Aggressive Negotiations: A Star Wars Podcast

The “Witches of Dathomir” have lurked in the back edge of fandom since the days of the old Expanded Universe in the 1990s, when they appeared in The Courtship of Princess Leia. They captured the imagination years later, when they were reworked and included in The Clone Wars TV series, woven into the story of Dooku's acolyte, Asajj Ventress, and then revealed to be a part of the backstory of fan-favorite Darth Maul. They took on a life of their own as *Star Wars*' resident spooky storyline, so what better way to celebrate their chilling tales than with a Halloween episode?Chant some Dark Side mantras and join us as we explore...the Nightsisters.HostsJohn Mills and Matthew RushingSend us your feedback!Twitter: @TheJediMasters   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNerdParty/ Email: an@thenerdparty.comSupport Aggressive Negotiations, and the Nerd Party network, by trying Lootcrate at: www.lootcrate.com/nerdparty Subscribe in iTunes!

Star Wars Halloween Special. Imagine a world where the 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special was good and entertaining, and seeking opportunities to capitalize on that success, Lucasfilm was open to making more holiday specials. We could have received a Star Wars Halloween Special.In this episode of Aggressive Negotiations John Mills and Matthew Rushing explore the idea of what a Star Wars Halloween Special would contain, what framing devices would be used for the stories, and what story possibilities there would be for a costumed holiday in a galaxy far, far away....HostsJohn Mills and Matthew RushingSend us your feedback!Twitter: @TheJediMasters   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNerdParty/ Email: an@thenerdparty.comSupport Aggressive Negotiations, and the Nerd Party network, by trying Lootcrate at: www.lootcrate.com/nerdparty Subscribe in iTunes!

The Phantom Menace unleashed Darth Maul into a world ready for an on-screen inheritor to the terror that Darth Vader tapped into in 1977. Then it promptly killed him.That was, of course, not the end of the story. In this episode of Aggressive Negotiations Matthew Rushing and John Mills explore the extended life of Darth Maul, the Energizer Bunny of Star Wars villains. They discuss their reactions to his figurative resurrection, reception of his impact on story, limitations on his character and what they expect to see from him in times to come.HostsJohn Mills and Matthew RushingSend us your feedback!Twitter: @TheJediMasters   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNerdParty/ Email: an@thenerdparty.comSupport Aggressive Negotiations, and the Nerd Party network, by trying Lootcrate at: www.lootcrate.com/nerdparty Subscribe in iTunes!

Star Wars: The Clone Wars - the movie soundtrack.In 2008, George Lucas took everyone a little off-guard by announcing that the animated Star Wars show in development, The Clone Wars, was going to get its own theatrical release to kick off the series. Debate immediately raged among fans disoriented by the idea of an animated Star Wars movie. What was to be expected? What would it look like? And just as importantly, how could there be a Star Wars movie without John Williams composing for it?John Mills and Matthew Rushing discuss their initial reactions to the film and its reception, then move on to a deep-dive on the subject of the score by Kevin Kiner. What were its strengths? Does it still feel like Star Wars?HostsJohn Mills and Matthew RushingSend us your feedback!Twitter: @TheJediMasters   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNerdParty/ Email: an@thenerdparty.comSupport Aggressive Negotiations, and the Nerd Party network, by trying Lootcrate at: www.lootcrate.com/nerdparty Subscribe in iTunes!

Star Wars Rebels is now in its third seasons and continues to solidify itself as worthy successor to The Clone Wars, carrying on the proud tradition of challenging Star Wars fans with new perspectives to see things from, by deepening the mythology of the saga.In this issue of Aggressive Negotiations our intrepid masters are diving head first the season three premiere of Rebels and plumping the depths of the Bendu, Thrawn, the force and so much more. HostsJohn Mills and Matthew RushingSend us your feedback!Twitter: @TheJediMasters   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNerdParty/ Email: an@thenerdparty.comSupport Aggressive Negotiations, and the Nerd Party network, by trying Lootcrate at: www.lootcrate.com/nerdparty Subscribe in iTunes!   

