Talking Star Wars

This episode spotlights one of the most wholesome characters in popular fiction: Uncle Iroh, the Dragon of the West, and surrogate father figure to Prince Zuko. Known for his wisdom, his hidden depths, and his love of tea, Iroh also serves as an example of redemption and forgiveness for the entire cast. The hosts trace the trajectory of Iroh’s life, from his time as a ruthless General, to his secret life as Grand Lotus of the Order of the White Lotus, to his adventures with Prince Zuko and his attempts to keep his nephew both alive and pointed on a path towards good.

Discussed content includes potential spoilers from the items listed below.

Avatar: The Last Airbender Spoilers

ATLA seasons 1 through 3; The Legend of Korra seasons 1 through 4, and The Legacy of the Fire Nation

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This week, Connor and Alex examine the concept of bending in the Avatar universe: the ability to manipulate the four elements of air, water, earth, and fire. They survey the origins of bending in the setting, discuss the power as a worldbuilding element, and review each type of bending. This episode also explores how use of each element shapes Avatar societies and impacts their spiritual practices while surveying the unique special techniques and powers developed within each bending discipline, from bloodbending, metalbending, and lavabending to combustion bending, healing, and flight.

Discussed content includes potential spoilers from the items listed below.

Avatar: The Last Airbender Spoilers

ATLA seasons 1 through 3; The Legend of Korra seasons 1 through 4, The Rise of Kyoshi, The Shadow of Kyoshi, The Dawn of Yangchen

Thank you for listening to Talking Star Wars with Connor and Alex!

Check us out on Reddit here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/TalkingStarWars/

In this episode, Alex and Connor explore the varied antagonists throughout the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender, from Aang’s initial rivalry with the brutal Admiral Zhao, to Zuko’s inter-family conflict with his sister and father, to the many philosophical questions posed by Amon and Zaheer in Korra’s day. The hosts compare the role of Admiral Zhao and Grand Moff Tarkin in their role as the initial powerful villain to challenge our heroes, as well as that of Fire Lord Ozai and Emperor Palpatin as the greater context villain who remains offscreen until Act 3. Additionally, this episode surveys antagonists from the expanded universe of Avatar novels and comics, from Lilling the bending supremacist to the absolutely chilling and compelling Jianzhu. Join us today to hear all about the villains of the Avatar universe!

Note: Talking Avatar, as presented by Talking Star Wars, is an interlude series taking place in-between Season 1 and Season 2 of the primary Talking Star Wars podcast. Please feel free to listen if you are interested, or wait until early 2024 for the next full season focusing exclusively on Star Wars to begin.

Discussed content includes potential spoilers from the items listed below.

Avatar: The Last Airbender Spoilers

ATLA seasons 1 through 3; The Legend of Korra seasons 1 through 4; The Promise, Imbalance, North and South, The Rise of Kyoshi, and The Shadow of Kyoshi

Star Wars Spoilers

Episodes 1 through 9

Thank you for listening to Talking Star Wars with Connor and Alex!

Check us out on Reddit here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/TalkingStarWars/

In this episode, Connor and Alex introduce their interlude season on the world and themes of Avatar: The Last Airbender, replete with parallels with the Star Wars universe, and initial analysis of the series, and the similarities of the two franchises. This episode lays out the reasons the hosts fina Avatar: The Last Airbender worth exploring, provides an overview of the Avatar setting, and lays out the ideas that will be explored in this mini-season.

Note: Talking Avatar, as presented by Talking Star Wars, is an interlude series taking place in-between Season 1 and Season 2 of the primary Talking Star Wars podcast. Please feel free to listen if you are interested, or wait until early 2024 for the next full season focusing exclusively on Star Wars to begin.

Discussed content includes potential spoilers from the items listed below.

Star Wars Spoilers

Episodes 1 through 9

Avatar: The Last Airbender Spoilers

ATLA seasons 1 through 3; The Legend of Korra seasons 1 through 4

Thank you for listening to Talking Star Wars with Connor and Alex!

Check us out on Reddit here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/TalkingStarWars/

Hello Talking Star Wars fans! A quick update on the podcast:

• Season 2 of the core Talking Star Wars podcast will resume in early 2024 with more Force Powers episodes, more media surveys, and more character spotlights (among many other topics). Stay subscribed to see when the next season starts!
• In the interim, the hosts will be releasing a brief Interlude season exploring another media franchise with many parallels to Star Wars - Avatar: The Last Airbender! If you have any interest in this franchise as well, please give them a list over the next couple of months.
• Finally, thank you all for listening to the podcast over the last year. We’d love to hear from you or have your subscribe at any of the following sites:
  • Our podcast website: https://talkingstarwars.buzzsprout.com/2074982
  • Our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Hvlm3pY8qjnMqxX3FatpQ
  • Our subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/TalkingStarWars/

Thank you for listening!

Thank you for listening to Talking Star Wars with Connor and Alex!

