A More Civilized Age: A Star Wars Podcast

This is A More Civilized Age:

Three hours of podcast when another team would make an hour and a half. Distractions. Diatribes. Deep dives into the databanks to learn, live on air, factoids about characters who hardly matter. But that's what makes A More Civilized Age A More Civilized Age: All of it might matter. Five years running and it's still asking questions a first year podcast might. 

And today it is going to learn what it already knew: That Anakin Skywalker is driven by love and fear in equal, but precarious measure. That Obi-Wan Ke...

When I went to post this episode, I went through all the motions necessary to post it as a Patreon bonus before remembering: "Oh no, wait, did we actually watch this chaotic mess for the main feed?"  That's how bonkers this 1978 variety show is. So get ready to have your mind evaporated by this neutron bomb of content as we head to the Wookiee Planet on this very special Life Day. 

Next Time: Matthew Stover's Revenge of the Sith Novelization, Part One: Victory (Chapters 1 - 7)

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

...

With the Ravager in pieces, Telos seemingly saved, and an army of HK-51s unleashed, the Exile and the (remaining) crew of the Ebon Hawk heads to the place where it all began: Malachor V. There, at the end of a multi-level dungeon and a couple of boss fights, the two remaining Sith Lords stand in wait. And in classic KOTOR II fashion, what they have to offer is tantalizing, memorable, and famously unfinished.

And that's that for KOTOR II. Thank you for coming on this amazing journey. We can't wait to kick off a new series...

After a climactic confrontation on Dantooine, the Exile and the (remaining) crew of the Ebon Hawk return to Telos, chasing after the Handmaiden and Kreia. There, the Handmaiden faces down her sisters, the Exile comes face to face with Atris (if that is still her name), and HK-47 fights his way through a factory of hostility-ending droids. Then, above Telos, war breaks out. Darth Nihlus arrives at the helm of his corpse-of-a-ship, the Ravager, hoping to find a buffet of Jedi to devour. Instead he finds only his old disciple, a pissed off Mandalorian warlord, and a once-exiled Jedi.<...

With three of the missing Jedi Masters found, the Exile, Kreia, and the rest of the Ebon Hawk's ad hoc (ad hawk?) crew finally head towards the ancient Sith world of Korriban. There they find... well, mostly the same planet that Revan and co. left behind a few years ago, albeit a little more decrepit than usual. Then, its back to Dantooine to confront the reconvened Jedi Council and finally get some long promised answers.

Show Notes

Hosted by Rob Zacny (robzacny.bsky.social)

Featuring Alicia Acampora (ali-online.bsky.social), Austin...

The Exile and the crew of the Ebon Hawk return to Dxun at the behest of Jedi Master Kevar, loyal guardian of Onderon's queen. Onderon itself is at war, and like everything else in KOTOR 2, this crisis could spiral out of control and destabilize the wider galaxy if things go bad. And that's why the Exile and co will need to split into two teams, finally kill a bunch of Sith randos, and spend like an hour doing basic algebra and deeply confusing logic puzzles.

Show Notes

<...

With two new party members in tow (and some dark secrets about our old crew newly learned), the Exile heads back to the first of two locales originally visited by Revan and co. during KOTOR 1: Dantooine. The old Jedi Enclave lays in ruins from a Sith attack towards the end of the last war, and the newly emerging government finds itself needing to serve three factions: fearful farmers, bored mercenaries, and sneaky salvagers. And none of them are big fans of Jedi. 

Also, we meet one of the biggest herbs in the galaxy.

Next Time: R...

We bring Nar Shaddaa to a close as our Exiles fight their way through a secret criminal HQ before being whisked away to the cloaked ship of the mysterious Exchange leader, Goto. Then, after some real table top dungeon crawl hijinks, we come face to face with the first of our missing Jedi...

Next Time: Dantooine, Pt. 1 (We haven't figured out a stopping point yet! We'll announce on Bluesky later this week!)

Show Notes

Hosted by Rob Zacny (robzacny.bsky.social)

Featuring Alicia Acampora (ali-online.bsky.social), Austin Walker...

