EP.   187

Starting with Mask of Fear and ending with Master of Evil, 2025 was a steady parade of all-time Star Wars novels. The standalones were all brilliant, only to be outdone by the High Republic’s long-awaited finale, Trials of the Jedi. And since the Force moves in mysterious ways, it was a less significant year for streaming — notwithstanding Andor season two — and a very mixed and perplexing year for comics. That all served to make the novels stand out even more. With the year coming to a close, we look back on Star Wars stories from the last twelve months.

You can watch our episodes live every Monday at 5:30 PM PT, 8:30 PM ET at https://www.youtube.com/@Starwarsunderworld/streams 

Hosted by Matthew Neugebauer https://instagram.com/mneug1138

and Joel Davis https://jid20234.bsky.social

Bluesky: https://eyeoncanon.bsky.social

Star Wars Underworld Podcast Network

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EP.   186

Master of Evil by Adam Christopher adds another layer of depth and feeling to Darth Vader’s journey from shining Jedi Knight to Dark Lord of the Sith. Along the way, we encounter a sympathetic Imperial with a terminal condition, his deeply loyal droid companion, a snivelling corporation with the usual dark science underbelly, and clones who keep on serving their brothers and their commanders, because it’s their duty. We also get some meaty lore about the Sith, the Separatists, the Empire, and a whole lot in-between! So strap in because this week we’ve got a good ol’ fashioned book review!

You can watch our episodes live every Monday at 5:30 PM PT, 8:30 PM ET at https://www.youtube.com/@Starwarsunderworld/streams 

Hosted by Matthew Neugebauer https://instagram.com/mneug1138

and Joel Davis https://jid20234.bsky.social

Guest! Ash Mothma

https://bejeweledmothma.bsky.social 

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/eyeoncanon.bsky.social

Star Wars Underworld Podcast Network

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EP.   185

If you can believe it, 2026 is only a month away! A new year is always a good time to consider getting into new things, or helping your friends get into new things – resolutions and all that… So if you or someone you know is hoping to get into a new-to-you-or-them part of Star Wars, we’ve got you covered this week! We look back at the last 49 years (!) of screen stories, the last 11 years of the new canon, and the upcoming 13 months of new shows, books, comics, and yes I hear there’s a film coming out, to pick out the best Star Wars on-ramps for 2026!

You can watch our episodes live every Monday at 5:30 PM PT, 8:30 PM ET at https://www.youtube.com/@Starwarsunderworld/streams 

Hosted by Matthew Neugebauer https://instagram.com/mneug1138

and Joel Davis https://bsky.app/profile/jid20234.bsky.social

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/eyeoncanon.bsky.social

Star Wars Underworld Podcast Network

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Claudia Gray of Team Luminous gave us this in Master & Apprentice: “Only through sacrifice of many Jedi will the Order cleanse the sin done to the nameless. The danger of the past is not past, but sleeps in an egg. When the egg cracks, it will threaten the galaxy entire. When the Force itself sickens, past and future must split and combine. A Chosen One shall come, born of no father, and through him will ultimate balance in the Force be restored.” In Revenge of the Sith, Yoda reminds us just how slippery interpreting it can be: “A prophecy, misread could have been.” That didn’t stop Qui-Gon though: he was convinced Anakin was the one. As we approach Advent and Christmas, we explore the theme of Prophecy in Star Wars and in real-world religions!

You can watch our episodes live every Monday at 5:30 PM PT, 8:30 PM ET at https://www.youtube.com/@Starwarsunderworld/streams 

Hosted by Matthew Neugebauer https://instagram.com/mneug1138

and Joel Davis https://bsky.app/profile/jid20234.bsky.social

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/eyeoncanon.bsky.social

Star Wars Underworld Podcast Network

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EP.   183

The Last Order by Kwame Mbalia gives us a probing story of brainwashing, heroism and disillusionment, told through the backstories of Finn and Jannah before the events of the sequel trilogy. It also gives us a fun self-insert character and framing device, who knows more about the galactic tea-making industry than we knew we wanted, and pushes the needle a few inches forward in the timeline after The Rise of Skywalker! The YA novel is a must-read for fans of the Sequel era, so this week we dive in!

You can watch our episodes live every Monday at 5:30 PM PT, 8:30 PM ET at https://www.youtube.com/@Starwarsunderworld/streams 

Hosted by Matthew Neugebauer https://instagram.com/mneug1138

and Joel Davis https://bsky.app/profile/jid20234.bsky.social

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/eyeoncanon.bsky.social

Star Wars Underworld Podcast Network

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Join us on Discord!  https://discord.gg/xhbXgRuuGx

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EP.   182

Canon storytelling often dances around the topic of humanocentric fascism – maybe it has other fish to fry? Or maybe it’s uncomfortable to write about? However, it’s been lurking in the background of Star Wars since the very beginning. This week we square it up, face-first, and chart the development of that lurking lore point in Legends, Canon and on screen.

