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Welcome to this special edition of Star Wars Insider, now on its 10th volume! This time we’ve focused on some of the great women who have contributed to the Star Wars saga, in front of the camera and behind the scenes, and as creators of books, comics, and fine art. We are also paying tribute to some of the best female characters that have captured the imaginations of fans across the world; characters such as Leia Organa, Sabine Wren, Ahsoka Tano, and Rey. From an interview with Lucasfilm’s president, Kathleen Kennedy, who has spearheaded the franchise to even greater heights; to a look behind the scenes of Marvel’s Doctor Aphra series; to writer Tricia Barr’s heartfelt tribute to the much-missed Carrie Fisher, this volume is a celebration of a glorious…

Archetype: Queen Strengths: Diplomacy, faith in people, warrior When we meet Padmé in The Phantom Menace, she is obscured by her royal mask as Queen Amidala. Her planet Naboo is under siege by the Trade Federation and she refuses to capitulate. Her hard stance doesn’t dissuade the Federation’s leader, Nute Gunray, and as his forces capture the capital city, Padmé flees with her handmaidens, hoping to find a diplomatic solution through the Galactic Senate. Although her world is in a tenuous position, the mask remains, hiding fear in the face of overwhelming circumstances that find them stranded on the backwater world of Tatooine. When Padmé poses as a lowly handmaiden to accompany Qui-Gon Jinn in search of repair parts for her Royal Starship, she exposes her true nature. Padmé is…

Archetype: Leader Strengths: Wisdom, persuasion, compassion In 1983’s Return of the Jedi, Mon Mothma stood before the soldiers of the Rebel Alliance to prepare them for one of its most important battles, and made an impression on female fans of the original trilogy. Those fans didn’t have a lot of women to look up to in Star Wars, and though she wore white similar to Leia Organa, Mon Mothma was a different type of character. As an ally to Senators Amidala and Bail Organa in the earliest days of resisting Palpatine’s rule, to her brief role in Rogue One, which showed the difficulty of leading an alliance of disparate, volatile rebel factions, we really only learn a little about what drives her. However, stand-out character moments from the books and…

Archetype: Fighter Strengths: Athleticism, trusts her instincts, conviction Sometimes peace can be achieved only by fighting for it. Anakin Skywalker believes that principle, ultimately taking it to an extreme that taints his soul. His apprentice, Ahsoka Tano, learns many lessons from her Jedi Master. At the end of The Clone Wars, though, she concludes that the Jedi are going down a path she cannot follow. One of the toughest decisions in life is to walk away from something that has defined us. This isn’t a female or a male moment; it is a human one, and makes Ahsoka one of Star Wars’ most relatable characters. Through the novel Ahsoka, fans learn about her path to becoming Fulcrum, an agent of the Rebel Alliance. In finding this role, she builds a…

Archetype: Tech Expert Strengths: Intellect, improvisation, Mandalorian training Often we think of art and science as opposing sides of a dichotomy, and imagine tough soldiers as people who don’t have time for either. Sabine Wren proves these clichés wrong, combining all these elements into a kind of hero we haven’t seen before in Star Wars. Her upbringing brings together Mandalorian heritage and the rigorous training of an Imperial academy cadet. She learns to fight, but also excels in intellectual pursuits. In Season Three of Rebels we learn that her scientific prowess was exploited by the Empire to develop a terrible weapon that was turned against the Mandalorians, leading to her exile. Finding a new family among the Ghost crew, Sabine puts her knowledge of the Empire to good use in…

Archetype: Mentor Strengths: Wisdom, Force knowledge, insight ”She’s run this watering hole for a thousand years.” It’s quite the introduction for Finn and Rey as they enter Maz Kanata’s lakeside castle on Takodano alongside Han Solo. Inside, the sights and sounds of gambling and eclectic musicians are reminiscent of cantinas found in previous Star Wars films, but nothing prepares the audience for the diminutive humanoid who calls out the smuggler’s name and asks after his first mate Chewbacca. It is at Maz’s table that we see Rey and Finn begin to become a part of something new, to break bread with others. It is also at this table where Maz offers knowledge about the ways of the galaxy and the darkness spreading through it. She challenges Han to go back…

