3
I don't think they've said yet, but if we assume the woman in this trailer is Luke's daughter, ~20 years seems a reasonable first guess.
Before Disney nuked the EU, the storyline of the books went out 35-40 years. Luke had a son, and Leia and Han had three children, two of whom died.
Posted by: Rick C at Fri Apr 17 09:10:53 2015 (ECH2/)
4
And yet, the Empire is still flying exactly the same fighters? I can understand the rebellion being stuck with old equipment, but why hasn't the Empire upgraded?
5
The F-16 started flying 40 years ago and they are getting around to build a replacement only now. Aaaand... The replacement is over budget and is slow in coming.
Posted by: Pete Zaitcev at Fri Apr 17 10:01:01 2015 (RqRa5)
Steven, there were other TIE fighters in IV, V and VI. The TIE Advanced x1 was the type used by Darth Vader at the end of A New Hope. In the Extended Universe, with shields, a hyperdrive, and a vastly expanded sensor and electronics suite, it was hideously expensive and thus few were made.
The TIE/Interceptor was seen in Return of the Jedi. Much faster and heavily armed than the standard TIE fighter, it was still unshielded and unarmored. If the TIE was the MiG-17, a TIE/In would be the MiG-25.
The TIE Bomber was seen in The Empire Strikes Back. It was a strike craft, capable of carrying missiles, bombs or torpedoes, all of which were usable against either surface or space targets. If I remember correctly, in the TIE Fighter videogame a single bomb was capable of killing a Rebel Frigate.
Since the X-Wing seen in the trailers is an new version over the ones in the movies (check out how the wings split!), if nothing else I'm willing to bet that its safe to assume the basic TIE design has been upgraded in some way over the years.
Posted by: Wonderduck at Fri Apr 17 11:35:49 2015 (jGQR+)
7
Neither the Empire (if that is what the bad guys still call themselves) or the Republic are flying the same craft. Sure, they're still TIE fighters and X-Wings, but there are differences. Most notably, the TIE fighters now have light colored panels, and the engine nacelles of the X-Wings are angular instead of round. There are other subtle visual differences, all of which can be inferred to represent internal upgrades.
Given that both craft were of relatively recent design (neither existed in the prequels, just a couple of decades before the original trilogy), it makes sense that they would get upgraded rather than replaced in that time frame. Especially if the Republic is spending it's resources fixing things, and the Empire has been isolated from it's main production and R&D facilities.
Posted by: David at Fri Apr 17 11:38:21 2015 (dr1tX)
8
Wonderduck said "There's no single "wow" moment in this trailer that equals the "X-Wing flyby over a lake" shot from the first."
I have to disagree. That shot of the crashed Imperial Star Destroyer on a desert planet was pretty darn amazing. Possibly the first time in the whole series where you get a proper sense of scale on those things.
Posted by: David at Fri Apr 17 11:46:38 2015 (dr1tX)
9
Damnit, people, quit getting my hopes up. I gave up on new Star Wars properties years ago.
Posted by: Ben at Fri Apr 17 14:19:06 2015 (rIQuo)
Nobody said you had to agree with me. People disagree with me all the time. They're all just wrong.
Posted by: Wonderduck at Fri Apr 17 16:51:03 2015 (jGQR+)
11
But would you feel the same if the trailer featured, say, a duck?
Posted by: Siergen at Fri Apr 17 17:26:59 2015 (Cvfrl)
12
Yes. Even a jedi duck. You don't mess with my Star Wars that way.
Posted by: Wonderduck at Fri Apr 17 20:14:39 2015 (jGQR+)
13
And suddenly I have a mental image of Howard the Duck with a lightsaber. Anyone know where I can find the economy sized brain bleach?
Posted by: David at Fri Apr 17 22:26:59 2015 (+TPAa)
14
That's not just a mental image. I remember the old Marvel ads in the old Marvel Star Wars comics, and they did indeed have a picture of Howard the Duck with a lightsaber, and a woman from his comic in Leia's pose from the original movie poster.
