Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Episode 10: Ackmena

It's our StarWTF!? Life Day Celebration! Today we look at one of the most INSANE Star Wars productions, the Star Wars Holiday Special... and specifically we are discussing Bea Arthur's badass bar tending character, Ackmena. She's the rough and tough nighttime bartender at the Cantina, who is wooed by a man which a volcano head... and did we mention that she sings to the customers? It's both wonderfully entertaining and completely unwatchable.



Download Episode 10 - Ackmena
Ackmena was the nightshift bartender in Chalmun's Cantina in Mos Eisley on Tatooine. She was a favorite amongst the patrons there, as she was more approachable than the daytime bartender, Wuher. 






We also discuss our favorite Star Wars Christmas gifts from over the years.



As well as a few things from our own personal gift wish lists.





Happy Life Day everyone! Goodnight, but not goodbye.

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Episode 9: Dejarik (a/k/a Holochess)

Today we look back at Dejarik, the game that you probably know as "Holochess". It's the chess-like game that Chewbacca and R2-D2 play in the Millennium Falcon. The Dejarik table is a Star Wars icon (even teased by JJ Abrams during episode 7 shooting), but is the game itself any good? And more importantly, if you were playing, would you let the Wookiee win?


Download Episode 9 - Dejarik
Dejarik was a popular holographic game that was played throughout the galaxy. When activated, the game would project holographic playing pieces that resembled dangerous-looking species from throughout the galaxy. The players can move their pieces to attack one another and said pieces will behave like living beings when in battle.


Lots more info at Wookieepedia: http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Dejarik

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Episode 8: Lightwhip

With The Force Awakens trailer out, everyone is buzzing about the new cross-guard lightsaber, but we go way back to the Expanded Universe and talk about the Lightwhip! We discuss the worst possible "light" weapons, and speculate on what we'll see in the sequels. (Note: We recorded this BEFORE The Force Awakens trailer was released, so there's lots of speculation. Alex's was eerily accurate.)


Download Episode 8 - Lightwhip
Lightwhips generally functioned on the same principles and mechanics as lightsabers, emitting a coherent beam of energy that was used as a weapon. However, rather than the straight, meter long blades emitted by standard lightsabers, lightwhips featured long, flexible blades that often exceeded several meters in length.





Lots more info at Wookieepedia: http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Lightwhip

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Episode 7: AT-AT

In this episode, we discuss the coolest looking vehicle in the Star Wars universe. And we get right down to business with the AT-AT vs. A Tee A Tee debate. How do YOU pronounce AT-AT? Then we discuss the practicality of the design. What is inside of this beast of a vehicle??



Download Episode 7 - AT-AT

Since we recorded the episode, we've caused quite a stir online asking people the important question on the pronunciation.


Reddit got pretty crazy. :) 

http://www.reddit.com/r/StarWars/comments/2o0lvb/its_time_to_get_to_the_bottom_of_this_for_once/
Twitter too.



Here's the official Lucas response:
http://techland.time.com/2010/09/02/how-do-you-pronounce-at-at/ 

There was a Kenner commercial that said "at at" about 7,000 times in 30 seconds.


Lego continued the tradition: 


Then decided to change their mind:



But most importantly we have this:


And there it is! The word from Joe Johnston, Art Director on Empire Strikes Back and DESIGNER OF THE AT-AT. "Imperial Snowalker" has a nice ring to it...

Saturday, November 29, 2014

Special Episode: The Force Awakens Teaser Trailer

The Force Awakens trailer is here! We've watched it a few dozen times and are ready to discuss it in a special edition of StarWTF!? This one is a little more speculation than education as we know as much as you do. We just may have watched it a few more times.



Download Special Episode: The Force Awakens Teaser Trailer

Note: We discuss a few character /casting rumors that are going around so there may be a few small spoilers in here.

Stick around until the end for Alex Strang's shot by shot trailer commentary. It's a doozy.


And some YouTube videos for those who haven't seen them.  Here's the trailer.



And as promised... the Lego version of the trailer.


Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Episode 6: Blue Milk

We get to the bottom of the most famous drink in all of the Star Wars universe... blue milk! We figure out where it comes from and desperately try to figure out why.  



We also talk about how much of this Luke actually drinks and whether or not it has medicinal effects. It's all crazy, as you would expect.

Download Episode 6 - Blue Milk


Luke pours his 5th glass of blue milk.




Bonus: This week's StarWTF?! Game Show has the depressed engineer Neil Barani trying so hard to guess what Rogue Angel 7 is.



Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Episode 5: IG-88

In this episode, we discuss the ever-stable & always awesome bounty hunter IG-88. It's an assassin droid with seconds of screen time, but pages and pages of Expanded Universe backstory. And that story is intense.  



We also learn what "IG" stands for (it's not exciting at all) and how creative they were in naming all 4 IG's as well as IG-88's aptly named ship, the IG-2000. It's a longer episode than normal, but well worth the length.

Download Episode 5 - IG-88

And while we're at it, let's take a quick look at the many toy variations of IG-88.


1980 Kenner Figure

Star Wars: Unleashed

Gentle Giant Mini-Bust

Kubrick



Mini Muggs 
Lego 10188 & 10221

Bonus: This week's StarWTF?! Game Show has the gang member Mors Demanna trying so hard to guess what Erep is.



Episode 3: Ice Cream Maker Guy (Repost)

(NOTE: This is a repost because we had an iTunes feed issue.) 

In this episode, we try to figure out the story on Ice Cream Maker Guy a/k/a Willrow Hood. You know.. that guy that runs by in Cloud City carrying an ice cream maker? He has two seconds of screen time and 12 paragraphs of backstory!



This is definitely digging deep into Star Wars fandom, but you would be surpassed. THEY MADE AN ACTION FIGURE OF THIS GUY!

We have so many questions. Who is Willrow Hood? What is he carrying? Did he survive?

Download Episode 3 - Ice Cream Maker Guy



Look for him at the 12 second mark of this 16 second clip.



Bonus: This week's StarWTF?! Game Show has special guests Rodian treasure hunter Suz Tanwa and Major Lariss also known as "Major Nose" trying to define the random Star Wars Wookieepedia article of the week.


Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Episode 4: The Podrace

In this episode, we discuss everyone's favorite scene from everyone's favorite movie. It's the Boonta Eve Classic, otherwise known as the Podrace from Episode 1: The Phantom Menace. 



We learn all about the aliens. Did you know that some of them finished the race? We thought they all died! And how about Ben Quadinaros? What's his deal? There's quite a bit going on in this 4 hour long scene and it led to our longest episode yet, clocking in at a whopping 39 minutes.

Download Episode 4 - The Podrace

The original Lego Podrace set! Look how far we've come.




Bonus: This week's StarWTF?! Game Show has Dash Rendar's repair droid LE-BO2D9 trying to guess what Stomper 1 is, and why it is important in the Star Wars universe.

Special guest Leebo!


Friday, November 7, 2014

NEWS: Star Wars Episode 7 is called The Force Awakens!?

They don't announce a new Star Wars title every day. So when Star Wars officially announced that Episode 7 was called "The Force Awakens" we instantly got the group together to discuss it. Here's a quick mini episode of StarWTF!? where we speculate about the title and educate Alex on midichlorians.

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Episode 3: Ice Cream Maker Guy

In this episode, we try to figure out the story on Ice Cream Maker Guy a/k/a Willrow Hood. You know.. that guy that runs by in Cloud City carrying an ice cream maker? He has two seconds of screen time and 12 paragraphs of backstory!



This is definitely digging deep into Star Wars fandom, but you would be surpassed. THEY MADE AN ACTION FIGURE OF THIS GUY!

We have so many questions. Who is Willrow Hood? What is he carrying? Did he survive?

Download Episode 3 - Ice Cream Maker Guy



Look for him at the 12 second mark of this 16 second clip.



Bonus: This week's StarWTF?! Game Show has special guests Rodian treasure hunter Suz Tanwa and Major Lariss also known as "Major Nose" trying to define the random Star Wars Wookieepedia article of the week.