RJ Writing Ink

My Plans for December 2019

Thanksgiving Day’s behind us and we survived Black Friday; and I hope the Force was with you if you went shopping. Now the holiday season’s here, and if you’ve followed RJ-Writing Ink since last year, you’ll remember what I did. I watched a holiday special a day, then reviewed it here. Now I’m here to say that I won’t be doing that again this year.

There are multiple reasons behind this. Firstly, trying to write a special a day got hectic for me. I still had to do my other posts, and it got a little difficult. Secondly, there are a few things that I want to focus on for this December. Thus, here are my plans for December 2019. I think you’ll find them taking you to a galaxy far, far away.

Star Wars Hype Build-Up

I don’t get as much of a chance to write about it here, but I’m a huge fan of Star Wars. I enjoy everything from the movies to the books, games, and lore. Despite my love of the franchise, I’ve been a skeptic about the sequel films since they started. However, I refuse to let my optimism be diminished. As such, I aim to make sure the Force is with me for December.

All throughout December, I’m going to be writing about all things Star Wars. There’s no set theme for this, as it can be about anything from the franchise. Some ideas I do have, though, include:

• Favorite Moments in Star Wars
• A look at the philosophies of the Jedi and Sith (and their flaws)
• Characters in Star Wars I’m a fan of
• Good things about the Star Wars prequels
• My biggest problems with the Star Wars sequels

All of this will lead up to my review of Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker. May the Force be with us this December.

A Look Back on 2019

If you’ll recall, I wrote a post at the end of last year calling 2019 “The Year of Endings.” The rationale being that this year saw the end of a lot things in pop culture. With the year coming to a close, I want to look on some of the things that came to an end this year. I’m not sure if this will be one post or a series of posts, but I can tell you that I plan to have it up between Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

To clarify, most of what I’ll be writing about will be things I’ve already written on RJ-Writing Ink.

A Look Back on the 2010s

For better or for worse, the 2010s were an eventful decade for humanity. From world-changing historic events to the rise of cultural icons, the 2010s were big. Thus, with the decade coming to a close, I felt it’s appropriate to look back on the big highlights.

Expanding on my look back on 2019, I’ll be writing on a number of topics. I already have some ideas in place:

• Biggest Global Events of the 2010s
• Best Movies of the 2010s
• Biggest moments for pop culture in the 2010s
• Best TV shows
• Best animated TV shows

There’s no set timetable for this, though. All I know is that I’ll be posting it throughout December.

Some Holiday Specials

Alright, I know I said that I wouldn’t be focusing on holiday specials this year. However, if I see a special or movie that I like, then I want to write about it. Don’t expect it to take up much of my blog, though.

May the Force Be With Us

Well, that’s everything that I wanted to say. In between all this, I’ll be doing posts on my regularly scheduled topics. May the Force be with you!

Click here for some of my Star Wars stuff.

Come here to see some of my Animanga stuff.

Click here to see my other animation stuff.

Star Wars, The Mandalorian, Episode 4 Review

Chris Adams; Clint Eastwood; and Samurai Jack. What do these disparate people have in common? They’re all lone warriors who chose to help save a small frontier settlement from bandits. They face down overwhelming odds, yet manage to come out on top in the end. Since the legacy of John Wayne and Clint Eastwood is strong with The Mandalorian, this week’s episode follows that tradition. We got an Old Western stand-off, Star Wars style!

Baby Yoda, Muppet Star

After risking his neck for Baby Yoda last episode, Mando needs to find a place where the child can live in peace. However, his choice of a backwater world, Sorgan, has its own problems. There’s a group of raiders harassing village of krill farmers. While he doesn’t want to do it at first, Mando agrees to help them out in exchange for taking the kid in.

Did I mention that Baby Yoda’s getting even cuter, because he is. That adorable little creature’s won the hearts of millions with his looks and how fond he is of his unwitting guardian. The kids on Sorgan fawn over him. It’s ironic without trying to be: fans have been scrambling to demand Baby Yoda merch, and for once, Disney’s caught off guard. However, their initial releases prove to be bad.

