Skywalking Through Neverland: Keeping the Star Wars Magic Alive

Bryn MacKinnon joins us for a hilarious Grogu Tortilla Chip Fan Foods taste test, sampling Grogu, Darth Vader, Stitch, and Olaf-inspired flavors. Sarah recaps her visit to Universal Studios Hollywood's Passholder Night, including the new Fast & Furious-themed Drift & Dine, nighttime tram tour adventures, KPop Demon Hunters merchandise, and more.

Then we wrap up the night with a round of totally tubular 80s Disney trivia!

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About Things We Want To ShareJoin Richard and Sarah every week as they share stories, fandom fun, trivia, and invite viewers to join the conversation live. New topics, special guests, and lots of laughs every episode!

What does it take to bring Grogu to life?

This week on Skywalking Through Neverland, Richard and Sarah Woloski welcome Creature Effects artist, fabricator, puppeteer, stunt performer, and Star Wars performer Dawn Dininger. Dawn has worked on The Mandalorian and Grogu, The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, Skeleton Crew, Captain Marvel, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and Jurassic Park III.

As one of the five puppeteers responsible for Grogu's performance, Dawn reveals how the team coordinates his movements, what new technology was developed for The Mandalorian and Grogu, and the challenges of creating believable creature performances on screen. She also shares stories from the Hollywood premiere, performing Grogu at the Academy Awards, her transition into stunt work, and her numerous appearances as Star Wars aliens including Rodians, Mon Calamari, and more.

We also discuss the future of creature effects and the impact of CGI and AI on practical artistry. You can meet Dawn Dininger at Boonta Eve Special Edition on August 7 in Frisco, Texas, and attend Rebel Scum Con that same weekend.

PODCAST SPONSORS

Small World Vacations is an official sponsor of Skywalking Through Neverland. Contact them for a no obligation price quote at www.smallworldvacations.com. Tell them Skywalking Through Neverland sent you.

👉 Sponsor: SpiritJersey now has their own Star Wars & Disney license! Shop at spiritjersey.com and get FREE shipping with code SKYWLKNVD.

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Find out how you can become a part of the Skywalking Force and unlock bonus content.

CONTACT US

• Instagram: http://instagram.com/skywalkingpod
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• Send emails to [email protected] and follow us on Facebook.

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6/4/2026: Richard and Sarah go over The Mandalorian & Grogu box office, and ask Skywalkers to share what merchandise they've picked up at the movie theaters.

Episode Topics

• GalaxyCon with Glenn Stein
• 2026 Trivia

Join us every Monday at 6pm PT on YouTube and Facebook for Things We Want To Share - a weekly livestream filled with stories, trivia, and fun.

In this episode, we're diving into Classic Marvel Star Wars Comic Issue #59: "Bazarre." Originally released in February 1982, Bazarre features a Luke and Lando buddy story! The two meet with a shifty administrator, aptly named Orion Ferret, to secure four TIE Fighters. After receiving payment, he sends them off to a trash planet, Patch-4, to pick them up. Along the way, they may meet yet another Star Wars snake!!

Richard and Sarah compare this Classic Marvel Star Wars comics to the larger Star Wars galaxy, all while unpacking the story, art and legacy of this issue. It's...BAZARRE!

Issue 59: Bazarre!

• Release date: February 16th, 1982
• Written by David Michelinie & Walt Simonson
• Artwork by Walt Simonson, Tom Palmer
• Coloring by Don Warfield
• Cover Art Walt Simonson

We take our Facebook Group Comments on the cover into account as we analyze this issue. Become a part of our Facebook Group to contribute!

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If you dug this episode, click over to iTunes | Stitcher | YouTube and leave us a review!SaveSave

Star Wars is all about community, and for Episode 559 of Skywalking Through Neverland, we gathered reactions from friends and fans across an entire week of screenings for The Mandalorian & Grogu.

First up are Julie and James Gildersleeve, proud members of the Skywalking Force and our wonderful "tauntauns" from the LiningUp Charity Bash. Then Peter Genovese and Ryan Wiltberger from LiningUp.net share their immediate HOT TAKES on the film, followed by Jeff Caffrey of the Virtual Cantina Network, who *might* rank the movie among his top Star Wars films.

Skywalking Force member Bryn McKinnon offered heartfelt insight into Din Djarin's parenting journey with Grogu through the lens of being a mom herself. Their relationship became one of the strongest emotional through-lines discussed throughout all our interviews, especially centered around the powerful message: "The old protect the young, and the young protect the old."