Archetype: Rebel Strengths: Persistence, courage, wit From a young age, Leia Organa knows what she wants to achieve for the galaxy: the toppling of the evil Empire and the restoration of the Republic’s democracy. For a moment, this meant covert resistance using the diplomatic cover of her service in the Imperial Senate, such as the ruse to deliver three cruisers to a rebel cell on Lothal. When she absconds from the Battle of Scarif with the stolen Death Star plans, however, open rebellion is unavoidable. Then Leia shifts from a diplomat to a military leader, overseeing the clashes at Yavin, Hoth, and Endor until the tide is turned in the Galactic Civil War. But the Rebellion does not triumph easily. Time and again Leia and her friends suffer setbacks: her…

Archetype: Loner Strengths: Survivor, hope, discipline Sometimes before a person chooses to become a hero to others, she must have the inner fortitude simply to survive, no matter how difficult the circumstances. Jyn Erso endures hardship upon hardship in her short life before making the ultimate selfless sacrifice for the Rebellion. As a child, Jyn finds a life of luxury on Coruscant exchanged for a desolate farm on Lah’mu and a constant fear of discovery by the Empire. After watching Krennic murder her mother and abduct her father, Jyn is retrieved by her new guardian, the extremist rebel Saw Gerrera. Though she learns much from him about how to fight, his gruff demeanor and protectiveness of the secret of her identity as the daughter of an Imperial weapons scientist leaves…

Archetype: General Strengths: Incredible pilot, nurturing spirit, team-builder Don’t let initial appearances fool you: Hera Syndulla is much more than the highly skilled pilot of the Ghost. The traditions of Star Wars might suggest that Kanan Jarrus, a Jedi, is the leader of their team of rebels, but it is Hera who is not only captain of the ship but also in charge of their operations. Over time her talent at leadership takes her from managing her small crew to commanding a squadron in the Rebel Alliance military. Hera’s interpersonal skills and firm sense of justice are honed in a childhood of war on Ryloth. Her father Cham fought alongside the Jedi to liberate Ryloth from the Separatist droid army during the Clone Wars, only to see the Empire rise…

Archetype: Mother Strengths: Love of her child, kindness, selflessness Not all strength is physical, and not every act of heroism involves triumph over an evil adversary. One of the hardest transitions in a parent’s life is to watch a child grow up and move on to an adulthood of their own. To cut that process short, at a younger age, is all the more emotionally fraught. Yet Shmi Skywalker has the willpower to say goodbye to her nine-year-old son, recognizing that she may never see him again, to grant to him an opportunity in life that she could never provide. That act of selfless love in the dusty streets of Mos Espa is the culmination of a lifetime of sacrifices Shmi has made for Anakin. Living in slavery, Shmi does…

Archetype: Prodigy Strengths: Compassion, quick reflexes, fortitude Our introduction to Rey, is one of the finest moments in Star Wars. Storytelling is about creating something new out of elements that are familiar, and here it’s done with images rather than words. A lithe form glides down a rope into the depths of a manufactured cavern. After her slide down a sand dune, her physical strength is displayed as she drags scavenged loot to her speeder. A look inside Rey’s AT-AT home reveals a doll in the form of an X-wing pilot and a solitary meal. A moment of amusement, an imagined dogfight in a starfighter helmet, is interrupted by the cries of captive BB-8. Rey answers her “Call to Adventure” and quickly gathers allies, much like Dorothy in The Wizard…

CARRIE FISHER THE FIRST LADY OF STAR WARS

I can recall the day Carrie Fisher came into my life; and also the day she left all of ours. Many people of my generation vividly remember the first time we saw Star Wars. I was eight years old. Carrie Fisher, playing Princess Leia, appeared in a hallway with the Death Star plans and put them into a droid. The crawl had set up the context—this was her ship and her goal was to “save her people and restore freedom to the galaxy.” In 1977 that was high stakes for any character, but for a young girl watching, Princess Leia was extraordinary. She spat zingers at uber-villain Darth Vader, rescued Han Solo and Luke Skywalker when their plan to free her went awry, and instinctively knew their escape from the…

