#⠇ headcanons ⠇ ━━━ the songbird trapped in a golden cage

[valorums]

DURING THE CLONE WARS, Shi’al’s status as a LEADING ACTIVIST in the fight for the ABOLITION OF SLAVERY caused a fair amount of problems for Dooku’s SEPARATIST COUNCIL. Shi’al, from the FIRST BATTLE OF GEONOSIS onwards, becomes well-acquainted with surviving assassination attempts by the skin of her teeth. Her status as Chancellor Valorum’s daughter and Chancellor Palpatine’s goddaughter renders death threats an ordinary part of her day to day life; thus, this development hardly fazed her at all. The quest to capture Shi’al Valorum was a galaxy-wide game of cat and mouse which lasted for several months.

   IN 20 BBY, Shi’al accompanied ANAKIN SKYWALKER, AHSOKA TANO, and OBI-WAN KENOBI on their mission to infiltrate the ZYGERRIAN SLAVE TRADING EMPIRE. Her vast knowledge of enslaved peoples and their culture proved tantamount to the overall success of the mission; however, when her true identity as Shi’al Valorum is exposed and her alias fails, she is given to a bounty hunter who takes her to Count Dooku’s CASTLE SERENNO.

AT FIRST, Dooku is the BENEVOLENT HOST. He dons the façade of the kindly old gentleman who wants nothing but the best for the galaxy at large, simultaneously pretending to befriend his captive and shake the enormous faith that Shi’al has in the republic. If her pattern of thought can be properly rewired, he reasons, then she will be a valuable ally. Shi’al finds herself quite taken by Dooku and his lofty promises to bring PEACE and ORDER. He is like me, and I myself am like him, she realizes, We are idealists clinging to hope in a cruel galaxy. For the briefest terrible moment, the scales of victory nearly tip in the favor of the Separatists.

THEN, SHE REMEMBERS the ideals that she holds close within her heart, and snaps out of what she will later equate to a trancelike state. In a fit of fiery, volcanic fury, Shi’al unleashes her vicious tongue upon Dooku, tearing into him with fervor for his HYPOCRISY. Ranting and raging, she condemns him as a TRAITOR who betrayed everything that he once held dear — a former guardian of the oppressed too selfish to see that he is now the oppressor.

DOOKU LOSES HIS PATIENCE with this petulant child, and DARTH TYRANUS emerges from hiding. Through extensive TORTURE, Tyranus’s own fiery temper is unleashed upon Shi’al as retribution for her insolence. Shi’al, amongst experiencing the deprivation of certain necessary elements for human survival, endures FORCE LIGHTNING multiple times a day without any overall purpose present in Tyranus’s mind except to make her suffer. Any hint of Dooku‘s faux kindness had long since vanished.

TWO WEEKS PASS in total between Shi’al’s capture by the Sith and rescue by the Jedi Order. During that time frame, her life hangs in the balance. Shi’al teeters on the boundary between the world of the dead and the world of the living, and is found near death when she is finally brought home. Once she is safe and sound on Coruscant, she is ordered to seek out the JEDI TEMPLE’S HEALERS. The Jedi, concerned for her well-being because of her prolonged exposure to the dark side of the force, confine her to the temple’s medbay for two more weeks. Shi’al begins to experience regular NIGHTMARES regarding her capture; although she hides it well, she is no longer the same utterly carefree girl that she once was.

She acquired NEW SCARS from this encounter, both MENTAL and PHYSICAL. Alongside reoccurring nightmares and intrusive memories that haunt her in her waking hours, Shi’al also escapes captivity with physical scars. The healers are horrified to discover a web of scars shaped like lightning strikes snaking around the entirety of her back, serving as an ETERNAL REMINDER of her time spent as Count Dooku’s hostage. At first, these scars are a prominent INSECURITY for Shi’al, to the point that she does not return to ballet or opera for a month after being given a clean bill of health out of fear that she will be judged by the general public. In the end, she ultimately comes to view the scars as BADGES OF PRIDE and TESTAMENTS to the trials that she endured, and eventually returns to the stage.

Ultimately, DARTH SIDIOUS WAS TO BLAME. The Sith Master arranged his own goddaughter’s kidnapping and torture in order to BREAK HER SPIRIT, and render her more PLIABLE TO HIS MANIPULATIONS. Dooku was all too glad to join this game of chess because of the opportunity to silence a vociferous opponent of his Separatist movement. In the end, they are all pawns in Sidious’s game.

