Star Wars Insider #176

T
THE LAST JEDI: LATEST NEWS ON EPISODE VIII REVEALED!















MEMORIES OF
A PRINCESS
CARRIE FISHER
™ ™ ™ ™ ON RETURN
O
T T H H E E O F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F F I I I I I I I I I I C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A



Women The Rise

of Rose
of the Jedi’s latest hero
Meet The Last

Galaxy! Landscapes
Galactic


Insider pays tribute Inside the world

to the heroes of of matte paintings
Star Wars
Trailer
Triumphs
Fearless Warrior
Interviews with the The spine-tingling
moments that had
creatives on Marvel’s
us running to
latest mini-series, the theater
Captain Phasma


The Man with the Plan
Now entering its final season,
Dave Filoni reveals the creative
inspirations behind Rebels



ISSUE #176
U.S. $7.99
CAN $9.99
OCT/NOV 2017
Display Until Nov 21, 2017
0
© & TM 2017 Lucasfilm Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Used under authorization. 74808 76 Your guide to
+




01805
the best new
5
books, toys,





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A MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR
™
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017
WELCOME... Senior Executive Editor / Divinia Fleary
EDITORIAL
Editor / Will Salmon
Copy Editors / Simon Hugo, Rhian Drinkwater
Editorial Assistant / Tolly Maggs
Art Editor / Andrew Leung
One of my favorite moments in The Force Awakens
LUCASFILM
comes 10 minutes into the film. A masked scavenger is Senior Editor / Brett Rector
Image Archives / Newell Todd,
poking around the dusty ruins of a Star Destroyer. She Erik Sanchez, Bryce Pinkos,
pulls off a mask to reveal a surprisingly young face, gulps Nicole LaCoursiere, Tim Mapp
Art Director / Troy Alders
down the last few drops of water from her flask, then slides Creative Director / Michael Siglain
off down a sandy dune, and goes off to sell her scrap to
CONTRIBUTORS
Unkar Plutt. Tolly Maggs, Tricia Barr, Kristin Baver,
Jon D. Witmer, Simon Hugo,
In just four minutes of screen-time, J.J. Abrams and Daisy
Michael Kogge, Russ Seal,
Ridley tell you everything you need to know about Rey. She’s Daniel Wallace
an adventurous spirit, willing to travel into darkness and SPECIAL THANKS TO
danger. She’s lonely and impoverished, living by herself in Lucy Goldsmith, Erich Schoeneweiss
at Random House, Holly McIntosh,
a derelict AT-AT, desperate for food. But despite these Andrea Towers and Jim Nausedas at Marvel
hardships, she remains compassionate. She hears a droid Comics, Lizzy Draeger, Tracy Cannobbio and
Chris Argyropoulos at Lucasfi lm
bleeping in distress and her reaction is to run to the rescue.
TITAN MAGAZINES
This issue we’re celebrating the women of Star Wars.
Senior Production Controller / Jackie Flook
The saga has a proud history of heroes, starting with Leia all Production Supervisor / Maria Pearson
Production Controller / Peter James
the way through to Rey, Jyn and, soon to be introduced in Art Director / Oz Browne
The Last Jedi, Rose. Some, like Padmé and Leia, are born into Senior Sales Manager / Steve Tothill
Circulation Assistant / Frankie Hallam
wealth and privilege, while others, like Sabine, come from Direct Sales & Marketing Manager
much tougher homes or, like Shmi, the brutality of slavery. Ricky Claydon
Subscriptions Executive / Tony Ho
The one thing they all have in common is that they are selfless Commercial Manager / Michelle Fairlamb
Advertising Assistant / Tom Miller
in their desire to help others. As with Luke Skywalker 40 years
U.S. Advertising Manager / Jeni Smith
ago, Star Wars continues to remind us that it’s not where Publishing Manager / Darryl Tothill
Publishing Director / Chris Teather
you’re from, but what you do that matters. Man or woman, girl Operations Director / Leigh Baulch
or boy, that’s a message that always deserves repeating. Executive Director / Vivian Cheung
Publisher / Nick Landau
DISTRIBUTION
U.S. Newsstand / Total Publisher Services, Inc.
John Dziewiatkowski, 630-851-7683
U.S. Distribution / Ingram Periodicals,
Curtis Circulation Company
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Editor
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MEET THE CONTRIBUTORS... email: [email protected]
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STAR WARS INSIDER OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017
(USPS 003-027) (ISSN 1041-5122)
Star Wars Insider is published eight times per year (January/
February, March/April, May, June/July, August, September,
October/November, December) by Titan Magazines,
Tricia Barr Jon D. Witmer Kristin Baver Simon Hugo Michael Kogge Dan Wallace a division of Titan Publishing Group Limited,
@ fangirlcantina @ DangerDigest @ KristinBaver @ omnishugo @ michaelkogge @ danwall88 144 Southwark Street, London SE1 0UP.
Contents © 2017 Lucasfi lm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved,
Tricia is the Jon grew up Kristin was a Simon is the Michael is the Dan has written Titan Authorized User. TMN 13626
co-author of just outside of card-carrying Star author of 365 author of the many Star Wars PUBLISHER’S U.S. AGENT
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CONTENTS





I SSUE 176 / OC T OBER/NO VEMBER 2017


























































22


The Women
of Star Wars
Insider celebrates
the heroines who
have come to defi ne
the Star Wars saga.






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NEWSSTAND COMIC STORE SUBS
EDITION EXCLUSIVE EXCLUSIVE
Subscribe
to Star Wars
Insider
Page 52






















06 21 54

Launchpad Comics Roundup Teaser Triumphs
All the news from a galaxy far, far away, Your guide to upcoming Star Wars comics Looking at the thrilling, surprising,
including updates on The Last Jedi and Marvel’s new graphic novels. and always exciting teaser trailers for
and the Untitled Han Solo movie. 34 the Star Wars movies.
11 Storytelling Magic 62

Tributes and Teases at D23 Dave Filoni talks about the fi lms Phantastic Phasma
Don’t worry if you missed this year’s that have inspired his storytelling We interview the creators of Marvel
Disney D23 expo—Insider was there to and how they have impacted Rebels. Comics’ exciting new series about the
witness all the Star Wars shenanigans. 38 First Order’s chrome Captain.
14 Hera’s Journey 68


Force Friday II Merchandise Actress Vanessa Marshall looks Novel Preview: Phasma
Our pick of the hottest new back on four years of playing We present an excerpt from Delilah S.
Star Wars items released at this Rebels’ Hera Syndulla. Dawson’s fantastic new novel.
year’s Force Friday II event. 42 78

18 Painting the Galaxy In Conversation With...

Book Club An in-depth look at the art and craft We present a chat with Carrie Fisher
Ultimate LEGO Star Wars heads up of creating the matte paintings that from the set of Return of the Jedi,

our guide to the latest books. bring Star Wars’ worlds to life. first published in 1982.



INCOMING TRANSMISSIONS

32 51 74 80
Competition Jedi Master’s Quiz Worldwide Image Archive
Your chance to win some fantastic Test how strong your knowledge Discover what Star Wars fans from A choice image plucked from

Star Wars gaming cards. of Star Wars weapons is! around the world have been up to. the Lucasfilm photo archives.


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NEW S / COLLE C TIBLE S /G AME S / F A SHI ON / PUBLI SHING


Meet Rose!






Kelly Marie Tran will be fighting for the Resistance in December

hile everyone is naturally “The notion that anyone out is the second time we’ve seen C’ai.
W excited about seeing just there, any of us can step up and Kasey appeared as the ill-fated Abednedo
what Rey and Luke have
Ello Asty in The Force Awakens. While
turn into a hero, that’s really where
been up to on Ahch-To, the character of Rose comes from. that character was killed during the

and finding out how well Finn has She’s not a soldier, she’s not looking battle of Starkiller Base, the character
healed from his injuries, it’s worth to be a hero and she gets pulled in a can nevertheless be glimpsed in one of
remembering that The Last Jedi will very big way into an adventure in this the film’s closing scenes, waving off Rey

introduce some new characters too. movie with Finn.” in the Millennium Falcon.
According to director Rian Johnson, Tran had to keep her new role a It took a bit of quick-thinking on the
the most important of these is Rose complete secret even from close part of the story group’s Pablo
Tico, as played by actress Kelly Marie friends and family, telling them all Hidalgo to explain away the
Tran. “[She] has the biggest new part that she was working on an indie discrepancy. It’s now
in the movie and ironically is played movie in Canada. “So many people established that this was,
by the smallest actor,” said Johnson of tell you what this is going to be like,” in fact, an entirely different
Rose when Tran was introduced on she told the Celebration crowd, “and member of the same
stage at Star Wars Celebration in then you get on the stage and hear so race. He was offi cially
Orlando, earlier this year. much excitement and love for this named as C’ai in the
Rose is a maintenance worker in thing you get to be a part of. I just “Escape from
the Resistance. Her primary role is to want to do it justice!” Starkiller Base”

keep their starfighters in good working Rose isn’t the only new character in DLC for the
order, but she soon strikes up a strong the film. Also fighting for the LEGO Star


friendship with Finn. Johnson says Resistance is C’ai Threnalli, an Wars: The
that, like Luke and Rey before her, Abednedo pilot who will be fl ying Force
Rose is an ordinary character caught alongside Poe Dameron, played by Awakens
up in extraordinary situations. Paul Kasey. Technically, however, this videogame.



























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Behind the

scenes on

The Last Jedi



Lucasfilm release a
tantalizing new video


he biggest talking point
T at this year’s D23 Expo
was undoubtedly the release
of a new video offering a
tantalizing glimpse at the next Star Wars
movie, The Last Jedi.
The 2.58 second behind-the-scenes
video (now viewable on the offi cial
Star Wars YouTube channel) showed
a breathtaking selection of sequences
from the film, including plenty of new

footage of Rey in training on Ahch-To, the

official debuts of several new characters,
new weapons for the stormtroopers and
quotes from members of the cast as well
as director Rian Johnson.
Keen-eyed viewers hitting the pause
button will have spotted Resistance
A-wings being blown up and our fi rst
look at the casino city of Canto Blight,

a central location in the film, as well as
several shots of the cute residents of Ahch-
To—the penguin-like porgs!
“Even though I think I know it all,
they throw things at me story-wise I never
could have imagined,” said Mark Hamill

of the film, something echoed by his co-
star Daisy Ridley. “Rian has written a story
that’s unexpected, but right,” she said.
“Some of the stuff that happens, people
are going to be like, ‘Oh my god!’” See the
video by searching for Star Wars: The Last
Jedi Behind The Scenes on YouTube.



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On guard!




