fabiochiu/medium-articles huggingface dataset:
Session 3: Chequa’s Report. Chequa drafts a report for the crime…
By: Johan Solo
Tags: Chequa Nomi, Star Wars, The Hunted Campaign, Session Intro, Sunrise On Ord Mantell

The following is an excerpt from a report drafted by Chequa Nomi, addressed to Phoenix:

…As for the group’s investigation of the Scurrybuck, they didn’t tell us much over the comlink. It seems that the ship was destroyed but still heavily guarded by droids. Kirsk Va’Rel is dead, but they were able to recover the Black Box flight recorder. It’s likely that between Y-459 and your technicians, we can glean some information from it that would help us confirm who attacked the Scurrybuck. Va’Rel’s log was a valuable find, it seems that we underestimated Mr. Geth’s investigative abilities.

The ship has picked up ore and minerals at some place called “Salvation’s Hand” on Iridonia, along with an unknown cargo that we now know to be slaves. The purveyor is listed as “The Saviors.” The ore and minerals were to be delivered to the Guild of Dust as expected, but the slaves were scheduled for delivery to a “Project Beacon.”

Both the slaves and Va’Rel died before he could change course and reach you, except one survivor. She is a Twi’lek girl around age 10 with one missing lekku, replaced by a wooden prosthetic. Sunshine told Y-4 that the kid is in good health. She is in the care of the Bothan tracker Yim Natach, as of 0600 on the 12th day of the Month of Wind, 3rd Year of the Empire.
Quotes from “The Mandalorian” That Work for Art School Critiques
By: Jason Tselentis
Tags: Star Wars

Probably not.

Anyone else?

That’s not saying much.

I told you that was a bad idea.

I will help you. I have spoken.

Stop touching things.

Was that the plan?

You done?

Nice distraction.

This is the way.
The Mandalorian’s Latest Season is a Major Improvement Over The First — But…
By: Maxance Vincent
Tags: Disney Plus, Culture, Star Wars, The Mandalorian, TV

Season 2 seems to be focused on setting up the multiple (and eternal) spin-offs we’ll get in a few years; introducing the live-action versions of Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) and Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) from The Clone Wars and Rebels, an updated, more badass iteration of Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) accompanied by a resurrected Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen, who we’ll see in next year’s The Bad Batch). Even if most of the side-quests involving these characters are excellent — particularly the ones involving Bo-Katan, Koska Reeves (Mercedes Varnado), and Axe Wolves (Simon Kassianides), it still feels too “fan-servicey” for my taste.

Pedro Pascal, Mercedes Varnado, Katee Sackhoff and Simon Kassianides in “The Mandalorian” (2020, Lucasfilm Limited/Disney+)

Season 2’s plot is essentially comprised of The Mandalorian tasked to bring back The Child (revealed to be named Grogu…but no fan will be calling him that anytime soon) to his own kind. The first six episodes of the series feature a “character of the week” in which Mando is tasked to do a pointless side-quest or encounters a bump in his adventure to obtain information on Jedis, which will allow Grogu to be back with his own kind. “We’ll give you this one word if you do this thing we have to do that does not correlate with the actual story” is a line MANY characters use during its second season — and the “thin plot” that’s holding the fort is barely there.

However, most of The Mandalorian’s “bonus adventures” are fantastic to watch and provide great, weekly catharsis to liberate yourself from the uncertainty we’ve been living in since March. Bryce Dallas Howard’s episode is, bar none, the season’s very best — both containing terrifically choreographed action that combines exciting combat with pulse-pounding blaster fights, directed with such passion that it brings out the best in Star Wars action, making the audience on edge during the entire sequence. Who can forget the thrilling tie-fighter chase in the fourth episode that contains’ some of the series’ very best CGI pyrotechnics and action with an emphasis on movement taking center stage? Most of its action sequences and visual effects don’t feel like a TV show but an actual movie, one of The Mandalorian’s most impressive feats.

Only one episode has such a drop-down in quality with terribly shot and cheaply choreographed action that made the episode feel like a true fan film, and Robert Rodriguez’s. This director is known for making films on the cheap, and it (embarrassingly) shows this time around. None of the action is as impactful as the previous (and next) episodes and feels like the production level of a SyFy TV show. Thankfully, it’s the only episode that felt televisual, and the human performance of Pedro Pascal manages this episode to be somewhat watchable.

*Last warning: Major spoiler ahead!*
I was the biggest Star Wars fan in high school.
By: Lea Hernandez Seidman
Tags: Star Wars, Admiral, Carrie Fisher

I was the biggest Star Wars fan in high school. I loved the movie. I loved that Leia was a badass, but also vulnerable.

I was close in age to Fisher so I strongly identified with her. Unaware of her relationship with Ford, though, I had two relationships with men 10+ years older than me, they were both abusive.

Guys in their 20s and up, like Ford and my exes, who choose women still in their teens are deliberately selecting someone they tell themselves is their intellectual and social inferior.

Joke’s on them.
Mandalorian: How the series could look for season 3
By: Aaron Johnson
Tags: Star Wars, Grogu, Mandalorian, Luke Skywalker

In the last episode of the second season of The Mandalorian, we see that Grogu’s call for a Jedi is finally answered by none other than Luke Skywalker. This shift of events leaves a lot of questions for fans of The Mandalorian along with fans of Star Wars in general. Is Grogu going to return in season 3? Does Kylo Ren kill Grogu when he turns to the dark side? What is the next step for Din Djarin?