With their work on Onderon stalled out, the Exile and the Ebon Hawk head to the smuggler's moon, Nar Shadaa in search of Jedi Master Zez-Kai Ell. Instead, they find the densest planet in the game, overflowing with side quests, NPCs that seems to exist just for flavor, and some of the most aggressive dark side options yet.

Next time: Finish up Nar Shaddaa!

Show Notes

Hosted by Rob Zacny (robzacny.bsky.social)

Featuring Alicia Acampora (ali-online.bsky.social...

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

With a ride secured from Mandalore, the Exile and the crew of the Ebon Hawk arrive to a world on the brink of civil war between an ineffectual and inexperienced queen and an authoritarian general, both of whom are vaguely populist. Anyway, that's not what's important. What's important is running between the same two maps four times so that we can solve a murder mystery.

Ah, with every new session, this game becomes more and more KOTOR.

Next Time: Nar...

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

In search of the missing Jedi Masters, the Exile and the crew of the Ebon Hawk head towards Onderon. I say "towards" Onderon because before they land, they're driven to the nearby beast moon of Dxun. And that's not the worst of it: Before they can enter the jungles and reconnect with one a series' favorite... they first have to spend a full two hours basically just talking to various crew members, new and old. Whoops.

Next Time: Finish up Onderon!

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

The Exile and their companions delve into the abandoned military bunker on the surface of Telos in search of a shuttle that can, potentially, bring them to whoever has stolen the Ebon Hawk. And oh, what a "whoever" that turns out to be...

Show Notes

Invisible Headgear Mod

Hosted by Rob Zacny (@RobZacny)

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

Produced by Chia Contreras (@a_cado_appears)

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

This week, our various Jedi exiles are forced to pick a side in ongoing dispute on Citadel Station. Should we back the new age-y Ithorians who have a little knowledge, a lot of heart, and no resourcing? Or well-funded, profit-minded (put poorly budgeted) Czerka? Hard choice, I know. But what if I told you that one of these pathways introduces one of the greatest droids of all time...

Next Time: The Underground Base, the Polar Plateau, and the Secret Acadmey

...

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

With Peragus behind us, the Exile takes some time to chat with Kreia, Atton, and T3-M4 before heading to the nearest safe port: Citadel Station, a city orbiting the ruined planet of Telos. There, the group run into some cops, deal with an assassin, and finally focus on the three most important things in KOTOR: 1. Talking. 2. Shopping. 3. Minigames. 

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

Show Notes

Kreia & Atton F...

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

Duration: 02:07:00

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...

Oh Taris, how we've missed you! Your glittering towers, so cleanly representing the world's heavily stratified racialized class divide. The smell of swoop fuel in the air, the distinctive odor of underworld betrayal. The wildlife! You know, Rakghouls and death droids and the slimiest crime lords this side of Nar Shadaa. Ah, Taris, it's good to be back!

Oh. I've just been handed a note about the fate of Taris.

Hosted by Rob Zacny (@RobZacny)<...

Welp. We did it. We went to space. Thanks to your support, a favor from a friend in Disney's gaming department, and our realization that our rainy day fund had finally found a storm worth being spent on, we flew down to Orlando and took in the sights, sounds, tastes, smells and stories of the Galactic Starcruiser. 

This episode, recorded about a week after our visit to the Halcyon, is just one of two episodes we're releasing on our experience. The other will be a combined episode, exclusive for Patrons, that we recorded on Natalie's phone on ni...

Join us as we continue our journey down into the depths of Taris, a city so bad that it hasn't really gotten that much worse under Sith occupation! Sure, there's a rampant plague of not-zombies spreading through the dark fantasy undercity. And a traitorous swoop racing gang has started killing people in the streets. And, well, I guess there's the matter of the Rancor. 

But somehow, most of that would've happened even without Sith influence. As the wisest Jedi master of our times, bowing his head solemnly, said: "mmm, actually zero difference between good & bad things, there a...