CARRIE FISHER THE FIRST LADY OF STAR WARS

WHAT CARRIE MEANT TO US

At Celebration Anaheim in 2015, the panel “What Princess Leia Means to Me” featured six women who had worked professionally in Star Wars. After they praised many facets of the character, most of all that she never falters and always has hope, women and men went to the audience microphone to share how they too were inspired. As the woman behind the character, Carrie Fisher never let us forget that while we should aspire to greatness, sometimes we will falter—and that’s okay. For women particularly, who for a long time felt like the forgotten fanbase, Carrie Fisher became our unofficial General. She was a leader brimming with compassion. Acclaimed comics writer Gail Simone tweeted, “You can look at almost any group of women writers and know in your heart that…

WHAT CARRIE MEANT TO US

APHRA TAKES FLIGHT

MEET TEAM APHRA KIERON GILLEN, WRITER KEV WALKER, ARTIST HEATHER ANTOS, ASSISTANT EDITOR, MARVEL JORDAN D. WHITE, EDITOR, MARVEL FRANK PARISI, SENIOR EDITOR, LUCASFILM The groundbreaking run of Marvel Comics’ Darth Vader introduced rogue archaeologist Doctor Aphra into Star Wars lore. An instant hit with readers, she now stars in her own comic book series. This is the first Marvel Star Wars series led by a character created for the comics. What drew you to Aphra’s story? Heather Antos: What’s not interesting when it comes to Aphra? She’s such a fascinating character—she’s not a hero, but she isn’t a villain either. It’s a terribly fun mindset to play with, this moral gray area. Not to mention she has some of the best sidekicks the Star Wars universe has ever seen! Between working for the…

APHRA TAKES FLIGHT

TRIPLE ZERO A protocol droid, specializing in etiquette, customs, translation, and torture. Once designated to serve Darth Vader, wherever Triple Zero and his counterpart Bee Tee One go, carnage will follow. BEE TEE ONE Cunningly disguised as a astromech droid Bee Tee One is an assassin droid (a blastomech). Armed and dangerous, Bee Tee One was created by the Galactic Empire’s Tarkin Initiative. BLACK KRRSANTAN A Wookiee bounty hunter also known as Santy, Black Krrsantan is deemed by Boba Fett to be one of the best in his field. Krrsantan was scarred in a skirmish with Obi-Wan Kenobi.…

“Kanan Jarrus fell in love with Hera Syndulla before he ever saw her face.” Romantic relationships in the Star Wars universe can be a bit rocky to say the least. Look at R some of the most well-known couplings: Han and Leia, Obi-Wan and Satine Kryze, Anakin and Padmé, Thane Kyrell and Ciena Ree… It is clear that the path of true love does tend to be filled with some crater-sized obstacles, no matter how much we want our favorite couples to make it work. There’s one couple in the Star Wars universe, however, that’s been going strong for years now: renegades Kanan Jarrus and Hera Syndulla of Star Wars Rebels. Kanan and Hera, known by the nickname of “Kanera” to a lot of fans, are a favorite for many reasons, not…

Putting the Romance into Rebellion:

HERA SYNDULLA Born seven years before the start of the Clone Wars, Hera Syndulla was raised to fight: for her home, for her people, for her freedom. Trained by her father, the Ryloth freedom-fighter Cham Syndulla, Hera felt the cost of fighting the Empire personally. The loss of her mother and disagreements with her father saw her looking to the skies as a way to fight the Empire in the best way she knew how—as a pilot. With C1-10P, a droid recovered from a fallen Y-wing on Ryloth, Hera set off in her ship, the Ghost, to lend her skills as both a pilot and a fighter to the larger struggle. Her search for new allies led her to the planet Gorse, where she met Kanan Jarrus and recruited him…

