#bobs lore has parts that base off it heavily

[zimothys-doodles]

NE content has been dry everywhere and considering that idk what I'm doing with the blog rn, yall deserve something at least

Including meris pre-ne design bc yea

[didyouknowmagic]

Value Engineering: Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge

Well Galaxy’s edge is out! And so far the consensus has been pretty strong when it comes to the land and it’s offerings and that’s only with one of it’s attractions operating! Still that being said a LOT that was promised, and hell even intended to be apart of the land didn’t make it in during the last minute. So what is missing from Galaxy’s edge? Glad you asked! It’s the part of the land that made Imagineers so excited and gave them the courage to claim this would redefine theme park lands and was even their code name for the entire area. Project Delos, the name being inspired by the show West World which features a theme park that is basically where you go to live out your fantasy with highly interactive robots that act as if they are apart of the world you are visiting!  Essentially Interactivity, live actors, and role playing elements! The LARP area of every star wars fans dream.

Where to begin with this one, well all the way back to it’s inception even before it was known as Galaxy’s edge Disney kept touting that this land would set itself apart by it’s inhabitants. 

As seen in the concept art there are a LOT of characters here, aliens, bounty hunters, and yes droids. So was this piece of early concept art an embellishment? Yes and no. Yes in that the layout of the land is not like this, and no in that everything else shown in the image was 100 percent meant to be the reality of the land.

Let’s take a look at one of the more final pieces of concept art to see what I am talking about. This was one of the initial concept art pieces for what Oga’s Cantina is supposed to be. A watering hole for Bounty Hunters, aliens, rebel spies, and storm troopers alike. You are meant to have the feeling of being transported into the films and seeing these seedy characters all interact with you and the other guests that’s what the big appeal to this bar was meant to be! Because in the films that is what these places are strand despots for all sorts of creatures to interact and be amused by. 

Now let’s take a look at that Lizard looking guy in the yellow and red armor next to the Jawa. That is one of the most pivotal pieces of how this whole bar was meant to be an interactive experience, and his name is Harkos!

Wiki article about him below

 https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Harkos 

Back in 2017′s D23 he was announced to be a PIVOTAL part of the land and would reside here at the Cantina. Where he would find guests and either commend or even berate them based on their performance on smugglers run which he would have access too thanks to the Play Disney Parks app. They were so sure of this they created lore around the guy and included him in several pieces of art. It’s this very energy that is missing from Oga’s cantina, it’s a seedy wateringhole without anyone seedy visiting, unless you count tourists as seedy and even then mileage there varies depending on whose there that day.

Let’s move onto to more missing Kinetic energy for the land

Here is a video from Star Wars Celebrations in 2017, showcasing what was meant to be a stunt show featuring ray against several storm troopers that was intended to take place in the walkways that are above guests which are littered throughout the land. While this element wasn’t entirely cut as there is still a small show (Though with little to no stunts and some flares) it was left albeit more minimal that it was intended to be. 

Another feature that is likely on the back burner but was still cut from the land was the sit down table service and show. 

Think hoop de doo revue meets star wars and it’s variety of alien musicians and performers and you have a general idea of what the restaurant was intended to be. As far as I can see this one among the first round of cuts from the land as it wasn’t mentioned as far as I can look up at the 2017 conference but was shown in the initial pitches for the land. This is where you would have gotten your fix for the aliens and the Cantina style band. This is one of the bigger mistakes in my opinion regarding cuts as the land while it does offer 2 quick services is in dire need of a table service environment, anything that can help take the load off of Oga’s which is brimming at capacity every day. Yet this was cut too, in favor of having the area it’s currently in being used as the overflow queue for Smugglers run. 

The last thing im gonna touch on and this is one of the more obvious cuts is the lack of roaming droids! 

Back in 2017 Disneyland and I think Disney world as well were both testing out droid units to which they basically said were indeed going to be part of the magic of galaxy’s edge. 

And as seen in the concept art several units were supposed to be littered throughout the land. They would have been controlled by cast members and would have added yet another touch to making galaxy’s edge feel truly unique. Yet about 6 months prior to opening news that these and most of the aliens in the land had been cut.

