Growing Up Skywalker

How scary could the troglodyte-indested mines underneath a thoroughly bombed wasteland planet really be? With a lot of “But wait, there's more” energy, this week’s episode, “The Mines of Mandalore” (Season 3, Chapter 18) brings the action!Our conversation dives into the multiple massive lore dumps we receive, and how they open new questions into Bo-Katan’s motivations, what it means to be a Mandalorian, and what the future of Mandalore holds. We also talk through the legacy of horror tropes in Star Wars.New to Growing Up Skywalker? Come join us for non-toxic Star Wars recaps from a veteran and a new fan. New episodes every Tuesday.Want more Growing Up Skywalker? This is a great time to sign up for our Patreon for bonus audio content! (Visions S3 content is ongoing!)Timestamps:00:00:00 Who Are We?00:03:45 Plot Summary00:11:24 More Like “The Manda-LORE-ian”00:26:47 Myths and The Mythosaur00:42:09 Bae Watch00:49:35 Closing Thoughts

New quests, who dis? The Mandalorian’s third series opens with a tempting array of side quests: Spelunking into the Mines of Mandalore, rebuilding IG-11, rejoining the Children of the Watch, and actively parenting Grogu. What will Mando choose?In our recap of The Mandalorian’s Season 3 premiere, “The Apostate,” we talk through Nevarro’s glow-up, the Mandalorian covert’s new digs, and Bo-Katan’s next move. There are a lot of players this season, and many of them are on a path to redemption.New to Growing Up Skywalker? Come join us for non-toxic Star Wars recaps from a veteran and a new fan. New episodes every Tuesday.Want more Growing Up Skywalker? This is a great time to sign up for our Patreon for bonus audio content! (Visions S3 content is ongoing!)Timestamps:00:00:00 Who Are We?00:03:31 Plot Summary00:12:05 The New Children of the Watch00:16:39 Bo-Katan’s Next Move00:27:10 Nevarro’s Glow-Up and The Pirates00:39:08 Actively Parenting Grogu00:54:03 Bae Watch01:02:58 Closing Thoughts

The Book of Boba Fett finishes with a bang (and a whimper, if your name is Cad Bane).In our recap of the series finale, we discuss Boba Fett’s big Mandalorian energy and how he has truly been reborn a Tusken. We talk about war—and what comes next—and chart out the possible ramifications of Grogu’s choice. The vibes? Hopeful. The aesthetics? Impeccable. This is a stellar way to close out a show.New to Growing Up Skywalker? Come join us for non-toxic Star Wars recaps from a veteran and a new fan. New episodes every Tuesday.Want more Growing Up Skywalker? This is a great time to sign up for our Patreon for bonus audio content! (Visions S3 content is ongoing!)Timestamps:00:00:00 Who Are We?00:02:50 Plot Summary00:13:00 Boba Fett and Big Mandalorian Energy00:28:29 War and What Happens Next00:47:53 Grogu’s Choice00:54:42 Vibes and Aesthetics01:01:11 Bae Watch01:07:39 Closing Thoughts

Spaghetti Western truly meets space opera in The Book of Boba Fett’s “From The Desert Comes a Stranger” (Season 1, Episode 6).This week, we dive deep into Luke Skywalker’s attempt to rebuild the Jedi Order and the Pyke Syndicate’s attempt to bring about a swift victory in their war on Tatooine. We think about Cad Bane’s reasons for buying in with the Pykes, Mando’s decision to leave the Child where he is, and the fork in the road Luke presents to Grogu. This episode is, at its heart, all about choices.New to Growing Up Skywalker? Come join us for non-toxic Star Wars recaps from a veteran and a new fan. New episodes every Tuesday.Want more Growing Up Skywalker? This is a great time to sign up for our Patreon for bonus audio content! (Visions S3 content is ongoing!)Timestamps:00:00:00 Who Are We?00:03:27 Plot Summary00:11:00 Luke’s Jedi Academy00:36:58 The War with the Pykes00:45:26 Cad Bane Tho00:56:22 Bae Watch01:07:00 Closing Thoughts

Is this Book of Boba Fett episode…also the best episode of The Mandalorian??In “The Return of the Mandalorian” (Season 1, Episode 5), we get exactly zero Boba Fett—which is a surprisingly low number, given the whole clone thing, but we digress. We do, however, revel in Din Djarin’s return to the small screen, Peli Moto’s utter hamminess, and the deep lore of the Children of the Watch.This episode blends the comic book pulp of The Book of Boba Fett and the sleek composure of The Mandalorian for an 11/10 feast for the senses. And yeah, we cried about the N-1. (In a good way). New to Growing Up Skywalker? Come join us for non-toxic Star Wars recaps from a veteran and a new fan. New episodes every Tuesday.Want more Growing Up Skywalker? This is a great time to sign up for our Patreon for bonus audio content! (Visions S3 content begins this week.)Timestamps:00:00:00 Who Are We?00:04:04 Plot Summary00:14:15 The Mandalorian, But Boba Fett-ified00:18:57 Artistry, Scope, and Scale00:23:11 The Darksaber, Doctrine, And That Lore Dump00:41:18 The N-1!!!00:54:29 Bae Watch01:05:29 Closing Thoughts

