A More Civilized Age: A Star Wars Podcast

You can watch Austin play through this section of the game right here.

After T3-M4 and 3C-FD (who we're all sure will be very important throughout the game) managed to repair the Ebon Hawk, it and its unconscious crewmembers--the so called "last of the Jedi" and a mysterious robed woman named Kreia--have come to in the abandoned Peragus Mining Facility. Well. Mostly abandoned. There is the matter of the sneering (but surprisingly aware) scoundrel Atton... and the droids. So many droids. Hallways and hallways of droids. Now if only we could get a lift off this st...

As we announced last week, today we're diving headfirst into Knights of the Old Republic II, Obsidian's follow-up to the BioWare game that dug into the ancient history of our favorite galaxy far, far away. (Though before we dig into that, we talk more about that announcement from last week to try to share some of our thoughts and process about getting where we got.)

Because KOTOR II is a pretty big meal, we took our time today to set the table. We dig into our characters, the state of the galaxy after KOTOR II, the mods...

A More Civilized Age will not be covering Andor Season 2 as planned, due the the ongoing boycott of Disney Plus by the BDS Movement.

This is a surprise to us, as it is likely to you and some explanation is required. Last year, the BDS movement targeted Disney Plus for boycott on the grounds that it has cast Israeli actors in its films who have been cultural ambassadors for Israel and do not support the Palestinian cause for liberation or justice. Additionally, Marvel films have made use of characters who have a history in the comics of...

It took us a little bit longer than we planned, but we've done it: We finished Rebels. And hey, in the process we sort of learned that time is sort of a malleable thing anyway, right? So kick back and enjoy this finale--and this final episode before the Spring of Syril kicks off in earnest.

That's right: We're covering Andor Season 2 as it releases, with our new episodes releasing on MONDAY every week from now until the show finishes. We haven't seen any of it yet, but early buzz seems great, and we cannot WAIT to feast...

Since the middle of season 3, the crew of the Ghost--none more than Ezra Bridger--has been begging Rebel Alliance command to send a unit to liberate his home world of Lothal. Finally, with a little help from an old underworld friend (not that one) they're doing it. But instead of knocking down the Empire... they end up knocking on a mysterious door.

Next Time: The rest of Rebels! 73 & 74 (A Fools Hope and Family Reunion -- and Farewell)

Support the show by going to Patreon.com/civilized!

Show Notes

Balalyka's Letterboxed List of...

A clever mix of stakes material and spiritual? A return to Lothal, only to find it terribly transformed under the industrial violence of the Empire? A series of episodes where Ezra and Sabine really click as complementary characters? Oh, we are so back. And we won't even let the kind of forgettable (but basically enjoyable) fourth episode of this set bring us down.

Support the show by going to Patreon.com/civilized!

Next Time: Rebels 68 - 71 (Rebel Assault, Jedi Knight, DUME, and Wolves and a Door)

Show Notes

Hosted by...

The final season of Rebels starts with a bang: a pair of excellent two-parters, giving us some of the best action and most exciting character dialog we've had in the whole show. And hey: We finally get to learn what the hell the deal is with the damned Beskerator.

Support the show by going to Patreon.com/civilized!

Next Time: Rebels 64 - 67 (The Occupation, Flight of the Defender, Kindred, Crawler Commandeers)

Show Notes

Hosted by Rob Zacny (@RobZacny)

Featuring Alicia Acampora (@ali_west), A...

Rebels Season 3 comes to a close with a trio of episodes that demonstrates just how far the Star Wars Animation team has come as a group of visual storytellers. Twin Suns brings us to Tatooine as hostile and hopeless as its ever been seen for a final confrontation between two series standbys (and a totally fine Ezra arc about family and fate). Zero Hour gives us Thrawn at the height of victory and vulnerability. The stage is set for the final season... which we'll be bringing to you over the next two months in four episode chunks, so that...

