A More Civilized Age: A Star Wars Podcast

For the last few months, we've been getting to know the crew of the Ghost. But how much have we learned about them really? Sure, we know that Zeb's people suffered occupation and (apparently) genocide, or that Hera is able to make hard decisions for the greater good. But give it some thought: What do we really know about these folks? What's Sabine situation, besides paint and high explosives? How much training did Kanan really get? How did Ezra come to be everyone's favorite force sensitive street rat? Well, it's time to start getting answers, beginning with that last question. Today, we learn about Ezra's past and parentage. Or at least we watch a story about those things. Somehow, we still don't actually know what happened to them. Maybe that'll be stage 3 of getting to know the crew. Next Time: Rebels 10 - 12 ("Path of the Jedi," "Idiot's Array," and "Vision of Hope")  Show Notes   Hosted by Rob Zacny (@RobZacny) Featuring Alicia Acampora (@ali_west), Austin Walker (@austin_walker), and Natalie Watson (@nataliewatson) Produced by Ricardo Contreras (@a_cado_appears) Music by Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal) Cover art by Xeecee (@xeeceevevo)

21 Juni 20231h 53min

With this pair of episodes, it seems accurate to say we've truly entered Rebels proper. Not because some production technique has finally hit its stride, or because we've reached some grand revelation, or seen a major swing in character development. Instead, it's because these are just two totally familiar, stock procedural episode formats: "Kid goes undercover" and "two people argue and bond in the wilderness." And good news: They're pretty good episodes! Not quite season finale level material or anything, but solid, fun, and well executed. And hey: space waffles! Next Time: Rebels 08 & 09 (Empire Day and Gathering Forces) Show Notes Hosted by Rob Zacny (@RobZacny) Featuring Alicia Acampora (@ali_west), Austin Walker (@austin_walker), and Natalie Watson (@nataliewatson) Produced by Ricardo Contreras (@a_cado_appears) Music by Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal) Cover art by Xeecee (@xeeceevevo)

7 Juni 20231h 37min

Dedicated television watchers know that you can only learn so much from a show's pilot episode. Performances might not be dialed all the way in yet. The show's style of composition, blocking, editing, and other cinematic elements is still under construction. Hell, even the tone and attitude might be up in the air. But by episode 5, all that wet cement has started to set into a more final shape. And it is exactly here, at episode 5 of Rebels, that we learn just how hard this show is going to go... Show Notes   Hosted by Rob Zacny (@RobZacny) Featuring Alicia Acampora (@ali_west), Austin Walker (@austin_walker), and Natalie Watson (@nataliewatson) Produced by Ricardo Contreras (@a_cado_appears) Music by Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal) Cover art by Xeecee (@xeeceevevo)

24 Maj 20232h 14min

We did it! We made it through the Clone Wars Legacy materials, past Solo (for some reason), and into the heart of the show that is going to take over our lives for the next year plus—or at least until Andor season 2 starts. Today we kick off Star Wars: Rebels, meeting the crew in a series of four, hijinks-laden shorts and then moving on to the two part intro that sets Ezra Bridger on a journey to... well, that's the thing, we have no idea where his journey will take him! Isn't that exciting?  Please let folks know that this might be a good point to hop on board the AMCA train, get yourselves ready for the bevy of upcoming Star Wars material that is seemingly picking up where Rebels leaves off. Also, give special thanks to Ricardo Contreras, who handled the edit for this episode, and will hopefully be sticking with production duties going forward! They absolutely crushed it! Next Time: Star Wars Rebels 03-05 ("Droids in Distress," "Fighter Flight," and "The Old Masters") You can support the show and gain access to a monthly Q&A cast by going to patreon.com/civilized Show Notes Breakdown of how we're tackling the season: 1: Shorts + Spark of the Resistance  2: Droids in Distress, Fighter Flight, Rise of the Old Masters 3: Breaking Ranks, Out of Darkness 4: Empire Day, Gathering Forces 5: Path of the Jedi, Idiot's Array, Vision of Hope 6: Call to Action, Rebel Resolve, Fire Across the Galaxy   Hosted by Rob Zacny (@RobZacny) Featuring Alicia Acampora (@ali_west), Austin Walker (@austin_walker), and Natalie Watson (@nataliewatson) Produced by Ricardo Contreras (@a_cado_appears) Music by Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal) Cover art by Xeecee (@xeeceevevo)

