But honestly, that all took a temporary backseat for me because the new Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker trailer dropped and has become my life now.
If you’re wondering, Wait. Where was sweet That’s Normal D23 live coverage?! Unfortunately, we couldn’t make it (i.e. Nikki and I couldn’t get tickets). The following was our bitch session:
Me: D23 😡. I’m having serious FOMO. Someone already leaked like 5 seconds from the Star Wars trailer. Life is not fair
Nik: Jerks! I’m so annoyed.
Me: I would have cosplayed as Spider-Man with a sign around my neck: “Far From Feige.”
Nik: This is why they need us.
Alas, Disney. You missed out on some sweet live fangirling that has limited inhibitions and a total disregard for self-awareness.
What we did get were priceless gif-able moments of Dark Rey being a total badass:
And who could forget my new kink: a strutting Kylo Ren popping out his “lightsaber.”
If you’re like me or Janna, chances are you’ve watched this trailer so much, you know how many times Rey and Kylo touched lightsabers (three glorious times). You probably also know that TROS won’t be out for another three whole months, which in Star Wars fandom years equates to three whole decades. How will you possibly cope?
Sure you could watch the entire saga again, prequels and all. However, there is an entire fandom out there who understands your pain and is here to help you get through the next 104 days. So never fear, my young padawans. We have just what you need to quench your Rise of Skywalker thirst, and no, it’s not shirtless Kylo Ren. Sorry.
What to Watch: Girls With Sabers
There are countless YouTube fan channels dedicated to breaking down any and all Star Wars films, extended universes, theories, and spoilers. For me, Girls With Sabers is, hands down, my ride or die Star Wars fan channel.
Run by friends and Star Wars expertise Emrys and Luthien, GWS provides both a positive and refreshing look at the franchise. While others have succumb to the toxicity that has plagued the SW fandom, these ladies embrace anything and everything Star Wars with open arms and do so in a way that mixes passion with intelligence. There’s nothing surface about their breakdowns: GSW dives deep into the psychology of characters, the effects of trauma, elements of cinematography, and even literary influences and tropes (I see you, Rey “Elizabeth” and Ben “Mr. Darcy”). Each video just convinces me that Girls With Sabers needs their own TED Talk series.
My personal favorite? Their Force Bond breakdown. Watch for the force bonds. Stay for the mind-blowing analysis.
What to Listen: The Smut Hutt Podcast
After the release of The Last Jedi, critics called this moment the closest we’ll ever get to a sex scene in Star Wars:
I don’t know about you, but I need more. A lot more. Some panting, grinding, dirty talk more. That’s how I discovered The Smut Hutt.
Here’s how each episode of the podcast opens:
“Welcome to the Smut Hutt Podcast, where a group of friends makes it their mission to consume as much fan fiction as possible. There’s love, angst, fluff, drama, action, but most importantly, there’s smut.”
The fact that they ranked smut as “most importantly” won over my subscribe vote.
Each episode is a pornicopia of the best Star Wars smut fan fiction, presented by a group of friends who have no shame in the fanfic smut game. That’s what I love about this podcast: there is absolutely no shame. There is no ship too outrageous, no kink too off limits, and no tag too embarrassing. They embrace all of that delicious fan fiction that you hide in that cryptic folder on your phone that’s most likely titled, “Shopping List.”
Have a secret desire to see Rey and Rose discover each other’s personal ewok? They have the fanfic for you. Need to see Kylo and Hux celebrate Snoke’s downfall by high-fiving with just their naked bodies? The Smut Hutt has you covered. Although they feature any and all ships, their speciality is Reylo because let’s face it, that ship needs to happen on screen, J.J. Abrams. Whether it’s Reylo in extended or alternative universes, the ladies have a knack for finding the best Reylo smut and making us forget that actual published novels even exist.
What to Read: Women of the Galaxy
Let me just state for the record that I’m not a person who buys anything on the floor at San Diego Comic Con. I’ll visit booths, “ooh” and “ahh” at the merchandise, but I’ve never had that need to spend my money on a figurine that will just end up collecting dust on my office bookshelf.
That all changed at this year’s SDCC when I bought Women of the Galaxy.
Written by Amy Ratcliffe, Women of the Galaxy is the ultimate who’s who of strong female characters in the Star Wars universe. The book provides an in-depth look at these diverse characters and explores not only their rich backstories, but their impact on the Star Wars universe as a whole. If that’s not enough, the book features illustrations stunningly created by female and non-binary artists.
The only art that really matters to me right now.
Women of the Galaxy is the quintessential book for all Star Wars fans or for that little girl in your life that needs to remember that Star Wars isn’t just for the boys.
Purchase Women of the Galaxy