Cuteness aside, Baby Yoda’s proven to be a good partner for the Mandalorian. He helps bring out the warrior’s protective side, and I think it’s gotten to the point where he can communicate without say a thing. When his caretaker’s in a brawl outside a tavern, he’s just standing there, nonchalantly eating his stew.

Possible Partners

Speaking of the brawl, this episode saw the introduction of an awesome female character who may or may not be the Mandalorian’s future partner/love interest. Her name’s Cara Dune, ex-shock trooper for the Rebel Alliance. Now she’s working as a mercenary while trying to find a place to settle down to. She’s almost as good as the Mandalorian in a fight.

On a more intimate level, the Mandalorian gets a more solid love interest in one of the villagers, Omera. She’s a young, widowed mother whose surprisingly good with a blaster. Unlike Cara, though, Omera manages to get the bounty hunter to open up a little, and we learn more about his past. He’s never taken his helmet off in front of others since he was a child, for that would mean never putting it on again. For a moment, though, he considers taking off his armor and living out his life on Sorgan with Baby Yoda and Omera.

Western Stand-Off in the Dark

Fate, however, has other plans in store. It’s discovered that the raiders have an AT-ST on their side, something the villagers can’t hope to match. As a result, Mando and Cara teach them how to fight and have them erect barricades. Their ultimate plan is to lure the AT-ST into a giant pit and trap it there. Thus begins an old western stand-off.

I think that the fights in the show have been great so far. However, this was the first one I had a problem with: it was too dark to see. I started getting flashbacks to “The Long Night” from Game of Thrones, and I didn’t like that. I understand that having a stand-off at night helps with drama, but there needs to be a balance to it. Other than that, though, the fight was superb.

Sadly, Sorgan won’t be the place where Baby Yoda can live in peace. The morning after the battle, a bounty hunter almost kills the child before Cara takes him out. As a result, Mando and Baby Yoda have to move on. It’s a standard trope in old west films: the lone gunslinger moves on with the fight over. It’s sad, but it has to be done.

Nice Standalone Adventure

This may be my favorite episode of the show yet. We finally learned why the Mandalorian never takes off his helmet, he gets a chance at happiness, and Baby Yoda remains cute as ever. In other words, it’s everything the fans wanted. While the fight could have been more visible, I left satisfied with what I saw. I can’t wait for next week’s episode!

I Give “Chapter 4: Sanctuary” a 4.5/5. Best episode yet.

Click here to see more of my Star Wars Stuff.

Click here to learn all there is about Star Wars with Wookiepedia, the Star Wars Wiki.

Also, here’s a CGI Loth-Cat!

One Piece, Chapter 964 Review/Recap

After weeks of seeing Oden romp around the confines of Wano, I started getting bored with One Piece’s latest flashback. All that changed, though, when the Whitebeard Pirates washed up on Kuri Beach. Not only did Oden clash blades with Whitebeard, but he had the guts to flat out ask him to let him join his crew. Oden Kozuki’s grand adventure is about to begin!

Recap

Despite showing he can handle himself in a fight, Whitebeard refuses to let Oden join his crew. He still remembers how unruly the Rock Pirates, and never wants that to happen again. However, Oden refuses to take no for an answer. So when the Whitebeard Pirates try to sneak out at night a few weeks later, he grabs onto the Moby Dick and refuses to let go, even when Izo tries to drag him back. So Whitebeard makes a promise to Oden, if he can hold on for three days, then he’ll let him join.

Sure enough, Oden manages to hold on, despite being at the ocean’s mercy. However, when he only has a few minutes left, Oden lets go, hearing a woman asking for help. That woman is Toki Amatsuki, whose dream is to travel to Wano, to Oden’s disgust. In the end, Whitebeard decides to let Oden join him anyway on their grand adventure. In addition, Izo and Toki join, along with Inu and Neko, who snuck on board to stop Oden.

