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illuminatedquill · 2 months

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Ghost Stories #02

Feat. Garazeb Orrelios + Sabine Wren + Ezra Bridger

Story Context: Zeb catches Sabine doing something embarrassing regarding Ezra. Desperate to keep her secret, Sabine endeavors to secure Zeb's silence at any cost.

Ghost Stories #01

The door to Sabine's room opened with its customary hiss, allowing for Zeb to step inside. In normal circumstances, the first thing he would do is admire all the new artwork covering the walls of her room; Sabine was a top tier artist, and she constantly refreshed and updated the interior with painted visuals of their most recent escapades. It was a fun hobby that allowed distance from the constant grind of waging warfare against the implacable Empire. Everyone on the Ghost crew had something personal to distract themselves from the war - Hera, for example, had her constant maintenance and upkeep of the Ghost.

Kanan, he knew, practiced the Jedi art of meditation and centering oneself within the Force. Ezra had recently taken up cooking as a hobby, to surprisingly delicious results. Even Chopper had a side hustle: scamming low ranking Imperial officers of their ill-gotten credits with threats of blackmail to help pay for supplies (Hera didn't know about this and would strongly disapprove if she did).

Squinting around in Sabine's bedroom, Zeb quickly noted that the atmosphere was different this time around.

For one, he couldn't see a blasted thing. It was pitch dark. The only light source came from a small desk pressed against one of the walls; a bright, glaring lamp that shined down onto the surface to show a wicked looking knife, a whetstone to sharpen said knife, and, on the chair in front of it, a casually dressed Sabine. Her casual wear consisted of simple, comfy athletic shorts and a slightly too large shirt with a loth-cat design printed on the front - a recent addition to her wardrobe from their last visit to Lothal.

He frowned pensively at the loth-cat shirt. Isn't that . . . no, it couldn't be, he thought.

Sabine, her back towards Zeb, picked up the knife and whetstone. With practiced, precise movements, she began to sharpen the knife.

Shink. Shink. Shink.

Zeb's ears pricked up slightly each time the knife was sharpened. It was a somewhat sinister sound, enhanced even more by Sabine's shadowed profile against the lamp light.

I have a bad feeling about this, he thought.

"Zeb. Appreciate you coming here tonight," said Sabine casually.

The big Lasat swallowed nervously. "You, uh, called me here. Wanted to talk about something."

Shink. Shink. Shink. The knife's edge continued to be sharpened, Sabine's hands moving delicately.

"That's right," she replied. "You remember what occurred yesterday?"

Zeb scratched idly at the side of his head. "We picked up some supplies from Capital City, checked on Ryder and his crew, and then just relaxed outside of Ezra's comm tower for a bit before receiving new instructions from Rebel command."

Shink. The knife stopped moving briefly, just hovering over the whetstone. "Anything else happen, Zeb?"

"Is this - is this about your drawing? Of Ezra? Cuddling with those loth cats?"

Sabine finally turned around to look at him. In the light, her knife glinted with a wicked gleam.

"I need you to do me a favor, Zeb."

The Lasat kept his eyes on the knife in her hand. "I'm listening."

Smiling wolfishly, Sabine said, "I need you to hand over that drawing. I know you were going to show it off to him."

"I, uh, wasn't planning on it." That was a bald-faced lie. He'd ripped it out of Sabine's sketchbook when she had left it discarded and had been about to spill it all to Ezra before being interrupted by Sabine's summons.

She cocked her head at him. Her smile dropped. "You're lying to me, Zeb. I can always tell. You've got a lousy sabacc face, and you know it."

Zeb was still watching the knife. "What are you going to do with that knife, Sabine?"

She twirled it expertly between her fingers. "It's all nice and sharp now, Zeb. Guess I have to put it somewhere, right?"

He was breaking into a cold sweat now. "Where are you, uh, going to put it?"

Sabine shrugged. "I haven't decided yet. Depends on your answer."

He backed up against the wall, feeling somewhat desperate. "Look, Sabine. What's the big deal? You draw Ezra all the time! Not just him, too. You've drawn me, Hera, Kanan, even Chopper. I don't see what's so special about this one drawing."

The knife twirled and twirled. Light reflected from the steel surface, right into his face, causing discomfort.

"You know what's special about this particular drawing, Zeb. And I want it back. Ezra can't know."

"What," Zeb shot back, "that you like him now?"

Sabine froze. He was treading on the thin ice now and knew it, but pressed his advantage while she was taken off guard.

"He's not going to understand that from your super special drawing of him, Sabine. Your secret's safe. I promise."

Actually, it was fairly obvious from the drawing. Sabine's prior sketches of Ezra were always just that: sketches. No extra effort put into them, and usually gave the impression that she was just studying his anatomy, using his facial expressions as practice to keep her art sharp.

But, oh, it wasn't like that anymore.

Her newest drawings of Ezra were, indeed, something truly special. She had been paying extra attention to him as of late. Even someone oblivious like Ezra would immediately sense the immense labor of love and affection that went into the art, clear as day.

While she was thinking, the Lasat carefully began to sidle towards the doorway.

Frowning, staring at the floor, Sabine asked, "You really think Ezra won't be able to tell?"

"Yeah, of course," Zeb lied. "He's denser than durasteel, that boy."

Sabine snorted. "You're probably right."

He almost cried out in relief. "Good to hear - "

The knife embedded itself into the wall, right next to his ear. He froze, knees shaking like jelly.

Sabine's eyes glinted evilly in the dark. "I'm still going to need that drawing back, Zeb. Before you leave."

He quickly reached into his pocket and offered it to her. She snatched it from his hand.