Grogu, commonly known as Baby Yoda, has found himself out of the care of The Mandalorian and in training with Luke Skywalker as the season ends. If Grogu is to stay with Luke for the full extent of his training, that would mean he is inevitably left to an untimely death at the hand of Kylo Ren. Though that seems like an unlikely answer, that is what the timeline would currently suggest. I personally believe Grogu will cross paths and come back to Din Djarin, but as of right now we have to wait a year to see what comes of the fate of Grogu.

As for Din Djarin, there is one story that is sure to be played out. He is currently the wielder of the dark saber, a weapon that is wielded by the leader of Mandalore. The problem is, the saber must be won through combat, and Bo Katan is preparing a way for herself to be the leader of Mandalore. I expect an impressive battle between the two, which I can only assume must be won by Bo Katan in order for her to claim the throne. Another possibility is that Din actually sees the power that comes with the possession of the dark saber and uses it to his advantage. We all know he is willing to take risks he isn’t exactly proud of in order to fulfill a larger goal.

Only time will tell what is to come of these beloved characters, but for now, you know we will be discussing all theories while we wait to see.
How to Explain to Your Wife Why You Find “Star Wars” Emotional While Clinging to Your Masculinity
By: Joel Eisenberg
Tags: Culture, Movies, Star Wars, Television, Comedy

How to Explain to Your Wife Why You Find “Star Wars” Emotional While Clinging to Your Masculinity

Yoda, from “The Empire Strikes Back”; Copyright 1980 The Walt Disney Company

From the perspective of a straight gentleman eight years removed from being a senior citizen, who’s convinced his spiritual guide Yoda would advise him thusly …

You don’t.

Impossible, it is.

The end.

I now invite my friends in the LGBTQ community to share their equivalent experiences …
‘This is the Waycast’ Episode 8: Chapter 16 “The Rescue”
By: Zach Perilstein
Tags: Disney Plus, Star Wars, The Mandalorian, This Is The Waycast, Podcast

‘This is the Waycast’ Episode 8: Chapter 16 “The Rescue”

Join Zach Perilstein, Sara Edwards, Giovanni Delgadillo, and Elizabeth Pfeiffer as they break down and analyze this week’s episode of ‘The Mandalorian’ named “The Rescue.” Where The Mandalorian and his crew go on a rescue mission for Grogu on Moff Gideon’s ship. Zach Perilstein Follow Dec 18, 2020 · 1 min read

SPOILER WARNING FOR The Mandalorian

This is it! The season finale of season two of The Mandalorian and the first season of this podcast This is the Waycast. Thank you to all of our listeners for joining us every week. Today the hosts talk about “The Rescue” and dive deep into Zach’s amazing theory for the rest of The Mandalorian, the Skywalker Saga, and the Star Wars Universe.

Zach, Sara, Giovanni, and Elizabeth break down and discuss arguably the biggest episode of The Mandalorian yet. You won’t want to miss this pod!

This is the Waycast will return for season two in December 2021.

Anchor:

Apple Podcasts:

Spotify:

All episodes of This is the Waycast are available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Boardwalk Times — The Destination for True Disney Parks Fans Plus Everything Else.
What if Luke Skywalker listened to his inner critic about risk and failure? — GROW Counseling
By: Grow Counseling
Tags: Failure, Atlanta Counseling, Chances, Star Wars, Risk

Spoiler Alert! I’m going to talk about Star Wars. If you haven’t seen the original trilogy, you might want to do that first; it’s about to get nerdy.

This blog asks the question, what could have happened if Luke Skywalker had listened to his inner critic about risk and failure and how that might apply to your life.

What might have happened if Luke Skywalker had not joined Obi-Wan Kenobi in rescuing Princess Lea instead saying, “What is the point?,” “It will never get any better,” “I’m not worth it,” “There’s something wrong with me,” or “I might fail”? He could have possibly avoided many dangers or failures, such as when he disobeyed Yoda by bringing his weapons into the cave on Dagobah, or not completing his training before facing Darth Vader.

I would argue that his choice to risk failure and learning from those mistakes makes his journey in becoming a Jedi meaningful and compelling.

I often hear clients use these self-critical phrases. Naturally, it’s a risk to try something new, and setting a goal means that you have also set the conditions for failure. If you have tasted disappointments in your life, it is understandable that you would not want to risk another.

However, there is still pain and suffering in the status quo without risk and missed opportunities.

Luke did not become a Jedi without help and support from others, and I don’t believe it’s an accident that a desert and swamp are the birthplaces for his transformation.

When you take risks towards a goal, it’s important not to go alone.

You may not have someone you can feel safe talking to about your pain. If that is true for you, then finding a trained therapist can help you face the discomfort of past failures and hurts as you discover who you want to be.

You may know that Star Wars was heavily influenced by Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces. The question I’d like to leave you with is, will you answer the call to adventure, move towards your goals, find meaning in your suffering or listen to the inner critic?

