Special thanks for this FAQ go to Brian Bagley, John Donchig, Michael B. Mayo, Stephen G. Harrogate-Bramley, Andrew Pollock and Brett McConnie.

The FAQ is divided into SEVEN relevant categories: Episodes I-III, Episodes IV-VI, Miscellaneous, Spoilers, Binaries, Advertisements and Trolls.

Frequently Asked Questions

Version 5.1 – October 3, 2005

*1* EPISODES I-III *1*

1.A - What is the Force (metachlorians, midichlorians, whatever)?
1.B - In Duel of the Fates, what language is that?
1.C - Who is Anakin's father?
1.D - Why does Obi-Wan say Yoda was his teacher in ESB but in TPM it's Qui-Gon?
1.E – What’s this about bringing balance to the Force?
1.F - Why doesn't Qui-Gon disappear?
1.G- Was that Qui-Gon's voice that Yoda heard when Anakin killed the Tusken Raiders?
1.H- Who is Sifo-Dyas and who erased Kamino from the Jedi Archives?
1.I - Why was Count Dooku surprised by the appearance of the clone army when he knew Jango Fett?
1.J - What happened to Jango's unaltered clone?
1.K – If General Grievous is a droid why does he cough?
1.L – Which is Palpatine’s real face?
1.M – How is Leia able to remember her mother when Padmé died after childbirth?

*2* EPISODES IV-VI *2*

2.A - Are Bail, Wedge and Captain Antilles related?
2.B - Didn't the droids belong to Wedge?
2.C - What does Darth Vader mean?
2.D - Why did Obi-Wan lie about the droids?
2.E - Are Imperial Stormtroopers clones?
2.F – Why doesn't Owen recognize the droids?
2.G - When did Vader find out about Luke?
2.H - Who said the numbers `3263827` in the Trash Compactor?
2.I - What is Yoda?
2.J - Is the Emperor a Jedi? Who trained him?
2.K- How long was Luke on Dagobah?
2.L - Who originally played Emperor Palpatine in ESB?
2.M - In the Carbon Freezing Chamber scene in ESB, when Vader says "I am altering the deal," does he use the Force to choke Lando?
2.N - Did Boba Fett really die in ROTJ?
2.O - Are Obi-Wan and Owen Lars brothers?

*3* MISCELLANEOUS *3*

3.A - What is meant by "canon"?
3.B - Will there be episodes 7-9?
3.C - Star Wars vs. ****** (i.e. Titanic, Star Trek)
3.D - Missing scenes?
3.E - What is "Troops"?
3.F - What is the "Star Wars Holiday Special"?
3.G - Mark Hamill's accident.
3.H - How do you spell litesabber....lightsaybr....lights...pagh!!!
3.I - I've heard such and such happens in the novels/graphic novels but which one?
3.J - What time period do the films cover and what are the ages of the major characters?
3.K - Why can’t I get the original unaltered trilogy on DVD?
3.L – What does EU stand for?
3.M - Easter Eggs?
3.N - Did Mark Hamill shout "Carrie" in Episode IV?

*4* SPOILERS *4*

4.A - What is a spoiler?
4.B - What are some examples of spoilers?
4.C - What if my spoiler is speculation?
4.D - Why do some people not like spoilers?
4.E - How can I avoid being offensive for spoilers?
4.F - What happens when I post spoiler material inappropriately?

*5* BINARIES *5*

5.A - What is a binary ?
5.B - Where should I post a binary?
5.C - Why shouldn't I post the binary here?
5.D - What will happen if I post a binary in AFS?

*6* ADVERTISEMENTS *6*

6.A - What falls into the category of advertisements?
6.B - Why are my advertisements not wanted?
6.C - Where should I post my advertisements?
6.D - What happens if I ignore these guidelines?

*7* TROLLS *7*

7.A - What is Trolling?
7.B - What is a Troll?
7.C - Why do Trolls troll?
7.D - What do I do if I see a Troll?

*1* EPISODES I - III *1*

1.A - What is the Force (metachlorians, midichlorians, whatever)?

The following is an excerpt taken from the Toronto Sun (Bob Thompson, 6/1/99) "The scientific Star Wars explanation," says Lucas, "is that the midichlorians can hear the Force, and they communicate with cells, and cells communicate with your consciousness." In TPM Qui-Gon attempts to explain the nature of the Force to Anakin. "Midichlorians are microscopic lifeforms that reside within all living cells... Without the midichlorians, life could not exist, and we would have no knowledge of the Force. They continually speak to us, telling us the will of the Force."

1.B - In Duel of the Fates, what language is that?

Excerpt from http://www.jwilliamsmusic.it/jwchat.htm

Ask Lucasfilm: Jedi-Andy says: "In duel of the fates, what language is that?"

John Williams: "That is Sanskrit. Simply, because I liked the way it sounded, in part, and in part, because it's an ancient language less well-known than Latin or Greek. It also has good vowel sounds, which produce good tone and timbre from the chorus, similar to modern Italian. Sanskrit, by the way, is the root language of India".

i) Why Sanskrit?

Sanskrit originated in the northern India/Nepal region during the 3rd Century AD. The Brahman caste used it during Hindu religious ceremonies. It serves to achieve oneness, a connecting of self with the world soul. People often use it in theatrical productions because of its mythic tone.

ii) What are the Sanskrit words?

From: Angelo Muredda Newsgroup: alt.fan.starwars Subject: Re: What are the words in "Duel of the Fates" (on the soundtrack?) Date: Sat, Jun 3, 1999, 8:30 AM

The words -as sung- are: "Korah Matah Korah Rahtahmah, Korah Rahtamah Yoodhah Korah, Korah Syahdho Rahtahmah Daanyah, Korah Keelah Daanyah Nyohah Keelah Korah Rahtahmah, Syadho Keelah Korah Rahtahmah, Korah Daanyah Korah Rahtahmah, Korah Daanyah Korah Rahtahmah, Nyohah Keelah Korah Rahtahmah, Syadho Keelah Korah Rahtahmah, Korah Korah Matah Korah Rahtahmah, Korah Daanyah Korah Rahtahmah, Nyohah Keelah Korah Rahtahmah, Syadho Keelah Korah Rahtahmah, Korah "

iii) What is the English translation?