Rian Johnson’s plans for Snoke
and his formidable bodyguards


ntertainment Weekly recently ran a
E cover story on The Last Jedi which
included a couple of intriguing updates on
the true nature of Supreme Leader Snoke—
and a look at his fearsome elite Praetorian Guard.
While the leader of the First Order only appeared
as a giant hologram in The Force Awakens, many had
speculated that we’d be seeing a fl esh-and-blood actor

when he finally stepped out of the shadows to confront
the Resistance. Not so, according to Rian Johnson, who
revealed that Snoke will, like Maz Kanata, be entirely
motion-captured, once again performed by Andy Serkis.

Johnson also confirmed that he’s keen to keep much of
Snoke’s backstory a mystery, saying, “We’ll learn exactly as
much about Snoke as we need to.”
The elite Praetorian Guard, meanwhile, are Snoke’s deadly
bodyguards. Wearing striking crimson armor, they strongly
recall the red-clad Royal Guard that Emperor Palpatine once
surrounded himself with.
“The Emperor’s guards were very formal, and you always got

the sense that they could fight, but they didn’t,” said Johnson.
“For the Praetorians, my brief to [costume designer] Michael Kaplan
was that those guys have to be more like samurai. They have to be
built to move, and you have to believe that they could step forward
and engage if they have to. They have to seem dangerous.”

So will we get to see them in action? We’ll find out in December
when The Last Jedi explodes into cinemas...



Skywalker on Skywalker



Mark Hamill drops hints about how Luke has changed...

ark Hamill has been talking had been up to in the intervening
M about his return as Luke years. “You read where he is now and
Skywalker in The Last Jedi.
what he’s doing now and sort of have
In a new interview with the to fill in the blanks for yourself. So I


Associated Press, he reflected on the did do a backstory myself.”
long journey that his character has In the interview, Hamill also
been on over the course of fi ve movies, touched upon his initial doubts about
and 40 years. reprising the part, before he was won
“Luke changed, I think, more than over, and about the tragic loss of his
the other characters in the original close friend and co-star, Carrie Fisher.
trilogy,” he said. “From callow farm “She was irreplaceable. There can
boy to a Jedi in training to fi nally a never be a proper reunion anymore.
Jedi Master.” It’s tragic. I hate that it adds an air

Hamill also revealed that he of melancholy to the film because it
developed his own ideas of what Luke doesn’t deserve it.”



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All aboard Droids in


the Falcon Distress



The latest updates on the Star Wars Blips showcases
Untitled Han Solo movie astromech adventures in
under a minute
ork on the Untitled Han
W Solo film continues apace roids are the workforce

of the galaxy, but what
with new director Ron
Howard offering several D exactly are they up to
teasing glimpses of the second Star when their owners aren’t
Wars Story film via his personal around? Star Wars: Blips, a collection

Instagram account, @RealRonHoward, of new digitally animated shorts
including a video of a burning R2 viewable at the offi cial Star Wars
unit, some prop food, Chewbacca YouTube channel, reveals all.

and a first look at Donald Glover as Created by Lucasfi lm Animation,
Lando Calrissian, amongst various each episode of Blips is less than
other behind-the-scenes shots. a minute long, but every entry is
Howard also revealed that Glover packed with fun. The premiere short,
had wrapped up his shooting on “Lightsaber,” shows BB-8 wielding

the film, saying of the actor, “He the famous weapon that once
brought so much fun & cool to that belonged to Luke Skywalker. Other
old Smoothie, Lando. All of us crew installments see the inquisitive
& cast will really miss him.” Behind the camera, John Powell droid encounter his First Order
Meanwhile, Paul Bettany (right) has been announced as the fi lm’s counterpart, BB-9E, as well as getting

is the latest high-profile actor to be composer. Best known for his music into trouble with the porgs. At press

announced as having joined the on the Jason Bourne films, Powell is time, eight episodes were available.
cast of the film. Best known for only the third person to ever offi cially

playing Vision in Marvel’s Avengers: score a Star Wars movie, after John
Age of Ultron, Bettany is playing a so Williams on the saga fi lms and
far unknown character. Michael Giacchino on Rogue One.

Bidding Wars




Luke’s first lightsaber sells at auction

uction house Profi les in Ripley’s
A History recently sold a exhibits vice
president Edward
number of coveted props
from the original Star Wars Meyer noted, “For us,
trilogy, including Luke Skywalker’s that’s a cool ‘believe it
original lightsaber hilt, which appeared or not’—recycled art before anybody
in both A New Hope and The Empire was calling it that.”
Strikes Back. Ripley’s Entertainment— Also included in the auction were
which runs the Believe It Or Not! Darth Vader’s helmet and shoulder
museums—placed the winning bid. armor from A New Hope, C-3PO’s foot
Formerly owned by Star Wars and from The Empire Strikes Back, a Death
The Empire Strikes Back producer Gary Star turbolaser miniature from A New
Kurtz, the lightsaber was designed and Hope, and a 43-inch-tall R2-D2 made
built by Star Wars set decorator Roger from parts that appeared on-screen

Christian, who added “greeblies” to an throughout multiple films. R2-D2 sold

old Graflex camera fl ashbulb handle. for a whopping $2.76 million—surely
Speaking with The Orlando Sentinel, more than Uncle Owen paid for him!


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Concept
designs for the
exciting new
museum.
























This Collection Belongs in a Museum



Plans for George Lucas’ museum are approved by the L.A. City Council


he Los Angeles City Council experience a collection of fi ne and The museum project is expected
T has unanimously voted to popular art—much of which comes to generate more than 1,500
approve the Lucas Museum
construction jobs and more than
from Lucas’ personal collection—
of Narrative Art. The as well as attend motion-picture 350 permanent jobs. The museum’s
council’s 14-0 vote followed a report screenings and other exhibitions anticipated $1 billion price tag will
on the museum’s environmental highlighting the power of visual be paid in full by the Lucas family.
impact as well as remarks from storytelling and tracing the In a statement issued when it was
museum founder George Lucas, who evolution of art and, specifi cally, the announced that the museum would
was joined at the council meeting by art of moving images. be built in Los Angeles, the museum’s
his wife and museum board member, In a statement on the museum’s board said: “Now we turn our

Mellody Hobson. Building work for website, Lucas observes, “Narrative is attention to finalizing the details
the museum could now happen as one of the oldest and most important and building what we believe will
soon as this year along Vermont impulses in art. It is also the most be one of the most imaginative
Avenue in Exposition Park. popular form of art. Tracing the arc and inclusive art museums in the
The non-profit Museum of of narrative art reveals how culture world—a global destination that all

Narrative Art promises to be a unique is created, reinforced, and then Angelenos and Californians will be
gathering place where visitors can compelled to evolve.” proud to call their own.”



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ELSEWHERE
AT THE EXPO…

• A presentation on Disney’s
upcoming animation slate
offered a sneak peek of a
hilarious sequence from
Ralph Breaks the Internet:
Wreck-It Ralph 2 that’s
packed with witty nods
to Star Wars.
• The Oh My Disney Stage
provided the backdrop for
an appearance by Ashley
Eckstein (Ahsoka Tano) in
conversation with The Star
Wars Show’s Andi Gutierrez,
as well as an impressive
demonstration of Propel’s
Star Wars Battle Drones.
• Mark Hamill joined the
Disney Legends 30th
Anniversary Panel, which was
moderated by fi lm critic and
historian Leonard Maltin.
Presented by D23: The
Offi cial Disney Fan Club
—which takes its name
from 1923, the year Walt
Disney left Kansas City for
Hollywood and founded what
would become the Disney
Studios—the D23 Expo is
slated to return to Anaheim
in 2019, just in time for Star
Wars: Episode IX!


Tributes and Teases at D23



Disney’s biennial Expo gave plenty of love to Star Wars actors, movies, games, and attractions


tar Wars was front and center “This December, we will release and Benicio Del Toro, along with Mark
S at this year’s D23 Expo—a her fi nal fi lm, Star Wars: The Last Hamill (Luke), who praised the script for
three-day celebration of all
Jedi, and as always, she brought her
its “unexpected elements” and described

things Disney that took place trademark strength, her heart and the film as “a real game-changer.”
in Anaheim, California, in July. her humor to the role. It is a truly Johnson also revealed that Dern was
The event kicked off with the Disney legendary performance.” prone to making “pew!” noises while
Legends Awards ceremony, honoring The Last Jedi was the focus the firing her blaster, and Boyega promised

11 inductees into Disney’s hall of fame, following day. Writer/director Rian that, despite being unconscious in the
including Mark Hamill and Carrie Johnson appeared on stage, saying, film’s teaser, “Finn sees some action.”

Fisher. During a tribute to Fisher, Disney “I had the time of my life making this Another centerpiece attraction
chairman and CEO Bob Iger shared movie. And part of that is what Star was a vast scale model of Star Wars
a letter from Fisher’s daughter, Billie Wars means to me, and I think means Galaxy’s Edge, which is currently under
Lourd, and commented: “Carrie Fisher to a lot of us. A lot of that is also the construction at Disneyland Park in
was an original, and there never will be people I got to work with.” California and the Walt Disney World
another. We are very fortunate to have Without further ado, he was joined Resort in Florida. Walt Disney Parks
known her, to have honored her and on stage by actors Daisy Ridley (Rey), and Resorts Chairman Bob Chapek also
her work. Certainly we are fortunate to John Boyega (Finn), Gwendoline announced plans for an immersive Star
have worked with her. We are incredibly Christie (Captain Phasma), Kelly Marie Wars themed luxury resort at the Walt
proud to call her a Disney Legend. Tran (Rose), Laura Dern (Amilyn Holdo), Disney World Resort.



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SDCC was
the place to be
if you wanted
to meet C’ai
Threnalli.






