“I LIKE PROJECTS THAT PUSH ME OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE.” Comics fans rejoice! Marvel’s new six-issue C adaptation of Rogue One promises not only to capture the movie in comic-book form, but also to expand upon what was seen onscreen. New details about characters and situations will include input from Rogue One director, Gareth Edwards, giving readers a fresh angle on the blockbuster story. The team bringing this exciting prospect to life is Italian artist Emilio Laiso (Star Wars: Shattered Empire Part II) and writer Jody Houser, a newcomer to Star Wars comics, but a lifelong fan of the saga. Insider spoke to Houser as she was hard at work on her adaptation. Adapting Rogue One would be a prestige project for any writer. Did you have any trepidation about taking…

Moments - OF - Destiny

When Star Wars Forces of Destiny made its debut at Star Wars Celebration in April this year, two things in particular stood out about the new animated series. Firstly, it was remarkably femaleled. Secondly, it was remarkably good. While each episode is just three minutes long, the scale and ambition on display are fully in keeping with everything you would expect from a Lucasfilm Animation project. It’s also notable for an all-star cast that includes Daisy Ridley (Rey), Felicity Jones (Jyn), Lupita Nyong’o (Maz Kanata), Ashley Eckstein (Ahsoka), Catherine Taber (Padmé) and Tiya Sircar (Sabine)—not to mention a certain John Boyega voicing Finn. The project announcement at StarWars.com says the Lucasfilm Animation initiative “will remain true to the Star Wars canon, showing how choices both big and small ultimately shape the destinies of beloved…

Moments - OF - Destiny

JO DUFFY’S FIVE FAVORITE MARVEL STAR WARS COMICS!

1 “SILENT DRIFTING” (#24, JUNE 1979) My Ben Kenobi flashback solo story. I was so thrilled to be doing a Star Wars one-off, and even happier to be allowed to focus on the fascinating General Kenobi. And then came the wonderful news that Carmine Infantino, who drew so many gorgeous comics I read as a kid, was the artist. It was just a blast. 2 “ELLIE” (#80, FEBRUARY 1984) Much as I love drama, action-adventure, and comedy, sometimes you just want to tear people’s hearts out, throw them on the floor, stomp on them, and just generally make yourself and everyone else cry, if you can manage to do it in a fair and un-manipulative way. These both accomplished that 3 “TAI” (#103, JANUARY 1986), for me at least; and I…

JO DUFFY’S FIVE FAVORITE MARVEL STAR WARS COMICS!

THE WOMEN OF THE FORCE AWAKENS

“I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I DID. I JUST TRIED VERY HARD AND I HOPED VERY MUCH.” Daisy Ridley On her Star Wars audition and advice from the rest of the cast… I have no idea what I did. I just tried very hard and I hoped very much. There wasn’t much advice offered—there was a conversation with Harrison Ford about anonymity, but really it was just people leading by example. It was amazing to see people who are so established and with a huge career being kind and generous to everyone on set. On the most exciting moment of filming I do remember one of the most touching moments was at the end, because I looked back and just couldn’t believe everything that had happened over the many months since I…

THE WOMEN OF THE FORCE AWAKENS

Star Wars Insider: As creative director at Del Rey, what does your job entail? Elizabeth Schaefer: One of the greatest parts of this job is that there is no typical day. One morning I might be writing up a pitch for a new novel, the next I’ll be reading the first pass of a manuscript, and the next I’ll be working with publicity to promote our latest publication. But what I tell my confused family members at Christmas is: my job is to connect great authors with amazing franchises, and then help both those groups create the best novel possible. What was your first experience of Star Wars? I literally cannot remember a time when I hadn’t seen Star Wars. My brother and I would watch our copies of the 1995…

VONNEGUT, AUSTEN, AND DRAGONS…

What are you currently reading? His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik. It’s a story set during the Napoleonic wars, but with dragons. Sign me up! Which author, living or dead, would you most like to read a Star Wars novel by? How great would a Jane Austen Star Wars novel be? I’d love to read her take on The Courtship of Princess Leia! What word would you use to describe the novel you are currently working on? “Angst.” What non-Star Wars book should every Star Wars fan read? My favorite book is Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut. Looking at war and its consequences through the lens of science fiction? Yeah, I think that’s something Star Wars fans could get into. I can’t think of another book where the author tells you in the very first…