“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek” - Joseph Campbell

Written by: Dustin Ellis
Are there any Tusken Raider Jedi?
By: Dexter Roona
Tags: Star Wars Rebels, Jedi, Star Wars, The Mandalorian, Tusken Raiders

It is highly debated as to if there were any real Tusken Raider Jedi. What we do know is that any Tusken Jedi that there were have been heavily de-canonized and pushed into Star Wars Legends.

The Tusken Raider Jedi

The Tusken Raiders of Tatooine are a formidable race of nomadic tribes that are spread far and wide across the sands of the Dune Sea.

The mainstream canon is guilty of sidelining parts of the Tusken Raider origins which has led to part of their story turning into legend. One such being the Tusken Raider who became a Jedi and then a Sith Lord.

Sharad Hett was a famous Jedi Master who exiled himself on Tatooine. He became disillusioned with his life as a Jedi after the loss of his family. Sharad Hett embraced the culture of the Tusken Raiders.

Image source Comicvine

Sharad Hett’s son A’Sharad, trained as a Jedi after his father’s death and fought in the Clone Wars. He was a survivor of Order 66.

He grew up in the Tusken culture, living as one of the Sand People. A’Sharad Hett entered the Jedi Order while still wearing the Tusken Raiders traditional head wrappings

However, Obi-Wan forced him off Tatooine in shame after a duel, and he was captured by the Yuuzhan Vong. He emerged from the Vong’s clutches a changed man, and he took the name Darth Krayt.

Image Source Imgur

“I have been through death and conquered it. I have returned with my power multiplied. The dark side of the Force lives and manifests itself through me! I reach into the dark side now and send ripples through it to all who serve it — know that I live!”

As well as the Hett’s there was also Tahiri Veila.

Image Source

She was the daughter of moisture farmers and was adopted by the Tuskens after her parents died.

She later joined Luke’s Jedi Praxeum, and fought in the Yuuzhan Vong War.
Ming-Na Wen confirms her role in “The Bad Batch” series
By: Sara Edwards
Tags: Disney Plus, Disney, The Clone Wars, Star Wars, Television

Disney+

Disney Investor Day revealed a first look at The Clone Wars sequel series The Bad Batch and about halfway through the sizzle real, we are given a super quick appearance from what looked like Fennec Shand.

The Mandalorian actress Ming-Na Wen confirmed on Twitter that she will be in The Bad Batch voicing her character Fennec Shand.

“Do you know how long I’ve had to keep silent about Fennec coming back?” Wen said in an interview with Star Wars. “This is the first time I’ve been able to talk about it!”

Wen first appeared in The Mandalorian in Season One as a bounty hunter on Tatooine being tracked down by Mando and rookie Toro Calican. The episode ends with Calican shooting Shand and a mysterious figure approaching her body which is later revealed to be Boba Fett.

Shand appears once again in Season Two of The Mandalorian with Boba after he helped her mend from the gunshot and is now aiding Mando in getting Grogu back from Moff Gideon.

Shand’s role in The Bad Batch has not been identified yet but we’ll certainly get an early look of her bounty-hunting days and potentially the work she did before Tatooine.

The Bad Batch will premiere on Disney+ in 2021.

Sara Edwards is the Star Wars Writer for Boardwalk Times.
The Last Jedi knew exactly what it was doing with Snoke.
By: Mikhail L. Skoptsov
Tags: Star Wars, Star Wars The Last Jedi, The Last Jedi

The Last Jedi knew exactly what it was doing with Snoke.

Screencap: Snoke is reduced to a footnote in the history of Kylo Ren.

When I first saw it in theaters, I remember getting a grin on my face as I realized where the throne room confrontation was going. The scene generated a tremendous amount of suspense by letting the viewer in on the fact that Kylo Ren was covertly moving Rey’s lightsaber right under Snoke’s nose. Once the moment arrived, my mouth was agape and I was ready to declare TLJ the best Star Wars movie.

Rian Johnson had pulled a Game of Thrones-esque plot turn that revealed the new trilogy’s Emperor figure to have been a self-aggrandizing narcissist and poseur. With my next article, I hope to help shift the discourse around Snoke and demonstrate that TLJ provided viewers with a great sense of who Snoke was, even as it didn’t answer resolve any of the mysteries surrounding him.
Star Wars Ice sculpture
By: Woxyd Com
Tags: Pictures, Starwars, Sculpture

Woxyd is the fun page of the internet. Be a part of Woxyd for funny memes, NewGifs, anything that can keep you entertained! | Woxyd.com
Rose Tico is 5’2” So Here Are 52 Reasons Why She Rocks
By: Maggie Chirdo
Tags: Culture, Rian Johnson, Rose Tico, The Last Jedi, Star Wars

Rose Tico is 5’2” So Here Are 52 Reasons Why She Rocks

Graphic by author.

It has been three years since the world first met starfighter mechanic extraordinaire Rose Tico in The Last Jedi and we’re still not over how perfect and powerful and passionate she is! And yes, we’re still pissed about her lack of screen time in The Rise of Skywalker and the assholes masquerading as Star Wars fans that drove Kelly Marie Tran, who portrayed her, off social media. But this blog is focused on what we love about Rose Tico, because as she once said to the equally incredible Finn: “That’s how we’re gonna win. Not fighting what we hate. Saving what we love.” Without further ado, here’s 52 little love letters to our shining star.
So, every movie is a sequel?
By: Ripton Rosen
Tags: Star Wars, Movies, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe

I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but every movie (fine, a simple grand majority) is one of these: a spinoff, sequel, part of a universe, a remake. It’s not just anecdotal evidence, it’s empirical. Of the top 25 grossing movies domestically, according to Box Office Mojo, 21 of them fall into one of those categories.

