Star Wars: Blogs | Only Sith Deal In Absolutes! | How to Become a Star Wars Character in 5 Easy Steps

Only Sith Deal In Absolutes!

by: Halagad

date posted: Sep 22, 2005 2:48 PM | updated: Aug 30, 2006 1:05 AM

How to Become a Star Wars Character in 5 Easy Steps

1) Look for an obscure Star Wars character no one has ever heard of. That way, little to no visual reference exists. With any luck, extent ones will also be poor.

2) Use said character's name for your every online identity, including screen names and email addresses, for a number of years.

3) Earn a degree of notoriety in the Star Wars community (this step can skip you past 1 and 2, as in the case of Vob Bitas).

4) Make friends with a Star Wars creator. Two or more is usually better. I had Dan (a writer) and Joe (an illustrator). Pablo Hidalgo had the entire cast and crew of the prequel trilogy. (Obviously, this step alone can skip you past steps 1, 2, and 3. Bwahl the Hutt and Kaj Nedmak skipped step 1).

5) Voila! Watch as you magically become a Star Wars character!

The truth is, I don't know how the hell to become a Star Wars character, but somehow it happened to me.

I knew Dan Wallace, Pablo Hidalgo, and Joe Corroney -- all guys who have known me for years as Halagad -- were putting together a new issue of HoloNet News for Insider #84. Dan surprised me by informing me that he was throwing in a reference to Halagad Ventor.

Pablo had previously made the sly gesture of putting in a reference to Halagad in an earlier issue of HoloNet News as well as in the Expanded Universe section of Darth Vader's Databank entry, and I recently returned the favor when I wrote the character Palob Godalhi into the history of the Moldy Crow starship in part 1 of the Dark Forces Saga. Also, in my first published Star Wars piece, the "Emperor's Pawns," I tried naming an ancient Jedi after Dan and the Cloned Emperor's physician after Joe. Unfortunately, I had to cut the reference to the physician due to word count restrictions and the editor at Star Wars Gamer changed the name of the ancient Jedi to Awdrysta Pina. Such are the growing pains of the n00b Star Wars author.

In any case, about a month ago, Joe contacted me and asked, hey, do you have any reference illustrations for Halagad Ventor? Sure! I said, pulling out my copy of Domain of Evil. Neat-o! I thought. Halagad will finally get illustrated again after 15 years. While Halagad appears as a decrepit, dark side warped, old man in Domain, there are two flashback illustrations of the character in his "early twenties." So I scanned those, compressed 'em, attached 'em, and they were off to Joe.

I like Joe. Well known for the intensity of his fight scenes and the realism of his portraits, he always thinks outside the box when it comes to art. He thinks big, and he thinks poetically. He knows his medium, and likes to push the envelope. I learned that when he pushed for an illustration of Mara Jade battling Lumiya in the "Emperor's Pawns" and I depended on it for our many future collaborations.

So, I wasn't too surprised when the day after I sent him the Halagad pics, he immediately replied along these lines: "Abel, these illustrations are fine, but not especially detailed. Let me ask you something: how would you feel about me illustrating you as Halagad?"

Me?

Do I dare? I asked myself. Do I dare live the fan dream of becoming an actual character in the greatest science fiction saga of all time?

Hayden Christensen, eat your heart out.

I dug through my digital pics and pulled a couple melodramatic ones from a few years back to match the "early twenties" description of Halagad and sent 'em off to Joe. Next thing I know, bada-bing, Halagad and I are at last one.

So, what does it feel like to be a Star Wars character?

Well, sh*t man, do you even need to ask?

~ Abel G. Pe�a
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For more info behind the Inaugural Edition of HoloNet News, you can read Dan and Joe's dedicated blogs.

BLOG INDEX

MYSPACE PROFILE

http://blogs.starwars.com/abelgpena/22

Click here to hide comments for this entry

	The Dark Moose Moose Poodoo
date Posted: Sep 22, 2005 3:13 PM Alas, a character named Dark Moose is bound to create continuity issues...

	Halagad Only Sith Deal In Absolutes!
date Posted: Sep 22, 2005 5:16 PM Is that a challenge, good sir?

	Darth NTM Do Nautolans Dream of Aquatic Sheep?
date Posted: Sep 23, 2005 12:20 AM Let me just say, though, Abel, I reckon the Jedi Council would be reprimanding Halagad for not making his mind up whether he wants a beard or not. But seriously....never seen a Jedi with stubble before, mate....but there's always a first...