"Are we done here?" Zeb squeaked.

She grinned malevolently at him. "We are. Thanks, Zeb."

Pausing at the door, he mustered his remaining courage and said, "Sabine, at some point Ezra is going to find out. You can't keep it a secret forever."

After a long moment, he heard her quiet reply. "I know. It's just . . . it's not the right time. I'll tell him on my own terms."

Zeb turned around. The look on her face was a little sad.

"You know," he said, thinking out loud, "Ezra might know already."

Sabine's eyes went wide with shock and apprehension. "What? How?"

"Because every time you look at him, your face looks like this." And he gave Sabine the most dopey, idiotic, love-sick smile as a hideous impression of her.

Uttering a curse, Sabine leapt up from her seat. Zeb scampered out the door, almost colliding with Ezra.

Grinning at him as he ran past, Zeb teased, "Ah, mate. You've got quite the handful of work ahead of you."

Blinking in confusion, Ezra said, "Huh?"

"Garazeb Orrelios," came Sabine's furious yell as she tore after the big Lasat. "Come back here!"

Making a beeline to the Phantom II (so he could lock himself safely within), Zeb almost missed an exchange between Ezra and Sabine:

"What's going on - wait. Is that my loth-cat shirt?" asked Ezra.

Skidding to a halt, Zeb risked a peek around the corner. I knew I recognized that shirt, he thought.

Sabine almost tripped in shock. "Uh - n-no?" she stammered in response. A flush was already spreading on her cheeks.

Ezra peered at her closely. "Pretty sure it is," he said. "Why do you have it? I've been looking for it everywhere."

Zeb broke out into a cold sweat again as he watched. Think before you speak, Sabine, he warned silently, trying to reach out telepathically. Use that brain of yours!

"It, uh, it smells nice," she blurted out. "Like you."

There was a sickening pause.

Sabine's hands clapped over her mouth in instinctive horror.

Ezra went slack-jawed in surprise. "You think I smell nice?"

Redder than a blaster bolt, Sabine sprinted back into her room. A couple seconds later, Zeb and Ezra heard the sound of muffled screaming.

Ezra stood there for a moment, silent, and then said, in a loud tone meant to come off as super casual, "You can have it! I'm glad you like it! I'll just get another one, it's fine!"

The screaming got louder.

Zeb's hands pressed against his mouth, trying desperately to hold in the laughter threatening to burst out.

Oh, Sabine. You have it bad for this goober.

*Author's Note: Hello! So, this is the continuation of a series that was previously called 'Sabezra Seed'. I re-named it because 'Ghost Stories' felt more apt (and also sounds way cooler), considering that it's a series of short fics featuring the Ghost crew.

There's no special reason for this short story. I just wanted to see Sabine and Ezra act goofy and just be teenagers. We really don't get many instances of them acting their age during Rebels, due to the war and the pressures of their circumstances forcing them to grow up quickly. Zeb, being the typical older brother of the Ghost crew, is an instigator here and almost ends up paying with his life, ha ha.

Life aboard the Ghost, when they're not flying missions of galactic importance, probably resembles a sit-com, honestly.

#sabezra #sabine wren #ezra bridger #garazeb orrelios #star wars rebels #ezrabine #star wars #sabezra fanfiction #ghost stories 02

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the-one-true-nobody · 7 months

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I've been acquainted with Grand Admiral Thrawn ever since I picked up Timothy Zahn's Heir to the Empire from the school library around ninth grade or so. He was such an interesting villain to me at the time, and that impression hasn't lessened with age. Being the key antagonist in one of the old Star Wars expanded universe's first big storylines, he's also kind of a major figure of the whole darn beyond-the-movies canon, in the same way that Darth Revan is. And he kind of filled a void that the Original Trilogy left gaping wide, in the sense that—apart from the fleeting presence of Tarkin in A New Hope, the Imperial military never really had any threatening and competent military leaders at the face of things... just Darth Vader and the Emperor.

I was thrilled to see Thrawn make his live action debut in Ahsoka, and though my first visual impression of the guy was a little underwhelming. The Rebels incarnation in particularly very much had that "a strong body feeds a strong mind" kind of character and a physique to match, along with a Sherlock Holmes hawkishness to his facial features. But as soon as he opened his mouth and I realized how on-point the performance here was coming off the back of his appearances in Rebels, I was sold.

It seems some people really are very skin-deep in what they find "imposing," though, because there are a lot of complaints about how "lame" he looks, because he's "fat," or whatever. It's true, you can see it if you look at his uniform: he's got a bit of a gut going on underneath his just-slightly-frayed-and-aging Grand Admiral dress whites.

I say: "So what?"

The appearance is still solid; discrepancies can be explained by, for example, Thrawn undergoing an extended recovery period from some unspecified injury he sustained when the purrgils warped him and Ezra through hyperspace into another galaxy. If you recall, Thrawn was actually in quite the predicament when that happened:

It might well even be that he hasn't been able to maintain a strong and healthy body in the way he used to, for example. Maybe he had to go through painstaking self-directed physical therapy to even get as far as he has.

More importantly, his performance is absolutely on-point. He has the same presence he did in Rebels, minus the exaggerated CGI-cartoon facial expressions that everyone had in that show. He moves, acts, and speaks in a way that I would absolutely imagine of him in the Thrawn Trilogy novels. And he hasn't really even had time to build tactical momentum yet. It's everything I could have wanted from a Thrawn portrayal.

So yeah, I say "So what?" So what if he's a bit "fat." He's Thrawn. The king has returned to Dark Side Minas Tirith, and it is glorious.

