"Koona T'Chuta, Erik?" ("Solo: A Star Wars Story")
Greedo (c) Lucasfilm/Disney
I'm going to share with you two memories I have of my buddy Tony which will explain this picture.
Tony was a huge Star Wars fan. He owned all the movies on various formats, had practically every novel in hardcover, bought as many action figures as he could, would spend hundreds of dollars at conventions, and even named his son Lucas (Luke for short). To this day I have yet to meet another person as enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the lore or owned as much memorabilia than Tony.
So, it wasn't even a question who was going to handle the homages when the prequel films and the "Clone Wars" animated film fell into our summer schedules. Star Wars was Tony's favorite property and he wanted to make sure we always did right. For example, I remember being asked to do the pencils for our entry on "Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith". When all was said, I must have done close to a dozen versions before coming up with one which pleased Tony. We never collaborated that way normally. Usually one of us would come up with an idea and the other would just roll with it. But when it came to Star Wars, Tony exercised complete editorship. That's how much it meant to him; especially the classic trilogy. He was bummed we would never have a chance to tackle them.
The second memory is what slightly dampened "Episode 1: The Phantom Menace" for him. Now, you could guess the excessive talk about trade federations or the juvenile antics of Jar Jar Binks did him in. You might even think it was how George Lucas retconned a lot of information from the classic trilogy by having Anakin create C3P0 or change the Force from having a spiritual origin to a scientific one. But no, it was me. The only problem he had about the movie is squarely because of me.
In the beginning of the film, Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan board a blockade ship as ambassadors for the Supreme Councilor in hopes of beginning talks to re-open the trade routes for the planet of Naboo. Obi-Wan tells his Jedi master he has a bad feeling about this, to which Qui-Gon responds "Don;t center on your anxieties. Keep your concentration here and now, where it belongs."
To which I added out loud in the theater "...on my crotch."
I swear Tony's head swiveled so fast with such a scowling look he almost broke his neck. But at the same time, I could tell he was doing his best not to break out laughing by how tight he bit his lower lip. All he could do was stare at me for a good ten seconds and shake his head before saying, "You mother f**ker..." and then turning his attention back towards the film. But he never forgot that moment and every time he'd watch "The Phantom Menace" afterwards, regardless if I was there or not, he would curse me out and laugh. "You mother f**ker..."
There is no doubt in my mind if there was one picture Tony would have worked on meticulously over all the illustrations in the gallery, it would have been for "Solo: A Star Wars Story". A movie set in the timeline of the original trilogy starring one of his favorite characters and it falls within the summer season? He'd have been on Cloud City! Instead, I wound up handling it and resorting to a cheap crotch gag.
As juvenile as the picture is, I know Tony would have busted out laughing and find it appropriate coming from me. To be honest, I'm sure we would have had two pictures devoted to "Solo" on account he would have wanted to swing for the fences on a grandiose version. But he'd have also liked my contribution while shaking his head sternly and replying, "You mother f**ker..." - Jake