	Darth NTM Do Nautolans Dream of Aquatic Sheep?
date Posted: Sep 23, 2005 12:21 AM PS, I hope we did Halagad justice with our SW Wiki[ url=http://starwars.wikicities.com/wiki/Halagad_ventor]article [/url]

	Darth NTM Do Nautolans Dream of Aquatic Sheep?
date Posted: Sep 23, 2005 12:22 AM My comment didn't work, so I'll try again: "I hope we did old Halagad justice with our SW Wiki article"

	mavrick889 Here's where the fun begins - timelines, continuity and that sort of thing
date Posted: Sep 23, 2005 6:07 AM Never seen a Jedi with stubble?! Surely you jest...Quinlan Vos has had a perpetual 5 O' Clock shadow for the 6 years we've known him as a character! Congrats, Abel.

	JohnWayneSkywalker The Purple Ewok
date Posted: Sep 23, 2005 7:29 AM So what about if you already have a somewhat famous SW name (Ben).

	JMMC
date Posted: Sep 23, 2005 7:47 AM I just went right to #4. I mean, sort of. Aside from 8t88's head, we haven't actually seen a complete JMM espionage droid... (See Kyle Katarn's Tale, Mission 4) - JMM (ignore that "C")

	Korpil A Verpine's blog
date Posted: Sep 23, 2005 12:29 PM Congratulations Abel! Now, can I be Kyle Katarn? oh.. that's already taken

	Halagad Only Sith Deal In Absolutes!
date Posted: Sep 23, 2005 12:45 PM But seriously....never seen a Jedi with stubble before, mate....but there's always a first... Mav beat me to it. And I've seen Quin (Doug Wanger) up close! "I hope we did old Halagad justice with our SW Wiki article" But...it's so artistically done.

	Halagad Only Sith Deal In Absolutes!
date Posted: Sep 23, 2005 12:47 PM Congrats, Abel. Thanks Mav! So what about if you already have a somewhat famous SW name (Ben). There's always Ben Skywalker.

	Halagad Only Sith Deal In Absolutes!
date Posted: Sep 23, 2005 12:51 PM I just went right to #4. I mean, sort of. Aside from 8t88's head, we haven't actually seen a complete JMM espionage droid... You sell yourself short of #3, me thinks, Mr. Chronology. Congratulations Abel! Now, can I be Kyle Katarn? oh.. that's already taken I said obscure SW character. Thanks Korpil.

	Darth NTM Do Nautolans Dream of Aquatic Sheep?
date Posted: Sep 23, 2005 3:51 PM You know? I soon as I wrote that I remember Quinlan.... ...but his isn't stubble, really....It's..... ....oh, forget it.

	Rainbow Droideka Aren't you a little short for an egg?
date Posted: Sep 23, 2005 4:34 PM Congratulations, Abel! You know you've made a mark when Dan Wallace thinks of you as "the 'real' Halagad Ventor."

Halagad
Only Sith Deal In Absolutes!

date Posted: Sep 23, 2005 6:45 PM

You know? I soon as I wrote that I remember Quinlan....

...but his isn't stubble, really....It's.....

....oh, forget it.

I know what you mean, Darth NTM. I actually told Joe maybe we should go stubbleless for the illustration, but I'll bet Joe thought it added more character.

Congratulations, Abel!

You know you've made a mark when Dan Wallace thinks of you as "the 'real' Halagad Ventor."

Thanks Rainbow Droideka.

	Joser Kyind Joser Kyind's Jedi Holocron
date Posted: Sep 26, 2005 4:52 PM Well, I hope to one day go to step 6. Become a Star Wars creator, and then name characters after anyone I feel like, provided the editors don't scrap it.

	The Dark Moose Moose Poodoo
date Posted: Sep 27, 2005 2:33 PM Is that a challenge, good sir? Bah! tell you what - if you could do it, I'd give you my left antler. I'd wander the earth in vague circles for the rest of my days. :0) not that I doubt your abilities mind you..but...I mean...rella now :0) I'm seeing Jar Jar with horns of some sort... :0)

Halagad
Only Sith Deal In Absolutes!

date Posted: Sep 27, 2005 3:55 PM

Well, I hope to one day go to step 6. Become a Star Wars creator, and then name characters after anyone I feel like, provided the editors don't scrap it.

There's the individual licensee editors and the the LFL editors. Then George himself, which I guess is Step 8. (Now turn that sucker sideways).

