Chewie Screams, Revan Trolls, And Christmas Bells Ring... 'BEST OF Forcestrong'

Like our page -- Join our group

Most of you know we have a large Facebook page, www.facebook.com/forcestrong, and a VERY active FB group, www.facebook.com/groups/tfiswtg. Please stop by and like the page and join the group.

Click pic to pre-order

Don't miss a minute of the Forcestrong goodness! We do a weekly wrap up every Wednesday that will give you all the new articles in one email.  Sign up >> here <<

Here's a few things that have popped over the past few days from both the page and group:

That awkward moment with Chewbacca #forcestrong The Force Is Strong With This Page The Force Is Strong With This Group
Posted by The Force Is Strong With This Page on Monday, September 28, 2015

Search your feelings, you know this too be true!--A Join our group >> www.facebook.com/groups/tfiswtg (nearly 26.000 members) and visit our blog www.forcestrongnetwork.com.
Posted by The Force Is Strong With This Page on Saturday, September 26, 2015

I CAN'T wait for Revan in Ep. VII!!! #Forcestrong Trolling on #RandomGeekPageFrom our group www.facebook.com/groups/tfiswtg
Posted by Random Geek Page on Sunday, September 27, 2015

The Force Is Strong With Colorado Springs, But They Still Need Our Help!

You know.....for a bunch of Imperials, the 501st is all heart!

When Rob Fountain & Jason Aguilar of the Colorado Springs Rotary Prime approached them about helping out with a special event, they all agreed to to chip in!

That special event was a fund raising event for 6 year old Benjamin Blazis. Benjamin suffers from a rare genetic disorder that has stumped every doctor and specialist that has seen him. It all started when he was 9 months old. His parents, Joyce & Eddie Blazis, noticed something was wrong with him and took him to see a doctor. An ophthalmologist told them that Benjamin was having constant seizures. Since then a variety of other symptoms have also begun.

Benjamin with his mom & dad amid countless other supporters

Benjamin now takes several types of medication, eats through a feeding tube connected to his stomach, and has an implant that stimulates his nerves to help prevent seizures. Doctors have stated that while they are still uncertain of what this medical condition is, they do know that it's progression will eventually leave Benjamin paralyzed and in a wheelchair. The funds collected will used to renovate the Blazis family home to accommodate their son's current and future needs.

Rob Fountain & Jason Aguilar set up the entire event at Johnny Martin's Car Central where members of the 501st greeted and entertained the charity attendees. Their hope was to raise at least $5000 for the needed home renovations.

Benjamin high-fiving a Shadow trooper who came out to support him

The collections were by way of $20 donations, a silent auction of Star Wars memorabilia,and a GoFundMe page. Since the GoFundMe page was set up on 16 days ago, a mere $700 of the $5,000 goal has been collected.

As a star wars fan and a parent myself, I appeal to you to please forward this article to as many people as you can in the hopes of helping Rob & Jason reach the $5,000 goal to help the Blazis family!

You can also share it all over Facebook directly from our Facebook page!

Source: The Gazette, Rotary Prime, GoFundMe

Star Wars Battlefront Beta Mission Briefing: Details & Run Times!

Alright troops! This is a very important briefing, so PAY ATTENTION!

• Beta will go live on October 8th & end on October 12th!

• 3 Game Modes: Walker Assault on Hoth, Drop Zone on Sullust & Survival Mission on Tattoine.

• PS4/XBox One owners can download the game from their respective stores on the 8th.
  File size 7GB.

• PC users can pre-load the game files through Origin on Wednesday October 7th starting at 1:00am Pacific Daylight Time. Pre-loading option NOT available for PS4/XBox One users.
  File size 11GB.

• Level cap set at 5 for Beta, but layers can continue to unlock items even after reaching cap.

• Players may experience game interruptions during beta while EA tests online infrastructure.

• Beta progress WILL NOT carry over to full release. HOWEVER.....During beta players can visit the Battlefront website and access "Base Command". Base Command will earn you in-game credits that can be used to purchase weapons and Star Cards in the full release.

Source: Twinfinite.net

Read our Battlefront article from last week HERE for a complete Battle Plan!

To be up on all the current events from the Forcestrong Network you can like our Facebook page and join our group, both are SUPER active and informative.

