The Death Star Human Resources Department Newsletter: August 2, 2024
New shows, new books, and old movie clips.
Hello there
Welcome to yet another Friday morning edition of the Death Star Human Resources Department Newsletter. It’s a fun one this week. I know, I say that every week. I wouldn’t publish if it wasn’t at least a little fun. But I really mean it, it’s a fun one. We got our first look and a release date for Skeleton Crew. There’s a new canon book trilogy starting next year and it’s going to be a good one. We get some cross over between Star Wars and the Olympics. You can probably guess which event. All that plus all the usual fun you’ve come to expect from Death Star HR every week.
As always, thanks for reading Death Star HR. If you’re checking this out but haven’t subscribed yet, you should enter your email below and smash that subscribe button. Now, let’s get to it.
This Is Where The Fun Begins
Got this from Mom Mothma.
Emperor Palpatine’s #1 Fan is going to be soooo surprised when I tell her we’re staying here for our anniversary trip.
The Skeleton Crew Shows Its Bones
It’s always easy to have something to write about when new information and pictures about a new show are released. This week, People Magazine had an exclusive interview with star Jude Law. The Jude Law interview exclusive was down to People Magazine or Death Star HR, but Jude’s people said he’d prefer People.
First off, something to look forward to. Skeleton Crew will premiere on December 3rd. So it looks like Star Wars is sticking with the Tuesday release dates. I appreciate the Tuesday release as it gives me a plenty of time to rewatch the episode, decide what I want to say about it, and then wait until Thursday night to actually write it for the Friday morning Death Star HR drop. On the other hand, the first two seasons of The Mandalorian being released on Friday was a great way to end the week. Every week it was stay offline all day on Friday, then after work we’d order pizza and go watch Baby Yoda’s adventures with our friends. Anyway, Tuesday December 3rd. Mark your calendar.
Ever since the show was announced, the description we’ve heard is “Goonies in space.” That’s it’s going to have an 80’s Spielberg/kids movie kind vibe. Law seems to confirm this, telling People:
When asked about what Star Wars fans can expect with the latest addition to its cinematic universe, Law tells PEOPLE that the "first word that comes to my mind" when describing the series is "joyful."
He also explains that viewers will watch the kids "maneuver through" places where they shouldn't be and adds that "seeing children in that environment in a Star Wars environment is thrilling and very, very unique."
I believe that Skeleton Crew is going to be the first live-action show that is explicitly aimed at kids. All of them are sort of for kids, at least from a certain point of view. Except for maybe Andor. Even in something like The Acolyte there’s something younger viewers can gravitate towards, younger stars like Amandla or Bazil the Space Otter.
There’s also going to be Easter eggs! Although let’s be honest, it’s going to be tough to top The Acolyte’s cameo of Darth Freakin’ Plagueis.
He adds that eagle-eyed Star Wars fans will be able to spot details that pay homage to the original films.
"If you look carefully, [we] got some Star Wars tech that dates right back, I believe, to the original film," he reveals. "They do [easter eggs] so well. That's one of the joys I think of this universe for those who know there are these little details always hidden away or Easter eggs that people can find and link up."
The one thing we don’t know is what exactly is going on this show. Why are these kids lost? Why are they hanging out with Jude Law? I’m pretty sure it takes place around the same time as the Mandoverse. Could we get a pop-in from Grogu? We’ve seen from the episode where Grogu went to school or the time he got to hang out with the Krill farmers that the little green guy likes being with other beings his own age, relatively speaking of course.
But, let’s get to the most important thing we know. There’s a baby Max Rebo. His name is Neel and he’s obviously going to be the best of the kids. There’s going to have to be a re-ranking of the Cute Little Guys list once the show comes out. Where will Neel rank? Come back and find. That’s what we in the Substack newsletter biz call a teaser.
Max Rebo is, of course, the blue elephant looking dude who plays in the band at Jabba’s Palace.
As a peak behind the curtain, it’s always decision when someone like a Max Rebo comes up of just how much to explain about him. The Sickos of course know Max Rebo and maybe even know his story from Tales From Jabba’s Palace and that Max accepted a gig to play for Jabba in exchange for unlimited food instead of money. The Normies might recognize the blue elephant guy but not know anything about him. So if you’re a Normie, here’s Max Rebo.