Posted by: Suburbanbanshee at Sun Apr 19 08:58:20 2015 (ZJVQ5)
15
David, is this what you were trying to avoid at all costs?
Also: Trigger Warning
Posted by: The Brickmuppet at Sun Apr 19 18:32:56 2015 (ohzj1)
All That and a Bowl of Grits
The first half of theFate Stay Night remake that aired last season started well above average and proceeded to get steadily better. I liked the original immensely, but this is really surpassing it in lots of ways, in no small part because this focused much more on Rin, who is awesome.
Rin is also the feminine form of the word "win".
The original series was based on a visual novel and this is, I am given to understand, following a different story path, however it seems to have diverged quite a bit as several unexpected developments have completely changed the dynamic of the show, though not the premise. There has been a lot of good characterization and the writing has been top notch. The production values are absolutely superb.
Rin is a very well realized heroine. A young mage thrust by birth and circumstances into a deadly contest, she is clever, audacious, knowledgeable and graced with a strong sense of ethics that tends to complicate her situation rather a lot. Shiro,the previous shows lead, seems, to be the duteragonist of the story. Much like in the original, he is much less skilled and powerful character who is thrown into the situation without warning and is far out of his depth. However, he can think on his feet and is principled and idealistic to a fault, and by that I mean he's something of an idiot at times. In comparison to the original 2006 TV show though, Shiro is a much more relatable and rather more likable character.
Both of this seasons episodes have been full of surprises and there has been unexpectedly thoughtful development of the villains as well, some of whom are fascinating in their complexity and some of whom are breathtaking in their depravity.
"OMG! You're bootlegging Sriracha!?"
Be advised that this show goes to dark places occasionally...and this latest episode was not at all as...nuanced...as previous episodes were in that regard.
This is not a show one should watch with the kids but it is a very solid supernatural adventure yarn and 14 episodes in it's looking to be one of the best in the genre and may quite handily surpass the show it's re-imagining.
1
The FSN story paths aren't the normal "go through mostly the same stuff and then get an ending" style. Some things are just plain different between the paths. And yeah, dark, dark, quite dark... though not as dark as the third, as-yet-unanimated path, Heaven's Feel, which makes this look like -Barney- I kid you not.
Posted by: Avatar_exADV at Tue Apr 14 05:56:06 2015 (zTHWs)
2
Although they still knocked out Rider way early....
On the other hand, they introduced the sorceress much earlier and brought her out into the battle more.
I haven't gotten into the new season yet. The circle I watched the first part from doesn't appear to be doing this part.
Posted by: Mauser at Tue Apr 14 06:30:18 2015 (TJ7ih)
I've a red-bikini Rin just over my computer and a chibi Rin glued to the dash of my truck, so you might say I'm a fan.
The UBW leg of FSN was always the strongest of the three, IMO. Shirou, while too idealistic, is slightly less stupid, and Rin really shines. This adaptation has been very well done so far.
Echoing what Avatar said, the HF route is nothing but high-octane nightmare fuel. I went thru it as fast as possible just to unlock the epilogue.
The 1916 version of Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, once thought lost, is available and in the public domain.
This is a remarkable film. It's the earliest surviving example of underwater motion picture photography (and may be the earliest ever). They couldn't build an underwater camera at the time and so used cameras on boats filming the underwater action via periscopes. I'll cut them a lot of slack on the blackface because, not only did they get Nemo's ethnicity and background largely right, he's a very sympathetic character with lots of melanin...in 1916.
Of course they do diverge a bit from the novel. This film works the sequel (Mysterious Island) into the story and unlike either book, the film is in addition to a sci-fi story, both a period piece and a melodrama.
You'll have to provide your own music, but it's probably worth 111 minutes of your time.
Log Horizon Ends
The last two episodes revolve around Shiroe gathering together a scratch force of people who are not comatose, several of whom we have not met before ('cause they are all that's left).