After finally giving us some solid Sabine time, Rebels is now zooming back out to get a broader view of the ongoing conflict--and, of course, a one off comedy episode about a droid. And hey, good news, not only do these episodes manage to deliver some great character beats, not only do they bring us a dramatic look inside of our favorite slowly radicalizing senator, Mon Mothma, not only do they provide one of the most magical (and musical?) moments of Star Wars... they're also really good! 

Support the show by going to Patreon.com/civilized!

For three and a half seasons, Rebels has been teasing us Sabine backstory. Finally, this week, we get the details behind that backstory... at least most of them. And hey, they're pretty good! Sure would've been great if they'd gotten them to us sooner, so that we could've, you know, thought about how the events of the show intersected her history. Still, a much needed showcase for Sabine, and hopefully a good sign of things to come.

Oh. And Zeb has some droid hijinks. 

Support the show by going to Patreon.com/civilized!

N...

It has been nearly 5 months since we last visited the crew of the Ghost, but finally, we are back. Today, we return to Geonosis... which is.... uhhhhh.... mysteriously empty? Shouldn't there be like... millions of giant bugs here? Instead, it looks like there's only one... itty bitty Geonosian and maybe the most cartoonishly wicked version of Saw Gerrera that we've seen yet. Oh well. At least Sabine gets to do some cool jetpack tricks.

Support the show by going to Patreon.com/civilized!

Next Time: Rebels 51-53 (Warhead, Trials of the Dark Saber, & Legacy of...

Here we are with our final episode of the Thrawn trilogy! Secrets: revealed! Clones: showing up! Devious plans: thwarted!! 

Support the show by going to Patreon.com/civilized!

Next Time: We FINALLY return to Rebels!

And a heads up next for patreons--we'll be skipping Q&A this month for holidays! But next month we'll do a Q&A AND an episode on Skeleton Crew! Send your questions about Thrawn on over to amorecivilizedage at gmail dot com :) 

Featuring Alicia Acampora (@ali_west), Aust...

What awaits us for our one hundredth episode? Oh, the normal things: Smugglers being manipulated. Dark Jedi making power moves, and regular jedi offering therapy services. Clever tactical maneuvers using cloaked asteroids. Oh, and of course, a collection of trees that are not to be trusted.

Support the show by going to Patreon.com/civilized!

Next Time: We finish the Thrawn Trilogy

Featuring Alicia Acampora (@ali_west), Austin Walker (@austin_walker), and Natalie Watson (@nataliewatson)

Produced by Ricardo Contreras (@a_cado_appears)

This week, we crack the spine on the final book of Timothy Zahn's franchise-extending Thrawn trilogy, and wow, what a doozy it is. The Dark Force is no longer Rising, it's risen, and that means the pedal is down and the plot is going full speed. Talon Karrde is meeting with smugglers. Luke bounces all across the galaxy. Lando's walking city is in ruins. Han and Leia's kids are here, and they have visitors, invited and otherwise? And Mara Jade? Well, she's wide awake and getting ready to do the things she does best: Pout and kill people.

We return on this... historic... day... to wrap up the second entry in Timothy Zahn's franchise redefining Thrawn Trilogy. And when you hit the final third of a Star Wars story, you know what that means: Revelations! Compelling heart-to-heart confrontations! And, of course, a giant space battle to put a button on everything. 

Will Thrawn take another L, or have his ships finally come in?

NEXT TIME: The Last Command Ch. 1 - 10

Show Notes

It is all happening this week: Han reverts to a flustered school boy in the face of Corellian local legend. Luke gets a new teacher, and the vibes are more off than ever before. Leia connects with her dad's favorite slave race. And Mara Jade finds herself compelled to help a boy she just.... GRRR... she hates him!!!

Has Star Wars ever been this good? 

NEXT TIME: Dark Force Rising Ch. 22 - 29

Featuring Alicia Acampora (@ali_west), Austin Walker (@austin_walker), and Natalie Watson (@nataliewatson)

Produced by...