Lapti Nek forever, am I right?
I’ll update with any new Skeleton Crew info as it becomes available. I’m sure the media blitz with Law will start in October. Maybe there will be a new masked character to set the internet on fire with speculation?!?!
Yet Another Star Wars Trilogy
I unfortunately am not really well versed in a lot of the current canon books. I’ve read the Aftermath Trilogy and the Alphabet Squadron Trilogy and some other one off books here that. But haven’t really done a deep dive like I have with Legends. I’m hoping next year’s Death Star HR book club will the The High Republic, but I have to get through the New Jedi Order first. Which is going slowly.
Next up is the Reign of the Empire trilogy. Per Gizmodo, which got an exclusive:
Reign of the Empire will examine the struggle against the Empire through the eyes of some familiar faces. Mon Mothma, Bail Organa, and Saw Gerrera–all with their own differing perspectives on what must be done to stop Palpatine–play key roles in the trilogy, alongside a new cast of original characters as the galaxy begins to reckon with the grip of the Empire.
I love this idea. Give me anything exploring the beginning of the Rebellion and I’m going to be happy. The first book up is The Mask of Fear by Alexander Freed. The second and third books, as of now still untitled, will be written by Rebecca Roanhorse and Fran Widle, respectively.
Freed is the author of the fantastic Alphabet Squadron books which I mentioned above. He pulled off the trick of making Star Wars feel like you’re in a galaxy-wide civil war. Rogue One was able to do the same thing. The Skywalker Saga movies certainly tell the story of the galactic civil war(s) but they can feel too contained, like you don’t get the big picture. If Freed is kicking off the new trilogy, I’m in.
Winning a Gold Medal at the Yavin 4 Summer Games
The Summer Olympics are upon us. As of writing this on Sunday the 28th, I actually haven’t watched any of it. I did see that a Gojira, a French heavy metal band1, played the opening ceremony and played a metal version of a song that was popular doing the French revolution. So there’s that.
A couple months ago I wrote about “saber laser”. A version of fencing where you wear hockey gear and use your own lightsaber, or saber laser, as they call it to keep the Disney lawyers off their back. It was officially recognized in 2019 as a form of fencing by the Fédération Française d'Escrime, or the French Fencing Federation as we’d say in American. Unfortunately, saber laser has not been recognized as an Olympic sport, so for now we’re just stuck with Épée, Foil, and Sabre. Boring. Maybe for the 2028 games in Los Angeles Disney will throw enough money around that the IOC will add saber laser as a form.
As I was reading some coverage of the Olympics, I saw an article titled “They Watched ‘Star Wars.’ It’s Why They’re in the Olympics.2” I don’t think it’s any surprise that a number of Olympians would have watched a Star Wars movie and thought “that looks like fun.” It’s not possible to watch a Star Wars movie and not think a lightsaber duel looks awesome. Most of us just don’t take it to 11 and put in the work to make it to the Olympics.
American fencer Maia Chamberlain’s first experience with the sport that would take her from California to Princeton and now on to Paris was battling her father with toy lightsabers. She always took the green one to be like Luke.
U.S. fencer Mitchell Saron has a similar origin story. After seeing “Revenge of the Sith,” he begged his parents to buy him toy swords. When his mother finally dragged him to a New Jersey fencing club, he learned the rules of foil, epee and saber—and picked his future weapon.
“Saber is the one where you can slash,” Saron said. “I saw the other two where you have to poke, and I said, ‘I can’t do those. They’re not like ‘Star Wars.’”
As it turns out, few people in the history of American fencing are more influential than George Lucas, since college coaches say that new “Star Wars” movies always lead to a surge in youth participation.
I don’t know what the level of intensity is when you’re fencing, I would imagine it’s pretty high. Especially at the Olympics. But the temptation has to be high make lightsaber noises as the match goes on.
Fun fact to help you dominate your next Star Wars trivia night, the original stunt double for Darth Vader was an Olympic gold medalist.
In the original movies, the lightsaber battles were choreographed and coordinated by an Olympic gold medalist, who also played another role: He was Darth Vader’s stunt double.
