Recommended music: White Zombie – More Human Than Human
This #StarWarsSaturday, we’re still looking ahead to the 10th anniversary of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story in December. Check out these trading cards from Topps Star Wars: Rogue One: Mission Briefing!
Topps released the Rogue One: Mission Briefing trading card set in September 2016 to get both longtime and new fans excited for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. The base set has 100 cards covering stories from Episodes I to VI and the animated series of that era. It provides a broad view of events such as the creation and destruction of the Death Star.
One of the main draws of modern trading card sets is the chance to get an autographed card, and this set features over 70 signers from across the Star Wars universe. Besides the main autograph list, there are also Death Star parallels numbered to 50, blue parallels numbered to 25, gold parallels numbered to 10, and both orange and printing plate versions that are one-of-a-kind. The rarest signed cards are four Dual Autographs, two Triple Autographs, and one Quad Autograph. I’ll share more about the set next week. For now, I’m focusing on four cards that tell more of the story from Revenge of the Sith.
During Revenge of the Sith, Order 66 was a secret command placed in the clone troopers’ bio-chips by the Sith. When Chancellor Palpatine activated it during the Clone Wars, the chips overrode the clones’ free will. They instantly turned against their Jedi commanders across the galaxy, executing them without hesitation. It was a sad montage indeed.
Shortly afterward, Anakin as Darth Vader led a massacre at the Jedi Temple. This betrayal destroyed the Jedi Order, brought down the Republic, and enabled Palpatine to create the Galactic Empire. The heartbreaking end of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker’s friendship happens on the volcanic planet Mustafar. After hearing George Lucas talk about this moment in early 1980s interviews, it was exciting to finally see it on screen in 2005.
Anakin, consumed by the dark side, turns against his mentor. Their intense fight ends with Obi-Wan cutting off Anakin’s limbs and leaving him to burn by a lava river. Gravely wounded by the betrayal of his “brother,” Obi-Wan takes Anakin’s lightsaber and leaves. This moment marks the end of their friendship and the rise of Darth Vader. Even after more than 20 years, this is still the saddest part of the saga for me, and it’s probably why I watch Revenge of the Sith less than the other movies.
In A New Hope, Obi-Wan Kenobi tells Luke Skywalker that Darth Vader is “more machine now than man, twisted and evil.” This line is true both in how Vader looks and who he has become. Before the Obi-Wan TV series came out in 2022, it wasn’t clear how Obi-Wan knew Anakin survived and became a cyborg. But it becomes clear when Vader says, “Anakin is gone. I am what remains.”
At the film’s conclusion, Governor Tarkin, Darth Vader, and Emperor Palpatine stand aboard a Star Destroyer, gazing out at the early skeletal framework of the Death Star as the massive battle station is already under construction in deep space. This reveal not only bridges the prequel and original trilogies but also signals the end of the Republic and the rise of galactic tyranny under the new Empire.
Yes, The Mandalorian & Grogu movie is still showing in theaters, along with Masters of the Universe. If you haven’t seen them yet, plan to catch them on the big screen! I’m excited for another Star Wars anniversary coming up, so I’ll be back next Saturday with more Star Wars talk!
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