For those who have been asking about Photo Real, it is a proprietary technology developed by Hasbro’s Asian Division, for use on their action figures.

Specifically, the technology was developed for use on both the Marvels Legends assortment, as well as the Star Wars Black Series six inch figures.

The first Black Series figure released with this new design was DJ (Canto Bight, no. 57) from The Last Jedi assortment.

The technology has now been expanded to include the Vintage Collection 3.75 action figures as well as the Black Series assortment.

Though the details of the process are corporate secrets, we do know the general processes used. First, a three dimensional head sculpt of the character is created using high resolution images of the actors in costume.

These images are taken from every angle, and often include actual screen still captures as well. Once the blank mold is created, it is then overlaid with multiple images that are layered onto the cast in a program.

These layers take larger segments of the actor’s facial features, and divide them into smaller sections in order to maximize details.

Once the overlay process is complete, it is hand painted. This completed cast is used to print another rubber cast, which is then broken down into sections. These sections are then used to mass produce the head sculpt at a later date.

The final printing process is the primary feature that Hasbro is silent about. For the most part, the figures look realistic, though I have seen several Black Series figures where the eye placement was off.

I will say that the Marvel Legends figures seem to be a better quality than the Black Series figures are. Case in point, look at the image of the Wasp from Ant Man. The head sculpt is identical to the actress, Evangeline Lilly.

The Star Wars figures do not have that same level of detail, and only Hasbro can answer why. The ability is certainly there, but the Marvel figures appear thus far to be the most life like in appearance to the actors they represent.

Before the Photo Real process was developed, the same character scans used by Hasbro were also used by every company creating figures, including Sideshow.

Known for their extreme articulation and lifelikeness, the Sideshow figures command a much higher price point, and the value is apparent right out of the box.

Hasbro’s newest series, HyperReal, is set to debut Quarter three of this year, and will also utilize the Photo Real technology.

I believe that this line will feature far greater detail than the Black Series figures, and this is due in part to the scale.

One sixth scale figures feature more surface area on their head sculpts, allowing for greater detail and lifelike features to be incorporated.

The goal of the Photo Real technology was to take that same level of detail, and scale it down for use on the one twelfth scale figures like the Black Series and Marvel Legends.

Action figures have undergone many changes over the past forty five years, and Star Wars is no exception.

Most of these changes have been for the better, however some have been made strictly to cut cost.

With the role of expanding technology and companies under pressure to save money, ideas like Photo Real will become increasingly vital to the survival of the collector’s market, and toy industry at large.

If you have seen any of the original trilogy Star Wars films, then you have certainly seen the Empire’s favorite PR guys, the Stormtroopers.

These Imperial soldiers are an elite contingent within the Imperial Army. The Stormtrooper Corps is a shock force used in support of ongoing Imperial conflicts, as well as serving as an occupational force on Imperial controlled worlds.

They are deployed on every Imperial vessel, and often serve as elite security teams for high ranking officers and officials.

Stormtroopers are divided into divisions, and include specialized compartmentalized units within their ranks as well.

Their presence is as much a psychological deterrent as a military force, and just their appearance is often enough to bring order to a chaos.

Stormtroopers utilize specialized body armor, that is derived from the original armor used in the clone wars. The armor consists of eighteen pieces, plus a fully enclosed helmet.

It is designed to both protect the wearer from light blaster fire, as well as varying atmospheric and climatic conditions. It is lightweight, durable, and strong.

When deadly force is required, Stormtroopers are equipped with the standard Blastech E-11 carbine, which uses a small macroscope to aide in target aquisition.

So if their weapons have scopes, then why don’t they use them? The short answer is, they can and they do. A Stormtrooper’s helmet contains a remote link to their weapon sights, which appear as a small Heads Up Display ( HUD) on their helmet’s eye lens.

This targeting reticle is super imposed over the threat, allowing the Stormtroopers to fire their weapon without actually acquiring a proper sight picture.

In Rogue One A Star Wars Story, we see a squad of Stormtroopers serving as a dismounted patrol around an Imperial Assault tank.

When the tank is ambushed by insurgents, the troopers are taken by surprise, but quickly begin to recover. They take up defensive positions around the tank, and aim their weapons using the actual sights.

This is a departure from what we have previously seen on screen, albeit it is a more realistic portrayal of military tactical shooting techniques.

All Stormtroopers would of necessity be required to become expert marksman, before being trained in the use of remote sight aquisition through electronic aides.

It’s a great example of soldiers instantly falling back to their training, and using crucial skills to eliminate the threat, and stay in the fight.

Stormtroopers are among the most highly trained soldiers in the galaxy, and the most well equipped. They have the ability and the armament to engage and eliminate any threat that they may face, making them a deadly adversary for the Rebel Army.

