Disney really should've just hired Fluke Skywalker and cake on the makeup so he looks younger. CG faces have always looked horrible, why the fuck do studios insist on them? Rogue One, Blade Runner 2049, Iron Man, etc..
That was a wonderful episode, with some amazing moments.
Let’s just get it out of the way. Why are the action scenes so consistently weak? Mando and a special guest got some awesome ones, so this is more about the running and gunning stuff. And I’m sorry, but I’m just going to call it out. Am I supposed to be super-impressed and empowered about the Kathleen Kennedy Force is Female squad rolling through an entire army and increasing the show’s problems with cannon fodder enemies? It was fine. But it felt like 2020 peeking it’s head in.
I loved the rest. From the final action scenes delivering what the Disney trilogy could not, and giving Star Wars fans what they want, to the awesome showdown with Gideon in the tradition of Star Wars sword duels, to a scene so touching, that it absolutely, unashamedly made me cry, and much more.
I don’t feel like it was brilliant, as there’s room for improvement, as always. But it has heart, and that goes so far. It respects its characters, story, and audience. It’s pure Star Wars.
An awesome end to the best run for Star Wars since 1983.
I just wonder where we go from here. That felt like a definitive ending. For a second I wasn’t sure if the show was done or not. I’m still not quite sure.
I just wonder where we go from here. That felt like a definitive ending. For a second I wasn’t sure if the show was done or not. I’m still not quite sure.
The goodbye was already touching enough, but when he took off the helmet, so that Grogu could see and feel him for the first time, with how much of a big deal that is for him, I completely lost control of myself.
The bond between these two is beautifully done, and elevates them both to the level of Star Wars’ best characters. I really hope we haven’t seen the last of them together, as wonderful an ending as that was.
It’s also, interestingly, a version of Luke and Vader’s goodbye in Jedi, while the former is standing right there.
I really loved that episode too. Highlights included...
1. The Dark Trooper trying to punch Mandos face in and his helmet denting the wall.
2. The fight for the dark saber and learning the lore behind it.
3. Luke showing up. It felt great to see him after so long - and demonstrating his real power.
4. The Mando and baby Yoda farewell...
5. Boba sitting on his new throne at the end. Its a bummer that he probably wont have Twi'lek stripper slaves around, but at least Disney had the balls to acknowledge that they still exist.
I'd also much rather watch a whole movie starring a dodgy-faced cgi Luke, than anything with post-OT movie characters.
Let’s just get it out of the way. Why are the action scenes so consistently weak? Mando and a special guest got some awesome ones, so this is more about the running and gunning stuff. And I’m sorry, but I’m just going to call it out. Am I supposed to be super-impressed and empowered about the Kathleen Kennedy Force is Female squad rolling through an entire army and increasing the show’s problems with cannon fodder enemies? It was fine. But it felt like 2020 peeking it’s head in.
Eh. I didn't mind the Force is Female squad too much mostly because the characters themselves have been given time to develop and let fans get accustomed to them. Cara Dune and Fennic Shand have been shown in previous episodes to be legit badasses, as has Bo Katan and her female squadmate. But Bo already has an advantage of being canon immigrant character from Clone Wars like Ahsoka, so it's not like they created her out of the blue.
Besides, I don't think they're ever going to win the feminist hearts with these characters. Lest we forget that Gina Carano (Cara Dune) is now public enemy No. 1 among the SJWs?
The goodbye was already touching enough, but when he took off the helmet, so that Grogu could see and feel him for the first time, with how much of a big deal that is for him, I completely lost control of myself.
The bond between these two is beautifully done, and elevates them both to the level of Star Wars’ best characters. I really hope we haven’t seen the last of them together, as wonderful an ending as that was.
It’s also, interestingly, a version of Luke and Vader’s goodbye in Jedi, while the former is standing right there.
You know, when i watched that scene at first, I didn't really tear up. But rewatching it, man, I just let the waterworks flow. And you're right, the bond between Din and Grogu was so well done in the series and really elevates them as characters.
And yes I saw the homage to that scene in Return of the Jedi.
.I don’t feel like it was brilliant, as there’s room for improvement, as always. But it has heart, and that goes so far. It respects its characters, story, and audience. It’s pure Star Wars.
An awesome end to the best run for Star Wars since 1983.