As The Book of Boba Fett hits its midpoint in “The Gathering Storm” (Season 1, Episode 4), we take a critical look at its structure and debate whether this story would have been stronger told chronologically. We also sing the praises of its practical effects, talk through body modification culture in Star Wars, and discuss the horrifying effectiveness of Fennec Shand. New to Growing Up Skywalker? Come join us for non-toxic Star Wars recaps from a veteran and a new fan. New episodes every Tuesday.Want more Growing Up Skywalker? This is a great time to sign up for our Patreon for bonus audio content! (Visions S3 content is coming soon.)Timestamps:00:00:00 Who Are We?00:04:46 Plot Summary00:11:44 Practical Effects00:16:57 The Odd Structure of This Episode00:44:07 Body Modifications In Star Wars00:52:31 Bae Watch01:01:30 Closing Thoughts

How about that speeder chase?If you’re all about vengeance, style, and speeder scooter gangs, "The Streets of Most Espa" is the episode for you. The Book of Boba Fett’s third episode takes on the fun topics of colonization, organized crime, and violence—and makes them thrilling, stylish, harrowing, and even somewhat silly.In our deep dive, we cover the post-World War II mod culture of Great Britain, Black Krrsantan’s outrageously scary presene, and the different ruling styles of Boba Fett, Bib Fortuna, and Jabba the Hutt. We're in the thick of The Book of Boba Fett now, and excited to see how it plays out!New to Growing Up Skywalker? Come join us for non-toxic Star Wars recaps from a veteran and a new fan. New episodes every Tuesday.Want more Growing Up Skywalker? This is a great time to sign up for our Patreon for bonus audio content! (Visions S3 content is coming soon.)Timestamps:00:00:00 Who Are We?00:03:24 Plot Summary00:10:32 So About Those Bikes00:27:35 Boba, Bib, and Jabba as Daimyo00:41:18 Black Krrsantan00:49:03 Bae Watch00:57:18 Closing Thoughts

Is “The Tribes of Tatooine” the best live-action Star Wars episode yet?If not—it’s pretty dang close. The Book of Boba Fett’s second episode delivers a transcendent work of art that dives into the colonization of the Tusken people, ritual and rebirth, and the optics of power in Mos Espa and across the Dune Sea.In our deep dive, we parse the language of power spoken by the Hutts, the Pykes, and Boba Fett. We dig into Tusken cultural heritage and parallels between the Hutts and real-world crime syndicates. And we trace the comic-book-and-board-game-spanning lore of Black Krrsantan.New to Growing Up Skywalker? Come join us for non-toxic Star Wars recaps from a veteran and a new fan. New episodes every Tuesday.Want more Growing Up Skywalker? This is a great time to sign up for our Patreon for bonus audio content! Timestamps:00:00:00 Who Are We?00:02:11 Plot Summary00:11:38 The Optics of Power00:26:05 The Tuskens and Colonization00:33:09 The Hutts and The Mafia00:40:50 Black Krrsantan00:49:02 Bae Watch01:00:35 Closing Thoughts

The comic book vibes are strong with this one.Watching in chronological order (like we do), The Mandalorian’s Season 2 finale leads straight into The Book of Boba Fett’s premiere, “Stranger in a Strange Land.” It’s not as pulpy or epic as Robert Rodriguez’s previous Boba Fett-centric episode (“The Tragedy”), but some shots—like Boba Fett’s fist punching through the sands of Tatooine—are straight out of a comic book panel. We talk through Boba Fett’s interpretation of Daimyo and compare it to previous crime bosses, like Maul and Dryden Vos. We also discuss the state of crime in the galaxy and Ming Na Wen’s slinky approach to Fennec Shand.New to Growing Up Skywalker? Come join us for non-toxic Star Wars recaps from a veteran and a new fan. New episodes every Tuesday.Want more Growing Up Skywalker? This is a great time to sign up for our Patreon for bonus audio content! Timestamps:00:00:00 Who Are We?00:02:57 Plot Summary00:9:25 Boba Fett as Daimyo00:21:21 Criminal Syndicates Across the Galaxy 00:27:42 Comic Book Pulpiness00:45:43 Bae Watch00:52:28 Closing Thoughts

The Season 2 finale of The Mandalorian (Chapter 16, “The Rescue”) sweeps to a stunning conclusion. Prepare to weep.This week, we celebrate THAT cameo—and the way this episode works for both new and veteran fans. We sing praises to the all-gal attack squadron that takes Moff Gideon’s light cruiser, discuss Imperial calcification in the wake of the Death Star(s) being destroyed, and look forward to continuing the Mandalorian’s tale.Next week, we’ll do just that, in The Book of Boba Fett, Chapter 1: “Stranger in a Strange Land.”New to Growing Up Skywalker? Come join us for non-toxic Star Wars recaps from a veteran and a new fan. New episodes every Tuesday.Want more Growing Up Skywalker? This is a great time to sign up for our Patreon for bonus audio content! Timestamps:00:00:00 Who Are We?00:02:47 Plot Summary00:13:26 LUKE SKYWALKER EVERYBODY00:34:10 Everybody Else00:44:28 Imperial Calcification00:49:16 Bae Watch00:56:29 Closing Thoughts