SWG Tales

http://darthside.blogspot.com

The writing is astoundingly good. The creative back-story telling is even better. The days which led to the fall of the Empire as told by the Monster himself.

This is like Star Wars crack.

Pretty good ruminations on the nature of the Force. Mystery is a good thing for it, I believe, but it some elaboration helps as well since the concept invites your intelligence in the first place. I've been hoping for more of this type of observation in the movies since Yoda's in Episode 5 is still by far the most compelling.

And it's good to see the mention about how the entire Jedi Order missed Palpatine as a Sith Master. I hope the coming episode goes more into how he pulled that one off outside of "the Dark Side clouds everything".

Keer wrote:Pretty good ruminations on the nature of the Force. Mystery is a good thing for it, I believe, but it some elaboration helps as well since the concept invites your intelligence in the first place. I've been hoping for more of this type of observation in the movies since Yoda's in Episode 5 is still by far the most compelling.

And it's good to see the mention about how the entire Jedi Order missed Palpatine as a Sith Master. I hope the coming episode goes more into how he pulled that one off outside of "the Dark Side clouds everything".

Reading that just reinforces the idea that Palpatine is, by far, the most insteresting character in this whole thing. I can't read enough about him.

Whoever this guys is can write like crazy. The way he uses words and just puts everything together is very admirable. Its a very well thought out blog, but its hard to see Vader in some of the candid situations he describes.

Jabe

Also, highly recommend, this:

http://www.darkhorse.com/profile/previe ... eid=11-564

The first four issues of that title (Empire) is one of the best SW story arcs that I've read. A good examination of the Master-Disciple dynamic against the backdrop of a coup d'etat attempt within a less established Empire.

The soul searching by Vader in this story reminds me of this blog.

In my opinion, the series then suffers after the Vader/Emperor story wraps up (after the initial four issues). According to Dossk, however, the quality comes back to it somewhere in the "20's" issues. Planning to go back to it and check those out.

Jabe Adaks wrote:Whoever this guys is can write like crazy. The way he uses words and just puts everything together is very admirable. Its a very well thought out blog, but its hard to see Vader in some of the candid situations he describes.

Jabe

Good point! I think the character of Vader is poorly represented in the blog, even though some of the thoughts and observations are excellent.

To me, Vader is a very emotional creature, driven by his desires. The blog's version of vader was a little too objective and dry for my tastes.

The blogger could do Tarkin in that style and be dead-on.

Ekade wrote:

Jabe Adaks wrote:Whoever this guys is can write like crazy. The way he uses words and just puts everything together is very admirable. Its a very well thought out blog, but its hard to see Vader in some of the candid situations he describes.

Jabe

Good point! I think the character of Vader is poorly represented in the blog, even though some of the thoughts and observations are excellent.

To me, Vader is a very emotional creature, driven by his desires. The blog's version of vader was a little too objective and dry for my tastes.

The blogger could do Tarkin in that style and be dead-on.

I don't know. I thought the blog Vader was pretty durn emotional for the Vader we see in the movies. Try and find the one where he tortures Chewbacca, Leia, and Han after capturing them at Cloud City. A lot of insight into the why and even how much he enjoyed the torture.

X'an Shin wrote: I don't know. I thought the blog Vader was pretty durn emotional for the Vader we see in the movies. Try and find the one where he tortures Chewbacca, Leia, and Han after capturing them at Cloud City. A lot of insight into the why and even how much he enjoyed the torture.

Ahh.. I only read the top one.

Ekade wrote:

X'an Shin wrote: I don't know. I thought the blog Vader was pretty durn emotional for the Vader we see in the movies. Try and find the one where he tortures Chewbacca, Leia, and Han after capturing them at Cloud City. A lot of insight into the why and even how much he enjoyed the torture.

Ahh.. I only read the top one.

How could you read JUST ONE? These things are like the Lays potato chips of blogging. You can't read JUST ONE.

I read "Tao of the Sith"...and here is my devil's advocate review. I loooove being critical...it comes so naturally.

Everyone gave it glaring reviews, so I perused it with my "there is something wrong with everything" glasses. Maybe it's me being hyper critical (as usual), but I found it only mildly interesting.

He makes some interesting observations on the singularity of the force (I did like that part), but the first few paragraphs, his word choice is odd. Colorful as it is, it seems superfluous. Without knowing who wrote it personally, I almost get the feeling that he was using a thesaurus to come up with interesting synonyms for other words. Yes, there is almost a bit of poetry about using non-standard words like "miasma" and "obfuscate" and other 5 cent words in such rapid succesion, but to me it seemed like too much. It makes him sound like a brainy asshole. Which I don't personally feel Vader was; he never struck me as being all that bright. Technically gifted and powerfully devoted to the force, he was never the one who masterminded any of the Empire's machinations (keeping in mind that I am talking about the movies; I never read any of the books). That was all Palpatine. The death star, the plot to turn Luke to the dark side...If I am missing a big one, please let me know. But it seems mostly that Vader was a puppet, plain and simple. I think these blogs give Vader a depth he really didn't have.

And he used an improper pronoun-antecedent reference, a made up word, and omitted a sorely needed comma. Forgivable, but it still drives me batty.

Don't get me wrong, the writer seems awfully talented. Considering I am sure he is NOT Darth Vader and is writing from the point of view of an imaginary character very believably. Thoughtful insights abound in his (or her) work, yet maybe not the correct ones in my mind.