But, seriously, why deviate from this new normal? It makes money… a lot. If you have a piece of intellectual property (IP) and it’s made money, why not ride the wave? Standalone films have a far higher propensity to flop at the box office, or what’s left of it now in 2020.

There’s been a mad dash by media conglomerates to buy up all of the IP left. Book series’ get snatched up immediately, Microsoft bought Bethesda, Amazon is buying everything. Everyone has a streaming service and they need something to get you in there that no one else has. Flagships aren’t just for fleets and retail stores.

If you’re Disney and Marvel and Star Wars gross billions of dollars worldwide per year, pumping out as much content with either of those names attached are in the best interest of your shareholders, and therefore you. Creating something new, different, not attached to major IP just isn’t worth the gamble. Give the people what they want. They trust that Marvel movies will be good, so they’ll see them. They’ll go see a DC movie in the hopes that it’ll be good, or an entertainment train wreck.

Original content has departed from movie theaters and been sent to television, where content and top-billing actors and actresses went to die, but the landscape has shifted. Television has allowed showrunners to dictate their own terms and create their own content. No longer are they confined to a 2 hour movie, they now get 10 hours to convey their message. A-list actors and actresses now seamlessly shift between the amorphous line of demarcation; television and cinema.

Buy some IP and make a bunch of movies… and money.
We Need to Talk About the Hand Scene in “The Last Jedi”
By: Lea Antonette Veloso
Tags: Entertainment, Culture, Movies, The Last Jedi, Star Wars

It has been exactly three years since Rian Johnson blessed movie screens across the galaxy with The Last Jedi, the second installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy. Say what you want about the movie, but The Interlude — in our managing editor’s words — is a pro-TLJ publication. (No slander accepted!) The movie brought so much potential to Star Wars as a whole (A Newer Hope, if you will) by integrating refreshing plot lines, skewing grumpy fanboys’ expectations, and most importantly, introducing the most erotic scene to come out of the franchise.

To recap: Kylo Ren and Rey had just found out that they could communicate with each other through the Force. Rey is on the planet Ach-To still trying to convince Luke Skywalker to train her. Kylo, on the other hand, is still sulking in his quarters parsecs away after he destroyed his Darth Vader tribute helmet (you know, after nearly shooting down his own mother and getting a lecture from his boss). The duo doesn’t choose when to connect with each other, but they just do so when the Force tells them to. In the first couple of meetings, it’s completely awkward. Kylo slides into the hallway after getting his love-scar that Rey gave him in The Force Awakens stitched, and then Rey shoots his figure with a blaster, only in real life to shoot the glorious Fish Nuns who care for the water planet.

Rey calls Kylo somewhat profane things, yelling at him for murdering his hot father, but Kylo doesn’t flinch at all. We see the buildup of Kylo pining for Rey and the truth that comes out of the rise of Kylo Ren, being betrayed by his own uncle. The pop-up meetings are obviously tense, but Kylo’s charm is so alluring in comparison to his whiney self in the previous movie. The audience AND Rey are both enchanted and surprised in how he’s responding. It’s no wonder why all the TikTok Fancams of Kylo are quotes of these meetups remixed with Doja Cat songs. The particular quotes: “You are a monster,” says Rey, “Yes I am,” says Kylo and cue the sultry chorus of “Freak Like Me.” “Let the past die, kill it if you have to” still echoes in my mind from day to day because of Adam Driver’s spicy delivery.
The Last Jedi Three Years Later
By: Tom Farr
Tags: Star Wars, Rian Johnson, Lucasfilm, The Last Jedi

Disney Lucasfilm

I remember watching the trailer for The Last Jedi, the eighth film in the Skywalker Saga, a few months before it released and thinking that it was going to a satisfying continuation of the story established in The Force Awakens. Admittedly, I walked out of the theater the day before opening day (I got to see it early) thinking I was right, but after watching it two more times, I found my opinion of it souring quickly. By the end of my third viewing, I’d decided it wasn’t a very good continuation of the Skywalker Saga, which, depending on who you ask, is a controversial opinion.

I won’t walk through all of my criticisms of it here, but I’ve already done that elsewhere, but it’s clear that The Last Jedi was a polarizing movie. You either love it, or you hate it. I haven’t met many people with opinions in the middle.

It’s been three years since the movie released, and while I wouldn’t say my opinion on the movie has really changed much, I have made peace with it. There are some great things about the movie. It’s visually stunning, and I love the connection between Rey and Kylo Ren. The scene with Luke facing off with Kylo at the end is entertaining, if only he’d actually been present instead of just a Force projection. And Rian Johnson is a talented filmmaker. Just watch Knives Out if The Last Jedi doesn’t convince you.

The Rise of Skywalker fuels much of my newfound appreciation for Episode VIII. Luke confesses to the error of his ways in The Last Jedi, acknowledging that his actions were out of character, which is true to life. We all do things that are out of character sometimes. And it recognized that Snoke and, indirectly, Kylo Ren were unreliable narrators. We had reason to question Kylo’s revelation that Rey’s parents were nobodies, even if Kylo himself believed it.