From: Wes Leavell Newsgroup: alt.fan.starwars Subject: Re: Duel of the Fates...lyrics? -HERE THEY ARE Date: Fri, May 28, 1999, 10:23 PM

Ok, did some research. Here ya go. The original text for the words comes from "Cad Goddeu" an old Celtic poem -translation Battle of the Trees or depending on the meaning of trees, especially from a more druidic sense Battle of the Fates. The english translation of the lyrics used is: "Under the tongue root, a fight most dread, and another raging behind, in the head." This was translated to rhyme, a more direct translation without keeping the meter and rhyme is: "Beneath the tongue of the tree, a grave battle unfolds, and another begins: the fire in the head." These lyrics -the rhyming english translation by Robert Graves- were then translated again into a dead dialect -sorry dont know the name of it, only that its written form was sanskrit. Several older dialects used the same writing.

iv) What is the "Battle of the Trees"?

BATTLE OF THE TREES

The Battle of the Trees is a Welsh poem reconstructed from mixed and fragmentary evidence by Robert Graves, a noted expert on mythology - especially Greek. The second chapter of Graves's White Goddess, a work on myth that George Lucas has praised now and then along with Frazer's Golden Bough and Campbell's Hero with a Thousand Faces, describes the reconstruction of this poem. Later chapters elicit its mythological and historical meaning.

Cbd Goddeu

'The Battle of the Trees'

From Robert Graves, The White Goddess, New York: The Noonday Press (Farrar, Straus & Giroux), 1966. Pages 33-38.

The tops of the beech tree / Have sprouted of late / Are changed and renewed, from their withered state. - When the beech prospers / Though spells and litanies / The oak tops entangle / There is hope for trees. - I have plundered the fern / Through all secrets I spy / Old Math ap Mathonwy / Knew no more than I / For with nine sorts of faculty / God has gifted me: I am fruit of fruits gathered / From nine sorts of tree / Plum, quince, whortle, mulberry / Raspberry, pear / Black cherry and white With the sorb in me share / From my seat at Fefynedd / A city that is strong / I watched the trees and green things / Hastening along / Retreating from happiness / They would fain be set / In forms of the chief letters Of the alphabet / Wayfarers wondered / Warriors were dismayed / At renewal of conflicts / Such as Gwydion made / Under the tongue root / A fight most dread / And another raging / Behind, in the head / The alders in the front line / Began the affray / Willow and rowan-tree / Were tardy in array / The holly, dark green / Made a resolute stand / He is armed with many spear points / Wounding the hand. With foot-beat of the swift oak / Heaven and earth rung / 'Stout Guardian of the Door' / His name in every tongue / Great was the gorse in battle / And the ivy at his prime / The hazel was arbiter / At this charmed time / Uncouth and savage was the fir / Cruel the ash tree / Turns not aside a foot-breadth / Straight at the heart runs he / The birch, though very noble / Armed himself but late / A sign not of cowardice / But of high estate / The heath gave consolation / To the toil-spent folk / The long-enduring poplars / In battle much broke / Some of them were cast away / On the field of fight / Because of holes torn in them / By the enemy's might / Very wrathful was the vine / Whose henchmen are the elms / I exalt him mightily / To rulers of realms / Strong chieftains were the blackthorn / With his ill fruit / The unbeloved whitethorn / Who wears the same suit / The swift-pursuing reed / The broom with his brood / And the furze but ill-behaved / Until he is subdued / The dower-scattering yew / Stood glum at the fight's fringe / With the elder slow to burn / Amid fires that singe / And the blessed wild apple / Laughing in pride / From the Gorchan of Maeldrew / By the rock side / In shelter linger / Privet and woodbine / Inexperienced in warfare / And the courtly pine / But I, although slighted / Because I was not big / Fought, trees, in your array / On the field of Goddeu Brig.

From page 123 of the same volume, a description of the basic meaning - read the book for more!: "I first suspected that an alphabet was contained in Gwion's conundrum when I began to restore the purposely jumbled text of his Battle of the Trees, which refers to a primitive British tradition of the capture of an oracular shrine by the guessing of a god's name. This capture seems to have taken place early in the fourth century B.C. when the Belgic Brythons, worshippers of the Ash-god Gwydion, with the help of an agricultural tribe already settled in Britain, seized the national shrine, perhaps Avebury, from the reigning priesthood, two of whose gods were Arawn and Bran."

Thanks go to Don Kuenz for this particular section.

1.C - Who is Anakin's father?

Shmi tells Qui-Gon that "there was no father" and this leads him to believe that Anakin was "conceived by the Midichlorians." In ROTS Palpatine relates to Anakin the story of Darth Plagueis the Wise who was so powerful he could influence the Midichlorians to create life. The implication is that Plagueis himself or possibly Sidious created Anakin but this is never actually stated in the film. Although it seems likely that Sidious had a hand in Anakin’s creation, he was not entirely truthful with Anakin in this particular conversation and could well have been telling the boy what he knew he wanted to hear.

1.D - Why does Obi-Wan in ESB say Yoda was his teacher but in TPM it's Qui-Gon?

The Jedi Apprentice series of books shows that Obi-Wan had other teachers in the Jedi Temple before being made Qui-Gon's Padawan, including various members of the Jedi Council. In a scene from AOTC Obi-Wan goes to visit Yoda while he is teaching a class of young Padawan learners. One of his former teachers, Yoda, was referred to in a scene from the beginning of TPM: "...but master Yoda said I should be mindful of the future." This gives us a hint that Kenobi WAS taught by Yoda but not in the way we first assumed from watching ESB. It was, after all, said from a `certain point of view`. :)

1.E – What’s this about bringing balance to the Force?

Many people get confused because they take the idea of balance too literally. Lucas does not refer to an equality of numbers like we might assume balance to mean; after all, a person who is mentally balanced isn’t half sane and half insane. In his ideal universe there is no evil. On the original trilogy VHS box set released in 2000 he explained what he means by bringing balance to the Force. It entails eliminating the Sith and having only Jedi, thereby bringing harmony to the universe. Anakin is the Chosen One and although he is instrumental in wiping out the Jedi he eventually brings balance to the Force by utterly destroying the Sith once and for all. It’s important to remember that the Star Wars movies are fairy tales not documentaries and therefore the rules of the tale do not have to follow those in real life.

1.F - Why doesn't Qui-Gon disappear?

Of all the Jedi/Force bearing individuals that die we know of only two that actually disappear upon death. George Lucas has stated that "there is a whole issue around that and the ability to disappear... the key line to understanding this is when Ben Kenobi tells Darth Vader, 'If you strike me down...'" Even though we saw Qui-Gon cremated rather than disappear he was able to retain his identity after death and his voice was heard by Yoda in AOTC when Anakin slaughtered the Tusken Raiders. He then made contact with Yoda in ROTS. In the novelization (page 409) Qui-Gon tells Yoda the secret of eternal life. He says it is "the ultimate goal of the Sith, yet they can never achieve it; it comes only by the release of self, not the exaltation of self. It comes through compassion, not greed. Love is the answer to the darkness." Alone in his exile, the ancient Jedi Master became his student learning how to become one with the Force and live on after death.