Yeah, people like to use big words, when simple words work just as well, to make themselves seem smarter. However, the entire piece is well written so I will give the blogger the benefit of the doubt.

Which I don't personally feel Vader was; he never struck me as being all that bright. Technically gifted and powerfully devoted to the force, he was never the one who masterminded any of the Empire's machinations

Totally agree. Vader was a tool. But did he know know it? In the blog Vader is pondering about the Emperor getting ready to pass the torch to him. Did Vader really think that? Did Vader know exactly what he was.. a pawn?

Ekade wrote:

Krussh wrote:Which I don't personally feel Vader was; he never struck me as being all that bright. Technically gifted and powerfully devoted to the force, he was never the one who masterminded any of the Empire's machinations

Totally agree. Vader was a tool. But did he know know it? In the blog Vader is pondering about the Emperor getting ready to pass the torch to him. Did Vader really think that? Did Vader know exactly what he was.. a pawn?

Did you guys watch the same movies I did?

Pawns aren't given command over entire Armadas. Or a Super Star Destroyer. Generals and Admirals alike fly into asteroid fields because he says so.

Pawns don't have secret plots to overthrow an Emporer by uniting Father and Son, who will together rule the galaxy with an iron fist (Luke/Vader battle after he first reveals he's Luke's Father).

Even The Emporer ENCOURAGES Luke to strike him down, as if he knows that his end is near, and Luke needs to be forced to the Dark Side so that Vader will have someone to rule beside him, and train in the ways of the Dark Arts.

The only reason Vader isn't running the galaxy is because the Emporer's still more powerful than him. Saying he's a tool because of that is like saying Jet Li doesn't kick ass because Bruce Lee kicked more ass. I have to disagree. Yes, Anakin was a tool. Vader is a maniacal ruler.

Vader is feared. Pawns and puppets? Not feared.

X'an Shin wrote:

Ekade wrote:

Krussh wrote:Which I don't personally feel Vader was; he never struck me as being all that bright. Technically gifted and powerfully devoted to the force, he was never the one who masterminded any of the Empire's machinations

Totally agree. Vader was a tool. But did he know know it? In the blog Vader is pondering about the Emperor getting ready to pass the torch to him. Did Vader really think that? Did Vader know exactly what he was.. a pawn?

Did you guys watch the same movies I did?

Pawns aren't given command over entire Armadas. Or a Super Star Destroyer. Generals and Admirals alike fly into asteroid fields because he says so.

Pawns don't have secret plots to overthrow an Emporer by uniting Father and Son, who will together rule the galaxy with an iron fist (Luke/Vader battle after he first reveals he's Luke's Father).

Even The Emporer ENCOURAGES Luke to strike him down, as if he knows that his end is near, and Luke needs to be forced to the Dark Side so that Vader will have someone to rule beside him, and train in the ways of the Dark Arts.

The only reason Vader isn't running the galaxy is because the Emporer's still more powerful than him. Saying he's a tool because of that is like saying Jet Li doesn't kick ass because Bruce Lee kicked more ass. I have to disagree. Yes, Anakin was a tool. Vader is a maniacal ruler.

Vader is feared. Pawns and puppets? Not feared.

I still have to disagree. Ok, so he had some scheme to kill the emperor and rule the galaxy with his son. Obviously a very ingenious and well thought out plan, considering he should know that the Emperor is pretty much all knowing. I fail to see the "depth" of this plan. The mere thought that he could decieve the emperor hints to me that he ain't too bright to begin with.

And why exactly can a pawn not be given command of one of, what was it...eight(?) super star destroyers? That's a lot of fire power to have in the hands of a free will. If I were the Emperor (and the EXPERT manipulator that he was), I would want someone very easily manipulated commanding one of those things AND the army that maintained my stranglehold on the galaxy.

Ok, so people listened to him...dude, he is the most powerful jedi ever....no shit people are gonna listen. He splits people in half and chokes them from 10 meters. None of these facts mean he doesn't wipe without the Emperor's blessing.

He kicks ass ---> he is not a pawn. The conclusion doesn't logically follow from the premise.

Secondly, who said anything about him not being powerful? Sure, he can kick boatloads of ass...that doesn't mean he can't be played like a fiddle.

Good discussion

I can see how some of the word choices and perspectives may have sounded a bit too much, but in all fairness there are people in real life who do express themselves that way and aren't a-holes...just have huge and unfettered vocabularies with good recall.

Krusshyk wrote:If I am missing a big one, please let me know..... I think these blogs give Vader a depth he really didn't have.

- Vader came up with the plan to let Leia & Co. escape the Death Star with a tracking device on the Falcon, revealing the secret Rebel base. Not too shabby in my book.

- Vader thought out of the box when hiring bounty hunters to flush out the Millenium Falcon, but then when you're a Lord of the Sith, thinking "out of the box" should be like waking up.

- Being "strong" with The Force in general I'd say makes you a "deep thinker/feeler" by default in my opinion (see above).

- Obi-Wan calls Anakin Skywalker a "cunning warrior" (with pride and a wistful smile at that) in Episode 4. "Cunning" may not qualify one as a brainiac, but I'd say it earns a place as a separate type of intelligence.

X'an's qualifications on Vader I think hit the mark for Vader being more than a glorified thug. When judging Palpatine and Vader, maybe think "M" and James Bond...

Coincidentally, that Darkhorse book I mentioned earlier addresses that perspective pretty well in a panel or two. Not to spoil, but Palpatine advises Vader that while he is still master, they are both Sith Lords and that Vader should feel more free to "wing it" in solving some problems.