Hard NOC Life 358: ‘Andor’ and a New Hope for ‘Star Wars’

Before Hard NOC Life goes off the air for a few weeks, Keith and Dominic have a few more Andor takes to share. Not only did the final episodes rekindle a love for Star Wars for our hosts, it will forever change how they watch the franchise going forward.

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‘Andor’ and the Asian Soul Within ‘Star Wars’ and ‘Rogue One’

The final episodes of Andor Season 2 no doubt will lead many to rewatch Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, because Andor adds so much meaning and context to its 2016 predecessor. Rogue One’s story begins a matter of days after Andor S2 concludes. Those in full completist binge mode may then feel compelled to watch Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (a.k.a. The First One), because its story starts about five minutes after the end of Rogue One.

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Hard NOC Life 339: Revenge of the Sixth

It’s still Star Wars Day on Hard NOC Life! Dominic and Keith celebrate the combination of AAPI Heritage Month and new Star Wars content via the latest Acolyte trailer. Keith also explains why “Revenge of the Fifth” makes zero sense when “Sixth” is the better pun. They also share their initial reactions to the first look at David Corenswet as Superman.

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‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Director Deborah Chow on the ‘Star Wars’ Legacy and Toshiro Mifune

In one week, on the 45th anniversary of the original Star Wars, Disney+ will be premiering the first two episodes of Obi-Wan Kenobi. Filling in the gap between Episodes III and IV, Obi-Wan Kenobi brings back Prequel era stars Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen to reprise the roles of Kenobi and Darth Vader, respectively.

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The Rise of Disney and the Future of Fantasy in the Shadow of the Empire

When I first saw The Force Awakens after a fully funded summer media apparatus of hype in the winter of 2015, I remember the following Christmas morning my mother turned the corner, threw me a Force Awakens pillow, and coldly chuckled “Merry Christmas.” It was a good joke — like many the Force is moderately strong in my family — but it left me to wonder, what Christmas spirit at Walmart possessed my Mom to buy me this gift? I suspect my mother may have unknowingly become a Disney market research statistic. But after the last five years and our predestined Rise of Skywalker, I am largely left to ask the same question.

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Hard NOC Life: Return of a New Empire Strikes the Jedi Hope Back

With Rise of Skywalker and the end of the Skywalker Saga at the end of the month to look forward to, Hard NOC Life is going to be a Star Wars podcast for the month of December. Because there aren’t enough Star Wars podcasts on the internet! Each week, Dominic and Keith will be breaking down a different trilogy that make up the beloved Star Wars franchise.

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