This is what I love about the show. There's a certain air of innocence and a sense of wonder that I haven't felt since the Original Trilogy. The prequels had that too at times but it was buried under the ineptness of Lucas' direction. The Sequel trilogy was completely lacking these because of all the JJ Abrams bombast and Roundhead Rian's need to 'subvert.'
Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni got the tone and feel down right. Kudos to them.
What an awesome episode! Man that farewell hit me right in the feels, my girlfriend was legit in tears. Also for the first time ever we see Luke at the high of his power and skill just wrecking shit. It was a sight to see.
I'm cautiously optimistic for season 3 but they better bring Grogu back or the show won't be the same.
It wasn’t the farewell that got me choked up. It was seeing the stages of Luke. Xwing. Cloak. Green saber. Glove. Then having a mimic of his fathers hallway fight from Rogue one.
Just finally seeing Luke in a meaningful way since watching him as a child meant more to me than Mandos farewell. Not saying that didn’t mean something but damn seeing some badass jedi this season was amazing. Shame we know how it all ends.
Touching wrap up to the Grogu arc. Can't wait til next season where it'll focus on Boba Fett and I assume, Mandalore.
People complaining about how the cgi is bad and how deepfakes would be better have no understanding how VFX works. De-aging a character is very complicated work because if there's anything that's slightly off our brains will notice it and it becomes uncanny valley. The eyes and facial animation (especially the lips) are the hardest to get right. This is why if the character has any lines, it makes it even more difficult. Yes, deepfakes can be useful, especially with VFX shots like this, but it's not "press a button and the AI will solve everything" kinda thing. You still needs lots of high quality source footage for the algorithm to do its thing.
Holy shit what a finale! FUCKING LOVED IT! I don't care if CG Luke wasn't perfect, seeing him show up in his X-Wing and then tear through those Dark Trooopers was fucking amazing!!!
This is easily the best shit Disney has done with the IP since they bought it from George. Thank you Jon Favreau for making me feel like a kid again.
Good finale for the season, but I'm worried about the show going forward. Losing Grogu is going to be a serious hit to the soul of the show, they'll have to up their game to overcome that.
Luke and R2 was a great surprise, both handled better in that 2-3 minutes than the entire sequel trilogy. You should be embarrassed by that, Disney.
Touching wrap up to the Grogu arc. Can't wait til next season where it'll focus on Boba Fett and I assume, Mandalore.
People complaining about how the cgi is bad and how deepfakes would be better have no understanding how VFX works. De-aging a character is very complicated work because if there's anything that's slightly off our brains will notice it and it becomes uncanny valley. The eyes and facial animation (especially the lips) are the hardest to get right. This is why if the character has any lines, it makes it even more difficult. Yes, deepfakes can be useful, especially with VFX shots like this, but it's not "press a button and the AI will solve everything" kinda thing. You still needs lots of high quality source footage for the algorithm to do its thing.
I’ve been impressed with Marvel though and Disney owns them too. 80’s Michael Douglas and Michelle Pfeiffer in Antman and 90’s Samuel L Jackson in Captain Marvel looked fantastic but probably out of budget for a TV series?
About the face, I feel like there’s some limitations you just have to accept for what is ultimately a TV show that needs to budget around 8 hours of extremely ambitious television in all sorts of scenarios and locations.
Watching the making of, they definitely had (at least for Season 1) way more limits in place than people thought, due to smart, really creative solutions.
It looked good enough to convey probably one of the most awesome Star Wars moments in a very long time, and that’s what matters.
About the face, I feel like there’s some limitations you just have to accept for what is ultimately a TV show that needs to budget around 8 hours of extremely ambitious television in all sorts of scenarios and locations.
Watching the making of, they definitely had (at least for Season 1) way more limits in place than people thought, due to smart, really creative solutions.
It looked good enough to convey probably one of the most awesome Star Wars moments in a very long time, and that’s what matters.
Come on, you're making excuses. It was good until the hood was lifted. He looked like a shitty cartoon compared to the others in the room. The eye movements and expressions looked like those Japanese robots at a tech trade show. They should've at least gone with a lookalike or hide the shitty eyes somehow.
Come on, you're making excuses. It was good until the hood was lifted. He looked like a shitty cartoon compared to the others in the room. The eye movements and expressions looked like those Japanese robots at a tech trade show. They should've at least gone with a lookalike or hide the shitty eyes somehow.