Lots to See at SDCC



The Force was strong at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con...


ven without a dedicated Star Beyond the convention exclusives Rising), and Cavan Scott and Landry
E Wars presentation in the that were available to chase throughout Walker (Star Wars Adventures) for a
cavernous Hall H, this year’s
conversation moderated by Lucasfi lm
the exhibit hall, collectors were also
San Diego Comic-Con still treated to a number of panels in the San Publishing creative director Michael
had lots to offer fans. Diego Convention Center’s upper level. Siglain. The panel also offered a
In the exhibit hall, Lucasfi lm’s Lucasfilm’s senior manager of product look ahead to upcoming titles from

Star Wars pavilion took the form of a development, Brian Merten, hosted the publishing partners including Abrams,
Resistance base, complete with a photo “Star Wars Collectibles Update,” which Chronicle Books, Del Rey, DK, Egmont,
opportunity alongside Nien Nunb, offered a look at some of what’s to come IDW, Insight Editions, Little Golden
BB-8, and The Last Jedi newcomer from Anovos, Bandai, EFX Collectibles, Books, Marvel, and Studio Fun.
C’ai Threnalli—Poe Dameron’s new Gentle Giant, Kotobukiya, Nixon, Other sessions looked back over
wingman following the evacuation Sideshow, and Tamashii Nations. the saga’s 40-year history, with “Star
of D’Qar. The pavilion also provided There were also panels for Jakks Wars and Fandom: The Early Years”

a headquarters for a wide array of Star Pacific and Hasbro, both of which a particular highlight. Presented by
Wars licensees, including Bioworld, had brought with them convention marketing consultant Craig Miller, who
Fantasy Flight Games, Fascinations, exclusives. Jakks offered a 20-inch Darth led Lucasfilm’s fan relations during

Her Universe, Loungefly, Petco, Radio Vader “Big-Fig” painted in the style of the production of Star Wars and The

Flyer, Sphero, Stance, Hallmark’s the Hildebrandt Brothers’ poster for the Empire Strikes Back, the session featured
PopMinded, and more. original Star Wars, while Hasbro added vintage photos, accompanied by Miller
to its Black Series line with exclusive recounting the earliest efforts to build

figures of Grand Admiral Thrawn, Luke buzz in advance of the original 1977
Skywalker with landspeeder, and Rey release—including a presentation at San
and Luke from The Last Jedi. Diego Comic-Con in 1976!

The Lucasfilm Publishing panel “When 20th Century Fox tested the
brought together authors Ben Blacker idea of doing Star Wars,” Miller recalled,
(Join the Resistance), Chris Blauvelt “the results they got were that no one
(Star Wars Made Easy), Cullen Bunn wanted to see a science-fi ction movie,
(Darth Maul), Christie Golden and that if you do make a science-fi ction
(Battlefront II: Inferno Squad), Claudia movie, don’t call it Star Wars.” Miller
Gray (Leia: Princess of Alderaan), is currently working on a book entitled
Jarrett J. Krosoczka (Jedi Academy: The Star Wars Memories: My Time in the
Force Oversleeps), Beth Revis (Rebel (Death Star) Trenches.



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Timeline
Important dates
in Star Wars
history.


1933
February 13: Caroline Blakiston
(Mon Mothma) is born.
1944
May 25: Frank Oz (Yoda) is born.
1954
August 22: Rick McCallum is born.

1971
March 16: Alan Tudyk (K-2SO)
is born.

1977
September 12: Lucasfilm
Talking Tarkin changes its name to Lucasfilm Ltd.

1978
October 28: Gwendoline Christie
ILM pulls back the curtain on Rogue One ’s effects (Phasma) is born.

1985
he SIGGRAPH 2017 Noting that Rogue One features just September 7: The Star Wars:
T Conference recently took under 1,700 visual-effects shots, he Ewoks animated show premieres.
shared, “In the last month we fi naled
place in Los Angeles, and
1997
Industrial Light & Magic 1,000 shots. That was crazy.” Gesturing
February 21: The Empire Strikes
was on hand to detail some of the toward his colleagues on the stage, he
Back special edition is released
company’s visual effects work for added, “These guys made that relatively
in cinemas.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. painless. This was far less stressful than
In a Production Session titled “ILM a lot of projects I’ve worked on.” 1999
Presents: Behind the Magic, the Visual In a separate Vision Series session, May 4: The soundtrack album
Effects of Rogue One,” ILM Chief presented by software company for Star Wars: Episode 1 The

Creative Officer and senior visual- Autodesk and titled “Rogue One’s Phantom Menace is released.
effects supervisor John Knoll was Virtual Sets: The Future of Production
joined on stage by lighting technical with ILM,” Knoll spoke about how 2006
February 12: Video game Star
director supervisor Vick Schutz, CG he and his collaborators combined
Wars Empire at War is released.
supervisor Stephen Ellis, digital model Autodesk’s Maya program with ILM’s
supervisor Russell Paul, and layout virtual-production technologies to
2011
supervisor John Levin. The team build-out limited physical sets with July 19: Novel Star Wars: Choices
offered insights into the development digital extensions. of One by Timothy Zahn is
and realization of K-2SO, the “urban He also discussed the “Virtual Cam” published by Del Rey.
planning” of Jedha City, and recreating technologies that enabled director
Grand Moff Tarkin with a CG model Gareth Edwards to take his live-action
of the late Peter Cushing mapped onto shot-design methods into the purely
actor Guy Henry’s performance. digital realm. Knoll noted, “Gareth has
an unconventional shooting style. He’ll
go in with the camera and start fi shing
around for angles that look good. He
has a talent for finding those angles,

and there’s a wonderful energy that
comes along with that. I immediately
started thinking, ‘Well, how do I get
that into the scenes that aren’t going to
start from a photographed plate?’”

You can find out more about the
Virtual Cam system in Insider #173!



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Force Friday II




September 1’s Force Friday II was a raging success, bringing with it a vast array of exciting
new Star Wars toys and merchandise. There are far too many items to include here, so
we picked out some of our must-haves from the bounty on offer...


Ultimate LEGO

Millennium Falcon


There’s big and then there’s Ultimate LEGO
Millennium Falcon big. This is the largest
LEGO set ever made, clocking in at 7,541
individual pieces. The time and effort it will
take to make this thing is defi nitely worth
it though—the level of detail is simply
astonishing, with accurate interior sections,

and swappable deflector dishes so you can
make either The Empire Strikes Back or The
Force Awakens variants. The set also includes

minifigures of Han, Leia, C-3PO, Chewbacca,
BB-8, Old Han, Finn and, Rey, as well as two
Available buildable Porgs and a buildable Mynock. It
October costs $799.99, but if that’s out of your price
1, 2017 range, don’t worry: there’s also a smaller
version available for $149.99.




BB-9E App-enabled Droid
™
by Sphero

The hit Christmas gift of 2015 was Sphero’s rolling BB-8.
Controlled via an app or Force
Band add-on, the accurate,
highly mobile version of
Propel Star Wars Poe Dameron’s loyal droid
took the world by storm.
Battling Drone Well, prepare to fall
in love all over again—or
Pitching an X-wing against a TIE should that be cower in

fighter or a speeder bike is what drone fear? Sphero have produced
technology was made for! These a similar version of BB-8’s
amazing flying machines are superbly sinister counterpart, BB-9E,

detailed. They have automatic take- the First Order droid
off and landing, so there’s no risk of who will debut in The
Last Jedi.
damaging your new toy before it’s
Don’t worry if you
airborne. Propel promise their drones
prefer the light side,

can fly up to three meters at a speed
however—BB-8 is
of 56 kph, and up to 12 drones can available, as is R2-
engage in combat. Each drone also D2, enabling you
comes in a smart display box with to pit droid against
sounds effects. Released in limited droid or have them
quantities, don’t wait too long if you all hang out together.
want to get your hands on one...

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Star Wars Funko Pop fi gures

All the main characters from The Last Jedi are represented in the famous
swollen-headed Funko style. Some of the highlights in the range include
Supreme Leader Snoke; Finn in First Order disguise; Chewbacca holding a porg;
and Luke out of his robes and in more practical garb. There’s are also a range

of exclusives, including a first look at Benicio del Toro’s mysterious DJ (only at
GameStop), a porg with wings outstretched (Target) and a couple of different
Praetorian Guard fi gures (Walgreens).











Star Wars Elite

Series Die Cast
Action Figures


These 6.5-inch premium action fi gures are
exclusively available from Disney Stores,
Disney Parks and online at DisneyStore.
com. The dark side is represented by a
Judicial Stormtrooper, Kylo Ren, and a
Praetorian Guard. On the light side there’s
Luke, Rey and R2-D2. More fi gures are
coming soon, including: Chewbacca and a
Porg (Oct. 27), Finn (Oct. 31), Poe Dameron
(Nov. 7), Rose and BB-8 (Nov. 14), C-3PO
(Nov. 21), Captain Phasma (Nov. 28) and
Supreme Leader Snoke (Dec. 5).


Hasbro
Electronic

Porg Plush

These little guys look set to be the
breakout stars from The Last Jedi.
Looking at this cute plush, it’s easy
to see why: it fl aps, it
waddles and it waves
its way around
your desk or fl oor,
all while
squawking
and chirping
cheerfully. It’s
entirely adorable.
Expect to see porgs
everywhere over the
next few months.



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Journal Like a Jedi $12.95 for the
List Price:
set of three

Chronicle Books styles notebooks after the original Star Wars sequel


ollowing the release of Empire Strikes Back. Measuring 6 inches Just like the Millennium Falcon, these
F its A New Hope-inspired wide by 8.5 inches high, each of the notebooks have a few other surprises
notebooks, Chronicle Books
in them, too—for example, quotes
three 64-page paperback notebooks
has announced a new included in the collection features lightly from the film appear in chronological

notebook collection that showcases ruled interiors, an early concept sketch order along the bottom of certain pages,
gorgeous vintage posters, concept art, on the inside front cover, and a Ralph progressing from the first notebook in

and promotional artwork from The McQuarrie painting on the back cover. the collection through the third.

THE LIGHT SIDE By Russ Brown and Jamie Cosley






























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Snack

attack


Serve your favorite treats
in character-themed bowls


abba the Hutt likes to eat
J Klatooine paddy frogs
and wampas are keen on
chowing down on Luke
Skywalker if possible, but did you
know these two creatures also enjoy
candy, chips and popcorn?
OK, perhaps not, but these
ceramic snack bowls in the shape of
Star Wars favourites (also including
Chewbacca) from ThinkGeek let
you fill their gaping mouths with

whatever edible delights you desire.


From Scariff to Shelves



Guard your books from rebel scum with AT-ACT bookends


qually adept at carrying and have been crafted using the highest
E defending precious cargo, the quality Polystone. Each limited-edition,
hand-painted set comes numbered
Galactic Empire’s All Terrain
Armored Cargo Transport and is packed with a certifi cate of
now stands ready to protect whatever authenticity. And for those looking to
so happens to adorn your bookshelf, further bolster their Imperial might,
thanks to the artisans at Gentle Giant. the set makes an excellent companion
Digitally sculpted and based on the piece to Gentle Giant’s previously
transport’s onscreen debut in Rogue released AT-AT bookends.
One: A Star Wars Story, the AT-ACT Never mind the rebels’ victory at
Mini Bookends depict the imposing Scarif—these AT-ACTs are sure to win
Imperial walker traversing the planet the day! Available: Fourth quarter of
Scarif’s jungle terrain. The bookends 2017, price: $239.99.


