It would appear that more and more we’re getting to see things from the side of the Empire and those that served it, almost as though to explain their story but not quite exonerate them. Given the current social climate this effort isn’t wasted as it definitely looks to explain just what’s going through the mind of an Imperial storm trooper as they’re going about their duty. The use of the Dylan Thomas poem as narration is a great touch as well, and thus far the effects look spectacular as the lives of Nova squadron are depicted in accordance with the battle of Jakku and the supposed fall of the Empire. A lot of people might have been under the impression that the Empire was over and done for once Return of the Jedi was over, but while the explosion of the second Death Star, the supposed loss of the Emperor and Darth Vader, was a crushing blow to the regime, there were still plenty of moffs that were loyal to the Empire and would fight the Rebel Alliance to the bitter end if they had to. The difference was that the Rebels had gained the upper hand at this point and knew how to better dismantle the Empire since the moffs did little but quibble and were not as unified as they’d been forced to be under Palpatine.
Bucketheads is a good look at the low-level fighters that were recruited in such numbers that their lives eventually became little more than numbers on a data sheet to be read and number designations to be recorded. Storm troopers didn’t have names all that often, nor were they considered to be worth any more than the clones that had been introduced in the Clone Wars. That’s a sad bit of commentary on their existence since the storm trooper was essentially a big part of Star Wars and still is, but to think that your life is worth so little that those above you might not even care to remember that so many died in service to something they believed in would make a lot of people question their loyalty and the sense of following someone that truly doesn’t care. There are plenty of correlations between our world and that of Star Wars that many people could draw upon, but thus far this fan series, which is entering season one at this time, looks as though it will try to take a good, long look at the life a storm trooper, and his squadron, and will go deeper than many stories have in the past.
This isn’t the first time that the life of a storm trooper has been highlighted in this manner as there is a Star Wars graphic novel out there that details the life of an individual trooper, one of those that came from a backwater planet and was given a chance to excel in the Empire. The trooper ended up being shot in the face by Princess Leia Organa of all people by the end of the story, but the tale did go into just what it takes to be a trooper and the fact that their lives are essentially worthless outside their purpose. Bucketheads is, so far, looking like a slightly more upbeat and philosophical story that might delve into the dirtier and less romantic aspects of the life at some point, so long as it can keep going. This would make it appear that some folks are out there doing what they can to keep the entertainment industry going at this time, and are coming up with wider and different ideas that will keep the stories rolling in and hopefully bring a new level of interest to fans both old and new. This take on the storm troopers and the fact that they too are fighting for what they believe in is one that might not have resonated quite as forcefully in the past, but as of now, with the amount of social change that’s been going on in the world, it’s fair to say that there might be a changing of minds when it comes to this story. After all we have learned throughout that the Rebels aren’t entirely innocent when it comes to how they conduct themselves, and that while the Empire was ruled by a vile human being, not every person in its service was evil, or even fully aware of what they were being ordered to do.
So far this series looks like it’s worth the watch, especially considering that it’s taking a different direction and showing what it’s like to be on the other side of the conflict, not just on the side that’s been touted as the good guys for so long. There’s more than one perspective in any story after all.
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