Rise of Skywalker - December 19, 2019

Chances are if you're reading this post, you've already seen Rise of Skywalker.  Don't worry - I'll keep this spoiler free!  I'm still processing my feelings about it, but I think I liked it, particularly the parts with this motley crew pictured above.  That was good stuff.  I'm sure I'll see it again, if not three or four more times.  And I can't help but think this isn't the last we'll see of these friends...

...or these friends!

That's right, as is our custom, we Dueled before a new Star Wars movie!  It's always slightly strange to Duel while the sun is in the sky, and even stranger when we actually get done in three hours.  Imagine that! 

Our Rise of Skywalker Duel was momentous for a couple of reasons, including the debut Duels for Diego and Jeremy as well as Lucas turning professional.  Congrats to all three!

Curtis chose chair one and repeated his 2019 Championship character pick with Luke Skywalker.  That's not a good thing on Carbon, though.  Rob (Emperor Palpatine) and Kaleb (Anakin Skywalker) also doubled their character picks from the Championship.

The face of a madman.

The fireworks started early when Jeremy made the decision to wreak as much havoc as possible.  His Darth Vader zeroed in on Rob's Emperor among others.  Rob couldn't convince Lucas to work with him to eliminate the threat, and thus the wrinkly old man (wait, is that Rob, or the Emperor?) started taking damage.  It was Jordan's Bowcaster, though, that extended Rob's lead in most times finishing last.  He was really glad to take vacation time for that experience.

The Fetts (Alex and Christopher) flipped early too in order to stay in the majority.  While that majority started picking off the remaining dark side, things took a brutal turn when Diego's Yoda went after David's Obi-Wan.  That included a Force Lift, which was a real back-breaker for David.  Ben's Mace eventually killed Obi in eleventh.  They did you dirty, David!

Lucas' Darth Maul, who had refused to help Rob against Vader, was now being targeted by Jeremy.  And to add to his worries, Curtis' Luke Skywalker played I Will Not Fight You on him too.  There was little he could do after that as the majority block rained down lasers.  It was Curtis' Princess Leia who got the final hit on Maul.  Lucas finished tenth in the Duel, but debuted as the eighth ranked professional on the charts - congrats Lucas!

Plotting and scheming.

Jeremy's Darth Vader kept up his chaos mission when he Threw Debris at Alex's Boba Fett.  But Natalie's Count Dooku was allowed into the alliance late, making Vader the only remaining target.  There wasn't much Jeremy could do after that.  Alex got the last laugh when, in a slightly risky move, he used Greedo's Desperate Shot for the exact seven points of damage he needed to oust Jeremy.  It worked, and Jeremy was a goner.

That left eight Duelers on the board, and Christopher had the unfortunate honor of being the next victim.  He tried to retreat to the other end of the board, but Kaleb's Anakin Wrathed to that side and dropped a five point attack to lay Jango to rest.

Once it got to seven Duelers, the light sabers were still nervous about the shooters, particularly when Jordan publicly announced he was going to use Never Tell Me The Odds to shuffle his Bowcaster back into his draw pile.  Nobody wanted to see that 11-point attack come back into play, so the Corellian smuggler got popped.  The final blow as a three point attack from Natalie's remaining Super Battledroid.

Curtis and Natalie in happier times...

And then there were six.  Alex's Boba was still limping from the Throw Debris, and Ben's Mace was fully loaded.  He wanted Curtis to follow him on an attack of Boba.  Curtis was a bit reluctant and, in an unexpected turn of events, Ben instead turned his attention to Curtis and attacked Luke!  That caused a lot of confusion as Diego/Yoda and Natalie/Dooku had to decide who they would follow into battle.  Curtis ended up winning the argument and the collective directed their ire on Mace.  Ben tried a desperate Wisdom to escape the situation, but Kaleb was waiting with an attack from Anakin to seal Ben's fate in sixth place.

After that stunning turn of events, the rest of the board was no longer comfortable with Yoda in the game.  You have to give Diego credit, as a rookie Dueler, he wasn't afraid to call his shots and be aggressive in order to advance.  It was out of respect for both the character and newbie Dueler came to a halt in fifth place.  That's a great Dueling start, Diego!

