Execute Episode 66! This week I'm diving into moments and storylines in the Galaxy Far Far Away that don't quite line up between printed material and what we see on screen. They range from eminently satisfying story decisions to egregious and downright racist stereotypes. Hats off to Pablo Hidalgo, Matt Martin and the whole story group for keeping things together and knowing when it makes good sense to change it up! All power to them! Fair warning, this episode has *spoilers* for Mandalorian...

It's the Eve of Mando Season 2! This week I dive into the question, why doesn't Din Djarin know about the Force or the Jedi? I revisit some real-world resonances with the retreat of Faith and Jedi from the Galaxy, and also explore what it might mean for Din and The Child to rediscover this heritage. For the Pull List, I touch on Dune: House Atreides #1, Engineward #4 and Bounty Hunters #6. Thanks for listening, and MTFBWY! Follow me on Twitter and Instagram

This week on FCSA I delve into Vader's stroll down memory lane in Greg Pak and Raffaelle Ienco's recent comic run. He's looking for Luke's origins, but what does that reveal about his own family bonds? The main episode covers #1-5, so the Pull List segment mentions #6 as well as Captain America #24 by Ta-Nehisi Coates and Daniel Acuna. Thanks for listening, and MTFBWY. Follow me on Twitter and Instagram.

This week we conclude our series on Qui-Gon Jinn and Prophecy in Claudia Gray's Master & Apprentice by examining his turn to a more literal interpretation of prophecy. I look at it from an in-universe perspective and discuss the Scriptural and Theological basis for this turn in Christian tradition. It gets at the origins of this podcast: a Virgin-born Promised One who restores the Cosmic Order by coming back from the pit of death. The pull list highlights a pair of SW-connected indie...

As promised, we've come to the Halin Azucca episode! And again, let's all agree: she's the real prophet here. And her witness is a timely reminder in light of the competing narratives around protest that have erupted in the last year. Like Azucca and her performance art protest group, 93% of these protests have been peaceful. This despite the fact that 100% of actions they're protesting have been violent instances of police brutality, institutional discrimination, verbal slurs and other...

Picking up from last week's episode, this week we look at ways in which Qui-Gon is able to show calm, deft restraint in his prophetic role: his humble self-awareness regarding Obi-wan's development. and his ability to play the political game as a tool in his prophetic toolkit.  I also introduce a new segment, the Pull List, during which I'll discuss something from the past week's comic book releases. This week I talk about Marvel's Empyre crossover event, which could have been so much more...

This week we continue our look at the themes of prophecy in Claudia Gray's Master & Apprentice, centring on the character of Qui-Gon Jinn. Master Qui-Gon believed that faith in the Force and the mission of the Jedi had to be grounded in a grasp of the real world: how people really live, what they care about, how they struggle. He longed for the Jedi, and for individual Jedi, to be more realistic about the galaxy they lived in and their own limits. Only then could they embody a...

This week on FCSA I begin my commentary on Claudia Gray's masterful (pun!) Master & Apprentice. The early chapters of the novel introduce us to Qui-Gon's approach to prophecy, as well as set up some situations that test the way he practices what he preaches. Fittingly, this was filmed at the back of my church, which is why the audio quality is somewhat...homiletic. Enjoy and MTFBWY Follow me on Twitter and Instagram, and check out my actual sermons and reflections at luminous-beings.com.

Chelli is as Chelli does! FCSA is back with a review of the Doctor Aphra Audiobook Original, written by Sarah Kuhn, starring Emily Woo Zeller and Marc "the canon legend" Thompson. I go into what I thought worked well and what I didn't quite connect with. Spoilers abound, so if you haven't downloaded the audio play then go for it right here. If you're new to audible, you'll even get your first book for free! Can't beat that deal, eh? On the other hand, if you're just curious about an excerpt...

This week on FCSA! I'm joined by Dillon from DilDev's Diner on Eleven-ThirtyEight for a great discussion on the Martez Sisters arc from Clone Wars Season 7 and its "ground level" or "underground level" view of the Jedi. Dillon's recent article describes some strong resonances between Jedi indifference to the Martez sisters' suffering and what we see in prominent forms of American Christianity today. We also go into some ways that Dillon's aro/ace orientation and experiences give her insight...

Now that season 1 of Picard is done, I look back at three themes that stood out in the show: choice, love and death. I found that they were handled with more realism and responsibility than we've seen from Hollywood in a long time, which bodes very well for season 2 and for Discovery season 3. I give a brief non-spoilery review of both story and themes, before diving into heavy spoiler territory. So pour yourself a decaf earl grey, strap yourself in, and engage! Thanks for listening, and...

During the lead-up to last week's announcement of the High Republic (series? era?), I started to speculate and stew over what kinds of things I want to see explored in that time period. Now that we have some details I thought it...high time to devote a whole episode to this latest bit of news. Will the era be a sort of "Jedi Christendom" where the life of the Order and faith in the Force permeates Republic society? Will it relate well to our complex, nuanced, real-world history of Medieval...