There's good news and then there's great news. Good news is stuff like "Within a few chapters, we meet an entirely new sort of weirdo in Dark Force Rising." Good news is "In these chapters we realize that Luke and Lando have impeccable chemistry." Good news is the phrase "Senator Palpatine's Advisor."

Great news? Well. Great news is: "Natalie Watson has returned to the podcast.

Next Time:  Dark Force Rising (Chapters 11 - 21)

Show Notes

Jason Alexander Passes the Mafia Test

Featuring Alicia A...

A flailing republic. A re-emerging imperial armada. A dark jedi, eager to corrupt the next generation of force users. All of it pales in comparison to the most pressing crisis of of the year 9 ABY: The most awkward and stressful dinner party of all time.

Step aside Luke and Mara. Take a pause, Han Solo. Leia, we'll come back to you and your Wookiee drama in a second. Admiral who? Coudln't care less. Because right now--and forever--it's Karrde time baby.

Next time: TBD, we'll announce on socials!

Show Notes

Our coverage continues on Timothy Zahn's Heir to the Empire, deeper into Thrawn's devious web of manipulation and galactic dominance. How do our trio of heroes fare, divided across the galaxy, facing down their own unique conflicts? Well, uhhh unfortunately kinda sauceless! And don't even get us started on the dinner plans!! Or, well, we do get started and talk about it at length--that's podcasting, baby!! And for those at home who hoped we'd listen to the audio books for more context: you're in luck! Did we fix our pronounciation of names as a result? Sure didn't!!

O...

PIVOT!

With Natalie on a short medical leave, the crew here at AMCA has made a decision. We've revisited your requests for what non-mainline content we could cover and decided to cover the second place candidate for what became our KOTOR series.

That's right: It's THRAWN TIME baby! (That's his catchphrase, right?) So join us as we kick off our run through the Timothy Zahn trilogy that ushered in the old EU. First up: A depressed Luke, a galactic government that fits in a high school classroom, an Alien with a cat-lizard boa, and a...

Have three episodes ever more represented the breadth of Rebels than this set? The Wynkahthu Job is a one-off, Ohnaka-driven heist story that retreads old ground, but stuns visually. An Inside Man gives us new angles on Imperial power and control, and gives Thrawn (and Lars Mikkelsen) scene-stealing material. And Visions and Voices returns to some Clone Wars material to mixed, but intriguing, results.    Hosted by Rob Zacny (@RobZacny)

Featuring Alicia Acampora (@ali_west), Austin Walker (@austin_walker), and Natalie Watson (@nataliewatson)

Produced by Ricardo Contreras (@a_cado_appears)

Music by Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal)

You know what was great? Those battle droids. The hijinks they got up to. The little gags they'd do. Their super serious boss... Sometimes I miss those guys.  

What's that? You'll make me a deal? I can visit them again? But in exchange, I'll have to sit through another episode about precocious children getting up to hijinks (bad version)? Well... You drive a hard bargain, Mr. Filoni, but it's a deal.

Support the show by going to Patreon.com/civilized!

NEXT TIME: "The Wynkahthu Job," "An Inside Man," and "Visions and Voices"

...

Rebels season 3 is in full swing. How can you tell? Well, first of all, Uncle Maul is back and he's leading Ezra (and his collection of holocrons) closer to the dark side. And Hera once again shows out, with a killer episode that brings us closer into contact with emerging season villain Admiral Thrawn. And... well... We've got another crack at a Sabine episode. Maybe this time we'll learn something about her, or how she relates to others, or what her past is, or... anything at all. Maybe? Please?

Support the show by going to Patreon.com...

Welcome to Star Wars: Rebels season 3! In this pair of episodes, we dig into how the ghost crew has changed after the dramatic end to last season. With Kanan absent to work through his own new reality, Ezra gets the change to lead a mission and goes through some familiar... growing pains... with a dark sided twist. But hey, Y-wings!! Freaky new force sensitive guy! It's all fun and games here!

And in case you were wondering if we were going to tackle The Acolyte while it's running, we've got an episode on the first half over...

