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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

A/V SOLO: A Star Wars Story (untagged spoilers allowed)

Discussion in 'Literature' started by CooperTFN, Jul 9, 2015.

  1. MercenaryAce

    MercenaryAce Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Aug 10, 2005
    I dunno. There are still many years between Solo and Rebels. I could easily see Maul accidentally getting on Palp's radar and getting another criminal organization taken out from under him, with Maul barely escaping and running to Malachor.

    Come to think of it, I think this makes more sense than Maul simply sitting on Malachor for decades doing nothing, with an Inquisitor coming randomly but not being able to find him exactly. In fact, Maul speaks as if he has had first hand experience with Inquisitor's before....

    The bigger issue is probably "hey, watch this late episode of a cartoon show to see how the story is wrapped up" but I could see them giving Maul an ambiguous death that would satisfy the viewers but leave Maul surviving for rebels open.

    Then again, i could also see them ignoring Rebels because big name directors would probably chafe at having their vision limited by some cartoon show. I hope not, since that show gave Maul the best end I could think of, but best to cross that bridge when it comes than pull our hair out now
     
  2. GrandAdmiralJello

    GrandAdmiralJello Comms Admin ❉ Moderator Communitatis Litterarumque star 10 Staff Member Administrator

    Registered:
    Nov 28, 2000
    Perhaps Qi'ra takes over the organization and Maul is driven to exile on Malachor :)
     
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  3. SyndicThrass

    SyndicThrass Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 25, 2016
    Seems like they’re setting Maul and Crimson Dawn up for something, and since Filoni was on hand for Solo I can’t imagine it’s going to be anything that contradicts what he’s doing.

    My theory’s that he’s probably going to be a “Thanos” type character across these Underworld based Anthologies, Lando, Boba Fett etc. Could build up to some kind of mob war scenario between these various syndicates that the opening text of Solo mentions and by the end of it have Maul lose everything and left presumed dead.
     
  4. Darth_Voider

    Darth_Voider Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 4, 2015
    No, actually not. The plan that Palpatine had for Maul was to use him as a bait to lure out Mother Talzin out of her hiding and kill her. This was explained in the Son of Dathomir comic which is an adaptation of an unproduced TCW story arc. And it's also explained that Palpatine actually did not want Maul to have such power and influence in the criminal underworld. I think that's the reason why Maul is operating from behind the scenes in Solo, using people like Dryden Vos as his henchmen: To avoid getting the attention of Sidious and Vader.

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  5. spicer

    spicer Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 14, 2012
    Saw it, liked it a lot!
    As far as first impressions go, mine are very positive. First thing's first, I thought Alden did a very good job in portraying a loveable protagonist. His acting was great, and while I had a bit of a tough time seeing him as Han Solo, I have a very good feeling (pun intended) that he will become as much a Han Solo as Harrison Ford to me with subsequent viewings. Donald Glover on the other hand, was oozing all of the Lando-ness one could wish for. Perfect (re)casting! The acting was fantastic by everyone actually. Since Chewie is my favourite from the movie characters, this movie felt very satisfying in that regard - probably the best Chewbacca we've ever had so far. The action was fun, and none of the humorous moments felt awkward or forced like in TLJ.
    The world building was rather bland, but the new alien designs were good. So happy that we got OT aliens in one of the new movies. I also dug Voss's ship, it reminded me a bit of Rav's ship from Legacy by having a verticalized design.
    From the new characters, L3 and Enfys Nest are my favourites, but I wish we got more of them. L3 is really sympathetic and her "death" was heartbreaking to watch. Glad that she made it one way or another though. The design and teased background story for Enfys (the girl at least, because it appeared to me that Enfys Nest is more of a title rather than one person?) is something I want to see more of. Her theme was amazing, my favourite part from the soundtrack, which I thought was very strong.
    My biggest disapointment was Beckett. Wondefully acted by Woody, but a pretty cliche character with a predictable fate. I also feel that Val and Rio were wasted. I wanted way more of them, but they got axed very early in the movie.
    One of the complaints that I've read were about the start of the movie. I realy didn't get what's wrong with it, I enjoyed the film from start to finish[face_dunno]
    And finally, Darth Maul. Um, I don't care about him much...yeah.
    Overall, a great movie. I like it way better than TFA and TLJ (which I also like), and it's second only to Rogue One out of the new movies for me. Not perfect, but a damn fine Star Wars film with plenty of reasons to watch over and over again.
     