An even longer time ago, in a galaxy approximately the same level of far, far away, there was Knights of the Old Republic, a Computer Role-Playing Game based on D&D's D20 system. Natalie and Rob never heard the story of Darth Malak, probably because it is not a story the Jedi would tell you. But Bioware, back in 2003, told everyone this story and along the way invented the kind of RPG the game studio would be known and renowned for across the next two decades. It is unintentionally sad but unsurprising that on the week we start our...

Hey everyone! As promised, we took some time to discuss and consider what we'll be doing for the next chunk of AMCA during the ongoing SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes. And we've reached a determination.

As highly, overwhelmingly requested, we will be playing Knights of the Old Republic. Ali and I get into it a little on this short announcement episode, but we're both very excited for Rob and Natalie to play through this game that was so foundational for us as young Star Wars fans.

Ali and I have basically plotted out the season, but w...

In case you haven't heard via our Patreon or various social feeds: AMCA is about to PIVOT. SAG-AFTRA recently released new guidelines for podcasters. Though Rebels is not a guild production, it is hosted on Disney+ and tied closely to the ongoing promotion of Ahsoka.

As such, we've been figuring out how to best continue the podcast without crossing the picket lines or promoting struck material, which we feel covering Rebels does.

To help us unpack some of the background of these strikes, we invited Adam Conover to come through this week. We dig into...

Finally, we've hit our first big Rebels milestone: the finale of season 1. With Gall Trayvis revealed to be an Imperial operative, the crew of the Ghost takes his supposed mission (getting the word out about how people should fight back) into their own hands. The result: A series of episodes that cements the first season of Rebels as better than we could've anticipated. We get answers to lingering questions. We get a well earned farewell to few characters and a (re-)introduction to a trio of new ones. And we get some of the coolest showdowns we've seen yet.       

The first season of Rebels has come around the turn of the midseason and is headed directly towards a dramatic conclusion. But before it gets there, we have some business to take care of. First of all, Ezra's gonna need to get a lightsaber. Second, we gotta get to the bottom of this "senator-in-exile" business. And of course, it wouldn't be a Filoni-helmed Star Wars product without a few special guest cameos. And hey, somehow, we're not even that mad about them.

Next Time: Rebels 13 - 15 ("Call to Action," "Rebel Resolve," and "Fire Across the Galaxy")

For the last few months, we've been getting to know the crew of the Ghost. But how much have we learned about them really? Sure, we know that Zeb's people suffered occupation and (apparently) genocide, or that Hera is able to make hard decisions for the greater good. But give it some thought: What do we really know about these folks? What's Sabine situation, besides paint and high explosives? How much training did Kanan really get? How did Ezra come to be everyone's favorite force sensitive street rat?

Well, it's time to start getting answers, beginning with tha...

With this pair of episodes, it seems accurate to say we've truly entered Rebels proper. Not because some production technique has finally hit its stride, or because we've reached some grand revelation, or seen a major swing in character development. Instead, it's because these are just two totally familiar, stock procedural episode formats: "Kid goes undercover" and "two people argue and bond in the wilderness." And good news: They're pretty good episodes! Not quite season finale level material or anything, but solid, fun, and well executed. And hey: space waffles!

Next Time: Rebels 08 & 09 (Empire Day and Gathering...

Dedicated television watchers know that you can only learn so much from a show's pilot episode. Performances might not be dialed all the way in yet. The show's style of composition, blocking, editing, and other cinematic elements is still under construction. Hell, even the tone and attitude might be up in the air.

But by episode 5, all that wet cement has started to set into a more final shape. And it is exactly here, at episode 5 of Rebels, that we learn just how hard this show is going to go...

Show Notes

We did it! We made it through the Clone Wars Legacy materials, past Solo (for some reason), and into the heart of the show that is going to take over our lives for the next year plus—or at least until Andor season 2 starts. Today we kick off Star Wars: Rebels, meeting the crew in a series of four, hijinks-laden shorts and then moving on to the two part intro that sets Ezra Bridger on a journey to... well, that's the thing, we have no idea where his journey will take him! Isn't that exciting? 

Please let fol...