And the concept of the last Jedi was certainly worth exploring. The film revealed that the Jedi didn’t just reappear in the galaxy after Palpatine was killed in Return of the Jedi, and because Luke is the one with the most knowledge about the Jedi, if he died, he would be the last. His belief that the Jedi needed to end was a powerful and disruptive one. I was okay with this idea. It challenged expectations in a good way. In a way, the Skywalker Saga has always been based around the question, “What if the galaxy were better without the Jedi?” Thankfully, Luke comes to the conclusion that it wouldn’t, and I love it when he says, “I won’t be the last Jedi.”

After three years, my criticisms of The Last Jedi remain, but I’ve grown to appreciate it as a part of the overall story. It’s not without its flaws, but there are some powerful ideas there, and Star Wars remains my favorite story in the world.
Dr. ThurmThurm’s The Mandalorian Chapter 15 Review
By: Dr. Thurmthurm
Tags: Star Wars, Disney Plus, The Mandalorian

Chapter 15 of The Mandalorian is a surprisingly effective episode that shows just how far Mando is willing to go to save Grogu. With some nice action set pieces, and strong performances this week’s episode has stuck with me more than I thought it would.

I didn’t think I was going to like this episode. We knew Bill Burr’s character was returning and I thought it might be another forced comedic relief appearance similar to chapter 12 this season. Thankfully I was wrong as this week delivered a some surprisingly good performances from both him and Pedro Pascal. The setup is simple. Mando and friends which of course now includes Boba Fett, are on a mission to find Moff Gideon’s location, and must infiltrate an imperial base to do so. What’s makes it fun is the unique challenges Mando faces separated from his armor, and under imperial disguise. The long chase sequence in the first half of the episode is surprisingly intense with some great choreography. Without his armor the threat feels real especially when his pursuers are so relentless. It also helps build some chemistry between Mando and Mayfeld which really makes the second half of the episode work. And finally ending that sequence with the empire coming in to save the day is a very interesting moment in Star Wars history.

The second half of the episode on the other hand gave us a great scene forcing Mando to take off helmet to get the job done. The scene reminded me a bit of the basement shootout in Inglorious Bastards. You can feel the tension rising until it ultimately boils over. It also serves as a sort of redemption for the character Mayfeld which is something I didn’t know I wanted. Great dialogue, and performances really elevate this above what it could have been. Then they cap it the episode off with a great monologue from Mando mirroring words from Moff Gideon last season. It’s very effective and got me really hyped for next week. I also want to give a shoutout to Boba Fett’s new paint job. Excuse my language but it’s fucking glorious. That’s what Boba Fett should look like. The darker shade of green and red armor over the black robe looks phenomenal, and I can’t wait to see them show it off more next week. We also got to see him use those awesome pulse bombs from Attack of the Clones which might have been the biggest hype moment of the whole episode.

There are better episodes of The Mandalorian, but I found this one to be surprisingly entertaining and effective. It serves to move us along to the next thing in the series while also giving us some of the best character moments of the season. Great performances, writing, and set pieces elevate this above the average Mandalorian side story. Next week is better off because of the quality of this episode and I’m so hyped to see Mando and company go rescue the kid. This week’s episode gets a good, but almost great recommendation from me.

Check back next week for my review of Chapter 16 of the Mandalorian. For more content follow me on Twitter @DrThurmThurm and @drthurmthurm on TikTok.
Where to find the best double lightsaber fx?
By: Mazsaber Online
Tags: Lightsaber, Star Wars, Light, Party, Fun

The great-looking lightsaber fx! It looks so amazing that everyone will want to hold that in their hand. A perfect emblem of Sith Lords and Jedi, a glowing mystical blade related to the peace in the Galactic Republic, can be the best and an affordable gift for any Star War fans. If you have arrived here because you want to buy a double-bladed lightsaber, you are in the right place, either for your kids or yourself.

Thanks to modern technology, now you can buy a durable and stylish lightsaber online. Speaking more about them, they are basically a PVC tube filled with LED lights and come attached with a metallic handle. In the market, you will find different types of them, but there are some features that you should consider to get the best one. Let’s have a look at those features.

The design factors

One of the most crucial factors you need to consider while buying a lightsaber fx is the design. Here, you should be looking for the nature of the hilt. You will find models having metallic or plastic hilt. If you want to buy a lightsaber with a plastic hilt, make sure that they are strong enough to sustain the stress of cosplay battles. Besides, you should also make sure the hilts feel and look like a real lightsaber.

Don’t forget to check the sound effects

To give you a realistic feeling, the double lightsaber that you are buying should have a fantastic sound effect- for example, the sound of sparkling and buzzing. However, different blades will create different sounds with unique properties. So, you need to look for a lightsaber that can provide you genuine movie sounds, motion sensor-controlled sounds, and humming sounds.

Blade light

The double saber should come with some fantastic visual effect. However, it has been seen that the visual effects in some of the blades are designed to appear a little shaky. This will make the lightsaber seem to vibrate. Besides, the blades of the lightsaber also complement the visual effect adding some sound effects. Some blades can even change colors. On the other hand, the right quality blade like that you will find online can also offer a stunningly looking transition from blue to red or vice-versa. So, a great exciting experience, choose a blade that has the color-switching feature.

