Ten Star Wars Characters and Groups that deserve their own stand-alone film

With “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)” and the new Han Solo stand-alone film hitting the big screen, Star Wars looks to extend its universe. That means in theory that Disney and LucasFilm can make a large number of Star Wars films outside the trilogy sets. 

So here are ten Star Wars characters and groups that deserve their own stand-alone film.

1) Wedge Antilles

You may recognize this man. Wedge Antilles is one of the few Rebel pilots, along with Luke, to be featured in all three of the Original Star Wars films. Disney could focus on a younger Wedge as he moves up the ranks of the Rebel Alliance, or focus on his larger role as a military leader in the New Republic after the Rebels defeated the Empire.

2) Rogue Squadron

Back when the Nintendo GameCude was a thing, there were a couple of games focusing on the titular Rogue Squadron. This group of Rebel pilots included Luke Skywalker and Wedge Antilles. They're like the Seal Team Six of Rebels. Wouldn't it be cool to see a young Luke Skywalker and his fellow pilots go on missions together during the events of the Galactic Civil War that take place after A New Hope, or even in the first years of the New Republic?

3) Qui-Gon Jinn

Liam Neeson's earns a bad rep for his anti-Catholic, anti-Irish, and anti-life views, but Qui-Gon is an iconic figure in the Prequel Trilogy. (Even though he got killed off in the first movie.) A film about Qui-Gon's younger years would be a great way to explore his character.

4) The Rebel Alliance's journey to Hoth

After the Rebels destroyed the first Death Star, they move their secret base from Yavin IV to the ice planet, Hoth? Did you ever wonder how those events transpired? A stand-alone film can explain that. Done correctly, it could be a great Star Wars film with a coherent story and relatable characters.

5) Obi-Wan Kenobi

While there are rumors of an Obi-Wan film in the works, nothing's been confirmed. Such a film can either focus on Obi-Wan's life as a padawan (which could include a possible romantic relationship), or his life as a crazy old man on Tatooine.

6) Boba Fett

Like Obi-Wan, there's talks about a Boba Fett stand-alone film in development. The film could follow the plot of the cancelled "Star Wars 1313" video game and focus on a younger Boba Fett and how he decided to become a full-fledge bounty hunter.

7) Chewbacca

Everyone's favorite Wookie deserves his own origin story. It's possible the Han Solo film may touch on Chewy's backstory and how he and Han first met, but what was Chewy's life before the Millennium Falcon? Does he have a family? Was he involved in the Rebellion before Luke and Obi-Wan ran into him in the Cantina? Did he actually rip a person's arms off when he got angry?

8) Ben Skywalker (or Luke Skywalker's son/daughter)

Yeah, Ben Skywalker is a character in the Star Wars Legends (aka the Star Wars Expanded Universe), but it doesn't matter. Despite what Disney and J.J. Abrams want you to believe, the Star Wars Expanded Universe is still legit despite Disney not recognizing it as official canon. There's no reason to believe Luke never had kids after the events of “Return of the Jedi,” so it’s very likely that at one time or another he fell in love and had a child. The life and adventures of a younger generation of Skywalkers is a good story worth telling the right way.

9) The Rebel Leaders

Just who are the Rebel generals seen in the Original Trilogy? What are their stories? How did they lead their troops against the Empire before, during, and after the events of the films? If anything, Disney should give them at least one film because they had little screen time in the movies.

10) The Rebels on Dantooine

Like the Rebel generals, not much is know about the Rebel base on the planet Dantooine, except that Princess Leia used the now-abandoned base as a ploy to throw the Empire off the Rebels' trail in "A New Hope." A film about the base's garrison and Rebel efforts on Dantooine might explain its significance.

And finally . . .

Princess Leia

Carrie Fisher will always be remembered for her iconic role as Princess Leia, a strong leader of the Rebel Alliance who loves Han Solo. Disney could follow the example of the Han Solo stand-alone film and focus the story on a younger Leia, both as a child and a young woman rising in the Rebel ranks. It also would be a better way to pay tribute to Fisher by casting a younger actress to portray Leia instead of using CGI as “Rogue One” did. Rest in peace, Carrie Fisher.  

