questions for Colin (though both Qs & As got looked at by Lucasfilm so don’t go expecting any scoops on upcoming films like The Last Jedi), and his answers are full of insightful looks behind the curtains of creatures like Grummgar from TFA and Bistan and Pao from Rogue One, how to have calm under fandom pressure, and advice for anyone looking to get into the field. Check out our interview with Colin Jackman below! Continue reading “Interview: Colin Jackman, Key Sculptor with Lucasfilm’s Creature Department” →

Rey and the F Word

Posted on June 20, 2017August 11, 2017 by Trinity

(Intro by Head Butler Ryan: This is Trinity’s first post as a contributor here at the Manor! I met her and her husband at Celebration Orlando this year as we waited in line for the Rebels S4 panel and I was fortunate enough to make two new friends, plus interest from her in writing for the site. So give her a giant “Welcome to Fandom” hug over on Twitter @TrubelleNova, after you finish reading her article of course!)

What is Rey to you? When I think about our new Star Wars hero, Rey, I want to know her backstory. I want the question answered: is she a Jakku original or is she the long-lost daughter of Luke Skywalker? Is she the kidnapped baby of Leia and Han Solo or somehow through a long thread connected to Obi-Wan? But Rey is more than each of her story parts that we are so curious about. Let’s start at the beginning.

From the first time we see Rey in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, she is independent. She leads a precarious profession that endangers her life daily and that danger coupled with the harsh elements of an outlaw desert world made her a survivor. The preferred adjective we give to those of her breed is “strong” and she is indeed that. But when fans discuss Rey’s journey, sometimes things go wrong. Her “strength” becomes a liability. Continue reading “Rey and the F Word” →

Young Reader Review: The Force Awakens: Finn’s Story

Posted on September 14, 2016 by Chris

-Spoiler Review-

Set in the same vein as Rey’s Story, a young reader’s adaptation of The Force Awakens which showed the events of the film through Rey’s eyes, released earlier this year, comes Finn’s Story. Jesse Holland re-tells the narrative of The Force Awakens through Finn’s eyes, maybe one of the most undeveloped points of the view in the Sequel Trilogy so far. Is there enough worth gleaning from Finn’s eyes to justify another retreading of the film?

Continue reading “Young Reader Review: The Force Awakens: Finn’s Story” →

Canon Comic Review: The Force Awakens #1-2

Posted on July 28, 2016April 6, 2018 by Chris

For a lot of people, The Force Awakens was a shot of fun and energy into the arm of Star Wars fandom, reinvigorating a love for the franchise with fresh new faces we’ve come to adore, the promise of new adventures, and the chance to revisit some familiar faces. Even the non-Star Wars world was charmed by the film, taking in about 2 billion in the box office. Interestingly enough, when Marvel announced a The Force Awakens comic adaptation, most of the response was lukewarm. Does the series deserve the lukewarm response?

Continue reading “Canon Comic Review: The Force Awakens #1-2” →

LEGO Game Expands The Force Awakens Lore, Respawn Entertainment Working on New Star Wars Game

Posted on May 4, 2016June 9, 2018 by Head Butler Ryan

New details have dropped regarding LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens‘ brand-new story content which expands the film’s lore with levels where you hunt down Rathtars with Han and Chewie, as well as a story following Lor San Tekka prior to the film’s events, while the entire cast returns to voice their characters! Also, Respawn Entertainment (another EA studio) announced today they’re working on a new untitled Star Wars project. More on the LEGO TFA‘s new bits of story and some background on Respawn below! Continue reading “LEGO Game Expands The Force Awakens Lore, Respawn Entertainment Working on New Star Wars Game” →