Thus, Oden Kozuki’s grand adventure begins, and he spends the entire time with the Whitebeard Pirates acting like a kid in a candy store. As the crew’s fame grows, Oden begins to attract attention from others, including a man by the name of Gold Roger.

With this new design, Roger now looks like Ace but with a mustache

Review

Now this is more like it! After being focused on a single country such as Wano for so long, I almost forgot how amazing the world of One Piece truly is. Oden seems to share that sentiment, going on in his journal about how amazing the world is. I’m sure Oden and Luffy would have loved each other.

This is also the first time that we see Oden’s future wife, the time-traveler Toki. She’s the spitting image of Hiyori, both in looks and personality. Why she wants to travel to Wano, though, is beyond me.

Overall, I found this chapter to be hilarious, and helped to pull focus back on why Oden wants to open Wano to the world. Orochi would have them believe the world’s dangerous, and it is. However, it’s also filled with so many wonderful things and people. With Oden’s grand adventure underway, I can’t wait for the next chapter where he meets Gold Roger.

I Give “Oden’s Adventure” a 4.5/5. Also, this face is now a mood.

Click here to see more animanga stuff.

Edens Zero, Chapter 72 Review/Recap

One of the trademarks of Hiro Mashima’s work is his tendency to reuse the things he likes. Whether its a character design, a name, or concept, if he likes it, he’ll reuse it. The reason I’m discussing this is because the latest chapter of Edens Zero brings a certain group from Fairy Tail: the Element 4.

Recap

Having lost the chance to capture the Edens Zero, Drakken Joe shifts his focus onto Shiki’s group. First, he reveals what Shiki’s team looks like to everyone in Belial Goer, and commands the people capture them alive. In addition, he tells everyone that the person who brings the team to him will have all their debt erased. As a result, Shiki’s team has to go on the run from everyone.

After catching a break, the group decides that the best thing to do is to confront Joe directly. Using an app Weisz designed to disguise themselves, the quartet plan to meet with Joe and take him out. However, before they can put their plan into action, they’re ambushed by one of the Element 4. Calling himself the Spirit of Water, Laguna, he uses his ether gear to turn Shiki into water. As everyone stands in shock, Laguna vows to make the group cry.

Review

I remember the Element 4 from their incarnation in Fairy Tail, and they were a tough group to beat. Unfortunately for them, they’re the kind of mooks who are eventually forgotten as the heroes face stronger foes. The sole exception to this is Juvia, who Laguna serves as a counterpart to. She joined Fairy Tail as a main supporting character, and was one of my favorite members of the cast.

However, I think this Laguna of Joe’s Element 4 may be even stronger than Juvia. She could turn herself into water, but I don’t remember being able to do the same to others. I took that as a sign that the new Element 4 will be stronger than the ones in Fairy Tail.

With Shiki out of commission, Pino, Weisz, and Homura are at a serious disadvantage; and I’m fine with that. I’ve kept saying that a lot of the fights in Edens Zero seem a little two one-sided. A good shonen manga has the heroes face progressively stronger enemies so that they themselves become stronger. It makes me hopeful that Joe and the Element 4 will make the Edens Zero crew stronger before this is out. In addition, I think Laguna’s introduction was pretty good.

I Give “The Element 4” a 3.75/5. Good Setup for the conflict.

Click here to see more animanga stuff.

Top 5 Favorite Thanksgiving Day Specials

I don’t understand why, but I’ve never been that big a fan of Thanksgiving. Maybe it’s because of the fact that I don’t like the food; it’s true. I don’t like stuffing, gravy, or mashed potatoes. However, I still appreciate what Thanksgiving means. It’s about being able to spend time with family and think about what we’re blessed to have. Still, I’ve spent 2019 doing something for several big holidays, and I won’t stop with Thanksgiving. So without further ado, here are my top 5 favorite Thanksgiving Day Specials!