Bah! tell you what - if you could do it, I'd give you my left antler. I'd wander the earth in vague circles for the rest of my days. :0)

To the pain!...as Westley put it.

not that I doubt your abilities mind you..but...I mean...rella now :0) I'm seeing Jar Jar with horns of some sort... :0)

I'd never do that to you, DM.

	Bubba1227 Ramblings of a Completely Unofficial IA Engineer
date Posted: Oct 04, 2005 1:37 PM Thanks for the nod, Abel. Only one problem... Vob Bitas only lasted about three sentences' worth!

	Bubba1227 Ramblings of a Completely Unofficial IA Engineer
date Posted: Oct 04, 2005 1:38 PM Whoops... URL should have been Vob Bitas.

	JMMC
date Posted: Oct 06, 2005 12:33 PM Haha... Vob Bitas, introduced and executed in the same paragraph. Did you do something to offend Pablo or Paul?

Halagad
Only Sith Deal In Absolutes!

date Posted: Oct 06, 2005 3:49 PM

Thanks for the nod, Abel. Only one problem... Vob Bitas only lasted about three sentences' worth!

Better to have loved and lost, no? Halagad becomes a decrepit old man by the age of 40, so I'm not sure who got the better deal.

Haha... Vob Bitas, introduced and executed in the same paragraph. Did you do something to offend Pablo or Paul?

The Star Wars Index was the CUSWE's closest rival many seasons ago...

Face it, Pablo had it in for us both.

	Pabawan Fragments from the Mind's Eye
date Posted: Oct 17, 2005 12:19 AM I can't claim credit for Vob Bitas. You'd have to Ghent about that. And Halagad's first HNN appearance was a deliberate red herring. Continuity hounds knew he wasn't dead. I want to plant the seeds of doubt in any government or private news source claiming that any Jedi had diead. And Pabs Tyerell? I was just getting greedy. ph

	Halagad Only Sith Deal In Absolutes!
date Posted: Oct 17, 2005 12:07 PM And Pabs Tyerell? I was just getting greedy. That's some thin ice. Just ask this man.

	Ello137 Apocalypse Later
date Posted: Feb 07, 2006 5:38 PM How could anyone choose Halagad Ventor over the unquestioned king of RPG-era, Purge-survivor, somewhat/really-wacko Jedi: Aldaric Brandl?

	Halagad Only Sith Deal In Absolutes!
date Posted: Feb 07, 2006 6:30 PM Funny you should mention that, Ello137. My first two AOL SN choices were Fenn Shysa and Adalric Brandl. Both were taken, and the rest is history.

Zee Zee
Zee Zee's T.O.P.

date Posted: May 14, 2008 2:23 PM

1) Look for an obscure Star Wars character no one has ever heard of. That way, little to no visual reference exists. With any luck, extent ones will also be poor.

Named after droid who makes one appearance in Dark Empire. Also last entry in Sansweet's Star Wars Encyclopedia.

2) Use said character's name for your every online identity, including screen names and email addresses, for a number of years.

Have done so since 1999!

3) Earn a degree of notoriety in the Star Wars community (this step can skip you past 1 and 2, as in the case of Vob Bitas).

Mmm, does having a website since 2001 count as notoriety.

Zee Zee
Zee Zee's T.O.P.

date Posted: May 14, 2008 2:23 PM

4) Make friends with a Star Wars creator. Two or more is usually better. I had Dan (a writer) and Joe (an illustrator). Pablo Hidalgo had the entire cast and crew of the prequel trilogy. (Obviously, this step alone can skip you past steps 1, 2, and 3. Bwahl the Hutt and Kaj Nedmak skipped step 1).

Okay, difficult one there - will you be my friend?

5) Voila! Watch as you magically become a Star Wars character!

Just need to get name changed by deed poll (don't think wife will approve!

Halagad
Only Sith Deal In Absolutes!

date Posted: May 14, 2008 2:50 PM

Named after droid who makes one appearance in Dark Empire. Also last entry in Sansweet's Star Wars Encyclopedia.

I take it you have a passing resemblance to a rickety and rusted droid, Mr. Zee Zee? (I will hold my breath, actually).

Okay, difficult one there - will you be my friend?

Of course. Now someday, and that day may never come, I'll call upon you to do a service for me. But, until that day, accept this friendship as a gift on my daughter's wedding day.

	Zee Zee Zee Zee's T.O.P.
date Posted: May 16, 2008 3:40 PM I take it you have a passing resemblance to a rickety and rusted droid, Mr. Zee Zee Rickety? perhaps. A bit rusty round the collar - definately!

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