SO, What happened? Well there are two stories going around. If rumors are to be believe Bob Chapek viewed these additional entertainment options are WAY to pricey and instead of paying for equity performers (Bounty hunters, stunt show personnel, and aliens) and puppeteers (droid performers) he canned the whole thing. Basically saying let the land speak for itself these embellishments aren’t necessary. Which if true is disappointing and very wrong given that the land was clearly designed for this interactivity. Money has already been spent on infrastructure for all of these features (minus the restaurant) which is sitting there literally unused for guests just to save a quick buck. 

The other story is that Ops fearing that Galaxy's Edge would be packed to capacity knew that they wouldn’t be able to implement these interactive pieces at the start. Bounty Hunters would be mugged by every guests for photos, droids would be unable to move in large crowds, and the wandering aliens and jawas would be swamped by guests for photos as well. While there is no definitive answer to which of these is true at the moment my money is probably on a mixture of the two. Cuts and fear of crowds. 

To Summarize I think Galaxy’s Edge is still a heavily creative piece of work and the care and appreciation that went it is obvious. But if I’m being honest it’s missing it’s soul a little bit, part of the appeal of going into the star wars films is the denizens that make up that universe. Without them it leaves land a little bare. Thankfully this is an issue that is the easiest to fix and hopefully somewhere down the line all of these things listed will make their way back in one form or another! Until next time Bright Moons everyone! 

[adecila]

Game of Thrones - 8x03 preview analysis + speculation

Or the moment I realise I am blind as a bat and I need glasses.

Busy week, but hey we’re still 3 days away from what has been advertised as an episode that will kill us. At a whoopin’ 80 (ish; 82 according to some websites, 79 according to others so I’ll just say 80) minutes and advertised as the longest battle in television (surpassing LoTR) I am ready to die! 

Wait wait does this mean it will be 80 minutes of stress? 80 minutes of fighting?  80 minutes of me yelling at the screen JON NO and KHALESSI NO until my throat is sore and I barely have any voice left? Yeah, probably.

Anyway- this is probably more on the speculation and prediction side since we don’t have that much to go off of…. 

Unlike the preview / promo / trailer –whatever you want to call it– we got for episode 2, episode 3 gave us a big fat nothing. Mhm, basically. 

But first the famous 6 photos EW gave us: (also a big pile of nothing!)

S.ansa looking worried, sitting, maybe glossy eyed - interior? exterior? Who the hell knows. Technically, as per episode 2 S.ansa is to stay in the crypts with the other women and children.

Ser Brienne of Tarth and Jaime fookin’ Lannister and some Knights of the Vale (noice shields) - this looks like an actual screengrab from the episode, and from their faces something it’s INCOMING. I am trying not to read too much into it, but tbh their faces can be just from seeing the huge ass army coming at them. 

Jonno mah man, my stupid son (and I say this with all the love in my heart) lookin’ sweaty, and rough and shooketh and I cannot help but to think something BIG is happening. Could it be something as simple as coming face to face again with our main boss the Night King himself? Could it be another “bitch watch me use your fallen men against you” moment? Could it be someone he cares dying in front of him? Could it be the dead surrounding them? Honestly guys this preview is giving me nothing, except anxiety. There’s some fire burning behind him, it can be dragon fire or it can just be fire they made in order to keep the dead at bay (as seen in the next pic). It is snowing and we can see fire behind him. Also also this pic clearly proves that HBO intentionally darkened the trailer since in the trailer we see the clip with Jonno running and this pic is from that exact scene. Gosh, his face tho - LISTEN he looks terrified. 

Jonerys overlooking Winterfell, but from the North-West side? So clearly at one point in the battle they get to this vantage point so they can see better. I am assuming that it’s quite early into the episode, since Jon still has his furs on, whereas in the previous photo he had no cloak and looked like he had already fought for some time; we see the forces spread out exactly like on the map (as I explained it in my 8x02 analysis when the war council happened), and oh my it looks glorious. We also see some fire strategically lit and it looks beautiful. Now BURN IT TO THE GROUND. Jk but also not jk; asoiaf theories on how Winterfell is meant to be destroyed at one point in the story are a-plenty ! Last night @muttpeeta asked me if I could see the dead in this pic and I said bitch I can’t see shit. I guess in the right down corner are just trees, so maybe the dead are in the trees (lmao just imagined them in the trees). On the other hand, @thescarletgarden1990 said she could maaaaybe see something in the left dark corner… gurl, I still can’t see shit. Uff notice how Jon x Dany suddenly have a space in between them? Ah, remember when we had nice things like when they had no idea what “personal space” meant? Hang onto your hats for the angst, bitches.