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

• Star Wars Rebels: Chopper Saves the Day (2014) • World of Reading: Star Wars Rebels: Hera’s Phantom Flight (Level 2) (2015) • 5-Minute Star Wars Stories (2015) • Finn & the First Order (2015) • World of Reading: Star Wars The Force Awakens: Rey Meets BB-8 (Level 1) (2015) • Star Wars: The Force Awakens: Rey’s Story (2016) • Star Wars: The Force Awakens Storybook (2016) • Star Wars: The Force Awakens Read-Along Storybook and CD (2016) • Star Wars Forces of Destiny: Tales of Hope & Courage (2017) • Star Wars: The Last Jedi Movie Storybook (2018)…

“YOU’VE GOT TO DO ABOUT A THOUSAND DIFFERENT THINGS TOGETHER AND MIX THEM TOGETHER JUST RIGHT.”—GARETH EDWARDS ON MAKING A GRITTIER STAR WARS MOVIE Gareth Edwards: When we started the whole process of making Rogue One, Kathy asked, “How is this going to be different? We need to differentiate ourselves from the saga.” We started playing around and experimenting. We took real war photography, like photographs from Vietnam, World War II, and the Gulf, and used Photoshop to put rebel helmets on the soldiers, and give them rebel guns. We also added some X-wings in the background instead of fighter jets. People saw these images and said, “Wow. I really want to see that film.” The studio loved it. They said, “Just go make that.” That’s kind of what we…

THE RETURN OF AHSOKA TANO!

Star Wars Insider: Star Wars Celebration Anaheim opened with The Force Awakens panel, and Kathleen Kennedy walked onto the stage wearing Her Universe’s lightsaber T-shirt. Did you know that was happening? Ashley Eckstein: No, I had no idea that Kathleen Kennedy was going to wear our T-shirt [laughs]. It was such an exciting surprise. I did know that she bought it, but I thought that she was wearing it to dinner the night before. So I thought that she had already worn it and the last thing I expected was for her to walk out on stage in our tee. It’s like when Kate Middleton wears something and then everyone goes crazy for it. I’m so grateful, and I now call it the Kathleen Kennedy shirt! I feel like she…

THE RETURN OF AHSOKA TANO!

A new Star Wars book from Christie Golden is always a treat, but the release of Inferno Squad is even more so as it harkens back to characters and situations starting before and continuing through events that played out in the blockbuster movie Rogue One. Star Wars Insider: The book’s eponymous Inferno Squad is made up of the Empire’s best and brightest. What made you want to write about them? Christie Golden: I enjoy exploring gray areas, and one question that almost all my books touch upon is: What makes good people do bad things? There aren’t a whole lot of good people high up in the Empire—by the time you’re in that deep, you know what’s what. The characters in Inferno Squad are young, though. Del is 32, Iden and Gideon are around 22,…

Phantastic Phasma

The jaws of a trash compactor couldn’t end the careers of Luke, Han, and Leia, and nor did they do for the First Order’s lead stormtrooper, Captain Phasma. In a new, four-issue series from Marvel Comics, the warrior woman in gleaming armor rescues herself from the refuse of Starkiller Base and retakes her command. Star Wars Insider spoke with artist Marco Checchetto and writer Kelly Thompson about the character’s comic continuation. Star Wars Insider: Let’s start at the beginning. How did you come to work on Captain Phasma? Marco Checchetto: I was working on Star Wars: The Screaming Citadel when my editors at Marvel, Jordan White and Heather Antos, asked me if I was interested in working on another Star Wars miniseries. I had a lot of fun drawing The Screaming Citadel,…

Phantastic Phasma

WHO? WHAT? WHY? WREN!