This episode and the 1-2 before may have singlehandedly redeemed the series. I wasn’t a fan of a show filled with a bunch of side quests, no dialogue, a lot of walking around, and a few fanservicey moments. Although this episode had the ultimate fan service moment, it actually had dialogue and I wouldn’t be surprised if there was more dialogue in this episode than all others combined. The villain was very interesting, more interesting than the mandalorian/child but unfortunate we saw very little of him. The empire in general just seems a lot more interesting than whatever these people are doing/whatever is motivating them.
Overall it was a very easy show to watch which I can appreciate looking back. Didn’t really feel like I had to be intensely watching for anything as it was a bunch of side quests/filler. This is actually a positive because there are few shows I watch these days because I feel like I have to give it the level of attention I did with breaking bad/GoT, usual HBO shows.
I think I just went around in a circle but yeah I’m glad a show like this exists. Just not sure it’s the direction I want Star Wars to go long term
People complaining about how the cgi is bad and how deepfakes would be better have no understanding how VFX works. De-aging a character is very complicated work because if there's anything that's slightly off our brains will notice it and it becomes uncanny valley. The eyes and facial animation (especially the lips) are the hardest to get right. This is why if the character has any lines, it makes it even more difficult. Yes, deepfakes can be useful, especially with VFX shots like this, but it's not "press a button and the AI will solve everything" kinda thing. You still needs lots of high quality source footage for the algorithm to do its thing.
I'll take deepfakes everytime. And this is a huge budget compared to a small one and the deepfake still wins easily.
Being complicated doesn't make it the right choice. I've seen completely different faces put on people that look better than Luke's, free software. Imagine a few hundreds thousand dollars in budget.
what do you think of the idea that the book of Jin is over (the current mandalorian we follow) and in Season 3 we will follow the adventures of Boba Fett since they said The Book of Boba Fett December 2021 in the end. Season 3 starts in Dec 2021 too so it kinda makes sense.
Stilla a shame to not see the original actor anymore
what do you think of the idea that the book of Jin is over (the current mandalorian we follow) and in Season 3 we will follow the adventures of Boba Fett since they said The Book of Boba Fett December 2021 in the end. Season 3 starts in Dec 2021 too so it kinda makes sense.
Stilla a shame to not see the original actor anymore
I think that's most likely. I don't think they'll run a Boba Fett series concurrently with season 3 of Mando. I think the show in the end of will be a anthology series featuring different mandalorians. After 9 movies focusing on the Jedi, I think it's wise of them to shift focus on this race of warriors in Star Wars.
I think that's most likely. I don't think they'll run a Boba Fett series concurrently with season 3 of Mando. I think the show in the end of will be a anthology series featuring different mandalorians. After 9 movies focusing on the Jedi, I think it's wise of them to shift focus on this race of warriors in Star Wars.
I think that's most likely. I don't think they'll run a Boba Fett series concurrently with season 3 of Mando. I think the show in the end of will be a anthology series featuring different mandalorians. After 9 movies focusing on the Jedi, I think it's wise of them to shift focus on this race of warriors in Star Wars.
There will definitely be Season 3, the Boba series is just a one more of spin-offs they announced recently. The way they pitched it at the Investor Day suggests this might be a sorts of like an equivalent of a MCU phase. Mandalorian, Book of Boba Fett, Rangers of the New Republic and Ahsoka are slices of a larger story, where each of this shows will explore its own plots from perspective of their lead characters that will connect to the much bigger threat.
of the CGI Luke. It wasn't perfect but it dodn't like draw me out the scene or anything. I dunno, it kinds of makes me wonder if people can still watch Harryhausen stuff without throwing their cereal at the wall screaming this is so fake!!! It's obviously the best they could do to tell that story. Could they have recast with a younger actor? Sure, but then going from Luke in RotJ, who has a very distinct ugly handsome face to someone like Alfie Allen or Taron Egerton just wouldn't work. I understand people may have a sensitivity to CGI but I do think it's a nit pick.
It was cheap and there for the fans. Seeing Luke at his prime, just annihilating all those droids was superb. We've also seen this series how strong Mando/Bo Katan is due to Beskar, even the fight with Ashoka was harder because of the spear. So seeing Luke turn up and melt the entire platoon of Dark Troopers with the saber and force powers gave some power back to the legend of the Jedi. The fact he did it in a cloak was even better and really juxtaposes the difference in a basic light sword and force versus plate armour and high tech - which arguably is the whole rebel/empire metaphor wrapped into one.