Consider the power options

In general, a dual lightsaber is battery powered. Most of the models are powered by batteries, and you can get the batteries in the package or buy them separately based on the lightsaber models you are buying. Without any power source, they won’t be able to produce movie sounds and visual effects. While considering the power, it is crucial to consider some other features, like power-saving features.

Besides, check the warranty and money-back guarantee that you will get with the products. Make sure that the seller offers at least a 30-day money-back guarantee with a 1-year warranty. For the best product, you can check the online stores dealing with lightsaber.
The Tao of Star Wars
By: John Gonzalez
Tags: Star Wars Taoism, The Tao Of Star Wars, Star Wars The Last Jedi, Star Wars, Star Wars Philosphy

I’m a few decades late, but I finally finished watching the original Star Wars trilogy. I’ve also been reading a translation of the Tao Te Ching and couldn’t help but notice how the films illuminate a subtle concept from the philosophy: weakness over strength.

I’m fascinated by the strength of weak things, how weakness that flows can be stronger than strength that is rigid. The palm tree sways with the wind and stays standing as the tough oak tree falls. The water nourishes the roots in soil that a shovel could never penetrate. Passivity is not passive. Weakness is not weak. Strength is not strong.

The supreme good is like water

Which nourishes all things without trying to.

It is content with the low places that people disdain.

Thus it is like the Tao.

Chapter 8, Tao Te Ching. Translation by Stephen Mitchell

At the end of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, Luke defeats the Empire not through his lightsaber and X-Wing, but through weakness. Only when he tosses his weapon aside and lets Emperor Palpatine repeatedly electrocute him without reaction does he awaken the humanity inside his father, Darth Vader. Vader’s humanity had remained hidden for the entire trilogy, as Luke attacked, reacted, and fought back repeatedly. Luke won by allowing the evil of the Empire to be as clear and reflective through their actions as possible. He held up a mirror to his father, and Darth Vader saw the evil for himself. Luke did not give up or get cynical or give into nihilism either. His non-action was active. “I’ll never turn to the dark side.” It was a conscious choice that telegraphed to his father: look at what you condone, look at who you are. That wasn’t reactive, cowardly, or resentful. That was true power.

Practice not-doing,

And everything will fall into place.

Chapter 3, Tao Te Ching. Translation by Stephen Mitchell

Often, restraining our strength is powerful. Force of will may not reflect the will of the Force. Listen, don’t talk. Flow, don’t react.
Running Commentary 12/14/2020
By: Derek Edwards
Tags: Battlebots, Star Wars, Mandalorian, Warframe, Birds

Warframe

I’d just like to let my readers know that Digital Extremes and Epic Games have reunited, with Warframe now being offered on the Epic Store. To celebrate, DE has made a few weapon skins in the style of weapons from Unreal Tournament, which, as I mentioned in my Warframe review, DE and Epic had jointly developed. If you install Warframe through the Epic Store, you can also get a bundle with these skins and the weapons they’re for. That’s three free primary weapons, which are all pretty good. The promotion ends on Christmas Eve, so get going if you want to pick the bundle up.

BattleBots

I’ll start by saying that Shatter performed really well this week. That bot has set the standard, in my mind, for hammer bots.

Our lesson in bot design this week is:

Have a plan for being upside-down.

You can have some self-righting mechanism, as Witch Doctor and Rusty do. You can be invertible, and still be able to drive and attack while upside-down, like many drum spinners. You can have a weapon that can flip you back over, like Bronco. You can have a tremendous moment of angular momentum that keeps you from flipping over to begin with; many horizontal spinners take this approach. Tracer had nothing, sadly.

Black Dragon vs. Kraken ended in a controversial split decision. I agree with the judges; while Kraken certainly controlled much of the fight, Black Dragon was more aggressive and did more damage.

The most entertaining bout of the night was Mammoth vs. Huge. That was honestly one of the best fights in BattleBots, period. It was an incredibly close match, with Huge very nearly crippling Mammoth several times. Mammoth had only one path to victory, but they were able to take it.

Most impressive rookie of the night goes to Claw Viper, which proved itself durable, quick, and able to stay in control of the fight. I can see this bot winning many more matches this season.

Perfect Phoenix, aka Tombstone, Jr., had the most decisive win of the night, a one-hit knockout that was very much Ray Billings’ style being emulated. I’ve seen some grumbling that the bot is just Paul Ventimiglia’s Brutality under a new name and ownership, which, yes, is certainly true, but I don’t expect that pre-teens would be building bots from scratch.

The main event was between Hydra and Witch Doctor. I will concur with Jake Ewart that Witch Doctor is one of the more overrated bots in the competition. I’ve always thought they gained fans more through schtick than performance. That said, I would also call Hydra overrated. They coasted into last season’s tournament off of wins against the likes of Free Shipping and War Hawk, as well as a very off-their-game Bronco, only to be eliminated immediately after contact with actual top-tier bots. Even in this match, Hydra barely won.
Star Wars Universe Expands: Disney Announces New TV Series And Movies At Investor’s Day 2020!!!
Tags: Disney New Tv Series, Star Wars New Movies, Star Wars, Star Wars Tv Series, Star Wars Movies

Star Wars Universe Expands: Disney Announces New TV Series And Movies At Investor’s Day 2020!!! Xopunpublishersofficial ·Dec 14, 2020

New Star Wars Movies and TV Series Announced:

Disney’s Investor Day 2020 was held on 10th December. Though everyone was expecting to receive announcements regarding the upcoming series and movies set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Disney made a surprise announcement by announcing the new Star Wars Movies & TV series too. The Star Wars TV Series will directly premiere on Disney+.