S.ansa x Arya on the battlements. Is it just me or is there something like a bar or blade or maybe a bow on Arya’s left side, almost resting on her shoulder? The spear Gendry made her? Maybe it’s an optical illusion. Also seems pre-battle, also seems quite early in the episode, when we have still time for dialogue. Hmm.. maybe that first S.ansa pic is in the same scene, but before? S.ansa looks a bit worried and shit I would be too. Scratch that, I think the first S.ansa pic is after the discussion with Arya. 

Tyrion x Varys in the crypts, chatting to kill time whilst everyone else is getting killed. I also expect this to be in the very first part of the episode. 

See, exactly what I said, they gave us something without giving us anything.

Now, onto the preview:

“The most heroic thing we can do now is look the truth in the face” - voiceover by S.ansa, as the screen flashes to: the troops, Grey Worm, Jonerys at the vantage point, Sam, S.ansa x Arya on battlements, Davos on battlements, women x children x Varys x Tyrion in the crypts, Jorah. Interesting line though, what truth is she talking about? Jon’s parents? I doubt. The fact that the dead actually exist? Remember when I said S.ansa doesn’t seem to believe Jon much?…

“The Night King is comin” - voiceover by Jon - we see Jon scared shitless, (from the photo we also got), the army in position, Arya running (from the trailer), Unsullied marching in formation, Beric x the Hound (INSIDE WF? WHAT???), Dany on Drogon in a blizzard, more Unsullied, Theon with a bow with fire in the Godswood, Jonno pulling out Longclaw in the Godswood looking a bit too sad/disturbed/scared??? 

Jonerys at the vantage point, face to face, Dany saying to Jon “The dead are already here”, she looks angry, Jon looks … emo :D 

Ser Brienne yelling to her flank “Stand your ground”

Now, let me regroup all my thoughts now that I made a general break down of the photos and the actual preview, let��s discuss what I think it will happen. This time I am heavily relying on speculation since tbh we don’t have much to go off.

About Jonerys:

Yeah, I don’t think they are just going to get over the parentage reveal that fast. My guess, based on how 8x02 ended and on the way Dany says “The dead are already here” is that there is going to be some tension. A lot of it. My best guess? the conflict isn’t going to be solved until 8x04 at the earliest. 

I told @smoldany I am thinking Jon wants to stick to the plan (contrary to what he did in BoB) and Dany will maybe see her troops getting smashed. As I mentioned, they make the vanguard so they will get hit the most. I imagine Dany is still shook from the reveal and when Jon will tell her to stick to the plan, she will go KHALESSI YES and mount on Drogon and go fuck up some wights and WW and protect her people because that’s what she does. Maybe Jon tells her something along the “The NK isn’t here” and she replies that exact phrase we hear in the preview. 

I am expecting some sort of rift between them mid battle. I know, I have mentioned it, but that’s what happens when person A and B go into a fight for life while they are also fighting. 

I mentioned in an ask how we will get a parallel to the scene beyond the wall where Jon falls into ice water in front of Dany. I am expecting something like this to happen, but reversed. This time it will be Dany falling and Jon running, watching something in horror. Maybe she falls off Drogon, maybe she falls with Drogon, but something happens, because I swear that Jon pic where he looks horrified it’s all I can think of. Plus! We haven’t seen Dany in armour yet! What if the Red/Black Dragonstone dress from the teaser is actually her armour? Maybe she gets injured and they finally decide she should get armour. Why? Well, I cannot stop thinking of what Tyrion said in season 7, that it only takes a well shot arrow for it to be all over. I also think that if this isn’t the moment she gets injured on Drogon, it will come later, probably in 8x05. 

Plus, c’mon, they have to make us think (even for a few minutes) for maximum angst ™ that one of the two heroes may die. 

If we get Jon carrying Dany to safety I will be the happiest. 

If what I said happens, we also have all the chances of getting the I THOUGHT I LOST YOU kiss I keep mentioning. D&D do not fuck this up for me. 

The Crypts or “sure, the Lich Night King is coming, you know what would be a good idea? To go sit in the motherfucking crypts where the motherfucking dead are kept.” 

Look. Do I believe the dead will rise in the crypts? Mmmmm not really. Except maybe Rickon, because he is the freshest dead person to be put here. There is a lot of foreshadowing in the books that the dead in the crypts may rise in a form or another, but… I don’t think it will happen in the show. 

