(no subject)

[skygiants]

I CANNOT BELIEVE I JUST WATCHED A BIG-BUDGET ACTION MOVIE ABOUT THE CHALLENGES OF DATA RETRIEVAL FROM LONG-TERM STORAGE ON TAPE.

I found everything in that sequence (the file was too large to send over the network! OF COURSE IT WAS, CAD DATA IS HUGE) 100% plausible, including the giant stupid robot retrieval system -- well, except that that the process of operating the tape deck itself was definitely not frustrating enough and it should have taken Jyn Erso at least 30 minutes longer to unspool all that data for transmission off of linear tape. But I'll allow it.

Anyway, I can't wait for:
- the fic about the reactions of the Empire's IT and records management departments when they learn that some trigger-happy general just literally BLEW UP an entire unique archival repository of KEY BUREAUCRATIC DATA
- the comic about the first time some maintenance technician tries to repair something on the Death Star and the guy's like, 'where's the documentation?' and their boss is like 'um, well, funny story about that....'
- the in-depth analysis about various mistakes the Empire makes in the original trilogy and how they operate in context of an organization that has just LITERALLY BLOWN UP ALL OF THEIR OWN BACKUP DATA. Of course it's easy for any random hero to impersonate a Stormtrooper! THEY DESTROYED ALL THEIR OWN PERSONNEL FILES.

...in other news, and obvious flaws (WHERE ARE ALL THE OTHER WOMEN) aside, I also liked the rest of the movie very much! What struck me most about this film was how well this movie conveyed the sense of rebellion as a movement, an organization -- we don't get very much backstory on any of the characters, and I think intentionally so, because this isn't a story about a Few Lone Heroes, it's about the massive collaborative effort that it takes to achieve anything of importance. Which is not something you see very often from Hollywood, because it's much easier to invest audiences in a Great Man story about a couple protagonist-y individuals, and therefore which I was especially glad to see here.

Comments

[melita66]

Good thing I wasn't taking a sip when I read the first sentence--I probably would have had to get a new keyboard!

The part at which I rolled my eyes was the "of course you have to walk out on a catwalk to realign the satellite dish." Why aren't both controls INSIDE? Yeesh.

The whole movie's been occupying a lot of my brain since I saw it on Friday morning. I don't often read fanfic but I want the team to survive so much, I'll likely be reading a lot of AU stories in the future.

[skygiants]

I'm pretty sure 'pointless catwalks and ENDLESS PITS OF DEATH' are signature Empire design elements, much like Doric columns or Brutalist concrete.

I went to AO3 immediately out of curiosity when I got back from the movie, and then almost immediately navigated away again in disgust when I saw that the second most-prominent pairing is "Jyn Erso/Orson Krennic." FANDOM. WHY.

[vivien]

Lol, I have an answer for that. Tumblr jumped on that ship out of spite and amusement when the trailers were released. It's a crack ship. For the most part.

I'll look for any archival mentions in fic and meta! I know there will be some serious analyses. I'll hook you up, archivist.

[skygiants]

I feel slightly better knowing that, but if Baze/Chirrut doesn't outpace it in the next few days I may set something on fire. (Spite at what? No, don't answer that, I don't want to know.)

Ha, I know I can count on you to be my eyes in Star Wars fandom! :D Thank you!

[lnhammer]

I'm pretty sure 'pointless catwalks and ENDLESS PITS OF DEATH' are signature Empire design elements, much like Doric columns or Brutalist concrete.

That's Janni's theory.

[princessofgeeks]

So much this.

[happydork]

I'm pretty sure 'pointless catwalks and ENDLESS PITS OF DEATH' are signature Empire design elements, much like Doric columns or Brutalist concrete.

Haha, I believe it to be true!