#5- Talking Turkey, CatDog

Few people in Nearburg love Thanksgiving as much as CatDog, though they each love it for different reasons. Dog’s simply thankful for everything he has in life, while Cat only wants turkey. However, when the only turkey in Nearburg comes seeking refuge from the holiday, the two have to work together to help him escape to freedom.

I only saw this special a few times on TV, and I didn’t find it until years later with streaming. As far as what it brings to the table, I think this special’s pretty average. While it’s subtle, though, there is a message about the importance of family. It’s just hidden underneath the slapstick of Tom Kenny and Jim Cummings.

#4- Garfield’s Thanksgiving, Garfield

Given how much Garfield loves Thanksgiving, one would think Thanksgiving’s his favorite holiday. However, this holiday special sees Garfield put on a diet on the day before Thanksgiving. As a result, Garfield has to find a way to dodge his diet, or else make sure no one enjoys the holiday.

I was a big fan of Garfield growing up, and I especially enjoyed the old show, Garfield and Friends. So I naturally had to include the fat cat’s Thanksgiving day special on my list. The only reason it’s not higher on the list is due to my in credulousness at the fact that Garfield’s vet, Liz, put him on a diet right before a holiday involving eating. I get that she has to watch out for his health, but the woman had the worst possible timing! Good thing Garfield got out of the diet in the end.

#3- Helen Keller, The Musical!, South Park

In this Season Four episode of South Park, the kids are putting on their annual Thanksgiving Day play on Helen Keller. In an effort to one-up the kindergartners play, Cartman adapts the play into a Broadway musical, complete with a pet turkey jumping through a ring of fire. However, when lead Timmy chooses a disabled turkey named Gobbles, Cartman’s forced to take drastic measures to save the show. Oh, and Kenny dies.

South Park has had its fair share of Thanksgiving Day specials over the years, but I think that this one is my personal favorite. I honestly thought that the bond between Timmy and Gobbles the turkey was heartwarming to watch. Moreover, despite Cartman’s objections, I think using a disabled turkey was appropriate given it’s about Helen Keller. My favorite part, though, is the ending, where it’s revealed the kindergartners play was a lame, one minute act. Never trust Butters as a source of information.

#2- A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, Peanuts

Taking the number two spot on my list is a special that needs no introductions, because almost everyone in America knows the name Charlie Brown. Right when Charlie Brown and Sally are going to their Grandmother’s Thanksgiving day dinner, Peppermint Patty invites herself, Sally, and Franklin over. As a result, Charlie Brown has to cook an impromptu dinner, with the help of Snoopy and Woodstock.

Like almost every other Peanuts special, “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” is a holiday classic. It follows much of the same formula as many of the other Charlie Brown specials. Charlie Brown faces a problem, his wishy-washy nature exacerbates the problem, then he solves the problem. We’ve seen it a thousand times, yet it never gets old. It helps that we had the dynamic duo of Snoopy and Woodstock to provide their brand of silent comedy.

As good as “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” is, though, it’s not my favorite Thanksgiving special. That honor goes to another

#1- The Thanksgiving Episode, Regular Show

Taking the top spot is one of my all time favorite cartoons, Regular Show with their Thanksgiving Day special. After accidentally destroying all the food for their Thanksgiving dinner, Mordecai and Rigby scramble to make things right and get that precious turkey. While everyone else is trying to pick up their families or get more food, the duo enter a singing contest with the prize being a naturally born Turducken. However, they find themselves competing against the likes of billionaire Rich Buckner for the prize

There are a few reasons why this takes my top pick for my favorite Thanksgiving day episode. Firstly, I enjoyed the fact that Richard Buckner was a humorous parody of Donald Trump, complete with his hair. Secondly is the song that Mordecai and Rigby sing in the contest, “What are You Thankful For?” Not only is the song super catchy, but provides a genuinely heartfelt message about the meaning of the holiday: spending time with loved ones. For that reason, I name it my all-time favorite Thanksgiving Day Special.

What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving? Let me know in the comments below! And be sure to check back this Saturday, as I have news about my plans for December!

Click here to see my other animation stuff.

Click here to see my other animation stuff.