Sidebar: Ezra Bridger's live action return was also glorious, but I don't need to tell y'all that, do I?

#star wars #ahsoka series #ahsoka show #ahsoka spoilers #thoughts #blog #thrawn #grand admiral thrawn #ezra bridger #spoilers

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nattyjae · 2 months

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Through the amazing Fandom Trumps Hate auction I'm offering one Star Wars Fanart, one Marvel Fanart, and one anything you like Fanart auction! The money raised will go to the black reproductive justice organization In Our Own Voice.

Click here to explore my auctions.

For five you get a black and white illustration. fifteen a black and white comic. Twenty a full color illustration. Fifty a full color comic. Of course you can request something else at each stage :)

Star Wars Fanart

Especially interested in: I love Clone Wars, Rebels, and Bad Batch, but I'd happily draw any part of the Star Wars universe.

Unwilling to address: I will not draw anything abusive or graphic. I will not draw major age gaps with romance or anything explicit.

Other notes: I will happily create an original comic or illustration idea for you, or take a script or prompt you give me and create a work with your feedback. I'm also happy to design characters, redraw scenes, or visualize AU's. I personally love drawing clone characters and filling in empty parts of the fandom. What do Rex's boys do in their free time? Does Ezra Bridger know how to draw?

Special interests: Genderswap/genderbending, Trans or nonbinary interpretations of canon characters

Marvel Fanart

Especially interested in: Moonknight, Ms. Marvel, Miles Morales, Spider Gwen, Young Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy

Unwilling to address: Nothing abusive. Nothing explicit.

Other notes: I love making slice of life illustrations of Marvel characters. I also like making funny little "what if?" comics exploring the little moments the movies and comics miss. I'm a huge Young Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Moonknight fan and I'd love to take your favorite Marvel hero (or character) and make a unique and fun artwork.

Special interests: Genderswap/genderbending, Canonically trans or nonbinary characters, Trans or nonbinary interpretations of canon characters.

Anything Fanart

Especially interested in: I want to take the idea or character you've been longing to see illustrated and bring it (or them) to life! I myself am a huge Marvel, Star Wars, Ghibli, and Avatar: The Last Airbender fan :)

Unwilling to address: Nothing abusive or explicit.

Other notes: I love making funny little comics that adapt incorrect quotes. I also love creating full color illustrations for fics or designing OCs. I'm excited to take your ideas and turn them into something visual :)

Special interests: Poly ships, Genderswap/genderbending, Trans or nonbinary interpretations of canon characters, Racial or cultural experiences of nonwhite characters, Racebending

#the bad batch #the bad batch fanart #rebelcaptain #therebelcaptainnetwork #hunter the bad batch #studio ghibli fanart #star wars fanart #fandom trumps hate #fandom trumps hate 2024 #marvel fanart #guardians of the galaxy 3 #roquill #simon snow #clone wars fanart #moon knight fanart #ezrabine #coad

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glouchyouchy · 5 months

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Last doodle I did earlier today as a visual guide for my fanfiction, The Mandalorian and the Jedi : Ezra Bridger ( The Gray-Clad Jedi ) :)

[ Yes, in my fic, he’s a lot thicker; though roughly the same height as canon Ezra ( Eman Esfandi ) from the Star Wars : Ahsoka series ]

[ Yes, the proportions ARE off ( he looks like a short dude ( maybe he is? ) ). Please let me warm up a bit, as my human-drawing skills have been dormant for a decade and a half :) ]

#sabezra #ezrabine #ezra bridger #sabine wren #star wars rebels #star wars ahsoka #sabine x ezra #ezra x sabine #the mandalorian and the jedi fanfic

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rebelsofshield · 8 months

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Star Wars Ahsoka: "Fallen Jedi" - Review

A dramatic and visually gripping episode of Ahsoka drastically raises the bar even if this series can't quite escape its endemic issues.

Now on the surface of the shadowy world of Seatos, Ahsoka and Sabine must race against time to prevent Thrawn's allies from discovering a pathway to uncharted space.

After three episodes that fumbled their way through muddled plotting and bland characterization, "Fallen Jedi" is a much needed shot in the arm. Action packed, dramatic, well directed, and sporting an absolutely standout performance by Ray Stevenson, this fourth chapter is the exact revitalization that Ahsoka needed to keep viewers engaged as we head into its second half.

It helps that there is a sense of urgency to the narrative here. Ahsoka and Sabine have a clear goal that needs to be accomplished before their enemies achieve theirs. It's a simple set up, but it gives "Fallen Jedi" a sense of stakes even if many aspects of its narrative and characters remain murky.

It helps that for once we have clear emotional conflict occurring for our leads. Sure, viewers who are unfamiliar with Rebels still will likely not understand why exactly Sabine is so invested in rescuing Ezra Bridger, but we can comprehend that this is what her character wants more than anything. Ahsoka, however, is duty driven and tells Sabine that if they can't access the starmap prior to Thrawn's allies charting a path, they will need to destroy it. While Ahsoka and Sabine's relationship has been peppered with frustration and animosity in the past, this is the first time that it's come into focus in a way that feels immediately accessible.

We also learn here that Ahsoka prevented Sabine from returning to Mandalore to stop the Great Purge that wiped out so much of the planet. In this context, Sabine's desperation to reach Ezra becomes even more clear. He's one of the last people she has left in her life. And while, like most aspects of their tutorship, the specifics of this are kept overly vague at this point, we finally have some context to the rift that has developed between both women and Sabine's emotional state in particular.

