Topic: The appeal of Commando's.

With the recent release of the excellent Triple Zero and the brilliant Hasbro, Scorch figure, the commando's are back in the spotlight(did they ever really leave though?)

So i got to thinking, why are these men(and they are men), which never appear in any movies, so popular. Admitaly been clones would make them popular, but why are they so popular, even more than there regular"brothers".

Well a large part of it is the books. They are so well written, not just from a action point but from a character point. Each one character is unique, and you never feel you are reading about identical men. When i read the books i picture each of them as having the same face(except Atin of course), but each one feels different.

Another factor is how brilliant and easy to pick up and play the game is. You really get the feeling that you are fighting along side your life long "brothers", and the ending made me shout out in despair. Add brilliant graphics and story, and the appeal is there.

Then add the obvious. The armor, the kit and the "How cool are they" factor, is what catches people's eye.

But there is also what i think of as an unconsious factor. To me at least, they remind me of other 4 man teams, such the A-team, Teenage mutant ninja turtles and the ghostbusters amonsgt others. 4 distincht personalties, who are extremely close, working togthor to over come huge odds. But also people can relate to them better than most characters in the Star Wars universe. Why? Simple really. You can see your self and a group of close friends in them. You can imagen the commando's sitting down after a mission and have a round of cold beers. Or talking about there problems and yet still joking around and having a laugh. The type of things you do with your mates.

So even though the books, game and apperance all add to there overwhelming popularity, what i feel makes them so popular is what they remind you off in your own life.

this was copied n pasted from my star wars blog

Well done.  This is just one more reason why I should read the books (I am SO far behind).

I TOTALY agree and couldnt have said it better......well done.    and yes  i get the same feeling when i read them.......they are a very unique type of books and very enjoyable!!!

                                                       Vode'an (Brothers all),      MandalorianSpy9  :D

Hehe, I'm not a fan of their bulky armor plates although their buckets are pretty cool, but yeah... The Ninja Turtles... I used to be mad in love with them as a kid, I guess the RC's just remind me of that time :P

Why thank you all:)

What makes a good book......is the feeling that you can almost.....relate to the individuals and main char.s...........and it also matters what the writer is feeling and thinking while writing the books.  I believe Karen Traviss gave us something we would all dream of seeing or doing....ya know  wearing armour and hearing beautiful mandalorian war chants....etc.etc.etc. I also think for me.....the reason star wars books impress me and the reason i like them   is because it plays with your imagination in a very interresting way, unlike other books. (example: LOTR books have less action but they also are very.....idk.....everyday....kinda possible to happen kindof a book....anyone agree???).

                                                               MandalorianSpy9

Um, how does anyone relate to a clone?  At all?  And I don't know about you, but I would never want to be a clone.

Nor would I.

Well,if you're like me and have alot of brothers you can think of each one of the men as one of them.It's like Uncle Tom's Cabin...you get to know each man and just really get to understand the way they see the world and then Sev goes and gets himself captured or worse,killed.
  Yautja,I can relate Atin to yourself.His love is his weapons and you seem to have a thing for weapons and war-those kinds of things.
   Flash,I can kind of relate you to Darman.The one guy who doesn't accept his role in life and thinks way more then his brothers.
   I'm not saying that any of you are my brothers,I have enough of them,thank you.But,I can place myself in their shoes-I could never compare myself to them though or for that matter any man/woman who fights for a living.
   Yet,and I quote the Flash,how can you not picture yourself,Yautja,sitting around with your friends,sharing a beer or the whatnot,and just relax.Watching a football game or discussing the latest MailCall(I'm only assuming you know what that is)or if the Russians had the better marksmen at Stalingrand(forgive me if I mispelled that)?
   Anyway,I agree that the books are well written and the game is awesome.They both had some tense moments and both let you encounter the daily life of the men that fought without thanks.

Well yeah, everybody has at least one thing in common with someone else, but there really isn't enough to relate to them.  There's just to much difference.

I can see your point.I think we're just using the word relate to compare to people,really.I mean I couldn't say you were all Atin,now could I?

he he, i;m darman. cool lol

I wouldn't mind if you called me Atin!  :P :lol:

well,yeah you are Atin you dont count(j/k)

I think we all CAN* relate to a clone in the way that alot of people want to fit in with everyone else (fads/mindsets/etc.), resulting in what could be called....a bunch of "clones". If any of you have ever heard the Ash song "Clones"....it describes what im talking about. I guess i could put it this way: Everyone becomes mediocre and all the same (in a sense) making life dull. I've heard the comment, "We are all clones...."
              I also never said i wanted to be a clone....but that it would be cool to wear armor and hear mando war chants.....from your warrior brothers.
                             