"One of the things that will never get explained in the films is how Ben was able to retain his identity, because it happened somewhere between the third and fourth movies. I set up that this is a discipline that he learned from Yoda; Yoda told him how to do that."
http://www.starwars.com/episode-vi/explore/classic/2001/07/classic20010730.html

1.G - Was that Qui-Gon's voice that Yoda heard when Anakin killed the Tusken Raiders?

Yes it was Qui-Gon Jinn who said "Anakin! Anakin! No!" The "Anakin" part of the line was from TPM when Qui-Gon told Anakin to drop as Maul was pursuing them across the desert.

1.H - Who is Sifo-Dyas and who erased Kamino from the Jedi Archives?

Although Sifo-Dyas was not on the Jedi Council during the events of TPM he was certainly known to Obi-Wan, Yoda and Mace Windu. According to the ROTS Visual Dictionary (2005) and the novel Labyrinth of Evil (2005) he was a friend of Count Dooku. He placed an order with the cloners of Kamino unbeknownst to the Jedi Council. The book "Galactic Crisis!" by Ryder Windham (2005) is not canon but reveals "Obi-Wan later discovered that Palpatine himself sent the mysterious Sifo-Dyas to Kamino to commission the vast clone army." Under orders from his new master, Darth Sidious, Dooku killed his former friend and took control of the clone operation; recruiting Jango Fett and erasing all records of Kamino from the Jedi Archives. There is no canon explanation so these non-canon tidbits will have serve. Other theories, of impersonation and dual identities, have been raised but seem inadequate to explain what may really just be a case of betrayal and Sith foresight.

1.I - Why was Count Dooku surprised by the appearance of the clone army when he knew Jango Fett?

Count Dooku AKA Darth Tyranus was the person who recruited Jango Fett to be the host for the clone army. He knew of the army's existence and was only the leader of the separatist movement because he was the apprentice of Darth Sidious whose plan was to start a major war. Dooku pretended to be surprised so that his identity and true purpose would not be known by his "allies" in the separatist movement.

1.J - What happened to Jango's unaltered clone?

Lama Su told Obi-Wan Kenobi that "besides his payment, which was considerable, Fett demanded only one thing - an unaltered clone for himself." He named this unaltered clone Boba and raised him as a son. The last we saw of him in AOTC he was holding his father's helmet in his hands.

1.K – If General Grievous is a droid why does he cough?

Grievous is not a droid but a cybernetic organism or Cyborg. He was once a great warrior of the Kaleesh people but after a shuttle accident almost killed him his severely injured body was reconstructed with mechanical parts transforming him into a being more powerful than mere flesh. "His implacable metallic skeleton gives him the aspect of a droid, but hidden inside the armoured carapace is an unwholesome, living being. To remind viewers of this inner Grievous, his words are occasionally punctuated with a hard, wet hacking cough -- suggesting that Grievous is literally rotten to the core." (Star Wars Homing Beacon #128.) An alternate reason for the General’s cough is contained in Season 3 of the Clone Wars micro-series. In Episode 25 Mace Windu uses the Force to crush Grievous’ chest, causing him to cough.

1.L – Which is Palpatine’s real face?

As a result of his battle with Mace Windu we see a marked change in Palpatine’s face which raises the question of whether the Force lightning damaged his face or simply tore away the mask revealing his true face? The Visual Dictionary suggests that Palpatine has two faces, one of which is his true face but elsewhere it also says his face is "irreparably damaged." Rick McCallum himself believes that Palpatine’s wrinkled face is his real one but hasn’t claimed this to be the definitive answer. George Lucas remains silent on the subject, perhaps intending it to be ambiguous.

The novelization gives two possible answers. "I shall miss the face of Palpatine, I think; but for our purpose, the face of Sidious will serve," says the Emperor after Mace is dead. This apparently makes it clear that Sidious’ face is truly wrinkled, always was, but the description of his transformation leaves room for doubt. "The yellow glare from Palpatine’s eyes spread outward through his flesh. His skin flowed like oil, as though the muscle beneath was burning away, as though even the bones of his skull were softening, were bending and bulging, deforming from the heat and pressure of his electric hatred." This doesn’t sound like somebody revealing their true identity but rather somebody being exposed to energies which forever transform their appearance. The official site says "he was severely scarred by the reflected power of his dark side lightning." http://www.starwars.com/databank/character/darthsidious/index.html and if you closely examine every shot of Sidious throughout the trilogy you’ll see that his face is not deformed until after his battle with Mace Windu. You can especially see this in his conference with General Grievous. So does this answer the question? That will have to be left to individual interpretation.

1.M – How is Leia able to remember her mother when Padmé died after childbirth?

Padmé barely got to see her children before passing away from causes unknown so it seems odd that Leia is able to remember her. There is no canon explanation for this but fan speculation has provided a couple of answers which one can either reject or embrace. It’s possible that Leia had a strong connection with her mother through the Force which Luke, despite demonstrating greater ability, did not. This connection could have left a lasting impression on Leia thus allowing her to remember her mother despite her infancy. Another possibility is that Bail Organa raised Leia with the knowledge of who her real mother was and therefore she could have seen images or recordings of Padmé which gave rise to the memories she shares with Luke. Others have suggested Leia is remembering her adopted mother. Of course, it could be a giant plot hole which Lucas carelessly left unanswered.

*2* EPISODES IV - VI *2*

2.A - Are Bail, Wedge and Captain Antilles related?

Bail Antilles, Capt. Antilles and Wedge Antilles are not related in any way. Bail Antilles was Alderaan's representative in the Senate during the Trade Federation's invasion of Naboo. He ran against Palpatine for the office of Chancellor. Capt. Antilles was originally named "Captain Colton," and this name appears in the novelization and early scripts. Incidentally this is the name of the pilot of the Tantive IV (played by Jeremy Bulloch in ROTS). He was also from Alderaan but is no relation to the former Senator. Wedge Antilles is from Corellia. For more information on Wedge, please visit news:alt.fan.wedge. On the Official Site Steve Sansweet explains "it should be noted that `Antilles` is sort of the Star Wars equivalent of Jones,` and `Smith.` There have been numerous characters throughout the films, books and expanded universe material named Antilles, but almost none of them are directly related."
http://www.starwars.com/community/askjc/steve/askjc20000717.html (no longer a valid link)

2.B - Didn't the droids belong to Wedge?