Ahsoka remains a bit more hard to crack though. Her single minded determination to stop Thrawn makes sense on a duty first level, but it's still hard to access why exactly Ahsoka as an individual cares so much about this conflict, especially since she never even met the Grand Admiral. Is it a sense of guilt that she waited out so much of the Galactic Civil War? Is there something else at play? It's a disappointment that she remains the weakest link in her own show, but "Fallen Jedi" does finally push us a little in the right direction.

Much of this comes down to an absolutely phenomenal confrontation between Ahsoka and Ray Stevenson's Baylan. Stevenson's Baylan has been a scene stealer since he first entered the series, but "Fallen Jedi" is the first time the character has really been allowed the spotlight and the result is some of the most compelling material the show has delivered to date. For one, we learn that Baylan is no simple mercenary. He actually has an ideological dog in this fight and is invested in instigating whatever conflict the arrival of Thrawn might bring. His exact aims are kept a mystery, but we slowly come to realize that this is a much more complex man than we may have been lead to believe.

It's also fascinating to see Baylan, as another survivor of the old Jedi Order, goad and test Ahsoka. As someone who knew personally Anakin Skywalker and of Ahsoka and her departure from the Order, this is the first person besides Huyang that Ahsoka has met that is able to plug away at what seems to be her defining emotional weakness. It's the first time we've seen her serene, almost emotionless guard drop a little and it makes for the best sequence the series has had so far.

Speaking of confrontations, the lightsaber duels in "Fallen Jedi" are truly outstanding. Whether its Ahsoka's quick takedown of Marrok, Sabine and Shin's messy and feral showdown in the woods, or the extended samurai style duel between Ahsoka and Baylan, Ahsoka is able to establish a visual combat style that feels appropriately in keeping with the series samurai film inspirations while also feeling appropriate to the individual characters. It's great, for example, to see Shin fight with a flashier, angrier saber style against Sabine who has to use her cunning and weaponry to keep herself from being overwhelmed. Baylan's style is instead defined by wide, heavy strikes, giving him a sense of weight and control versus Ahsoka's lighter more fluid fighting stances. Peyton Reed also brings a much needed sense of visual flair and dynamism to the fight sequences here. It helps that Seatos is such a visually exciting locale to stage these fights on, but these are undoubtedly the best lightsaber duels captured in one of Star Wars' live action shows to date. Hell, they rank among some of the best duels the franchise has seen in general.

Also, who didn't love Huyang getting to punch up that droid with his extra arms? Who knew the old guy had a bit of Grievous in him?

We end "Fallen Jedi" through a series of cliffhangers. First, Ahsoka loses control and is struck down, tumbling over a cliff into dangerous waters below. Then, Sabine, facing a lonely future, gives into her grief and hands the enemy the key to their success. While some viewers may have anticipated that Sabine would make this decision, it's still refreshing to see a heroic character like this make a fundamentally selfish and consequential decision and have it still feel in keeping with their personality. It sets up a much more complicated back half of the series that I'm excited to say play out.

Oh! And then Ahsoka wakes up in the World Between Worlds and sees Anakin Skywalker. Wild, huh?

Score: A-

#Star Wars #Star Wars Ahsoka #review #reviews #Ahsoka #Star Wars: Ahsoka

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wanderingbards · 1 year

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Thinking back on the Star Wars AU my friend and I briefly conceptualized. Lots of ideas, but no proper writing motivation.

Jay is raised in the Empire, but defects when she neets space pirate Chip. They find Jedi padawan Gillion lost and on his own, and become a little trio.

Gillion knows Jay has some force sensitivity, but doesn't know how much until it's revealed she was going to be trained as an Inquisitor under her father before she defected.

Chip is a bit force sensitive - not enough to be a jedi, but it makes him an incredible pilot.

Gillion begins to help Jay learn more of the light side of the force, and shares some about his destiny - he's meant to bring balance back, but before he could learn much more his master died and left him alone.

They find a long-abandoned and hidden jedi temple, and Jay is guided to her own kyber crystal. Gillion has had his own for a bit now.

Jay's saber is a golden color, and she Ezra Bridger-ifys it and gives it a gun function. Gillion's saber is an aqua slash a blue color.

They eventually run into the Rebels - spearheaded by Lizzie, whom Chip shares a history with.

The visual of Chip and Jay and Gillion fighting in sync, guided by the force, is something that can be so personal.

Drey and Finn were both jedi as well, and Arlin was a good mandalorian friend. They vanished during Order 66, tho Chip claims he was briefly raised by Arlin.

They find Drey and Jay asks him to teach them. However, he tells them he can't - he's not fit to be a teacher. He'll offer advice and wisdom, but he can't be their teacher.

Also added cameo of Dakota and Vyncent in the rebellion under the guidance of Tide, who was a clone that survived Order 66 by taking out his chip.

Dakota is force sensitive, but doesn't know that - he just thinks he has an imaginary friend in William, who's a force spirit of a child that died during Order 66.

William teaches Dakota some of what he learned from his master, Mallard Conway. Mallard later turns out to be a Sith lord, who would have taken William with him if William hadn't died.

#just roll with it #jrwi riptide #jrwi prime defenders #gillion tidestrider #chip jrwi #jay ferin #william wisp #dakota cole #vyncent sol #tide lambert #elizabeth lafayette #drey ferin #star wars au #these are literally all my notes #and i even expanded on them for this post #enjoy

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jedimandalorian · 7 months

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Ahsoka Episode 6 “Far, Far Away”: The Story, the Symbolism, and the Score

Episode 6 of Ahsoka begins with the sound of distant purrgil calls as Ahsoka and Huyang travel through hyperspace, crossing the void between galaxies. During their discussion of the tales Huyang used to tell the Jedi younglings there is no music.

