Lop & Ochō

"Lop & Ochō" (Japanese: のらうさロップと緋桜お蝶) is an animated short film and episode of the web television series Star Wars: Visions that premiered on Disney+ on September 22, 2021. It is made by the Japan-based Geno Studio, written by Sayawaka and directed by Yuki Igarashi.
The episode was adapted in a manga published by Square Enix in Japan in the Big Gangan Vol.07 magazine on June 24, 2022.
==Official description ==
A powerful patriarch clashes with his eldest daughter about confronting the encroaching Empire.
==Opening crawl==
==Plot summary==
===Exposition===
The episode opens with an Imperial Star Destroyer approaching the planet Tao. A narrator explains that despite their rich natural resources, the world of Tao struggles to modernize. As the Star Destroyer descends into the planet's oceans, the narrator explains that Tao has welcome the Galactic Empire in exchange for industrial advancement. In return, the Empire plans to capitalize on everything the planet has to offer. However, Imperial industry has proven to be detrimental to Tao's natural environment. This is interspersed with shots of cities coexisting with the planet's forests and oceans. Richly steeped in nature and tradition, the people of Tao grow increasingly frustrated by the Imperial oppression.
===A proper family===
A young Lop is shown surviving on the planet Tao with her droid companion TD-4 through thievery, still wearing a slaver's neck collar after escaping being part of the Galactic Empire's labor force during their occupation of Tao. She is momentarily caught in a marketplace by Boss Yasaburō of the Yasaburō clan, and he takes pity on her plight. His daughter Ochō takes an immediate liking to Lop, and after learning she is orphaned, convinces a hesitant Yasaburō to adopt Lop into their family. After relenting while stating his reputation for being a man who does the right thing was on the line, Yasaburō promises a better life for Lop, and the three take a hologram photo on the beach using TD-4 to commemorate the event.
===A fractured family===
Seven years later, a grown Lop awakens in the aftermath of a rebellious attack against the Galactic Empire's occupation led by Yasaburō. Lop watches as Yasaburō and Ochō argue heatedly about the attack, with Yasaburō claiming the Empire has exploited the planet's resources too much while becoming a threatening military presence. He says that it has to stop right now. The clan members try to calm the two down and urge Lop to intervene.
In response, Ochō claims Yasaburō is stubborn to the growth and prosperity the Empire could bring should they side with the Empire. Yasaburō counters that they lived a long time without assistance from the Galactic Republic and believes there is no need to change their ways. He expresses concern that the Imperial military build up will turn the planet into a war zone. As his heir apparent, he argues Ochō should drive out the Empire. Ochō counters that the Empire provides progress but her father disagrees. The standoff ends as Imperial troops arrive on the scene and the clan disperses.
While riding into the city on a hovercraft with Ochō, Lop expresses her desire to see Ochō and their father stop fighting, saying that she feels Tao is her home despite not being born there. Ochō agrees she feels Tao is her home as well, and explains that that is the reason why she is willing to keep the family together by surviving alongside the Empire. The two approach a road blockade, where an Imperial officer with troopers await.
Lop then discovers Ochō has kept constant contact with the Imperial officer because she had been reporting on her father's plans and activities to the Empire to gain their favor. The officer continues to threaten to make life harder for the Yasaburō clan due to their most recent attack, and of Ochō's failure to convince her father to stop attacking the Empire. Ochō apologizes for her father's involvement in the recent attack and resolves to stop him. Complimenting her determination, the Imperial officer invites Ochō to assist with the Empire's redevelopment initiative. Despite Lop's pleas for Ochō to not turn against their father, Ochō paints her eyes with her own blood, and cuts off her hair braid to signify breaking allegiance with her father.
A distraught Lop runs home with TD-4 and Ochō's severed braid. On the way back, Lop falls off a building but lands on top of a tent. Upon returning to the Yasaburō clan's mountain residence, Lop discovers most of the clan members have deserted. Pleading with her father of her desire to save the planet and restore their family's relationships, Lop desperately asks for her father's help.
Yasaburō then solemnly leads Lop to a ceremonial room, apologizing to Lop if he seemed to have favored Ochō as a daughter over her through the years. There, Yasaburō summons visions through the Force, showing Lop the clan's history through glyphs depicting a Jedi trusting and bestowing upon the Yasaburō clan a lightsaber and teaching them how to wield it. He then bestows the lightsaber to Lop, saying she is worthy by showing her strong familial bond even if she is not related by blood.
===A broken family===
Lop is anxious at seeing her father leave the Yasaburō residence, but he promises her he is merely meeting with Ochō and that everything will be alright. After waiting, an explosion at the Empire's hold in the middle of the city prompts Lop to find her father, fearing the worst. An elderly steward attempts to stop her but he is unable to stop Lop from commandeering a landspeeder.
Arriving at the ship dock in the Empire's hold, Lop finds Yasaburō and his most loyal clan members fighting Imperial forces, as well as Ochō wearing Imperial regalia and wielding two crimson vibroblades. Ochō gains the upper hand over her father and slashes at his face, destroying the one good eye he had left. Lop holds her father on the ground, where he begs Ochō to combine forces with Lop to save the planet and their family. A bitter Ochō then jumps at Yasaburō, attempting to end his life, but is held back by Lop igniting the family's green-bladed lightsaber for the first time and parrying her. Angered at seeing Lop inheriting the family's sword over herself, she fights a reluctant Lop.
TD-4 attempts to show Ochō the hologram photo they took together for the first time as a family, but is cut down by Ochō. This awakens the Force within Lop, and she is able to overpower Ochō by using Force telekinesis to grab her father's weapon and slash an X across Ochō's chest with the family lightsaber simultaneously. Ochō is saved from falling off the dock by an Imperial starship, and she is seen glaring at Lop as the ship helps her escape. Lop then retrieves the damaged TD-4, which is still replaying the hologram where Ochō, Yasaburō, and Lop pose and say, "We're going to be a proper family."
==Development==
The English subtitles for "Lop & Ochō" on Disney+ render the character "ō" (o with a macron) used in Japanese romanization as "ô" (o with a circumflex). For instance, "Ochō" is referred to in the subtitles as "Ochô".
==Credits==
==Appearances==
==Sources==
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==Notes and references==
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