South Park, Season 23, Episode 8, “Turd Burglars” Review

I’m going to be keep this review as brief as possible out of sheer disgust for what I’ve witnessed in South Park last night. Not “disgust” as in anything moral, but “make me want to vomit” disgust. I can deal with a lot of the stuff that South Park does, but jokes about actual poop is where I draw the line. Even if I thought the reference to the Spice Melange from Dune as funny.

In this episode, Mrs. Broflovski suffers a nasty bacterial infection, and her gut needs a transplant of some healthy bacteria via fecal transplant. I looked it up, and its a real thing. Sheila’s health improves, and then every woman in town wants in on her shit. They even try to bribe Kyle with a copy of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. I’m not sure if that’s a subtle jab at EA by saying they’re still worth shit. However, even I admit Fallen Order’s good.

Meanwhile, Kyle goes through a germaphobe phase when he discovers all the bacteria and germs in his body. It doesn’t last long, though, and he embraces his own microbiome. As a result, he reaches a state that I assume is similar to someone high on the Spice Melange from the Dune franchise. His eyes turn blue, he has a heightened sense of awareness about micriobiomes, and he keeps saying one thing: the bookshelf.

Tom Brady’s Spice Melange

As the episode progresses, we get the titular “Turd Burglars”- Stan, Kenny, and Cartman. They start stealing shit for people who want to be healthier. This eventually leads to them wanting to get Tom Brady’s shit, which everyone calls “The Spice Melange”.

While the Dune reference seems a bit random at first, in hindsight it makes sense. In the Dune franchise, the Spice Melange is this super drug that sped humanity’s development into the stars. In addition, ingesting it leads to extended lifespans and heightened awareness. The joke that the show’s making is the fact that Spice Melange comes from a single source: the Sandworms of Arrakis. Their shit mixes with water to become the Spice Melange. A similar process ends up saving the town of South Park. However, replace Sandworm with Tom Brady, and Spice Melange with Tom Brady’s shit.

When the women of South Park try to do their own transplants with turkey basters, the resulting bacteria makes them all sick. Thanks to Kyle discovering Tom Brady’s collection of “spice”, though, the day’s saved. Just in time to make people sick for Thanksgiving.

This has to be my least favorite episode of the season. I can deal with a lot of the things South Park does, but this is where I draw the line. The only saving grace I could find were the jokes about Tom Brady and his Spice Melange. Now I need to go forget what I had to watch for Thanksgiving dinner.

I Give “Turd Burglars” a 2/5. I’m never watching this episode again.

Click here to see my other animation stuff.

Redeeming Qualities of the Star Wars Prequels

It’s no secret to Star Wars fans that the Prequel films are considered “controversial”. For the first generation of fans that grew up on the classic films, the Star Wars Prequels seemed like a letdown. Too much dialogue, not enough action, the characters could be bland at times, and of course, Jar Jar. I get that George Lucas created him to attract the younger audience, but did he have to act that dumb?

However, despite all the flak the prequels have gotten, the thing is that they’re actually good. Don’t get me wrong, if I wanted to watch self-centered grown-ups play politics, I’d watch Game of Thrones over the Galactic Senate. Once you eliminate all the flaws of the Star Wars Prequels, though, they’re good movies. Now before you execute Order 66 on me, I want to defend my position. So, here are my reasons why the Star Wars Prequels weren’t as bad as some people think.

They Had the Best Lightsaber Duels in the Films

While the lightsaber duels in the original film were undoubtedly great, I don’t think they hold a candle to what the Prequels gave us. Whereas the the lightsaber duels in the classic films were slower, the Prequels did the opposite. They were all about fast-paced acrobatics and incredible music. The level of choreography the actors put into the duels was so good, the fights looked like deadly dances.

Much of the Prequels lightsaber duels success stems from the improvements made to filming by the time The Phantom Menace came out. As a result, I think George Lucas and his team wanted to go all with the fights. Combined with the masterful score of John Williams, and you got some of the best sword fighting seen in a movie.

