Fair well Nien Nunb, May the force be with you

Sad new for Star Wars fans today as we learn of the death of Richard Bonehill. Richard appeared in both Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi playing a number of roles such as a stormtrooper, TIE fighter pilot, Rebel soldier, Tauntaun handler and probably the character he is is most known for Nien Nunb.  As most die-hard star wars fans know Nien Nunb was the co-pilot in the Millennium Falcon with Lando Calrissian during the attack on the second Death Star.

Nien Nunb was a Sullustan smuggler from Sullust. He began his career as a freighter pilot for the SoroSuub corporation, but as the corporation started to side with the new Galactic Empire, Nien formed a group who’s mission was to rise up and fight the SorroSuub corporation. He eventually joined the Rebel Alliance and was chosen by Lando to co-pilot the Falcon during the Battle of Endor and the attack on the second Death Star.  Later after the war Nien became administrator and then later part owner of the spice mines of Kessel with Lando.

As well as his parts in the Star Wars films Richard Bonehill worked as an actor, fencing coach and sword master on many films and television series.  He appeared in “The Avengers”, “Rob Roy“; “The Count of Monte Cristo“; “Robin Hood“; “Jason and the Argonauts“; and “Doctor Who“.

Its a wrap!!!!!

  Its official, the filming for Star Wars episode VII has finally finished!  An article was published showing a letter that was given to everyone who worked on the film as well as a cleanly shaven Mark Hamill!  Hopefully it wont be long till we get our first trailer and some information on what the plot is.  So what have we learned so far….. Not a lot really, rather a lot of rumour and hardly no actual hard facts.  So hears what we have learnt so far……

In a galaxy far far away……..

It has been 30 years since the destruction of the 2nd Death Star and the Empire has been beaten back to a couple of loyal galaxies.  The Galactic Republic has now taken its rightful place and Princess Leia Organa Solo is now in charge.  Han Solo and Chewbacca have both retired from service with the Alliance.  The Sith have risen from the ashes and have sent out their inquisitors to search and destroy Luke Skywalker.  For the last ten years Luke has gone into hiding on the Sith home world to try to find a way to destroy the Sith once and for all.  Mean while on a desert planet the daughter of Leia and Han comes upon a downed TIE fighter and it pilot.  She rescues the pilot who is having second thoughts about serving the Empire.  On their travels they discover a lightsaber that once belonged to Luke Skywalker.  With the help of Leia, Han, Chewbacca, Lando and some friends along the way they go looking for Luke Skywalker so they can defeat the Empire and their new weapon of mass destruction forever……..

I’m looking forward to this film for several reasons.  One I`m a massive Star Wars geek and Two most of the filming has been done on location.  Its going to be good to see all the old characters back together again and the introduction of the next lot of star wars heroes and villains. Thou I was a little disappointed that Lucas and Disney have changed what’s Star Wars cannon and what’s Star Wars legends I don’t think we will be disappointed.  Other great news that nearly had me wetting my self is the talk of a trilogy of my favourite Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi with Ewan McGregor once again reprising the role!

So with nearly a year to go till we get to see Star Wars Episode VII here’s the Library Jedi signing off for now and May the Force be with you….Always.

“Whats the Empire done for us?”

  Just imagine the scene.  A group of fighters from the Rebel Alliance gathered around a holo projector While Mon Mothma and General Madine go through their plan to kidnap Grand Moff Tarkin.

Mon Mothma: We’re getting in through the underground heating system here, up through into the main audience chamber here, and Tarkin’s bed room is here.  Having grabbed Tarkin, We inform the Emperor that Tarkin is in our custody and forthwith issue our demands.  Any Questions? 

Luke Skywalker: What exactly are the demands?

General Madine: We’re giving the Emperor two days to dismantle the entire apparatus of the Galactic Empire, and if he doesn’t agree immediately, we execute Tarkin.

Han Solo: Cut Tarkins head off?

Mon Mothama: Cut all his bits off.  Send ’em back on the hour every hour.  Show them we’re not to be trifled with.

General Madine: Also, we’re demanding a ten foot mahogany statue of Princess Leia in her slave out fit she wore for Jabba.

ALL: Laughing 

Wedge Antilles: What? They’ll never agree with that General

General Nadine: That’s just the bar — a bargaining counter.  And of course. we point out that they bear full responsibility when we chop Tarkin up. and that we shall not submit to blackmail!

ALL: No blackmail!

General Madine: They,ve bled us white, the poodo.  They’ve taken everything we had, and not just from us, from our fathers, and from our fathers’ fathers

Wedge Antilles: And from our fathers’ fathers’ fathers.

General Madine: Yeah!

Wedge Antilles: And from our fathers’ fathers’fathers’ fathers.

General Madine: Yeah.  All right. Wedge.  Don’t labour the point.  And what have they ever given us in return?

Biggs Darklighter: A stable Economy

General Madine: What?

