More on the Clone Wars

You can't say I don't love you all.. Check out this link... Pretty dope and like ours, it's not an official joint. It's interesting. There is a section that contains essays on the actual Clones and the battles they faced.

Andrew Liptak, in his The Downfall of the Jedi and Public Opinion, discusses something that we have gone over between comments on this blog. The public opinion towards Jedi can clearly be seen in the books more so then the comic books. The comic books show certain people's attitude towards the Republic more so then that Jedi.

The Emperor would never have gotten away with the Jedi Purge if the sentiment towards the Jedi was positive. Of course there were quite a few influential people who felt that the Jedi were on the side of good and that Palpatine was taken too much control over the Senate but they did not have the Holonet to control the images. Thus, the media played a major role in their downfall.

There were some Jedi who were forced to neglect their moral ethics to obey the wishes of the Republic government. The Battle of Jabiim and The Battle for Thrusta (where Yoda was forced to bust a cap in an old homie of his) were prime examples of this. Due to what happened on these planets, entire systems gained a new hatred of the Jedi.

My partner in rhyme, Billie Wheelz, always made a dope analogy of the Jedi. he compared them to the purge of the Knights Templar, the warrior monks who made their appearance during the Crusades. The Catholic Church under Pope Clement V and the guidance of King Philip IV of France used public sentiment and false accusations to destroy the Knights Templar. The same thing happens.

Just something to think about

The Haruun Kal Crisis: Questions about the Clone Wars

We discussed the Haruun Kal Crisis before in a previous post. It was a mission that Mace Windu was sent to in the Shatterpoint Novel. It is actually Mace Windu's homeworld. He comes from a race of force sensitive colored folks. It's indigenous people are called Korunnai or uplanders. It translates to "above the clouds." They reside in the jungle thus their force sensitivity. They pretty much live in hostile rainforest and have to rely on the force to survive.

The city dwellers and offworlders are called Balawai or downfolk. There has been a series of conflicts between both groups. As the Balawai try to take up more and more land, uprooting the Korunnai. Right before the onset of the Clone Wars, the fighting has intensified. The Upland Liberation Front (ULF) was formed to fight off the Balawi. The Republic has pretty much ignored the conflict in Haruun Kal until the Separatist eyed it. Depa Billaba, a former padawan of Mace Windu and a member of the council was sent to help the ULF fight against the Separatists and the Balawai. She cuts off contact with Coruscant and is assumed that she has turned to the dark side. Windu is sent to recover her.

It's a good book, but this is no review. There are several things that need to be discussed. First, we learn that Mace Windu feels no solidarity whatsoever with his people. He is an uplander and one of the only few remaining members of the clan Windu. As a matter of fact, the only other surviving member runs the ULF. He refuses to take sides even though his people are suffering. I find this to be a flaw Jedi's are trained for. Several Jedi come from warrior races but feel no solidarity to them. Of course, a jedi is supposed to have no attachments. Yet this is unrealistic and unhuman.

The conflict reminds me of what is going in Africa. Arab muslims and their African agents are swooping and taking the resources, as are their European counterparts. I must mention the Africans who are doing it to their own people. The conflicts are devastating the people. There is a scene in Shatterpoint that reminds me of the stories I hear from people who have survived those conflicts. It's frightening and disheartening.

The Republic is a bureaucracy. They cannot handle every problem that comes their way. It becomes understandable to see several systems join the Separatists since they feel that the Republic has ignored their problems. The conflict on Haruun Kal is reminiscent of several conflicts in developing countries where the outcome does not help the people who need it the most. The republic may not have done much, but the Jedi could have. I don't mean go in there doing aggressive negotiations but trying to peace it all out.

What do you guys think....?

Heads up

Upcoming Noticias (news)

Dark Lord -- The Rise of Darth Vader is out. you can read an excerpt here.

There is an unofficial Clone Wars site that's better than the real one.. check here. Also Karen Traviss will be coming out with Triple Zero... Here is a timeline as well. So we haven't had enough of the Clones.

We will be updating some more. School work and watching the babies has got me bogged down...

Temuera Morrison (Jango Fett/Clone Troopers)

Before Episode II hit the screen, I was delighted to learn that Temuera Morrison was slated to play Jango Fett. You all know him as the fearless bounty hunter who led the Mandolarian warriors before their disbandment. He is also the father of Boba Fett. I first watched Morrison play Jake Heke (pronounced Ke-ke) in the Aotearoa (New Zealand) classic "Once were Warriors." His acting was superb. I have followed him since. Unfortunately, it was not until Ep III, that Morrison saw any success in the United States as an actor. He played in several b movie bombs such as "Barbed Wire" and "Speed 2."

He hails from the Maori tribe. A strong tribe that survived European oppression in Aotearoa. What's dope is that this tribe considers themselves Black. Morrison's heritage dates back several centuries and there are even legends about some of his ancestors in Maori mythology. He is a cultural advisor and performer. He maintains his tribe's heritage by performing kapa haka (dance and chants that retell ancient Maori myths) . He has been doing this since the age of ten. He is a member of the 40-strong cultural group Ngati Rangiwewehi.

I know there are plenty of fans who dislike the fact that Lucas has voiced over all the old Boba Fett voices with Morrison's. I say to them "always bet on black.."