We've hit the halfway point of Picard Season 1, so it's high time for a review! It's non-spoilery until about the 7:10 mark, and then I dive in. I also make some small comparisons to the Mandalorian and reflect on this "third wave" of small-screen storytelling. Thanks for listening, and LLAP! Follows and reads: Twitter; Instagram; blog

Season 7 of Clone Wars is only a few weeks away! I've been doing a binge rewatch and have some thoughts and insights! The show's groundbreaking visual style was very ahead of its time. And even though it seems like an anthology series of semi-connected arcs, there's definitely an intricate structure (see episode art) that's leading to the fateful events of season 7 and that beauty of a film, Revenge of the Sith! Check out my twitter or insta pages for a better version of the diagram. Also...

This week on FCSA I talk about Mark Russell and Richard Pace's indie comic Second Coming, especially my experience of reading a book that doesn't try to get Jesus right, then ends up getting Him profoundly right. Also, Happy Picard Day! Look for future episodes reacting to this new show that will hit me in all the nostalgic places! Follow me on Twitter and Instagram, and check out my writing at Ex Astris Sapientia. Thanks for listening, and MTFBWY.

At last, it's the FCSA Prequelist review of The Rise of Skywalker! Now that I've had a chance to process this IXth installment in the Star Wars saga, it's time to discuss how it relates to Episodes I, II and III. I first give a general review of the film, and how I've come to enjoy it, and then dive into its deeper connections with our beloved Prequel Trilogy (and Clone Wars, of course!). While the references may seem sparse on the surface, the deeper themes of TROS connect very richly with...

It's Advent: time for me to tell you what I really think! This week I consider Prophecy: Biblical, Political, the Chosen One, and the ways it can be misread for the sake of idolatrous power games. It's a bit of a departure from my thesis about Vader and the Crucifixion, but it never hurts to consider another angle. I get some help from Bill Cavanaugh's article on Nationalism and Idolatry. Thanks for listening, and MTFBWY Follow me on Twitter and Instagram. And check out my newly-returned...

I'm back! Hopping on to give my review of Resistance Reborn by Rebecca Roanhorse. An overall excellent book, with compelling characters, but some things I felt were overcooked. The novel is definitely recommended. *Spoilery* content starts at the 4:45 mark. Oh and my blog has been reborn as well! Give me a read over at ex-astris-sapientia.blogspot.com. Some more in-depth content and commentary is headed in that direction. Thanks for listening, and MTFBWY. Follow me on Twitter and Instagram.

What does it mean to leave? To leave the Jedi? To leave conservative fundamentalist communities? A lot of younger Christians have left for other pastures, embracing the label "exvangelical." Where have they ended up? Are they more like Count Dooku, or Ahsoka Tano? And what might Qui-gon's prophetic stance and Yoda's reflections-in-exile have to say both to the Jedi and to western Christians in our time? I tackle these questions in a super-sized solo episode, recorded in the shiny recording...

Welcome back to FCSA! This week I finish my recap of Fan Expo 2019, delving into the YA fiction panel I went to on the Sunday and how it helped me understand the (incredible) YA Star Wars novels. I then respond to another Beltway Banthas episode...this time, the one I was on! The original episode can be found here: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/beltway-banthas-star-wars-politics-more/e/63532526. It was a great experience; I wanted to take the opportunity today to go into a bit more about...

I'm back at Roundhouse Park to cover all the panels I caught on this Con Saturday. Jonathan Frakes, Charles Soule and more.

Denise Crosby, Representation of women superheroes, Hasbro Star Wars and more!

I'm back! And just in time for Fan Expo Canada 2019. I return to the exact same spot I recorded last year's Fan Expo preview, and talk about what I'm looking forward to this year. But first I go into the renewed and expanded vision for this podcast. Now that I'm on Anchor, I don't need to worry about sticking to the (very beneficial) community requirements from Podiant, so I can open this up to discussing various franchises and fandoms, engaging them theologically and otherwise...

Our Lenten series concludes--a little late--with a look at the cardinal virtues in Return of the Jedi. We can see many characters displaying patience, wisdom, courage and justice, but we also see Luke Skywalker truly complete his training by exemplifying all four in one toss of a lightsaber. I also give a few lingering thoughts on Celebration Chicago, my initial reaction to the first 100-or-so pages of Master and Apprentice (it's even better than I expected!), and provide an update on the...

Our Lenten series continues with an exploration of the Cardinal Virtues in Episode V: the Empire Strikes Back. Spoiler alert: Yoda is wise. Of course, I also give an instant reaction to the EPISODE IX TRAILER that just dropped, as well as the panel at Star Wars Celebration Chicago 2019. I then give my thoughts on southern Ontario's Kate Johnston's Queen's Shadow, now that I finished it. Follow me on Twitter and Instagram. Thanks for listening, and MTFBWY.