The one downside to all this was that it made the lightsaber duels in The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi look lame in comparison.

It Opened Up a New Era of Star Wars

In the sixteen years between Jedi and the release of The Phantom Menace, Star Wars had not remained quiet. The franchise had been kept going through different media, from books to comics to even video games. However, almost all of this material took place during or after the events of the films. Everything before that was largely unknown.

The Prequels films changed all that. Suddenly, Star Wars was able to travel back to a time when the Old Republic and the Jedi still existed. When Obi-Wan was in his prime, and when Anakin was still a Jedi Knight. As a result of the Prequels, many unanswered questions about the franchise were finally solved such as:

• How did Anakin become a Jedi
• Why did the Jedi Order Fall?
• What were the Clone Wars?
• Who was Luke and Leia’s mother?

The Star Wars Prequels were like a breath of fresh air for the franchise. Now writers and studios had a new era from which to work with. As a result, we got some of the best characters in the entire franchise, as well as some of the best cartoons.

It Gave Us Two of the Best Star Wars Cartoons

Speaking of cartoons, two of the best Star Wars cartoons of all time were a direct result of the existence of the Prequels. The first one, despite no longer considered canon because of Disney, remains a cult hit with fans. The Force remains strong with Star Wars: Clone Wars.

Created by Genndy Tartakovsky, already famous for Dexter’s Laboratory and Samurai Jack, this micro-series had all the hallmarks of Tartakovsky. From the art style to the extended use of scenes with no dialogue, Star Wars: Clone Wars was some of the man’s best work. The micro-series would earn three Emmy awards during its run, and would serve as a major part of the Star Wars canon. The series’ so popular that even after Disney moved it out of the canon, fans have pushed for its return in some form.

Then we Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the show that brought the franchise to new heights. Tartakovsky’s Clone Wars was amazing, but The Clone Wars helped improved on it; it made Anakin’s personality far more likable. In addition, it introduced characters like Ashoka Tano and Captain Rex, who are now fan-favorites in the franchise. I look forward to the day Ashoka gets her own movie. Plus, it managed to bring Darth Maul back from the dead, and made him scarier than he already was.

It Shows Us the Original Jedi Order

Until the Prequel films came out, everything the fans knew about the original Jedi Order came from second-hand sources after it fell. While Luke eventually rebuilt the Jedi in the Expanded Universe timeline, what we knew of the original Order came in fragments. The Emperor was very thorough with wiping out knowledge about them.

With the release of The Phantom Menace, fans finally got to see what the Jedi were like before they fell. While they did indeed try to be the paragons of peace and justice that Obi-Wan said they were, there’s more to it. Viewers saw firsthand the flaws and failures of the Jedi Order firsthand. For all the good they try to do, the Jedi also prove to be very arrogant, rigid, and unwilling to change with the times. I think that the notion of detaching themselves from all emotions, even positive ones like love, is bantha poodoo. In a way, Anakin was right: the Jedi could be just as bad as the Sith. If Rey rebuilds the Jedi Order, I hope she fixes all their mistakes.

The Music

Half of the reason why Star Wars is so great is because of the music behind it. John Williams is a legend of cinematic scores, and the Star Wars films are some of his finest work. One song, though, stands out above all the others: Duel of the Fates.

First played in the climatic duel between Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Darth Maul, Duel of the Fates is nothing short of John William’s masterpiece. From the epic orchestra to the choir chanting in Sanskrit, this song is as epic as it comes. It’s one of the best songs from Star Wars, and widely considered one of the best things of the Star Wars Prequels. When you hear that music play, you know things are about to get epic.

As further proof, when this TV ad for Rise of Skywalker mixed “Imperial March” with “Duel of the Fates”, I went crazy with excitement.

The Prequels Legacy

Maybe the Star Wars Prequels were never as good as the classic trilogy. To be fair, though, could anything live up to the nostalgia and epicness of the classic films? When you get down to it, though, the Prequels aren’t as bad as some people may remember. When they’re at their best, they can hold their own against the rest of the franchise.

