While we were planning through a few different content creators to interview this week, another group chose to take the initiative and jump ahead in line. Read on to learn more about out friend Rebel Traitor from Take the Initiative below!

Take the Initiative

Tell us about yourself! What are your hobbies outside of card games? How did y’all come together as a group?

Rebel Traitor – I create a lot of content, not just for card games. I have a podcast and a blog about current events and politics (I absolutely will not plug them here) and I also do a lot of theater and performing arts stuff. Right now, I’m working on the sound design for a play about vampires.

We came together playing destiny during COVID. It was my idea initially, I wanted to gather a group of fellow young players to play with. For reference, I was probably 16 at the time and the others were within a few years of that. At that time we called ourselves Disney Junior, which was a thing the older players used to say to make fun of us. We got into doing content seriously when L8Nite Gaming stopped doing Destiny streams, and at that point we changed our name to Destiny Junior to avoid copyright issues.

Who decided Destiny Jr. was no longer an appropriate name for a Star Wars Unlimited Podcast!?

It was a mutual agreement. We actually thought of keeping it for a while, but ultimately decided against it.

You guys also run one of the biggest competitive Star Wars Unlimited leagues. What led to the creation of that? What has been your favorite part about running the league?

I’ve been the main one behind the league. The league itself is based on the old Artificery leagues from the Destiny days, which eventually came under control of A Renewed Hope(the players committee for Destiny). At some point I took it over and have been running it ever since(it’s still going, by the way). I recognized that Unlimited was missing something like the league, and because I had the infrastructure built and the experience, I was as good a person as any to get it started. It’s been really fun for me to be behind the scenes watching the competitive scene develop.

What is your goal for long-term content for Star Wars Unlimited?

I’m not trying to become famous. I just want to keep making things that I enjoy and can help others.

What is your favorite thing about making content for SWU so far?

The way it forces me to be good at the game. When I’m casting a league match, I have to be able to understand what both players are doing and thinking, and that’s an invaluable skill to develop.

What was the biggest lesson you learned making content for Star Wars Destiny previously?

Consistency is key. The points in time when we did the best as content creators for Destiny was when we had a schedule that we stuck to.

What is your prior background/experience in the TCG world?

I grew up playing Yugioh on the playground, got into it somewhat seriously for a few years before quitting, and then I played Destiny from Legacies onward. I’ve dabbled into a few other games over the years, but Destiny was always the biggest one. I kept playing after FFG canceled it, and even designed some cards with A Renewed Hope.

What is one specific archetype or playstyle that defines you in card games?

Control. I love it because I always feel like I’m actually in charge of what happens in the game. I hate feeling like I’m dependent on what outs my opponent has.

What was the main draw for you to Star Wars Unlimited as a game?

The community. The Destiny community was incredibly positive, and many of the same people are in the Unlimited community.

What’s one card design from another card game you have played that you would enjoy seeing in Star Wars Unlimited?

A card like Contraband Seizure from Destiny or Upstart Goblin from Yugioh. Just something zero cost with no conditions that lets you draw a card. Why play 50 cards when you could play 47!

What is one thing you hope to see from FFG attached to the Competitive structure (ie. prizing, formats, etc)?

I just want to see competitive events in a diverse array of locations. I hope that everyone has something big that they can go to, if not local at least within a few hours. For me, the glory always matters more than any specific prizing structure. I also hope that there’s never a serious event where I have to play draft.

How much travel do each of you plan on doing for competitive play in Star Wars Unlimited?

I’ll go to pretty much any event in Oregon or Washington, and I’ll try to travel to big events like the galactic championship. I’ve never traveled that far for card games, but the events I have gone to have always been a blast.

What are your goals in Star Wars Unlimited as a player?

To win the galactic championship. Aim for the sky! On a serious note, I tend to think more in terms of systems than goals. I want to improve my game and I have ways that I can do that. If I do it well enough, I’ll win the galactic championship.

In an ideal world, how often do you see yourself playing draft or sealed vs constructed games? What about Twin Suns?

For me, it’s almost all constructed and almost all premier. The other formats are fun for pre-releases and special occasions, but as long they’re not competitive formats I’ll be focused on constructed premier. I enjoy sealed for this game more than I have for any other game, and I love the politics of twin suns, but they’re just not my play style.

What are you most excited about for the future of SWU?

I’m looking forward to seeing more big events and the storylines that go along with them. I always love following along with tournaments, even if I’m not there in person. I’m also looking forward to clone decks in set 3.

If there’s one thing you would say FFG has absolutely nailed regarding Star Wars Unlimited, what would you give them credit for?

Communication. FFG has consistently been honest with the community, and has engaged with us a lot. Not only that, they’ve shown a real willingness to change their policies based on community feedback.

If there’s one thing you would say FFG has really missed the mark on regarding Star Wars Unlimited, what would you say it was?

The tournament policies and software have not been great. They did change what I thought was the biggest issue with the tournament policies, the playmat/sleeves rule, but there are still some rough spots.

If you had to pick the first card from Set 1 to see a Ban/errata/restriction/etc, what would it be?

Fett’s Firespray. I’d like to make it only ready itself if you have Boba as a unit. That card wins too many games that shouldn’t be winnable.

What has been your favorite community experience in Star Wars Unlimited thus far?

I normally live in Eugene, Oregon, but I traveled to Portland for pre-releases because not many stores were running them in Eugene. When I was there, I made friends with someone who had never even played a card game before, and since then I’ve been back to Portland a few times and I keep seeing him. It’s amazing to see how this game brings in people like that that are totally new to the hobby.

Any last thoughts you’d like to share?

Always remember to take the initiative!

Bonus Meme: The original prototype logo for Destiny Junior that I drew in MS Paint.

And the real one that Nick designed

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Be sure to check out Take the Initiative on YouTube! You can also join their discord to play in their online league or just talk all things Star Wars Unlimited! Thanks for reading!