“FORGET THE EXPLOSION LOOK AT THE COLOR.”—Sabine Wren, Star Wars Rebels, "Art Attack" Speaking to the National Center for Women & Information Technology Summit early in 2016, Star Wars Rebels supervising director Dave Filoni talked about the lessons he had learned from the popularity of Ahsoka Tano in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. “What we found was this amazing thing,” he said. “When you create a strong, independent, intelligent character that shows no fear and can do amazing things, boys and girls like her. We’ve tried to create female characters who represent so many things, because we’re trying to create a diverse range of characters. [But we’ve especially tried to create] female characters that are strong and independent. I want characters that are women of every race, every age and…

WHO? WHAT? WHY? WREN!

SABINE UPGRADED

JETPACK The jetpack that Sabine uses to flee Imperial Loyalist Mandalorians in the preview shown at Celebration Europe bears a close resemblance to the Z-6 jetpack worn by Boba Fett in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. The only time we see Fett take to the air in the movies is when he travels between Jabba’s barge and skiff in Jedi. But this scene highlights the limitations of such powerful gear, as it only takes a well-placed jab from the partially blind Han Solo to ignite the pack and send Fett careening into the sail barge before plummeting into the Sarlacc pit. The jetpack made a triumphant return in Attack of the Clones when, pursued by Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jango Fett held his own in battle against the…

THE EARLY DAYS OF THE EXPANDED UNIVERSE

In the Beginning…. In the late 1970s, the offices of “The Star Wars Corporation” in Los Angeles were a motley cluster of trailers near the Universal lot. Inside, no more than a dozen full-time employees worked on what outsiders thought to be a silly science-fiction movie. “My check literally was made out from ‘Star Wars,’” says Sherry Kaplan, an executive assistant at the time. “You don’t know the funny looks I got at the bank.” Charles Lippincott, vice president of marketing and merchandising, received slews of similar funny looks when he tried to make tie-in deals. Company after company said no. His persistence paid off when Marvel Comics editor Roy Thomas and artist Howard Chaykin agreed to tackle a mini-series adaptation. Del Rey Books editor Judy Lynn del Rey also…

THE EARLY DAYS OF THE EXPANDED UNIVERSE

FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND: IMPRESSIONS OF REY

Imagine Rey’s life story as footprints across the Jakku desert. Over time, the elements have erased or blurred her earliest tracks and left behind only what we see in The Force Awakens. What comes after this brief glimpse lies beyond the rise of a dune—to be discovered at a later time. Over the years, this occasional series of articles has evaluated the long, winding paths of many characters. But as Rey, Finn, Poe Dameron, and Kylo Ren begin brand new adventures in a brand new trilogy, we are granted a fresh opportunity to explore a monomyth from its very beginnings. Rather than following in the footsteps of these characters, we can walk beside them on their journey. As we navigate the shifting sands, character development will be our focus. This…

FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND: IMPRESSIONS OF REY

THE SCAVENGER COSTUME

Movie costumes aren’t just clothes: they are visual clues about the character wearing them. Even before they knew Rey’s name, fans had already been inspired to make their own version of the costume based on brief glimpses of the character from the very first teaser trailer. Before the movie opened in theaters, Insider asked a couple of cosplayers what the scavenger attire told them about Rey as a character. Lisa Curtis Saunders: It’s certainly given me an appreciation for her resourcefulness, learning all the details of the costume and the purposes behind them. It’s a comfortable, practical costume for a tough, practical lady. Beyond that it’s hard to know, but I am ridiculously excited to find out. Kay Serna: With some of the complications figuring out how all the elements…

THE SCAVENGER COSTUME

A HEROINE’S JOURNEY REY’S ADVENTURE BEGINS

In a January 2013 tweet, Slashfilm’s Peter Sciretta posed a question: “Who said the lead character in Star Wars: Episode VII is going to be a male star?” The internet reacted. In some circles very enthusiastically, in other places not so favorably. Speaking shortly after the opening of The Force Awakens, screenwriter Michael Arndt confirmed that the earliest story pitch from Kathleen Kennedy had been an “origin story of a female Jedi.” Storytelling is an organic process, which often involves running toward an idea you love only to watch it blow up magnificently or fizzle into an ignominious nothingness. Arndt has also noted that his earliest versions of the script involved Luke joining Rey’s journey earlier in the movie, but that “any time Luke showed up, it suddenly became his…

