Yearly Archives: 2026

February 27, 2026 · 9:01 am

To Fly Above the Gridlock

It’s been a while since I covered the topic which gives this blog its name: Star Wars’ favorite fake space-letters: Aurebesh. For newcomers, my goal is to examine the use of alien writing in Star Wars: The Old Republic, and, when possible, both translate the words and explore their context in the game’s world. Aurebesh and other forms of writing appear across the many planets we visit in the game, and it’s fun to discover the meaning of this writing which is hidden in plain sight.

I like to describe what I do as “diegetic translations” which is a fancy way of saying that I hope I can help players interact with the holograms, monitors, posters and signs written in alien languages in the same way we can assume our characters do.

Jetpack Design Station

The first subject of this post is the monitor included as part of the decoration “Jetpack Design Station.” This decoration is a reward from the current, tenth PVP Season. The decoration is a small work table scattered with tools and parts for the jetpack mount that is the ultimate reward of the season. The station has a quite lovely art deco aesthetic, but, of course, the feature that first caught my eye was the computer monitor detailing the specs of the Outer Rim Runner Jetpack.

SWTOR has many Aurebesh readouts that have been reused and repurposed throughout the years. Given the sheer scope of the game, this is understandable, but I do appreciate that the art team included a bespoke graphic designed for this specific game asset. The extra attention to detail helps this decoration stand out, even if you can’t read exactly what it says.

Jetpack Design Station decoration

The Outer Rim Runner Jetpack is clearly inspired by the jetpack worn by the Rocketeer, a comic book character created by writer/artist Dave Stevens in the early 1980s. The Rocketeer was created as a throwback to the pulp heroes of the 1930s including Doc Savage, the Shadow and Commander Cody. The Rocketeer is probably most well known from the cult-favorite 1991 movie of the same name, but it looks to me like SWTOR’s jetpack is directly inspired by the single exhaust version of the rocket seen in Steven’s comics, not the one used on the big screen.

The Rocketeer by Dave Stevens, 1982.

There isn’t too much to translate here, and I imagine anyone could venture a reasonable guess to what the text reads. I confess, however, that I did take a moment to wonder why a jetpack would need armored plating and spoilers, but then I remembered the most infamous jetpack malfunction in Star Wars history.

Boba Fett! Where?

So rest assured, that you are significantly less likely to ricochet off the hull of a crimelord’s sail barge into the maw of the great Pit of Carkoon while jetting around the galaxy using this PVP reward. Still, you might want to double check the warranty.

7.8.1 Livestream

As I wrote this post, SWTOR hosted a livestream focused on both the next update and a discussion of what to expect in the months ahead. Rather than comment on every announcement, I’d like to focus on two points that stood out for me.

In December, the announcement from the producer letter that garnered the most attention was their plan to launch of 8.0 as part of the game’s 15th anniversary. However, during this week’s presentation Keith Kanneg and Eric Musco made sure to emphasize that before talk of the game’s next era begins, the developers aim to spend the first half of this year focused on bringing Legacy of the Sith to a proper conclusion and an epic finale worth remembering. I think this is a good decision. There is still plenty of story ahead of us, and I’m eager to see where how it ends.

Sure Anri is cool, but her name isn’t a portmanteau of “River Styx”.

Secondly, the team revealed the details of the upcoming Galactic Season. I won’t lie, when I first learned that the next two seasons would feature rewards drawn from the first four Galactic Seasons, I was disappointed. I fully completed and collected all the loot from all of those seasons the first time around. But here’s the thing, it’s not all about me. It’s been five years since the first Galactic Season, and the fact of the matter is that there are plenty of players who missed out on the earlier seasons. Limited time seasons and battle passes are deliberately designed to exploit players’ fear of missing out on rewards, I’ve never liked  it when rewards, especially cosmetic ones, become unavailable. Maybe you heard that Altuur is the best companion, or you could use a pink blaster to complete your fit, or you’re certain the GAME Jacket will make you cool like Fonzie. Discovering that you can no longer earn those rewards isn’t a great feeling for new or returning players.

