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.

Welcome to the Library, I`m your Library Jedi

A massive welcome to all our new and returning students!  I hope you have all had a most excellent summer!  As the Rolling Stones once said “Please allow me to introduce my self”.  My name is Tim Harris and have been working at Brunel University Library now for well over 14 years.  I work in the library as an Information Assistant, as well as the university Mace Bearer, musician, Singer song writer and Jedi.  That’s right you eyes did not deceive you I am Brunel’s very own Jedi Knight or as most people know me “The Library Jedi”  That’s me in the picture above fending off a vicious Viking from the Norwegian Society during Human Book Day.  I write blogs for the library as well as on my own star wars site where you can follow-up the latest of rumours about the up and coming Star Wars Episode VII as well as anything else of interest from the Star Wars universe.

There has been this week some interesting news about the new film.  There has been some new pictures leaked from the location filming at Greenham common and there has been new plot information.  The Greenham common pictures show what looks like a new base for the republic showing several of the new design X-Wings plus a snazzy looking black and bronze X-wing as well as the Millennium Falcon.  We also had an update on what Luke Skywalker has been up to and his role in the film.  Looks like he is even more powerful than his father and that he has been hounded my the inquisitors.  The first lot of rumours about the new film made me a bit nervous as they were quite far-fetched even for the Star Wars universe but the rumours that are now appearing are making me feel much better.  If JJ Abrams does mess it up he better watch his back as Boba Fett will be hunting him down!!!!!  Also news has just come out that one of the stand alone films will be about my favourite Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi will be getting his own stand alone film!!!!!

If you want to be kept updated on the latest Star Wars news just book mark my link https://lbsrtch.wordpress.com.  Finishing on a non Star Wars note click on the following link for the Library Song video.  Written and performed by yours truly and featuring many of the staff from the library.  Have a good first week at Brunel University and May the Force Be With You!!!!!

Do you need a hand?

   At the time of writing this piece a  recent article came out and we were shown what could be possibly Luke Skywalker‘s new cybernetic hand.  This has now turned out to possible be the arm of one of the main Inquisitors.  All through the Star Wars universe there are characters with various cybernetic replacements and enhancements.

Luke Skywalker

Luke’s lost his right hand during the duel with his father Darth Vader on Bespin.  After his rescue by Lando, Leia and Chewbacca Luke had a cybernetic hand fitted to replace it on board the rebel ship Redemption.  During their escape from Jabba the Hutt Luke’s cybernetic hand was damaged by a shot from Taym Dren-garen.

Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader

During the first battle of Geonosis Anakin and Obi-Wan followed Count Dooku to his secret hanger.  During the dual there Anakin lost his right arm just below his elbow.  He soon received a cybernetic replacement but decided not to cover it with synthflesh instead wearing a black gauntlet over it.  As Darth Vader during his dual with Obi-Wan Kenobi on the planet Mustafar Obi-Wan bested him and in one blow chopped off Darth Vader’s surviving arm and both of his legs.  Leaving Darth Vader to die on a laver bank the resulting to him being burned alive.  It was only his strength in the Force that kept Darth Vader alive.  Darth Vader was rescued by Darth Sidous and was taken to the Surgical Reconstruction Centre on Coruscant and was rebuilt and a life support unit built into his suit to keep him alive.

General Grievous

Grievous nearly lost his life in a shuttle crash orchestrated by Count Dooku.  His whole body was replaced with cybernetics just leaving his brain, eye’s, heart and stomach.  The technology used to rebuilt Grievous would later be used on Darth Vader.

Clone Commander Wolffe (CC-3636)

During the Battle of Khorm Clone Commander Wolffe lost his right eye to Asajj Ventress.  It would later on be replaced by a silver cybernetic one.

Sith Lady Lumiya

During a dog fight her fighter was shot down by Luke Skywalker.  Her barely alive body was discovered by Darth Vader who had her rebuilt using advanced cybernetics which left her more machine then woman.

Lobot

Lobot was the chief administrative aide to Baron Administrator Lando Calrissian on Cloud City over the planet Bespin.  As a young man Lobot was arrested and convicted for stealing.  Lobot was sentenced for 15 years involuntary service to the citizens of Cloud City.  He had a Biotech Aj^6 Cyborg head band fitted to his skull and connected to his brain.  This made him connected to the main computer of cloud city making him very intelligent and able to communicate with the city computer and all its systems.

 

 

 

My top five favourite Star Wars characters…. Whats yours? Number 3 is Luke Skywalker

My top five favourite Star Wars characters…. Whats yours? Number 3 is Luke Skywalker.

My top five favourite Star Wars characters…. Whats yours? Number 3 is Luke Skywalker

At number 3 of my all time favourite Star Wars characters is that young farm boy from Tattoine Luke Skywalker.  My favourite scene with Luke in it will always be the shot of him staring out into the setting suns of Tattoine with Binary Sunsets written by John Williams playing in the background.  The first time we see Luke he is with his uncle Owen buying droids off the local Jawas.  The purchase of those two droids leads Luke on his path to becoming one of the greatest Jedi of all time!!!!!  The young Luke was very much like his father, an excellent pilot and a desire to see the stars!  In the films we see Luke grow up quite a bit, from a young farm boy rushing head on with danger to help his friends and then we see the more grown up mature Luke who will still rush in to help his friends but this time he has more confidence in his powers and all ways has a plan first!  Luke finally creates the New Jedi Order learning from the past mistakes that the old Jedi order made which made them easy pray to be culled by the Sith.  He also marries Mara Jade, an ex Emperors hand who originally wanted to kill Luke and together they have a son Ben.  As the years go on Luke becomes one of the most powerful Jedi ever, even more powerful then his father but see’s little peace in the galaxy as he fights in one war after the other!  If the rumours are true in the next movie we will see Luke Skywalker hiding out on Tatooine after 30 years of fighting off Jedi hunters.  I was hoping that the story line would be more in line with the expanded universe but alas that does not seem too be.  I am hoping  that they explain what Luke has been doing over the last 30 years to expand his Jedi powers and if he has been training up new Jedi.  The rumours that he are hearing about the new film makes it sound like a reboot of Star Wars Episode IV A New Hope but we will just have to wait and see.

Luke facts

When Luke was dragged under by the a Dianoga in the trash compacter Mark Hamill had to hold his breath for so long that he ended up blowing a blood vessel in his face.  After that he was filmed from one side till it cleared up.

Mark Hamel did all his own stunts in Star Wars Episode VI Return of the Jedi except in two scenes.  First scene was when Luke jumps of the plank at the Sarlacc pit and the second scene is when he is fighting Darth Vader on the Death Star and Vader hurls his light saber cutting the supports of the the catwalk that Luke is standing on.  Both of these stunts were performed by Colin Skeaping who was Mark’s stunt double.

Mark Hamill kept Luke’s boots from the first Star Wars film

When the first Rebel ships escapes Hoth the voice on the PA that says “The first transport is away” was actually Mark Hamill’s voice.

Mark Hamill has played Luke Skywalker in The Muppet Show, Family Guy and Robot Chicken

Mark had to bang his head 16 times in Yoda’s hut until the director was satisfied.

Just before Star Wars was released Mark Hamill was nearly killed in a car crash.  He had to have re constructive surgery on his face.  The scene when Luke was attacked by the Wampa was used to disguise his injuries.

When on Dagobah when Luke is just about to leave and Yoda and Obi Wan are trying to purswade Luke to stay and complete his training, Luke pulls a snake from one of the X Wing engines which ended up biting him on the hand even after being ensured that none of the snakes would bite

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