A HEROINE’S JOURNEY REY’S ADVENTURE BEGINS

THE EVOLUTION OF THE HERO’S JOURNEY

For many fans of Star Wars, their familiarity with the Hero’s Journey comes from the Skywalker saga. When writing the tale that became A New Hope, George Lucas drew upon the work of Joseph Campbell, and this influence became widely known thanks to The Power of Myth, a 1988 Bill Moyers PBS miniseries and book, and the Smithsonian traveling exhibit, Star Wars: The Magic of Myth, during the decade that followed. Campbell studied myths and legends from all around the world to generate what he called the “monomyth.” Examining the paths of many protagonists from humble origins to epic destiny, Campbell broke down the stages of the Hero’s Journey based on patterns and themes that he observed to be common across many cultures and millennia of storytelling. When Lucas sought…

THE EVOLUTION OF THE HERO’S JOURNEY

“I desk. The comlink she’d been shouting into slid don’t care what those rebels are blowing up! Howl’s old scow is in orbit, which means Twilight Company is here and that scum is—” The door burst open and Governor Magé slumped forward over her from her now limp hand. “Good shot, Brand.” Captain Micha “Howl” Evon ran a brown hand over his bearded chin as he strode into the opulent office. “Can’t abide anyone making fun of my ship or my people.” He admired Brand’s efficient handiwork and decided he wanted the recipe to whatever juice was on the dart sticking out of the Imperial governor’s olive neck. The Governor’s long, dark hair had tumbled out of her tightly wound bun, and she was already drooling, as was her aide,…

NO MORE HEROES?

The Hero’s Journey is changing. Throughout this series of articles, we have seen how Star Wars’ protagonists fit into a long-established “monomythic” structure that has served storytellers since classical times. But what makes the established Hero’s Journey so timeless is not so much its fixed formula as its flexibility to accommodate and embrace change. Today, we are witnessing the transformation of monomythic storytelling from epic tales of the supernatural to stories built around characters who cannot draw on unearthly powers. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, roles once reserved for superheroes are now just as likely to fall to “ordinary” humans, such as Nick Fury or Natasha Romanoff. The Hunger Games series takes place in a world entirely removed from the supernatural, yet still conforms to the monomyth. In this world, Games Makers…

NO MORE HEROES?

The Catalyst Hero is one of many heroic archetypes and is often referred to as the Magician or Visionary. The term “catalyst” has scientific origins: it describes a substance that causes a chemical reaction without itself being effected. Jyn Erso, a key figure in Rogue One—a story steeped in the lore of the scientific development of the Death Star’s superweapon—is just that: a catalyst in the interaction of the Empire and Rebel Alliance. Even the novel Catalyst: A Rogue One Story, a prequel about the events involving the Erso family written by James Luceno, gives a direct nod to the archetype. It is important to note that Catalysts can be a Hero or an antagonistic Shadow. Often a character will be a Catalyst in one story but shift to a…

WHO’S JOURNEY?

Since it’s first publication in 1949, Campbell’s hugely influential book, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, has engaged many writers and thinkers to build upon his work, or question it. Of these, Christopher Vogler’s The Writer’s Journey is the go-to screenwriters textbook of choice, while Maureen Murdock’s Heroine’s Journey reveals a model based specifically upon the female experience. The diagrams below illustrate the journey paths outlined in both models. CHRISTOPHER VOGLER’S HERO’S JOURNEY From Vogler’s 1992 screenwriting textbook, The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers. MAUREEN MURDOCK’S HEROINE’S JOURNEY From Murdoch’s 1990 book, The Heroine’s Journey, a response to Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey.…