As for me, I won’t say no to more Cartel Coins, and I was pleased to learn that bronze, silver and gold Cartel Packs from the rewards tracks are being refreshed with some new additions. In truth, those packs have long since gone stale for me, and it became a rare event to get anything interesting at all from them.

I am glad that players will get another chance at Season Rewards that are new to them. I’ve been clear from the start that I don’t consider “Galactic Seasons” to be “content.” I don’t mean that as an insult. SWTOR’s most prominent feature is its story, and we’re getting three major story updates in a row in the lead up to the Legacy of the Sith’s finale. I will take that any day of the week.

Galactic Season objectives are something to do in between those updates, and MMOs need that too. I’ve played the game’s heroics, daily areas and flashpoints countless times, so I appreciate that Seasons provide a framework to keep me and my friends and guild-mates busy with something different while also handing out some rewards. And if this frees up the developers to have more time to prepare 8.0, so much the better.

The Mandalorian and Grogu and Hugo and Apollo Creed

Finally, let’s take a quick look at some Aurebesh that showed up in the brand new trailer for The Mandalorian and Grogu. The writing seen in both examples is meant to serve as tributes to other film-makers. The first screenshot shows Din Djarin speaking with an Ardennian food truck chef. The alien is voiced by Martin Scorsese, one of film’s most famous and important directors. Indeed, the food truck (and presumably its proprietor) is named “Hugo.” This is likely a reference to Scorsese’s 2011 movie of the same name, which in itself is a was made to honor to the earliest days of motion pictures. However, there are references within references here. Jon Favreau who directed The Mandalorian and Grogu also wrote, directed and starred in the movie Chef in which his character, a disgraced famous chef, rediscovers his love of cooking by operating a small food truck.

The next screenshot features two aurebesh words which are clearly a tribute to the late Carl Weathers. I don’t know the context for this sign within the movie, but this is clearly a reference to Weathers who was beloved both for playing Apollo Creed in the Rocky movies and his work on The Mandalorian Disney+ show where he portrayed Greef Karga and directed two episodes.

I know some serious minded fans poo-poo these sort of things, whether you call them Easter Eggs or self-indulgent inside jokes, but references to inspirational works go all the way back to the very first Star Wars film. In Episode IV alone, George Lucas quotes two Akira Kurusawa movies, Yojimbo and Hidden Fortress, and even Lucas’ own THX-1138.

This sort of thing does not bother me. It’s only natural that artists pay tribute to those who inspired them. Will The Mandalorian and Grogu be the greatest movie ever, on par with Good Fellas or Seven Samurai? Perhaps not, but it shouldn’t have to be.

The teaser trailer for The Mandalorian and Grogu debuted last year shortly after the conclusion of the previous live-action Star Wars production. After watching it, I joked to friends that the tag line for the movie should’ve been “Hey, Star Wars Fans! Did you love Andor? You’re gonna hate this!” I was being sarcastic, of course, but I have very different expectations of this new movie.  I loved Andor, but was it fun? Not really. From the very beginning Star Wars was filled with silly aliens, spaceships and whiz-bang action, and I’m okay if the first movie in years returns to those roots.

Star Wars doesn’t have to be just for jaded old school fans, it can be for kids too. And, look, kids love Baby Yoda. When he first appeared back in 2019, it felt like it was the first time since at least the lead-up to the release of The Phantom Menace that Star Wars had such a large impact on popular culture. It’s only natural that Grogu be the focus on the franchise’s return to the big screen.

So I hope eight olds love this the way I loved the first Star Wars movie. They deserve it more than I do.

 

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Filed under Aurebesh to English, Galactic Seasons, General Star Wars, Legacy of the Sith

January 21, 2026 · 9:01 am

The Stormy Present: Five Predictions for 2026

After taking a break last year, I’ve decided to have another go at my semi-yearly tradition of predicting what we might see this year in Star Wars: The Old Republic. To newcomers, please don’t assume I have any special insight or knowledge. I’m not a developer, just a fan. There is a very good reason I categorize these posts as “Dumb Top Fives”. Without further ado, here are five things that might, or might not, happen in SWTOR in 2026!