We do a weekly wrap up every Wednesday! >> Sign up here <<

Disneyland's Space Mountain To Get A Star Wars Revamp In November!

Disneyland in California will be getting the Star Wars treatment starting in November! Specifically, Star Tours and Space Mountain will be getting the first 'upgrades'

From IGN.com:

Last month, Disney revealed plans to bring Star Wars into its family of various theme parks in a bigger way, and the company has now announced the first few additions are opening surprisingly soon at California's original Disneyland, on November 16th.
Among these attractions are Star Wars Launch Bay, where guests can visit with Star Wars characters, see special exhibits and get peeks at the upcoming film The Force Awakens; an upgrade to the popular Star Tours: The Adventures Continue, where the classic ride will now have a scene borrowing elements from The Force Awakens; and Hyperspace Mountain, a re-imagining/temporary re-theming of the classic ride Space Mountain ride as an X-Wing battle in space.
The overall Star Wars experience coming to Disneyland is called Season of the Force, and will include other limited time elements, such as an opportunity to revisit scenes from the Star Wars films at Tomorrowland Theater and special themed food and beverage, merchandise and entertainment.

Read the full article here.

GREAT my birthday is on the 17th... Now, how do I talk my family into a trip to California?... I'm already getting the PS4 bundle below that comes out on my bday :)

You can pre-order your own here

Disney World will be getting it's own Season of the Force makeover.  We'll be reporting on that when the dates are set.

Stay tuned to the Forcestrong network for more. Join our Facebook group (25,000 members) and like the page (89,000 fans).

We do a weekly wrap-up with the new articles from the blog every Wednesday.  Sign up >> here <<

'Best Of' From The Forcestrong Page And Group

Most of you know we have a large Facebook page, www.facebook.com/forcestrong, and a VERY active FB group, www.facebook.com/groups/tfiswtg. Please stop by and like the page and join the group.

You've probably seen these new Bluetooth speakers.
Check all the new ones out >> here <<

Don't miss a minute of the Forcestrong goodness! We do a weekly wrap up every Wednesday that will give you all the new articles in one email.  Sign up >> here <<

Here's a few things that have popped over the past few days from both the page and group:

Little fun that I found on the #ForceStrong group. Stop by and join www.fb.com/groups/tfiswtg
Posted by The Force Is Strong With This Page on Thursday, September 24, 2015

It may not look like much but it has a cream filling... You can find this and many more SW mold here >> http://goo.gl/s7Ddla
Posted by The Force Is Strong With This Page on Thursday, September 24, 2015

Star Wars Battlefront Beta Test Open To Everyone This October

EA Games has announced open beta testing to all players who want to try out 3 of the game modes both online and offline! The beta will be open for PS4, XBox One and PC some time in early October.

UPDATE: PC Mag reports that EA Will launch beta on October 17 for PS4, XBox One and Origin for PC. Beta software will be available for download. Characters & customization during beta testing will not transfer to the actual game.
UPDATE 2: EA Games has rescheduled the Beta release date to October 8TH!!!!!

WARNING!!! EA warns that the beta event is a "technical test" so there is always the possibility that the software may contain errors.

PLAY AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!

The beta test will feature Hoth Walker Assault, Survival Mode: Tatooine, and Drop Zone! In Walker Assault, players will have the chance to play as Darth Vader or Luke Skywalker! In survivor mode, you will play as rebels holding off wave upon wave of Imperial forces! EA is keeping quiet about what Drop Zone entails for now, but they will reveal more as beta launch time approaches!

Darth Vader on Hoth

Imperial forces advancing on Hoth

Click HERE to register with EA for all upcoming news and information regarding Star Wars Battlefront, the October beta, and all other upcoming Star Wars games!

Be sure to visit us on Facebook! Like our FB page & join our FB group!

Episode VII Post Credit Scene Rumored To Introduce Rogue One

Everyone knows you never leave your seat when the credits roll at the end of a Marvel movie. As expected, Disney is expanding that practice to the Star Wars franchise. Rumors of a post credit scene at the end of Episode VII have now been confirmed. However, the subject of that scene has sparked a new rumor.

