It's a milestone for any podcast to reach 100 episodes. This is the Way Podcast now has 200. Getting one podcast isn't that difficult in the grand scheme. It's when life comes at you and this isn't for your livelihood that the real tests come.

Watching "Make It Stop" with my father in the hospital, just after lung surgery and about to undergo heart catheterization, well, you'll forgive me for admitting this was a hard episode to get through. Emotionally. As far as fictional entertainment goes, sign me up for the Tom Bissell Fan Club newsletters.

Flashbacks including a visit to Naboo? Check. Learning how Kleya came to be in Luthen's service? Check. Resolution for Dedra AND Luthen tying back into some of the very first episodes of the series? Check and check. Feels like Star Wars? Check. Feels brand new at the same time? CHECK.

I hesitate calling this show one of the best ever, but it's certainly the best made Star Wars show on Disney Plus. I LOVE The Mandalorian. I'm just saying that I might have felt differently if THIS was the first show to debut on Disney Plus and The Mandalorian took 2-5 years to come out. I'm glad I don't have to find out.

Kleya might be one of the best characters in Star Wars. I don't mean "female" characters. I mean character...period. She's definitely my favorite of the show and more than any other character, I find it uplifting that she made it and heartbroken that she had to do for her father figure what he'd have done for anyone else...kill. Rest in peace, Luthen Lear. You've served the galaxy well.If you have an episode specific comment, send it in to the email address we reveal in our podcasts. Make sure to leave a good subject line for us so we know what episode you're referencing and let us know what you'd like us to call you if we mention your message. There are other ways to interact with This is the Way Podcast, like via ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ or 'X' @ThisistheWayPod or on Facebook, YouTube, and Spotify! May the Force be with us!

Andor's second wraps up with some emotional moments in the final three episodes that make up the BBY 1 story arc. Episode 10 ("Make It Stop") was not something a child wants to watch when their loved one is undergoing heart and lung surgeries. Seeing Luthen, a father figure, on the bed like that and hearing and seeing the breathing apparatus move until Kleya releases him from his future of pain and suffering...Episode 11 was the response to the spy game Kleya just pulled off and the Empire wasn't far enough behind for her to get comfortable. The action wasn't as incredible as the Ghorman Massacre, but it didn't have to be. K-2SO got to be a hero for the rebellion for the first time and Melshi earned his keep as well. It's good to see some Imperials fell along the way because the ones we're seeing here had passed the point of an easy redemption.Episode 12 bridged the gap to Rogue One and despite what was being sold for weeks, a rewatch of the movie right after finishing the show didn't enhance or recontextualize things, at least for This is the Way Podcast's sensibilities. Rogue One is still more close to A New Hope than it is Andor...and there's more characters and story shared in the show. Why does it feel that way?There's room for another season or two or three. A lot happened while Luke, Leia, and Han were at the forefront of that story. Tony Gilroy might be the one to tell those side stories of the rebels behind the scenes setting the stage for the Force to be used in mighty ways. Could we sneak in Wilmon to the Endor assault team? Would Kleya and Vel be tasked to recruit some Bothans? Who might find out where Han was taken by Boba Fett? Would someone have to recruit more star systems to the rebellion? Does anyone discover, too late, that the Milllenium Falcon has a tracking device on it on arrival at Yavin? How about the move from Yavin to Hoth and the scouting and secrecy in constantly moving from base to base?None of that may ever come to fruition. Tony Gilroy has said he's done. The only way I think I'd be interested in hearing those stories is if someone took the care and time he did with Andor and only if they keep Luke, Leia, and Han out of the story completely or relegated to out of focus background. You can do Chewbacca, that's it. I've gotten a hug at Disney Hollywood Studios. That works. I don't want to see fake Lukes and Leias, though. R2-D2, C-3PO, Chewbacca, and our Andor characters. Want me to work on it Lucasfilm? I will. I'll put every ounce of my being into it.The full recap and discussion episodes will come later. Life events continue to wreak havoc on the This is the Way Podcast schedule. I will not guarantee that we'll finish with Andor in May. There's nothing new coming anyway. It's just news updates, Mandalorian and Grogu movie leaks, and Ahsoka season two production notes for the foreseeable future.If you have an episode specific comment, email it to the address we reveal in our podcasts. You've got time to interact with This is the Way Podcast via ⁠⁠⁠'X'⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ @ThisistheWayPod or on Facebook, YouTube⁠, and also on Spotify⁠⁠! May the Force be with us!

Don't call Palpatine a monster. He hates that. The Emperor doesn't make an appearance in episode 9, but his presence is felt in every lackey and underling and the stresses that Imperial officers go through to prevent his displeasure. The ISB thinks it set up Ghorman for a fall, but they didn't realized that seeing the fall coming was the only way the rebellion could salvage a tragedy and inspire courage and hope.Mon Mothma's path seemed set by Rebels years ago, but Tony and Dan Gilroy manage to throw some curveballs without retroactively changing continuity in such a drastic way that longtime fans revolt. Is the key just "do it better" when making those tweaks? It feels so, because K-2SO's origins are much different than they are in a comic book. Aren't we glad they didn't have to stick to something like that?If you're not, that's okay. Your opinion is your own. You can have terrible opinions and still be a fan. Some people, for instance, don't think Andor is any good. I don't know if I'd share a meal with that kind of person, but I'm not going to argue. The show has spoken for itself. The writing and the action have been "movie quality" for weeks now and episode 9 of season 2 feels like a terrific third act of the third act.This is the Way Podcast HQ has been under immense stress getting out new podcasts each week with personal issues weighing heavily. With just one week left, it's strange to realize that there won't be another high quality show coming to Star Wars for quite some time. There's content that CAN be covered, but there's also content that should be removed from the streaming site.If you have an episode specific comment, send it in to the email address we reveal in our podcasts. Make sure to leave a good subject line for us so we know what episode and let us know what you'd like us to call you if we mention your message. There are other ways to interact with This is the Way Podcast, like via ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ or 'X' @ThisistheWayPod or on Facebook, YouTube, and Spotify! May the Force be with us!