    Last edited: May 24, 2018
  6. Jeff_Ferguson

    Jeff_Ferguson Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    May 15, 2006
    I just saw the movie. I wasn't planning on posting anything here... I didn't for any of the other three new SW movies, because I didn't have a lot to say beyond "Yeah I liked it" or "It was OK." But this time I left the theater shaking my head. And I can't mutter about it to any of my real-life friends because they won't know what the hell I'm talking about. You people are all I've got!

    Right. In South Korea it has a different name, just like China's "Ranger Solo." The Korean name is startlingly different than the one that you Occidents are lining up to see. Are you ready? OK, here goes. Over here the movie is called... "Han Solo." Holy crap! I bet you didn't see that twist coming. What a wild deviation. It knocked me out of my socks when I saw the poster. And I own a pair of BB-8 socks, mind you! I... I don't think I was necessarily wearing them at the time... but I felt like it was worth pointing out. They're really great socks. Bright orange and ankle length. I like 'em.

    I've made no secret about how the firing of Lord and Miller killed most of the interest I had in this movie, but I did try to go in with an open mind. And ---- ehhhh I guess I've gotta hide the rest of my post. Don't read it if you haven't seen the film yet. I mean it, buster! I got all the LOTF books a week early because Canada and I think I ruined them for dozens of people at this forum. Go in with a blank slate. That way, the disappointment will sting even more!

    It was... OK? I liked some parts of it. D-Glove was good. I liked how diverse the aliens were in the Sabacc scene --- it reminded me of Brian Daley's books. And Warwick Davis's role was cool. But overall I dunno if the movie was anything special. It could have used a much better villain. Paul Bettany was barely developed and didn't feel like much of a threat --- showcasing him more would have increased his menace factor, as would... having more than two guards as security on his ship during the film's climax? Seriously, how did everybody get off that ship so easily? Some of the other main characters were pretty unmemorable, too, with potential character exploration seemingly sacrificed in favor of running through a checklist of what we already knew about Han's past.

    There was some good humor, but it was also obviously the Lord and Miller stuff that made it into the final cut. "That's a rock! And you just made a clicking sound!" I would have loved more of it, and it felt incongruous enough with its surroundings that it made me ache for more Lord and Miller. The rest of the movie was... well, it was definitely a Star Wars movie. Squeaky clean and risk-free.

    I never thought I'd say this as a longtime EU fan, but there was honestly too much continuity porn. Don't get me wrong, I love that we're getting SW films in a post-Lucas world where everything is a collaborative effort and a story group can suggest including things from the EU when they fit into an idea in the movie's script. Involving the Kessel Maw in the Kessel Run was great. Referencing an Imperial Academy on Carida was fun, and Lando mentioning both Sharu and Oseon was fantastic. But what made those references great was that they were offhand mentions that didn't distract from the scenes they were in. Teras Kasi, on the other hand --- why? It was awkward. It took over the scene just to say "Look, Teras Kasi is in the movies now!"

    And then... there was Darth Maul.

    What the hell was that?

    It ruined the entire movie. I know that sounds like a kneejerk reaction, and maybe it is, but seriously... what the hell? It was awful on every conceivable level. If it was setup for a sequel where Maul is the villain, then we have Han fighting Maul not too long before he tells Luke that he's been all across the galaxy and hasn't seen anything to make him believe in the Force. That's not a continuity nitpick; it's something that's central to Han's character.

