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Familiar Star Wars characters and species appear in Young Jedi Adventures

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Familiar Star Wars characters and species appear in Young Jedi Adventures

As a gamer with a heart full of nostalgia for the Star Wars universe, I must say that “Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures” is a delightful surprise. Though Yoda may not be the main focus, his occasional appearances are like old friends dropping by, reminding us of our childhood days watching “The Clone Wars.

The animated show titled “Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures” is designed for younger viewers. While you might recognize Yoda from posters or ads with his charming green grin, he’s not a main character in this Disney Jr. and Disney Plus series. Instead, the main characters are younglings named Kai, Lys, and Nubs.

In a shrewd move, the showrunner skillfully utilized Yoda’s influential celebrity status, which significantly contributes to audience attraction – a crucial element for the success of the kid-friendly Disney/Lucasfilm partnership. Interestingly, this strategy mirrors the approach taken when Star Wars: The Clone Wars was made 20 years ago (although other prominent Jedi characters were also featured in that series). Notably, Yoda’s screen time across the seasons of Clone Wars is similar to that in Young Jedi Adventures.

In a similar fashion to how Master Jedi was sparsely present during significant parts of “The Clone Wars” chronicles, he’s following a similar pattern in the second season of “Young Jedi”. Initially appearing intermittently during their first year of training, Yoda has only made an appearance in one episode from the initial batch of episodes released for the sophomore season. This leads us to the second out of three main characters carrying on a legacy in the series.

In the second season of Yoda’s solo appearance, he journeys with Nubs to Coruscant to deliver an ancient lightsaber to the Jedi archives. Along the way, they encounter a few obstacles on their galactic journey, eventually passing the saber to Huyang. This droid assists in the creation of lightsabers for emerging Jedi. Huyang was initially introduced in the animated series “Clone Wars,” where he collaborated with Ahsoka during one of the latter story arcs as she trained younglings. He managed to survive the war and remains with Ahsoka in her self-titled live-action series.

As a gamer, I’m excited to share that, unlike Huyang who had a brief appearance in a “Young Jedi” chapter, another well-known Star Wars character has a significant guest role in the latest episode finale. In this storyline, the younglings discover that the woman managing the junkyard on our planet was once a galactic traveler with her companion, Maz Kanata. This tale brings her back in touch with her old friend, a connection rekindled after their initial introduction in movies set centuries later.

Lupita Nyong’o portrays Maz Kanata through motion capture technology in the sequel trilogy, predominantly in “The Force Awakens”. This character is a diminutive yet insightful figure who collaborates with the Resistance’s heroes. Han Solo hints at her long lifespan, suggesting she could have been around for over a thousand years, making her the only named character to appear in both the earliest and most recent Star Wars content across TV and movies.

Among “The Acolyte” and “Young Jedi Adventures”, these are among the limited Star Wars stories that unfold before the prequel trilogies. Being set during the High Republic era, they both introduce Jedi who existed prior to the Empire’s devastating purge. One notable similarity is the presence of a character shrouded in mystery, concealing their true identity with a mask. However, the villain in “The Acolyte” is a Sith, whereas Taborr in “Young Jedi Adventures” is a pirate. Additionally, while there’s a Wookiee character in both stories, it’s important to note that the Wookiee in “The Acolyte” wields the Force, but this isn’t the case for the Wookiee in “Young Jedi Adventures”.

In this cartoon, there are other recurring characters that have been present since the inception of Star Wars, including a Hutt and a villainous Gamorrean, who is part of Taborr’s crew. The Hutt seen in ‘Young Jedi’ appears only in one chapter, and he heads a criminal organization, as many large-sized species often do; Jabba the Hutt, however, is the most infamous Hutt, known as a formidable adversary of Han Solo in the original series. Jabba also utilized large, green Gamorreans as they make effective henchmen for significant antagonists.

A particular episode revolves around the abduction of a guitarist belonging to an extraterrestrial band, specifically a Rodian. Rodians are known for their unusual appearance, characterized by their large, dark eyes that set them apart from many other species. Over four decades have passed since Greedo, a famous Rodian, made his debut in the original Star Wars movie, and he continues to stand out as a memorable character among fans. Han Solo, a well-known figure, had an encounter with this Rodian at a cantina on the desert planet of Tatooine.

Characters from more recent Star Wars films, such as the Anzellan and Fathier, have been incorporated into a kid-friendly show. The Anzellan, a species debuted in “The Rise of Skywalker,” is among them. This film sits on the opposite end of the timeline compared to “Young Jedi.” Meanwhile, “The Last Jedi” featured the Fathier, a horse-like creature that’s less common in Star Wars content, but “Young Jedi” dedicates one of its episodes to these elegant animals.

In the “Young Jedi Adventures,” the Trandoshan boss, Sellac, is a red-hued leader of a gang. Similarly, Bossk, a character resembling reptiles, but with green skin, is one of the bounty hunters under Darth Vader’s command in “The Empire Strikes Back.” Bossk also stands out in “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” for mentoring a young Boba Fett.

So far, just half of the second season has been unveiled for “Young Jedi Adventures”, with a promising future that could span many years. It’s possible that this series might introduce additional iconic species or well-known figures from the Star Wars universe to this particular niche.

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2024-09-16 21:01

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