With four to go, Kaleb/Anakin and Curtis/Luke got into it with each other, but when Natalie was reluctant to join Curtis, Curtis tried to weaken Dooku with a Justice as a means to solidify their partnership against Ani.  It didn't work.  Natalie committed to go after Luke and before Curtis knew it, it was three against one.  Alex's Boba got the kill shot.  If you told Curtis he would have Luke on Carbon and finish fourth before the game, he'd gladly take it.  Well done, Curtis!

How romantic!

Then there were three!  Folks watching the Duel assumed Kaleb/Anakin and Natalie/Dooku would team together to play against Alex's Boba Fett, but that's not quite how it went down.  All three traded attacks with each other, but it was Natalie who bore the worst of it and quickly started running out of defense cards.  Kaleb finally dispatched her in third place.  Hand it to the amateur, though, Natalie has two top-four finishes in three career Duels!  We've got ourselves a natural!

Despite fawning to the rest of the table they didn't trust each other, Kaleb and Alex were clearly working together most of the game.  But Alex was fully loaded with all of his best cards, and topped some monsters after he reshuffled.  It would be a Wrist Cable that would prevent Kaleb from doing a double Anger, as he lost an action.  Alex stayed adjacent to Dooku as he Thermaled himself and the Count, and then unleashed a final Wrist Cable for the win.  Boba Fett!!!  Congrats to Alex, who is performing at an unprecedented level in league history and now has five career wins.  Here's the final order of finish:


12.  Rob/Emperor
11.  David/Obi-Wan
10.  Lucas/Maul
9.  Jeremy/Vader
8.  Christopher/Jango
7.  Jordan/Han
6.  Ben/Mace
5.  Diego/Yoda
4.  Curtis/Luke
3.  Natalie/Dooku
2.  Kaleb/Anakin
1.  Alex/Boba freakin' Fett

Folks...that ends things for 2019!  We'll be back in January, probably on the 11th, for the annual A NEW HOPE Duel, stay tuned for more details on that.  And go see RISE OF SKYWALKER, give them all the money so they'll make more!!!

Preview: Rise of Skywalker Duel - December 19, 2019

Here we are - at the end of the Skywalker saga.  I can't believe it.  I grew up on the original trilogy, before George Lucas started tinkering with the films (HAN SHOT FIRST).  The prequels, though ultimately disappointing, were such an unexpected gift for fans of my age or older, because we never thought there would be a new Star Wars movie...let alone eight more (and counting)!  And TV shows!  And Boba Fett Christmas sweaters!

I don't really know how this will all end, but I expect to be crying like a baby when the credits roll.  Just over 24 hours away...it's almost here!!!  But, before we cross that bridge...twelve of us have an additional date with destiny.  THE RISE OF SKYWALKER DUEL!!!

HISTORY OF MOVIE DUELS:

2018 - Let the Wookie Win (Han Solo movie) - Grant won with Count Dooku in the Geonosis Arena
2017 - The Last Jedi Standing - Curtis won with Luke Skywalker in the Geonosis Arena
2016 - Rogue Won - Rob won with Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Geonisis Arena

...so you're saying there's a strong chance we play on Geonosis?

MEET THE DUELERS:

For our introductions, I'm going to assign a character to each Dueler from the new movie.

Alex C. - that shady Richard E. Grant character.

Ben H. - Chewbacca.  It's the beard.

Christopher - definite Finn vibes.

Curtis - Old man Lando for sure.

David M. - General Hux...if General Hux were good-natured.

Diego - that space horse on the Star Destroyer.

Jeremy - that weird little alien who makes C-3PO's eyes turn red.  Tech nerds each.

Jordan - Poe.  Overexcited pilot types.

Kaleb - The Knights of Ren.  All of them.

Lucas - The new green droid.  I don't know it's name yet.

Natalie - Rey.  Duh.

Rob - force ghost Yoda...I'm calling it!!!

BB-8 PREDICTS THE WINNER:

Gosh, our favorite cash-grab droid is only 1-5 on the year.  BB-8, you have to feel good, though, this is your movie!!!  Who you got???

Bold choice!  The 11th ranked character.  Interesting.

Well, tomorrow two things will happen, and I'm not ready for either.  We're playing a Duel and Skywalker will rise.  God bless.