According to CinemaBlend, the post credit scene is rumored to introduce Rogue One. While it would be interesting to see some more footage outside the teaser we've already seen, post credit scenes are normally used to tease future installments that are linked to the one you just watched. Teasing Rogue One would be a bit odd because the events of that movie take place over 3 decades before Episode VII. It would make more sense if the post credit scenes were to tease Episode VIII instead....but like we said earlier, the content of the post credits scene is a rumor for now.

Star Wars: Rogue One main cast photo

You can be sure we will update all of you about this once the rumors are confirmed!

Stay up to date with all things Star Wars by joining our Forcestrong Facebook community.  We have a very active FB group as well as the original Forcestrong FB page!

Darth Vader PS4 Pre-Order With 2 Bundle Options!

Last month, the Darth Vader PS4 was announced. On Friday September 11th, pre-orders opened up at Amazon, Gamestop, Best Buy, Target & Wal-Mart.

There are 2 bundles available, both selling for $449.99.

BUNDLE 1: Limited Edition Playstation 4 Star Wars Battlefront Bundle

*This bundle is available for pre-order at all 5 retailers*

500GB Darth Vader PS4 with custom controller

Star Wars Battlefront Deluxe Edition

Digital voucher to download 4 classic SW games playable on PS4 for the first time ever!

The classic games are:
The Super Nintendo title - Super Star Wars
Star Wars: Racer Revenge

Star Wars: Starfighter

Star Wars: Bounty Hunter

NOTE: There is also STANDARD PS4 Battlefront Bundle for $399.99 listed on Amazon, Best Buy & Target. THIS IS NOT the limited edition bundle, and it will not have the Darth Vader skin, controller, or digital game download voucher.

BUNDLE 2: WAL-MART EXCLUSIVE Playstation 4 Disney 3.0 Star Wars Bundle

* This bundle is ONLY available at Wal-Mart*

500GB Darth Vader PS4 with custom controller

Disney Infnity 3.0 Exclusive Star Wars Bundle Kit

Digital voucher to download 4 classic SW games playable on PS4 for the first time ever!

The classic games are:
The Super Nintendo title - Super Star Wars
Star Wars: Racer Revenge

Star Wars: Starfighter

Star Wars: Bounty Hunter

You can pre-order from Amazon HERE, and check the official source HERE by clicking the retailer of your choice! Best Buy & Target offer pre-orders from their own respective websites.

Don't forget to stop by and check out our Facebook page. You can also join our Facebook group and be a part of one of the largest Star Wars communities on Facebook.

Source: Playstation.com

There Has Been An Uprising... Mobile Game Coming Before TFA!

It's VERY rare that a mobile game would have an impact on the story-line of a MAJOR film, but in the case of Uprising that may be changing.

From TheGuardian.com:

Kabam's previous releases include The Hobbit: Kingdoms, Lord of the Rings: Legends, Fast and Furious: Legacy and The Hunger Games: Panem Rising. The new Star Wars game is its most high-profile yet.

Star Wars: Uprising is set in between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens, making it an official addition to the Star Wars canon. That is a significant moment for mobile gaming, which until recently has more often been a source of licensing dollars rather than new stories for the franchise.

The massively multiplayer game will let players create their own characters – “become the next Han Solo, Boba Fett or entirely unique hero of your own design” runs its blurb – and exploring familiar environments such as the planet Hoth, as well as new scenes.

Like Kabam’s other games, it is free but funded by in-app purchases of virtual items including tips for the Cantina Band or goods from Kashyyyk (both £3.99) and hazard pay for Stormtroopers (£14.99).

Uprising’s release a few months before the premiere of The Force Awakens is no coincidence: it is a key part of the advance promotion for the new film, with Kabam and Disney well aware that fans will flock to the game looking for more hints on the movie’s plotlines and characters.

See the full article here.

Uprising will be the first game to expand on the official Star Wars canon.  I'm sure you've probably played Commander, Angry Birds, or the Topps Collectible Card Game; but this is something different.  Stay tuned to the network for official release dates.

Sound off on our FB group with your opinion. Also, make sure you like our page.

New Marvel One-Shot To Explain C3PO's Red Arm!

We're about to find out in a new Marvel One-Shot!

We're about to discover the origin of C3PO's red arm!