“Die wanna wanga?”Star Wars has always been known for its creative use of languages. Whether a Rodian, a Hutt or a human being, each was given its own tongue to communicate in that galaxy far, far away. And communication was never a real barrier...most of the time.John Mills and Matthew Rushing translate their way through the finer points of language in Star Wars, from conversations with crime lords and Trade Federation viceroys to the different treatments of language across the eras.HostsJohn Mills and Matthew RushingSend us your feedback!Twitter: @TheJediMasters   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNerdParty/ Email: an@thenerdparty.comSupport Aggressive Negotiations, and the Nerd Party network, by trying Lootcrate at: www.lootcrate.com/nerdparty Subscribe in iTunes!     

What makes Anakin and Luke different, and why were their choices so distinct? This leads into the driving question for The Force Awakens for director JJ Abrams, “Who is Luke Skywalker?” While the answer may seem simple, it's layered with meaning and metaphor built through four decades of filmmaking. Matthew Rushing and John Mills challenge each other with their interpretations of Luke and Anakin, and what the future might hold in Star Wars as Rey joins Luke in a monastic retreat somewhere at the edge of that galaxy far, far away.HostsJohn Mills and Matthew RushingSend us your feedback!Twitter: @TheJediMasters   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNerdParty/ Email: an@thenerdparty.comSupport Aggressive Negotiations, and the Nerd Party network, by trying Lootcrate at: www.lootcrate.com/nerdparty Subscribe in iTunes!     

Every year in the real-life Mos Eisley known as Atlanta, Georgia, fans of all types and stripes gather to celebrate the slices of geek life they love. This magical gathering is called DragonCon, and for several decades it's been the premiere place for fans to meet, mingle and muse on topics having to do with all their favorite obsessions.Aggressive Negotiations' own Matthew Rushing attended DragonCon this year and sat on the panels of two sessions. Get his perspective on what was discussed and his favorite memories from contributing to the discussions.HostsJohn Mills and Matthew RushingSend us your feedback!Twitter: @TheJediMasters   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNerdParty/ Email: an@thenerdparty.comSupport Aggressive Negotiations, and the Nerd Party network, by trying Lootcrate at: www.lootcrate.com/nerdparty Subscribe in iTunes!

With every original script must come a novelization. Whereas movie properties like Harry Potter are adaptations of written source material, screen concepts like Star Wars are given the reverse treatment. An author must come in and adapt visual shorthand to the written word and find a way to do so compellingly. Often they do so by expanding scenes, inserting internal dialogue, and including moments left on the cutting room floor. As part of the nostalgia wave with The Force Awakens, Lucasfilm once more brought in Alan Dean Foster, ghost writer for the original novelization, to give written life to video concepts.In this episode of Aggressive Negotiations, Jedi Master John Mills  is joined by a very special guest, “Saber Goddess,” to examine The Force Awakens novelization and look at its successes, its shortcomings and where she'd rank it on the pantheon of Star Wars material.What did you think of The Force Awakens Novelization?HostsJohn Mills and Matthew RushingSend us your feedback!Twitter: @TheJediMasters   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNerdParty/ Email: an@thenerdparty.comSupport Aggressive Negotiations, and the Nerd Party network, by trying Lootcrate at: www.lootcrate.com/nerdparty Subscribe in iTunes! 

Star Wars is a rich tapestry populated by interesting characters with deep back stories. At least, we think it might be.With a plethora of characters and concepts, and media to transmit their stories, one of the great mysteries of the new map Lucasfilm is building of Star Wars history is how many disappointing turns and dead ends you find on your journey. Whether Chewbacca, Vader, or Fett, these characters with amazing possibilities have been frustratingly hit-and-miss.In this episode of Aggressive Negotiations, Jedi Masters John Mills and Matthew Rushing examine the back stories from a galaxy far, far away. Where have they built a satisfying piece of the puzzle, where did they go wrong, and how can they make sure they get  the next pieces lined up correctly?What are your greatest hits and misses for Star Wars back stories, both past and present?HostsJohn Mills and Matthew RushingSend us your feedback!Twitter: @TheJediMasters   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNerdParty/ Email: an@thenerdparty.comSupport Aggressive Negotiations, and the Nerd Party network, by trying Lootcrate at: www.lootcrate.com/nerdparty Subscribe in iTunes! 

