Flying Casual: A Star Wars Podcast

Ahsoka Tano had a lasting impact on Star Wars since introduced to the beloved universe in 2008. It's no surprise that the debut of her own television series will likely chart a new course for the franchise for years to come.

"Somehow Asajj returned." Well, we think so. Fam, it's been a minute. We thought we'd get the band back together and fire this podcast back up. The Bad Batch is back, and so is one of our favorite Dathomirians. What better way to kick off a comeback. Hope you enjoy. 

Time to catch up with some thoughts on Tales of the Jedi and Andor. Oh, and thanks, Dooku, for being such a @#ck. But, also, you didn't deserve that. 

The first three episodes of the new series 'Andor' have dropped, and they did not disappoint, folks. We're getting sweaty talking about our favorite spy, and also looking forward for what's to come on the Disney+ 2023 slate. 

HELLO THERE! WE'RE BACK! Like, for real. It's been a moment since the Obi-Wan Kenobi series wrapped up, but we've got a lot to say about our old friend Ben. Welcome. Let's get sweaty again. 

We're back! Fam, thanks for being patient with us during our parental leave. With grandma watching the baby, we were able to podcast for the first time in four months! It's Celebration week, and the Obi-Wan hype is building. While we unfortunately can't make the convention this year, we're still thrilled to at least listen in on all of the panels and pretend like we're there. There's a lot to be excited about, especially the fact that we're getting the first TWO episodes of Obi-Wan Kenobi this week! It's a great time to be a fan!

Well, hello there. Haven't seen you in a while. We're all fine here, now, thank you. How are you? With the podcast on parental leave, Brent, Jory, and Wade got together to dust off the podcasting chops and chat about a Star War. Parental discretion is advised (I'm kidding, kind of). We'll be back tomorrow with our CELEBRATION ANTICIPATION episode. May the Force be with You!

Welcome to "Talking Star Wars with Brent & Michael". The Council has been lost to the dark side...

Zzzzzzzz...Oh, sorry. Just finished watching the Book of Boba Fett Teaser Trailer...I'm kidding...but seriously, guys...was this a little blah for a Boba teaser? Is it just me? I'm a bit underwhelmed with the tease, but I'm hopeful that this series will add some great story to the larger Star Wars galaxy.

Visions felt like a breath of fresh air for the franchise. These short stories offered a reimagination of the galaxy through new characters and stories that were unique, fun, and, often times, pretty dark. But it also honored the heart of what Star Wars truly is - a story of family, love, loss, friendship, and hope. We're eager to see more stories like this in the future. 

The Council is back, and boy do we have a lot to say about Star Wars Visions...

A fan favorite Star Wars game is getting a makeover! No, it's not Empire at War - because that game is perfect. Knights of the Old Republic and all of its glory will be remade, and fans are - well, excited...but also terrified. We'll see what in-house KOTOR crazy Luke Elder has to say about all of it. Also, in Darth Vader issue #14, we learn that a certain pale administrative aide may possess abilities that some consider to be...unnatural. Relax. Stay awhile. We're flying casual. 

Fam, Chopper Base took some damage, and we needed some time to recover. While away, a lot has happened in the world of Star Wars. Much to discuss, we have. Glad to see you, we are.

We never expected returning to Kamino to be so emotional. But, this latest episode of The Bad Batch has us feeling like we're saying goodbye to a beloved era in Star Wars.

Brent, Neddy, and Rob checked in to the Council this month, and and we very well could have made the greatest pitch for the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series...

With this weeks episode of The Bad Batch leaving us a bit disappointed, luckily, a War of the Bounty Hunters crossover event within our Darth Vader comic series brought us quite a few laughs and some shocking revelations. 

We're back, Fam! And we have a few episodes of The Bad Batch to discuss! It's been awesome revisiting some familiar faces recently, allowing us to better understand the hardships people are facing as the Empire tightens its grip on the galaxy. However, the choice of one particular character, Captain Howzer, has completely elevated the series. 

Some fresh perspective could be on the way with Disney's upcoming series, "The Acolyte". But not everyone is a fan. What's all the concern about? Plus, the last episode of "The Bad Batch" brought a pretty epic confrontation between gunslinger Cad Bane and the new BA in town, Fennec Shand. Were we also teased with some connections to the Sequel Trilogy and Uncle Snoke?

Guess who's back? Well, yes, Crosshair. But, no one expected the return of one of the galaxy's most dangerous Bounty Hunters in this past week's episode of The Bad Batch. We're catching up on the latest three episodes, so let's nerd out over a certain animated series for a while!

We're back with our bi-monthly book club, and this round we've picked up James Luceno's 2016 novel, Catalyst. As a prequel to the feature film Rogue One, this story does a great job of providing more context surrounding the burgeoning Empire and a better understanding of some of our favorite characters form the film. Hope you enjoy!

Let's get Star Wars sweaty with our Patreon Jedi Knights and Masters! Here's Casual Council No. 17!

It's a bit late, but here's Casual Council No. 16 with our Patreon Jedi Knights and Masters! Enjoy!

 What appeared on the surface to be a more lighthearted and fun episode of The Bad Batch, "Rampage" exposes the naivety of all of our heroes and foreshadows the upcoming moral dilemmas they're likely to face in these unpleasant corners of the galaxy. Also, is "Muchie" the Rancor from Return of The Jedi? No. But, maybe? Does it matter? The introduction to this young creature sparked an impromptu discussion of Star Wars storytelling, the effects of re-writing canon, and what it might mean for the future. 