I loved that Huyang said such an iconic line in this episode, reminding us that this is indeed a fairy tale, a children’s story.

The Title Card for Ahsoka appears, and then the episode title, “Far, far Away.”

We hear ominous music when Sabine is in the brig onboard the Eye of Sion. The window to her cell is shaped like an upside down triangle.

The sinister music continues during the scene with Baylan, Shin, and Morgan on the bridge. Morgan’s Theme (the Nightsister theme) is heard when the Eye of Sion exits hyperspace.

The line “Peridea is a graveyard” reminds us that this is indeed a “descent into the abyss” a stage of the hero’s journey which I have discussed on this blog before. Ominous music plays here.

The characters who are aligned with the dark side are on a quest for more power to dominate others. They have followed the Path to Peridea as a kind of path to perdition as I have mentioned in my previous metas. But Sabine, our heroine, is descending into the Underworld on a more noble quest. She hopes to find her beloved Ezra Bridger, echoing the story of Orpheus, the hero of Greek myth who descends into the Underworld to find his beloved Eurydice.

Morgan’s Theme continues when they board the shuttle and descend to the planet Peridea.

The landscape of J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth is suggested by the giant statues and the Nightsister fortress, which resembles an evil version of Minas Tirith.

The characters encounter three Nightsisters, analogous to the Three Fates of Greek mythology, the Moirai. (Note the similarities between this word and the name of Ahsoka’s owl, Morai, a creature I predict that we will be seeing again soon.)

The three Fates were the personification of destiny in Greek mythology. The three sisters were known as Clotho (the spinner), Lachesis (the alotter), and Atropos (the unturnable, a metaphor for death). The end credits for this episode name these three Nightsisters as Klothow, Lakesis, and Aktropaw, clearly indicating the intended symbolism of these three characters. As George Lucas said back in the late nineties, “Well, when I did Star Wars I consciously set about to recreate myths and the — and the classic mythological motifs. And I wanted to use those motifs to deal with issues that existed today.” (From billmoyers.com) Lucas’ apprentice, Dave Filoni, has learned this lesson from the master himself.

The music is quieter in this scene, with sounds of low vibrations being heard. Morgan’s Theme continues when Sabine is imprisoned by the Nightsisters’ three orbs, which held her bound within a triangle made of red cords of energy.

Outside of the fortress three wolf-like creatures howl as ominous music plays. Choral music suggesting the mysticism of the fallen Jedi Order is heard as Baylan speaks of Peridea being a realm of “dreams and madness” from old “children’s stories come to life.” Once again, the viewer is reminded that we are being told a fairy tale, a myth. The musical score subtly teases the listener with three notes from Ahsoka’s Ronin theme in this scene.

Sabine is imprisoned inside the Nightsister fortress as the Chimaera arrives with the sound of ominous metallic rumbling. Thrawn’s flagship Star Destroyer was named after the female fire-breathing monster in Greek mythology which was part lion, part goat, and part dragon.

I am no Freudian, but the Chimaera’s open docking bay hovering over the phallic tower of the Nightsister fortress seems to be the most overtly sexual symbolism I have seen in Star Wars in a long time. However, I’m not here to discuss that visual metaphor.

Organ music which anticipates but does not present Thrawn’s theme is heard as the Nighttroopers muster under Enoch’s command. These undead stormtroopers have cracked armor repaired with golden seams suggesting the Japanese art of kintsugi, as well as armor pieces bound with bands of red cloth. They are heard chanting “Thrawn! Thrawn!” as the Grand Admiral makes his dramatic entrance. For me this chant was reminiscent of how the orcs in Return of the King chanted “Grond! Grond!” when using their mighty battering ram against the walls of Minas Tirith. (You can do your own Freudian analysis of that scene. I’m not going there.) What was Grond?

“Grond, also known as the Wolf's Head, was a one hundred-foot long battering ram with a head in the shape of a ravening wolf, used in the arsenal of Sauron in the Third Age. Though named for Grond, Morgoth’s warhammer, it was created in the likeness of the Wolf of Angband, Carcharoth.”—from lotr.fandom.com

Creepy music accompanies the Nighttroopers as they transfer of cargo from the catacombs beneath the fortress. What is inside them? Dead Nightsisters, waiting to be revived by dark magic?

Thumps and low pitched sounds accompany Thrawn’s conversation with Baylan.

Thrawn speaks of Sabine’s desire to be reunited with her long-lost friend. (The word desire is a very intentional word choice, with the connotation that the connection between Sabine and Ezra has potential to be more than just friendship.)

Sabine: I’m sure he’s doing just fine.

Thrawn: You gambled the fate of your galaxy on that belief.

Sabine: You wouldn’t understand.

Thrawn: Perhaps not.

Evil does not understand love and loyalty. (See my previous post about the Path to Peridea.)

Enoch returns Sabine’s weapons to her, and she is provided with provisions and a wolf-like howler for a mount. He tells her to “die well” as she embarks on her “fool’s errand.”

The line about a “fool’s errand” calls to mind this scene from Tolkien’s novel, The Return of the King:

'Tell me,' he said, 'is there any hope? For Frodo, I mean; or at least mostly for Frodo.'

Gandalf put his hand on Pippin's head. 'There never was much hope,' he answered. 'Just a fool's hope, as I have been told…”

“A Fool’s Hope” was also the title of the penultimate episode of Star Wars Rebels final season.

Once again, Thrawn’s theme is only hinted at by the organ music at the end of the scene.