From StarWars.com:

Fans of the galaxy’s greatest protocol droid have noticed that in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, C-3PO has a new red arm. In a special one-shot from Marvel, we’ll learn just how and why he got it.

Today, Marvel announced Star Wars Special: C-3P0 #1, a new story from the Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens publishing program coming in December. Reuniting the acclaimed and award-winning writer and artist team of James Robinson and Tony Harris for the first time in nearly two decades, the tale follows “golden rod” on a solo adventure leading up to his appearance in Star Wars: The Force Awakens — and reveals what led to this change in appearance.

“That’s a really exciting part of doing this story,” says Robinson. “I saw a photo of C-3PO with his red arm the other day and I thought ‘Wow, I’m the writer who gets to explain that.’”

You may not be fluent in over six million forms of communication…but this book is a must have in any language.

See full article here.

Get all the latest Star Wars toys here

So, give us your theories on the red arm in the comments section.  You can also sound off on our group and make sure to like our page!  As always, we will keep you updated right here on the Forcestrong Network when we get more info on the release date.

Get all the latest Star Wars toys here.

Galaxy Wars: An Art Show Tribute To Star Wars & Star Trek

The Place: Pasadena, CA. It was Saturday September 5th. #ForceFriday had come and gone, but there was another celebration that was about to begin. One that would bridge two galaxies that are usually at odds with each other...

Galaxy Wars! Original artwork, T-shirts, hand crafted jewelry, accessories, souvenirs and trinkets, coupled with shaved ice from RAPsados, beer and live music. That was the atmosphere at the Old Towne Pub that night. The art show was presented by Le Beauty Exorcist and Dr.Graves Productions. The event was sponsored by a handful of companies including the local Guitar Center, which raffled off a guitar, and HorrorCon.

Inside the venue, bands were playing non-stop. You could hear the music out in the courtyard throughout the night. Power metal as the background to a Sci-Fi art show! It was a perfect fit. The night capped off with the arrival of the evening's headliners, Du Hast - A Rammstein Tribute band.

The courtyard was dotted with vendor tables displaying their wares. Everything from pop culture to sci-fi and then some. However it was quite obvious that the atmosphere was dominated by Star Wars and Star Trek on this night.....and it was evident that Star Wars had a superior influence. That didn't stop fans of both franchises from getting along though. 

There was also Der Wolfskopf. A beer garden that had some amazing brews & an assortment of German food that was also located in the courtyard. My personal favorite brew was the Schofferhofer Grapefruit Radler. It had a good citrus flavor without all the bitterness that usually comes with grapefruit, making for one very refreshing drink.   

As I mentioned before, Star Wars was clearly the winner here. Star Trek was only visible at a couple of vendor tables. There were a couple of Spock stencil paintings among a sea of Rebel & Imperial characters. (See below) and the other was by way of some T-shirts that combined the 2 galaxies. 

The Sithfits table, with plenty of T-Shirts to go around

There were some incredibly detailed works of art up for grabs as well. Some were intricate wood burned images, while others utilized watercolors, paints, color pencils, you name it!

Look at the workmanship on Fett, Maul, Trooper & of course, Han & Chewie

Various media art by Eliassar Gonzalez. Some were on Canvas (not shown)

I purchased this 11 x 14 print for my personal collection:
Trooper, Mando & Imp. Guard done in watercolor

There were also plenty of hand crafted items like key chains and magnets. 

There were even a couple of people in cosplay, along with myself. I found myself face to face with a Mandalorian out for a bounty......but we came to a mutual agreement. His armor was made of Sintra, with a modified Rubie's Boba Fett helmet. It was very well done!

Kiefer Jenkins in his Mandalorian armor

I also ran into Kylo, who was apparently getting ready to head inside to checkout the bands. I tried to get some information out of him about the knights of Ren, but he was too strong for mind tricks.

All-in-all it was a fun experience that was more like an awesome fan gathering than an art show. Vendors, attendees, and band members all hanging out eating, drinking, and talking Star Wars & a little bit of Star Trek.

Make sure you like our page and join our FB group!  Sound off in comments, if you have any questions.  Thanks for reading!

Fandemonium! What does it all mean?