Star Wars movies and tv series that were announced include Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsoka, Lando, Andor, The Rangers of the New Republic, Star Wars: Visions, A Droid Story, and The Acolyte.

Checkout The List Of Star Wars Tv series.

Which Star Wars TV series or movie are you most excited about? Do let us know the same in the comments section below!
Can Yoga Relieve Your Back Pain ? 6 Yoga Poses For Back Pain
By: Musaddik Safi
Tags: Health, Back Pain, Yoga, Healthcare, Exercise

Can Yoga Help With Back Pain ? Of course , you can easily relieve your back pain with yoga. That’s why in this article we are going to discuss some of the yoga poses that relieve your back pain.

Yoga has numerous benefits. Different yoga poses have different benefits. If you are suffering from back pain try these yoga poses and you will be amazed to see your back problem solved within a few days. You don’t need to do all these exercises together. Pick 1 or 2 exercises then practice it daily for 10–15 minutes.

1. Cobra Pose

This yoga pose will stretch your chest, back and shoulder. Practicing this yoga pose daily will help you to increase your spine growth. It also helps you to relieve stress and other mental health problems.

How To Do This Exercise ?

Lie on your abdomen together with your hands under your shoulders and your fingers facing forward. Draw your arms in tightly to your chest. Don’t enable your elbows to resolve the aspect. Press into your hands to slowly raise your head, chest, and shoulders. This time you need to slowly breath in. And when you are down , then breathe out. You can raise partway, halfway, or all the high. Maintain a small bend in your elbows. You can let your head move to deepen the creation. Release back off to your mat on associate exhale. Bring your arms by your aspect and rest your head. Slowly move your hips from aspect to aspect to release tension from your lower back.

2. Cat Cow Pose

Another great yoga pose for back pain is Cat Cow Pose. This yoga pose will gently affect your shoulder, spine and neck. This is easier than the previous yoga pose.

How To Do This Exercise ?

How To Do This Exercise ?

Get on all fours. Place your wrists beneath your shoulders and your knees beneath your hips. Balance your weight equally between all four points. Inhale as you up and breath in also let your abdomen drop toward the mat. And when you down slowly breath out. Exhale as you tuck your chin into your chest, draw your navel toward your spine, and arch your spine toward the ceiling. Maintain awareness of your body as you are doing this movement. Focus on noting and emotional tension in your body. Continue this fluid movement for a minimum of one minute.

For More Information Like This Click Here.
Yoga Vs Weight Lifting , How Much Yoga Is Too Much ?
By: Musaddik Safi
Tags: Health, Yoga, Healthcare, Exercise, Strength Training

Yoga Vs Weight Lifting , How Much Yoga Is Too Much ? Yoga and strength training both have enough benefits. Both can help you a lot. In this article we are going to discuss some of these questions.

Yoga Vs Weight Lifting

Yoga and weight lifting, both of these had numerous benefits. But which one is best.

Which Is Best For Muscle Building ?

Yoga can help you build muscles. But if you want to increase your muscle building training then you need to do weight lifting. But that doesn’t mean yoga can’t help you in muscle building.

Yoga focuses mostly on your compound movement. On the other hand, weight lifting has less compound movement than yoga. When you do yoga, most of the yoga poses are compound movements. That’s why when you do yoga, you not only focus on one joint but also you focus on other joints.

Weight Lifting also has compound movement but it is less than from yoga. Weight Lifting has more isolation movement than yoga.

Yoga only focuses on building more muscle as a result of the sole resistance you’ve got is your weight. On the opposite hand, with weight coaching, you’ll still add additional and a lot of weight.

Muscle is developed once you break down existing muscle and as a result, your body goes to repair it, adding and building upon the prevailing muscle. however this doesn’t happen throughout your physical exertion, rather muscle repair happens throughout rest.

Muscle growth is additionally terribly obsessed with your genetics. There are variable degrees of the effectiveness of figuring out at any capability to make muscle. basically, you’re one among the most important factors to think about once it involves building muscle.

Continue Reading…
Walking
By: Paul H. Harder Ii
Tags: Nature, Poetry, Christian, Exercise, Faith

I walk across the face of Earth,

delighted that I can.

Beneath the sky, I see God’s worth

free-strewn by His own hand.

Confined between four office walls,

it’s easy to forget

the wealth that from God’s bounty falls

and that we’re in His debt.

Oft, captured by my backlit screen,

its artificial scenes,

oblivious to nature’s green,

I’m buried in machines.

So give me time in open space

and shaded forest glen,

where every glance reveals God’s face

to my enraptured ken.

I’ll walk across the face of Earth.