TR-8R on your tree


The First Order invades the holiday season


s a part of its Keepsake when he confronted Finn outside of Maz
A Ornament Premiere event in Kanata’s castle on Takodana. Brandishing
July, Hallmark released the
his Z6 riot-control baton, Nines entered
First Order Stormtrooper FN- the annals of Star Wars history with his
2199 holiday ornament. delivery of a single word: “Traitor!”
Despite his limited screen time in The Hallmark’s FN-2199 ornament was
Force Awakens, FN-2199—aka “Nines”— released in-stores to members of the
made a big impression on audiences company’s Keepsake Ornament Club.



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Book Club




The pick of the best new Star Wars books
and graphic novels headed your way...












































o
t
Ultimate LEGO St r m r r :
Stormtroopers:
s
s
s
oope
Star Wars Beyond the Armor

Build an Empire (or an Alliance), one brick at The definitive delve into the footsoldiers
a time with this guide to LEGO Star Wars... of the Empire and the First Order

During the past 20 years, LEGO and Star Wars have Ever since they were first seen storming the Tantive IV,
become inseparable—if you’ll pardon a poor pun. Indeed, their blasters blazing, Imperial stormtroopers have served
for many fans it was through building starships, skiffs and as a universal symbol for Star Wars. Their white armor and
other galactic vehicles that they got hooked on the saga expressionless masks spread fear throughout the Empire,
in the first place. This hardback volume, written with the and in our own galaxy they have adorned everything from


help of the LEGO Star Wars team, is the defi nitive guide action figures and T-shirts to sneakers and mugs.
to the enormous array of sets and minifigures that have Stormtroopers: Beyond the Armor is a new 176-page book

been released during the last two decades. Covering the exploring the origins and importance of the iconic foot
earliest concepts for the series all the way up to the soldiers. Co-authors Ryder Windham and Adam Bray trace
modern kits released for The Force Awakens and Rogue the troopers’ origins and portrayal across Star Wars

One, it’s both a highly useful reference guide for serious storytelling, including the films, television series, novels,
collectors, and a lavishly illustrated book for anyone with comics, and videogames, plus all types of merchandising.
even a passing interest in toys or Star Wars. The book The book is available in October from Harper Design, as
releases in October from DK. part of the Journey To Star Wars: The Last Jedi series.


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01

03







02




01 02 03
Star Wars: Absolutely BB-8 On the Run Star Wars Coding
Everything You Need This enchanting title is the Projects
to Know (Updated perfect read-aloud storybook Coding doesn’t have to be
for junior Padawans and the
and Expanded) adults who love them. Written boring! Star Wars Coding
Projects is a step-by-step
It doesn’t matter if you have by Drew Daywalt and richly visual guide to get kids of all
the wisdom of Yoda or if you illustrated throughout with ages to code games using the
don’t know your banthas from painted tableaus by Matt free programming language,
your happabores—Star Wars: Myers, the tale recounts Scratch. The book provides
Absolutely Everything You BB-8’s adventures after his everything a Padawan needs to
Need to Know will quickly break from Poe Dameron on know about making computer
make anyone a master. Newly the desert world of Jakku animations, simulations, sprites
updated since the 2015 edition, during The Force Awakens. and more, inspired by Star Wars.
this compendium of facts BB-8 makes new friends as Users will learn how to build
by writers Adam Bray and he strives to complete his their own characters, as well as
Cole Horton covers the latest secret mission, teaching the how to create fun games that
movies and the animated truth of the mantra, “Do good challenge players to navigate a
series Rebels. With behind- things and good things will spaceship through an asteroid
the-scenes moviemaking come back to you” along the field or survive the ultimate

insights and quirky factoids, way. Cute, but with a serious jetpack simulation. Coders can
like the identity of the Death message, BB-8 On the Run is also share their creations with
Star’s floor cleaners, this is an published in September by the Scratch community. It’s out

essential fan resource. Disney Lucasfi lm Press. now from DK.






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01



03







02






01 02 03
Star Wars: Star Wars: Star Wars:
Power of the Force Tales of the Force A Leader Named Leia
Obi-Wan Kenobi described Artist Ron Cohee brings From a princess on the planet
the Force as, “An energy fi eld your favorite Star Wars Alderaan to a hardened
created by all living things. It characters to gloriously rebel to a seasoned general,
surrounds us and penetrates retro life in this 48-page Leia Organa’s life has been

us; it binds the galaxy hardback book. From tales defined by tough decisions,

together.” But who wields the of the noble Jedi and the fierce compassion, and many
power of the Force, and to evil deeds of the Sith, to exciting adventures!
what ends? This beautifully the mysteries of the Force- A Leader Named Leia is
illustrated storybook by sensitive, this is a great a new World of Reading
Michael Siglain and artist Brian way to introduce your little storybook by Jennifer
Rood spans the entire Star ones to the Star Wars saga. Heddle, with illustrations
Wars saga, and covers both Some of the characters by Brian Rood. It recounts
heroes and villains, including they will meet along the Leia’s many adventures in an
Luke, Yoda, Mace Windu and way include Rey, Obi-Wan engaging way that’s perfect
the Jedi, as well as warriors of Kenobi, Darth Vader, and for young or inexperienced
the dark side like Darth Vader, the mysterious Supreme readers, and also includes
Kylo Ren, and Darth Maul. Leader Snoke. some colorful stickers.








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Incoming
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Don’t Miss These
Great Titles
Star Wars:
A New Hope
Cinestory Comic
The original movie gets SEPTEMBER
an unusual adaptation Journey to Star Wars: The Last
Jedi - Captain Phasma #1 & #2
A New Hope turned 40 this year. Writer Kelly Thompson
In celebration, this graphic novel Artist Marco Checchetto
takes a very different approach Cover Artist Paul Renaud
to adapting the Star Wars fi lm that
started it all. It tells the story of Star Wars #36
Luke’s first adventure, the Rebellion Writer Jason Aaron

Artist Salvador Larroca
against the Empire and the dreaded
Artist Mike Mayhew
Death Star using stills from the
movie, rather than comic art.
Star Wars Annual #3
If you’re not a fan of traditional Writer Jason Latour
comic books this makes for a neat Artist Michael Walsh
alternative. It uses the standard Cover Artist Michael Walsh
comic panel page layout, plus
sound effects and dialogue, but Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #12
with the look of the actual fi lm. Writer Kieron Gillen
Artist Kev Walker

It’s the first of several such in November, Maul in February
Cover Artist Kamome Shirahama
volumes from Joe Books, who also 2018, and Grand Admiral Thrawn in
have a series of Rebels books on May 2018.
Darth Vader #5
their slate, starting with Spark of Star Wars: A New Hope Writer Charles Soule
Rebellion (already available), and Cinestory Comic is out now in Artist Giuseppe Camuncoli
to be followed by Path of the Jedi hardback and paperback formats. Cover Artist Giuseppe Camuncoli
Star Wars: Poe Dameron #19
Writer Charles Soule
Star Wars Legends Artist Angel Unzueta
Epic Collection: Rise Cover Artist Phil Noto
of the Sith Vol. 2 Star Wars: Jedi of the Republic
- Mace Windu #2 (of 5)
A bumper anthology Writer Matthew Owens
Artist Denys Cowan
of Star Wars stories Cover Artist Jesus Saiz

This aptly named Epic Collection is Star Wars: Rogue One
adaptation #6 (of 6)
sure to please prequel fans and ’90s
Writer Jody Houser
nostalgia buffs alike. It contains a
Artist Emilio Laiso
massive 496-pages of comics,
Cover Artist Phil Noto
charting the insidious return of the
Sith—and the events that will
eventually lead to the Clone Wars
and the fall of the Galactic Republic.
The volume reprints the
adaptation of The Phantom Menace
as well as Star Wars #0-3, Darth Maul
#1-4, Star Wars Episode 1: The
Phantom Menace #1/2 and #1-4,
Episode 1: Anakin Skywalker, Queen
Amidala, Qui-Gon Jinn, and Obi-Wan Windham, and featuring the art of
Kenobi, and material from Star Wars Anthony Winn, Jan Duursema,
#4-6, and Star Wars Tales #3, #5, #7, Rodolfo Damaggio, Steve Crespo,
#14, and #20. With stories by Jan Galen Showman, Robert Teranishi,
Strnad, Ron Marz, Henry Gilroy, Tim and Martin Egeland, the collection is
Truman, Mark Schultz, and Ryder available in November from Marvel.



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HEROES



























The Women



Of Star Wars




From Leia’s defiance to Jyn’s brave self-sacrifi ce

for the Rebellion, Star Wars has a proud history
of heroic female characters. Insider pays tribute...


W ORDS: TR I C IA B ARR









































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Padmé Amidala

Archetype: Queen
Strengths: Diplomacy, faith in people, warrior

When we meet Padmé in intellectually curious. The This faith in democracy
The Phantom Menace, chance to explore Tatooine is leads to one of the most
she is obscured by her royal an opportunity to learn more ominous moments in Star
mask as Queen Amidala. Her about the galaxy. Her encounter Wars, as Palpatine declares
planet Naboo is under siege by in Watto’s junk shop with a himself Emperor and Padmé
the Trade Federation and she young Anakin Skywalker reveals says to Senator Bail Organa, “So
refuses to capitulate. Her hard her naiveté about slavery, but this is how liberty dies… with
stance doesn’t dissuade the also her ability to connect with thunderous applause.”
Federation’s leader, Nute someone with very different life To believe in something, to
Gunray, and as his forces experiences. Later, she comforts trust in a process, requires faith
capture the capital city, Padmé Anakin as he accompanies in people. That undoubtedly
flees with her handmaidens, them to Coruscant. leaves a person vulnerable to


hoping to find a diplomatic Although diplomacy the failings or evil intentions of
solution through the Galactic ultimately fails, the Naboo others. Ultimately, Padmé never

Senate. Although her world is queen decides to fight for her stopped believing in people,
in a tenuous position, the mask planet. The Phantom Menace even her husband Anakin
remains, hiding fear in the face showcases women as warriors, Skywalker who betrayed the
of overwhelming circumstances with the handmaidens an Republic and her. Her prophetic

that find them stranded on the integral part of Nute Gunray’s words to Obi-Wan Kenobi,
backwater world of Tatooine. capture in the Throne Room. “There is still good in him,”
When Padmé poses as After the liberation of were proven true decades later
a lowly handmaiden to Naboo, Padmé returns to the by her son Luke Skywalker, who
accompany Qui-Gon Jinn in world of diplomacy, joining found a way to connect with a
search of repair parts for her the Senate. She believes in the father who had very different
Royal Starship, she exposes process of democracy, and most life experiences, and brought
her true nature. Padmé is importantly in its people. him back into the light.