We, as fans, hold our favorite franchises to the highest regard! We will argue, fight, and if we could, force choke you to death over them.  I KEEL YOU!

For generations there has been Star Wars vs Star Trek, Marvel vs DC, which Dr. was the best, who could take who in a fight, and countless more. We travel hundreds of miles to meet our favorite actor or artist at ComicCons, spend thousands of dollars buying all the newest merch, and proudly display our fandom for all to see in shameless mirror selfies on Instagram.

Click here to get your Chewbacca shirt!

Recently Force Friday showed us this with the majority of our local walmart, target, and several other retailer's shelves being completely blown out by 12:15am Friday morning...

Over the last few years some of these franchises have gained a massive new following thanks to big budget Hollywood films. The MCU has produced some of the highest grossing films and biggest box office openings in Hollywood history. Star Wars episode VII is surrounded by more hype and anticipation than most films to date, and for most of us, we can say that we have been around since before all the hype. But what does all of this mean for us that have been around since the beginning? It means that today is a great day to be a nerd, my friends, a great day indeed.

What say you #Forcestrong?  Sound off on our FB group and make sure you like our page!

ForceFriday is Here! Some Pics From Our Forcestrong Group Members.

One lucky member even won this giant Chewie from his local Target!

THE BIG DAY IS HERE!! FORCEFRIDAY!!

Kylo Ren, Rey, Finn, BB-8, LEGOs, Funko, and much much more -- What did you get?  Post it in comments or on our FB group with the rest of the 25,000+ members.

One member even made the news:

Below are some of the choice picks that have come in so far.  If you see your picture, feel free to comment.

Yes, we have a few Star Wars addicts within our community ;)  Make sure you share your haul with us all.  Post in comments or in our FB group.  Thanks for being a part of the #Forcestrong Network!

New Addition To The Forcestrong Network: The Force Is Strong With This One!

Hello all, I'm Eddie! 

I'm a single father (insert Vader voice here) from the great, flat, boring state of Oklahoma. And by single father, I do mean single, (hello ladies😏) meaning I cook. I clean. I fix their hair and do their makeup (zombie makeup counts, right?) 

I currently write my own blog called "Single Dad Pulling His Hair Out", and for a website about some other awesome dads called theradnation.com! I enjoy long walks along the beach, wait this isn't match.com, sorry I got side tracked! 

My fandom includes Star Wars, comic books, Star Wars, video games, Star Wars, vintage toys, Star Wars and did I mention Star Wars. Yes, I will be in line on December 18th in full storm trooper armor! I am a fan of what J.J. Abrams did for the Star Trek franchise, but I'm not going to lie, I am ridiculously nervous for him to direct ep7. I think it's because one of my earliest memories was sitting down on the couch with my mom and a giant bucket of popcorn and being completely awestruck watching those scrolling yellow letters run up the screen. Then when the re-release came out on vhs (that makes me feel old!) my grandma and I driving over 100 miles and to two different cities to find my very own copy, which I still own and proudly display. 

I know Episode VII is going to be a make it or break it for the fans, if it's great we will all rejoice together, cry together, (they better not kill Han, if they do we riot!!!) but if he doesn't there will be some of us that try to hunt J.J down like Liam Neeson did in taken.

Look for more of Eddie's stuff on the Forcestrong Network and in our FB group.  

Contact him on his page or comment below

(SPOILERS) Ep. VII Leaked Images Reveal Scene - Characters & Names Revealed - Also: SW Rebels in Ep. VII???

It's been a busy week in the world of Star Wars spoilers, revelations & speculations! Without further delay, let's get cracking!

SPOILER!

Earlier in the week, leaked footage made it onto YouTube where it was subsequently removed just as quickly as it arrived.....but not before screenshots were saved! The footage expanded on the scene shown in the trailer where Finn & Rey are running across an open area in the desert and an explosion erupts behind them.

In what appears to be the moments before that explosion, the scene shows a marketplace/bazaar like location where Finn & Rey are hiding from Stormtroopers. In the scene, Rey says "Let go of me!" and Finn replies with "We gotta move!" The images show what appears to be Finn & Rey making a run for it as a one trooper gives chase.

Checkout the slides below (Click to enlarge):

REVELATION!