                                            Peace Out,   MandalorianSpy9

You're kinda right, I guess.
                             

Violence in.

It's a napoleon dynamite expression....duuuhhhh. not like i actually meant it uncle rico.

                                                Peace out x2,
                                                                        MandalorianSpy9

"Japanese scientists put bombs at the bottom of Lockness to blow Nessie out of the water. Thankfully local wizards cast a spell to protect her. Thank you."

Anywas, the clones are okay.

Nice one,     so you think the clones are ok.....you don't have some weird dislike/they are totally weird attitude toward them......  that means you are normal!

  "Girls like guys with good skills....nunchuck skills.....computer hacking skills..etc."
                                                                 MandalorianSpy9

So?  Whenever someone says that, I have to say violence in.  I'ts a natural reaction.

never heard of that one before.....interresting. Sorry all for gettin us off subject.

                                              MandalorianSpy9

I Can't Find One Of Those Scorch Figures Anywhere!!!!
I'm More Than A Little Annoyed At This!

All I Can Do is look at the pictures on Rebelscum.com for hours, hoping that a store nearby will get it in soon.....

i dont think anyone can unless you pay a ton on e-bay or have already specially ordered it.....i wanted one too man....don't feel bad.  We'll get our chance...

                                                                    {MW} MS9

Oh well... I thought loads of people over in the states got them...
I guess that makes me feel better.
Its the people who work at these stores, they buy up the good figures before they even get on the shelves...
Verrry Sneaky
Poorly paid, but sneaky all the same

(I live in the UK BTW)

I sure want a Scorch action figure... Fierfek, I'd take ANY clone figure, but my dikut'la Wal-Mart only has Jedi action figures. :mad:

I like the use of Star Wars swears...

I think the Republic Commando novels and the game are awesome.3 guesses who my fave Commando is? Lol

Hmmmmmm, lemme guess.....Niner. :D

Oh, yes. Star Wars swears are rather entertaining aren't they?
You can call anyone a Hu'tuun Sheb, and most of the time they won't even know what you're saying. :D :D :D :D

Anyway back on topic....

I think Karen Traviss intended to show everyone that the Clones we're normal men born into a world that used and treated them like Cattle.
They are rather charming. ;)

I think it's the appeal that even though these men were bred for one purpose, they all look the same, and are all supposed to act the same, they each have their own personalities.  I think we as humans, even though society may tell us that we don't want to stick out in a crowd, or we don't want to be 'different,' actually do wish to be seen as unique.  At least for me, I've always prided myself on being very different from those around me.

I think it's also a way for us to put ourselves in the world of clones.  As it stands, we could never really understand what's it's like to grow up within a few years, know nothing but drills and combat, or even what's it's like to look/be (at least gentically) the same as another human being.  But if you explore the more 'human,' elements of each clone, we come to understand that they really aren't that different from us, they've just be born into this extremely bizarre and messed up world.

And yes, they are rather charming aren't they?;)

Mostly Darman. ;)

I have to agree with you on that one queenkale. I think it's hard for some people to remember that these men are clones. Mostly because they have so many different personalites. Like Fi, he's funny and often annoying, then he can turn into a ruthless killer in the blink of an eye. Like you said, we can't even begin to imagine what these boys are going through. Every day they are being shot at and knowing that if they don't die from a blaster round that they'll die from acelerated aging.
They are living in a unfair world.

Exactly. The commandos allow us to see them as 'normal' people, individuals, but in the end, there clones.  They know nothing but killing and serving.  It's all to put a human element to it all.  And specifically with the commandos, these are guys that don't have a mother or father, never went to 'school,' never had a childhood and grew up as we know it, but somehow formed the basic idea of a family.  I find all clones, Boba aswell, so very fascinating, they're whole world is so 'alien' to us, it's amazing to think of what that does to people.  I can't image what it does to them psychologically.

Makes me want to give them all hugs. Psychologists would have a field day with them. Kinda funny to picture, a clone at a psych's office...anywho, I love the clones.