We pitched theoretical television shows, so let's look at what Lucasfilm has on the way in reality.Disney and Lucasfilm launched the animated show *Star Wars Rebels* with the hopes of luring in old fans and a new audience eager for adventures in a galaxy far, far away. After some fitful adjustments in tone and focus, Season 3 debuts soon, and with it another chance to capture the minds of *Star Wars* fans eager to discover the state of the galaxy in the lead up to *Rogue One: A Star Wars Story*.In this episode of *Aggressive Negotiations*, Jedi Masters Matthew Rushing and John Mills talk about what's made *Rebels* work, where it's missed and what they hope to see in the new season.What strikes your fancy about the Gang from Lothal?HostsJohn Mills and Matthew RushingSend us your feedback!Twitter: @TheJediMasters   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNerdParty/ Email: an@thenerdparty.comSupport Aggressive Negotiations, and the Nerd Party network, by trying Lootcrate at: www.lootcrate.com/nerdparty Subscribe in iTunes!  

In a short while, on a television very near you...Disney and Lucasfilm have fired up the imaginations of fans yet again with the promise of a live-action television show set in the Star Wars galaxy. Immediately we wonder, when it will be set and what characters we will see. Shortly after that, we wonder if we should get head shots and an agent.In this episode of Aggressive Negotiations, Jedi Masters John Mills and Matthew Rushing help the Disney machine by pitching their own ideas  for a Star Wars live-action series, and then a few other ideas they want to spitball for some of that sweet syndicated cash.What territory does television open for your Star Wars imagination?HostsJohn Mills and Matthew RushingSend us your feedback!Twitter: @TheJediMasters   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNerdParty/ Email: an@thenerdparty.comSupport Aggressive Negotiations, and the Nerd Party network, by trying Lootcrate at: www.lootcrate.com/nerdparty Subscribe in iTunes!       

The Revenge of the Sith soundtrack.As the prequel trilogy came to a close, John Williams delivered a linchpin score to tie together six films, and a single story, stitched together over the span of three decades. Revenge of the Sith promised what fans had been demanding since the first announcement of the prequel trilogy in the mid 1990s: the key to understanding the entire journey.  The score, as always, would have to play a central role as the emotional voice of the episode.In this episode of Aggressive Negotiations, Jedi Masters Matthew Rushing and John Mills review the soundtrack's strength, its spirit and the struggles of the home-release format for what everyone in 2005 thought was the final Star Wars score from John Williams.What is your opinion of the score for the final Star Wars film to be created by George Lucas?HostsJohn Mills and Matthew RushingSend us your feedback!Twitter: @TheJediMasters   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNerdParty/ Email: an@thenerdparty.comSupport Aggressive Negotiations, and the Nerd Party network, by trying Lootcrate at: www.lootcrate.com/nerdparty Subscribe in iTunes! 

But is it Canon?A question that consumes franchise fans, and especially *Star Wars* fans, is the authentic and official nature of non-film works. The religious term adopted for these works is “canon,” the concept of an essential text that is indispensable to the acolyte's complete understanding of the story.In this episode of Aggressive Negotiations, Jedi Masters John Mills and Matthew Rushing discuss the concept of Star Wars “canon,” its nature and its ongoing effect on fans' enjoyment of the current body of work.HostsJohn Mills and Matthew RushingSend us your feedback!Twitter: @TheJediMasters   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNerdParty/ Email: an@thenerdparty.comSupport Aggressive Negotiations, and the Nerd Party network, by trying Lootcrate at: www.lootcrate.com/nerdparty Subscribe in iTunes! 

Better Call SawSaw Gerrera! Who is he, and why is it so important to fans that he's appearing in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story? In this episode, we lay out the origins of Saw, what themes his character supports, what his inclusion could mean for the Star Wars franchise as a whole, and what you should watch to prepare for his character.In this episode of Aggressive Negotiations, Jedi Masters Matthew Rushing and John Mills discuss this character and the pivotal decision to include him in the first Disney Star Wars anthology film. Additionally, they discuss Lucas' remaining influence and how it may have shaped Rogue One in crucial ways.HostsJohn Mills and Matthew RushingSend us your feedback!Twitter: @TheJediMasters   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNerdParty/ Email: an@thenerdparty.comSupport Aggressive Negotiations, and the Nerd Party network, by trying Lootcrate at: www.lootcrate.com/nerdparty Subscribe in iTunes!