Back in late July, we posted an article about a new alien species that was revealed to be one of the Resistance's X-Wing pilots. At the time, he was nicknamed Bullhead, on the count of the resemblance to a Bullhead fish. 

You can find that article HERE.

Thanks to the keen eyes of a JediTempleArchive staffer (who is also a Wal-Mart shopper), we now have a name for this pilot as well as the image and identity of a new character. Check them out below!

Bullhead (Real Name: Asty)
Affiliation: Resistance

Sarco Plank

Affiliation: Unknown

SPECULATION!

Thanks to that same staffer who snapped pix of Asty & Sarco Plank, something else was discovered. Something quite interesting if you consider the possibilities...

The case load-out that comes with Asty & Sarco is listed as follows:

2x Asty

2x Sarco Plank

2x Stormtrooper

2x Snowtrooper

2x Kanan Jarrus

2x Ezra Bridger

That's right. Kanan and Ezra are part of the new TFA toy line! According to the source, they are Rebels figures packaged on the new TFA card! Is this just a marketing ploy to resell repackaged figures or is there something deeper? This opens up a whole new possibility (as well as a unique canonical connection) between Rebels and the new trilogy!

If  Kanan & Ezra are a part of the new trilogy, that would mean Ezra would be about the same age as Luke. Rebels takes place 5 years before ANH. Ezra is 14 at this time.  5 years later in ANH, Luke is 18/19 years old. That also means Kanan would be pushing into his 80's......about the same age as Max Von Sydow!

I know people have been hoping/speculating that Von Sydow's character ends up being an old Fett, but what if he ends up being Kanan under an assumed identity? If that's the case, then the new EU has got a lot of explaining to do as to where Kanan & Ezra have been throughout the war between the Rebels and Galactic Empire.

Unfortunately, due to issues with the store manager the staffer was unable to get pictures of all 6 figures in the case.

I guess we'll all find out more about our two Rebels once #ForceFriday arrives!

For the latest on all things Star Wars, follow us via our Facebook page, and join our 25K member strong Facebook group!



Sources: MakingStarWars.net, JediTempleArchives.com

Star Wars Merchandise Harkens Back To The Ads Of The 80's & 90's

As the Great and Wise Yogurt once told Lone Starr......"MERCHANDISING!" Then he opened up the kiosk and started running through all the merchandise. Okay so that was from Spaceballs and not Star Wars, and yes a lot of the merchandise he talked about was campy, but that was the point! Epic Hollywood success stories are always followed by a ton of merchandising!

Every company out there is trying to cash in on the popularity of Star Wars. Apparel, cereal, lunchboxes, you name it! While today we have a wide variety of pretty awesome merchandise, we also have the more campy and kitschy variety as well.

Campbell's is the latest company to jump on the Star Wars branded merchandise bandwagon with their Star Wars themed soups. Their chicken soup and Spaghetti-O's to be exact...complete with character shaped pasta.

While the product itself is a cheesy attempt at sales, I can't help but smile and will most likely shell out a few bucks to buy these for my kids. Why would I do this? 

Simple:

A: My kids love Star Wars.

B: It brings back memories of when I was a kid. 

Growing up, I was a part of the generation that was introduced to Nintendo, Batman, Ghostbusters, Ninja Turtles & C3P0 themed cereals as well as other food & drinks themed after what was popular at the time.

"The odds of you never having tried this cereal as a kid are 3,720 to 1!"

As kids, we didn't care that Ninja Turtles cereal with marshmallows tasted exactly like Lucky Charms, or that Batman cereal was basically a Cap'n Crunch knock-off with bat shaped cereal that would cut up the roof of your mouth instead of the crunch balls that did the exact same thing. We just felt pretty damn awesome because......well, JUST BECAUSE!

This is what Campbell's is banking on. They know the new generation will feel the way we did as kids, and they also know the power of nostalgia. They know damn well that most of us will buy the products whether we have kids or not, just because we love Star Wars.

Just for old time's sake, here are some of my favorite themed cereals as a kid. Unless you were born in the mid to late 90's, I bet you've at least tried one of them.

What was your favorite Star Wars themed merchandise when you were a kid? Head over to our FB group and let us know! While you're at it, check out our FB page as well!

Sources: Delish.com and my childhood memories!