Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
What better way to prepare for the fast-approaching weekend than by indulging in the some of the Internet’s most well-done web content? Take advantage of your lunch break and treat yourself to Afternoon Delight, Decider’s carefully curated picks of the best short-form content available on the world wide web. This week we’re spotlighting Star Wars: Forces of Destiny, a new series of canonical short films intended to shine a light on the franchise’s female characters.
Earlier this year, Lucasfilm and Disney announced plans for Forces of Destiny, a multi-part campaign created in response to the disproportionate amount of female character action figures (particularly Rey, the lead of Force Awakens played by Daisy Ridley). The campaign was set to include female-driven children’s books, apparel, and short-form animation, and over the last few weeks, 8 animated short films involving female characters from Star Wars have been released on Disney’s YouTube account. “One of the opportunities here was to tell the stories in between the larger moments and imagine some of the ways our characters have crossed,” said executive producer Carrie Beck. “It’s all part of the larger swath of storytelling.” Tell stories they do, and with the help of some very, very familiar figures.
Ridley returns to voice Rey, Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o reprises her role as the wise Maz Kanata, and Felicity Jones also takes on her Rogue One character Jyn Erso. The shorts also feature Princess Leia (voiced by Shelby Young), Padmé Amidala (Catherine Taber from The Clone Wars), and three Star Wars Rebels characters: Jedi Ahsoka Tano (Ashley Eckstein), Madalorian warrior Sabine Wren (Tiya Sircar), and Twi’lek pilot Hera Syndulla (Vanessa Marshall). If it makes sense on the timeline, the characters even run into each other, presenting a total treat for fans.
“The choices we make, the actions we take, moments both big and small, shape us into forces of destiny,” Nyong’o says over the credits. Each short takes viewers on a different adventure with their favorite characters; Rey protects new companion BB-8 and fends off whoever stands in her way, Leia helps Ewoks escape from Stormtroopers and free Chewie from a villainous Wampoa, Ahsoka and Padme team up to fight a bounty hunter, and more. Clocking in at less than 3 minutes each, it’s near-impossible not to watch all 8 in one sitting. After decades of being told Star Wars is “for boys”, a campaign like Forces of Destiny is a welcome breath of fresh air and exciting new side of the franchise.
Head to a galaxy far, far away and check out the rest of the episodes on YouTube, and get excited for more episodes coming your way later this year.
