# Don't Panic Flip Episode 8 - Star Wars: Failing to Blow Up the Deathstar (Again)

**Source:** Don't Panic Flip  
**Type:** video  
**Published:** 2018-04-04  
**Duration:** 40m 17s  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSc0y1BJwRw

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## Analysis

A gameplay video from Don't Panic Flip documenting attempts to complete the Death Star destruction mode on a Stern Star Wars Premium Edition pinball machine. The host struggles with execution across multiple balls and attempts, missing critical shots and losing multipliers repeatedly, while gradually improving consistency and understanding game rules over the session.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] R2 character starts with two Death Star missions and two Endor missions already completed — _Host explaining R2 character advantages at beginning of video_
- [MEDIUM] Tie Fighter multiball makes Death Star destruction easier to complete — _Host commenting on strategy mid-gameplay: 'once you have multi ball have to make the Death Star shot... makes it a lot easier'_
- [HIGH] Host has not successfully blown up the Death Star in multiple attempts across the session — _Repeated failures shown throughout video; final commentary: 'yet again I lost it yet again I could not hit the Death Star'_
- [LOW] People can score multiple billion points on a single shot on Star Wars — _Host speculation at end: 'a lot of people can score multiple billion on this where they hit a single shot and score five billion on you know one inner loop shot'_
- [HIGH] This is a 2016 or 2017 Stern Star Wars Premium Edition with visual mods only — _Host introduction: '2016 or 2017 release... couple of mods on here but nothing that changes the game play it's all just visual'_

### Notable Quotes

> "where we attempt to document the journey from shitty pinball player to mediocre um able pinball playing a Star Wars Premium Edition pinball machine"
> — **Host (Don't Panic Flip)**, 0:00-0:15
> _Series premise and self-deprecating humor about skill progression_

> "first shot that's how it's going to be the whole time I can feel it"
> — **Host**, ~2:30
> _Early pessimism about ball loss patterns that proves somewhat prophetic_

> "I still have no idea how to start this with a multiplier"
> — **Host**, ~14:45
> _Admission of knowledge gap about game mechanics_

> "I feel like I'm missing some big component because a lot of people can score multiple billion on this"
> — **Host**, ~36:30
> _Recognition that there are mastery elements and scoring strategies not yet understood_

> "that's just a slap in the face when I have to enter my initials on a game where I'm just trying to blow up the Death Star and I can't do it"
> — **Host**, ~35:45
> _Frustration with game difficulty and repeated failures on primary objective_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Don't Panic Flip | organization | YouTube video series documenting gameplay progression on pinball machines |
| Stern Pinball | company | Manufacturer of the Star Wars Premium Edition machine being played |
| Star Wars Premium Edition | game | Stern Pinball machine from 2016-2017 being played in the video; based on Star Wars IP |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Death Star mode completion, Character selection strategy (R2 vs Leia vs Solo), Multiball mechanics and usage, Score multiplier management, Shot execution and skill progression
- **Secondary:** Game rule learning and mastery

### Sentiment

**Mixed** (0.35) — Self-deprecating humor and entertaining commentary offset by genuine frustration with repeated failures. Host shows determination and some improvement over the session but expresses doubt about skill level. Tone shifts between playful criticism of bad shots and sincere frustration with inability to achieve stated goal.

### Signals

- **[gameplay_signal]** Death Star destruction mode appears to have high difficulty threshold; host fails multiple times across different character selections despite reaching the mode repeatedly (confidence: high) — Repeated failures to complete Death Star shot even when in multiball or favorable game state; 'yet again yet again I lost it yet again I could not hit the Death Star'
- **[gameplay_signal]** Host demonstrates inconsistent shot accuracy, particularly on critical Death Star and orbit shots; struggles with left-side drain management (confidence: high) — Multiple missed shots on same targets, particularly Death Star orbit shots; references to 'right down the side and general' left drain issues
- **[content_signal]** Don't Panic Flip is episodic series documenting skill improvement on single machine; Episode 8 focused on Death Star mode achievement (confidence: high) — Video title 'Episode 8 - Star Wars: Failing to Blow Up the Deathstar (Again)' indicates ongoing series with previous attempts
- **[gameplay_signal]** Host acknowledges not understanding high-scoring strategies that other players use; suspects significant rule mastery elements not yet discovered (confidence: high) — 'I feel like I'm missing some big component because a lot of people can score multiple billion on this where they hit a single shot and score five billion'