Here we are. Our final diversion before we finally arrive at Rebels. And what a diversion it is. A couple of really good heists. A couple of great performances. Solid props and sets. An incredibly paced, 60 minute film. I'm sorry. Huh? You're telling me... you're saying that's not even half the movie? It what? It botches a droid liberation arc? They do what with the droid freedom fighter's still living mind? Who shows up???? Oh, right. That one we knew already.

Next Time: Star Wars Rebels Shorts ("The Machine in the Ghost, "Art Attack," "Entanglement," "Property of Ezra...

60 episodes. Minus like, a dozen Andor eps. Plus a bunch of Patreon bonus Q&As. That's how long it's taken us to get through the original run of Clone Wars, plus the Legacy materials released soon after the end of its 6th season—culminating with today's episode on the Asajj Ventress/Quinlan Vos romantic adventure Dark Disciple. It's truly all come down to this...

Which means, of course, that we spend nearly the entire first hour of this episode talking instead about Star Wars Celebration 2023, or at least the bits of it that had happened by the time...

Before we complete our journey out of the Clone Wars and into Rebels, we have a few final stops to make. First, we find out what ever happened to Darth Maul after the events of the Shadow Collective Arc. Then we get an absolute banger in the unfinished story reel version of The Crystal Crisis of Utapau, an arc too good to have been left in this state indefinitely. 

Just one more stop to go before we get to Rebels. Right? That's right, right? There's definitely no big, stupid curveball on its way to derail us from o...

Come to the end of Clone Wars' original run, we have.  

No. No I won't do it. You can't make me write in Yoda. Yoda doesn't even write in Yoda, I bet. 

Lie, Yoda does n-

No. No I'm not going to have a big, Gollum-like argument with myself either. This arc already did that and it wasn't good then, so why would it be now? 

In any case. This is it: The end of Season 6. For millions of fans, it served as a finale for The Clone Wars for six year...

After a brief hiatus due to health, travel, and a half dozen other delays, we are back to the Clone Wars. And what a return it is. We begin on the world of Bardotta, where a culture of force sensitives (and Jedi haters) are led by a queen with the best taste in men we've seen so far in this series. Then, finally (well...), we (sort of) learn the (tentative) truth about a mystery we've long been driven to understand.

NEXT TIME: Episodes 119 - 121 ("Voices," "Destiny," and "Sacrifice) 

Show Notes

Deaths: Peteen, Silman, L...

After a brief hiatus due to health, travel, and a half dozen other delays, we are back to the Clone Wars. And what a return it is. We begin on the world of Bardotta, where a culture of force sensitives (and Jedi haters) are led by a queen with the best taste in men we've seen so far in this series. Then, finally (well...), we (sort of) learn the (tentative) truth about a mystery we've long been driven to understand.

NEXT TIME: Episodes 119 - 121 ("Voices," "Destiny," and "Sacrifice) 

Show Notes

Deaths: Peteen, Silman, L...

Today on AMCA, we're teeing up something special for those of you who love it when we go wild creating our own AUs and OCs! 

About six months ago, Ali and Austin of AMCA joined the rest of the cast of our sister podcast, Friends at the Table, to do a two day charity marathon raising money for the National Network of Abortion Funds. As part of that effort, we set a bunch of stretch goals, including the promise that we'd play a Star Wars TTRPG one shot over here on AMCA. 

Today we make go...

Have there been better arcs of Clone Wars? Absolutely. Have there been arcs that more cleverly dissect the hypocrisy of the Jedi or Anakin's fall to the dark side? Undoubtedly. Are there better duels, dogfights, and tests of will? Of course.

But has there ever been a Clone Wars arc as toxic as this one? Oh, no my friends, in that regard we have absolutely peaked.

NEXT TIME: Episodes 116 - 118 ("The Disappeared, Part I," "The Disappeared, Part II," "The Lost One")

Show Notes

Major Deaths (RIP to a real one): Teckla Mi...

Happy New Year! As everyone moves into the new year, we're moving both backwards and forwards at the same time. With the Autumn of Andor (mostly) behind us, we return to our ongoing Clone Wars rewatch. But we also move forward into a new season, picking up with Anakin Skywalker feeling a little more dour than usual as he leads a tired clone force in a circular battle against a foe he thought was long since vanquished.