Moreover, it’s the legacy of the Prequels that makes them a good part of the franchise. They opened up a new era for Star Wars and brought it back into the public eye. If it wasn’t for the Prequels, Star Wars wouldn’t be the media juggernaut it is today. Not to mention, we got some really good characters out of it.

Click here for some of my Star Wars stuff.

Rick and Morty Season 4, Episode 3 Review- One Crew Over The Crewcoo’s Morty

Have you ever seen something where you haven’t the foggiest idea what’s going on, yet you love it? After watching last night’s episode of Rick and Morty, it feels like I went through that. The episode, “One Crew Over The Crewcoo’s Morty” was one big rip on heist movies that included every possible cliche. I loved it!

Rick’s Big Rip

The episode starts off with a classic Rick and Morty adventure a-la Indiana Jones. However, it goes off the rails when Rick discovers that some thief stole whatever they were after. As a result, Rick drags Morty to Heist Con, an actual convention for thieves, so he tear the guy down. Truthfully, though, it feels like he only wanted to do one big rip on everyone there by saying he hates heist movies.

In this era where the term “nerd” can be a badge of pride, we essentially rule pop culture now. Thus, conventions are like geekdom pilgrimages where we congregate; perfect fodder for a cynical guy like Rick. Seeing him rip on fan culture, as mean as it can be, almost feels like an honor for me. We’ve gotten so big that Rick sees fit to tear into us. Also, I don’t really watch heist movies myself.

One Convoluted Cliche After Another

When you try to get down to the bare bones of the plot, you run into the inherent problem of the episode: it has no real plot. The whole thing’s a series of attempts by people trying to one up each other in terms of being clever. In Rick’s case, he creates a robot called the Heist-o-tron to one up that thief from before. Only the robot double-crosses him and starts heisting on a planetary scale. The Heist-o-Tron literally steals planets! Yet despite the deliberate cliches, I found the episode hilarious.

The reason the whole thing works is because, again, this is one big rip on heist movies; whether its genuine or playful, I don’t know. Yet Rick and Morty is the kind of show that thrives on convoluted, audacious moments such as this. Heck, the ending to “Rickshank Redemption” revealed that everything was part of Rick’s plan to get rid of the Galactic Government and Jerry.

Through the same kind of complex, over the top planning and outsmarting others, Rick manages to thoroughly confuse the Heist-o-Tron enough that it self-destructs. However, it could have also done so after failing to understand what was going on. Either way, Rick wins.

A Hilarious Spoof of Heist Films

After Rick’s big rip, my opinion on heist movie’s changed a bit. Yes, they can be cliche, and the way they try to focus on being clever can get stale. Yet that’s also the reason why they can be so much fun to watch when done right. Whether intentionally or not, Rick fulfills many of the tropes and cliches found in heist movies. I think the irony’s hilarious.

As a side-bonus, we got the return of fan-favorite character Mr. Poopy Butthole to the canon. After getting shot back in Season Two, we only saw him at the end of each season where he commented on the show. getting to see him reunite with Rick and Morty was a delight. On top of that, Elon Musk guest starring as “Elon Tusk” joke got a few chuckles out of me. The man’s actually played himself in several shows by now.

Big rip or not, I thought that “One Crew Over The Crewcoo’s Morty” was one of the series stronger episodes. It makes no sense whatsoever, but it doesn’t need to in order to be funny. Wubba-lubba-dub-dub!

I Give ” One Crew Over The Crewcoo’s Morty” a 4.5/5.

Stray observations

• Blink and you’ll miss the Arby’s product placement at the start of the episode
• “Big Pluto”. LOL, nice callback to Season One.

Click here to see my other animation stuff.

twitter.com/starwars/status/1198786787864281088

Centuries from now, I hope historians look back in Star Wars and recognize just how important it was to global culture. It’s one of those things that MUST be remembered. May the force be with us.