You can watch our episodes live every Monday at 5:30 PM PT, 8:30 PM ET at https://www.youtube.com/@Starwarsunderworld/streams 

Hosted by Matthew Neugebauer https://instagram.com/mneug1138

and Joel Davis https://bsky.app/profile/jid20234.bsky.social

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/eyeoncanon.bsky.social

Star Wars Underworld Podcast Network

https://www.instagram.com/theswu/ 

Join us on Discord!  https://discord.gg/xhbXgRuuGx

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EP.   181

Ever since the Disney changeover, Legen…I mean EU fans have been clamouring for their favourite characters, storylines, factions and concepts to make their return to canon. Over a decade later, Thrawn is the only major example of the Legends-to-Canon pipeline, alongside some minor (and very minor) ones. This we look at what kinds of returns-to-story there could be, and offer some of our favourite examples.

You can watch our episodes live every Monday at 5:30 PM PT, 8:30 PM ET at https://www.youtube.com/@Starwarsunderworld/streams 

Hosted by Matthew Neugebauer https://instagram.com/mneug1138

and Joel Davis https://bsky.app/profile/jid20234.bsky.social

Guest! Ash Mothma

https://bsky.app/profile/bejeweledmothma.bsky.social 

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/eyeoncanon.bsky.social

Star Wars Underworld Podcast Network

https://www.instagram.com/theswu/ 

Join us on Discord!  https://discord.gg/xhbXgRuuGx

Audible 30-Day Free Trial  https://amzn.to/3cfeebq

EP.   180

This week we focus on cosplay, novels and sourcebooks. How is Lucasfilm Publishing embracing the Sequel era once more? What insights might we glean from The Mandalorian Visual Guide? What’s it like to be interviewed for SW dot Com? Find out as we round up the network’s coverage of New York Comic Con 2025!

You can watch our episodes live every Monday at 5:30 PM PT, 8:30 PM ET at https://www.youtube.com/@Starwarsunderworld/streams 

Hosted by Matthew Neugebauer https://instagram.com/mneug1138

and Joel Davis https://bsky.app/profile/jid20234.bsky.social

Guest! Ash Baker

https://instagram.com/def.the.only.ashley

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/eyeoncanon.bsky.social

Star Wars Underworld Podcast Network

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Join us on Discord!  https://discord.gg/xhbXgRuuGx

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EP.   179

Clone Force 99 goes on a wild chase through the Galaxy, which leads to some fantastic exploration of their own motivations and worries. Bad Batch: Sanctuary by Lamar Giles is at once moving and exciting, a combination brought out masterfully by Marc Thompson’s stellar audiobook performance. This week, we get ourselves back to a good old-fashioned book review!

You can watch our episodes live every Monday at 5:30 PM PT, 8:30 PM ET at https://www.youtube.com/@Starwarsunderworld/streams 

Hosted by Matthew Neugebauer https://instagram.com/mneug1138

and Joel Davis https://bsky.app/profile/jid20234.bsky.social

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/eyeoncanon.bsky.social

Star Wars Underworld Podcast Network

https://www.instagram.com/theswu/ 

Join us on Discord!  https://discord.gg/xhbXgRuuGx

Audible 30-Day Free Trial  https://amzn.to/3cfeebq

EP.   178

We’ll admit it: canon contradictions can sometimes be hard to swallow. Of course, screen stories have overwritten details on paper a few times, perhaps the most famous example being Caleb Dume’s experience of Order 66 in the opening moments of The Bad Batch. And what about when one paper story seems to go against another, like the apparent discrepancies between Alex Segura’s Battle of Jakku and Chuck Wendig’s Aftermath Trilogy? How much do these inconsistencies really matter? And how has our thinking and feeling about them evolved in the nearly four years(!) that we’ve been doing this podcast? This week we catch up on the Great Canon Continuity debate, and dive back in!

You can watch our episodes live every Monday at 5:30 PM PT, 8:30 PM ET at https://www.youtube.com/@Starwarsunderworld/streams 

Hosted by Matthew Neugebauer https://instagram.com/mneug1138

and Joel Davis https://bsky.app/profile/jid20234.bsky.social

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/eyeoncanon.bsky.social

Star Wars Underworld Podcast Network

https://www.instagram.com/theswu/ 

Join us on Discord!  https://discord.gg/xhbXgRuuGx

Audible 30-Day Free Trial  https://amzn.to/3cfeebq