Did Sith Lords drink blue milk? And if they did, could lactose intolerance have been the surprising cause of their extreme hatred towards everything and everyone – including their very own master or apprentice (delete as appropriate)? Was lactose even a thing in the Star Wars galaxy? It probably doesn’t matter, but this is the kind of through that wanders uninvited through an editor’s mind when thinking about prospective features for each issue. Consequently, for this edition of Insider I found myself commissioning an in-depth look at the science behind blue as a food color in the galaxy far, far away and closer to home. With recipes! Not once does the word “lactose” come up, so I’m still none the wiser. (But there had to be something bugging those grumpy Sith, right?!)

Star Wars: The Acolyte set out to explore the dark side from a much less whimsical perspective, and this issue we speak to Amandla Stenberg (who played twin sisters Mae and Osha) and Manny Jacinto (Qimir) about their roles in the hit Disney+ series. We also take a tour of Lucasfilm’s Creature Shop at Pinewood Studios with creature effects designer Neal Scanlan, who is on a mission to train young apprentices of his own at the state-of-the-art facility.

Along with exploring the heroic exploits of Ezra Bridger and Captain Rex, we look at how some of the oldest planets from the saga have been expanded in the current era of Star Wars storytelling. We also welcome a special guest writer to our ongoing series of The High Republic short fiction – award-winning author Alyssa Wong.

Grab a glass of chilled bantha milk and great reading!

FEATURING:
– WORLD BUILDING: Insider examines how firmly established planets like Tatooine, Coruscant, and Alderaan have had their geography and culture expanded through the Disney+ shows.
– CAPTAIN REX: A top ten feature showcasing the major events, battles, and achievements in Rex’s life.
– BLUE MILK: Insider talks to a food scientist about why blue milk is so prevalent in Star Wars.