Baseball, America, and the Scalise Shooting

Baseball is America's Favorite Pasttime. It's a sport that focuses on team building and unites people of different backgrounds.

A lot of people watched with excitement as the Kansas City Royals returned to the World Series to win it all in 2015, and again in 2017 when the Chicago Cubs won the World Series and ended their "curse."

So when a Bernie Sanders supporter opened fire at GOP Republicans practicing for the annual Congressional Baseball Game, it makes this case harder to bear because the crime took place at a baseball field.

On June 14, 66-year-old James T. Hodgkinson shot and wounded House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La, and four others. He was shot and killed by Captial police officers on the scene.

Scalise is still in critical condition.

Regardless of whether you're conservative or liberal, this shooting isn't just an attack on Republicans. It's an attack on America and her favorite pasttime. Hodgkinson turned a baseball field into a war zone, intending to kill people.

It's a good thing Congressional leaders decided to have the Congressional Baseball Game as scheduled because it shows they aren’t intimidated by violence. They aren't letting this attack prevent them from playing together on the same field.

Instead of dividing our country, this event should unite all Americans. Just like baseball and the World Series. And not just the game itself, but the shooting that shows the need for Americans to take action against acts of violence. That includes fighting back against people who single out or target conservatives and Republicans.

For young aspring writers

As a man working hard to be a good writer, I realized one thing is very important: you have to trust yourself with how you tell a story.

This goes for those people who write books and scripts, journalists as well as authors and screenwriters.

One piece of advice I have is this: If I listened to all the criticism I receive about my stories, I'd still be stuck writing the first page. It's good to get solid feedback from trusted individuals, good friends, you can rely on to be honest with you (instead of kissing up to you) about your work, not just writing.

As a writer, you can—and should—listen to them, what suggestion they give. However, that doesn't mean you have to follow everything you hear word for word. Give yourself creative freedom, find what style of writing works for you, and then go forward from there.

Long story short, as creative writers and persons, you have your own style of writing, so do it. Keep pushing yourself to be a better man or woman and have confidence in yourself. Keep persevering and be yourself. That's what makes a person the unique person they are. Don't let others stop you; let them help you grow in your life and in our experience as a writer.

Movie Review: "The 5th Wave" as Anti-Military propaganda

Normally a story that involves humans fighting seemingly invincible aliens warrants a good story. You'd also think the military would be there to protect Americans.

But before long, it becomes clear to the protagonists in “The 5th Wave (2016)” that Americans should resist the military, that the soldiers are the real enemy to humanity.

"The 5th Wave," based on the Rick Yancey novel of the same name, follows a long line of Hollywood's assaults on the honor and integers of the brave men and women who fight for their country.

Unfortunately, most of Hollywood hasn't limited their attacks to five.

The film centers around a young girl who sets out to find her brother after their father is killed in a massacre carried out by military forces. Right after the parents do the natural thing and resist being separated from their children forever. This is the director's way of telling audiences you can't trust the military and anyone who puts on the uniform.

Needless to say, the military aren't the good guys we're led to believe they are. It's not even a spoiler to say they aren't even human; that's the message the filmmakers are presenting U.S. soldiers as.

It doesn't help that the morals and integrity of the U.S. Military's rank and file, and the officers, has decayed in the years since the Vietnam War. The Rambo movies touch on how anti-war sentiment affected soldiers struggling to live normal lives after returning from Southeast Asia to a country that didn’t want them.

Does Hollywood share that blame, for embracing a culture that condemns people who serve in the armed forces as oppressors? Sure, but they can't be blamed for starting that culture.

They're just reflecting it, continuing the ruthless and merciless assault against soldiers. "The 5th Wave" is an example of that.

It'll take more than hope to push back this enemy's mentality. Having the will to step up and be brave is a good place to start.