Hoth Takes: A Star Wars Podcast

Droids: They’re everywhere in Star Wars, quietly helping to make the galaxy run, but we rarely think about their needs and wants — or their rights. In this episode, Eric and Grace discuss thorny issues of droid sentience, explore the moral questions posed by restraining bolts, and review how our heroes treat their robotic friends throughout the saga. Plus, we examine the role that battle droids play in the story and the ethical dilemmas that they present.

Should Jedi have been allowed to marry? What dangers did romantic relationships really pose to the stability of the Order and the success of its mission? Could the Jedi of the prequel trilogy have learned a thing or two from their counterparts two hundred years prior? In this episode, Eric and Grace discuss the nuances of the Jedi’s prohibition against attachments. Love can make people better versions of themselves, but fixation on a loved one can distract a Jedi from their higher purpose. Masters and apprentices form strong bonds that help them work better together, but an overprotective master can make mistakes. Join us as we try to navigate all of these pitfalls and imagine policies that could have saved the Jedi Order.

How did the Jedi Order go astray? At what point did its fatal flaws develop, and how did Darth Sidious’ machinations accelerate that corruption? In this episode, Eric and Grace explore the Jedi’s tragic decline and fall, from their restrictive dogmas to their sudden militarization during the Clone Wars. We discuss the effects of the Jedi being so close to the Republic (including whether they really had any other choice), whether the Jedi could have played a better role in the war, and whether Yoda should have listened to Qui-Gon about staying focused on the here and now.

We’re wrapping up our series on the original trilogy with an episode about the delightful but imperfect Return of the Jedi. Does the movie wrap things up too perfectly? Is it more akin to A New Hope or The Empire Strikes Back? Did Darth Vader deserve redemption? Eric and Grace explore all of these questions. Plus, we compare Luke and Anakin’s responses to dark side temptations, discuss Leia and Han’s questionable storylines, and agree that the Ewoks rule and Salacious B. Crumb is a king.

It’s all about family in this episode as we try to discuss The Empire Strikes Back without repeating what everyone has said for the past 40 years. With Haley out on maternity leave, Eric and Grace discuss the underappreciated nuances of Darth Vader’s iconic paternity reveal and Luke’s seemingly hereditary impulsiveness and insecurity. Plus, Grace explains why she’s Team Lando, and we look at the missed opportunity of Leia’s Force-sensitivity. We would be honored if you would join us.

Is it even possible to put aside 44 years of nostalgia and analyze A New Hope the way moviegoers might have seen it in 1977? In this episode, Eric and Grace explore why the first Star Wars movie worked so well, how it fares as an introduction to the universe, and how it differs tonally from later films. Plus, Eric shares a truly stunning statistic about a major character’s screen time, and Grace shares a truly controversial opinion about the film’s final act.

As The Bad Batch gets underway, we look at the ups and downs of the first three episodes. The Empire gets recruits, Kanan’s backstory gets retconned, and Clone Force 99 gets a Grogu. Did we think this was a “bad batch” of initial stories? Tune in to find out what issues and themes are in our “crosshairs.” Plus, find out which one of us identifies with Hunter and, more specifically, his knives.

Somehow, our podcast has returned. In our breakdown (or perhaps we should say teardown) of The Rise of Skywalker, we discuss Rey’s nonsensical lineage, deuteragonist Kylo’s unsatisfying fate, and Palpatine cycling through grand plans faster than you can say “The dead speak!” Plus, Grace has a controversial opinion about Leia’s presence in the movie, and we break out our magnifying glasses to try to find Finn and Rose’s roles.

There’s so much to say about The Last Jedi that we’re devoting a second episode to it, but this time, we have a special guest: New York Times opinion columnist Jamelle Bouie, who ranks The Last Jedi behind only the original two Star Wars movies on his list. We discuss Jamelle’s view that The Last Jedi is the only sequel film with something profound to say about Star Wars, the value of subverting tropes, the tension between innovation and nostalgia, and the power of the idea that anyone can be a hero (shout-out to Broom Boy!).

The Last Jedi’s character development was pretty uneven. It added new layers to Rey’s loneliness, Kylo’s inner turmoil, Poe’s impulsiveness, and Finn’s search for purpose, but it suffered from a compressed time frame, and many of its choices were controversial. In this episode, we talk about Rey Rando, Disgruntled Luke, and the rest of our merry band. Plus, we split two-against-one over Holdo’s actions — and it might not be the split you expect.