User:The Hyrvydder

Greetings! I am the Hyrvydder.

Like most modern-day nerds, I am a massive fan of Star Wars. I am in particular a fan of the Expanded Universe that focuses on the Clone Wars. The Clone Wars has a lot of moral and ethical gray areas I like to explore and muck around in: the right of the Confederacy to sovereign rule, the exploitation of clones, and other sticky issues that are common in civil wars. Star Wars: Battlefront II is one of my favorite video games in part due to its heavy reliance on the Clone Wars (although I honestly believe it has better gameplay than a lot of other games nowadays). I did follow the recent CGI TV series for the first season, but Ahsoka Tano perpetually ticks me off, and then I lost access to cable. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the dynamic between Obi-Wan and Anakin the series shows us, as well as the early parts of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. I find the the novelization of Revenge of the Sith massively superior to the movie in nearly every way, and it is also my favorite book of all time.

I personally hold the opinion that the Sith are superior to the Jedi when it comes to understanding and utilizing the Force. My life experiences lead me to believe that passion is power: passions and attachements are natural and it is also natural to seek to preserve and protect those passions and attachments (I wouldn't go so far as to say "at any cost", but you get my point). I do, however, identify closely with Qui-Gon Jinn and the Living Force.

I'll admit to being a Fandolorian; it's kinda hard to not become one after reading the Republic Commando series by Karen Traviss. I'm (very) slowly learning Mando'a, but my fluency is currently limited to the typical curses and a handful of other commonly-used expressions in the novels; as such I will not pretend being an expert (nor will I reward myself with an appropriate userbox, even one that is unflatteringly honest in my skills with the language).

I don't intend to contribute a lot, as my scope of the Star Wars universe is pretty limited compared to most other users here (hence "intermediary understanding" rather than "advanced" in the userboxes), but I might get involved with some community stuff here, so what the hey, might as well join and go for it, right?

=Favorites=

Villians/Sith

 * 1. Darth Maul--Who doesn't like Darth Maul, really? Although he's a fairly stereotypical Sith Warrior (insofar as he is completely uninterested in galactic politics/power games/extraneous Force powers), I find the blunt and honest force of Sith Warriors to be refreshing from the typical Sith Inquistor, who I always seem to see as those fawning simpering sincophants of Emperor Palpatine.
 * 2. General Grievous--Although in the movie and TV series he is portrayed as overly melodramatic and therefore cannot be taken with much seriousness despite his combat skills, in the Expanded Universe novels I find him a much more fulfilling character and villian.
 * 3.
 * 4.
 * 5.

Least Favorite: Galen Marek. Playing as him in The Force Unleashed is fun, no doubt about it, but he's ridiculously overpowered (pulling a Star Destroyer out of the sky, really?), especially considering that he plays such an insignificant role in galactic events, save for martyring himself for the creation of the Rebel Alliance. Someone in the LucasArts thinktank decided that they could get away with god-modding a character. Sorry, I call.

Heroes/Jedi

 * 1. Qui-Gon Jinn--Qui-Gon represented what the Jedi of his day should have been, and he was a wise and kind man who boldly walked the path of good over right.
 * 2. Obi-Wan Kenobi--Obi-Wan was the perfect and ultimate Jedi of his time, the very model of what the Order stood for despite the hundreds of hells he went through, not the least of which was cutting down his best friend.
 * 3. Bardan Jusik--Jusik was brave enough to stand up to, defy, and walk away from the Jedi because he knew they were wrong. Anyone who can do that is truly amazing.  And then he joined the Mandolorians.  My hero.
 * 4. Anakin Skywalker--Anakin's goal in combat was to save everybody throughout the Clone Wars, and that most noble desire earns him my undying respect.
 * 5. Yoda--I like him not because he is the Grand Master of the Jedi Order, not because he is an incredible swordsman, but because he is a teacher. He is as comfortable sharing wisdom with clone soldiers in a cave as he is with Padawans.  That he can inspire confidence and loyalty in others makes him a far more dangerous foe than any Sith who rules by fear.


 * Least Favorite: Mace Windu. He may be badass, but he is also just a straight-up ass as well.  He's just really arrogant and standoffish and not a pleasant guy.  I mean, when do you see him smile, ever?  He's a powerful Jedi and an excellent duelist, perhaps, but creating Vaapad to answer his own problems with the dark side isn't confronting and solving his problems.  Given more time, I wonder if he may have fallen to the dark side much like his apprentice.

Mandolorians

 * 1. Clan Skirata/the Nulls/Omega Squad/Delta Squad/the whole gang from the Republic Commando series
 * 2. Pretty much all of them, methinks

Novels

 * 1. The novelization of Revenge of the Sith by Matthew Stover
 * 2. Republic Commando: Hard Contact
 * 3. Republic Commando: Triple Zero
 * 4. Republic Commando: True Colors
 * 5. Republic Commando: Order 66 (except for the last section; you know what I'm referring to)