1 – Expansion Hype

In his end of year producer’s letter Keith Kanneg spoke the number that Broadsword had avoided the past couple years: 8.0. Ted from the State of the Old Republic Podcast pointed out that Keith wrote about the game entering a new “era” rather than “expansion”. I’m reluctant to dive deep into speculation between the differences between era and expansion, because I can’t imagine Broadsword intends to reinvent the wheel. The things I associate with an expansion such as a level increase, a fresh gearing cycle, rebalanced classes and new abilities, are all things I think SWTOR could use.

This is hardly a bold prediction, so let’s see if I can spice this up. Since the current expansion is Legacy of the Sith, I wonder if the next era will have a Jedi flavored theme. “Children of the Jedi” was the first notion that sprung to mind, but then I remembered that was also the title of an old Star Wars novel, so it won’t be that. My second take “Fate of the Jedi” is definitely out as well given other recent news. But I do think “Jedi” will be in the expansion title. “Destiny of the Jedi” maybe? Surely that’s been used already? It must be tough to come up with a cool and unique title for a new Star Wars project. I’ve got to think that everyone in the game’s development chain from Broadsword to EA to Lucasfilm puts in their opinions on the matter. 

More mundanely, it’s fair to wonder if the expansion will actually debut at the end of the year. It’s no secret that Legacy of the Sith did not have the smoothest launch even with an extra three months in the oven. I have to believe Broadsword does not want a repeat of that, and I do hope its launch does coincide with the game’s 15th anniversary. SWTOR has been subject to so many predictions of its demise over the years and has weathered so many storms, only to be steadily chugging along all these years later. I hope the team get to celebrate the milestone with a bold new Era for the game. I sometimes play with kids who were born after SWTOR launched, and it is so satisfying to share the game with a new generation of fans.

2 – New and Improved

Expansions typically come with new game systems and revisions to old ones, and I expect nothing different for 8.0. There are existing systems that could use some updating and one major new feature I could see Broadsword adding.

I enjoy decorating Strongholds in SWTOR. Just last week, two hours vanished while I was decorating the barn of the new Dantooine stronghold. I wasn’t wearing any gear, never entered combat, nor collected any rewards, but it was time well spent. It should not shock you, therefore, that I have been following with great interest the addition of player housing to World of Warcraft with its upcoming expansion Midnight. WOW’s implementation of housing is darn impressive. It’s probably the most elaborate and customizable decorating system since Wildstar.

It is not my position that SWTOR should abandon its hook and layout system. I honestly like that hooks act as guide rails that prevent me from going too far down any rabbit holes. SWTOR’s decorating system hasn’t seen any significant updates since its launch, and some changes could give players more freedom to decorate. At the very least, I’d like a better interface for sorting and organizing my collection of decorations. I have so many now that I sometimes forget what’s there. When it comes to actually decorating, I think there should be fewer restrictions on placing decorations; frankly I’d argue any decoration should be placeable on any size hook. Going further, I’d also like to have the ability to scale many if not all decorations and the addition of a Z-axis slider would be neat as well. SWTOR and WOW have a long history of swiping ideas from each other, and I hope that SWTOR pinches a dash or two from Warcraft’s housing.

That said, I don’t know if decorating is a priority for the developers. One system that I think is certain to be updated for 8.0 is crafting. Crafting has been almost completely untouched since the launch of Onslaught in 2019. Onslaught crafting is, as far as I’m concerned, the worst version of crafting in the game’s history. These days, crafting in SWTOR is all about endlessly and tediously making components which are assembled into gear that is largely irrelevant. MMO-RPG Crafting is a tough nut to crack, no doubt about it.  I don’t know if there is actually a way to make crafting fun, but I have always found satisfaction in making my own stuff in MMOs, whether it was bags in World of Warcraft or dyes in SWTOR.

