Here are links to the historical remnants of the Royal Handmaiden Society discussion threads at Jedi Council.net ("JC.N"), as well as the current one. These are the veritable "Galactic Senate Chambers" wherein all things Handmaidenly (and then some) have been and continue to be proposed, debated and discussed! They are listed here in the order in which they came to be, since August 1999 to the present.
Notas bené:
- The first five threads are missing their first pages; this was the toll taken by the "evil server" of the JC.N circa late '99 whenever it would deign to crash (see the History page). So, they start on their respective "page two"'s.
- The first two threads are not housed on a JC.N / UBB "www1" server; their formatting may appear "off", or garbage-laden; no need to reload!
- With the passage of time, not all links in the messages remained viable, especially image links, so again don't bother reloading if the "" signet turns up often.
The Original R.H.S. Thread, Aug. - Sept. 1999:
"FAN POLL: Which handmadien [sic] name from Episode One do you like the best?"
The start of it all. The like-minded converge with more questions than answers. Fanboys swoon; fangirls cheer. The R.H.S. acquires an identity, a proper name, and a pledge for "membership". The inquest of identifying the actresses begins, and the first of the dreaded Handmaiden Name Puns are offered. The topic question even gets answered occasionally.
! Note: Do not click on the page numbers at the top and bottom of the pages to advance or go back -- their references are no longer valid! Hit the Back button on your browser to return to the individual pages' links here below:
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10 (finé)
The Second R.H.S. Thread, Oct. 1999:
"The The [sic] re-convening of the Royal Handmaiden Society!"
Single-page remnant, more given to R.H.S. members getting familiar with each other (or demonstrating that they already, overly are) and recovering from the trauma of losing the first thread. Ironically, perhaps cruelly, the post in which the thread's originator celebrates the thread's success is the one that kills it.
The Third R.H.S. Thread, Oct. 1999:
"The Royal Handmaiden Society Hall Mk. III"
"HMologists" delve deeper into the Web, available images, and multiple viewings of the still-in-theater TPM in their insatiable thirst for Handmaiden authority. The actresses are researched, particularly "Kiera" Knightley (Sabé). Construction starts on the first official R.H.S. Website. More puns -- lots of puns -- and bits of Fanfic are offered, leading to the first Expansion Thread (see next listing). The original R.H.S. Crest is created. Silly banter and a sillier Bant. Once again, the thread's originator is the one who winds up crashing it.
The Fanfic Expansion Thread, Oct. 1999 - March 2000:
"The Official RHS at JC.N Handmaidens Fiction Thread" A satellite thread created due to the increasing interest in Handmaiden fan-fiction. One of the first, if not the first, proposéd pairings of Sabé and Obi-Wan Kenobi is presented, courtesy of the Crescent Jedi.
The Fourth R.H.S. Thread (take 2), Oct. 1999:
"The Royal Handmaiden Society Hall v4.1"
More self-referential in its gist, though the puns continue. The first R.H.S. Website is completed. Notions of "poutine" and "men in kilts" infiltrate whilst investigations continue. Ends on a dark and tragic note, sort of. (The "first take" of the R.H.S. IV only lasted a few posts before crashing.)
The Fifth R.H.S. Thread, Oct. 1999 - Jan. 2000 (officially Archived at JC.N):
"The Royal Handmaiden Society Version 5.0"
The most successful thread up to that point, lasting through several holidays (note the merry festoonery of the Jedi Council themselves) and even more puns. Is it spelled "Kiera" or "Keira"? Focusings on the more "elusive" Yané and Saché. Speculations, rumors, and outright prescience re: Episode II handmaidenry. Smileys abound, as does cheerful off-topicality. One member escapes to go crazy in the sticks for a little while but returns enlightened as to "the Essence of HMology".
The Sixth R.H.S. Thread, Jan. - April 2000:
"The Return of the "Star Wars: Royal Handmaiden Society" - Millennium [sic] 2000 Edition"
R.H.S. members get acquainted outside of the SW universe as the R.H.S. establishes its own eCircle (a now-defunct "online community"). HM names' semantics/symbolism analyzed, as are their costumes. "What if's": male HM's (valets?), the HMs vs. the overhyped "A***a S**g". An R.H.S. Poet Laureate is crowned. Activism vis-a-vis the SW Insider and Hasbro re: their persistent ignoring of the Fab Five. The R.H.S. website, after changing hosts, is recognized as an official TF.N "Cool Site."
The UBB portion only of the Seventh R.H.S. Thread, April - June 2000:
"The Royal Handmaiden Society VII: "We are brave--and hopeful--your highness!""
! This thread was current during the JC.N's switch from "UBB" to "Snowboards" forum-software; this is the remnant of what was posted before that switch. This version of the R.H.S. was actually the longest-running -- and therefore hugest -- one (so far), lasting properly all the way until March 2002.
The R.H.S. has a field-day with analyses and subsequent screencappery as TPM is released on home video. FARHSMC -- the First Annual R.H.S. Mini-Convention -- is held in the Los Angeles system, centered about the exhibit of TPM costumes at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandise. New members enlist by the score as "Intern HMologists". The term "Standmaiden" is coined as careful analyses reveal that the some scenes in TPM are not played by the original HM actresses -- a "counterfeit" Yané is similarly discussed. Episode II speculation gains momentum, but with some worry, due to the official news of the non-return of Cpt. Panaka's character. Veronica Segura and Rose Byrne are welcomed as the officially-reported Ep.II HM actresses.
The Eighth and current R.H.S. Thread, April 2002 - present:
"The Royal Handmaiden Society: Episode 8: A New Hope"
The saga continues! Spoiler-forewarned and non-spoiler Episode II speculation and information re: "Cordé", "Dormé", and "Versé". The R.H.S. goes to "Celebration II". Post-AOTC release revelry including the IMAX and DVD editions. And this site is established and created via group-effort.---------------------------------------This is a non-profit fan site, created for entertainment purposes only. We are not associated with Lucasfilm Ltd., Sofia Coppola, Karol Cristina da Silva, Keira Knightley, Candice Orwell, Natalie Portman, Friday 'Liz' Wilson, Rose Byrne, Veronica Segura, or any of their professional representatives. All materials based on Star Wars on this site are protected by copyright and trademark by Lucasfilm Ltd.
