Talk Smack, Yoda Does: Breaking Down the 'Star Wars' March Madness Bracket

Amanda Bell
·Contributor
Updated

Something competitive this way comes for fervent “Star Wars” fans. Yes, it’s time to get those trusty clicking fingers ready because making a big return this month is that fan-voted character tournament bracket that made such a splash last year.

"This Is Madness: The ‘Star Wars’ Character Tournament 2014" has been launched by the master Jedi Yoda himself, with the help of ESPN’s Max Kellerman, and is now in full swing on StarWars.com.

[Related: 'The Empire Striketh Back': See Shakespeare Channel 'Star Wars']

Powered by “Star Wars” Fanpedia, “Predict the Madness" is a pre-event "play-in round," which ends on Monday, March 17 at 9 a.m. PT. Fans are invited to submit their own individual prediction brackets guessing who’s going to defeat who — or what, in some cases — in this tournament of favorites. And, of course, there is "Star Wars" swag at stake for the best bracket users.

It’s worth noting that this year’s tourney has received a few noteworthy upgrades from the prior edition, including the availability of real-time voting results, some new divisions (namely, Rebels, Jedi, Scoundrels, the Republic, the Empire and Separatists, the Sith, Bounty Hunters, and the Underworld), a wild card round, and social sharing functionality.

[Related: New ‘Star Wars’ Villain: Lena Dunham’s TV Boyfriend]

Sounds like fun, and hey, it’s way better than sitting around twiddling thumbs ‘til April and hoping for some more bits and pieces of news to flow out from Abrams’ tight ship.

"Star Wars: Episode VII" is scheduled to hit theaters on Dec. 18, 2015.