However! Since the crypts have been mentioned a lot, I am inclined to thing something BIG will happen. My best bet? The dead push through the gates and the Mormont forces and they make it to the crypts. AHA but you will say - “UMMM aLiCe but the people are then sitting ducks” - well, not necessarily. There are a lot of secret passages in Winterfell, if you remember, that’s how Bran escaped ! So if the dead are to invade the crypts, I am guessing at least some of the people will flee through the tunnels. We just have too many big characters there for them to die so soon, at least Tyrion. Let’s be real, Tyrion won’t die now. He has to flee somehow. 

Winter FELL

I told my friend @tomakeitbeautifultolive once that I thought the fight for Winterfell is doomed from the start. Imo, this keep is meant to fall, and the NK will have a victory here. 

While we’re on the subject of Winterfell, lemme bring up my theory that it will be a sort of Culling of Stratholme situation from WoW. In case you’re interested, click on that link, the lore is so rich in this game, but I digress. I think the bittersweet part if they don’t get slammed and pushed to retreat or die, it will be a sort of decision - aka if we don’t burn as much as the fallen as we can then we are just adding more forces to the AoTD. So… I am thinking there will be a point where the dead are clearly winning and they cannot take any more chances, so they burn as much as they can, living and dead, especially inside of WInterfell. Or maybe I am just too MUCH :D

Regardless if Winterfell is being sacrificed or not, our heroes will be forced to retreat. Because if you think the NK is going to be defeated in episode 3/6 …..

Where the fuck is the Night King then?

Funny how we haven’t seen the NK in the trailer, nor in the preview for this episode, nor at the end of episode 2 - we just saw the WW on their horses.

Will he even be at WF? Idk man their plan looks pretty dumb. And as far as I remember, the NK could see Bran. The NK knew Dany was coming and was prepared with spears for dragons (and chains!). So why the fuck would he not be able to see this shitty ass plan??? 

I told some of my friends that I think the NK will fool them, send his forces to WF while he will either stay on the sides for as much as he can in order to bait Dany and/or Jon… (so he will swoop in let’s say mid battle - maybe that’s why we see Dany on Drogon in a blizzard, or idk, we saw the weather change also when WW are present, so you never know) or go to the Isle of Faces because I think he may want to destroy some big important weirdwood tree… or maybe I am thinking again too much about WoW and I am getting Teldrassil vibes 

Bran Starkashian waiting for his date with the NK under the weridwood tree

Uff I think this is the part of the plan that will backfire the most

I am 99% sure this is where Theon dies, while defending Bran because the dead are gonna come to the Godswood for Bran’s sexy ass

I told @tomakeitbeautifultolive that Jonno looks too distressed and oddly calm when he is drawing Longclaw and he looks to also be in the Godswood - oh gosh what if he mercy kills someone ? Oh gosh what if it’s Theon… or Rickon…

But Alice, what about Cersei and her GC? And Bronn?

I honestly don’t know. Weird how Cersei seems to have a plan in place. So what happened to Euron after ep 1? Did he get mad when Yara got rescued? Is the GC just gonna sit in KL and wait for an attack? Are they marching North? Are they gonna also arrive in WF while the dead are there? 

I just want to mention that in the trailer, when Arya does her spear thingy, it seems there is blood spatter from one of the people she hits… “but wights don’t bleed, Alice,” - I hear you say. Exactly, buddy. EXACTLY. So who the hell is Arya killing? just something to keep in mind. 

Last thoughts: 

Jorah will die - as Theon, his arc is fulfilled, and especially after his heart to heart with Dany in 8x02 I am 99% sure he dies. 

Grey also may die. Listen, I was surprised he made it alive out of Casterly Rock. I don’t think he will get to take Missandei to Naath…

I’m thinking 5-ish minutes of intro + 60 ish of action + the rest is the retreat

The jonerys conflict will most likely continue into 8x04, where it may get solved - if not, 8x05 for the makeup sex.

Beric dies; either Podrick or Jaime die, but not both

Edd dies

ALIVE: The Starks + Gendry + Dadvos + Missandei + Lyanna Mormont + the Hound + Sam + Gilly + Little Sam + Brienne + Ghost + Tormund

I am still holding off for Nymeria and her pack! 

Bottom line is, I am pumped for this episode, it is gonna hurt as hell, so yeah! Asks and dms are open, as usual, so feel free to ask questions if there is something I missed. See you on Sunday! Bring wine and food!