    If there ends up being no sequel, then it's a sloppy and nonsensical cameo. It's a clutch example of there being too much continuity porn --- most of the people seeing this movie don't know that Darth Maul is alive. They didn't watch The Clone Wars or Rebels. It would make as much sense to them as Amidala showing up. And even if there is a sequel, it's still awful for the same reason. These movies should be able to stand alone without the continuity baggage of the new Expanded Universe. You shouldn't have to be familiar with Rebels and what Maul is up to in this era to make sense of a movie's ending. Fans should be able to judge these as movies, not as parts of the EU. This was a movie, right? Not an extended episode of Rebels?

    That cameo left such a bad taste in my mouth... but hey, there was a cute puppy in the convenience store I stopped at on the way home from the theater, so the night wasn't a total wash.
     
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  7. La Calavera

    La Calavera Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 2, 2015
    In Japan it’s the same. They just called it Han Solo. “Let’s not overthink this stuff, it’s a movie about Han Solo”.

    Ranger Solo however cracks me up. I bet it’s one of those cases where the original Chinese doesn’t quite mean what comes to our head when we think of Ranger Solo, but still… [face_laugh]
     
  8. Darth_Duck

    Darth_Duck Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 13, 2000
    I'm just gonna sit over here squealing in delight by this.

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  9. MrDarth0

    MrDarth0 Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 3, 2015
    Its probably because the word Han is the proper term for the ethnic group that makes up most of China's population.
     
  10. La Calavera

    La Calavera Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 2, 2015
    Not really. The Han in Han Solo is not written with the same kanji as Han, China’s largest ethnic group.
    But just as a curiosity, “Han” in Chinese is written with the same kanji for South Korea.
     
    Last edited: May 24, 2018
  11. sidv88

    sidv88 Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Aug 22, 2005
    I guess the Lando Adventures books are canon now. ;)
     
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  12. LAJ_FETT

    LAJ_FETT Tech Admin (2007-2023) - She Held Us Together star 10 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    May 25, 2002
    Saw it this morning and really enjoyed it. Unfortunately all the tie-in stuff (soundtrack, etc) aren't out til tomorrow so I'll have to look on my next town trip.
     
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  13. Obi Anne

    Obi Anne Celebration Mistress of Ceremonies star 8 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 4, 1998
    I saw it yesterday, and I went into it as a person who loved Han's old backstory, and the Crispin and Daley books are probably my most read SW books. I was actually surprised that I liked it as much as I did, and yes when Lando first mentions Oseon I squeed a bit, and then when he mentioned Sharu I squeed a lot. Also the fact that Aurra Sing is dead! I guess it was all these throwbacks that made me happy.

    I do think though that Han's characterisation goes really well with Paradise Snare, and that he is quite close to the young Han we met in the Crispin books. Even if his story is different, I had no problem accepting it into my personal canon, just exchange Bria for Qi'ra.

    Of course I would have loved to actually see a glimpse of Carida, and it would have been nice to see some of the better parts of Corellia, but all in all it threw a lot of bones to old EU-lovers.

    The film itself is enjoyable. It's good, but not great, so in that way it also goes hand in hand with the Crispin books' version of Han.
     
  14. MrDarth0

    MrDarth0 Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 3, 2015
    Interesting, didn't know that. Guess they didn't want to use the same character they use for writing themselves, but it was okay to use the one they use for South Koreans.

    I assume the fact you used the word kanji for the characters implies you learned Japanese.
     
  15. La Calavera

    La Calavera Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 2, 2015
    Yeah, force of habit. Guess hanzi would be the correct term in this case.

    My limited understanding of Chinese is that a lot of phonetic sounds that get romanized in the same way in English have actually subtle variations in tone and pronunciation. The “Han” meaning ethnic Chinese is pronounced in a slightly different way than the "Han" that means Korea, and they use the kanji hanzi that most closely match the English pronunciation. It has nothing to do with other meanings. Especially because these characters are extremely common and used in a lot of words.
     
