Growing Up Skywalker

As The Book of Boba Fett hits its midpoint in “The Gathering Storm” (Season 1, Episode 4), we take a critical look at its structure and debate whether this story would have been stronger told chronologically. 

We also sing the praises of its practical effects, talk through body modification culture in Star Wars, and discuss the horrifying effectiveness of Fennec Shand. 

New to Growing Up Skywalker? Come join us for non-toxic Star Wars recaps from a veteran and a new fan. New episodes every Tuesday.

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Timestamps:

00:00:00 Who Are We?

00:04:46 Plot Summary

00:11:44 Practical Effects

00:16:57 The Odd Structure of This Episode

00:44:07 Body Modifications In Star Wars

00:52:31 Bae Watch

01:01:30 Closing Thoughts

How about that speeder chase?

If you’re all about vengeance, style, and speeder scooter gangs, "The Streets of Most Espa" is the episode for you. The Book of Boba Fett’s third episode takes on the fun topics of colonization, organized crime, and violence—and makes them thrilling, stylish, harrowing, and even somewhat silly.

In our deep dive, we cover the post-World War II mod culture of Great Britain, Black Krrsantan’s outrageously scary presene, and the different ruling styles of Boba Fett, Bib Fortuna, and Jabba the Hutt. We're in the thick of The Book of Boba Fett now, and excited to see how it plays out!

New to Growing Up Skywalker? Come join us for non-toxic Star Wars recaps from a veteran and a new fan. New episodes every Tuesday.

Want more Growing Up Skywalker? This is a great time to sign up for our Patreon for bonus audio content! (Visions S3 content is coming soon.)

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Who Are We?

00:03:24 Plot Summary

00:10:32 So About Those Bikes

00:27:35 Boba, Bib, and Jabba as Daimyo

00:41:18 Black Krrsantan

00:49:03 Bae Watch

00:57:18 Closing Thoughts

Is “The Tribes of Tatooine” the best live-action Star Wars episode yet?

If not—it’s pretty dang close. The Book of Boba Fett’s second episode delivers a transcendent work of art that dives into the colonization of the Tusken people, ritual and rebirth, and the optics of power in Mos Espa and across the Dune Sea.

In our deep dive, we parse the language of power spoken by the Hutts, the Pykes, and Boba Fett. We dig into Tusken cultural heritage and parallels between the Hutts and real-world crime syndicates. And we trace the comic-book-and-board-game-spanning lore of Black Krrsantan.

New to Growing Up Skywalker? Come join us for non-toxic Star Wars recaps from a veteran and a new fan. New episodes every Tuesday.

Want more Growing Up Skywalker? This is a great time to sign up for our Patreon for bonus audio content! 

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Who Are We?

00:02:11 Plot Summary

00:11:38 The Optics of Power

00:26:05 The Tuskens and Colonization

00:33:09 The Hutts and The Mafia

00:40:50 Black Krrsantan

00:49:02 Bae Watch

01:00:35 Closing Thoughts

The comic book vibes are strong with this one.

Watching in chronological order (like we do), The Mandalorian’s Season 2 finale leads straight into The Book of Boba Fett’s premiere, “Stranger in a Strange Land.” It’s not as pulpy or epic as Robert Rodriguez’s previous Boba Fett-centric episode (“The Tragedy”), but some shots—like Boba Fett’s fist punching through the sands of Tatooine—are straight out of a comic book panel. 

We talk through Boba Fett’s interpretation of Daimyo and compare it to previous crime bosses, like Maul and Dryden Vos. We also discuss the state of crime in the galaxy and Ming Na Wen’s slinky approach to Fennec Shand.

New to Growing Up Skywalker? Come join us for non-toxic Star Wars recaps from a veteran and a new fan. New episodes every Tuesday.

Want more Growing Up Skywalker? This is a great time to sign up for our Patreon for bonus audio content! 

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Who Are We?

00:02:57 Plot Summary

00:9:25 Boba Fett as Daimyo

00:21:21 Criminal Syndicates Across the Galaxy 

00:27:42 Comic Book Pulpiness

00:45:43 Bae Watch

00:52:28 Closing Thoughts

The Season 2 finale of The Mandalorian (Chapter 16, “The Rescue”) sweeps to a stunning conclusion. Prepare to weep.

This week, we celebrate THAT cameo—and the way this episode works for both new and veteran fans. We sing praises to the all-gal attack squadron that takes Moff Gideon’s light cruiser, discuss Imperial calcification in the wake of the Death Star(s) being destroyed, and look forward to continuing the Mandalorian’s tale.

Next week, we’ll do just that, in The Book of Boba Fett, Chapter 1: “Stranger in a Strange Land.”

New to Growing Up Skywalker? Come join us for non-toxic Star Wars recaps from a veteran and a new fan. New episodes every Tuesday.

Want more Growing Up Skywalker? This is a great time to sign up for our Patreon for bonus audio content! 

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Who Are We?

00:02:47 Plot Summary

00:13:26 LUKE SKYWALKER EVERYBODY

00:34:10 Everybody Else

00:44:28 Imperial Calcification

00:49:16 Bae Watch

00:56:29 Closing Thoughts

What line would you cross, and why? In this week’s episode, “The Believer” (The Mandalorian, Chapter 15), we go deep into that question—plumbing the depths of honor, extremism, and vengeance.