The already troubled situation slips into crisis when... well, you should really watch these episodes and/or listen to us...

In our final episode of the year, we're joined by Kirk Hamilton of Strong Songs, Triple Click, and the Kotaku review of Destiny 2 fame. (No, really, it's one of my all time favorite reviews. Go read it!)

Over on Strong Songs, Kirk recently dove headfirst into Nicholas Britell's excellent Andor score. Today, he's joining us to talk through music's place in the show and in Star Wars in general. Join us as we unpack the differences between Britell, John Williams, and the other musicians who've worked in the franchise. And don't worry, we sneak in one more the...

As promised, the Autumn of Andor continues! Today, we've got the first of three guest-filled episodes coming to you this December. We are joined by Adam Serwer, author of The Cruelty Is the Point: The Past, Present, and Future of Trump's America, staff writer at The Atlantic, and life long Star Wars fan.

We share and contextualize our final feelings on Andor, explore the tensions and consonances between the Lucas, Filoni, and Gilroy visions of the franchise, and (if you are very patient) try to unravel whatever the hell was up with that Karn/Mosk hat swap.<...

Surprise! Thanks to a very kind mystery contact with their own very kind mystery contacts inside of Lucasfilm (and/or Disney Plus), we were given last minute screener access to the Andor finale. And you better believe we hustled to watch it, prep our notes, and deliver the longest episode of our Andor season and one of the longest episodes we've ever recorded.

Come for our emotional reactions to the return of voices we'd thought we'd heard the last of. Stay for our dive into 2000s-era anarchist philosophy. And then rate us five stars for all the ti...

As Cassian and Melshi put distance between themselves and Narkina 5, the rest of the galaxy spins just thus, aligning such that many of our principal players will wind up together on Ferrix. And those that won't, well, they're busy uh... talking about Trad Chandrillan customs, so, you know, equally as exciting. 

Like many of you, we have spent the last ten episodes on the edge of our seats, eager to know what comes next. But with today's episode, written by Tony Gilory and directed by Benjamin Caron, we are a step past eager. We are desperate. Join us i...

If you rewind the clock by two years, it was today, November 14th, that Ali, Rob, Natalie, and I got in the same group DM and made a decision: Let's do a Clone Wars podcast.

Today, our 50th episode releases, and let me tell you: On that day, we could not BEGIN to imagine how much we would be feasting.

Today's episode of Andor is a tight, focused 43 minute exploration of revolutionary sacrifice in its many forms. And while I could not call this nearly three hour long episode of our show anything close to "...

There are many things about Andor that, push come to shove, I think we could have predicted. Self-sufficient (if selfish) rogue slowly warms to a rebellion? Sure. Imperial bureaucracy tightens its snare around the revolutionary and the uninvolved alike? Definitely. Coruscanti political drama? Probably, hell, they had that in Clone Wars.

But there are scenes in this week's Andor that never in one hundred years would we have imagined to have shown up. Here? In Star Wars? No. Couldn't be. Disney wouldn't let it happen. 

And yet... here we are. 

NEXT TIME: Andor Ep...

If you made fun of us for going long on a previous Andor episode, well the joke is on you, because you should've waited for this week. In what can only be described as (minute-for-minute and pound-for-pound) our MOST five star runtime episode yet, we delve into all manner of bleak material. There's prison labor. There's a bitter-yet-functional marriage. There's a snare slowly tightening around a rebellion so nascent that even two of its most important leaders can't come to terms about working together. And there's a little terrible man who is, one bad day at a time, learning...

After a nail-biting heist, what could follow for Andor? Unsurprisingly, a talky episode all about the Empire's response to the fledgling rebellion, filled with juicy details about galactic policy decisions, intelligence agency maneuvering, and a bunch of difficult emotional conversations. And, of course... Space Miami.

NEXT TIME: Andor Episode 08

Show Notes

Hosted by Rob Zacny (@RobZacny)

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

Produced by Austin Walker

Music by Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal)

...

Wow, what a season. From the opening at the rainy PreMor leisure district to the climactic conclusion in highlands of Aldh-

What's that?  You're saying this is only the halfway point of the series? The halfway point of the first season of the series? 