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HEROES






Mon Mothma

Archetype: Leader
Strengths: Wisdom, persuasion, compassion

In 1983’s Return of the Not revealing her identity, she
Jedi, Mon Mothma stood listens as he spills the story of
before the soldiers of the Rebel his love for the Imperial pilot
Alliance to prepare them for Ciena Ree. She offers him a
one of its most important cup of water and ushers him
battles, and made an off to bed. Only later does
impression on female fans of Thane learn who she is, and
the original trilogy. she reassures him, “It's all
Those fans didn’t have a lot right if you still love someone
of women to look up to in Star on the other side of this
Wars, and though she wore war—as long as you love what
white similar to Leia Organa, you're fighting for even more.” Ahsoka Tano

Mon Mothma was a different In the Rebels episode
Archetype: Fighter
type of character. As an ally “Secret Cargo,” Mon Mothma Strengths: Athleticism, trusts
to Senators Amidala and Bail again brings nourishment to her instincts, conviction
Organa in the earliest days of a rebel, Hera Syndulla, who
resisting Palpatine’s rule, to is helping her escape after Sometimes peace can be achieved only

her brief role in Rogue One, condemning the Emperor. by fighting for it. Anakin Skywalker
which showed the diffi culty In new territory now that her believes that principle, ultimately taking it to
of leading an alliance of life as a senator has ended, an extreme that taints his soul. His
disparate, volatile rebel Mon Mothma bonds with the apprentice, Ahsoka Tano, learns many lessons
factions, we really only learn Ghost’s captain before their from her Jedi Master. At the end of The Clone
a little about what drives her. desperate escape from the Wars, though, she concludes that the Jedi are
However, stand-out character clutches of Grand Admiral going down a path she cannot follow. One of
moments from the books and Thrawn. They rendezvous the toughest decisions in life is to walk away

animation get to the heart of with other rebel factions for from something that has defined us. This
her character. a secret meeting, and Mon isn’t a female or a male moment; it is a
In the novel Lost Stars, Mothma delivers a powerful human one, and makes Ahsoka one of Star
Thane Kyrell encounters the speech that convinces them Wars’ most relatable characters.

Rebel Alliance leader after to unite to fight the tyranny Through the novel Ahsoka, fans learn
drinking too much alcohol. of the Empire. about her path to becoming Fulcrum, an
agent of the Rebel Alliance. In fi nding this
role, she builds a new pair of lightsabers
from the kyber crystals taken from a Sith
Inquisitor she defeats. She heals the crystals
that glow red and they become white, a color
that to be seen by the human eye requires
all colors to be balanced in their intensity. It
represents good, beginnings, and exactitude.
Rebels reintroduces Ahsoka in a different
role. No longer the apprentice, she is now
the mentor who balances the teaching of
the Jedi with lessons learned on the run.
Her showdown with Darth Vader refl ects
maturity, fortitude, and a continued respect
for the important lessons instilled by Anakin.

Ahsoka finds a way to be true to herself even
as she faces down an evil she knows. His
name: Darth Vader.







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HEROES



Maz Kanata

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 home. Clambering atop the
Sabine Wren table, she peers into the depths of
Finn’s soul with her goggle-adjusting
Archetype: Tech Expert gaze into his eyes. Yet in the moment
Strengths: Intellect, improvisation, Mandalorian training that Rey discovers the horrifi c past
that accompanies Luke Skywalker’s
Often we think of art and don’t simply blow things up, lightsaber, the wizened space pirate
science as opposing sides but create colorful displays pulls off her goggles and speaks to
of a dichotomy, and imagine in doing so. She marks their Rey’s heart. Maz distills the essence

tough soldiers as people who missions with graffiti, and her of the Force to the frightened girl, “It

don’t have time for either. firebird logo finds a fi tting moves through and surrounds every

Sabine Wren proves these home in the Rebel Alliance. living thing. Close your eyes. Feel it.
clichés wrong, combining all When the fi ght against The light…it’s always been there. It
these elements into a kind of the Empire brings her back to will guide you.” Rey doesn’t know it
hero we haven’t seen before her Mandalorian clan, Sabine at that moment, but Maz’s lesson is
in Star Wars. faces dual challenges: proving the first step into a new extraordinary

Her upbringing brings that she deserves to wield the world for her as a Force user.
together Mandalorian heritage ancient Darksaber retrieved
and the rigorous training of from Darth Maul’s lair, and
an Imperial academy cadet. convincing her family to
She learns to fight, but also accept her for who she is,

excels in intellectual pursuits. artist and all.
In Season Three of Rebels we That she succeeds in
learn that her scientifi c prowess both of these endeavors is a
was exploited by the Empire testament to her strength of
to develop a terrible weapon character as a person, and the
that was turned against the skillfulness of her character
Mandalorians, leading to her design in Rebels.
exile. Finding a new family By the Battle of Atollon,
among the Ghost crew, Sabine Sabine has matured from a
puts her knowledge of the vigilante teenager tagging
Empire to good use in fi ghting along in clashes with
back, while also letting her stormtroopers to a confi dent
own personality shine for warrior willing to lead a strike

the first time. Her explosions force against the Imperial fl eet.


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HEROES














































Leia Organa

Archetype: Rebel
Strengths: Persistence, courage, wit

From a young age, Leia Leia and her friends
Organa knows what she suffer setbacks:
wants to achieve for the galaxy: her capture by
the toppling of the evil Empire Darth Vader and
and the restoration of the imprisonment on
Republic’s democracy. For a the Death Star; the
moment, this meant covert loss of Echo Base;
resistance using the diplomatic betrayal by Lando;
cover of her service in the a rescue mission gone awry galaxy far, far away does not
Imperial Senate, such as the at Jabba the Hutt’s palace; the promise a happily ever after
ruse to deliver three cruisers to unanticipated interference of fairy tale ending. The rise of the
a rebel cell on Lothal. When Ewoks in the mission to the First Order and betrayal by her
she absconds from the Battle of Endor moon. Each time, Leia’s son cannot break Leia’s spirit.
Scarif with the stolen Death Star persistence never falters. When Again she stands fi rm, despite
plans, however, open rebellion others are hesitant, she takes the personal toll, leading the
is unavoidable. Then Leia shifts charge and leads the way; even Resistance as a bulwark against
from a diplomat to a military when they aren’t, they fi nd it a new attempt to bring tyranny

leader, overseeing the clashes at difficult to dissuade the princess to the galaxy. Leia has been a
Yavin, Hoth, and Endor until from her path. role model to so many for so
the tide is turned in the The years after the victories long because she represents the
Galactic Civil War. at Endor and Jakku see much power of standing up for what
But the Rebellion does not of Leia’s dream fulfi lled. Like you believe in, and never, ever
triumph easily. Time and again the real world, though, the giving up.



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HEROES




Jyn Erso
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 diffi cult the
circumstances. Jyn Erso endures hardship
upon hardship in her short life before
making the ultimate selfl ess sacrifi ce 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 the teenager with very
little opportunity to trust anyone, much
less make friends. When Saw abandons
Jyn after a mission to spy on an Imperial
factory is disastrously exposed, she is
completely on her own.
Instead of succumbing to despair, Jyn
relies upon her ingenuity to turn her skills
into ways to survive. In the coming years
she negotiates with pilots, smugglers,
rebels, and Imperials to exchange her
talents for the funds, transportation, or
food and shelter she needs to make her
way in an unforgiving galaxy. Even a
lengthy imprisonment by the Empire,
shielded by the alias Lianna Hallik, does
not crack her will. Unlike other inmates,
Jyn’s self-discipline allows her to keep her
head down through the daily torments.
Despite the seemingly inevitable doom
of her situation, Jyn endures. When she
is unexpectedly retrieved by agents of the
Rebel Alliance, it is their appeal to her
long-honed instincts of self-preservation
that provides a reason to tentatively
cooperate with their mission to contact
Saw and investigate her father’s work.
When she realizes the stakes and fi nds
true camaraderie in her team, Jyn has
the courage to think beyond herself and
sacrifice herself for others.









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HEROES



Shmi Skywalker

Archetype: Mother
Strengths: Love of her child,
kindness, selfl essness

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

Hera Syndulla streets of Mos Espa is the culmination of
a lifetime of sacrifices Shmi has made for

Archetype: General
Strengths: Incredible pilot, nurturing spirit, team-builder Anakin. Living in slavery, Shmi does her
best to protect her son from the corruption
Don’t let initial to back down. Instead, she around them. Though he understands
appearances fool you: leads the Ghost crew to fi ght that an explosive chip prevents escape,
Hera Syndulla is much more even harder, which draws Anakin finds joy in racing for Watto and

than the highly skilled pilot notice from another faction, constructing his own podracer.
of the Ghost. The traditions as well. Though Kanan is When a Jedi unexpectedly arrives,
of Star Wars might suggest skeptical of committing to Anakin offers to help them get the parts
that Kanan Jarrus, a Jedi, is the Rebel Alliance, Hera they need to leave without requesting
the leader of their team of knows that the resources anything in return, and Shmi tells Qui-
rebels, but it is Hera who is and opportunities accessible Gon Jinn that her son “knows nothing
not only captain of the ship as part of the larger fi ght of greed.” It was not biology or midi-
but also in charge of their against the Empire will allow chlorians but her guidance in raising
operations. Over time her them to do more good for Anakin that taught him those values.

talent at leadership takes her more people. This persuades When Qui-Gon confirms what she has
from managing her small the reluctant Kanan—and always believed, that Anakin is special—
crew to commanding a quickly impresses their new gifted with supernatural abilities that offer
squadron in the Rebel allies, as well. the prospect of training to become a Jedi
Alliance military. As the struggle against Knight—Shmi does not hesitate to make
Hera’s interpersonal skills the Empire transitions the choice to let her son leave her behind
and firm sense of justice are from isolated acts of local and cross the stars to fulfill his destiny.


honed in a childhood of war resistance to a civil war
on Ryloth. Her father Cham fought by military units, Hera
fought alongside the Jedi adapts her role in turn. A
to liberate Ryloth from the faceoff with Grand Admiral
Separatist droid army during Thrawn at Atollon is a long
the Clone Wars, only to see journey from stealing crates
the Empire rise from the in the streets of Lothal, but
supposed peace. Taking to Hera proves she is ready for
the stars to oppose tyranny, it every step of the way. From
Hera gradually gathers her delivering Mon Mothma to a
crew and hones them into top secret meeting to fl ying
a fierce team of vigilantes in the Battle of Scarif, Hera

on Lothal. When they draw earned her rank of General by
attention from stronger getting the tough jobs done
Imperial forces, Hera refuses when it counted the most.