Captain Antilles (not Wedge) was the man who Vader throttled in the early parts of ANH and who was seen with Bail Organa in ROTS. He was the owner of R2-D2 and C-3PO from the time he was entrusted with them by Organa until his death.

2.C - What does Darth Vader mean?

Some fans have speculated that Darth stands for DARk lord of the siTH but this has no known basis in fact. Possibly it was chosen because it sounds like dark but once again this is only speculation. It is much more likely than anything else that it is a completely fictitious name. The word "Vader" does mean "father" in Dutch. In the documentary series "Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth" George Lucas states that he used the name Vader for this very reason. It has also been noted that it brings to mind the word "invader."

2.D - Why did Obi-Wan lie about the droids?

Obi-Wan claimed "I don't seem to remember ever owning a droid" yet he is plainly seen in the presence of both R2 and 3PO in Episodes I-III. This does not mean he lied to Luke in ANH. Obi-Wan merely said he didn't own a droid, he never said he hadn't met the droids before. The two droids, R4-P17 and R4-G9 who are hardwired to Obi-Wan’s Jedi Starfighters were not owned by him but by the Jedi. Many people believe that his first words to R2, "come here my little friend," are an indication that he did in fact recognize him. It must be remembered though that there are innumerable astromech and protocol droids in the SW universe and it has presumably been many years since Obi-Wan last saw these two. Add to this the fact that Obi-Wan often tells Luke the truth from his own point of view and that there is no reason for him to tell Luke about any past associations he may have had with the droids that would undoubtedly lead to many awkward questions.

2.E - Are Imperial Stormtroopers clones?

There was at least one official source describing them as clones back in the 1970s. We know that Clonetroopers are the forerunners of the Imperial Stormtroopers we see in the original trilogy. The question is did Palpatine continue using clones to populate his army or did he recruit individuals? When Luke rescues Leia, from her cell aboard the Death Star, she asks if he isn't too short to be a Stormtrooper. While that may indicate that men have to be at least a certain height before they will be considered for the job, it could also mean that all Stormtroopers are the same height because they are genetically identical. The ROTS Visual Dictionary states "clones are… being grown on other worlds, with cells procured from new templates." Whether there are any clones of Jango Fett still around at the time of the Galactic Civil War is unknown and may never be revealed. It seems likely that at least part of the Imperial armed forces is made up of clones.

2.F – Why doesn't Owen recognize the droids in Episode IV?

Like many questions this one can only be answered with speculation. It's possible that Owen did recognize them and that's why he was so insistent on having their memories erased. It's also possible that there are so many droids in the galaxy that he just never considered it likely that his new protocol droid was the one he knew 22 years earlier. In AOTC C-3PO is a dull silver colour but in ANH he's shiny gold. Then there's the fact that he spent only a few seconds with them and never learned their designations in ANH. Of course it could all just be a major problem of inattention to continuity.

2.G - When did Vader find out about Luke?

Here is another question that has no canon answer. It is generally accepted that Vader found out that the name of the Rebel who destroyed the Death Star was Skywalker some time shortly following the Battle of Yavin. In the comic book "Vader's Quest" by Darko Macan the Sith Lord searches for the hero of Yavin and learns from a Rebel that it was Luke Skywalker, his son, who destroyed the Death Star. This is not contradicted by canon and seems a very likely explanation. The 2004 DVD release of ESB has Palpatine telling Vader of Luke Skywalker but from the opening crawl we know that Vader is already obsessed with finding Luke; so he obviously knows the identity of the Rebel hero long before Palpatine does.

2.H - Who said the numbers `3263827` in the Trash Compactor?

This has been one of the most controversial topics ever raised in AFS. Long time posters will recall the endless threads debating this topic without resolution. Opinion has been divided over whether it was Han or Luke who called out the numbers. Those who believe it's Luke are certain it is Mark Hamill's voice and add that Luke was the one holding the comlink. Those who say Han point out that he was the only one in a position to see the numbers by the door, that the numbers are only spoken once and that only Han could have done this. The official answer is that it is "Han Solo who shouts out `3263827!` in response to Luke's query, `Where are we?`"
http://www.starwars.com/community/askjc/jocasta/askjc20010725.html (no longer a valid link)

2.I - What is Yoda?

There are currently no canon/official sources which give a name for Yoda's species although in TPM a female of Yoda's species, named Yaddle, appears in the Jedi Council. This STILL doesn't help answer the question though. Is he Reptilian? Is he Bird-like? Some people have speculated that Yoda might be a member of a race known as the Whills. The Whills were mentioned in the preface of the novelization of ANH but there is no evidence linking this unknown race to Yoda.

2.J - Is the Emperor a Jedi? Who trained him?

Palpatine was never a Jedi or his abilities would have been known to Yoda and the Jedi Council. How he was trained in secret and how he became so powerful are unknown but he was originally from Naboo and his master was Darth Plagueis the Wise. Once Palpatine had learned all he could from Darth Plagueis he murdered his master in his sleep.

2.K - How long was Luke on Dagobah?

This is another question that can only be answered by saying "nobody knows." No canon sources make it clear how long Luke was on Dagobah (and, by association, how long the Millennium Falcon took to get to Bespin). Many (seemingly expert) physics student seem to have decided the whole situation is literally impossible without light speed travel. There have been official (but non-canon) sources that have treated this very subject. In them the agreed upon length of time for Luke's stay on Dagobah is given as "a few weeks" or "couple of weeks." This would seem to mesh well with the idea that, whereas a normal Jedi needed years to complete training, Luke was an exceptional prospect and needed only scant weeks to complete the same thing.

2.L – Who originally played Emperor Palpatine in ESB?

Clive Revill is credited as the VOICE of Palpatine but the face is NOT Alec Guinness, as some would like to believe. It is a woman with chimpanzee eyes super imposed to create the effect we see with the Emperor in ESB. Ian McDiarmid, who plays the Emperor in ROTJ and Palpatine/Sidious in the prequels, was added to the release of ESB on DVD in 2004.

2.M - In the Carbon Freezing Chamber scene in ESB, when Vader says "I am altering the deal," does he use the Force to choke Lando?

This all depends on your own interpretation of the events witnessed in that particular scene.

The Script
LANDO: You said they'd be left in the city under my supervision.
VADER: I am altering the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further.

Lando's hand instinctively goes to his throat as he turns to Leia, Chewie, and Threepio.

Not much there to give us a hint either way.

The Novel
Indicating Leia and Chewbacca, Lando told Vader, "I’ll take what is mine now." He was determined to whisk them out of Vader’s clutches before the Dark Lord reneged on their contract.

"Take them," Vader said, "but I’m keeping a detachment of troops here to watch over them."
"That wasn’t part of the bargain," Lando protested hotly. "You said the Empire wouldn’t interfere in –"
"I’m altering the bargain. Pray I don’t alter it any further."