No, that can't be right. You're saying that after this—perhaps the best pound-for-pound filmmaking we've covered on the podcast—we get... more? 

Wow. A better world really is possible.

NEXT TIME: Andor Episode 07

Show Notes

Heads up that next episode may come a day la...

We finished last episode with two desires: To sit in on an absolutely terrible dinner evening and to watch the beginning of a high intensity heist. We got neither, and instead have received a feast unlike any we could've hoped for.

From Coruscant to Aldhani, we trace four stories about families bickering. A mother dressing up insults in the language of care. A father leaning back and watching in glee as his daughter tears into her mother. Brothers-in-arms at each other's throats. It's drama time, baby. The action can wait.

NEXT TIME: Andor Episode 06

Three episodes can trick you. It's enough that you think: Okay, I have the gist of the show. I understand what's going on here. I get the moves the filmmakers like to make, I understand tone and theme. I get what the actors have at their disposal. But three episodes is nothing. Sometimes a showrunner handles the introductory arc themself, only to step back afterwards. Budgets dip. The relationship between actors, directors, and others on set can sour. Three episodes can trick you.

But Andor first three episodes didn't trick us.

Join us this week...

A More Civilized Age has never been a show with a plan so much as a set of interests. We've never even really known what is coming in the primary topic for our show, The Clone Wars, and that's allowed us to have some incredible experiences and, we hope, some fun surprises to share with you that compensates for the fact that we can't analyze this with a complete knowledge of the text.

That also meant that we never really had a plan for "what happens after we watch The Clone Wars?" That was a conversation for...

Do you remember when, in one of last arc's Filoni Zones, Dave said something like "...it's the best fight that we've ever done... until next episode's." Well, that might be true for in a broader sense for this arc, too. Somehow, after the low lows of the middle of this season, we've hit an absolute golden pair of arcs to close it out. This week's material isn't perfect—the mystery has an unfortunate Scooby Doo quality, for one—but it's damn close. 

And remember what Star Wars Dot Com said: [REDACTED] is 100% right.

NEXT TIME: Episode...

We've had some hard times here, haven't we gang? Aspirin defending bounty hunters. Bogan fruit. Juggling Jar-Jar. Lux Bonteri, heartthrob and super soldier. Younglings. Droids in voids. 

Well. You know what? For the string of episodes we're kicking off today, it was worth it. All of it. 

If you haven't watched the last few arcs, take our recommendation and go watch this one before listening. You owe it to yourself. Then come back and get ready for what might be the most high energy 3+ hours we've ever had on the show. So far, anyway...

...

Close your eyes and imagine this: A Clone Wars arc about the intricacies of droid personhood and cultural hierarchy, partially taking place in an existentialist void, and crossing paths with a story about an amnesiac Clone who's escaped the war just to find himself another harsh master. Oh, and the best explosion in the series to date. Now open your eyes and face the cold hard reality: This is one of the worst arcs we've seen yet.

Hope yet lives, though. Why? Because we've made it through 100 episodes of the show. Oh, and because in the time si...

For nearly two years now, we've had a number of questions about what it means to be a so-called Youngling in the Jedi Order. What's it like to be separated from your family and culture? How are they taught to live a life without attachment, yet one still devoted to service? How are classes structured? How's the food in the cafeteria? 

Well, finally we get an arc all about Younglings. Only we don't get many answers, because no matter how much the crew behind Clone Wars says that lightsabers aren't all that important, they nevertheless can't seem t...

After some time away, we're back to our old tricks. And hey, so are the Jedi, if by "up to their old tricks" we mean "refusing to help people in need because they prioritize an abstract code over lives." Watch as Anakin invents the Rebellion and the CIA in the same fell swoop. Cheer as a future revolutionary makes his (admittedly mixed) first appearance. Shrug as Ahsoka and Lux Bonteri continue to vaguely orbit one another. Clone Wars is back baby!

NEXT TIME: Episodes 94 - 97 ("The Gathering, "A Test of Strength," "Bound for Rescue," "A Necessary Bond")<...

