Family Analysis of the Ghost Crew

 With "Ahsoka" season 2 releasing in January 2027, and with my current rewatching of "Star Wars Rebels" in preparation, I decided to talk about different topics on "Star Wars Rebels" and "Ahsoka" season 1 alongside the "Mandalorian" series. The latter when needed.

    Today, I wish to go in depth on how the Ghost crew really act not just like found family, but actually have the blueprint of a family dynamic.

    Kanan and Hera, like the couple they are, pass on their skills and knowledge to their kids - Ezra and Sabine. Not so much with Zeb, who is more like the college graduate son who doesn't need as much guidance and help like the younger ones do. Kanan teaches both Ezra and Sabine how to wield a lightsaber and provide not just Jedi wisdom, but general wisdom and knowledge, especially like how there are alternatives to fighting and not always relying on lightsabers and blasters to solve every conflict. Kanan didn't necessarily have to teach Sabine, but because the darksaber found its way to her, he knew he had an obligation to train her and to push her to heal. However, he had to rely on Hera, two partners discussing the best way to reach their kids when their kids have emotional barriers up, avoiding people and not letting the adults see how hurt and broken they are.

    Hera even teaches Ezra how to fly, much like parents teach their kids to drive the car when they are of age. She is tough on him and demotes him when he disobeys direct orders from her and Sato. She teaches Sabine to have faith and hope that what they do is helping the galaxy and will one day yield the results they want. She also is able connect and relate to Sabine because both have walked out on their blood families, for their own specific reasons, but felt similar pain of no one chasing after them.

    Ezra, Sabine, and Zeb are like siblings. Zeb the oldest is the bridge between them and Kanan and Hera, understanding and able to bond with both sides as equals. True, in the beginning Ezra had more of an infatuation towards Sabine, but that eventually melted away and transformed into something stronger - a familial bond. Ezra and Sabine have been on countless adventures and misadventures but never failing to have each others' backs. Siblings have a way of understanding each other, even past the sibling fights, teasing, and occasional jealousy. Sabine found and polished the photo of Ezra and his parents for him, Ezra was the only one who put the teasing aside to console Sabine after the initial training session with Kanan backfired on Atallon. Sabine even went back for Ezra when he was captured by Gar Saxon, and Ezra returned for her when she got Wedge and Hobbie out of the Imperial Academy. He even believed in her, perhaps the most, or at least, showed it the most.

    Upon Kanan's death, the family shatters, much like they often do in real life, even in a traditional one. Ahsoka, who I think most fans have seen her act as a cool aunt who occasionally stop in and take them on adventure, finally decides to take residence with them and help out. In this way, she takes Sabine much like an aunt who shows up and sees that one teen who is having trouble the most in coming to terms with the loss and trying to find their way, especially now with Ezra missing, Hera has her own biological son to raise, and Zeb has gone off with his own career sort of speak. Sabine is still holding on to the past, watching over Lothal for Ezra, and wanting to find Ezra.

    As for Chopper, need I say more. Well, of course he is the family pet. I think it was Dave, you all can correct me if I am wrong this one, who said if Artoo was a dog then Chopper is a cat. A grumpy cat, of course, but still the loyal, grumbling, family cat.

    What are your thoughts? Insights? Please share and discuss in the comments below. Remember to keep it civil.

The Mysterious Case of Severus Snape

    This past Friday celebrated JK Rowling's and her character, Harry Potter's birthday. In honor of them, and the imminent arrival of the HBO Harry Potter Series, I decided to sit down and discuss the highly debated topic raging across the internet - The Mysterious Case of Severus Snape

    When I heard that HBO, with Rowling's support, intended to make TV show adaptation of the Harry Potter books, confusion overwhelmed me. A reboot so soon? What about the Hogwarts founders? What about the Marauders? 

    Upon hearing Rowling's interest in a faithful adaptation. I got behind that. It made sense. The films could only do so much in terms of getting the stories across accurately. Though I had my fingers crossed that they wouldn't make Hermione black for the sake of racial representation and diversity as every other major franchise has done - Annabeth (Percy Jackson) and Astrid (How to Train Your Dragon).

    Hermione has been left more or less untouched, but I will get back on this. They did this for Snape, instead. Why? There answer is that they didn't want override what Alan Rickman has done with the character. Do I believe them? No, not really, no. It feels more like a checkbox item.

    Now, I can't trust them to be entirely faithful to the adaptation. There is nothing against in casting someone else for artistic license and creativity, and I have nothing against the actor. But they promised the fans that they will remain faithful to the books. Also, choosing Snape brings up points many fans have brought to attention. Not only does the casting choice for Snape not follow through with the descriptions of Snape in the books, but it also holds another disgusting racial image knowing what Snape endured later down the road. When James bullies Snape, it will now appear racist then simply a boy bullying another boy for the usual cases bullying would occur. I am not saying James bullying Snape is okay, but the normal circumstances that arise from bullying will now have horrid angle of racism that is not needed.