Friends, we're catching up on episodes 3 & 4 of The Bad Batch, "Replacements" and "Cornered". A lot of love was shown for Rebels and Attack of The Clones in these episodes, and boy, have things gotten dark with the Empire's introduction of its new initiative! These were some great episodes!

This week, we're breaking down Episode 2 of The Bad Batch, "Cut and Run", and we're also checking out Darth Vader #11. Get ready for some monster on monster action...and some heartfelt moments.

Friends, enjoy this discussion of The Bad Batch Premiere from our YouTube livestream on May the 4th!   Watch all of our video podcasts on YouTube -https://www.youtube.com/c/FlyingCasual Join our community on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/flyingcasual

Friends, we're talking about one of our favorite series of all time, REBELS! It's difficult to break down your favorite moments in such a fantastic story, but we did our best. Enjoy us gushing about the joy this series has brought us and the high bar it's set for the future of Star Wars. WARNING: Chills are inevitable!

We're currently enjoying some R&R on the coast of Alabama, but the podcast must go on! Our book club recently read Beth Revis' novel Rebel Rising. "Jyn is also the most "real" character in Star Wars in that she's not inherently special," Beth said in and interview for her book. "She wasn't born with the ability to feel the Force, she's (for the most part) not surrounded by important characters, she's not a princess. She was never going to be a Jedi -- or a Sith. She's just a person. And despite that, she still fought and stood up for what was right and made a difference. That's a powerful thing. Of course we want to see the Jedis fight the Sith. But we also need to see the regular people stand up in the face of the Empire -- because that's us." We couldn't agree more, Beth. Let's dig into the tragic, yet hopeful story of Jyn Erso.  

The Zeffo, burning bushes, too much Qui-Gon hate..there's so much to discuss in this month's Casual Council. Come hang out with our Patreon Jedi Knights and Masters!

The past 48 hours have been amazing for Star Wars fans. A new trailer for The Bad Batch shares a little more insight into Clone Force 99's experience around the time of the new Empire. We're also introduced to a new character, Omega. Who is this individual and what will her role be in this adventure with our heroes? So. Many. Questions. Lucasfilm also released much of the cast for the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series, and Joel Edgerton and Bonnie Piesse are reprising their role as Owen and Beru Lars. How much involvement can we expect from them in the series? We turn to the comics to better understand what their interactions may be like with our dear Obi-Wan in this limited series. 

The Clone Wars has gifted us all with so many amazing moments. Too many to list, actually. But what are some of our most memorable? In this episode we're chatting about some of Clone Wars most impactful story arcs that have stuck with us over the years. But, before that, it's important to acknowledge that the The Caravan of Courage and The Battle for Endor are coming to Disney+! Fans of Ewoks and Teek rejoice!

Check out our 14th installment of Casual Council with our Patreon Jedi Knights and Masters! Head on over to our Patreon page and see if there's a tier right for you!

Speculation. It's an important part of the Star Wars fanbase. It's an important part of this show. Heck, we're going to speculate right now with a "What if Asajj Ventress returns from the dead" discussion. But, as we learned from Master Qui-Gon Jinn, be mindful of the future, "but not at the expense of the present moment." Speculation can be fun, and having expectations for a property you love can be great. But don’t get so wrapped up in the “what if” that you forget to live in the now and miss what is going on right in front of you.

The Bad Batch in May and potentially more Rian Johnson Star Wars?? Yes, please. An epic e-mail from Neddy prompts a lengthy discussion of Leia, balance, and the chosen one prophecy. Oh, and we might be starting a Lord of The Rings podcast (or an Ents-only broadcast of some sort). Join us!

Rae Carson's novelization for The Rise of Skywalker adds so much context to the film that closed out the Skywalker saga. This was a book that our readers really enjoyed, and we couldn't stop talking about it! Join us!

There's an important discussion to be had following Gina Carano's recent social media controversy. And the news of her termination at Lucasfilm has left Star Wars fans wondering, "What will happen to Cara Dune?"Also, Vader finds Exegol in his attempt to uncover the Emperor's secrets in Darth Vader (2020) #10!

With so many gamers in our Council, Lucasfilm's recent reveal of Lucasfilm Games has everyone very excited. What would we like to see added to Lucasfilm's rich catalog of gaming titles? For starters, a revamped Empire at War better be in the mix. We also dip into some classic "what if" speculation in the latter half of our discussion. What if Obi-Wan left the order for Satine? What if Anakin was sent to defeat Maul in the last season of Clone Wars? 

Could "Andor" really not include our beloved K-2S0? Well, not yet. Also, if "Obi-Wan Kenobi" does not cast Jason Isaacs for a live-action debut of the Grand Inquisitor, they're making a HUGE mistake. Let's talk some Star Wars news. 

Could Liam Neeson reprise his role as Qui-Gon Jinn in the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series? In this episode, we turn to some existing Star Wars material to speculate on what we could see from the returning Master and what sorts of conversations he and his former Apprentice may have while isolated on Tatooine. 

"We have hope. Hope that things can get better. And they will." - Hera Syndulla

This month, the Council convened to talk about the epic ending to The Mandalorian Season 2 and all of the upcoming Star Wars projects that we're most excited to see. 

Two childhood friends, now star-crossed lovers, find themselves on opposite ends of the war. Will they set aside their differences to come together, or will duty keep them apart. This novel from Claudia Gray has been a big hit with many readers of the Star Wars new canon era since it released in 2015. So what did the book club think?