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## Transcript

right hey everybody this is don't flip uh where we attempt to document the journey from shitty pinball player to mediocre um we are playing a Star Wars premium pinball machine this is a Stern Star Wars premium pinball machine you'll see here in just a minute uh 2016 or 2017 release I don't remember which we've got a couple of mods on here but nothing that changes the game play it's all just visual for right now trying to think do we no everything's visual nothing's we're going to change the gaml on this uh let's give it a go I'm going to switch you over to see everything here boom all right what are we going for tonight so the last time uh Adventure one I think we called it we were trying to blow up the Death Star why don't we continue that today and let's see if we can do it as R2 uh cool thing about R2 is he starts with uh two Death Star missions done and two uh Endor missions done both both of those give you an opportunity to blow up the Death Star so let's give it a go is all right first thing we have to do is hit the Death Star boom first shot that's how it's going to be the whole time I can feel it here really awesome start initiated the mode and lost it let's go Tie fighters um Tie fighters are going to be super helpful once we actually get to a point where uh where we can blow up the Death Star uh because it's a multiball and I found that makes it a lot easier to blow up the Death Star uh once you have multiball have to make the Death Star shot here I did not make it and couldn't tip that one awful we just had like three 500 million games aren't great but not awful Jesus and then this piece of crap okay so we need to hit got two purple shots here there's one one now we need to hit the Death Star and the orbit let's go death star missed it uh we're about to lose our multiplier I think that's just going to happen it did so awful absolutely awful you know what you can't get much worse than that 34 million let's try it again Death Star missions you know what maybe we go for Endor you have to hit that one four times uh three to light it and the fourth to activate oh my gosh there it is nice we're going to initiate a mode and we got uh the hyperspace hurry up absolutely love that mode gorgeous let's uh let's do both Rescue the Princess and knock out the shield generator sounds like a plan uh four hurry up shots eight green shots that's a lot of modes all at once H well felt good plus five [Music] T come on all right was that we got a couple of oh my gosh we get better about not allowing that to happen we're at 33 uh we hit that shot even though we didn't need it lit Jesus cannot get lucky at all tonight all right 72 this better still not great let's light those Death Star shots I think we oh that was [Music] beautiful just didn't lose the multip oh my God didn't lose the multiplier but did let it drain I was trying to catch the ball and just missed the catch completely don't try to catch I guess on the tip just the tip uh yeah why not play one don't lose the multiplier right down the side and general you probably shouldn't feel like try and hit the multipliers from the left side it is a from here often goes down that left drain it's really awful five Tie fighters all [Applause] [Music] there all right so we can backhand that guy but miss it ah there it is thank you got the hyperspace hurry up that was just kind of a fun thing to do right then save the multiplier come on don't get cheap on me Dodson there's a green there's another green a [ __ ] maybe I'll save it I think I did I did save it I'm at seven times [Music] keep missing the shots it's okay who one oh my God how could I not get that that was death Stu got [Music] multiball there it is so we're going to realign here not what I want to do I definitely want to do Battle Above Endor all right so this is going to be multiball where uh if I can complete all of the shots in time uh you'll see the Death Star blow up so here we go first opportunity and if I pay attention and this goes orange down here I can light another ball not a great start and I initiated TIE fighter multiball huh that is exact ly what we wow hit the 40 times multiplier did not blow up the Death Star and that was third ball too damn again all right asr2 Death Star you know what let's try it as Leia nope Leia gets nothing from Hoth uh one on death star one on Endor and two on Tatooine but she's strong in missions I don't know what that means let's see help Obi-Wan Kenobi only help here we go all right so right now we have Death Star lit we got up we can escape the Death Star or rescue the princess Let's Escape the Death Star these are shoot the three inner Loops then shoot an orbit and I think this is a timed one there's one [Music] missed two and now shoot an orbit got it wow easy mode literally I lost our multiplier but we're going mode right now there we go we're up here we go third one for the Death Star we have to rescue the princess thought we had a few more options oh come beer uh what do we need here we're at 19 million uh we could light mystery initiate Jedi training we're not really good enough to make it to Jedi multiball I'm not sure that Jedi training is super helpful I've yet to learn a lot about this game maybe that's not not the case uh I'm going to light mystery all right so what do we need to do we need a lot of shots missed it here we [Music] go there's that one more got it [Music] that what do I need looks like left orbit there it is great so we finished that mode now we just have to hit the Death Star again you know cuz that's dangerous there it is all right we're at destroy a death star which will start automatically in lucky I hit that unlucky I hit that I don't know destroy the Death Star here we go we're getting to it again complete ramps to light Death Star all right wow did not do it I'll take the video still have no idea how to start this with a multiplier uh hitting the the middle button allows you to go faster oh come [Music] on I can't believe it caught me for that I felt like I did great there there was room there was room what do I need so death star's done looks like there's mystery lit um that was nothing uh kept those multipliers active what do we add 16 that's nothing to scoff need endoor lit keep those alive and all right we hit Endor we've got two missions here complete the shots we're going to get one missed [Music] it fudge sickles 40 times multiplier lost um do have one more ball we don't get with Leia we don't get uh the plus five