Sabine’s scanner is destroyed during her fight for her life with the red-armored bandits in the wastelands. Her life is saved by her Mandalorian armor and weapons, Ahsoka’s training, and Ezra’s lightsaber in this action sequence.

Baylan and Shin ride out on howlers. Nighttroopers load coffin-like cargo containers onto the Chimaera as uneasy music plays. Thrawn decides to dispatch only two squadrons of Nighttroopers. His disdain for Jedi, light or dark, is apparent: “It matters not whether Wren and Bridger are killed or stranded here. The same can be said for your two mercenaries.” Ominous music plays.

The scene with Sabine and the howler is accompanied by gentle music played upon wooden flutes. Sabine processes her abandonment issues and her complex feelings for Ezra in this scene by taking out her emotions on the howler. “You. You abandoned me. I should have known you are a coward.” She tries to make the howler stop following her, but the loyal animal comes back as soon as she walks away. “Okay. Fine,” she says. “I’ll give you another chance, but you better not bail on me this time.” The gentle flute music continues. A motif of ascending perfect fifths suggests Ezra’s Theme.

The howler stops to drink water and sniffs the air. The thing that Sabine and the audience assumes to be a rock is revealed to be a sentient little hermit-crab-like creature called a Noti. Gentle music plays when Sabine kneels, puts down her blaster, and extends her hand to the creature. The Noti recognizes the Rebel Alliance symbol (an evolution of her own Starbird design) on her pauldron. The creature has a medallion of his own, marked with a similar symbol.

“Do you know Ezra Bridger?” Sabine asks, touching her heart. “He’s my friend.”

Ominous music plays as Baylan and Shin discover the dead bandits. Once again choral music is heard when Baylan reminisces about the Jedi Order.

It is also revealed that the Nightsisters are fleeing from a power that is greater than their own.

Baylan and Shin see the red Bandits in the distance. “The enemy of our enemy is our friend,” says Baylan, “for now.”

Peaceful and noble sounding music is heard when Sabine sees the Noti encampment. She smiles at the mother Noti rocking her baby in a hammock.

With Sabine in the foreground, the camera pans to show a now adult, bearded Ezra Bridger wearing a red robe and leaning against the wall of his home. “I knew I could count on you,” he says as joyful music plays, music which features the piccolo, flute, and other woodwind instruments.

The closed captioning for this episode says that there is captivating music playing when Sabine and Ezra finally embrace. We hear a beautifully orchestrated rendition of Ezra’s Theme on the French horn with a new countermelody in the strings to heighten the emotional impact of this long-awaited scene.

Ezra’s Theme is heard again when he says “Sabine, thanks for coming. I can’t wait to go home.”

When we return to where the Chimaera is docked with the Nightsister fortress, a suggestion of Thrawn’s Theme is heard at a quick tempo suggesting the urgency of the situation that is about to unfold. Ahsoka Tano is coming. “The thread of destiny demands it” is a line that further emphasizes the three Nightsisters playing the role of the three fates. We finally hear Thrawn’s Theme presented in an obvious way as the episode ends.

I have blogged about the magnificent end credits music in previous blog posts, so this time I am going to discuss something different: the alchemical symbolism in Ahsoka.

The central focus of alchemy was to transmute base metals into gold and create the elixir of life, as any aficionado of the lore of the philosopher’s stone knows. The process is a metaphor for the purification and transformation of the human soul to a state of perfection.

Three colors symbolize this process, black, white, and red.

First there is the nigredo (blackening) stage of the alchemist’s work, representing the breaking of the human spirit. This is where both Sabine and Ahsoka are at the beginning of the series.

Second is the albedo (whitening) stage, which involves washing away impurities or vices, and being ready to grow and learn again. This is most clearly illustrated by Ahsoka the Grey’s “death” and transformation into Ahsoka the White.

Third is the rubedo (reddening) stage, which is where we are in the story right now. It represents the purified and awakened spirit reaching its highest and purest form.

“The symbols used in alchemical writing and art to represent this red stage can include blood, a phoenix , a rose, a crowned king, or a figure wearing red clothes.”—Wikipedia.

The color red, of course, is symbolic of Nightsisters and their magic in this series, as well as symbolizing the red thread of fate.

Baylan Skoll’s line about having to “destroy in order to create” is an example of the alchemical concept of “solve et coagula” meaning to separate then join together. Nothing new can be built without destroying the old. Perhaps this is really telling us about the destruction and rebuilding of the Jedi Order.

In the completion of the rubedo stage there must be a union of sulphur and mercury, also known as the wedding of the Red King (the sun) and the White Queen (the moon). Sulphur represents the masculine principle, the soul, and the fire of life. (Remember Ezra’s red robe?) Mercury represents the feminine principle and the mind, flexible and changing. (Sabine is a clever young woman who lives inside her head, sometimes too much. Lately she’s been distracted by her heart.) Mercury also represents a state that can transcend death.

Is the much-discussed Ezra and Sabine hug the union of Sulphur and Mercury? Or should we expect something more than that?

Much has been written about Baylan Skoll and Shin Hati as the mythological wolves who chase the sun and the moon. This episode ends with the pair in pursuit of Ezra (sulphur, the Red King, the sun) and Sabine (mercury, the White Queen, the moon). When Skoll and Hati catch the sun and the moon, Ragnarok begins.

Besides sulphur and mercury, there is another element present at the rubedo stage of alchemical transformation: salt.

Ahsoka the White is coming.

Please reblog and comment on what you think of my musical and literary analysis of this episode of Ahsoka. I am looking forward to reading your replies.

