Your answer should be a real answer
Against over communicating + a Star Wars Celebration update
Happy Easter friends and readers. This Is The Way! I have a short anecdote to share with you on communications and being more courteous. Then after that, if you’re interested in Star Wars news and the deluge of announcements coming out of Star Wars Celebration in London, we’ve got an exclusive rundown of Day 2 for you at the bottom. Enjoy this joyous day.
My friend Alexandra Hudson is a regular go-getter. Highly driven, goal-oriented, and the definition of a doer. She’s got a book coming out this October on the ethic of civility and just helmed her first video lecture series for Wondrium on storytelling. All of that in addition to running a Substack on virtue and ethics called
(check it out). She posted something on Twitter the other day that was quite thought-provoking, and there was a little lesson to be learned in our brief dialogue.
This is worth considering. My response to Alexandra Hudson, a person who thinks a great deal about manners and social procedure, was that perhaps this happens the most with “people pleasers” like myself. Thinking about all the times I’ve gotten a text or request from someone out of the blue to ask me for my time, my input, my energy, or an RSVP…I respond quickly because I want them to know I’m not ignoring them. I want them to think highly of me, and I want them to know I care (even when I sometimes don’t).
But that’s not actually helpful, is it? Why respond with the promise of responding again? It’s better for everyone if you respond with something tangible once and be done with it.
My mind is a Star War
Because my brain is a Star Wars rerun at least 12 hours a day, instantly recalled this exchange from Star Wars: Episode: The Phantom Menace.
After the Trade Federation leaders, Nute Gunray and Rune Haako, were ordered to kill two Jedi Knights by Darth Sidious, the Jedi escaped. When Darth Sidious called Nute Gunray for a report on the situation, Gunray did not mention their escape.
Haako turns to Gunray and says, “You didn’t tell him about the missing Jedi."
Gunray responds, “No need to report that to him until we have something to report.”
Sure. Gunray was being a little deceptive here with his boss (Sidious) but at the same time, what was the use in telling Sidious the Jedi has escaped and their whereabouts were unknown? No one can do anything with that information. The best next step for everyone is to find out where they are, then offer an update.
*Boss, we lost them. But they are at (x location) now, and we have a plan*
That….is actionable information. So consider this. Mark certain emails as Unread until you have a response to them. Don’t answer requests for an RSVP with a promise to get back to them. Look into your various calendars, find the answer, then respond. This is the way.
No need to report back until you have something to report.”
Bottom Line Up Front: Star Wars Celebration 2023
Presented by This is the Way &fueled by 3x cups of Caf ☕
Forgive me, This is the Way readers, for I have sinned.
I let the snark get to me.
TBH, I haven’t really followed the High Republic series. I quit halfway through the first book and read the first few comics. They weren’t my cup of tea. When I saw a quote from the Lucasfilm Showcase panel about The Acolyte (which takes place in the High Republic era) and “it being ‘Frozen meets Kill Bill,” I made some negative assumptions. Namely, that this would be another creative experiment within the Star Wars sandbox by some creators wanting to leave ‘their mark.’
I now realize that I was too quick to judge without giving it a fair chance. I know very little about Leslye Headland and I haven't seen Russian Doll, but I was pleasantly surprised by her appearance on stage during Star Wars Live!. Leslye came across as genuine and passionate about Star Wars, and she explained why the franchise mattered to her and how it had made a significant impact on her life.
“Star Wars saved my life. And it’s okay if you don’t like The Acolyte, that’s fine! The reality is that Star Wars in and of itself is not just this vast universe full of many different characters, but it is always, always about the spiritual journey of what it is to become who you are. That’s why I’m so overwhelmed and grateful to be here and beyond overwhelmed and grateful to be allowed as a filmmaker to experience what it is like to actually make something in this world. That is beyond my wildest dreams.”
So I’m in. I was impressed with her authenticity, and I found her interview to be a breath of fresh air. Most of these live stream interviews tend to be staged with pre-canned questions - a lot of “What was it like to play XYZ character?” or “How amazing was that moment in XYZ trailer.” A lot of crowd pandering.
But her passion for Star Wars was genuine, and it made me excited to see what she will bring to The Acolyte.
BLUF: Star Wars Celebration Day 2
As Star Wars Celebration continues, the second day provided a few exciting (but definitely lower-key) announcements related to Ahsoka, Return of the Jedi, and Tales of the Jedi. Here are the highlights:
More Ahsoka casting: The Ahsoka panel revealed that Lars Mikkelsen will reprise his role as Grand Admiral Thrawn in the series. Mikkelsen had previously voiced Thrawn in Star Wars Rebels and was heavily rumored to be joining the live-action show. It turns out the rumors were true, and audiences will finally see Thrawn's live-action debut when Ahsoka releases on Disney+ in August. David Tennant will also return to voice Huyang for the series.
Directors Revealed for ‘Ahsoka’; Kevin Kiner to Compose: Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni announced the directors contributing to Ahsoka during the panel. Filoni and Peter Ramsey were previously announced as directors, and joining them are Steph Green, Jennifer Getzinger, Geeta Patel, and Rick Famuyiwa. Kevin Kiner, who composed for The Clone Wars, Rebels, The Bad Batch, and Tales of the Jedi, will also return to compose the score for Ahsoka.
I learned who Vernestra Rwoh is: During the Star Wars: The High Republic panel, it was announced that Rebecca Henderson would play Vernestra Rwoh in The Acolyte. Rwoh is a critical character during the High Republic era and appeared in several books of that time frame. She will now be making her television debut in The Acolyte in 2024.
Please Release ROTJ in Korea: To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Return of the Jedi, the movie will be re-released in theatres on April 28. Unknown if this will be the original version of the film or one of the special editions.
‘Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi – Season 2: During the 15th-anniversary panel for The Clone Wars, Dave Filoni announced that a second season for Tales of the Jedi is underway.
That’s what I got for you guys today! Remember, there’s only “One Way Out!”