My hope for 8.0 is that the component system will be streamlined and require less babysitting of companions and that there will be interesting things for every profession to make. During the successful update to SWTOR’s auction house, the Galactic Trade Network, there was discussion of adding work orders to the GTN. It would be cool to see that happen. I can craft a lot of recipes that can no longer be discovered, but I have no idea which of that stuff is in demand so I don’t bother with any of it. It would be cool to dust off those old schematics for folks who actually want them and make a few credits for my trouble.

But let’s be honest, crafting and decorating updates may not be the kind of features that would attract attention from both long time players and casual Star Wars fans. I suspect Broadsword has something flashy up their sleeve for 8.0, but what could it be?

First off, it won’t be a new class. The logistics of adding and retrofitting an entirely new class to the game feels like something that is beyond the scope of what SWTOR can or wants to do. That said, Legacy of the Sith’s big feature was the separation of Combat Styles from the Class or Origin stories, and that does suggest other possibilities.

It is possible SWTOR could add one or two new Combat Styles to the game. I can think of one style that is thematically appropriate and has a long history in SWTOR: the melee Tech weapon wielder. Tech based companions such as Qyzen Fess, Bowdaar, Vector Hylus and Torian Cadera have all used assorted Vibro-Swords, Techblade and Techstaves. More recently within SWTOR’s story we’ve seen Mandalorians including Shae Vizla, Heta Kol and Ri’kan wielding melee weapons. And non-Force users have taken up staves, spears and swords in live action on The Mandalorian and Ahsoka.

I understand this comes with a whole host of challenges. Which weapons would actually be usable by a new style? Tech and Vibro blades certainly, but what about staves? What about dual wielding? What about lightsabers? And there are the thorny questions of class balance. And let’s not forget seemingly mundane issues like updating the UI to accommodate new styles. Nevertheless, the ability for Tech classes to have the option to fight with melee weapons feels like a legitimate “class fantasy” worth adding to the game.

But what about the Jedi and Sith? Should Force users get a new style as well to balance the scales? As I have thought about this question, nothing really springs to mind. Perhaps an unarmed style that employs the Star Wars version of Kung Fu, Teras Kasi? Or how about this: In Jedi: Survivor, Cal Kestis carries a blaster; perhaps a Jedi Gunslinger could be a thing? What do you think?

The ability to add and swap combat styles has been a great addition to SWTOR, so I don’t think I’m bold in predicting that adding at least one new style would be a natural addition to the game,

3 – How does Legacy of the Sith end?

Before the next Era of SWTOR can start, this one has to end. What do I think will happen this year in the game’s main story?

I don’t know! I have been predicting Malgus’ imminent demise since Onslaught, and yet he’s still going strong. There is a part of me that feels like if I keep at it, eventually I’ll be right, but I figure it is best to save that sort of stubbornness for my quixotic campaign to one day adopt a Porg in SWTOR.

Since the end of the Fallen Empire saga, SWTOR has been focused on questions of identity. What does it mean to be a Jedi or Sith? What does loyalty to the Empire, the Republic or Mandalore mean? Malgus going rogue from the Sith demonstrates this, as does the entirety of Heta Kol’s Mandalorian civil war. Even our characters have gotten in on the action with the saboteur options available to players tired of their original faction.

As characters like Malgus and Heta Kol and Shae Vizla try to make sense of who they are and who they want to be, we’ve seen with each the dangers of extremism, and that is already clear in our introduction to Darth Nul. Their egos and myopia are making bad situations worse. At first I thought Emperor Vitiate corrupted Nul, but I’m starting to wonder if her drive and ambitions were there all along, and that’s what drew the two of them together.