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HEROES
























































Rey

Archetype: Prodigy
Strengths: Compassion, quick refl exes, 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
of Oz (1939). Fleeing the First Order troopers, defector Finn says they need a pilot. “We’ve got one,”
she responds, and they escape in the battered Millennium Falcon. Rey may be capable of running
without someone holding her hand, but the appearance of Han Solo suggests her adventure will be
grander than she could possibly have imagined.
Everything about Rey’s introduction tells us that she is capable of surviving her capture by Kylo
Ren. She has been surviving on her own, and everything she needs to resist the fallen Jedi exists
inside her. Yes, she is afraid, but Leia, Ahsoka, Sabine, and all the Star Wars heroines that have come
before have taught us that fear is something that can be faced and conquered. Star Wars: Forces of
Destiny and The Last Jedi will explore new obstacles in her journey of heroism.



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SWI176_022-030_FEAT_Heroines_v7AL.indd 30

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32 / STAR WARS INSIDER




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SWI176_032_Comp_FINAL.indd 32

20/09/2017 09:22
32246 SW Front Lines Full page for Star Wars Insider magazine.indd 1
32246 SW Front Lines Full page for Star Wars Insider magazine.indd 1 20/09/2017 09:22

STAR WARS REBELS






























rebels





















As Season Four of Star Wars Rebels brings
the animated series to a conclusion, Insider
explores the creative inspirations of
executive producer Dave Filoni.



W ORDS: TR I C IA B ARR
























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STAR WARS REBELS



01





























02








alking with fans
at a recent
T screening of Star
Wars Rebels,
series co-creator
and executive producer Dave
Filoni said, “You can tell the
films that storytellers like by the

stories they tell later.”
Having overseen more than
200 episodes of Star Wars
animation, it’s safe to say Filoni
loves the galaxy that he’s playing
in. But Filoni’s shows, The Clone Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli. It was 01 Kanan may
Wars and Star Wars Rebels, have Japan’s highest-grossing film of all still be blind, “IF you like

but his
also included homages to many time, until it was surpassed by connection something you
other iconic movies, too: from global phenomenon Titanic, to the Force
has never
The Wizard of Oz (1939) to which was released later the same
wavered. try to figure out
Apocalypse Now (1979). When year. Miyazaki’s inspiration for the
asked about the similarities film came from John Ford’s 02 Sabine will how to put that

be right in
between Rebels and Princess westerns (which also infl uenced
the heart of
Mononoke (1997), Filoni grinned George Lucas while making A the action in in your art. ”
and said, “Ahsoka was inspired by New Hope), and its story focuses Season Four. dave filoni

Mononoke. If you like something on the conflict between nature
you try to figure out how to put and industrial civilization.

that in your art.” Rebels’ similarities to Miyazaki’s
For those who are unfamiliar, movie begin with a similar tension.
Princess Mononoke is an epic The series opens on Lothal, and
historical fantasy anime fi lm Ezra’s heroic journey starts when
written and directed by Hayao the Empire sets out to build TIE
STAR WARS INSIDER / 35




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STAR WARS REBELS




fi ghters there. This is Lothal’s
industrial revolution, in confl ict
with its wilder side. Just like the “All the plotting in the world
magical world of Princess
Mononoke, where a clan of won’t matter if you don’t care
wolves protects the forest (wolves
being extinct in Japan), Lothal about The characters.” dave filoni
also has mysterious animals and
secrets in its wilderness. Filoni
has commented on this mix of
the real and uncanny, saying: return in animal form, he 03 Grand Admiral be seen wearing a shirt with an
“Star Wars gets really good when posted a sketch of Ahsoka on Thrawn is emblem he designed. In The
back, and still
you have a world that you believe Facebook and Twitter, clearly Clone Wars, the Wolf Pack is a
a thorn in the
in, but there is an element that labeled “Not the wolf.” rebels’ side. squad of clone troopers loyal
is intangible.” “It was interesting thinking,” to Plo Koon—Filoni’s favorite
04 Rogue One’s
he clarified, “but it doesn’t Saw Gerrera Jedi—and the showrunner has

Running with Wolves get you where you need to will play a also created several artworks
major part
A wolf even appeared in the go. So I thought I’d throw showing Ahsoka riding a wolf.
this season.

trailer for Season Four of Rebels, the challenge flag out on Fans recognize the
leading Filoni to take the unusual that.” He could hardly blame 05 Rebels’ action importance of the creature to
scenes are as
step of using social media to nip fans for fi nding signifi cance the storyteller, and are inclined
high-stakes
rumors about it in the bud. After in the wolf, however: Filoni as ever to confer some degree of
some fans speculated that maybe himself has taken the wolf as a (see right). importance to its appearance.
Ahsoka Tano would somehow personal totem and can often 06 Sabine faces For now, however, Filoni seems
challenges intent on keeping the meaning
from her obscured. “Those are the kind
03 past on
Mandalore of things the more you explain,
(see right). the less magical it is,” he argues.
“How much backstory do you
07 The Noghri
warrior Ruhk really get on Yoda?”
will make It seems that, as a fan from
his debut
(see right). the earliest days of Star Wars,
Filoni has never forgotten when
08 This season throwaway references to “the
will reveal
how our Clone Wars” by Ben Kenobi
heroes were the sort of thing you sat
fit into the
larger Rebel and pondered for hours on end.
Alliance Though fans today can now fi nd
(see right). out so much more about Star
Wars lore, Filoni is intent on
delivering the same sense of
04
mystery and magic in his work
that originally captivated him
when he was a child.
Aside from Miyazaki, two
other storytelling visionaries
Filoni has cited as inspirations
are his mentor George Lucas
and The Lord of the Rings’
author, J.R.R. Tolkien. Both are
writers who created epics,
without losing sight of the
characters who inhabit them.
Filoni succinctly describes his
own storytelling philosophy,
saying “All the plotting in the
world won’t matter if you don’t
care about the characters.”





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STAR WARS REBELS



05



































06 07



















08
For the generation of fans
who have grown up with The
Clone Wars and Rebels rather
than one of the movie trilogies,
Filoni is perhaps their Lucas.
With characters like Ahsoka,
Captain Rex, Ezra, and Sabine as
their gateway into a larger love
of the saga, a Star Wars
animation fan will someday talk
about how Filoni’s work inspired
his or her own movie or
television series. The next
generation of storytellers can
surely have no better teacher.





STAR WARS INSIDER / 37




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H
Hera
e
r
H e ra
y
d
n
Syndulla
S S y n d u
HERA’S
JOURNEY





After four years as the voice
of Hera Syndulla in Rebels,
Vanessa Marshall talks to
Tricia Barr about what the
character has meant to her.



anessa anessa anessa Vanessa anessa V arshall Va rshall sa sa a sa ss Vane e l Marshall Marshall Marshall all all l l al l Marsha h h Mars Ma

















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STAR WARS REBELS















Children’s Hospital. Through
doing those things, I’ve got to
know the 501st Legion and the
Rebel Legion. It’s been really fun
to help them raise money for
various charities. It sort of
extended my Star Wars family
into the real world. That kindness
Hera has, that concern for doing
good in the world, I was able to
translate that through all these
charitable events. It’s a quiet
thing, but it’s my favorite thing
anessa Marshall has to do. It’s really plugged me into
brought vivid life to brave a network of people I now
Twi’lek pilot Hera Syndulla. consider family. That’s meant
Already a long-term Star everything to me.
Wars fan, it’s clear that the last
four seasons of Rebels have only Did you ever imagine that Hera
boosted Marshall’s love for both would be getting nods on the
the Saga and its fans. big screen and sitting on the
Rebel Alliance High Council in
Star Wars Insider: What has The Freemaker Adventures?
playing Hera taught you Never! It’s just been mind-
about yourself? boggling. I remember that
Vanessa Marshall: I’ve learned episode way back in Season One
that I would be a really great where I say to Lando that he
mom! I don’t have any kids, but owes me one [“Idiot’s Array”].
I felt like I really got into the When we did that, Freddie
mom role within the dynamics [Prinze, Jr., who voices Kanan
of the cast. I didn’t realize that Jarrus] leaned over and said,
I had such a capacity to nurture. “You know what that could
It’s been a really cool, fun thing mean?” We both were suddenly
to nurture all the different actors seeing an image of Cloud City
in various ways. Hera does that to and wondering whether Lando’s
the crew, so I was sort of naturally decision to help the rebels was
doing it in the scripts. But it born out of this incident! That

started to happen off the page as was the first example where
well. We have such a cool family, we were freaking out. Little
and I care a lot about those did I know she would be paged
actors. I’ve never had that kind in Rogue One. That was insane.
of maternal experience in any I have yet to see The Freemaker
other show. Adventures episodes, and I can’t
wait to actually watch them.
And what have you learned
about Star Wars fans? Hera is part of the Forces
When we started, I wasn’t aware of Destiny series too. What
how many charitable functions does it mean to you to be part
there were. I’ve been so moved by of that project?
things like the “May the Fourth” Everything. It’s so wonderful.
event we did at the Los Angeles All these positive female roles



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STAR WARS REBELS


01 02





































03

models, all the merchandise Apart from Rebels, what else various charities. Last year
that’s going to be available. has excited you most as a Star was the Starlight Children’s
A friend of mine said, “I tried Wars fan in recent years? Foundation. I’ll be out there
to date this guy but he had this I really got into Rogue One. again. Every year I get to
room full of Star Wars things, When I went to Star Wars see the premiere there. It’s
and I just couldn’t understand Celebration, I hosted a little talk like Christmas every day
it.” And I said, “Oh, you mean show and met John Knoll [the in December.
like the room in my house?” visual effects supervisor who
And she said, “Oh. Actually, pitched the idea for the What Hera story would you
yeah.” I can’t wait to add those standalone movie]. We discussed most like to see told?
items to my special room. the story structure and how it all I’m curious about what happens
I really love the message of started. It was so different from to her after Rogue One; where
those cartoons, and that they’re any other Star Wars story that she ends up after the Battle of
going to be online and readily we’ve seen. It was yet another Scarif. That would be something
available over and over again. example of really great writing. I would love to see.
I remember when I got the call To be able to speak to him
saying they were thinking about personally after being so deeply In The Freemaker Adventures,
doing something like that, and impacted by the movie… It really Hera nurtures Rowan and
I was hugely honored. I’m really moved me. I felt incredibly lucky. Quarrie in the same way she
glad that it’s out there for us. I’m also looking forward to guided Ezra and Kanan in
The Last Jedi and hoping that Rebels. As a fan, does that
Have you seen the new Black we’ll all go together to experience mentor role resonate with you?
Series Hera action fi gure that it. I’ve stayed away from all Totally. I’m a huge fan of Joseph
is being released for Force spoilers as usual. I want to come Campbell’s idea of “the Hero’s
Friday II this year? to it fresh. There’s a charity group Journey,” as is George Lucas. The
I haven’t seen it in person, that I became friends with, mentor role is a really important
but a friend tweeted me LiningUp.net. They line up in part of so much mythology, and I
pictures from San Diego front of the TCL Chinese Theatre think it communicates with
Comic-Con. As soon as it’s in Hollywood. I bring them pizza, people very deeply for that
available, I’m all over it! and we sit and raise money for reason. Things like Luke choosing



