The Imperial Order

Ranking the Star Wars films is something that we’ve all done, right? Basing our choices on a mixture of personal preference and societal approval and altering the list as each new instalment settles in.

It’s not something that I’d considered for a long time as since 2005 I had come to consider the saga as a whole, and then The Force Awakens was such a confusing addition to the story that I didn’t give much thought to how it aligned with the other films (instead mulling over whether I should even accept it at all).

Rogue One brought the fun of Star Wars back for real, and with it the realisation that my appreciation for each episode had shifted. Not only was it time to make a new ranking – there was a revised viewing order to be had as well…

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Bringing the Rogue Home

Yesterday fans up and down the UK were collecting their copies of Rogue One on DVD and Blu Ray, and I was no exception (also picking up a free YA novel adaptation of the film from Sainsburys, which was a nice bonus). The Blu Ray has taken instant pride of place on the shelf, and tonight is booked in for travelling back to that galaxy far, far away and enjoying the finest Star Wars film since The Empire Strikes Back.

Yep, it really is that good.

It will be interesting to see how well the film ages. Of the Lucas films even Revenge of the Sith has had over a decade to mature, making it’s easier to be objective and consider each episode on its own actual merits, free from hype. Rogue One was amazing upon release, and again on each subsequent viewing. Yet if something does eventually break the spell, how many viewings will it take for that to happen? After all, I’ve now seen the OT so many times that I sometimes struggle through the Battle of Yavin or the Battle of Hoth – does a similar fate await the Battle of Scarif? I hope not, but only time will tell.

Either way, it’s only a hypothetical concern at the moment. Right now for Star Wars fans it’s all about the present, and savouring the most exciting home release since 2005.

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Embracing the Black Series

So, why has the blog focus shifted to the 6″ figures?

The single main reason is that the bigger Black Series line is now the only realistic game in town for halfway-decent Star Wars figures. The 3.75″ Black Series line is distributed too poorly to be enjoyable to collect (and I say that with several big Asdas near me), whilst the 5POA figures just haven’t gelled with me whatsoever.

Yet it’s been this way for a while now, and I’ve been OK with it. I’ve still picked up the odd figure here or there whilst admiring the incredible toy photography that pops up daily on Instagram, but as a rule I’ve been able to hold firm.

Then, from seemingly nowhere, came an incentive to push me over the edge:

Rogue One: Right the Second Time

A spoiler-free review of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

While some over-exuberant fans praised The Force Awakens for taking them back to their childhoods, there was a significant portion of the Star Wars fandom who felt that the recycled plot, confusing character arcs and return to a status quo resolved in Return of the Jedi was not satisfactory. The charm, or magic as some called it was certainly present in whispered glimpses; but these glimpses could only disguise the shallow plot machinations and rushed production if you consciously chose not to look. With another year to gestate The Force Awakens could have been good; the characters and their arcs could have taken true form. Unfortunately money talks, and it was not to be.

One year later and where The Force Awakens failed, Rogue One has succeeded – and spectacularly.

The Rogue One Trailer is Here!

I know everyone on this site will have seen it already, but here’s the latest trailer for the upcoming Rogue One…

So, at least as far as we can gather, the Rogue One re-shoots are to make sure that the film has a smoother tonal fit with A New Hope and to add more scenes with an existing character from the series.

These are both fair reasons for a franchise film (the artistic ship has sailed, remember), although I hope for Gareth Edwards’ sake that the changes benefit the finished product and don’t lead to years of bad blood and recriminations. As much as Disney screwing it up so soon would be a vindication for a certain point of view, it’s definitely not in the best interests of the short to mid-term health of the franchise.

Whatever happens with the film, the trailer looks good. Of course, we’ve been burned by that before…

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