ASAJJ VENTRESS A-TYPICAL ANTI-HERO

Often heroes are born of ideas, grand notions of saviors. Heroes must face down villains, the opponents over whom the hero triumphs along their epic journey. Sometimes, though, a story focuses on the arc of a protagonist who lacks usual heroic traits like nobility and selflessness—an anti-hero. The simplest example is Anakin Skywalker’s descent into darkness in Revenge of the Sith; he is no hero as that chapter of his saga concludes. Since his tragic story unfolded on screen, many more anti-heroes have followed in his wake. One of my favorites is assassin-turned-bounty hunter Asajj Ventress, whose path to greatness was far from typical. When the Ultimate Star Wars writing assignments were distributed, I was excited to receive some of my favorite characters, including Princess Leia, Ahsoka Tano, and Asajj…

ASAJJ VENTRESS A-TYPICAL ANTI-HERO

DRAWING ON THE FORCE

ARANTZAZU MARTINEZ Star Wars Insider: You saw your first Star Wars movie, Return of the Jedi, at the age of seven. Arantzazu Martinez: When I first saw Return of the Jedi I was absolutely fascinated. It was like a dream that somebody else had dreamt for me. Every location looked fabulous and the characters felt so real; now I look for that feeling constantly in my artwork. It took a while for me to realize that there were another two films to see! But now I couldn’t choose a favorite. The three movies work perfectly together. How did you come to work on this project? I received an email from Jonathan Rinzler (LucasBooks’ Executive Editor) inviting me to participate. I had to read it several times to convince myself it…

DRAWING ON THE FORCE

FIST OF THE EMPIRE

Janina Gavankar is already known for television roles and videogames including Far Cry 4 and Halo 5: Hunt the Truth. Now she shows the world her talents as lead character Iden Versio in Star Wars: Battlefront II’s campaign mode. Iden’s strength in battle is matched only by her love for the Empire’s ruthless strategies. In Battlefront II, she and her team of Imperial agents come up against some iconic heroes in a brand-new Star Wars story. Fans may have already learned about Iden and her father, Admiral Garrick Versio, in the novel Battlefront II: Inferno Squad by Christie Golden. Now, Iden takes the lead. Insider spoke to Gavankar about her performance capture role. SWI: You’re both a gamer and a Star Wars fan. What’s it like to act in a Star Wars game? JG: It…

FIST OF THE EMPIRE

JANINA GAVANKAR

No stranger to the sci-fi and fantasy genre, Gavankar has starred in such notable series as Stargate: Atlantis, True Blood and Arrow. Having majored in Theatre Performance at the University of Illinois at Chicago, she pursued a career in acting after a long time training as a pianist, vocalist, and percussionist. A self-confessed fan, Janina is an avid gamer who was thrilled to earn the part of Iden Versio in Star Wars: Battlefront II. Utilizing her vocal training and ranging skillset, Janina gives a powerful performance as the Imperial squad leader.…

JANINA GAVANKAR

Selecting 10 memorable moments for a character should be an easy task. But consider the legacy of Leia Organa in the Star Wars universe and beyond it, and you realize it is no such thing. Leia is heroic and flawed, like any good character should be, and so was Carrie Fisher, the actor who portrayed her. Fisher was candid about her own life, and made us laugh, even when she was hurting on the inside. She was aware of how important her character was to fans facing their own struggles, especially when they involved mental illness, substance abuse, or bigotry—all battles that she fought herself. Little girls aspired to be Leia in 1977, and little girls are still putting on the white robes and signature buns to this day. But…

“Governor Tarkin, I should have expected to find you holding Vader’s leash. I recognized your foul stench when I was brought on board.” (A New Hope) “Aren’t you a little short for a stormtrooper?” (On first meeting the disguised Luke Skywalker in A New Hope) “You came in that thing? You’re braver than I thought.” (On first seeing the Millennium Falcon in A New Hope) “Will somebody get this big walking carpet out of my way?” (On Chewbacca in A New Hope) “Why you stuck up, half-witted, scruffy-looking, nerf-herder!” (To Han after he brags about her to Luke and Chewie in The Empire Strikes Back) “I don’t know where you get your delusions, laser brain.” (To Han in The Empire Strikes Back) “Would it help if I got out and…

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