    True, Harry Potter is filled with themes of racism, but it uses a fresh angle on it through muggle-born witches and wizards.

    Turning to Hermione, they cast someone who is multi-racial, which is totally fine, but now with the Snape casting, and knowing Hermione's own journey into dealing with the magical world's discrimination problems, it adds an unexpected layer that may to be as faithful of adaptation we might be hoping for.

Now, I am not saying I am against diverse casting, but diverse casting has to be done right and not sloppy. If choosing to race swap a Harry Potter character, I would probably choose Professor Sprout, Professor Flitwick, Argus Filch, or Remus Lupin (Though I would struggle due to getting used to the original casting for the films, but I can manage through them because I know racial representation is important).

Please share your opinions down below. I look forward in engaging in clean, healthy discussions.

Envisioning Sabine Wren's Lightsaber

 A peculiar subject, I know. Since this year is a huge deal for Lucasfilm with a number of projects slated for 2026, including their first film since Rise of Skywalker. One particular Star Wars projected expected to return this year for its season 2 is the Ahsoka series. I know, I know, it is a while away, but returning to stories like The Mandalorian and Ahsoka, I can't help but wonder what the future holds in the Star Wars universe, especially when we get sneak peaks and leaks like lightsabers. Yes, Ahsoka season 2 had some talk about the central lightsabers going to return and star in season 2. This got me thinking back to when season 1 was airing and my vision for if and when Sabine Wren would make her very own lightsaber after maybe losing the one Ezra gave her.

During that time in 2023, I drew the lightsaber I imagined for her.

Lightsabers always have meaning and symbolism to each individual Jedi who constructs their own. Sabine would be no exception. In honoring her Mandalorian heritage and lineage it would naturally be made of Beskar alloy, at least for all the metal. The sleeve is also made in design with the saber's hilt beneath to make a T-visor (like that of a Mandalorian helmet) shape.

 The sleeve would be indented with the lighter spots indented into the darker metal, kind of a reverse version of Ahsoka's curved lightsabers that also have an indented sleeve but with the shaded diamonds above the lighter metal. To also honor Ahsoka's curved hilts, this lightsaber hilt has the grips at the top. The power cell orb is at the bottom, but instead of the square design that Ahsoka had on her Clone Wars era ones, these have diamonds. It is tradition for Padawans to honor their masters by having some of their hilt design match their master's lightsaber hilts in respect and honor. Sabine would surely find some way to honor Ahsoka's lightsabers into hers. However, Ahsoka had two kinds. I imagine, with Huyang's help, Sabine would be able to replicate the power cell orb.

Finally, the emitter has a guard that is similar to the darksaber. While it is obvious that Sabine has no love for this particular weapon, it was still the first lightsaber Sabine learned to wield and served as her first step into a larger world (yes, I am using Obi-Wan's line from A New Hope). Therefore, it would be very symbolic for Sabine to have guard in similar fashion to the dark saber, which also belonged to the first Mandalorian Jedi.

As for the color of the saber, this could be either blue, black, white, or yellow.

Blue has often been defined as Guardian Blue, meaning the Jedi who acquires a blue crystalized lightsaber uses the Force and the ways of the Jedi for defense and prefers to be on the field doing right by the Jedi code. Sabine may not follow the Jedi way traditionally since she is Mandalorian and Ahsoka has strayed from the traditional, so naturally she would not try to teach her own Padawan in the traditional way. So, while Sabine would fit the defender bit, but would fail to follow the traditional Jedi way. Hence, it isn't fully ideal.

Black is most obvious choice because the darksaber was black. Sabine, being a Mandalorian, would have a high chance of having a black saber, much like Tarre Vizla. However, Sabine disliked the darksaber because of what it has brought to her people.

White maybe a stretch, but often masters and apprentices tend to share ideals because the master passes their knowledge onto them. Hence, why I believe Sabine could have a chance at having a white lightsaber because Ahsoka has white. White is the symbol of neutrality, Sabine could easily follow Ahsoka's footsteps by being neutral to not just the dark and the light, but to the two cultures - Jedi and Mandalorian. On the other hand, white is very difficult to obtain because it is a process of purifying a bleeding red crystal, which is very challenging to accomplish. Ahsoka is the only Jedi in centuries to have learned how to do this. It is unsure if this is something Ahsoka can teach, or, if she can teach it, is willing to do so.

Yellow feels the most likely choice because it is less rare than white, but like blue aligns with a sort of protector. Sentinel Yellow are often associated with the guardians of the Jedi temple. Sabine has always been a protector of her friends and family, and much like her master, protector to those who differ from her own practices and beliefs. The temple guards, while part of the order, did not follow the Jedi way in the strictest sense as did their fellow Jedi kin. Asajj Ventress wields yellow lightsabers after her experiences and reformation. Sabine would not follow the traditional ways as Ahsoka would teach her to do, nor do I believe Sabine would choose to follow the traditional Jedi ways to begin with.

These are merely my thoughts on this topic. Please feel free to express your ideas of what you think her lightsaber may look like and the color it would be. Remember to keep things civilized.