It seems that the communications tower in "Shibuya" is now the source of the narcolepsy-itis that is plaguing everybody. Specifically, it has been taken over by a swarm of sleep moths which take flight every night and spread moth dust, which is the source of the proble. Shiro notes ruefully that as soon as they had determined that the tower might be a key to returning everybody home, this situation pops up, which might well, necessitate them destroying the tower.
It also hints that fate...or someone, is just screwing with them.
Not to fear, Shiroe has a particularly cunning plan...
This exercise in subtlety goes OK for a while, and they almost make it until the sheer weight of numbers and the fact that the group hasn't worked together before
(and giant pigs)
...cause the expedition to fall apart and hole up in a safe corner of the skyscraper. Shiroe finds himself completely nonplussed and contemplates the fact that he's botched it. He's a good strategist and decent tactician but he's not a particularly inspiring in a more visceral sense. Rieze, (acting leader of Crusty's guild in his "absence") is completely fed up and cannot understand why Crusty thought so highly of him.
Well, he does get it together and the group manages to save the day. One reason for his poor performance earlier is the fact that Shiroe is trying to avboid the destruction of the tower, but he decides that can no longer be avoided with only 15 minutes to go. Happily, an opportunity to get the Mothmaster away from the tower presents itself and Shiroe takes it, saving the day.After the fight, Shiroe attempts to get some answers by the straightforward method of activating the transmitter and asking questions to whatever mysterious entity is on the other side. Gradually, they boost the signal enough to get something...someone is indeed responding. All their questions are about to be..
Suddenly, a wandering wackadoodle appears! Yes. It seems that Kanami, Shiroes old mentor who was briefly introduced to us in episode 39 has found a transmitter.She and her band of misfits are still trekking along on their journey to the east.
...and in the course of their long march did a dungeon crawl in a TV station. She's been fiddling with the transmitter because she's just curious. After the obligatory pleasantries, Kanami makes an announcement.
..which was rather unexpected.
"OMG! KANAMI'S A MILF!"
Shiroe swears to find away to send her back, but to everyone's astonishment Kanami says that is not what she wants. Rather she wants to be able to bring her kid to the Elder Tale world, have her fly on a griffon and see the wonders of the world. Shiroe hadn't thought of this third option, and takes it as as quest. Kanami offhandedly mentions that Crusty is with them (!) and that he has an important message for Shiroe...at which point the transmitter blows up.
Back in China, Crusty, (who seems to be carrying Takiyama's arm) wonders who will lead the party to come get him...
(Cut to the palace of Eastal..)
Meanwhile, in Minami, it is strongly suggested by the cooler heads, to the power behind the throne, that a truce be called with Akihabara and Eastal. This is rejected out of hand, but the actual individual on the throne overrules her would be regent, and calls for a temporary truce.
Elsewhere still, Roe2, who has been missing for several episodes, does something cryptically pyrotechnical.
Oblivious to all of that, everyone at the Shibuya TV station decides to go eat breakfast...
And so it ends...
The ending was as satisfying as possible given that they have apparently caught up to the source material, at least to the point that there is not enough for another season right now. The show left off at a perfectly good break point and the end certainly did not smack of Gainax.
As for the series overall, the production values on this show were quite cheap, occasionally to the point of distraction, but the story for the 50 episode run was astoundingly good throughout. The characterizations were excellent and the general tone and direction of the story were uncommonly upbeat despite a grim premise. This is a show about civics; people working together to improve their community and banding together in the face of danger.
One of the more enjoyable aspects of the show was that, in stark contrast to most others in the genre, it truly has an ensemble cast. Shiroe is generally held to be the lead, but the focus frequently cuts to the rest of the cast, whose adventures and quirks are vital to the story. Shiro can't do it by himself, and in fact is not even a major player in nearly half of the episodes. Even when it is clear that he is above average at certain aspects of video gaming he does't come off as a Gary Stu. Indeed, it is in the other characters that some of the best characterizations take place, e.g.Crusty and Lenessia are one of the better anime couples of recent years.