A sudden tightness grasped Lando's throat, a threatening sign of what would happen to him if he gave Vader any difficulty. Lando’s hand automatically went to his neck, but in the next moment the unseen hold was released and the administrator turned to face Leia and Chewbacca.

There’s a little bit more to go on now. This clearly shows that Lando was indeed choked by Vader as a warning.

The Movie
This is where it gets complicated. The only indication that we `think` Vader chokes Lando is when Lando puts his hand to his neck after Vader has said, "I am altering the deal. Pray I don’t alter it any further." Some say it’s a gesture by Lando because he knows what COULD happen. Some say it’s obvious that Vader reaches, through the Force, to choke Lando.

This question can be debated but what it boils down to is personal interpretation but personal interpretation DOES NOT make the person correct.

Let’s look at, for the want of a better word, the Force Grip. It is set up in ANH. It is then demonstrated in ESB on Admiral Ozzel and Captain Needa. It sets up the scene with Lando, so it’s only natural to assume that Vader does indeed choke Lando but, again, this is all based on the viewer’s own interpretation, so half say `yes` and half say `no`. Who is right? Who is wrong? Will we ever know?! ;-)

2.N - Are Obi-Wan and Owen Lars brothers?

In the ROTJ novelization Obi-Wan tells Luke that Owen is his brother. This is in most versions of the script, and is rumoured to have been filmed but edited out of the final copy of ROTJ. The novelization is a canon source but can be contradicted by the movies. When writing AOTC George Lucas made Owen Anakin's step-brother and now he is no relation of Obi-Wan's. From the official site - "Owen Lars is the son of Cliegg Lars. Obi-Wan's parents are unknown, and he has little to no connection to them having grown up in the Jedi Temple."
http://www.starwars.com/community/askjc/jocasta/askjc20020131.html (no longer a valid link)

2.O - Did Boba Fett really die in ROTJ?

According to George Lucas, Boba Fett is dead. He, and most people on this NG, is aware of the different stories that have Fett surviving the Sarlacc. There are about 3 different versions of this story, and Lucas does not approve of any of them. He has stated in interviews that, "I killed Boba Fett. He is dead."

*3* MISCELLANEOUS *3*

3.A - What is meant by "canon"?

Well, when you get right down to the basics of any expanded universe, such as that of Star Wars, Star Trek, or even Babylon 5, the questions are raised as to what items are considered a part of the overall story, which are "sort of" a part of it, and which just plain aren't part of the mainstream saga in the least. In a situation like this, the terms "canon," "official," "unofficial," "apocrypha," and "fan fiction" come into play.

As far as level of priority and officialty, the ladder, from greatest priority to least is:

First Level Canon
Second Level Canon
Third Level Canon
Fourth Level Canon
Official (Expanded Universe)
Apocrypha (Unofficial)
Fan Fiction (FanFic)

`CANON` is that which is undeniably part of the overall story, the creator's vision. In the case of Star Wars, this is broken down into four levels, with the lower levels being only canonical so far as that they do not contradict the higher levels. Essentially, the lower levels are only canonical where they agree with, or add to, the higher levels. `First Level Canon` is the highest level of officialty that something can receive. This term is reserved solely for Lucas' definitive vision and includes only these items:

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack Of The Clones
Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (2004 DVD Edition)
The Star Wars Holiday Special
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (2004 DVD Edition)
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (2004 DVD Edition)
Caravan Of Courage (AKA The Ewok Adventure)
Ewoks: The Battle For Endor

`Second Level Canon` is the next level down from the creator's definitive vision. It basically consists of anything that the creator originally considered First Level Canon, but overwrote slightly. In this case, the original Star Wars film trilogy and the Special Editions fit into this category. Second Level Canon information can only be overridden by First Level Canon (i.e., if an "official continuity" author had written that Greedo shot first in A New Hope, it would have not been the "way it really happened," but since Lucas overwrote that scene with his definitive, First Level Canon Special Edition, the old version of events ceased to exist, and were replaced by those Lucas created with his First Level Canon). Essentially, anything in the original films is canonical, unless it contradicts the First Level Canon of the Special Edition. (The SE scripts are included in this category.)

`Third Level Canon` is the next step below the original films. This level includes the novelizations of the films themselves. This level can only be overridden by First or Second Level Canon. Thus, if a wording is different in the novel than in the film, the novelization wording is not canonical. For example, in the novelization to The Empire Strikes Back, Han Solo, while fleeing Hoth, states, "I know, I know, I see them," when referring to Star Destroyers. In the films (both First and Second Level Canon versions), he states "I saw 'em! I saw 'em!" Nitpicky, yes, but by the rules of canonicity, the film wording supersedes the novelization. (The original version scripts are included in this category.)

`Fourth Level Canon` is the final step down the ladder of officialty before one reaches simply "official." This level includes the radio dramas of the Star Wars films and the Clone Wars animated series. Once again, it is a case of these events being canonical only so far as they add to or agree with the films and novelizations. The novels and both versions of the films supersede these. For example, the Battle of Derra IV in the ESB radio drama is canonical because it adds to, and does not contradict, the films or novelizations. The character of Heater in the ANH radio drama is not canonical, as that character is replaced with a different character name in the Third, Second, and First Level Canon.

`Official` is that which Lucasfilm has allowed to become a part of their "official continuation." George Lucas himself does not approve these stories and has stated that he feels no obligation to work any of these elements into his future films. This is essentially a collection of stories licensed by Lucasfilm and produced by Bantam Spectra, Berkley Boulevard, Del Rey, Berkley Boulevard, Berkley Jam, Dark Horse Comics, LucasArts games (in some, but not all cases), and other companies that Lucasfilm has allowed to contribute to the continuity. This is what most current Star Wars saga fans consider the timeline, although that may change if and when Lucas overrides them by producing a Sequel Trilogy, which would be First Level Canon.

`Apocrypha` (often referred to as Unofficial) refers to any and all Star Wars stories that are not a part of the "official continuity." The stories may form timelines unto themselves, but they are not Lucasfilm- approved for the continuity. It's safest to consider them "alternate reality" versions of the saga. They have no place in the "official continuity."

`Fan Fiction` (or FanFic) is the term that refers to any creation by a Star Wars fan that is not sanctioned by Lucasfilm in any form. (Apocryphal items at least got permission to publish.) These are things like Troops and other fan-created videos, short stories like Bantha Squadron, etc. If you've ever written or created a Star Wars story on your own, that item would be called FanFic, or Fan Fiction.