For weeks now we have heard that actor Matt Smith will portray a Sith acolyte in Star Wars The Rise of Skywalker.

The part of this rumor that is most fascinating, is that this acolyte will in fact be posessed by the spirit of Darth Sidious!

That’s right; Emperor Palpatine himself is said to return, only as a spirit from the netherworld of the Force.

During Revenge of the Sith, it was Palpatine who shared with a young Anakin Skywalker the Sith legend of Darth Plagieus the wise, and his ability to manipulate the midichlorians.

This dark side power enabled the Sith Lord to prevent others from dying; it did not however prevent himself from being killed by his young apprentice, Darth Sidious.

Since Darth Sidious/ Palpatine learned this evil ability, then it stands to reason that he had the ability to use it as well.

For this to be done in Episode IX, I want to look further back to a light side force user, a Jedi Knight, for answers on how it could play out.

In Star Wars Revenge of the Sith, Jedi master Yoda informs Obi-Wan Kenobi that his old master, Qui-Gon John, has returned from the netherworld of the Force.

It is implied that Qui-Gon has conversed with Yoda; something we see in Star Wars The Clone Wars.

If then a Jedi can maintain their eternal consciousness, then why not a Sith? In Legends material, it has been seen more than once, including with Emperor Palpatine.

This then is a highly probable plot twist for Episode IX. It seems likely that if this is indeed accurate, that Kylo Ren and Rey joining forces to defeat the Emperor is also plausible.

It would certainly make for an interesting plot, and would be a fitting way to bring a conclusion to the Skywalker Saga.

Fans the world over have waited for thirty six years to see a fitting end for their hero Luke Skywalker, and though The Last Jedi failed to offer that, then perhaps the story will come full circle, and bring closure in Episode IX, with both the hiers and legacy of the Force.

Everyone in fandom wants to know who Rey is? More specifically, Is Rey a Skywalker? For certain, we won’t know until Star Wars Episode IX is released in theaters in December. We might get a glimpse of that on Friday with the trailer. For now, I want to discuss the implications of Rey’s parents as a matter of impact upon the Skywalker Saga, and what it would mean moving forward. This is, of course my own perspective, and not something to be taken as any sort of confirmation one way or another.

The sequels in many ways are a soft reboot to the franchise, and at their heart is a young girl, Rey. Abandoned by her family on the desert world of Jakku, we find in Rey a character not unlike Luke.

As The Force Awakens reveals many callbacks and similarities, it also presents many unknowns. One constant throughout the film are the many connections to Rey and to the Skywalkers.

First, the desert world itself, where Lor San Takka dwells in a village not far from where Rey lives, and yet she seems to have no knowledge of him.

Then, we find her means of escape, the Millennium Falcon, which is conveniently parked on her doorstep.

Rey’s interaction with Han Solo on Takadonna further add weight to her lineage, as is the unseen conversation between Han and Maz Kanata.

All of this add a piece to the puzzle, but it isn’t until Rey finds Luke’s lightsaber that we see our most powerful connection to date.

When Maz finds Rey, she tells her that the person she seeks is in her future, to which Rey whispers Luke.

All of these are potential hints as to what we as fans want to know: Is Rey Luke’s daughter? Personally, I am going to be disappointed if she isn’t.

Daisy Ridley herself stated that she thought the answer was obvious to those who had seen The Force Awakens, however she soon realized that it wasn’t.

In my opinion, it would make for a very fitting end to the Skywalker Legacy, and would make Luke’s death a more meaningful event in The Last Jedi. It would, in many ways, bring balance to the Force.

The launch of this website is the realization of a dream that I have had for several years. I began my creative journey in 2011 with a simple fan fiction story, which evolved into a short novel.

Four years later, I began recording toy reviews on YouTube, with nothing more than a cheap smartphone stacked on top of some books on my desk.

The following year, I continued to expand my interests by customizing Star Wars toys, and discovered talents that I never knew existed.

In the summer of 2016 I was invited to serve as contributing columnist for Outer Rim News, a third party Star Wars news site, which I was allowed to serve until January 2019.

Today, I am excited to share my passion for science fiction and fantasy through the use of social media, and now this website.

What sets me apart from other enthusiasts and fans, is the fact that I am disabled, and enduring a life long struggle from the effects of Autism and SPD.

Through years of disappointment, failures, and heartache, my pain has become the power of my passion, which I am very proud of.

It is a way to share with the world the gifts that God has granted me to use, in order to live a fulfilled and happy existence on this tiny, Blue marble in the vast backdrop of the universe.

So welcome to my site, enjoy my work, and feel free to contact me with your creative ideas, and let’s turn them into a reality.