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readtilyoudie · 1 year

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Star Wars Rebels Vol 1

#manga(visual)monday #star wars rebels #swr #akira aoki #kanan jarrus #ezra bridger #fantasy #star wars #adventure #manga

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belong2human-kind · 1 year

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This post is about Ezra Bridger and Sabine Wren, in a romantic way, and some updates on my fics and AU about these two. If you don't want to know about this ship, feel free to skip this post ☺

There's a loooong looong time I haven't really been able to keep on writing my fics about my favorite couple! I still can't believe that I haven't finished my most precious one that was supposed to go out on sabezra week 🙁

But, I have nice news 🥺 Two days ago I finally got to get back on my drawings that I had stopped since my depressive episode started. And I'm really glad about how it's going 🥺

I'm still working on how to color my new and old drawings, and the most difficult thing I'm facing is designing Sabine and Ezra in my style. I'm very perfectionist, so it's really frustrating when you can't keep up with the idea you can visualize in your mind and put it in the paper.

I plan on updating my drawings, I still have the sketches without color because whenever I do the coloring I need to make a copy of the original sketch "just in case I don't like the final results", or "to not lose the drawing since I'll never be able to make it equal and it will be forever lost" and stuff. OCD is making me be filled up with coloring testing papers, what a waste 😭

This is going to be Sabine, at the Empire Ball that happens on my fanfic, in her undercover outfit! I already have the reference to the dress, but I'm still working on it!!

Baby Lotie is here too!🥺 And I plan on working on her brother's design these days and make more of her growing up!! Also, coloring! This is my first sketch ☺

So yeah! That's how it's going by now ☺ I love Lotie and Archer so much! Adore my ocs! I'm still thinking if I'll add a third child and maybe even a fourth lol! But if I stick with this idea, I plan to add adopted babies too!! I mean, Sabine's people have this culture of adopting and raising kids to be mandalorians, warriors just like the ones born on the planet, I don't think Bean would be different. Also, Ezra and her will probably just have their little Rebel cell! 😊

I can say that avatar the way of water actually inspired me to think about creating more kids to be raised by these two! And it totally fits their personalities to go around rescuing and adopting kids 😊☺

I got baby Lotie's reference on the pinterest and the one to Sabine's pose and dress is made by looking at the pic and the model I've chosen to be her dress in my fic. I hope you enjoy 🌻🤍

#sorry for the long post #ezra bridger #sabine wren #star wars rebels #ezra and sabine #sabezra #future au #au update

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mzminola · 1 year

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There are some lovely meta posts about Cassie Sandsmark’s hair changing length over the years in relation to her growth as a character.

I still want her to have short hair, because it’s a visual medium.

A visual medium in which the art style can change between titles and even issue to issue. Short hair helps quickly distinguish Cassie from the other blonde female characters, especially when out of costume. Like how Dick Grayson’s long-hair era helped distinguish him at a glance from other dark haired male characters. Or how Bart Allen is harder to recognize when his hair isn’t ginormously poofy. Or how Secret’s medium bob gave her a distinct silhouette even when she was made of mist.

Everything is a balancing act. Sometimes changes to a characters’ visual design help serve for personal arc, but lose them visual distinction or even audience recognition (I hate Ezra Bridger’s timeskip haircut in Star Wars: Rebels, he looks like a completely different character to the point it throws me out of the story). Sometimes it doesn’t make much sense for their personal arc but helps give them distinction within a growing ensemble cast.

In individual titles, it’s not necessarily too much of a problem, but comics are synonymous with crossovers.

If Cassie Sandsmark, Cissie King-Jones, Kara Danvers, Stephanie Brown, Mia Dearden, and Greta Hayes are all in a scene in civvies together, I want to be confused as to who is who as little as possible.

#yeah we're back in Highly Subjective Opinion Land!#it's a balancing act and other readers may weight these scales differently than me!#but I value being able to tell characters apart at a glance #comics meta #character design #DC #Cassie Sandsmark

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gizkalord · 2 years

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star wars has always contained a lot of parallels. the parallels made it feel more like star wars. it wasn't copying rebels it was referencing the fight on malachor. drawing lines. connecting things. both emotionally and visually. but you're allowed not to like things and there's no point in arguing why something was good to someone who doesn't like it. that certainly isn't going to change your mind. there's really no need to be a downer about people who did like it either though.

i was responding to the other anon's opinion, which i can't control what they say. i said the show is entertaining, even though i'm disappointed with certain aspects. i sincerely wish i was able to enjoy it as much as i'm seeing other people enjoy it, and i'll admit i'm bewildered that it's getting such a positive response. i do recognize it's partially on me for having my own personal expectations for this show. i'm certainly not trying to ruin other people's fun which is why i'm posting on my own blog about this. i'm happy to go back and retag some of my other posts with #sw negativity for filtering purposes, and you're welcome to unfollow/block me too.

also, i love a good star wars parallel as much as the next sw fan. ezra bridger is one of my favorite sw protags in part because he's a well-written parallel and foil to luke skywalker. old friends not forgotten is one of my favorite tcw episodes and i absolutely love the parallels to the tcw movie and the wrong jedi. luke and anakin both having lost limbs and that shared aspect precipitating luke's decision to stop fighting, is one of my all-time favorite moments in the saga.

personally, i didn't feel the parallel in the obi-wan show added to or transformed the meaning of the scene in question. it felt like a parallel for the sake of being a parallel. and to me, that's disappointing.