Another amusing bit was that there was actually some borderline "sci-fi" involved in this parade of whimsy..... If one has people that can do fireballs via sorcery, and one has the ability to make an iron pressure vessel and fill it with wate....BOILERS!
OK, so it's actually Spelljammer, but its nice to see that the characters are smart enough to figure this out. I don't think they are going to have too much of a problem getting to the moon.
Given the premise and "setting" the potential for this being a gratuitous fan service fest was quite high. That they refrained from that almost entirely was actually refreshing.
This show has a fractally silly premise that they went a long way towards justifying and despite a visibly low budget, its strengths were such that I enjoyed Log Horizon tremendously, beginning to end.
It is certainly to be hoped that they do another season eventually. With that in mind, we'll give Best Kunoichi the last word.
Well This is Still One to Watch (UPDATED)
The Fate Stay Night remake returns following a three month hiatus. After the unexpected turn the show took in episode 12 and three months of anticipation it was, of course, unlikely that number 13 could live up to....
"Oh. Wow..."
I confess I did not see that coming.
In the last episode (3 months ago) it was revealed that the the heroes current nemesis, Caster, is in fact a spiritual servant who has turned the tables on her master. Kuzuki, Caster's current...er, 'master'... it seems is fine with this.
This unexpected development is possible because she has a special ability with the utterly forthright name of 'Rule Breaker'. Among other things, this allows her (a servant) to summon and control other servants. She can also steal a mage's servant if she can get hold of the servant and impale him or her. This results in ripping the magical nerves from the body of the servant's master.
We learned this at the end of the last season clifhanger as Shiro lost Saber...painfully. Crippled and robbed of most of his magical ability (which is extremely weak in any case) he suffered the further setback of having all those wounds he received in the fight,(but that were healing due to his drawing power from Saber) suddenly stopped healing and opened. Rin sent him to recuperate and forbade him from coming near her on pain of death, because he was, at that point, completely, rather than amusingly useless. Shiro was in no condition to protest and coughed and gurgled in agreement.
In this episode Shiro, crawled out of bed, and found the gem that Rin had used to heal his mild case of disembowelment way back in episode 2. Then, having brought his HP up to full, he resumed his general policy of being an idiot by going back on his word and sneaking into the church, hiding in the pews, and trying to figure out a way to save Saber. Saber, it turns out, was being tortured to gain her compliance (being a heroic spirit, she was resisting the generally nefarious orders of Caster).
Meanwhile, after a bit of planning and introspection, Rin and Archer went to fight Caster (over Archer's vehement objections), confident that the magical aces she has been putting up her sleeve for 10 years would give her a chance. Well, perhaps it would have, Rin is exceedingly skilled and smart, and has demonstrated an ability to punch above her weight, Unfortunately, Archer switched sides in the middle of the fight, knocked her across the room, presented himself to Caster and thereby facilitated having Rin's control seals painfully ripped from her body.
Kuzuki sensei, who had been taking all this in moved to kill Rin, but Shiro, who was still hiding in the pews, then attempted to rescue her,. Alas, while he did physically deflect a killing blown from Caster's boy toy, his not entirely futile attempt to activate his powers resulted in his collapsing in agony. Rin was allowed to drag him to safety only because Archer listed as the single term of his service that Rin be granted free passage out of the church, with the understanding that the truce ends if they interfere in any way.
Later after Shiro regained his footing, the two staggered to a park, and because this was apparently "break your word day" Rin refrained from killing him.
The episode ends with the two crippled mages taking stock of their situation and contemplating how utterly screwed they are. Shiro takes this moment to confess that he's always had a thing for Rin .
Tsundereism ensues...fade to black.
13 was a thoroughly entertaining episode which had a couple of unexpected twists including more character development in 23 minutes than many shows have altogether.
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