Webcomic: Darths and Droids

[Orius]

They're up to Episode II now. Jim took over Padme after Qui-Gon died, and immediately started kicking ass with her. I thought that was a funny strip.


The group of players hasn't changed. I don't really see any new PCs coming in, unless Threepio becomes a PC. Since Sally's still playing with the group, maybe she might switch from Jar-Jar to Threepio.

Anyway, I think I see how this comic's going to generally unfold following the movie plots. Interestingly enough, instead of simply continuing the game, tho years have passed in the "real world" , so they're going back to the old campaign with the GM advancing the story ten years. Interesting twist. I think things are going to keep going until the end of Sith, at which point the GM's probably going to retool, given that that movie's pretty much a campaign ender. You've got a dead PC, a PC turning to the Dark Side, and going under GM control, and a third PC forced into hiding. Only Pete's twinktastic R2-D2 will survive.

I think this is what we'll see for the original trilogy:

Ben will be playing Luke. I think he's going to going to be the type of player who enjoys playing a Jedi, so Luke seems like the natural choice. Plus his new character gets mentored by his old one.

Annie will be playing Leia. Just seems like a good match, and I'm basing the guess on the process of elimination.

I thought Sally wouldn't be with the group after Menace, but she's still around. So either she'll play Threepio like I said above, or she'll be playing Chewbacca.

If she's not playing Chewbacca, then we'll see a new player show up to run him.

It's possible we might see different players for those PCs though.

Pete will continue to run R2-D2 until the end of Jedi. Personally, I'd never allow such a munchkin character to survive that long in one of my campaigns if i could help it, but whatever.

Possbily a new player might join during Empire, and he or she will be running Lando.

Which brings us to Jim's original trilogy character. Given how he ran Qui-Gon in Menace, I can't possibly see anyone else playing Han. And I hope he shoots Greedo first.

 

[Wolf72]

been reading this for a while now ... it's fantastic, Highly recommended for anyone who's thinking about it.

 

[delericho]

I think this is what we'll see for the original trilogy:

I kinda hope they stop after RotS. I find it hard not to slip into "Dm of the Rings" jokes when watching the LotR films now, and much the same is probably true of Darths and Droids. Obviously, I'm not bothered about them butchering the prequel trilogy (not least since they actually improve on it), but would rather they didn't do that to the original trilogy.

However...

Which brings us to Jim's original trilogy character. Given how he ran Qui-Gon in Menace, I can't possibly see anyone else playing Han. And I hope he shoots Greedo first.

I can see a lot of potential with that scene. In "The Gamers", there's that scene where the bandits surprise the PCs, and the elf archer keeps shooting their leader, while the DM is trying to complete his monologue.

I can definately see Jim doing much the same thing, and them having to redo Greedo's death a few times to get it right...

 

[Orius]

Obviously, I'm not bothered about them butchering the prequel trilogy (not least since they actually improve on it), but would rather they didn't do that to the original trilogy.

You know one of these days, I'm going to have to write up an internet essay defending the prequels. While they have their flaws, sometimes the criticism gets ridiculous. Or maybe I'm just viewing all six movies as a whole instead of focusing on two seperate groups of movies, or I'm not letting childhood nostalgia blind me.

I can see a lot of potential with that scene. In "The Gamers", there's that scene where the bandits surprise the PCs, and the elf archer keeps shooting their leader, while the DM is trying to complete his monologue.

I can definately see Jim doing much the same thing, and them having to redo Greedo's death a few times to get it right...

That sounds funny. In any case, I'm pretty sure Jim will be playing Han, and his interpretation of the character should be funny. My guess is that Han'll get frozen in carbonite because he'll irritate the DM so much.

 

[delericho]

You know one of these days, I'm going to have to write up an internet essay defending the prequels. While they have their flaws, sometimes the criticism gets ridiculous.

There's some truth in that. Personally, I have two big problems with the prequels:

1) There's some good stuff in there, but the whole could have been made much, much better.

2) In all six Star Wars films, there's a big action scene, then a lull in the action, and then a big action scene to end the film. In the first three films, the lull is filled by the escape from the Death Star, the escape from Hoth, and the infiltration of Endor, respectively. In the prequels, the lull is filled by the Pod Race, the painfully awkward Anakin/Amidala romance, and lots and lots of talking, respectively. "Revenge of the Sith" is actually particularly bad in this regard, despite having probably the best start and end of the prequels. (And, yes, I over-simplify here.)