Darth Nul is the character whose identity has been most in question throughout Legacy of the Sith. After my first playthrough of Galactic Threads, I feared that Nul’s actual role in the story would be small, but after listening to the extremely entertaining conversation between SWTOR’s Narrative Director, Ashley Ruhl and Lead Writer Caitlin Sullivan Kelly and Nuls voice actor Samatha Béart, I think my fears might be unfounded. Béart teased that there is more to come from Darth Nul. I suspect that Nul’s return to the galactic stage would be a strong note upon which to end this Era of SWTOR.

The game’s cast of supporting characters are not only questioning who they are, but without exception seem also to have given no thought to what comes after. Heta Kol wants to make Mandalore great again, but for what? What will be left of the Mandalorians if she has her way? Shae Vizla has broken faith with our characters for what? Her alliance with Malgus can only end in betrayal; even she must realize that. Why would our characters or Jekiah and Rass Ordo or any Mandalorian trust her ever again?

As for Darth Nul, like Malgus, she does not seem to care about either the Jedi or the Sith. Her ambition seems to be her sole driving motivation. If the Jedi wouldn’t let her complete her work, she was happy to turn to the Sith. I think Darth Nul might be the perfect name for her. She’s not a Jedi, not a Sith. She’s nothing, and I fear that might be worse.

4 – No Fate?

I try to give myself one gimme on each round of predictions, and I can confidently say Fate  of the Old Republic is not going to affect Star War: The Old Republic this year, or even next. How could it? Fate of the Old Republic made quite a splash with its announcement trailer late last year, but the studio behind it is barely seven months old and the game is years from even a release date. When or if it comes out, will there be any crossover of characters or story or any cross-promotion? Perhaps, but that is a long way off. Maybe we’ll be celebrating SWTOR’s 20th anniversary as FOTOR launches.

There are many unanswered questions around Fate of the Old Republic with regards to its story and setting. I’ve seen speculation around whether Fate could be canon, so that would make connecting it to the “obviously Legends” SWTOR impossible. I know this is important to some fans, but I can’t help but roll my eyes. When fans and creators focus too much on continuity and canon, Star Wars just feels so much smaller to me. I just watched the third season of Star Wars: Visions and I love it. Throughout its three seasons, the show has featured diverse creators and studios telling a wide variety of stories in their own individual styles and interpretations. It’s been amazing to watch the show stretch and redefine what Star Wars can be.

The season ends with two episodes, The Bird of Paradise and Black. Both stories could not be more different, The Bird of Paradise is a beautiful meditation on finding connection to the Force through loss and maturity, Black is a wildly surreal and jazzy improvisation on the chaos and destruction that punctuates the Star Wars movies. Questions about what is real in The Bird of Paradise and what actually happens in Black feel reductive and akin to missing the point these episodes want to make.

What does it mean if FOTOR is canon and SWTOR is Legends? I don’t know and I don’t care. I hope the creators of both games feel the same.

5 – FOPOTOR

When I shared my last installment of Pets of the Old Republic last month, several people asked about the pets I had missed. When thinking about which pets to cover, I did “over-book” the list and called audibles here and there, so there were many pets who could’ve and perhaps should’ve been included. It is likely that I will revisit POTOR later this year with a few more favorites, both old and new. Of course, the one thing that SWTOR could add to the game to guarantee my return would, of course, be a Porg pet. Porgs have been a running joke on each of my prediction lists and I’ve almost given up ever having a Porg pet in SWTOR, but I keep hearing that rebellions are built on hope, so I’ll keep at it. Maybe this will be the year!

Fight the Empire

I had a very hard time writing this post. These days it’s scary to think about the future. As I look at what is happening in the world, in my country and in my neighborhood, what I see doesn’t inspire faith in the year to come. They want us to be afraid, but I believe there is value and resistance in little things like creating art, finding community and sharing joy even in stories about space wizards. Seeing people write and talk about the things that makes them happy inspires me and reminds me to do the same. Josh Johnson’s advice feels spot on: “As much as you can do, you do it and you make a better world. That’s the way forward.” So I will do what I can, here on this blog, in the voting booth, on the streets of the town I call home.

 

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Filed under Dumb Top Five, General Star Wars, General SWTOR, Legacy of the Sith