Finally, we've made it: to Malachor, to the Rebels season 2 finale, to the face-to-face showdown between... well... That's the thing, isn't it. If this had only been a faceoff between Kanan, Ezra, Ahsoka and the Inquisitors who have been pursuing them all season, it would've been a pretty great season finale. But it's more than that, much, much more. 

NEXT TIME: Steps into Shadow Pt. 1 & 2

Support the show by going to Patreon.com/civilized!

Hosted by Rob Zacny (@RobZacny)

Featuring Alicia Acampora (@ali_west), Austin Walker (@austin_walker), and Natalie Watson (@nat...

As Rebels begins its lead up to the second season finale, it's got some important work to do. First, it has to give its two Jedi protagonists (and their not-quite-a-Jedi-anymore friend) some direction and confidence. Then it has to sell the idea that they have to confront the Inquisitors directly or risk inevitably leading them (and their Dark Lord of the Sith master) to the Rebel forces. Finally, it has to tease the idea that maybe a deep darkness exists in the world--and maybe Ezra is getting a little too close to it.

Also Chopper has to me...

As we inch towards the end Rebels Season 2, some things are becoming clearer and clearer. First, Ezra's whole animal empathy thing is going to keep happening. Second, we're definitely going to get some 'different rebel cells have different goals' stories as the series continues. And third... they are definitely, absolutely going to try to redeem Kallus. It's a bold strategy. Let's see how it plays out.

Support the show by going to Patreon.com/civilized!

Show Notes

Hosted by Rob Zacny (@RobZacny)

Featuring...

As we return from the midseason finale, we get a trio of episodes that represent the three major emerging categories of Star Wars Rebels stories so far. One is a story driven by a cameo from the larger Star Wars universe. Another is a big swing at some brand new worldbuilding and an exploration into tone and style that is totally brand new for the show. And the third is, unfortunately (and of course), a lackluster Sabine episode that doesn't even have the decency to give her credit for her own good ideas. Ah well, maybe next time!   

...

Folks, we did it. After a middling pair of episodes last time and with what looked like a connected pair of stories coming up, we decided to call an audible and increase our episode count to three!

So, today, join us on a journey across the galaxy: First into an experimental imperial weapon with its origin in the EU glory days of old, then on a planetary hunt for force-sensitive babies, and finally a return to Lothal where a troubled Ezra Bridger finally gets some answers about his family. 

Support the show by going to P...

After Season 2's strong start, the crew of the Ghost is finally settling into a lower key rhythm, which has both ups and its down. On the plus side this week, we get a loving look at the B-Wing (an all time great Star Wars ship design) and some more Sabine and Hera backstory! On the other... well, that backstory ain't all that great, and we're really feeling to limits of these one-off episodes. 

Support the show by going to Patreon.com/civilized!

Next time: Rebels 24 & 25 ("Stealth Strike" and "The Future of the Force")

This is a week for introductions and reunions. First, Rebels offers us our first real look at the Inquisitors left behind by the now fallen Grand Inquisitor. Then, as Ezra begins to doubt his place in the burgeoning rebellion, he stumbles into an old acquaintance of ours. Yes... he's back. Yes. Him. Hondo Ohnaka. And wouldn't you know it? He just happens to be looking for a new crew member, 

Support the show by going to Patreon.com/civilized!

Next time: Rebels 22 & 23 ("Wings of the Master" and "Blood Sisters")

Hosted by Rob Zacny (@Ro...

We were pretty high on our return to Rebels last episode, and for good reason. This time the mood continues to improve with the return of some familiar faces. Come on in, grab a cold one, and kick your feet up... because the boys... ARE BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Support the show by going to Patreon.com/civilized!

Next time: Rebels 20 & 21 ("Always Two There Are" and "Brothers of the Broken Horn")

Show Notes

Hosted by Rob Zacny (@RobZacny)

Featuring Alicia Acampora (@ali...