Like a Clone Wars or Rebels episode brought to life, this episode is an utter treat and absolutely kicked up a notch in preparation for the finale. “Pulpy” and “iconic” are words that come to mind as Mando gets the gang together and Bill Burr blows the roof off of a really good script.

Next week, we finish Season 2 of The Mandalorian and finally put The Book of Boba Fett in our crosshairs.

New to Growing Up Skywalker? Come join us for non-toxic Star Wars recaps from a veteran and a new fan. New episodes every Tuesday.

Want more Growing Up Skywalker? This is a great time to sign up for our Patreon for bonus audio content! 

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Who Are We?

00:03:50 Plot Summary

00:14:14 Migs Mayfeld and Operation Cinder

00:25:43 First Impressions

00:32:31 Zealotry, Morals, and Honor

00:48:50 Justice

00:54:15 Bae Watch

00:58:16 Closing Thoughts

The tragedies of “The Tragedy” (The Mandalorian Chapter 14) are as follows:

• The Child is stolen.
• The Razor Crest is disintegrated.
• Boba Fett only gets to shatter the helmets of, like, 15 Stormtroopers, when we could watch it all day.

This week, we’re covering themes of honor, promises, life debts, and what we owe each other. We also talk about cool Force hotspots/seeing stones, and the tension between the remaining Jedi and the New Republic. But mostly we fangirl over Boba Fett.

PS: We recorded this episode prior to the reinstatement of Jimmy Kimmel to the air, but we stand by our divestment from Disney Plus and our unwavering commitment to the First Amendment.

New to Growing Up Skywalker? Come join us for non-toxic Star Wars recaps from a veteran and a new fan. New episodes every Tuesday.

Want more Growing Up Skywalker? This is a great time to sign up for our Patreon for bonus audio content! 

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Who Are We?

00:04:29 Plot Summary

00:11:14 Honor, Life Debts, and What is Owed

00:24:02 BOBA FETT THO

00:36:53 Seeing Stones, The Jedi, and the New Republic

00:50:58 Bae Watch

00:59:26 Closing Thoughts

The Mandalorian’s thirteenth chapter, “The Jedi,” picks up Morgan Elsbeth’s story right where it left off in Tales of the Empire. Ahsoka’s tale, though, is another story.

This week, we rehash the wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey stuff of Ahsoka’s journey, and discover just how alone she’s been since The Clone Wars. We sing Rosario Dawson’s praises, develop a hearty suspicion that Grand Admiral Thrawn and the Imperial remnants are up to no good, and land on the critical difference between Morgan Elsbeth, former Nightsister, and Ahsoka Tano, former Jedi.

New to Growing Up Skywalker? Come join us for non-toxic Star Wars recaps from a veteran and a new fan. New episodes every Tuesday.

Want more Growing Up Skywalker? This is a great time to sign up for our Patreon for bonus audio content! 

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Who Are We?

00:03:45 Plot Summary

00:13:22 What Has Ahsoka Been Up To?

00:32:30 Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka 

00:42:40 What Is Morgan Elsbeth Up To?

01:01:02 Bae Watch

01:05:33 Closing Thoughts

In “Tales of the Empire: Morgan’s Tale,” we wind through the paths of fear, anger, and finally hatred to tell a tale of witches, genocide, ambition, and revenge. But we definitely haven’t reached the end of the path yet, because Moran Elsbeth’s great destiny is still definitely a mystery???

We thread our discussion of “The Path of Fear,” “The Path of Anger,” and “The Path of Hate” with analysis of the anti-hero’s journey, Morgan’s motivations to join the Empire, and Thrawn’s desire to see order created out of chaos. We also shake our fist at Star Wars for always killing off their witches, and sing our praises for the baddest Grand Admiral of them all.

New to Growing Up Skywalker? Come join us for non-toxic Star Wars recaps from a veteran and a new fan. New episodes every Tuesday.

Want more Growing Up Skywalker? This is a great time to sign up for our Patreon for bonus audio content! 

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Who Are We?

00:02:07 Plot Summary

00:10:50 Witches, Genocide, and Force Magic

00:19:47 Tie Defenders on Corvus??

00:25:32 Thrawn, Rukh, and Morgan

00:37:53 The Anti-Hero’s Journey

00:53:10 Bae Watch

01:03:02 Closing Thoughts

Is it a siege, or more of an infiltration? Regardless, The Mandalorian’s Chapter 12, “The Siege,” brings us back to Nevarro—and a plotline we thought we’d seen the end of.

This week, we’re diving back into Project Necromancer and all of its implications. We talk through the twin difficulties of transferring both consciousness and Force affinity, question who is directing Dr. Pershing’s efforts, and ask what the ultimate goal might be. We also give a performance review of Cara Dune as the Marshall, and spin theories on how Rangers of the New Republic might have gone.

New to Growing Up Skywalker? Come join us for non-toxic Star Wars recaps from a veteran and a new fan. New episodes every Tuesday.

Want more Growing Up Skywalker? This is a great time to sign up for our Patreon for bonus audio content! 

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Who Are We?

00:02:45 Plot Summary

00:11:08 Influences on This Episode

00:13:23 M-Counts, Cloning, and the Force

00:35:16 Cara Dune as Marshal—or Ranger?

01:01:24 Bae Watch

01:06:06 Closing Thoughts