Well, there's only been a couple of votes today, so I'm calling it. With 43 votes in, here are you results for the Round of 32. (Results rounded to the nearest % point.)

--------John Williams Bracket--------

1 Duel of the Fates vs 32 Hope

16 Luke and Leia vs 17 Anakin's Theme

8 Yoda's Theme vs 25 Peace and Purpose

9 Rey's Theme vs 24 Ewok Celebration and Finale


--------Hans Zimmer Bracket--------

4 Main Theme vs 29 Augie's Great Municipal Band

13 The Droid Invasion vs 20 The Return of the Jedi

5 Across the Stars vs 28 The Emperor

12 The Final Duel vs 21 The Spark


--------Howard Shore Bracket--------

2 Imperial March vs 31 Cantina Band

15 The Asteroid Field vs 18 March of the Resistance

7 The Throne Room / End Title vs 26 The Birth of the Twins / Padme's Destiny

10 Han Solo and the Princess vs 23 The Jedi Steps and Finale


--------James Horner Bracket--------

3 Binary Sunset vs 30 The Abduction

14 Anakin's Dark Deeds vs 19 Ben's Death / TIE Fighter Attack

6 Battle of the Heroes vs 27 Your Father Would Be Proud

11 Princess Leia's Theme vs 22 Padme's Ruminations

Sad to see "Anakin's Dark Deeds" go so early. Had high hopes for that one, but it put up a hell of a fight. Was a dead heat until late yesterday.

"The Return of the Jedi" also pulled the upset over "The Droid Invasion", thought it could be argued that the latter was over-seeded. (Guilty!)

"Hope" more than held its own against #1 seed "Duel of the Fates".

Somehow, even with the toughest competition possible, every single entry got a vote or two. (Looking at you, Cantina Band, Kylo's Theme, and Augie's Municipal Band!)

Will have the Sweet 16 round ready to go shortly.

Your Father Would be Proud should've won. Sigh.

Agreed. It got my vote

Now I can admit I voted Yub Nub because I wanted to show it support given the debate about it even though I think Rey's Theme is better. Might have to do the same for Rey's Theme in the next round

Star Wars Tracks - Sith 16
Vote here!


John Williams Bracket

1 Duel of the Fates vs 16 Luke and Leia

8 Yoda's Theme vs 9 Rey's Theme


Hans Zimmer Bracket

4 Main Theme vs 20 The Return of the Jedi

5 Across the Stars vs 12 The Final Duel


Howard Shore Bracket

2 Imperial March vs 15 The Asteroid Field

7 The Throne Room vs 10 Han Solo and the Princess


James Horner Bracket

3 Binary Sunset vs 19 Ben's Death / TIE Fighter Attack

6 Battle of the Heroes vs 11 Princess Leia's Theme

Chipotlemonger said:

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Your Father Would be Proud should've won. Sigh.

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Now I love that track, but it was up against Battle of the Heroes. That is an epic that rivals DotF.

Having to vote against Rey's theme so early really sucks. It's entered my all-time classic list. I remember downloading the TFA soundtrack the day before seeing the movie and sitting in this same chair listening to that track thinking wow, I just can't wait to hear this whle I"m watching the action.

My favorite use of it is probably in TLJ when Achto Island starts up and it shifts from Luke's theme to hers.

I really like the music for the Emperor, and one other track from Return that I would have liked to see in was Into the Trap. Epic space battle and epic quote accompany that track.

But, on we go to the elite 8. Was hard to vote for the Main Theme over Return of the Jedi, but I did anyway.

If it helps, that's one of the ones that barely missed the cut. I picked the Emperor's Theme over it.

One VERY surprising result thus far...

The swim to otoh gunga is beating duel of the fates?

Nice

Thanks for voting. Here are your results for the Sith 16.

John Williams Bracket

1 Duel of the Fates vs 16 Luke and Leia

8 Yoda's Theme vs 9 Rey's Theme


Hans Zimmer Bracket

4 Main Theme vs 20 The Return of the Jedi

5 Across the Stars vs 12 The Final Duel


Howard Shore Bracket

2 Imperial March vs 15 The Asteroid Field

7 The Throne Room vs 10 Han Solo and the Princess


James Horner Bracket

3 Binary Sunset vs 19 Ben's Death / TIE Fighter Attack

6 Battle of the Heroes vs 11 Princess Leia's Theme


All of the favorites cruised to victory except for one major upset -- Princess Leia's Theme knocked out Battle of Heroes to make it into the Elite 8. BOTH put up a good fight, but it just couldn't compete with the love people have for Leia, and for Carrie Fisher. (Well deserved, too.)

Posting the next round in a few minutes.

Elite 8 - Vote Here!

MATCH #1 --

1. Duel of the Fates


vs.

8. Yoda's Theme



MATCH #2 --

4. Star Wars Main Theme


vs

5. Across the Stars



MATCH #3 --

2. Imperial March


vs

7. The Throne Room / End Title



MATCH #4 --

3. Binary Sunset (Force Theme)


vs

11. Princess Leia's Theme

What a farce! Rey's Theme and The Asteroid Field should have gone further.