As for the Mando and Grogu stuff, was legit moving. There was more chemistry there between Finn/Rose, Rey/Kylo, Finn/Rey, and even Leia/Rey. I know Boba is getting a spin off, I hope Shand doesn't become a side kick, man she is fucking awesome and needs her own arc beyond 'you saved my life, I am eternally grateful'. Too good to be a 'sidekick'.
There were a few scenes again where the shootouts were not really convincing due to storm troopers running into bullets, but the sets are kinda tiny. Also a laser gun jamming - is that the first we've seen that happen with an LMG lol. Storm troopers were at least competent at certain things, they stormed Leia's ship as much as Vader. There must be at least 20/30 rebel soldiers in this scene that are overpowered
For me, I know a lot of people compare the Empire to Nazi's, but I've always thought the storm troopers and their use are more mirrored in Churchill or Stalin's counter approach to the horrific ground wars which was attrition via numbers. If you throw enough numbers at something, eventually you'll crack through. Here it seems to be every scene with storm troopers leads to a laser gun fight which they are terrible at. I don't mind the nods to ineptness (where the trooper fell off his motorbike thing and crashed) but there are other ways to get round storm troopers rather than always resorting to fights (stealth, subterfuge, assassination). But again, it's kind of nitpicky when you realise that they're going for just the classic 80's action scenes
As for the future, not really sure. I think Grogu is done except for cameo's - I would like to see a seperate spinoff but doubt that will happen. They have his blood so could they potentaiily clone him? I think we move onto Mando's storyline now. The entire Grogu arc has been about humanising Mando, and making these big decisions like removing his helmet; straying from the code in essence. Let's not forget, judging by what Bo Katan said Mando has effectively been indoctrinated into a regressive, extremist faction of old Mandalore while the others have 'moved with the times'. So he will have a choice to make when he returns to the armourer or decides to lead the likes of Bo Katan with the aim of restoring the Mandalore race. I don't think if he chooses to give up the dark saber, the old faction would be too impressed. They are very tradition oriented and not sure how that would go down.
I don't understand people saying that Mando is over in favor of Boba Fett. Like I get it: they spun off a lot of shows out of this one but all the evidence points out that Mando is only really kicking off.
I actully think next season could be a great re-start for the show. The whole adventure-of-the-week with baby Grogu was starting to wear thin already in season 1 and there's only so much you can do with a force-sensitive baby that is a slow-walking animatronic that doesn't even talk. Do people realise that Mando now has the Darkblade pretty much setting up a huge Mandalore arc with Bo Katan in tow? Just cause it's not explicitly set-up in the finale doesn't mean there's no ripe field of new and potentially more story-driven narrative to move forward. I'm very much looking forward to season 3 and also with Grogu set up as being only 50 years old, we may potentially witness a character who can move Star Wars lore way into the future.
I don't understand people saying that Mando is over in favor of Boba Fett. Like I get it: they spun off a lot of shows out of this one but all the evidence points out that Mando is only really kicking off.
I actully think next season could be a great re-start for the show. The whole adventure-of-the-week with baby Grogu was starting to wear thin already in season 1 and there's only so much you can do with a force-sensitive baby that is a slow-walking animatronic that doesn't even talk. Do people realise that Mando now has the Darkblade pretty much setting up a huge Mandalore arc with Bo Katan in tow? Just cause it's not explicitly set-up in the finale doesn't mean there's no ripe field of new and potentially more story-driven narrative to move forward. I'm very much looking forward to season 3 and also with Grogu set up as being only 50 years old, we may potentially witness a character who can move Star Wars lore way into the future.
As for the Mando and Grogu stuff, was legit moving. There was more chemistry there between Finn/Rose, Rey/Kylo, Finn/Rey, and even Leia/Rey. I know Boba is getting a spin off, I hope Shand doesn't become a side kick, man she is fucking awesome and needs her own arc beyond 'you saved my life, I am eternally grateful'. Too good to be a 'sidekick'.
Did you mean to say there was more chemistry there than all those other examples?
Personally I just don't see it. Like I said, it was even Boba Fett's idea to go after the cruiser, and Rey/Kylo's chemistry is one of the few good things about the ST.
It's weird being excited about Star Wars again, but it's all eclipsed by the inevitable fact that everything that transpires in these Disney+ shows just culminates in failure. They really fucked the franchise with that horrendous sequel trilogy. If only Filoni/Favreau were brought on for those movies instead of the other clowns.