Check us out on Reddit here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/TalkingStarWars/

In their finale for Season 1 of the Talking Star Wars podcast, Connor and Alex dive into an exploration of the life, background, and abilities of one of the most complex and compelling of the new expanded universe characters: Ahsoka Tano. First appearing as the adolescent Padawan of Anakin Skywalker, over the course of her life Ahsoka is a war commander, guerilla operative, teacher, vigilante, ronin, and mentor. From precocious youth to fatigued and war-weary older woman, the world of Star Wars traces Ahsoka’s life through many stages as the Star Wars universe changes and grows along with and around her

This episode contains spoilers for: Episode II, Episode III, The Clone Wars, Rebels, Tales of the Jedi, Ahsoka (novel), Ahsoka (show), The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Thrawn: Alliances, and The Screaming Citadel.

Thank you for listening to Talking Star Wars with Connor and Alex!

Check us out on Reddit here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/TalkingStarWars/

In this episode, Connor and Alex delve into the seedy underbelly of the galaxy far, far away and examine the role of the bounty hunter - notorious hunter, fixers, and mercenaries of all kinds who take credits for unsavory and dangerous work. The hosts discuss the niche bounty hunters fill in the setting as unaffiliated and money-driven gunslingers, talk about notable bounty hunters (such as Boba Fett, Cad Bane, and Din Djarin), and explore why bounty hunters are such an evocative concept for many fans. The episode also explores various bounty hunter alliances, organizations, guilds, and the varied relationships different galactic governments have had with bounty hunters as a whole - from acceptance as part of their war machine by the Galactic Empire to grudging use by The New Republic.

This episode contains spoilers for: Episode I, Episode II, Episode III, Episode IV, Episode V, Episode VI, Episode VII, Episode VIII, Episode IX, Solo: A Star Wars Story, The Clone Wars, The Book of Boba Fett, The Mandalorian, The Bad Batch, Rebels, Andor, The Aftermath Trilogy, and Resistance.

Thank you for listening to Talking Star Wars with Connor and Alex!

Check us out on Reddit here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/TalkingStarWars/

This week, the hosts a survey the media inspired by the bombshell that was Star Wars after it dropped into the creative sphere in 1977 and trace the impact of Star Wars through to the present day. From the immediate expansion of science fiction blockbuster releases in the 70s and 80s (Alien, Moonraker, Blade Runner) to the used-future aesthetic that Star Wars popularized in later series such as The Matrix, Firefly, and Cowboy Bebop, this episode explores both the storytelling methods that Star Wars helped popularize or re-popularize and the visual and musical themes that other works copied or used as inspiration. The hosts also delve into Star Wars as a multimedia franchise with a unified continuity and canon spanning films, television shows, books, comics, short stories, video games, and more, and compare to other franchises that have attempted the same breadth of storytelling in various mediums.

This episode contains references to the following external works: Alien, Moonraker, Blade Runner, Firefly, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, Cowboy Bebop, The Matrix, The Marvel Cinematic Universe, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Mass Effect, and The Expanse.

Thank you for listening to Talking Star Wars with Connor and Alex!

Check us out on Reddit here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/TalkingStarWars/

Connor and Alex continue their review and discussion of each work in the current Star Wars canon with the next installment of their ongoing survey of expanded universe novels. In this episode, they discuss the following books: Inferno Squad, Leia: Princess of Alderaan, Phasma, From a Certain Point of View, The Legends of Luke Skywalker, Canto Bight, and Cobalt Squadron. For each work, Connor and Alex provide an overview of the plot and discuss the quality of the novel both as a piece of fiction and as a part of the larger Star Wars universe.

This episode contains spoilers for: Inferno Squad, Leia: Princess of Alderaan, Phasma, Captain Phasma (comic), From a Certain Point of View (A New Hope/Empire Strikes Back), The Legends of Luke Skywalker (novel and manga), Canto Bight, Cobalt Squadron, Episode IV, Episode V, Episode VI, Episode VII, Episode VIII, Star Wars Battlefront II (2017), The Clone Wars, Rebels, Andor, Lando (comic), The Mandalorian, and Shadow of the Sith.

Thank you for listening to Talking Star Wars with Connor and Alex!

Check us out on Reddit here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/TalkingStarWars/

In this episode, the hosts discuss the history and current state of video games set in the Star Wars universe. This episode delves into the differences between storytelling in a static vs. an interactive medium, highlights notable titles from both Legends and the current Star Wars canon, and explores the tension between gameplay mechanics and narrative in a shared universe. Connor and Alex also survey additional themes that video games are uniquely positioned to delve into, such as the intersection of The Force and technology; expound on the subject of ludonarrative dissonance and how it affects suspension of disbelief; and discuss forthcoming and potential video game stories that could be told in the current canon.

This episode contains spoilers from: Episode I, Episode II, Episode III, Episode IV, Episode V, Episode VI, Episode IX, Rogue Squadron II (Legends), Star Wars: Squadrons, The Clone Wars, Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, Star Wars Battlefront (all versions), Fallen Order, Jedi Survivor, Jedi Survivor: Battle Scars, The Force Unleashed I & II (Legends), Knights of the Old Republic I & II (Legends), and Star Wars: Obi-Wan (video game, Legends).

Thank you for listening to Talking Star Wars with Connor and Alex!

Check us out on Reddit here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/TalkingStarWars/