#kenobi spoilers #sw negativity #star wars #ask #anon

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eliza1911o1 · 1 year

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Chapter 17 Review (more of a play-by-play)

/Mandalorian S3 spoilers ahead/

I enjoyed the start. For the most part. To me, the initiation scene felt a bit awkward and more roleplay-esque than dramatic swearing into a cult-that-makes-you-wear-a-helmet-for-eternity.

I think this comes down to the cinematography, particularly the really bright coloring and shots they used. Personally, I found the filter used overly lightened and emphasized the colors in a manner that made the props (especially helmets) and environment seem fake. I thought the outfits and props looked kind of cheap in general. Kinda hated the banners. And the helmets. The whole thing just felt equivalent to a promo for really good cosplayers and appeared pretty low budget for one of the most anticipated shows of the year.

A lot of semi-wide and wide angles were used to show how small the group was, which was probably to emphasize the rebuilding of the clan, though it felt more LARP with class friends than anything… I wish they would’ve used more closeups, especially in the scenes between the kid and the armorer, since it seemed a bit stiff. Scenes (especially the introductory scenes with the Mandalorians) feel stiff, mostly likely to editing rather than camerawork, as the aesthetic shots are undermined with clunky switching, lingering frames, and an inconsistent visual tone. The child actor was a bit lacking, especially since his delivery was a pivotal part of the intro, but he has plenty of time to improve and what I think might be hinting at a future flashback of Din’s introduction into the group.

Not a fan of the giant crocodile fight sequence. I found the sequence generally repetitive and flashy, with a lot of random shots being fired and people being knocked back. I don’t know if I expected them to be better prepared since they’re known as legendary fighters, but they shouldn’t have been that weak, right? Really hoping this was used to show how the small group is struggling rather than highlight Din’s intro… though it was a sick intro… either way, shout out to the flying GoPro dude though. Armorer and Din sequence was also vaguely uninteresting, though they’re definitely hinting at some things.

The following hyperdrive scene is one of my favorites in the episode. I’m not an expert on the original animated series or Ezra Bridger, but space whales are cool no matter the circumstances. And, while this is overall just a really pretty and cool sequence, the way grogu snuggled up into Din’s arms while he slept left me in tears. Absolutely adorable. Couldn’t have come up with better myself. Though I still don’t understand how tf Grogu got from his seat to the driver’s seat since there’s no visible whole…

Renovated Nevarro reminded me of the prequels and Naboo, which was interesting since we also saw snippets of Coruscant from the trailers. Don’t really know what to make of that information, but since Darth Maul once held the dark saber, maybe there’s some implications about the series connecting to the prequels and the sith; maybe I’m just making up conspiracy theories

Pimped out Greef Karga is exactly what I needed — what really does it for me are those little droids carrying his cape. Pure comedy right there. His character arc has been pretty interesting, since he’s still primarily in it on wealth and power, but appears to be orbiting around a new set of morals (like when he tells off the pirates in front of the school), though this might be attributed to wanting to get away from his past… either way, he seems to be taking on more of a comedy role.

Also, what was he expecting from Din the workaholic and full-time dad (Grogu. Come again? His name is Grogu). They handled Cara Dune’s exit pretty cleanly, but there’s definitely the want for a new supporting character since hers was originally pretty central. Guess we’ll have to keep our eyes out to see if Cobb Vanth is coming back. In the meantime, pirates are a very fun new introduction and Vane seems like he could be a good recurring character

Din was hot leaning against that tree. I don’t make the facts.

There is a clear emphasis on IG-11 throughout the entire episode, which does feel redundant. I enjoyed Din’s tinkering and was a big fan of the zombie droid moment. It was a unique enough idea for me not to completely hate the revival, though Din’s lack of shooting accuracy felt misplaced and the tone of the scene felt disjointed from the others. But we did get an iconic one-liner from Din that is redefining comedy as we speak though (I wish I could use “now that’s using your head” casually).

Loved the Anzellans making an appearance and got some of the most iconic shots of the episode. Din sitting cross-legged and Grogu trying to steal one of them was peak humor.

And now we’re at my other favorite part of the episode. Din teaching Grogu what it means to be a Mandalorian is not only incredibly soft and cute, but also a great way for us to understand his internal dialogue and learn new background. And also just really cute. This was also by far one of the coolest dog fights we’ve gotten. Admittedly, I am a simp for the N-1 Starfighter, but the maneuvering and usage of the asteroids was way too cool. The music was especially good during the fight and into the pirate’s intro as well. Grogu tucking himself into Din’s belt and being way too excited at the fight was perfect.

Adore the design for Kalevala; they did a great job of adapting it from the animated series. Having it be raining was a great visual choice too, really highlighted the color palette. Personally, I’m not big on Bo-Katan so far, but I’m up for this season making me a fan. Though the ending sequence seems to undermine her importance to the season, we all know she’ll be a big player. Just have to point out Din’s introduction too, using his full name and everything, we love to see it

Overall, I thought this first episode was great, albeit an underwhelming premiere

I’m holding back a lot of my theories, but to sum it up, I think the most prominent challenge of this episode seems to be pacing and clarity.

Either way, though this definitely was not the strongest start (especially when compared to other seasons), the newfound freedom found in the expansive world building supersedes it. And seeing all the characters again too. From what I know of the LA premiere, they showed the first two episodes and although Chapter 17 received a similarly lackluster response, apparently Chapter 18 was amazing so I guess I’ll just suffer and over-analyze until then

#mandalorian #the mandalorion spoilers #the mandolarian #the mandalorian season 3 #season 3 #din djarin #grogu #greef karga #cobb vanth #nevarro #kalevala #mandalorians #mando #mandalorian and grogu #mando and grogu #mandalorian meta #episode 1 #chapter 17

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