After months spent bouncing around the galaxy of the Old Republic, we are finally back to the wonders of the... lemme just check my notes... the era of the Empire! That's right, folks, the Emperor, Governor Tarkin, and Darth Vader are at it again, expanding their control over the galaxy and squeezing out any attempt at resistance. And you know what? It's good to be back.

Support the show by going to Patreon.com/civilized!

Next time: Rebels 18 & 19 ("The Lost Commanders" and "Relics of the Old Republic")

Show Notes

In only ten episodes, we've traveled from the comfortable military quarters of the Ender Spire to the viewing platform of an ancient alien species' life-devouring shipyard. Finally, it's time to face our destinies: Some of us must overcome the sudden separation from our companions and the limits of our support-focused character builds. Others must commit to doing absolutely cartoonishly evil things to our erstwhile allies.  But all of us have to dig deep... deep into our inventories, and finally use all those mines and grenades that we've been hoovering up over the last 30 hours.

Thanks for joining us d...

After last episode's grand "reveal," we're left with only a few goals remaining: one star map, a handful of side quests, and the grand finale. And hey, next up is Korriban, home of the Sith Academy and many of the events we've recently covered in our comic episodes over on our Patreon! Join us as we finally meet a character willing to explain what the Sith believe, delve into a bunch of tombs, meet Carth's son, and try to lord our newly (re)discovered status as [static sound] over the pitiful Sith undergrads.

Next time: All remaining sid...

FINALLY! After months of careful (if fundamentally futile) spoiler avoidance, we can can finally talk about the Big Twist of KOTOR. What's that? It seems as if our duo of new players had already basically figured it out? Well, hold your tongue, because there's knowing "the twist" and then there's really understanding how (and who) exactly did the twisting. 

Next time: Korriban and any pre-finale side content

Support the show by going to Patreon.com/civilized!

Show Notes

Strategy Wiki's KOTOR Guide

RPG Classic's KOTOR Shrine

Ah, the blue waves of Manaan, home to the galaxy's only supply of a miracle drug, the most litigious culture in the stars, and a delicately simmering cold war. Time to go knock the whole thing off balance.

Next time: THE LEVIATHAN (and any non-Korriban side stuff you wanna catch up on!)

Support the show by going to Patreon.com/civilized!

Hosted by Rob Zacny (@RobZacny)

Featuring Alicia Acampora (@ali_west), Austin Walker (@austin_walker), and Natalie Watson (@nataliewatson)

Produced by Ricardo Contreras (@a_cado_appears)

Music...

From week to week, from planet after planet, one thing has remained true about our journey through the Old Republic: Zaalbar has kept his lips sealed. Sure, he'll make you a grenade. But ask him about what he knows about a place or how he's feeling or, god forbid, what his home is like? Complete. Brick. Wall.

Well that ends today, because we've landed on a little world called Kashyyyk. Time to find out if the saying is true: A Wookie can never really go home again.

Next time: We head to the sea planet o...

We're back with more KOTOR! And wouldn't you know it, we're also back once again to Tatooine, the planet Star Wars just can't stay away from. What's up with this desert world some 4,000 years before Luke ever farmed a single drop of moisture? Well, would you believe a Hutt is running swoop bike races? Or that there are tensions between the indigenous population of the planet and human colonizers? What if I told you that a giant desert creature was a major threat? Grimy cantina with weirdos in it? All of this sound familiar? Well it better, because we...

The unlikely crew of the Ebon Hawk has ESCAPED Taris and set their sights for Dantooine, where TRUTHS and MYSTERIES await. We've got Jedi temples! We got mysterious ruins! We got beasts upset by a disturbance in the force! We got decades long feuds! We got droids! ....eugh, we certainly have droids, don't we.... 

Last time, we said we'd only do half of Dantooine but right here, we're covering the whole thing, baby!

Next time: ALL of Tatooine! Let's hit these sands!!

Hosted by Rob Zacny (@RobZacny)

Featuring Alicia Acampora (@ali_w...