Tag: anonymous

How do communication channels work in Star Wars? Is it like here, you have to be on the same frequency? How did Poe contact Hux? How do they block unwanted listeners?

I’m afraid there is some confusion surrounding this subject. Essentially, different comm channels allow one to talk to different people or groups of people. To hear the members of your squadron talking among themselves, for example, you have to have your comm unit set to the right frequency. In a military unit, these channels are encrypted so that the enemy cannot listen in, despite being close enough to pick up the signals; this stops anyone without the proper decryption equipment or information from understanding the communications. During a battle, you generally have communications officers on either side listening for any useful and understandable transmissions, so in order to get the enemy to hear something you want them to hear all you have to do is transmit on an open (unencrypted) frequency. It seems to be that someone can either talk on an open frequency and have people listen passively (like you’re shouting at a crowd with a loudspeaker), or have someone talking back on the other side (like you’re shouting at a crowd on a loudspeaker but another person is shouting back at you). (Continuing the metaphor, talking on an encrypted frequency would then be like you’re shouting at a crowd on a loudspeaker and everyone can hear you, but only your friends can actually understand what you’re saying.) So, if Poe had wanted to, he could have made his transmission and allowed the First Order communications officers to pick it up and relay it to Hux without actually talking to him directly. (But that’s no fun.)

Hope that helps!

~ Jacen

I’m having trouble figuring out who assigns new people to roles. Is there a person, an administrative-type that would do that? Do you have to take assessments like back in the Empire, or at this point is it a “we need you” sort of thing?

I’m assuming this is within the Resistance? It’s a pretty small group, especially as of TLJ, so I expect that Resistance High Command as well as other ranking officers would discuss among themselves who to send where. Since most Resistance members were pulled from other military organizations, and since there was such a shortage of personnel, there would not have been assessments to join and I find it unlikely that they would have the leeway to make people take them before a promotion either. It was very much a “we need you” sort of operation. New recruits were put where they could help most, according to their skill set and the positions that needed filling, and at least a few were personally chosen based on proven merit. 

~ Jacen

Have you got any tips for someone just starting out writing star wars as to what you as a reader would like to see? just a general list or structure?

Oh wow, that’s a bit of a big question. I’m really not picky when it comes to style or structure or content, and obviously I’m just one person, my opinion is just an opinion. And I’m sure you’ve heard all the general writing advice before, so that’s all good. In Star Wars specifically, I think it definitely does help to have at least some experience with the worldbuilding details of the series. It’s a very daunting universe to get into, but the little quirks of speech and terminology are always nice to see. I really don’t think you need to put any more effort into adhering to canon than you want to, though, which is maybe a bit ironic. It’s all about having fun. What I like to do, because I read the supplemental material, is I collect words and phrases I come across so I can use them later. If you’re at all interested in the extended universe, I’d say that’s a nice place to start. Don’t get hung up on it, though. Even if I know I would have used a different word or described something differently, as a reader I don’t get thrown off at all when I see stuff that doesn’t perfectly fit with canon. 

Really the one thing I would emphasize is that it’s great to get a good feel for your characters. If I can hear their voice in the dialogue, and I can imagine them acting in the way that they do, I am very very happy. That’s really just writing in general, I guess, but it does so much more for the flow of a story than making every detail match the canon. 

Uhhh yeah, I think that’s all I’ve got. I’m really a “do what you want, don’t hurt people, and have fun” kind of fan, but those are just my thoughts. Maybe other people would like to add the kinds of things they like to see as a reader too?

Hope that helps! And good luck with your writing!

~ Jacen

Are cantinas really a thing on bases or ships? I read about them in almost every lengthy FF, but the one canon book I recently read made it seem like they were frowned upon so they snuck “hooch” ?

Yep, they most certainly are. They’re relatively common, in fact, especially in the Empire, as it would seem. There were even cantinas on the Death Star, and plenty of known Imperial bases included them. They could be found on Republic ships and bases as well, though there are fewer named examples for them. In the Rebellion, it being a smaller and poorer-equipped organization, people tended to sneak alcohol more often, especially strong types, which is what “hooch” refers to. 

Hope that helps!

~ Jacen

During the Clone Wars how much access did the GAR personnel have to the Jedi Temple? Like were they walking around the halls? Briefing rooms only? Or did meetings all take place elsewhere?

It seems that the clones and other officers did have limited access to the Temple during the war. They did hold meetings in the Temple, in various briefing rooms, and we do see clones walking through the halls, usually in the company of a Jedi. Since security was so tight during the Clone Wars, and since typically only Jedi and authorized visitors were allowed in the Temple, it is probable that they didn’t have access to the whole place, certainly not without an escort. (Of course, there are some areas of the Temple that are strictly off-limits to outsiders, even some that not all Jedi were supposed to be in, so the clones would not be allowed there.) Visits were not strictly limited to necessity, either. A number of clones and officers, including Tarkin and Yularen, attended the funeral of the Jedi who died in the bombing of the Jedi Temple Hangar. 

Hope that helps!

~ Jacen

*major spoiler discussion* As a fan how do you *want* them to handle Leia? I think she had a great handoff in TLJ but of course she was still alive.

I agree, I liked her arc in TLJ. I’m honestly not sure how I want them to handle Episode IX. A violent death at this point feels like a bit of a cheat, after the incident during the attack on the fleet. But a (relatively) peaceful one doesn’t seem to make much sense now, since they already established that she has recovered from her injuries enough to walk around and stuff, and it would be odd to have her in the same position next movie. I do know some people who think they might use CGI throughout the movie, but I don’t think I want that. The sheer difficulty of maintaining a convincing image aside, there’s something about knowing Carrie isn’t actually playing Leia that makes it weird somehow. I think for me, an ideal end to her overarching story would be a Hosnian Cataclysm-style disaster, where she dies at peace and not alone. (It kinda fits, if you think about it, given Alderaan.) I’m not sure though! They could do a thousand different things at this point, and I’m sure there will be a surprise of some sort. 

~ Jacen

What role if any do you think Lando could play?

I get the feeling they won’t go this route, but I think he could be a perfect person to come back to the Resistance and fill one of those leadership roles. It would be neat to see how his character has evolved over the years, and it would make sense for him to come back in the last installment of the trilogy, given that he blew up the second Death Star in Episode VI. That would help solve the issue of the lack of experienced leadership, for sure. I have little doubt we’ll get to see him again in some say, maybe in the supplemental canon. It’ll be interesting to see what they decide to do.

~ Jacen