From the Star Wars Insider #23, an interview with Production and Continuity Editors Sue Rostoni and Allan Kausch:

"Gospel, or canon as we refer to it, includes the screenplays, the films, the radio dramas, and the novelizations. These works spin out of George Lucas' original stories, the rest are written by other writers. However, between us, we've read everything, and much of it is taken into account in the overall continuity. The entire catalog of published works comprises a vast history -- with many off-shoots, variations and tangents like any other well-developed mythology." This is the end-all and the be-all of the Star Wars Universe. The original novels, comics, WEG material, etc. ARE "official," meaning that it has been licensed and approved by Lucasfilm. However, there are times when they have contradicted the canon sources, such as with the Death and Life of Boba Fett (see item 2.A.) In such instances, the "official" sources are to be disregarded.

Here is LucasBooks' Chris Cerasi's answer from the official site: There's been some confusion of late regarding the 'Infinities' symbol and Star Wars Expanded Universe continuity in general. Terms like "canon" and "continuity" tend to get thrown around casually, which doesn't help at all. When it comes to absolute canon, the real story of Star Wars, you must turn to the films themselves - and only the films. Even novelizations are interpretations of the film, and while they are largely true to George Lucas' vision (he works quite closely with the novel authors), the method in which they are written does allow for some minor differences. The novelizations are written concurrently with the film's production, so variations in detail do creep in from time to time. Nonetheless, they should be regarded as very accurate depictions of the fictional Star Wars movies. The further one branches away from the movies, the more interpretation and speculation come into play. LucasBooks works diligently to keep the continuing Star Wars expanded universe cohesive and uniform, but stylistically, there is always room for variation. Not all artists draw Luke Skywalker the same way. Not all writers define the character in the same fashion. The particular attributes of individual media also come into play. A comic book interpretation of an event will likely have less dialogue or different pacing than a novel version. A video game has to take an interactive approach that favors gameplay. So too must card and roleplaying games ascribe certain characteristics to characters and events in order to make them playable. The analogy is that every piece of published Star Wars fiction is a window into the 'real' Star Wars universe. Some windows are a bit foggier than others. Some are decidedly abstract. But each contains a nugget of truth to them. Like the great Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi said, 'many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our point of view.'

Returning to the question at hand. Yes, "Star Wars Gamer" is part of continuity, though as game material, there is room for interpretation. Only specific articles marked with the 'Infinities' logo within the magazine should be considered out of continuity. Fans of the old monthly Marvel Star Wars comic will be heartened to know that LucasBooks does indeed consider them part of continuity. Decades of retrospect haven't been kind to all the elements of the comic series, but the characters and events still hold weight and are referenced in newer material whenever possible. In order to allow unlimited freedom of storytelling, the Infinities label has been placed on the anthology series, "Star Wars Tales". This means that not only can the stories occur anywhere in the Star Wars timeline, but stories can happen outside continuity. Basically, if an event happens in "Tales", it may not have necessarily happened in the rest of the expanded universe. For some stories, the distinction is largely inconsequential. For others, it's the only way they could exist.
http://ww.starwars.com/community/askjc/steve/askjc20010817.html (no longer a valid link)

3.B - Will there be episodes 7-9?

Although the range of EU books seems likely to continue forever and there will be at least two new TV series set in the Star Wars universe, contrary to what many people believe/hope, there are no plans for a third trilogy comprising Episodes 7-9. At a press conference in Australia, Rick McCallum, long-time collaborator with George Lucas and Producer of the Prequel Trilogy, announced that George Lucas himself has decided that Episodes 1-6 are the totality of his Star Wars story, and that the time period AFTER the Prequels have been released are likely to find Lucas and Lucasfilm working on more experimental types of projects.

3.C - Star Wars vs. ****** (i.e. Titanic, Star Trek)

These are off-topic subjects that eat up bandwidth by promoting pointless debates over which one is better or which one will make more money. For Star Trek there is a newsgroup devoted to this debate, try news:alt.startrek.vs.starwars.

3.D - Missing scenes?

Most of these "missing scenes" that people claim to have seen don't exist. There are a few scenes which were filmed but never made it beyond the cutting room floor including some extra scenes depicting Luke and Biggs on Tatooine in ANH, a scene involving C-3PO and the removal of a warning sign, and the extra footage removed from TPM but included on the DVD.

3.E - What is "Troops"?

"Troops" is a parody of both SW and the TV show, "COPS," that uses Stormtroopers. It was written and directed by Kevin Rubio. Troops can be downloaded at http://www.theforce.net/fanfilms/shortfilms/troops/. It is distributed free of charge and it is illegal for anyone to sell or trade it for profit. And yes, George Lucas has seen it, and he thought it was hilarious.

3.F - What is the "Star Wars Holiday Special"?

Long ago, in an era far, far away... a television special featuring Wookiees, C-3PO, and a stoned Carrie Fisher aired on network TV. It seems that in his old age George Lucas has looked back at the Star Wars Holiday Special that aired in 1978 and decided the world would have been a better place if he had never made it. He's publicly said that if he could, he would find all copies circulating loosely and destroy them. So no, don't plan on seeing the SW Holiday Special on TV or in video stores any time soon. Bootleg versions are available online or at conventions.

3.G - Mark Hamill's accident.

In 1976 Mark Hamill was involved in a car accident near his home in Southern California. He required some reconstructive surgery which is why his face, particularly his nose, is different in ESB. Contrary to popular belief the Wampa scenes in ESB were not written into the movie as a way to explain his facial scars; it's just a coincidence.

3.H - How do you spell litesabber....lightsaybr....lights...pagh!!!

There seems to be some confusion as to the correct spelling of Lightsaber/Lightsabre. The Original Star Wars Novel by George Lucas (ghost written by Alan Dean Foster) has the spelling as Lightsaber as does the Return of the Jedi Novel, by James Kahn and The Phantom Menace Novel, by Terry Brooks but The Empire Strikes Back Novel, by Donald. F. Glut, has the spelling Lightsabre. After checking the Official Site - Weapons Section, it does seem that the general consensus for the `laser sword` is Lightsaber, so, there you have it, LIGHTSABER!!

3.I - I've heard such and such happens in the novels/graphic novels but which one?

i) In what story did Luke Skywalker and Mara Jade marry?

Luke And Mara became engaged in the 'Vision of the Future' novel by Timothy Zahn and married in the comic series `SW:Union` published by Dark Horse comics.

ii) In what story did Luke Skywalker turn to the Dark Side?

Luke was seduced to the Dark Side in the `Dark Empire` graphic novel series. He is later recovered by Leia.

iii) In what story did Emperor Palpatine return as a clone?