  16. Iron_lord

    Iron_lord Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Sep 2, 2012
    Were they inspired by Japanese when coming up with the name Kanjiklub?
     
  17. sidv88

    sidv88 Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Aug 22, 2005
    Lando's really a cheater? Say it ain't so, Lando. :(
     
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  18. LelalMekha

    LelalMekha Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 29, 2012
    "No bata tutu, muni, muni!"
     
  19. PimpBacca

    PimpBacca Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 4, 2015
    So I went and seen Solo today, not a bad film but not a brilliant one ether, that being said I do hope we get a bit of closure between Han and Qi'ra in the future.
    Becket was a cool character also
     
  20. GrandAdmiralJello

    GrandAdmiralJello Comms Admin ❉ Moderator Communitatis Litterarumque star 10 Staff Member Administrator

    Registered:
    Nov 28, 2000
    re: that one thing

    It was both the most shocking thing I've seen in a movie, because I did not know to expect it (anti-spoiler efforts were wholly successful on that part!) but also that I was shocked that they'd went there.

    And yes, it was dumb. Maul being alive was always dumb. I don't know if that really means "too much continuity porn" because it wasn't continuity porn, it was more than that -- it was, I think, fanservice gone too far.

    I hope that now they've gone through the effort of using him we get to see the story of how he went from being in charge of a criminal enterprise (possibly at the Emperor's direction) to being alone on Malachor (possibly he moved against the Emperor, instead). Or perhaps Qi'ra takes him down, that'd be nice.

    Regardless of what they do with him, it's not great. But I'm on the record as always, always hating the Maul stuff.
     
  21. sidv88

    sidv88 Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Aug 22, 2005
    I have a question
    Is Lando really a cheater? Doesn't this massively detract from his character, far worse than any "Han shoots first" or whatever?
     
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  22. Iron_lord

    Iron_lord Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Sep 2, 2012
    In Legends, when Lando

    cheated, it was usually in order to lose - to lull his opponents into a false sense of security.
     
    Last edited: May 24, 2018
  23. spicer

    spicer Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 14, 2012
    Yes, he has something that stores extra cards in his sleeve in order to pull off a last minute win. That's how he won the first round of Sabacc against Han. Speaking of Han shooting first, there's a scene where Han shoots first that I thought was intentionally in the movie just to prove a point "Hey y'all, Han shot first!"

    I don't think Maul was a good idea at all. I saw the movie with friends that have never seen TCW nor Rebels and they were confused. I then explained to them that Maul was brought back in animated shows and didn't die in TPM. When asked how he survived, I couldn't answer that question. Because there is no answer. The only good thing about Maul is that Ray Park is back to portray him on the big screen, albeit super briefly. Also, the voice by Sam Witwer wasn't well synced with Ray Park's lip movement. The lip and voice sync was much better in TPM.
     
    Last edited: May 24, 2018
  24. SWpants

    SWpants Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 28, 2004
    Me, responding to some of the above spoilers.

    I heard it wasn't that good til he showed up. He's a fantastic choice for the role

    Cool! I didn't know he was in this!

    That is the best thing I've heard about the movie.

    That is 100% the reason I will not watch the movie

    :eek: Oh that is fantastic to hear!!!

    He was my favorite Sith and TCW ruined it; Rebels ruined it more; Solo leaves me almost nauseous.

    Good point! Now...is that the case here?

    Oh. That sucks.
     
  25. Vthuil

    Vthuil Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Jan 3, 2013
    I have to say, I loved the Maul appearance SO MUCH. Not because I think it was in any sense actually a good idea, but because it's the weirdest possible way to introduce general audiences to the idea that he survived TPM and I find that hilarious. Seriously, it has next to no reason to be in there. I cannot wait until my family sees the film and comes to me with baffled questions about it.

    (By that same token, though, the idea that it "ruined the film" is very silly. 99 percent of a decent if not perfect Han Solo story isn't outweighed by one daft bit of... fanservice? Continuity? Dunno what even to call it).
     
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