This episode also features great insights from:

• James Burns of Jedi News
• Brandon Winardi of Talking Bay 94,
• Mike Celestino of Laughing Place along with his mom!
• Kelly Turckel of the Skywalking Force
• Nancy Steinman of the Skywalking Force
• longtime contributor Dave Skale
• longtime LiningUp members Stefanie and Jessica Vance.

From emotional family themes to creepy-crawly creatures, hilarious Grogu moments, easter eggs, and crowd reactions, this episode is a celebration of the fans who make Star Wars special.

Now it's your turn — GO SEE THIS FILM and vote for Star Wars with your dollars!

Jon Favreau & Dave Filoni INTERVIEW: Behind the Scenes of The Mandalorian & Grogu | Star Wars https://youtu.be/IRO4Q26whFY PODCAST SPONSORS

Small World Vacations is an official sponsor of Skywalking Through Neverland. Contact them for a no obligation price quote at www.smallworldvacations.com. Tell them Skywalking Through Neverland sent you.

👉 Sponsor: SpiritJersey now has their own Star Wars & Disney license! Shop at spiritjersey.com and get FREE shipping with code SKYWLKNVD.

SUPPORT THE SHOW

Find out how you can become a part of the Skywalking Force and unlock bonus content.

CONTACT US

• Instagram: http://instagram.com/skywalkingpod
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/SkywalkingPod
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skywalkingthroughneverland
• Send emails to [email protected] and follow us on Facebook.

If you dug this episode, click over to iTunes | Stitcher | YouTube and leave us a review!

Never Land on Alderaan!

Richard and Sarah recap an epic Disney Day on May 22 spent almost entirely in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge! Along with friends Bryn, Julie, James, and Dave, they experienced the new Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run adventures featuring Coruscant, Endor, and Bespin.

Also in this episode:

• New PhotoPass Magic Shots when Darth Vader crashed the photo shoot
• Talking with Luke Skywalker about artifacts around Batuu
• Meeting an adorable, flirty Han and Leia duo
• Watching the BDX droids in the Landspeeder garage
• Docking Bay 7 food talk
• Who was the Rebel Spy??
• Thoughts on Shadows of Memory: Grogu Edition
• An unboxing segment - Leia's Bouschh helmet
• Summer Movie Trivia you can play along with!

Join us every Monday at 6pm PT on YouTube and Facebook for Things We Want To Share - a weekly livestream filled with stories, trivia, and fun.

Learn all about The Mandalorian & Grogu from the creatives that worked on the film! Thanks to Fangirls Going Rogue, Sarah and Richard had the opportunity to visit the Adelphi Base set and Mandoverse prop-house, speak with creatives including Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni, AND attend the World Premiere. We bring it all to you with special guest Tricia Barr (Fangirls Going Rogue).

Hear fun behind-the-scenes stories about Grogu, Sigourney Weaver, runaway mouse droids, giant jungle sets, and how the filmmakers are continuing George Lucas' vision of a lived-in Star Wars galaxy. Composer Ludwig Göransson, production designers Doug Chiang and Andrew L. Jones, prop master Josh Roth, and visual effects supervisor John Knoll discuss bringing The Mandalorian from Disney+ to the big screen. Plus, Imagineer Asa Kalama talks about the role of Star Wars music inside Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge.

And finally, we share footage and reactions from the World Premiere, along with our non-spoiler review of The Mandalorian & Grogu!

Jon Favreau & Dave Filoni INTERVIEW: Behind the Scenes of The Mandalorian & Grogu | Star Wars https://youtu.be/IRO4Q26whFY PODCAST SPONSORS

Small World Vacations is an official sponsor of Skywalking Through Neverland. Contact them for a no obligation price quote at www.smallworldvacations.com. Tell them Skywalking Through Neverland sent you.

👉 Sponsor: SpiritJersey now has their own Star Wars & Disney license! Shop at spiritjersey.com and get FREE shipping with code SKYWLKNVD.

SUPPORT THE SHOW

Find out how you can become a part of the Skywalking Force and unlock bonus content.

CONTACT US

• Instagram: http://instagram.com/skywalkingpod
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/SkywalkingPod
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skywalkingthroughneverland
• Send emails to [email protected] and follow us on Facebook.

If you dug this episode, click over to iTunes | Stitcher | YouTube and leave us a review!

Never Land on Alderaan!