A quick note: This ep contains very minor spoilers for Season 5 Episode 7.

As we said in the last few episodes, because of travel and other delays, we're not quite ready to jump into Season 5 headfirst yet. But tonight, we saw an opportunity to keep the feed moving, and we took that opportunity by the horns.

Noted Star Wars fan Keith J. Carberry (of Run Button and Friends at the Table) joins Austin to talk about his ongoing crusade on Wookiepedia. And hey, before we begin, close your eyes and answer a simple question: In the...

With today's episode, we bring The Clone Wars Season 4 to an end and kick Season 5 off with, if not a bang, then at least the death of a somewhat major Jedi. Our Favorite Zabrak, Savage Opress (ugh) is back! And this time, he's got a brother turned partner in crime turned abusive boss.

While these eps do have some low lows, they also have a few extremely high highs: A diner, a warehouse worker who steals our heart, an Obi-Wan/Ventress flirt-a-thon, and... finally... at least some of our hearts melting for a fan favorite character we...

As we head into the final arcs of Season 4, we finally reunite with long lost Sith(-leaning) assassin, Asajj Ventress. How's she been? Well, you know how things go. Lose your job and your social circle and you start looking for a new place. Make some new friends. Find a new mentor. Maybe reconnect with your hometown. Great ideas. Unless, of course, you're a walking target.

NEXT TIME: Episodes 87-89 ("Brothers," "Revenge," and "Survival")

You can support the show and gain access to a monthly Q&A cast by going to patreon.com/civilized

Everything is going swimmingly for Moralo Eval's dastardly plan. Along with certified killers Cad Bane and Rako Hardeen (shh), he's escaped Coruscant, evaded his Jedi pursuers, and arrived on Count Dooku's homeworld of Serenno. Now it's time for the real plan to begin: Everybody get into the box!

What? Did you not imagine that the remainder of this arc hinged on a callback to a 1997 indie horror premise? Well don't worry, it doesn't. It was all a fifth dimensional chess ploy anyway. All according to plan. 

NEXT TIME: Episodes 85 & 86 ("Massacre" & "Bounty")

You can s...

As The Clone Wars begins to lean into heftier, multi-episode arcs, we're hit with the first one we've been forced to break up due to scheduling and length issues. Which means that, yes, we will get to half of an arc about Obi-Wan going to undercover a la John Travolta in Face Off. But first we need to tackle the stand alone return of Pre Vizsla, Deathwatch, and... Lux Bonteri.

NEXT TIME: Episodes 83 & 84 ("The Box" and "Crisis on Naboo")

You can support the show and gain access to a monthly Q&A cast by going...

We've made it to the heart of Season 4. Well, in the specific figurative sense meaning "the middle," not the other figurative sense meaning "the thematic core, emblematic of the whole." At least we hope not, since this trio of eps walks right up to a bunch of very interesting ideas and whiffs on basically all of them. This is, seriously, an arc about slavery that barely lets Anakin address his feelings on the practice, and spares literally no time for broader conversation around Clones- or Droids-as-slaves, and finds the time to do Ahsoka (whose people are the ones enslaved...

Finally we have escaped the desert that was the beginning of Season 4, and we arrive at what is one of the best arcs of the show to date. The Republic sees the seceded world of Umbara as a strategic stepping stone to the Mid Rim, but for the clones assigned under the ruthless (and seemingly inept) Jedi General Pong Krell, it's a more like one big gravestone.  Join us as we gleefully talk about clone feelings, Jedi indifference, our headcanon bonus episodes, and, admittedly, the arc's small handful of missteps and missed opportunities.

NEXT TIME: Episodes 77 - 79 ("K...

You know. It happens, right? We've all had a few bad misses in a row, haven't we? And I know what you're thinking, "hey, are you talking about the quality of the show or the misadventures of C-3PO and R2-D2?" And obviously the answer is both. The good news is that we have a lot of fun talking through our issues with these episodes. And we think (or at least we hope) that the coming arc is going to turn things around.

NEXT TIME: Episodes 73 - 74 ("Darkness on Umbara" and "The General")

You...