I must say that Yoda's Theme has been tearing through this tournament. Even Duel of the Fates has struggled with lesser competition.

Brian Earl Spilner said:

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I must say that Yoda's Theme has been tearing through this tournament. Even Duel of the Fates has struggled with lesser competition.

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I don't get it!

It would have been the same matchup but dotf should have been the 4th seed and yoda the 5th.

I don't mean to derail what it going on here and maybe this isn't the right thread but if I wanted to start reading some Star Wars books, where would even consider starting? I've looked a little bit and the choices are overwhelming. My background knowledge is limited to the movies. Thanks!

As someone that's only dipped my toes into the world of the books, I can tell you that Lords of the Sith is an excellent starting point.

Takes place shortly after ROTS, and focuses on a nearly successful attempt to kill Palpatine on the planet Ryloth. (The Twi'lek planet.)

But beyond that, it focuses a lot on Vader and how insanely badass he is. It's basically the Vader movie we never got.

Not a derail at all!
When I was younger, I remember reading some of those books about Han and Leia's kids and enjoyed them. Not sure how they stand up anymore though, and they're definitely not canon now.

Really wish they would make a movie based on at least some of that book because there are so many badass Vader moments in it.

gcracker13 said:

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I don't mean to derail what it going on here and maybe this isn't the right thread but if I wanted to start reading some Star Wars books, where would even consider starting? I've looked a little bit and the choices are overwhelming. My background knowledge is limited to the movies. Thanks!

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Get the Timothy Zahn trilogy from the early 90s
Heir to the Empire
Dark Force Rising
The Last Command

If you like the prequels,
Shatterpoint is an excellent Mace Windu novel

gcracker13 said:

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I don't mean to derail what it going on here and maybe this isn't the right thread but if I wanted to start reading some Star Wars books, where would even consider starting? I've looked a little bit and the choices are overwhelming. My background knowledge is limited to the movies. Thanks!

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Decide if you want to read canon since Disney bought Star Wars, or if you're interested in anything from prior.

The Zahn trilogy is good

The Ahsoka book in new canon is good.

Brian Earl Spilner said:

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As someone that's only dipped my toes into the world of the books, I can tell you that Lords of the Sith is an excellent starting point.

Takes place shortly after ROTS, and focuses on a nearly successful attempt to kill Palpatine on the planet Ryloth. (The Twi'lek planet.)

But beyond that, it focuses a lot on Vader and how insanely badass he is. It's basically the Vader movie we never got.

---

That actually sounds like a good book.

It's been a long time since I read a non-movie Star Wars book. I read the Zahn trilogy but I'm pretty sure there was a book that featured a character named Xizor, or something like that, drawing a complete blank on the title but I believe it was set between Empire and Jedi ... published mid-90s or thereabouts.

Shadows of the Empire

Xizor was also in tales of the bounty hunter.

Did anyone else read that? There was this weird floating organic sentient space platform that I never could really visualize.

I think a key parameter in that decision should be if you care if the books are canon or not. If you don't care, start with the Heir to the Empire trilogy by Zahn. IMO they are still the gold standard of Star Wars books and they helped hook me as a fan just as much as the movies did

If you do care about the stories you read being canon, I would consider one of the following:

1. Bloodline by Claudia Gray. Gray is probably the best of the writers to join the Star Wars galaxy in the new canon era, and this book is tied in pretty well with the sequel trilogy, providing some important information on how the galaxy evolved between Episodes VI and VII, some background on how the First Order rose in secret, and how Leia's deals with her family legacy. It's important to know though this is very much a Leia story and some characters you might want to see are only spoken about

2. Thrawn by Timothy Zahn. Probably my favorite new canon book, but a lot of that has to do with my love of Zahn's writing style and the character Thrawn from the Heir to the Empire trilogy. If you want a story about the Imperial military, characters dealing with being outsiders and rising to power, this might be for you. The main characters would be new to you but people like the Emperor and Tarkin have small roles. There are two sequels as well but the book can very much be read as a stand alone. There are also tie ins to the Rebels show if you're a fan

Nevermind, I'm remembering the bounty hunter wars.

I love wookiepedia.

Did Zahn create the character of Thrawn? Did he exist anywhere before Heir to the Empire?

Have the Noghiri shown up anywhere else in Canon?

Yes Zahn created him

His Noghri bodyguard Rukh was in season 4 of Rebels and the new canon books (not the first one though)

Zahn also created mara jade, talon karrde, jorus cbaoth, and gillead pelleaon, who had a cameo in the series finale of rebels. He also concocted the idea of leia having jacen and jaina, jedi twins. Jacen shares a lot of similarities with kylo ren over the course of the eu books, including going sith.

Also darth plagueis is a must read

Xizor is the most likable character in star wars history because he spends 90 percent of a book trying to bang princess leia.