Biggs Darklighter: A stable Economy

General Madine: Oh. Yeah, year.  They did give us that.  Uh, that’s true. Yeah.

Lando Calrissian: Advancements in technology

Wedge Antillies: Oh, yeah, the advancements in technology, General.  Remember what the city used to be like?

General Madine: Yeah.  All right. I’ll grant you the stable economy and the advancements in technology are two things the Empire has done.

Lobot: And the Hyper Space lanes

General Madine: Well, yeah.  Obviously the Hyper Space Lanes, I mean the Hyperspace lanes go without saying, don’t they:  But apart from the stable economy, the advancements in technology, and the Hyperspace lanes– 

Arvel Crynyd: Jobs.

 Biggs Darklighter:  Advanced cybernetics and medicine.

 ALL: Huh? Heh? Huh….

Bren Derlin: Education.

All: Ohh…

General Madine: Yeah, yeah.  All right. Fair enough.

Wes Janson: And the wine.

ALL: Oh, yes. Yeah…

Mon Mothama: Yeah.  Yeah, that’s something we’d really miss, General, if the Empire left.  Huh.

Wess Janson: and it’s safe to walk in the streets at night now, General.

Mon Mothama: Yeah, they certainly know how to keep order.  Let’s face it.  They’re the only ones who could in a galaxy like this.

ALL: Hehh, heh.  Heh heh heh heh heh heh heh.

General Madine: All right, but apart from the stable economy, the advancements in technology, and the Hyperspace lanes, jobs, advanced cybernetics and medicine and public health, What has the Empire ever done for us?

Lobot: Brought peace.

General Madine: Oh. Peace?  Shut up?

I’ve taken one or two liberties from Monty Pythons Life of Brian there but I think you see where I going.  Ok the Empire were a bit on the naughty side but in some ways they did better the galaxy.   Cybernetics were advanced thus helping people who would no longer be able to have a normal life could now have whole life support machines built into them thus leaving them to carry on a normal life.  Technology for one had not really changed in the last 1000 years but when The Galactic Empire was in charge all sorts of new and approved technology came up, look at the space crafts that appeared and lets not forget the Death Star.   In the Maw installation Grand Moff Tarkin kept some of the most brilliant minds working on new weapons of destruction.  Even education got a boast from the Empire, what with all the new Imperial academy’s popping up.  Also because of the huge scale of the new Imperial army and navy, new ships had to be built thus creating jobs for people and business’s recovering from a war.  Also because of all the planets that were now part of the Empire new hyperspace routes were opened up plus with all these new planets came new fashions. arts and of course wine!  But lets not forget the one big thing the Empire did do for the galaxy…..it brought peace!!!!!!

“Once more, the Sith will rule the galaxy… And we shall have peace.“―Palpatine

 

 

 

Am I the only one getting put off the new film by all these plot details?

Sitting out in the back garden yesterday having a coffee and a cigarette I come across the new plot details for episode VII and a near animal growl animates from my mouth!!!!!  If you haven’t heard the news the latest plot is as follows

After the opening crawl updating us on what’s been happening since Return of the Jedi the camera pans down not to a space ship but a severed hand holding a lightsaber.  This hand and lightsaber some how survives re entry to a desert planet and are found by Daisy Ridleys and John Boyega charcters.  They know the lightsaber is a relic of the past and decide to try and find the owner.  In their travels they come across Han Solo and Chewbacca who are no longer piloting the Falcon????  Han recognises the lightsaber as the one Obi Wan Kenobi gave to Luke Skywalker.  Han has not seen Luke since the battle of Endor so they all go on a hunt to find Luke.  Meanwhile what’s left of the Empire are building a new secret super weapon on some ice planet.

 

Ive got one or two problems with this!!!!  How does a hand survive re entry through a planets atmosphere???  If the lightsaber Han recognises is the one originally built by Anakin Skywalker then how did it survive the fall through the planet Bespins core????  and then reach outer space.  Also a Jedi’s lightsaber is not indestructible and again that begs the differ on how it survived re entry in a planets atmosphere?  Also what’s been happening since Endor?  At the end of Return of the Jedi everyone from Bespin to Coruscant to Naboo were celebrating the fall of the Empire! so its sounds like everything did not go quite to plan for the Rebellion.  Then there the new superweapon that’s being built.  Its much smaller then the Death Star but it can destroy whole solar systems not just planets.  This smacks of the Sun Crusher which was not a very large ship but could take out whole solar systems just by making the systems sun go super nova.  The story also smells like a revamp of episode VI with very similar characters on a very similar quest.

But again all these rumours could be false just a red herring to taste the waters of all us Star Wars fans out there.  I`m gonna keep reading the rumours as they come up even if they make me mad and want to send Boba Fett after JJ Abrams.  We will just have to sit tight and wait for when the movie hits the cinema and probably all these worries will be for nothing.

On other news yesterday we got to see the new design for the X-Wing which many of us (even my good self) mistook for a Z-95 Head Hunter!

Till next time. May The Force Be With You!!!!!