This episode is a mashup of Mando Monday Merch (specifically the Bath & Body Works collab) and a recap of our Universal FanFest Nights experience with our whole Skywalking crew. We round it off with Star Wars Trivia charades featuring Dee Tails (Star Wars performance artist/creature performer). Enjoy this fun episode as we lead into THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU release week!!

The second annual Universal FanFest Nights was a blast. Universal is knocking it out of the park with their after-hours ticketed event. Courtney and Kelly Turckel, Julie and James Gildersleeve joined us to share their favorite moments. We covered:

• Harry Potter "Save the Hippogriff" Forbidden Forest walkthrough
• Universal Monsters + Scooby Doo "Mystery on the Backlot"
• One Piece Grand Pirate Show
• Jurassic Park character interactions
• Harry Potter Three Broomsticks specialty food

Watch the YouTube version here for the best experience. PODCAST SPONSORS

Small World Vacations is an official sponsor of Skywalking Through Neverland. Contact them for a no obligation price quote at www.smallworldvacations.com. Tell them Skywalking Through Neverland sent you.

👉 Sponsor: SpiritJersey now has their own Star Wars & Disney license! Shop at spiritjersey.com and get FREE shipping with code SKYWLKNVD.

SUPPORT THE SHOW

Find out how you can become a part of the Skywalking Force and unlock bonus content.

CONTACT US

• Instagram: http://instagram.com/skywalkingpod
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/SkywalkingPod
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skywalkingthroughneverland
• Send emails to [email protected] and follow us on Facebook.

If you dug this episode, click over to iTunes | Stitcher | YouTube and leave us a review!

Never Land on Alderaan!

The Season 1 finale of STAR WARS: MAUL - SHADOW LORD delivered everything we hoped for: emotional betrayals, jaw-dropping visuals, terrifying horror vibes, and the long-awaited confrontation between Maul and Darth Vader. Richard and Sarah break down Chapters 9 and 10, from Dryden Vos and Crimson Dawn connections to Devon's tragic fall toward the dark side, and the MANY deaths along the way. Did Brander Lawson survive? We want your opinion, because Richard and Sarah are split!

MAUL - SHADOW LORD composers Kevin, Deana, and Sean Kiner sneak in many musical references to "Duel of the Fates," "Battle of the Heroes," and "Anakin's Dark Deeds," all from the Prequel trilogy. We analyze how each of these callbacks help the overall storytelling of this series.

One of the standout elements of the finale is Vader himself. His silent entrance through the misty forest instantly joins the ranks of iconic Vader reveals from A New Hope, Rogue One, and even Splinter of the Mind's Eye. The horror-inspired music, jump scares, and brutal fighting style made Vader feel unstoppable. Meanwhile, Maul manipulated events exactly as planned, allowing Devon's rage over Master Daki's death to push her into becoming his apprentice. The symbolism throughout the finale — broken bridges, collapsing temples, and fractured Jedi ideals — gave the battle emotional weight beyond the lightsaber clashes. We get into all of it!

Is this the first Maul vs Vader battle in Star Wars history?While it's their first major onscreen showdown, the two previously dueled in the 2001 comic Star Wars Tales #9. Richard and Sarah explore that deep-cut Expanded Universe story.

PODCAST SPONSORS

Small World Vacations is an official sponsor of Skywalking Through Neverland. Contact them for a no obligation price quote at www.smallworldvacations.com. Tell them Skywalking Through Neverland sent you.

👉 Sponsor: SpiritJersey now has their own Star Wars & Disney license! Shop at spiritjersey.com and get FREE shipping with code SKYWLKNVD.

SUPPORT THE SHOW

Find out how you can become a part of the Skywalking Force and unlock bonus content.

CONTACT US

• Instagram: http://instagram.com/skywalkingpod
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/SkywalkingPod
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skywalkingthroughneverland
• Send emails to [email protected] and follow us on Facebook.

If you dug this episode, click over to iTunes | Stitcher | YouTube and leave us a review!

Never Land on Alderaan!

5/5/2026: Richard and Sarah celebrate May the 4th with stories from Burger King and Disneyland before diving into the final two episodes of Maul: Shadow Lord Season 1 with our Skywalkers leading the discussion. Dan Boris and Glenn Stein join the livestream, while others join the chat to share reactions, theories, and favorite moments. We follow this up with a round of Burger King trivia. How well do you know your fast food facts?

Join us every Monday at 6pm PT on YouTube and Facebook for Things We Want to Share — a weekly livestream filled with stories, trivia, and community fun.