After competing for Great Britain at the 1952 Olympics, Bob Anderson became the man who everyone in Hollywood called when they needed help with a fight scene. He was the Yoda of fencing. The late sword master consulted with everyone from Sean Connery to the swashbuckling Errol Flynn and on basically every classic film involving sharp blades.
I think if I ever won a Gold Medal at laser saber, or any other form of fencing at the Olympics, I’d have them play “Duel of the Fates” when I was on the podium instead of the Star Spangled Banner.
This Day in Star Wars History
Four things we’re going to mention that happened on August 2nd. Three books and a person
Kevin Smith is born. Yes, that Kevin Smith. The man is such a Star Wars fan he warrants his own Wookieepedia entry. Had to decide on a Kevin Smith Star Wars clip. The one from the first Clerks is the classic, but I posted it recently. So I went with one from Clerks 2. Just a reminder, as it’s a Kevin Smith movie, the clip is very, very NSFW. Also, I get where Randall is coming from. I recently had to tell some Lord of the Rings friends that I’d rather watch the Blade trilogy than the LOTR trilogy.
In 2022, the Essential Legends Collection paperback version of Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter by Michael Reaves was released. Like I said back in the May 4th Death Star HR, Darth Maul’s screen time to size on the movie poster ration was way off. But there were two Legends books that helped out his back story. I thought Shadow Hunter was the better of the two. It took place right before The Phantom Menace and you got more backstory into Palpatine’s plots.
Also in 2022, the Essential Legends Collection paperback version of Death Troopers by Joe Schreiber. I wasn’t a huge fan of the book but I appreciated that it was something new. Star Wars has all the elements for horror but rarely do they go there. Plus, the cover art was pretty great.
Creepy… Finally in 2022, Thrawn Ascendancy: Lesser Evil was published as a paperback. This was the final book in the Thrawn Ascendancy trilogy by Timothy Zahn, the creator of Thrawn. After Disney waved Mickey’s magic wand and turned all the Expanded Universe books into Legends, this was the way to get a new Thrawn story and get it back into canon. Even though the OG books, Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, and The Last Command are called the Thrawn trilogy, it’s the story of the New Republic and Grand Admiral Thrawn is just the bad guy. These books are the story of Thrawn himself.
From the Depths of Wookieepedia
No food this week. Instead we’ve got Rance (Sith Overseer). I’m not sure if the “Sith Overseer” in parentheses is because there is more than one dude named Rance in the Star Wars universe? What’s the most popular name in the Star Wars universe? I’m sure there were a lot of babies named “Luke” in the New Republic. Probably not a lot of ones names “Sheev” though.
Anyway, Rance. He’s a jerk.
He was remembered for his harsh method for training the Sith adepts, sending them to the Korriban wilds, where the students either died or driven mad, and forced to battle to death when they returned to their master
Not a healthy classroom environment at the Sith Acadamy, that’s for sure.
News From the HoloNet
Star Wars Outlaws Lead Calls Out "Bad-Faith People" Over Kay Vess Looks
People are mad because the Star Wars video game lady isn’t pretty enough? I would officially like to reset this timeline.
Jeff Bridges, Mark Hamill and more celebs join ‘White Dudes for Harris’ and raise $4M+
I don’t give money to politicians, but if Hamill and Bridges did a bit as Luke Skywalker meets The Dude, I would have cut a check.
‘Star Wars Outlaws’ somehow made me fall in love with Star Wars again
I am once again begging you, stop make me wanting a PS5.
After three years, what’s happening with Star Wars Eclipse?
Short answer: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
That’s it for this week. If you like what I’m doing, please subscribe. I’ll catch you next week, and may the Force be with you.
They have a song called “Satan is a Lawyer.” Love it.
The article is behind the WSJ paywall. Unlike Death Star HR which is free.
As much as I want constant SW TV and movie content, I do appreciate that the cadence of new shows has thinned out a little bit. We just finished The Acolyte and have almost five full months to wait for the next show and that's OK. The premise also sounds fun and should be a break from all the lightsabers in The Acolyte (though I wasn't sad about a Jedi focused show either).
I didn't know much about skeleton crew, but I could get down with a goonies in space vibe! That should hopefully have a new feel and tone which is exciting.
Also the Thrawn books are fantastic. One of my favorite Star Wars stories for sure.