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WA
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R W
S R
EB
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STAR WARS REBELSELS
04




































whether to stay on the farm or serious. But given how much we 01 Hera will get say, “Well, they’re in the middle
to test her
pick up his father’s lightsaber are [in the cast] love each other, I of high stakes, they don’t have
piloting skills
the most rewarding moments— think the amount of fun we’re once again. time for romance.” But as I
someone making a brave choice having comes through, too. We’re (See left.) watched the episodes along with
and then following through with being playful in the moment, and the fans, there would be these
02 Kanan and
it. And I think those decisions are if we’re enjoying ourselves then Hera have glances, or these touches or
more satisfying when you see the the viewers will enjoy it as well. grown closer hugs that gave me a different
over the
conversations leading up to The love is so strong that it helps course of the perspective. So I learned along
them. The way Hera nurtures us dip down into a deeper, richer series. Could with the fans just how much they
it be love?
those characters—all those little place together. That helps keep meant to each other. Moving into
(See left.)
nudges along the way—helps the balance between the gravitas Season Four, I think it becomes

people make the right choices. and the humor. 03 The crew of even clearer that they care about
the Ghost
It plays a vital part in the each other very deeply. We’ve
have become
storytelling, and it makes it richer In the past, you and Freddie like family seen that increasingly over the
for the viewer when they see Prinze Jr. have shied away to Hera. But years, so it’s not surprising, but
what will

someone do the right thing and from fan speculation about an happen to I’m finally on the “hashtag
succeed. The overall impact is overt romance between Hera them by the Kanera” page!
end of the
much stronger. and Kanan. Have your feelings
series? (left.)
about this changed over time? If you could give Hera a
That’s an important part to Yes, definitely. Speaking of the 04 One thing is Twitter hashtag of your own,

for certain:
play. How do you strike the words on the page, what’s written what would it be?
the final
balance between making it versus what I end up seeing on season will Of all the phrases she’s said, it
fun and investing the right screen are sometimes very be packed would have to be “WeHaveHope,”
with action
amount of gravitas? different. Even when the words that will as that one sticks deeply with me.
The words on the page do that. indicate that there is a slight push Hera We all need it right now. I try to
to her limits.
I don’t add much. That’s how intimacy there, I might see the hear Hera say that every day.
great the writing is. We have no finished episode and think, Sometimes if we just shift our

choice but to strike that balance, “Wow, they are a lot closer than I perception, we can change things.
because it’s already there. The was aware of.” If people asked me That hashtag does it for me in
stakes are so high that it has to be questions before I saw that, I’d my own life.
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Painting the Galaxy





From Tatooine to Scarif, matte paintings have played a crucial

role in creating the far-flung locales of Star Wars. Insider caught
up with visual-effects veteran Paul Huston for a look at how the
techniques have evolved over the course of the saga.

W ORDS: JON D. WITMER





























































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he Death Star’s scenery in order to create the 01 (Opening models and assisting with the
page) The

chasms. Bespin’s illusion of a larger setting—had digital matte Dykstraflex camera that fi lmed
T Cloud City. been developed and refi ned. The painting for those models on ILM’s stage.
Padmé’s
processes by which visual effects
The Ewoks’
funeral in “The work would go through
village in the artists bring matte paintings to the facility like a pig through a
Revenge of
trees of Endor. cinematic life would continue the Sith. python,” Huston recalls. “It would
The Gungans’ home beneath the to be finessed over the course of be crazy-busy in the model shop

02 Paul Huston
waters of Naboo. The starship the original trilogy and beyond, works on one until the models were fi nished
graveyard of Jakku. The rain- taking the paintings into the his models and could be photographed on
for The
soaked crags of Eadu. What could digital realm. the stage, and then the stage
Phantom
unite such disparate vistas? Menace. would be really busy. I followed
From the beginning of the New Hope, Old Process the pig just to keep working!”
03 Huston
Star Wars saga through to its most Paul Huston has been behind On the original Star
photographs
recent big-screen installments, the scenes for every live-action the landscape Wars, “there wasn’t a matte
matte paintings have helped Star Wars movie, from the 1977 models for department per se,” Huston
The Phantom

realize far-flung settings that original to Rogue One: A Star Wars Menace. explains. “[Concept artist] Ralph
dazzle the eyes and fuel the Story. He joined ILM in 1975, McQuarrie did some paintings,
04 Huston at
imagination. By the time George fresh out of architecture school at Harrison Ellenshaw did some,
work on
Lucas formed Industrial Light the University of Colorado, where the TIE and [visual effects art director] Joe
& Magic (ILM) to create the he also studied media and art. fighter Johnston did a couple. Because
models for
visual effects for the original Star Based on his illustration of my eclectic interests, I helped
the original
Wars, multiple variations of the portfolio, he was hired as a visual- trilogy. photograph some of those.”
technique—which combines a effects storyboard artist at ILM. Harrison Ellenshaw was
live-action element with painted Before long, he was also building the head of Disney’s matte
02 03












department when he received
special dispensation to work on
Star Wars’ matte paintings for two
months. By the time he joined
the production in early 1977,
McQuarrie had already been
working on matte paintings of the
film’s planets as seen from space.

The matte painters’ myriad
responsibilities included
matching the perspective of the
live-action element, mimicking
the characteristics of whatever
lens had been used for the live-
action plate, and compressing or
embellishing the sense of depth
as required. For instance, with
04 the high-angle view of the curved



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wall and chasm adjacent to the some 70 composites in total—
elevators that Luke, Han, and that required the formation of
ORIGINAL TRILOGY MATTE ARTISTS
Chewie take to the Death Star’s a dedicated matte department
detention level, McQuarrie had within ILM. Ellenshaw returned Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope
Matte Artist P.S. [Harrison] Ellenshaw
to work out the right view for the to head the department, and was
Planet and Satellite Artist Ralph McQuarrie
painting. This was combined with again joined by McQuarrie, who
the live-action photography using painted roughly half of the fi lm’s Star Wars: Episode V The Empire
Strikes Back
the “bi-pack method.” mattes. The department also
Matte Painting Supervisor Harrison Ellenshaw
In the bi-pack process, added painter Michael Pangrazio, Matte Artists: Ralph McQuarrie, Michael Pangrazio
two strips of film were made photographer Neil Krepela, and Matte Photography Neil Krepela

Additional Matte Photography Michael Lawler
to run through the camera photography assistant Craig
Matte Photography Assistants Craig Barron,
simultaneously. The previously Barron to its team. Robert Elswit
exposed and processed fi lm with “There’s an area of overlap Matte Photography Consultant Stanley Sayer, BSC
the live-action plate was placed in between the matte department
Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi
front of an unexposed negative. and the model department that Matte Painting Supervisor Michael Pangrazio
When the two strips of fi lm ran I tended to gravitate towards,” Matte Painting Artists Chris Evans, Frank Ordaz

through the camera, which was reflects Huston, who again worked Matte Photography Neil Krepela, Craig Barron
Matte Photography Consultant Stanley Sayer, BSC
aimed at the matte painting, the as a model maker and an assistant
live-action footage and the matte on the stage camera for Empire.
PREQUEL TRILOGY MATTE ARTISTS
painting would be combined onto “Don Dow was the cameraman
the raw negative. The benefi t I was assisting, and he would turn Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace
of this method was that the the matte painting work that Digital Matte Artists Ronn Brown, Brian Flora,
Caroleen Green, Jonathan Harb, Paul Huston, Bill
matte element on the resulting came to him over to me. I had an
Mather, Rick Rische, Mark Sullivan, Yusei Uesugi,
composite was fi rst-generation, understanding of 2D, so it was Wei Zheng
Additional Matte Paintings Bill George
“For other scenes live-action elements Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones
Digital Matte Sequence Supervisors Yusei
were combined with matte paintings Uesugi, Paul Huston, Jonathan Harb
Digital Matte Artists Jett Green, Kent Matheson,
through front or rear projection...” Mathieu Raynault, Masahiko Tani, Susumu
Yukuhiro, Toshiyuki Maeda, Brett Northcutt, Mark
Sullivan, Simon Wicker, Wei Zheng
Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith
rather than being a secondhand pretty easy for me to do matte Digital Matte Supervisor Jonathan Harb
duplicate, which would have camera tricks, like moving multi- Lead Digital Matte Artists Yanick Dusseault, Brett
increased contrast and grain. plane shots in the Cloud City Northcutt
Digital Matte Artists Richard Bluff, Vanessa Cheung,
For other scenes, live-action sequence. I also helped Craig and
Jeremy Cook, Max Dennison, Bryant Griffi n, Christian
elements were combined with Mike with building miniatures Haley, Giles Hancock, Benjamin Huber, Paul Huston,
matte paintings through front they could use for reference. Toshiyuki Maeda, Steve Matson, Yvonne Muinde,
Martin Murphy, Joshua Ong, Kevin Page, Benoit
or rear projection, and in I could get them something that
Pelchat, David Shirk, Chris Stoski, Masahiko Tani,
some instances, matte shots would work pretty quickly, and Johan Thorngren, Yusei Uesugi, Simon Wicker, Barry
required an optical printer to I think they appreciated that.” Williams, Susumu Yukuhiro, Wei Zheng
be completed. For the Massassi The Empire matte department
Temple exterior—seen after the frequently employed front
Millennium Falcon lands on projection, in which a matte
Yavin 4—the live-action plate was painting was made on glass, with latter, the live-action plate
shot at Cardington Studios in a blank space where the live- was projected onto a piece
England, the foreground foliage action element would be added. of rear-screen material from

was photographed separately Reflective Scotchlite material was behind the glass painting.
in front of bluescreen, and the placed behind this blank area to And once again, certain shots
matte painting was created by create a mirror. The live-action were completed in the optical
Ellenshaw at ILM. The elements plate would then be projected department, which is also
were then assembled in the through a beam splitter—a half- where most of the complex
optical department. silvered mirror at a 45-degree shots were fi nalized.
angle that would refl ect the In deciding which technique
Through A Glass, Brightly projected image toward the to use, Ellenshaw and his team
While making The Empire Strikes Scotchlite area of the painting. would weigh the needs of the
Back, the art team made more During the process the crew particular shot against the
extensive use of matte paintings also made use of bi-packing as strengths and weaknesses of
than they did in A New Hope— well as rear-projection. For the each method. While bi-packing