Also, my mother called me this morning pissed off that Baby Yoda is leaving the show. It's still amazing to me that not only are my parents watching a Star Wars show, they are invested in it too.
It really is odd how major productions never use deepfakes, when even a hobbyist can use it to easily beat the best CGI effects from any major film, and by a mile.
Honestly, I suspect it has something to do with the skillset and bias of industry figures who run special effects houses. They have a certain pipeline that runs through CGI and related tech, and none of the people working in those roles have the kind of knowledge to grasp the very different sort of technology behind machine learning approaches. So they keep pumping out horrible quality fakes in their own medium and they don't even know where to begin with this newer tech.
I just wonder where we go from here. That felt like a definitive ending. For a second I wasn’t sure if the show was done or not. I’m still not quite sure.
The whole Mandalore, dark saber, and imperial secret project were never explained still. They have lot of stuff to cover. They basically ended with a huge problem as the Mando is the holder of the dark saber and rightful ruler of the Mandalorians with Bo wanting it. Gideon is still alive with an unexplained cloning project with force user blood.
It really is odd how major productions never use deepfakes, when even a hobbyist can use it to easily beat the best CGI effects from any major film, and by a mile.
Honestly, I suspect it has something to do with the skillset and bias of industry figures who run special effects houses. They have a certain pipeline that runs through CGI and related tech, and none of the people working in those roles have the kind of knowledge to grasp the very different sort of technology behind machine learning approaches. So they keep pumping out horrible quality fakes in their own medium and they don't even know where to begin with this newer tech.
Isn't a major problem with deep fakes is that is uses real footage and images for it's "faking", where as stuff like Rogue One and this CG tech is basically creating a digital mask of a character. Deepfakes from what Iunderstand creates an issue with using a likeness, using footage and such from other sources which can be tricky legally for use in a major production.
I’ve been impressed with Marvel though and Disney owns them too. 80’s Michael Douglas and Michelle Pfeiffer in Antman and 90’s Samuel L Jackson in Captain Marvel looked fantastic but probably out of budget for a TV series?
It really is odd how major productions never use deepfakes, when even a hobbyist can use it to easily beat the best CGI effects from any major film, and by a mile.
Honestly, I suspect it has something to do with the skillset and bias of industry figures who run special effects houses. They have a certain pipeline that runs through CGI and related tech, and none of the people working in those roles have the kind of knowledge to grasp the very different sort of technology behind machine learning approaches. So they keep pumping out horrible quality fakes in their own medium and they don't even know where to begin with this newer tech.
It's weird being excited about Star Wars again, but it's all eclipsed by the inevitable fact that everything that transpires in these Disney+ shows just culminates in failure. They really fucked the franchise with that horrendous sequel trilogy. If only Filoni/Favreau were brought on for those movies instead of the other clowns.
Also, my mother called me this morning pissed off that Baby Yoda is leaving the show. It's still amazing to me that not only are my parents watching a Star Wars show, they are invested in it too.
I didn't watch Clone Wars or Rebels, are you suggesting Disney would make the sequel trilogy not canon through this World Between Worlds thing? I honestly can't see that happening. Kathleen Kennedy wouldn't allow her "Force is Female" utopia to be diminished.
I didn't watch Clone Wars or Rebels, are you suggesting Disney would make the sequel trilogy not canon through this World Between Worlds thing? I honestly can't see that happening. Kathleen Kennedy wouldn't allow her "Force is Female" utopia to be diminished.
Definitely look it up on YouTube... or watch the Rebels episode. And yes like I said it depends on how attached Disney is to it. They seem to be not focusing on it tho.
But yes. Ashoka is killed in a duel with Vader if not for Ezra saving her and pulling her into the world between worlds. And Ashoka looking for Ezra in the current Disney + timeline of Star Wars shows allows it to be used again.
The Rebels show makes clear that you can’t change everything because of the effects. However a not to distant future were someone realizes they can stop The Emperor when he is weak after RotJ... perhaps another Sith Lord. Or maybe a Sith Lord working with a Thrawn perhaps.
Moving forward I like the small stories on the outskirts. If they want to do a big movie again I would like them to move out of what we know and go to the old republic. I am curious to see the high republic stuff. But I feel like it is a vehicle for wokism in SW.