10 Maj 20233h 15min

Here we are. Our final diversion before we finally arrive at Rebels. And what a diversion it is. A couple of really good heists. A couple of great performances. Solid props and sets. An incredibly paced, 60 minute film. I'm sorry. Huh? You're telling me... you're saying that's not even half the movie? It what? It botches a droid liberation arc? They do what with the droid freedom fighter's still living mind? Who shows up???? Oh, right. That one we knew already. Next Time: Star Wars Rebels Shorts ("The Machine in the Ghost, "Art Attack," "Entanglement," "Property of Ezra Bridger") and Episodes 01-02 ("Spark of Rebellion") You can support the show and gain access to a monthly Q&A cast by going to patreon.com/civilized Show Notes Hosted by Rob Zacny (@RobZacny) Featuring Alicia Acampora (@ali_west), Austin Walker (@austin_walker), and Natalie Watson (@nataliewatson) Produced by Austin Walker Music by Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal) Cover art by Xeecee (@xeeceevevo)

26 Apr 20233h 36min

60 episodes. Minus like, a dozen Andor eps. Plus a bunch of Patreon bonus Q&As. That's how long it's taken us to get through the original run of Clone Wars, plus the Legacy materials released soon after the end of its 6th season—culminating with today's episode on the Asajj Ventress/Quinlan Vos romantic adventure Dark Disciple. It's truly all come down to this... Which means, of course, that we spend nearly the entire first hour of this episode talking instead about Star Wars Celebration 2023, or at least the bits of it that had happened by the time we recorded early on Saturday. Next Time (for some reason): Solo: A Star Wars Story Show Notes Ronto Wrap Asajj Ventress Ball Gown Concept Art Hosted by Rob Zacny (@RobZacny) Featuring Alicia Acampora (@ali_west), Austin Walker (@austin_walker), and Natalie Watson (@nataliewatson) Produced by Austin Walker Music by Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal) Cover art by Xeecee (@xeeceevevo)

12 Apr 20233h 48min

Before we complete our journey out of the Clone Wars and into Rebels, we have a few final stops to make. First, we find out what ever happened to Darth Maul after the events of the Shadow Collective Arc. Then we get an absolute banger in the unfinished story reel version of The Crystal Crisis of Utapau, an arc too good to have been left in this state indefinitely.  Just one more stop to go before we get to Rebels. Right? That's right, right? There's definitely no big, stupid curveball on its way to derail us from our goal? There's no way that we'll stumble into something else we just "absolutely" need to see before we get to Rebels, that is at deep odds with how we've gone about this project so far, right? We'd never do that. Never. Next Time: Star Wars: Dark Disciple Show Notes Star Wars: The Clone Wars Legacy Ahsoka's Decision - Deleted Clone Wars Scene Remake [4K]

28 Mars 20232h 28min

Come to the end of Clone Wars' original run, we have.   No. No I won't do it. You can't make me write in Yoda. Yoda doesn't even write in Yoda, I bet.  Lie, Yoda does n- No. No I'm not going to have a big, Gollum-like argument with myself either. This arc already did that and it wasn't good then, so why would it be now?  In any case. This is it: The end of Season 6. For millions of fans, it served as a finale for The Clone Wars for six years. A deep dive about some basics of the force. A return of a voice long thought lost. A bunch of new force lore that we did not need. And, of course, an attempt to make everything just a little too tidy.  Could it really end any other way? Next Time: Star Wars: Darth Maul - Son of Dathomir Issues 1-4 and Crystal Crisis on Utapau  Show Notes Hosted by Rob Zacny (@RobZacny) Featuring Alicia Acampora (@ali_west), Austin Walker (@austin_walker), and Natalie Watson (@nataliewatson) Produced by Austin Walker Music by Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal) Cover art by Xeecee (@xeeceevevo)

16 Mars 20232h 8min