Star Wars, The Mandalorian, Episode 3 Review

If there’s one thing newcomers to Star Wars need to know about the Mandalorians, it’s that they’re a warrior people. They’re some of the few people who could fight a Jedi and win! As a result of their warrior nature, they’re very loyal to each other; it’s the Mando Way. In this episode, we see the Mando Way on full display as the Mandalorian makes a fateful decision.

The Mandalorian’s Past

So far, the show’s only revealed the titular character’s past in bits and pieces. However, I think I’ve seen enough to guess what happened to him. From the looks of things, his home was attacked by the Separatists during the Clone Wars. His parents hid him in a cellar to protect him, but the clankers got to them, and would have killed Mando as well.

Say what you will about the prequels, but the battle droids were some of my favorite things about them. They’re both scary and hilarious at the same time. Mostly, though, they’re hilarious, so seeing them again was a fun treat. I also took it as a sign that Disney’s taking its job of creating a more cohesive canon seriously.

As for the Mandalorian, we know he survived the droid’s attack. I’m going under the assumption that he either escaped or the Mandalorians found him. They’ve adopted orphans before to increase their ranks; it’s the Mando Way.

The Mando Way

Regarding the Mando Way, this episode reveals that this group of Mandalorian’s is a little different from what we saw in The Clone Wars and Rebels. In this episode, they speak of an event known as the Great Purge brought about by the Empire. Now they live in hiding, only going out one at a time. In other words, something big may have happened to Mandalore. One that led them to adopt this new “Mando Way” to survive

If you saw the events in Star Wars: Rebels, then you know that the Mandalorians fully rebelled against the Empire. They’re the best warriors in the galaxy, but they can’t fight off the Empire forever. Maybe the Empire tried to wipe the Mandalorians out for good between the events of Rebels and Return of the Jedi. I think that explains why the Mandalorian’s are in hiding years after the Empire collapsed.

Regardless, the big takeaway about the Mando Way is that they stick together no matter what. That ends up saving the Mandalorian at the climax of this episode.

A Heart Under That Armor

Even though the show portays him as a grim Clint Eastwood type of figure, I already found out that the protagonist has a heart. We saw him shoot the IG-11 droid to protect the Baby Yoda. It was for his payment, but that’s besides the point. In addition, he remained very patient with the child when it wanted to play with its surroundings. He grew to care for the baby like a son.

Ultimately, when push comes to shove, the Mandalorian goes full-on papa wolf for the baby. As a result, we got not one, but two amazing firefights in the climax of the story. Seeing the Mandalorian become a Star Wars fusion of John Wick and Clint Eastwood was as entertaining as shootouts get. The pacing was a bit slow at times, but the show writers made up for it by playing up the suspense.

Good intentions aside, the Mandalorian made himself the most wanted man in the sector. For emphasis, every tracker fob at the Bounty Hunter Guild lights up the minute Mando leaves with the Baby Yoda. However, the Mando way means the Mandalorians stick together.

Undoubtedly, the sight of the Mandalorian tribe coming to the rescue was the highlight of the episode for me. It emphasized two things: firstly, that the Mandalorian’s stick together. Secondly, much like a wolf hunts in packs, the Mandalorians do so as well. As a result, they’re nigh unstoppable.

Mando vs. the Imps

Whatever Imperial warlord wanted the Baby Yoda will now be after the Mandalorian. Which means the next few episodes are going to be a lot of fighting and running from the bad guys. In other words, we just got a Jason Bourne story alongside John Wick and Clint Eastwood.

I don’t know what will happen next episode, but after seeing what the show’s had to offer, I know it will be good. The Skywalker Saga may be coming to an end (for now), but The Mandalorian feels like a bright light for the future of the franchise. As a bonus, this episode introduced me to the woman who will be helming the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series, Deborah Chow. I think Kenobi’s in good hands.

I Give “Chapter 3: The Sin” A 4.5/5. As Perfect as We can Get

Click here to see more of my Star Wars Stuff.

Click here to learn all there is about Star Wars with Wookiepedia, the Star Wars Wiki.