Why Benicio Del Toro's Star Wars Character Isn't the Worst

Julian Meush December 22, 2017

There appears to be one constant among those who’ve seen The Last Jedi. Whether you liked it or not people seem to agree that Benicio Del Toro’s character is terrible. Playing a character named DJ he doesn't have a huge role in the film, but with so much hate being thrown his way I wanted to offer him up some defense.

Exploring the Frustrations Surrounding Star Wars Battlefront II

Julian Meush November 16, 2017

Star Wars Battlefront II officially launches tomorrow. What should have been an overwhelmingly exciting day for gamers and Star Wars fans alike is instead mired in a controversy. Microtransactions, specifically loot boxes, have reportedly poisoned the games multiplayer and people aren't happy. I look at the reason why so many gamers are frustrated by EA's microtransaction strategy.

What EA's Star Wars "Update" Really Means

Julian Meush October 18, 2017

This week EA announced that there would be major changes coming to their much anticipated action-adventure Star Wars game. Along with that news we learned that they would be closing Visceral Games, the studio who had been working on the game since 2013. I examine what their curt press release says about the future of the game, the publisher and the games industry as a whole.

Five Thoughts - March 8, 2014

Julian Meush March 8, 2014

After a few busy months I'm back with another Five Thoughts (so much for "working title"). This time I explore a few of my favorite things: Lego, Star Wars and Batman. I also look at some of the big reveals from the past few weeks, including the Guardians of the Galaxy and Arkham Knight trailers.

Happy FCBD, and May the 4th be with you!

Julian Meush May 4, 2013

Not much to say except go out there and enjoy some free comics at your local shops while living by the Jedi code. and who knows maybe there is a free Star Wars comic somewhere just to make things all meta. Enjoy your weekend, from all of us at Tower of Babble!

ToB: TV Talk

Julian Meush May 2, 2013

The Tower of Babble crew chats TV in this portion out of the Tower of Babble Podcast. We talk Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and more.

May 6, 2026

SSSW - Maul: Shadow Lord - Chapter 9 & 10 / Season Finale

There it is, folks - the season finale to the latest creation from Lucasfilm Animation. It was certainly gorgeous to look at, with the new painterly stylings, and there was no shortage of thrilling action to sink your teeth into, nor did they skimp on the stakes. But while the season started off on a welcomed unfamiliar foot, by the end of this season, and certainly in these final two episodes, the hallmarks of what we've come to know from Star Wars animation showed their head. Early on, the admitted inspirations from films such as 'Heat' and 'The Dark Knight', provided a needed grit to a show which was ostensibly following a villain. This provided the show with a fresh personality - distinguishing itself from it's predecessors in animation. Unfortunately, the creatives couldn't seem to maintain that tone, as by this two-part season finale the old tropes and predictable beats of 'Clone Wars' rose into prominence. And while the appearance of a certain fan favourite character adds some very cool action, the unoriginality from a narrative perspective robbed the final moments of the needed pathos and drama required to land the plane in the most satisfying of ways.

Apr 30, 2026

SSSW - Maul: Shadow Lord - Chapter 7 & 8

There's two of them now?! With the arrival of another Inquisitor things really start to escalate on Janyx. We see Maul at his lowest since probably his spider-leg days (he goes on a self-guided therapy session/vision quest that results in something quite inspiring actually!), providing us a deeper understanding of his motivations, beyond simply "revenge!". Meanwhile, Devon continues to be the most interesting character on the show as she takes two steps forward, one step back, flirting with the dark side (though bonus points for the slick ride she acquires for their getaway). On the action side, the show continues to bring the goods, with dynamic, large scale battles (heavy on LAATs which is always a treat), intimate lightsaber combat, and a special shout out to the speeder chase this week that included a new Star Wars techno track (get outta here Niamos!), which combined for a chef's kiss of a sequence. The finale is next week, dropping on Star Wars Day (May the 4th), so stay tuned to see how much the show wants to tie up and how much it wants to leave dangling ahead of season 2!

Apr 25, 2026

Episode 205 - CinemaCon 2026 + News Roundup

It's been a minute since Matt and Julian sat down to cover the latest in film and TV news. Some might say it's been dearly missed. Well wait no more folks because this week it's all news and nothing but the news so help me god! If the last few weeks (months?) of stories weren't enough, CinemaCon 2026 also just concluded which had it's own news deluge. The guys unpack it all (well most of it anyway)! Of utmost priority is the news of Michael B Jordan and Austin Butler's reboot of 'Miami Vice', which is close to Matt's heart. Plus 'Spaceballs 2' gets a title and release date, trailers for 'Dune 3', 'Clayface' and 'Street Fighter' all surprise (in a good way), and a new 'Lord of the Rings' movie is announced (and you won't guess who's writing it!). Plus, a 'Game of Thrones' movie, more 'Transformers' and is 'Avatar' over? All this and so much more on this week's Tower of Babble Podcast!

Apr 23, 2026

SSSW - Maul: Shadow Lord - Chapter 5 & 6

We’ve reached the halfway point of the season and with it comes a tonal shift back to the roots of Star Wars animation - 'The Clone Wars'. With the arrival of the Empire, the focus shifts away from Maul and his dealings and toward the pair of Jedi as they are now in the crosshairs. The noire tone takes a back seat, next to Maul, as things become more pulpy, mixed with an impending doom that is reminiscent of the final season of 'The Clone Wars'. The set-piece action sequences get an injection of scale and danger, which is exciting, and some of the early seeding of characters like Rylee start to pay off. While maybe a bit different from the previous 4 episodes, the quality and the stakes remain high (well... for every character except Maul I suppose). Join Julian and Rachel as the unpack it all in excruciating detail.