Again in `Dark Empire`, a clone of Palpatine is discovered, who then succeeds in turning Luke to the Dark Side (see above). The clone story also continues in "Dark Empire 2" and "Empire's End".

3.J - What time period do the films cover and what are the ages of the major characters?

Using the first movie released, Episode IV, as the starting point the chronology of the movies goes thus:

TPM -32
AOTC -22
ROTS -19
ANH 0
ESB +3
ROTJ +4

According to the novelization of TPM Anakin was 9 years old; Padmé was 14; Obi-Wan was 25 and Qui-Gon was 60. This makes Anakin 45 at the time of his death in ROTJ and Obi-Wan 57 at the time of his death in ANH. In ANH Luke and Leia were 19 and Han was, according to the novelization, "perhaps five years older than Luke, perhaps a dozen."

3.K - Why can’t I get the original unaltered trilogy on DVD?

George Lucas had many constraints to contend with when making the original trilogy. The technology of filmmaking was well behind his vision and so he had to leave things incomplete due to problems of time and money. Years later he decided to revisit these movies and discovered that "it was so badly damaged. [They] had to digitally scan the images. Once that happened, George had the unique opportunity to then go back and say, wait a second, I've always been embarrassed by this film… Now he's [able] to go back and make the film that he always wanted to achieve in the first place." (Rick McCallum SUM (Specifiek Universitair Magazine), vol. 7, no. 3) So now, in George Lucas’ mind, the Special Editions are the movies that he always wanted to make and the original versions are no longer relevant. The last time the original versions were released was on VHS and laser disc in 1995. If Lucas has his way, and it seems he always does, they will never again be released in any format. It is possible, of course, to find bootleg copies of the movies on places like eBay.

3.L – What does EU stand for?

EU means Expanded Universe or Extended Universe. It refers to the ever increasing amount of fictional works which expand on the characters, worlds and situations created by George Lucas in his movies. They include such things as novels, comics and games. These works are official but Lucas has no immediate involvement in their creation. (See item 3.A for more.)

3.M - Easter Eggs?

An "Easter Egg" is a little surprise placed in a production by its creator. In this case, GL included quite a few little tidbits in his newest Star Wars movies. In TPM there are Wookiees, an appearance by Warwick Davis, a THX reference and the sound of Darth Vader breathing. In AOTC, when Anakin and Padmé arrive on Naboo, some ships that look suspiciously like the Millennium Falcon can be seen in the bottom left of the frame and both Anthony Daniels (C-3PO) and Ahmed Best (Jar Jar Binks) play patrons in the nightclub scene. In ROTS, when Anakin visits Palpatine at the opera, George Lucas himself can be seen standing outside the doorway which Anakin enters. A comprehensive list of Easter Eggs in ROTS can be found at:
http://www.starwars.com/episode-iii/bts/production/f20050526/index.html.
http://www.theforce.net/ also has an excellent section to check out for Easter Eggs.

3.N - Did Mark Hamill shout "Carrie" in Episode IV?

Taken From The Official Site - Urban Legends
http://www.starwars.com/episode-iv/feature/20000530/indexp3.html. (no longer a valid link)

Actors do make mistakes. They are, after all, humans (even the computer- generated ones, at heart). Since so much work has to go into turning an on-set performance into a finished Star Wars movie, mistakes can be caught and fixed by the many people who handle the film after the shooting is done. Much of the sound heard in Star Wars was created and crafted after the action had been shot. Though on-set microphones captured the live performance as it occurred, many times actors had to come back in to loop dialog. Even dialog that is captured on set is carefully mixed and massaged by sound editors to achieve a certain consistency and interaction with other added sound effects. In the end, so many people scrutinize the audio recording that it seems unlikely that such a gaff could have gotten through.

So, while it indeed sounds like "Carrie!" to many people, in the finished film, that's not what Mark Hamill says. What does he say? While putting together the improved soundtrack for the Special Edition Trilogy, sound editor Ben Burtt investigated the matter. All the original tracks, 1/4-inch tapes, and source materials were pulled out from storage, and listened to in a big mix room at Skywalker Sound. "We made loops out of everything Mark said and played them for a panel of listeners," says Burtt. "We edited the recording and filtered it and did everything we could to clean up the phrase where he yells as he hugs Princess Leia."

The audio investigation included numerous takes of Mark Hamill recording that scene. "The consensus was that he is yelling 'hey' or 'yay,' rather than 'Carrie.' In other takes he specifically yells 'yay!' at that point," explains Burtt. "Like most garbled dialog, if you listen to it over and over with all the other voices in there you can convince yourself that he is saying 'Carrie' or any number of things. But we were convinced that he really was just cheering." According to Mark Hamill, he excitedly yells "Hey! There she is!" indicating that Luke was scanning the rushing crowd for Leia. In the excitement, Luke doesn't stop to enunciate each syllable like a certain golden protocol droid would do. "I ended up swallowing the 'is' part," says Hamill. So the end result was garbled to the point that some people believe it sounds an awful lot like "Carrie!" So much so that even those closely involved in the production can hear that if they listen to it enough times.

*4* SPOILERS *4*

4.A - What is a spoiler?

As far as AFS is concerned, a spoiler is a post or part of a post which contains information which might ruin the element of surprise within a movie, book, video game, or comic. Spoilers can often be accidentally placed in message headers as well as the message itself.

4.B - What are some examples of spoilers?

In order to be a spoiler, the info present would concern an upcoming production of Star Wars which hasn’t yet been seen; such as the TV series or a new book. The information remains a spoiler until fans worldwide have had a chance to see it for themselves. This means that even if you’ve seen something on the day of release you should be aware that the info is a spoiler until people everywhere have had a reasonable chance to see it too. Here are some spoiler examples, although they are not factual.

i) Luke is eaten by Chewbacca!!!

ii) Jango Fett is a woman!!!

iii) Jar Jar is Anakin's brother!!!

iv) The Millennium Falcon belongs to R2-D2!!!

4.C - What if my spoiler is speculation?

This is kind of a slippery slope issue. Some people make educated guesses, based on what they know, about what will happen in future productions. Unfortunately they usually base their guesses on spoiler information and unintentionally give something away.

4.D - Why do some people not like spoilers?

Let's go back in time to opening night of ESB. You're waiting in line, and you cannot wait to get inside to see the movie. As the crowds for the previous showing exit the theatre, one bozo shouts out... "I can't believe Vader is LUKE'S FATHER!!!" or "Man, I can't believe Solo was captured!!!" I don't know about you, but that would've really sucked. Well, most people don't like to know that sort of thing before they've seen the movie, and some don't even like to see ANYTHING before the film.