2019 Championship - December 7, 2019

Emperor's Throne Room

There was a clear, palpable tension in the air as the top 12 Duelers in the league gathered for the 2019 Championship.  As the Duelers took their assigned seats there wasn't the usual friendly chatter.  No, each of the twelve Duelers were sizing each other up, wondering how they would conquer the best of the best to bring home the Darth Vader trophy.  Their apprehension wasn't relieved when Alex C. picked the Emperor's Throne Room for the official playing surface.  Everyone's least favorite board only added to the sense of doom lingering in the air.  Would you believe me if I told you the Duel would last seven hours?  Ignore that I said that, and enjoy the pictorial recap, as is our tradition for the Championship summary...

Seven.  Freakin'.  Hours.

The results:

12th Place Dueler:  Ryan

Character:  Mace Windu

How He Died:  4 point attack from Boba Fett

It's nearly impossible for Mace Windu to finish last in this league, but Ryan was doomed when Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Yoda all defected to the dark side.  Ryan had nowhere to run, and it was a long-debated Force Push from JD's Yoda over to Riley's Boba Fett that sealed his deal.  It looked like Grant would get his first last place finish, but instead, it was Ryan.

11th Place Dueler:  Grant

Character:  Han Solo

How He Died:  Greedo's Desperate Shot

Rob offered Grant a space on the dark side right from the get go, but the noble Grant stayed true to the light.  That forced Rob's Emperor and Christopher's Darth Vader to begin raining down the distance attacks before the Bowcaster could come into play.  Grant did manage to play it before dying, but it was Riley's second kill of the night that ended him.  Still, his no-last place streak is in tact!

10th Place Dueler:  Riley

Character:  Boba Fett

How She Died:  Luke's Justice

Riley was raking up the kills when, out of nowhere, the dark side sprung a surprise attack on the Fetts.  Nathan's Obi had attacked Curtis' Luke, and Riley followed suit.  It would be her undoing.  Ben's Dooku dropped a Taunt and then Curtis, down Leia, unloaded a 10-point Justice on poor Riley.  She was happy to get two kills, though.  She also set the record for longest nap at a Duel at a solid three hours.

9th Place Dueler:  Curtis

Character:  Luke Skywalker

How He Died:  3 point attack from Jango Fett

It was Curtis' early defection that turned the tide in the game, so it was a major shock when his 2015 Championship running mate, Nathan, attacked him in their shared alliance.  Curtis survived the initial onslaught and dispatched Riley's Boba, but with Kaleb's Anakin hard to reach, the shots turned on Curtis.  It was Alex's Jango Fett who launched the final assault.  It was a surprising turn of events for Curtis.

8th Place Dueler:  Alex C.

Character:  Jango Fett

How He Died:  4 point attack from Yoda

The number one ranked Dueler landed the number one ranked character, so it certainly seemed like a strong finish was ahead for Alex...until the Fett massacre occurred.  He was stunned when Ian's Darth Maul unloaded on him.  He was able to Rocket Retreat to safety, thinking he had friends near Kaleb's Anakin and JD's Yoda.  But it would be JD, proving his allegiance to the dark side, that would dispatch Alex in eighth.

7th Place Dueler:  Kaleb

Character:  Anakin Skywalker

How He Died:  Force Strike from Yoda

The 2019 Championship was nothing but a belly-crawling slog for Kaleb.  He survived the initial light side collapse by hiding in his corner and not making eye contact with folks.  He scratched and clawed his way past other doomed Duelers to somehow make it to seventh.  It was a commendable finish for sure, but one that could not have been fun for the league's second ranked Dueler.

6th Place Dueler:  Nathan

Character:  Obi-Wan Kenobi

How He Died:  4 point attack from Count Dooku

Nathan started fights all night, wisely refusing to be the person turned upon first.  He went in on Curtis' Luke and Ben's Count Dooku at various points in the game.  But it was a seemingly innocuous You're Skills Are Not Complete from Christopher's Darth Vader that exposed his strong defensive hand.  Rob's Emperor Palpatine finally got his You Will Die card and quickly played it on Nathan, ending what could have been a victorious night for Nathan.  Ben's Dooku got in the final shot.