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05




























could produce better-quality 05 The picnic explains. “It had standard 35mm hold-out matte, to create a plate
results, projecting the live-action scene from and VistaVision movements, and featuring just the required area for
Attack of the
plate gave the team more control, Clones a whole set of lenses, including an live action, surrounded by black.
as they could adjust the plate’s incorporates a anamorphic [widescreen effect] They then rear-projected the plate
digital matte
size using the projector. When lens so we could photograph the for exposure with the hold-out
painting.
choosing between front and Huston: “I matte paintings for compositing matte, and then composited that
rear projection, the former was shot the with anamorphic elements.” pass with the Masonite painting,
waterfalls as
usually preferable because the The Auto Matte featured in which the area where the live-
separate
highly reflective Scotchlite screen elements at two “carriages” on which matte action element would play had in

provided a brighter source, which locations in paintings could be mounted, turn been painted black.
California and
in turn enabled faster exposures. comped them with each carriage capable of For the shot of C-3PO and
And as the postproduction together with movement in three dimensions. R2-D2 in the foreground walking
photos of
schedule ticked away, every Developed over a period of toward Jabba the Hutt’s palace in
the set.”
second counted. two years, the system had fi rst the background, Pangrazio and his
06 (Right page) been put through its paces on team turned to one of the earliest
Auto Matte And More Huston at Steven Spielberg’s E.T. The Extra- matte painting techniques: the
work on the
For Return of the Jedi, Pangrazio miniature Terrestrial (1982), and it proved “original negative,” also known as
took the reins of the matte elements he indispensible in realizing Jedi’s the “latent image” or “held take”
built for the
painting department, overseeing picnic scene. numerous moving-camera matte- method. In this process,
the creation of approximately 45 painting shots. a glass sheet is positioned in
illustrations, for which he was While smaller mattes were front of the camera on set (in this
joined by matte painter Chris typically painted on two-and- case, on location in California’s
Evans. “Craig Barron was the a-half-feet by six-feet panes of Death Valley) as the live-action
camera supervisor, and he prepped glass, the larger mattes that were element is shot. The glass is
me to take over a lot of things,” required to accommodate camera left clear except for a small area
Huston reflects. “By that time, moves were realized on pieces of painted black, where the matte

I was pretty well embedded with Masonite hardboard measuring painting will eventually go. Both
the group, even though I wasn’t in either four feet by six feet, or four the camera and the glass are
that department. I had kind of a feet by eight feet. Rather than cut tented off to avoid unwanted
dual existence: I also had things I through the quarter-inch-thick light from hitting the glass pane.
needed to do for [ILM supervising Masonite in order to project the After filming the live action, the

modelmaker] Lorne Peterson to live-action plate, the painters unprocessed negative is sent to
keep the model shop happy.” created a “hold out” matte on the matte department, and the
This time around, the matte glass, which was entirely black detailed painting is exposed on
department was working with the except for the blank area where the same piece of fi lm.
new Auto Matte system: “a track- the live-action plate would By placing both exposures
mounted camera that was custom- appear. They then rear-projected on the same negative, thereby
built there at ILM,” as Huston the live-action footage with the eliminating any duping, this



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06






















































process can yield the best results.
However, as Huston points out:
“It’s risky, because if something
happens to the original negative,
you’re out of luck. Supervisors
didn’t like to have undeveloped

film sitting for months in the
closet in the matte department.”
Despite these risks, the original
negative method found further
use after Return of the Jedi in the
two made-for-television Ewok
movies, Caravan of Courage
(1984), also known as The Ewok
Adventure, and The Battle
for Endor (1985). “The Ewok
movies were less under the gun,”
recalls Huston, who was a matte
photographer on the fi lms, and



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even painted a matte, working
under the guidance of supervisors
Chris Evans and Craig Barron.
“There was a little bit more
room for experimentation. And
Chris and Craig really liked to keep
their hands on the whole process,
so they loved the original negative
method. They loved being able to
shoot the plate, do the painting,
do the exposure of the painting,
and then deliver a fi nal shot.”
Digital Inroads
Huston would go on to hone his
skills as a matte painter on features
such as The Goonies (1985), and
Ghostbusters II (1989), and by
the early 1990s he was very well
established in ILM’s matte painting
department. He recalls that, as the 07
decade progressed, “Photoshop
came along, and I immediately “As Photoshop’s tools got miniatures and model making. “I
‘glommed’ onto it.” more sophisticated, it got easier would go buy a toy car or a toy
The first digital matte work he and easier to use,” he continues. truck, or I could quickly build


undertook with Photoshop was “When we first started using it, something in foam core and paint
for commercials, but it wasn’t there were no layers. You could it,” he explains. He would then
long before he was applying the cut and paste, and there was take photos of the miniatures that
technique on narrative work— this crawly ant line around the he could scan and work with in
specifi cally The Young Indiana selection you made. If you clicked the computer. “Or you’d head
Jones Chronicles (1992-93). on it, it would just immediately to the bookstore to see if you
“Bruce Walters was the head of composite. You’d end up doing could get a book that had a good
the matte department, and he set things over and over again until photograph that you could scan
[matte painter] Yusei Uesugi and you got it at just the right angle. and then manipulate digitally.”
myself up in a small back room Yusei would use photo reference Taking what they’d learned
in D Building [at ILM’s San Rafael and do small acrylic paintings. on Young Indy, Huston and
facility] to see what we could do Then he would photograph Uesugi then applied their digital
with some Young Indy shots. his painting and take that into matte techniques to the Star Wars
Photoshop at the end to avoid the Special Editions (1997). Uesugi
cut-and-paste level entirely. I was built the Mos Eisley spaceport
08
more comfortable just hammering as a 3D computer-generated
everything in Photoshop.” (CG) environment, enabling
Complementing the tools camera movement with realistic
in Photoshop, Huston, Uesugi parallax as Luke’s landspeeder
and their colleagues also began makes its way through the streets
working with After Effects for 2D before stopping at the Imperial
animated elements, as well as checkpoint. Huston, meanwhile,
the 3D programs Electric Image composed digital mattes of Mos
and Form-Z. Huston notes: “We Eisley, basing his work off photos
jumped into 3D right away of miniatures he constructed from
because there are so many things foam core, paint cans, plastic
that you used to have to do balls, and other materials. He
manually as a matte artist that 3D also worked with miniatures for a
just does—like perspective grids, new establishing shot of Obi-Wan
which are tedious but need a high Kenobi’s desert home, with Luke’s
degree of accuracy. A lot of things landspeeder parked outside.
became much easier.” Working with visual effects
Huston also continued to supervisor John Knoll, Huston
draw on his prior experience with also built a six-foot-wide model



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of the spaceport’s docking bay
94, which he photographed
outside at the right time of day
to match the light in the fi lm.
He then embellished the photo
as a digital matte painting that
was projected over rough 3D CG
geometry, allowing the painting to
convincingly match the camera’s
pan and tilt as the Millennium
Falcon lifts off from Tatooine.
Into The Modern Era
For the podrace in The Phantom
Menace (1999), Huston and Knoll
took the technique of projecting
a digital matte onto 3D geometry CANYON OF THE CRESCENT MOON
to new heights. “That was a big
moment,” Huston says, explaining “Camerawork was 50 percent of the matte painting, and all the matte painters were interested
in using any trick they could to make things more realistic photographically. Mark Sullivan was
that the environments are
one of the best ever at combining paintings and camera techniques. He had a bag of tricks you
“basically photographs that are wouldn’t believe.
projected on geometry. Luckily, “He really liked using miniatures, so I worked with him a lot. For Indiana Jones and the Last
Crusade, there was a shot looking through a pair of binoculars at the Canyon of the Crescent
you’re going at 600 miles an hour,
Moon. Mark did the matte painting on Masonite, and it looked really good, but he didn’t think it
so there’s a lot of motion blur!” looked realistic. So he had me cut the bottom off of the painting, just below the horizon, and then
Using the sequence’s animated we built about a 20-foot-by-2-foot miniature of the canyon out of plywood and foam.
storyboards—animatics—as his “We set the cut-off matte painting about 8 feet in front of the camera, with the horizon
positioned so that it came to the horizon of the miniature, which was about 25 feet away from the
guide, Huston built miniature camera—so the horizon was closer than the foreground! We put a piece of glass in front of the
arches and other details out of painting with a little bit of Vaseline along the blend line between the miniature and the painting,
foam and plaster, painted them, and we fi lmed the whole thing in-camera. It was crazy, but it worked really well—and it was fun.
It utilized the strengths of both paintings and miniatures.” — Paul Huston
and then carefully photographed
the models outside, capturing
an array of angles and lighting
directions. He also photographed
dirt to create a texture map for the 07 Another tricks became blurred, and this you can go off in a direction that
ground, and manipulated other angle of the trend has continued through leads to disaster.”
miniature
photos for use throughout the used in the The Force Awakens (2015) and Asked whether he still works
sequence’s backgrounds. picnic scene Rogue One (2016). “In reaction with miniatures, Huston says,
in Attack of
Huston continued to work with to the wide array of challenges “It’s more difficult than it used

the Clones
photographs and miniatures in his (opposite). under the group’s purview, to be. We don’t really have the
digital matte paintings for Attack the digital matte department space, tools, or materials at ILM
08 Huston was
of the Clones (2002). For Anakin has since been renamed the anymore. But if I can go to a store
among the
and Padmé’s picnic on Naboo, the many ILM and ‘generalists department,’ because and buy something, or if I can

background cliffs were fashioned Lucasfilm we do so many different things” find a location, I would rather
alums who
from painted aluminum. He then had worked Huston notes. photograph something. I still
composited this photographed on A New While Photoshop remains enjoy working that way.”
Hope, and
element with digital video he’d an important tool for 2D work, Despite all the changes over the
who recently
shot of real waterfalls. celebrated 40 earlier 3D software has given way years, Huston muses that modern
As the prequel trilogy drew to years of the to visual effects software including digital matte painting feels much
film that
a close with Revenge of the Sith Nuke. “In 2D, Photoshop’s tools the same. “The processes you go
started it all
(2005), the line between digital (opposite). are really the easiest to use and the through—the things you analyze
matte techniques and other CG most direct,” Huston says. “But the and look at—are similar. The rules
way that Nuke displays colors is of composition are the same.
really predictable and precise.” You’re in the same ballpark.
“...Huston and Knoll took And for anything that ends “The thing for me has been
the technique of projecting up on-screen—especially a digital that, for a long time, the paintings
were locked off [stationary],” he
matte painting that needs to
a digital matte onto 3D match other effects as well as concludes. The ability we have
geometry to new heights.” live-action photography—Huston now to move the camera through
a painting? That’s huge.”
stresses, “If the color isn’t right,
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