I'm not convinced that's actually a good structure for the films anyway. In hindsight, even the original takes far too long to get going. However, the pacing (and perhaps the presence of Han Solo) in the original trilogy is such that the whole thing is carried along, where in the prequels this is much less true. (Incidentally, it is for this reason that I now feel "Phantom Menace" is actually the best of the prequels, despite Jar Jar being at his worst in this film. The others really sag in the middle, where this at least has the Pod Race to keep it going.)

 

[Orius]

There's some truth in that. Personally, I have two big problems with the prequels:

1) There's some good stuff in there, but the whole could have been made much, much better.

I kind of agree. The biggest weakness of the prequels is that Lucas wrote them. I don't think that's as bad as some people would make it. However, Lucas is good at coming up with the big ideas for his films, but when it comes to actual writing, particularly dialogue, he's not as good at that. Even so, the prequels do have memorable lines.

2) In all six Star Wars films, there's a big action scene, then a lull in the action, and then a big action scene to end the film. In the first three films, the lull is filled by the escape from the Death Star, the escape from Hoth, and the infiltration of Endor, respectively. In the prequels, the lull is filled by the Pod Race, the painfully awkward Anakin/Amidala romance, and lots and lots of talking, respectively. "Revenge of the Sith" is actually particularly bad in this regard, despite having probably the best start and end of the prequels. (And, yes, I over-simplify here.)

I'm not convinced that's actually a good structure for the films anyway. In hindsight, even the original takes far too long to get going. However, the pacing (and perhaps the presence of Han Solo) in the original trilogy is such that the whole thing is carried along, where in the prequels this is much less true. (Incidentally, it is for this reason that I now feel "Phantom Menace" is actually the best of the prequels, despite Jar Jar being at his worst in this film. The others really sag in the middle, where this at least has the Pod Race to keep it going.)

Yeah, it is pretty formula. Even then, formula can be entertaining when done a certain way. Menace actually isn't too bad because there is the pod race and then Darth Maul's attack in the middle. OTOH, Clones is definitely dragged down by the romance. A love story is definitely not Lucas' forte. However, Obi-Wan's part of the story makes up for it with continuing action. My biggest problem with Sith I think was that Anakin's fall happened a bit too sudden. The original movies have more happening in the middle, plus maybe the characters are just more interesting or at least interact better.

And I thinking about this earlier today; it's been nearly 10 years now since Menace was released. Maybe people are starting to get used to it with it being around so long. And Menace's problems get overstated anyway; the biggest problem is Jar-Jar, not only is he annoying, but he also sticks out like a sore thumb everywhere he goes. I think Lucas miscalculated with him; he was probably meant for comic relief, but instead everyone ended up hoping he'd get smoked by a blaster, or cut down by Anakin's lightsaber. But I still remember seeing it on opening day and how good it was too see a new film.

 

[delericho]

the biggest problem is Jar-Jar, not only is he annoying, but he also sticks out like a sore thumb everywhere he goes. I think Lucas miscalculated with him; he was probably meant for comic relief, but instead everyone ended up hoping he'd get smoked by a blaster, or cut down by Anakin's lightsaber.

Indeed. I think Darths & Droids have done a very good job with rehabilitating Jar Jar - he's not as annoying when he's run by a (very enthusiastic and imaginitive) child.

But Jar Jar is a classic example of where the prequels could have been better. Replace the actor and the silly voice mannerisms, and ditch the slapstick, and you have a pacifist character from a warrior culture who has been exiled for his beliefs. This character is then required by circumstance to betray his principles in leading a battle to save his world, and then ultimately is tricked into bringing about the end of peace and justice in the galaxy. That could have been brilliant and tragic, and really, really sad.

But I still remember seeing it on opening day and how good it was too see a new film.

I remember distinctly being in a packed cinema on opening day (the only available seat was dead centre on the front row). As the Lucasfilm banner appeared, followed by "A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away..." I felt a genuine moment of breathless anticipation. The only other film that has ever had the same effect on me was "Superman Returns", again over the course of the opening titles. Both films earned a lot of goodwill from me for that alone.

Unfortunately, both films were ultimately disappointing, because both could have been so much more. On the plus side, they did insulate me somewhat from the crushing disappointments that "Transformers" and "Indiana Jones and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" would otherwise have been.