5th Place Dueler:  JD

Character:  Yoda

How He Died:  Super Sith Speed from Darth Maul

The final five of the Championship turned in a cluster-bomb of epic proportions.  It literally took three hours to complete.  The craziest and most impacting move of the game came courtesy of JD, when his hobbled Yoda Force Lifted Ian's Maul instead of Ben's Dooku.  Nobody saw it coming.  JD hung on much longer than anyone could have guessed, and he was foiled from killing Christopher's Vader when Ian Sith Speeded him to death.

4th Place Dueler:  Rob

Character:  Emperor Palpatine

How He Died:  5 point attack from Darth Maul

The best dressed Dueler of the night looked like he was going to pull off a victory prior to JD's Force Lift of Maul.  But that change in plans, and his game-long partnership with Christopher's Vader deteriorating, left Rob without a whole lot of options.  He hounded Ben's Dooku throughout the final five and offered a last ditch fealty to Ian's Darth Maul, but the Christmas Mandalorian expired in fourth.

3rd Place Dueler:  Christopher

Character:  Darth Vader

How He Died:  5 point attack from Darth Maul

Christopher had one of the strangest Duel performances in league history.  He took substantial damage throughout the game and couldn't heal because his Storm Troopers were still alive and kicking.  The last three hours of the game turned into the other four Duelers begging for his partnership, but he managed to keep them all at bay with half-committals and deferments, hoping to pounce at the end with his Throw Debris.  Both Ian and Ben finally had to attack him because they couldn't get him to pick a side.  That's a career-best finish for Christopher, though!

2nd Place Dueler:  Ben H.

Character:  Count Dooku

How He Died:  Athletic Surge from Darth Maul

Look at that face - that's what happens when a Duel ends at 2AM.  The 2018 Champ nearly defended his trophy, but he had to spend vital cards on Christopher's Darth Vader to secure a chance to win, and it proved costly.  He's missing his Christmas sweater in this pic because he gave it to Riley for a blanket.  Who let's an 11 year old stay out on campus 'til two in the morning!?  Please don't call CPS...

1st Place Dueler:  Ian

Character:  Darth Maul

How He Won:  He killed them.  He killed them all.

Ian was winless since last December, and he picked a heck of a time to get back into the win column.  He deftly navigated his Darth Maul all over the board, joining and exiting alliances with his goal firmly set on the trophy and Dueling immortality.  Congrats to Ian - he moves into a tie for third place in the career victory list.  And congrats to Darth Maul too, no other character won more in 2019 than the horned Sith.


That's all for now...unless the Duel is actually still going on, and this recap is just a fever dream...

Next weekend we'll send out invites for the Rise of Skywalker Duel - that's an early afternoon game on Thursday, December 19th, 12:30PM.  We HAVE to finish in four hours or we'll miss dinner and THE LAST MOVIE IN THE SKYWALKER TRILOGY OH MY GOD!!!!  Keep an eye on your email.

Preview: The 2019 Championship - December 7th, 2019

This Saturday marks the biggest game of the season.  It's what every player who steps onto the gridiron  dreams about.  The endless practices, reviewing game film, studying playbooks...it all leads to this moment.

Wait...did you think I was talking about the Big XII Championship game???  That doesn't hold a candle to the raging flames of the 12-WAY DUEL CHAMPIONSHIP, BABY!!!

The Championship match is the ultimate game in our league - the top twelve ranked Duelers get first dibs and, for the second time ever (and second year in a row), all twelve of the top ranked Duelers are confirmed to play!  That means it's the best of the best, and only one of them will walk away with the trophy.  Let's see who has won the ultimate Duel before...

CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY:

2018 - Ben H. won with Jango Fett on the Kamino Platform
2017 - Austin won with Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Carbon Freezing Chamber
2016 - Curtis won with Mace Windu on the Kamino Platform
2015 - Nathan won with Count Dooku in the Carbon Freezing Chamber
2014 - Ryan won with Boba Fett on the Kamino Platform

MEET THE DUELERS:

One of the unique features of the Championship Match is that the seating order is determined by the rankings.  So, the top ranked Dueler is chair #1, the second ranked Dueler #2, and so on.  The other tradition with the Championship preview is to assign the ideal character for each of the participants...

Chair #12 - Christopher.  You have to hand it to Christopher, he only started playing this fall, but he played in all six available Duels ahead of the Championship to be the most recent new professional.  He also scored his best career finish at Thanksdueling!, so he's trending in the right direction.  Because he's taking his first steps into this Dueling world, his perfect character is...Luke Skywalker.