Tie fighters which would be great because that would initiate the Tie Fighter hurry up and if we hit that we'd immediately go into multia which would be fun um and only at 174 million so the 5% isn't helpful I guess we're going hyperspace at this point we still have to make a bunch of green shots let's see what happens [Applause] oh man [Music] don't want to lose that multiplier [ __ ] I think we've got lightsaber duel I'm not a fan of let's not lose that multiplier what's it at 13 it's really not that great I was expecting it to be a lot higher than that not sure what the hell that was that was ball three though and that was awful another opportunity missed come on we can blow this thing up we can do this course be uh so I think L I'm guessing allows you to beat a mission uh without either it gives you more options uh or maybe you don't have to hit as many shots I have to look that up seems like a good idea uh you know solo gets Haw and Endor you know what I think we got to stick with our two [Music] perfect that's what I like to see in my first ball I guess we're going to rescue the princess it seems like the only option here to resc [Music] right down the middle not a great first ball would have been nice to finish at least one Mission uh let's do Tie fighters I'll take the free [Music] shot nope oh gosh I will take the Tie fighters again I'll take anything at this point [Music] oh my God I got [Music] sa twice twice not paying attention all right Remember the force will be H come on we can do this all right Death Star [Music] missed backhand there it is let us rescue the princess complete four hurry up [Music] shots all right missed that easy one it wow control control you must be in control [Applause] trigger come on right shot there it is right ramp left inner loop come on we'll take the orbit and save the multiplier and kill ourselves it was all seven times of it I mean totally worth draining a ball right God that was awful uh we're at 33 maybe if we're lucky all right now we need the inner right inner loop got it okay cool now we're ready if we can hit the Death Star to destroy the Death Star I'm not even going to care about that because I want to kill the God blessed Death Star come on we can backhand [Music] this we can backhand this [ __ ] we got multiball before we got yeah before we got uh the mode started so now we've got to H we hit it two times in a row that was kind of fun all right let's destroy this [ __ ] Death Star what do we got to do here uh two shots I can't [Music] believe God R America got there three times tonight have not hit it once after that shitty start too I can't believe we got there the hit that come on give me an extra ball or got the video mode have a 40 times multiplier that's cool but we lose it when we're in here wow I got a million perfect bonus come on that's crap that's crab oh my gosh there was my 40 times multiplier gone we have mystery lit oh [ __ ] all right guys it is it's actually not that late but I got to get back to work so last one uh same thing as always let's I don't know try not to suck I mean I meant to do that on purpose obviously right I'll take it rescue the princess Death Star shot complete four hurry up shots I I mean not surprised you know the kind of kind of game we've been playing today that that didn't make it up there but that Bless America it's what I was aiming for and I got go looks like it's both the ramps and far left fices I think I said ramp but I meant orbit in fact I think it's easier personally than the hitting it from the left there it [Laughter] is all right so Death Star ready to be completed we can make yet another attempt to blow up the Death Star come on we can do this last time tonight um yeah let's do the shot multiplier see if we can get ourselves some good points here it is there it is guys what do you think you think we can do this cuz in all honesty I'm kind of doubting myself which I know is not the way you want to go into this but you know whatever did I destroy the death I I it didn't pop the fuzz bucket I think we still got another ball so maybe we can do it on end no no God bless am okay one more come on we can do this we can do this this is what what we said we were going to do all right here we go come on we got this Death Star first shot boom rescue the princess [ __ ] princess is easy we are pros at this [ __ ] now uh backside oh yeah left inner one shot left here it is nope I missed it there it is all right like six times we are going to destroy this [ __ ] death stuff let's do it come on come on it's just the ramps hey we got another ball [Applause] I can't believe I thought I was bit you know what we're going to get it on Endor let's get it on Endor come on we got this I do not want there to be an adventure three [Music] all right what do we need our multipliers at eight oh my God I tried to save the multiplier is that ball one no you are holy [ __ ] that was ball one uh let's go Tie fighters go come on H ball three we have not completed Endor yet I think we're really close though uh we're going to do the five Tie fighters again on we do not want video mode I just want Endor yes oh my God Battle Above Endor okay great guys so this is our second opportunity in one match to destroy the dkar we've got to make a bunch of shots we're doing Battle Above Endor yet another multiball I'm awesome at these multiballs as you can cleanly [Music] just need to hit the goddamn Death Star I am not falling for that again [Music] ah guys yet again yet again I lost it yet again I could not hit the [ __ ] D store ah and I had multiballs going congratulations now enter your ini that's just a slap in the face when I have to enter my initials on a game where I'm just trying to blow up the Death Star and I can't do it I feel like my scores are getting higher and higher consistently when I have an okay game I mean you got to throw off the shitty ones where it seems like luck is just against me but in general I seem to be more consistently approaching a billion I know to listen to The Sounds to make sure I keep my multipliers up I feel like there's some rules to this game I've really got to sit down and figure out got to check out the uh check out online and see what uh certain things do I feel like I'm missing some big component because a lot of people can score multiple billion on this where they hit a single shot and score five billion on you know one inner loop shot or something like that any

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 1b847d0f-38fb-4322-bf8d-40041242d7eb*