ST The Aliens of TFA discussion thread

Where would the aliens if TFA fit in better?'

Me personally? I think they're generally more Jabba's palace.

 

To me they seemed more like creature designs for a Guillermo Del Toro, specifically for something like Hellboy. It's tough to choose between the poll choices because they seem more alien and exotic so they sort of blend together.

 

They seemed closer to Mos Eisley cantina aliens to me, primarily because there seemed to be a higher quota of costumes over muppets... but I also agree with Mr Forest in that they didn't appear very Star Wars like... to me anyhow. More Gurdians of the Galaxy meets Hellboy. I did think that was a strange design choice.

 

I do agree that they didn't seem massively Star Wars. I know it's a different area of the galaxy but it would have been nice to see some already established alien species here and there. Just a few. A rodian or something. Just to tie stuff together a bit more.

 

Agreed - I'm usally in favour of new concepts over old, but I did think it odd that they broke the established aesethtic that 'usually' in Star Wars (be it films or the cartoons) there's usually Rodians, Twi'leks etc. that make up the alien assemblage. I'm not sure if there were any? But I can't remember seeing them.

 

Reckon Episode VIII will throw any old aliens into the mix? I really hope so.

 

I like to see Maz's place as a hangout where the dudes from both Mos Eisley (well, the ones with the credits to get spaceboard) AND Jabba's abode pass and hang out by.

As a microbiologist type person, I have to pass my seal of geeky approval to whoever created the "Dengue Sisters"

(ans: both)

 

they are tfa aliens.

 

Neither.

 

In other words, when Abrans stuck to established design conventions, you didn't appreciate it. And when he diverged from established design conventions, you didn't appreciate it.

No wonder this film was so disappointing to you!

Though I have to say that I shared this seeming inconsistency in my criticisms of Jackson's LOTR. Because he doesn't share my artistic sensibilities, I tended to neither appreciate his adherence to book lore, nor his divergence from it.

An odd thing, appreciation of art is. Very much wrapped up in our own personal idiosyncrasies and expectations.

 

I didn't think they were ugly/monstrous enough to belong with Jabba, so I voted cantina.

 

Well I thought the designs in TFA were second rate either way, but I appreciated Abrams not churning out the ones from the other films when it came to the aliens... so my POV is entirely consistent. I just thought it odd that, where there was an opportunity to be needlessly nostalgic which adhered to some internal logic, that he didn't.

 

wait a minute.....

Mos Eisley Cantina
Jabba's Palace
Maz' Castle/Watering Hole

holy crap it's a mix of both!

 

Having the same few aliens pop up on every planet in a universe of infinite species isnt logical. The remains of the Empire and Rebels using modified designs of old spaceships and architecture is. Which is why the needlessly different in many crucial ways Phantom Menace, for instance, is far more nostalgic and fan servicy than TFA.
But you are entitled to your opinion.

 

Thought I was watching Matrix Reloaded.

 

As 4 people saying that having the same aliens over &over makes the galaxy small, let me point out that something like 1/2 the male populations of the Duros, the Rodians & Gamoreans left there planets 2 become spacers, bounty hunters , smugglers, etc, etc.

 

Not canon anymore.

 

Please Jabba. The way Disney has been borrowing from the hold EU it won't surprise me if 75% of the old canon gets recanoned. At least on species history.

I JUST INVENTED THE WORD RECANONED!

 

In any event, I don't find it to be good canon. The idea that half the population of an entire alien species has essentially chosen one illegal occupation seems a little silly.

 

I'm glad they added all new aliens into the mix, because I was getting tired of seeing the same old aliens in everything...it's like Lucas decided on only making twenty or so races, in a galaxy where there are supposedly thousands, if not millions of habitable worlds. I applaud the fact that JJ sees Star Wars as this huge galaxy teeming with numerous, sentient life forms...and the fact that he went with all new planets that were never seen before proves that he wanted to convey that.

 

I gave 3 occupations

 

TFA is the most fan service, meta Star Wars film to date. You should be happy that you enjoy it... but without going into the detail, I live in a small part of the UK... it's multicultural... there's Irish, Scottish, Welsh, French, Polish, Chinese, Indian, Nigerian, German, Russian, Scandanavian nationalities living/working all around me. I don't think it's a stretch that this reality would be reflected in a Star Wars film... Not that this is a big thing for me, just throwing it out there since you mentioned it. What's much more dissapointing for me are the MOR concepts and designs... but that's another thread.

 

DarthPJ
Well it is certainly better to enjoy than be cynical, just nitpick and refuse fun entertainment. But I do firmly believe that sequels by their very nature are defined on some level as fan service. Returning to the universe and characters alone necessitates that definition. But in terms of nonsensical pandering I also firmly believe the Phantom Menace is a much more fan servicy film. What youre referring to is Europeans living around the same continent, slightly different to creatures living around planets across solar systems. Again, not using fan service blatantly, only where it logically makes sense.
But again, enjoy having one owns opinion.

 

Being able to critically evaluate something is not being cynical my friend... it's about being able to distinguish one thing from an other... otherwise we'd all be here celebrating the greatness that is Batman versus Superman right? But yes, I'd agree that any sequel, or film in a franchise, is going to have a sense of familiarity... but I think it's the percentage of elements being re-used that's in question (but that's another topic).

In terms of the spread of culture/ethnicity across our globe, it doesn't matter which continent you are on, multi-cultural areas tend to be... surprise, surprise, multi-cultural. Again, that TFA doesn't use familiar aliens IS NOT a problem for me, I just thought it an odd desicion given the overall nostalgic, call back nature of the film... It's the one element where Abrams doesn't use existing/established iconography.