Chair #11 - Riley.  Normally a backup player, the recent surge of new Duelers has left Riley on the sidelines since game one of the Twin Sun Slam.  But in five Duels in 2019, she has four top five finishes, including her stunning victory at May the 4th Be With You.  She's the youngest 12-Way winner ever, and her meteoric rise means she has all the potential to be successful...or turn to the dark side!  Her perfect character is...Anakin Skywalker.

Chair #10 - JD.  It's been a rough 2019 for JD.  He's had a couple of last place finishes and hasn't played much this fall.  BUT!  He did win game number one of the Twin Sun Slam in June, and you can never sleep on his ability to use force control to shape a game.  That makes his perfect character...Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Chair #9 - Nathan.  The retired Hall of Famer reentered the league in 2019, and he's made a huge impact in just two games.  He won Galactic Credits in May and finished fourth at Fight Night.  This will also be his first Championship match since...he won in it in 2015!  He's one of only four Duelers at the table that knows what it takes to win.  The degree of determination it takes to win makes him the best...Darth Maul.

Chair #8 - Curtis.  The cantankerous Curtis is already stressing about this one, as a famous smuggler once said, "he has a bad feeling about this."  He shouldn't worry, though.  He logged three top five finishes in 2019 and has won the Championship before, so never tell him the odds - he already knows them.  That makes him a good fit for...Han Solo.

Chair #7 - Ian.  The back half of 2019 has been rougher for Ian than the front, but everyone knows he is a force to be reckoned with.  He has three top three finishes this year, and he is known for his wisdom and whirlwind attacks should anybody do something dirty.  His perfect character is...Mace Windu.

Chair #6 - Ben H.  The bearded one has six top five finishes in 2019, including a win at the Valentine's Duel, and a near-victory at May the 4th before a fateful You Will Die.  Ben also comes into the Championship defending his trophy, and you shouldn't bet against him to go back to back.  His calm but brutal play makes him the ideal...Count Dooku.

Chair #5 - Rob.  Rob has had to change up his style of play over the years to adapt to the new Duelers and changes in strategy.  He clawed his way to seven top five finishes, including three victories in 2019 (Imperial March, Doubleheader #2, and Fight Night).  He also keeps murmuring "pew pew!" to his colleagues at work.  That, and a special sweater he's wearing Saturday night, make him the perfect...Boba Fett.

Chair #4 - Grant.  Though he's on a bit of a trophy drought, Grant is still one of the best Duelers in the history of the league.  Despite a more sporadic playing schedule in 2019, he still had three top four finishes on the year.  He's wise, calm, and can see things happening before anybody else.  He is truly a Dueling master, which makes him a great...Yoda.

Chair #3 - Ryan.  His reputation for landing on the winning side of alliances is well earned, and Ryan's four top five finishes in 2019 prove he knows what he's doing.  He even brought the trophy home for the Fall Brawl.  I normally assign him the Emperor, but his indifferent loyalties fit better as a bounty hunter.  That and his deep finishes in games makes him an awesome...Jango Fett.

Chair #2 - Kaleb.  For the first time ever, Kaleb finished last in a Duel at last month's Thanksdueling!  There is no way he'll stand for a repeat performance like that, and he will make sure others feel his wrath.  He has eight top five finishes in 2019, which is amazing, including wins at Duel of the Fates and CL Training.  He chokes out the competition, making him a perfect...Darth Vader.

Chair #1 - Alex C. My goodness, Alex really came out of nowhere to take control of the top of the Dueler rankings.  He has seven top three finishes in 2019!  With wins at Doubleheader #1 and Thanksdueling!, the tables are set for this Dueler to stay atop his throne.  That makes him the idea...Emperor Palpatine.

BB-8 PREDICTS THE WINNER:

The little roller droid is only 1-4 on the year, but maybe he'll find the right pick for the Championship!  BB, who you got???

What???!!!  You can't pick Baby Yoda, AKA, the Child from The Mandalorian!!!  We'll let it slide by making it old man Yoda.

Well...that's it for now.  Feel free to join us at 7PM on Saturday, December 7th, in the North Village Community Center to watch the best Duel of the year!!!