4.E - How can I avoid being offensive with spoilers?

General netiquette suggests that you warn people of spoilers contained in your postings. This will give readers the option of spoiling a part of the movie.

i) Place a warning in the header such as [SPOILER]

ii) Do not place spoiler info in header

iii) Include 20 lines of non-blank spoiler space in body

iv) Do not mention spoiler info in unmarked posts

4.F - What happens when I post spoiler material inappropriately?

Let's say you post something extremely inappropriate, such as information concerning the death of a major character. "****** dies in new Star Wars TV series!!!" This is rather sensitive material and the majority of people here on Usenet probably try to avoid such plot revealers. In addition to that, you post other spoiler info in the body of the message without spoiler space. Let's go back to the ESB theatre scene... some moron blurts out some major plot happenings after seeing the movie, and there are several fans waiting in line to see the next showing. One would assume that this idiot would get his head bashed in by a mob of pissed off Star Wars fanatics, right? OF COURSE. As for Usenet, physical torture is usually not an option, so the users fall back on other forms of aggression. Flaming will occur, as will lectures concerning the inappropriate actions. You will likely be killfiled as well, seeing as most users wouldn't want to see if you are a repeat offender. So, as you can see, being naughty in newsgroups will result in your being banned by the other users. Also keep in mind that if you repeat your offences often enough, some may take their case to your ISP, which would be bad.

*5* BINARIES *5*

5.A - What is a binary?

A binary is any kind of non-text portion of a message, including but not limited to pictures, movie clips, sound clips, zip files, programs, word processing documents, happy99.exe files, etc.

5.B - Where should I post a binary?

news:alt.binaries.starwars OR you can provide a link to the binary that you feel we should all know about or you can inform us as to its existence on ABS. Alternatively if you have a web site put it up there and post the link here with a description.

5.C - Why shouldn't I post the binary here?

Using the web as a base for this information, it should be quite obvious that text based web pages load up MUCH faster than pages with music, graphics, etc. This principle applies to Usenet as well. Many individuals find it to be a nuisance, if we want a binary, we'll go to a binary newsgroup. Others have to pay a time-based internet rate, which increases with every post, more-so with binaries. There is also the fact that all newsgroups have a finite amount of space allocated to them. As the information in the newsgroup exceeds that space, the older posts are removed to compensate.

5.D - What will happen if I post a binary in AFS?

Most people get a first chance, but it's a real easy way to get killfiled, and you will probably be flamed for this as well.

*6* ADVERTISEMENTS *6*

6.A - What falls into the category of advertisements?

An advertisement is defined as a notice designed to gain public attention or patronage. This primarily applies to sales/auction posts as well as trading/wanted posts but it could also include a number of other things. Web site promotions are 'ok', but they are discouraged unless the site correlates to AFS in some manner. XXX promotions are NOT ALLOWED. We also do not care for eBay posts. When it comes to Star Wars toys please do not try to sell them but the occasional conversation is not discouraged.

6.B - Why are my advertisements not wanted?

If we want to see what eBay has to offer, we'll visit the site. If we want vintage action figures, we'll look on one of the collecting sites. Advertisements clutter up the newsgroup disrupting the normal flow of traffic on AFS.

6.C - Where should I post my advertisements?

Although advertisements might be considered unacceptable in other newsgroups too you may reach a more receptive audience in one of the collecting groups such as news:rec.arts.sf.starwars.collecting.misc or news:rec.arts.sf.starwars.collecting.vintage.

6.D - What happens if I ignore these guidelines?

You will probably be flamed upon your first offence, and after repeat offences, you will be killfiled (ignored). In either case you’re unlikely to generate any interest in your product in this newsgroup and therefore would be wasting your time and energy, not to mention the fact that people may decide to boycott your auctions altogether.

*7* TROLLS *7*

7.A - What is Trolling?

The use of the word "trolling" comes from the fishing technique where a baited hook is dragged through the water, in an attempt to attract and catch a fish. Usenet trolling is the act of posting an article, or "troll" *baited hook* in a Usenet newsgroup *the water* with the intention of attracting the native inhabitants *groupers* and provoking an emotional response *caught*. The phrase was originally coined as "Trolling for flames", where the posters intention was to incite a "flame war", the Usenet intellectual equivalents of a bar fight.

7.B - What is a Troll?

It is convenient that the word "troll" has multiple meanings. Aside from the fishing example above, "troll" also is the name of a mythical creature, generally thought of as ugly, fat, cantankerous, wart-covered, smelly, and completely unlikable. Since trolling is typically thought of as a detestable and unsavoury activity performed by loathsome, contemptible hooligans, the name "troll" fits them quite well. There are two basic troll species. Those with overactive minds *busy brain, ADHD, whatever you want to call it* constantly seek out new sources of mental stimuli. For these, newsgroup satire acts as a sort of *Mental Floss*. And there are those who are permanently disgruntled, or "physically short changed" in some way and seek out ways to compensate for their shortcomings through vicious personal attacks against others in order to achieve a *Mental Erection*. These, while potentially entertaining, generally do not follow R.A.T. - Rules of Acceptable Trolling.

7.C - Why do Trolls troll?

There are as many reasons as there are trolls. Many trolls are just practical jokers attempting to amuse themselves and their audience. Some have genuine animosity toward a particular group or individual that they believe has done them wrong. Some are just loathsome, contemptible hooligans bent on disrupting the ordinarily peaceful exchange of useful information for their own perverted pleasure. Usenet provides a medium to create and express oneself, and gives the added dimension of anonymity, allowing the troll to create and express emotions, thoughts and ideas that he/she might not ordinarily express. For many, Usenet is the first and only place their creative works will ever be "published".

7.D - What do I do if I see a Troll?

This is more a matter of personal taste, but here are a few tactics that you can use...

i) Ignore the troll post, responding to a troll only encourages him or her to repeat their actions.

ii) Give them an emotionless response saying that their behaviour is not warranted. It's no fun to read serious posts if you're a troll.

iii) Killfile the troll. It is considered that this action to be warranted only after a repeat offence. Plonk at will.

iv) DON`T threaten to report them to their ISP, this just causes them to troll more.

v) DO Report them to their ISP - only in the most severe circumstances. Cross-posting ridiculous posts is just kids play and it is not acknowledged as a serious offence... the Troll is easily killfiled... even if they do change their names frequently, it only takes another click and they're gone.

vi) Don`t FEED the Trolls... KILL them!

Contributions by: Bags; John Donchig; Guardian; Don Kuenz; Chris Pastor; SGHB; PhantomShadow; Nathan Butler; Brett McConnie and Karrde.

END OF FAQ