One of the most unique things in the Star Wars universe is Count Dooku’s lightsaber. Its unusual “arabesque curved handle” is as intriguing as its owner, the newest villain introduced in Attack of the Clones. It is an elegant and effective weapon as noteworthy as Darth Maul’s infamous double-bladed lightsaber. To native weapons experts, Dooku’s saber hilt will look a lot like a barong, a Filipino blade that sports a curved handle to provide a firmer grip for the combatant. The similarity is not a coincidence, however, because the barong indeed served as an inspiration for this memorable lightsaber. Through the efforts of a man named Roel Robles, a piece of Filipino culture has cut its way into the Star Wars saga.
Roel Robles is an Art Assistant for the Star Wars Episode II Art Department. It is his job to construct full-size mock-ups of concept designs. His creations help ILM’s wizards to create computer-generated images, and also aid the set designers during the production stage. He also helps to archive and catalog all the concept art generated for a Star Wars episode.
From his humble beginnings working in the Skywalker Ranch’s mailroom, Mr. Robles has progressed to become an integral part of the Art Department. In an interview, he reveals: "I always wanted to work in the Art Department. For that you need all this schooling or tons of experience, which I didn't have. I saw an opening in the mailroom, so I applied for that and got it. I worked there for eight months until I got an interview with Rick McCallum and Doug (Chiang). I feel very fortunate that they gave me a chance. It's like a dream come true. When I got up there, I was pretty intimidated looking at all the drawings and the quality of work up there. Being in the Art Department is like icing on the cake for me."
The design for Count Dooku’s lightsaber came about when Mr. Robles brought some Filipino knives, spears, blades, and swords to work, to provide inspiration for weapon shapes. (Imagine a roomful of artists playing with real exotic weapons.) George Lucas himself picked out the barong. "George picked out the barong, which I was really happy about not only because it was my favorite blade, but also since it was a Filipino blade, it had cultural and historical bonds. I am proud to say I was able to put a small part of my Filipino heritage into the film," says Robles. Mr. Robles also helped to organize exhibitions of the native martial art, escrima, at Skywalker Ranch for the production staff and the stunt crew, influencing certain lightsaber fighting styles in the saga.
Celebrate the Filipino science-fiction and fantasy fandom.
New Worlds - The 1st Philippine Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention March 12, 2003; Premiere THX Cinema Compound http://www.newworlds.tk
*Species 116: Arturis' people, a highly intelligent race that fought the Borg for centuries and invented a quantum slipstream drive.
*Species 125: The original *Species of the Borg Queen.
*Species 149: A *Species with advanced medical knowledge. The Borg assimilated them and nanoprobe technology to reverse cellular necrosis.
*Species 180: Ferengi.
*Species 218: Talaxians - 39 of them were found on a small freighter in the Dalmine sector.
*Species 259: A *Species that inhabited Galactic Cluster 3 (a transmaterial energy plan, intersecting 22 billion omnicordial life-forms). The Borg assimilated their autonomous regeneration sequencer technology.
*Species 262: A primitive culture whose mythology included the Omega Molecule, a substance that could burn the sky. The first of 13 *Species familiar with Omega, all assimilated over the course of many years, beginning 229 years before Voyager's time.
*Species 263: A primitive culture who believed that the Omega Molecule was a drop of blood from their creators.
*Species 312: Unnamed *Species who had technology similar to the shielding that hid the Ventu. They may have been the *Species who erected that shield.
*Species 329: The Kazon. The Borg encountered a small colony of them in the Gan sector (Grid 6920) but 'they were unworthy of assimilation.'
*Species 521: Chevullians. (Jim spells them Shivolian.) A reptillian *Species Voyager encountered on the Markonian station.
*Species 571: Humanoid. The original *Species of Lanser, the drone formerly known as 4 of 9. (Yes, that's 9 as in 7 of 9.)
*Species 689: Norcadians. Mezoti's *Species.
*Species 3259: The Vulcans.
*Species 4228: Hazari. "Technologically advanced, extremely violent. They make excellent tactical drones."
*Species 5174: The Borg found a small ship of this *Species. They had been sliced and diced by Hirogen hunters.
*Species 5973: A non-corporeal, multi-spectrum particle lifeform the Borg encountered in galactic cluster eight.
*Species 6291: The Yridians. Everyone, even the Borg, thought they were extinct, but Captain Ransom of the Equinox proved otherwise by making first contact with them in his days as an exo-biologist.
*Species 6339: "Humanoid. Warp-capable. Origin: Grid 124, Octant 22 Theta. They first encountered the Borg approximately four years ago. Since that time, 11 billion individuals have been assimilated." They were trying to infect the Borg with a virus and they got Seven instead.
*Species 6961: The Ktarians.
*Species 8472: They Came From Fluidic Space! They had the honor of being "The Species That Ate Borg for Breakfast", until Janeway came along to defend her Cheerios.
*Species 10026: Just a few people in the wrong place (Grid 532) at the wrong time. The Borg Queen assimilated all of them (392,000) to make a point to Seven.
Meet them all at...
"New Worlds" The 1st Philippine Science Fiction & Fantasy Convention http://www.newworlds.tk
Operation: Honeydukes has ended. It was note-worthy that no lives had been lost, however, the mystery remains. The assault on the underground candy factory still hasn't offered any answers as to the source of "The Force". Unwilling to submit that they have been misinformed, the FBI Agents have tried to look over every square inch of their basement office looking for data that they might have missed. We've stationed the elves around the perimeter of the target so that no one may leave without notice, while the slayers are interviewing the wizards and witches that were found in the vicinity. The jedi have offered their assistance in the interrogation process, but their powers are only effective on the weak minded. I await the report of Starfleet scientists on the tricorder readings that the assault team was able to take during the incursion. Only one interesting piece of information seems to hold enough weight right now. Who is this Darth Voldemort, Lord of the Dominion, Agent of the Hellmouth?
Inbox Campaign: February 12, 2003
Inbox Campaign: February 10, 2003
