Star Wars Minute 34: Idealistic Crusade

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Summary

Minute 34: Luke is given his father’s lightsaber.

Guests

Gaz Gretsky

Notes

Film

• More interesting 'Star Wars' stuff.
• C-3PO closes down.
• The first time we see the / a lightsaber.
• The action basically stops to allow Luke to present or show-off the lightsaber, which everyone agrees is an awesome weapon.
• Ben states that blasters are clumsy and random.
• Ben explains Darth Vader to Luke.

Podcast

• 21:33 podcast episode length.
• The team sound a little punch-drunk in this episode.

Topics discussed:

• Gaz thinks Luke's repair to C-3PO's arm looks like pantomime (ie not real).
• Why C-3PO closes down.
• Is Anthony Daniels in the suit for the whole time that he is closed down?
• The 'computer' mode that C-3PO goes into when he closes down and how he opens up again.
• The dangerous way that a) Ben gives Luke the lightsaber and b) Luke holds and uses the lightsaber when he turns it on for the first time.
• Swords and knights as toys before Star Wars.
• Different objects that can be used as lightsaber toys (cardboard tubes, fluorescent globes <dangerous and strongly not recommended> etc).
• What the various colours of lightsabers mean and the difference in the colour of Luke's between the movie and various toys.
• Different lightsaber toys, including 'Force Effects'.
• At what age did Annakin want Luke to have the lightsaber? ie At what age was Luke 'old enough'?
• Luke not having a Driver's Licence (droids do all the driving).
• Are blasters clumsy and random, or are Stormtroopers?
• Ben's explanation of, and language around, Darth Vader is very obtuse and unclear. Also, it appears to take him a while to get his story straight.
• What idealistic crusade was Luke's father on? He was in a war. Alex tries to rationalise this in terms of having a goal in mind that was a higher calling (ie holding the Galactic Republic together).
• What version of history is taught in The Empire? That is, are the Jedi good or bad guys as "guardians of the peace."
• The confusing portrayal of Jedi in the prequels.
• Crew member shadows in this minute. Or was it someone else in the actual movie? (eg a Tusken Raider, an Imperial spy, the essence of Qui-Gon Jinn.)

Quotes

Pete: "I'm worried that by the end of this I'm going to think that, that George Lucas is a genius and this whole thing is one grand network of, of amazing woven storytelling." Alex: "I'm going to assume that has more to do with the genius of a...million nerds on the internet you know..." Gaz: "Justifying every detail."

Alex: In relation to alternate lightsabers "This is your Father's Whacking Stick."

Pete: "Ladies and Gentleman of the jury, what are ideals?" (16:49)

Pete: "When you pictured this whole back story when you were a kid you didn't picture a lot bureaucracy and negotiation?" (18:50)

Alex: "When I was a kid I kept really hoping...at some point they go into an explanation for the taxation of trade routes in The Galactic Republic." (19:02)

Link

http://www.starwarsminute.com/2013/07/18/minute-34-idealistic-crusade/

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