____________

Copyright ©2020, Paul H. Harder II

This poem is licensed under a Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 License.
Incredibly helpful article! Thank you for the thoughtful and simple to understand advice!
Tags: Health, Diet, Eating Disorders, Exercise, Fitness

Incredibly helpful article! Thank you for the thoughtful and simple to understand advice!
FITNESS AND BODY BUILDING PROGRAM
Tags: Fitness, Bodybuilding, Online, Exercise

AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO GRAB THE BODY BUILDING PROGRAM NOW

Do you like listening to fast music when you exercise? Do you like watching your favorite movies? What about reading magazines? What inspires you to work out and feel your best?

Get these things ready even before your treadmill arrives and you’ll be three-quarters of the way there. Have several workout or favorite CD’s around. Get your favorite movies or shows on tape. Gather your favorite magazines.

By having an ‘exercise’ stash around your treadmill, you’ll be inspired to workout AND you won’t be stuck running around looking for something to do when you want to start exercising.

Again, this may seem simple, but it works. Why do you think gyms have magazines, televisions and CD players handy?

Make an exercise plan.

Before you start working out, try making a plan, a “roadmap to your rock-hard body” so to speak. By writing down how long and what kind of workout you’ll be doing in week 1, 2, 3, 4 etc, you’ll get yourself psyched up for success.

Remember that every time you workout, you are planting the seeds for the kind of dream body that you want.

By having a plan, you can see just how many seeds you’ve planted (and even how long it will take to start reaping the results!) Have fun with it and you’ll be motivated to achieve your health goals (and get maximum benefits from your treadmill!)
Reduce diabetes in just a few weeks or months
By: Ritika Prajapati
Tags: Health, Diabetes, Exercise, Fitness, Workout

What is Berberine?

Berberine is an herbal supplement made from a chemical compound that naturally occurs in the roots and bark of a wide variety of plants.

Today, berberine is frequently used as an alternative to conventional medications for managing symptoms associated with PCOS, as well as various symptoms that may increase a person’s risk of heart disease and diabetes, such as:

high blood sugar

insulin resistance

high cholesterol

high blood pressure

obesity

If you’re interested in trying berberine for your PCOS symptoms or wants to know about more information, click on the following link:

https://ritikasales.blogspot.com/2020/12/berberine-supplement.html

We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. This however will not add to your cost.
3 Easy Ways to get in shape when you detest exercising
By: Chris Davidson
Tags: Weight Loss, Minimalism, Self Love, Exercise, Fitness

3 Easy Ways to get in shape when you detest exercising

Forcing yourself to work out and diet, when you hate every second of it, is not a long term solution for your health — here’s what to do. Chris Davidson Follow Dec 23, 2020 · 5 min read

3 easy ways to get in shape when you hate exercising

Just learn to love training and eating kale, and stop complaining, OK?!

There you go, end of article…

Ha! Just kidding obviously. That is often the sum total of advice for anyone wanting to get in shape but who has no desire to go all-in on a fancy workout program, gym membership and restrictive diet plan.

We are told that EVERYONE should want to exercise because of the fantastic health and aesthetic benefits. So most articles just try to convince you to change your mind so that you will want to exercise.

What many of us want to know, but never have the guts to ask out loud is…

Can’t I, like, just do all this fitness stuff half-assed and still make progress? Do I really have to become someone who ‘works out’ and ‘eats healthily’ all the time? Because, to be honest, I’d rather not.

Good news — yes you can indeed do it all half-assed, and still make progress.

If you are happy to make slow yet consistent progress in getting fitter, stronger, slimmer and healthier then you can absolutely get away with doing not-very-much-at-all.

In fact, we can even give it a fancy name so we sound like a cool tribe who have chosen not to work out very much, even though we could, like, totally exercise 24 hours a day/7 days a week if we felt like it.

So instead of calling it Not-Exercising-Very-Much, let’s call it Minimalist Training.
Benefits of casein you never imagine
By: Albert Roy
Tags: Health, Casein Protein, Protein Powder, Workout Routines, Exercise

Source — Pexels

The plant-based protein is a soy protein that comes from soybean, and for vegetarian food and vegan alike, it is a great nutrition food. For those who avoid dairy foods or allergic problems to take dairy items, soy will contribute the major protein to them. But people can’t eat the soybeans, dairy milk or consuming meat daily is not possible and eating the same ingredients food will get bored them and try other food but could not get the protein as they needed. To get high nutrition easily, buying soy protein powder can helps. Cureka is an e-commerce portal that sells casein protein powders for an affordable price.

Benefit on Gym

Soy is high in fiber, helps lower bad cholesterol, improve gut bacteria. A healthy gut means better performance on pre and post-workout in the gym. You get extra stamina and energy for a heavy workout to build your muscle like a PRO.

Helps In Weight Loss

A benefit of soy protein is that it has no cholesterol and a low amount of saturated fat and gives a high protein. Soy protein is the best alternative for meat-based food. For diabetes and obesity problems, soy protein is the best replacement meal like shakes. It helps to weight loss and will be superior for diets. By consuming the soy protein regularly for meal replacement, they will lose weight up to 2 kg more than those they follow the other standard diets.

Get High Nutrition To Home

Soy has high vitamin B, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, and potassium, which will help to increase the immune system and energy production in the body. Also, improve your health and wellness and boost the energy for effective performance and production on work.

It is a branch chain amino acids and a complete protein that contains all nine essential amino acids. And don’t have to give up on your muscle-building goals. It is also for kids, which helps slow physical and mental growth amongst children, low immunity, and makes the kid active by protein drink soya.