#this got long OOPS #⠇ headcanons ⠇ ━━━ the songbird trapped in a golden cage #slavery mention #torture mention #long post tw

[valorums]

MUSE ROMANCE CHART

fill out the chart below as your muse.

* TEMPLATE LOCATED UNDER “READ MORE”

* OPTIONAL ELABORATIONS:

LOVE AURA: If Shi’al’s love were to be embodied by a color, then those colors would be PINK and YELLOW.. Those with Pink Auras are said to embody love, compassion, and kindness, enabled by a deep connection with their own emotions to have a soothing effect on those around them. The attributes associated with Shi’al’s Pink Aura blend nicely with her Yellow Aura, for her innate compassion allows her to become a beacon of hope and optimism in the eyes of those she loves most. Shi’al can always be relied upon for her helpful advice and sincere warmth; despite her acquaintanceship with many active participants in the political scene, she does not have a single intentionally malevolent bone in her body. If she causes some semblance of harm to a loved one, it was caused under the mistaken belief that it was in their best interest. However, it is imperative to note that the yellow in her aura is a shade of DARK YELLOW, which signifies the manifestation of an INNER BATTLE within her soul.

SONG: Naturally, the song which most closely represents Shi’al’s attitudes towards love and romance is from a Disney film. Although the film in question, Enchanted, is meant to be a satirical take on Disney’s most common romantic tropes, the iconic number That’s How You Know effortlessly captures Shi’al’s naïveté in romance and describes what she would view as an ideal romantic relationship. It also features a protagonist who manages to get every single individual in New York’s Central Park spontaneously bursting into song and dance, which Shi’al herself is entirely capable of arranging.

FLOWER: Famed for the role played in the narrative of The Odyssey, Lotus Flowers represent purity, beauty, overcoming adversity, and strength. The life cycle of the Lotus Flower was regarded by Ancient Egyptians as a metaphor for the cycle of life, death and rebirth, making it a perfect representation for a romantic character who experiences numerous rebirths at the hands of her loved ones throughout her narrative.

TAGGED BY no one. I stole it from @vendettavalor hehe

TAGGING @mayxthexforce (Rajeev), @misfittcd (Kian), @alootus (Padmè), @nieithryn (Calista), @debelltio (Orson), @vaderari (Vader), @sunhearted (Ailana), @reiignonme (Any Star Wars Muse), @deficd (Any Star Wars Muse), AND YOU.

TEMPLATE:

#⠇ dashboard game ⠇ ━━━ the latest gossip in coruscant #⠇ headcanons ⠇ ━━━ the songbird trapped in a golden cage

[valorums]

YOUR MUSE’S FEARS

bold any fears which apply to your muse. italicize what makes your muse uncomfortable. strikethrough any fears that will never apply to your muse.

SHI’AL VALORUM:

the dark ⋆ fire ⋆ open water ⋆ deep water ⋆ being alone ⋆ crowds ⋆ confined spaces ⋆ open spaces ⋆ war ⋆ failure ⋆ loss of control ⋆ powerlessness ⋆ prison ⋆ blood ⋆ drowning ⋆ suffocation ⋆ public speaking ⋆ forest ⋆ the supernatural ⋆ heights ⋆ loss ⋆ dying ⋆ death ⋆ love ⋆ intimacy ⋆ rejection ⋆ abandonment ⋆ the unknown ⋆ the future ⋆ not being good enough ⋆ scary stories ⋆ speaking to new people ⋆ poverty ⋆ loud noises ⋆ lack of noise ⋆ being touched ⋆ forgetting ⋆ insects ⋆ dogs ⋆ snakes ⋆ illness ⋆ doctors ⋆ thunder storms ⋆ being watched ⋆ eyes ⋆ being vulnerable ⋆ needles or pointed objects ⋆ isolation ⋆ shouting ⋆ change / fear of change.

TAGGED BY no one; I stole it from @timeguardians ☺️

TAGGING @nieithryn (Jango), @misfittcd (Lahani), @alootus (Padmè), @jedicide (Anakin), @unwaivering (Seth), @debelltio (Orson), @sunhearted (Ailana), @stillsolo (Han), @oflightsbeam (Hera), @mvndrvke (Seril), @vendettavalor (Aurelia), AND YOU.

(Template located under the “read more” cut!)

the dark ⋆ fire ⋆ open water ⋆ deep water ⋆ being alone ⋆ crowds ⋆ confined spaces ⋆ open spaces ⋆ war ⋆ failure ⋆ loss of control ⋆ powerlessness ⋆ prison ⋆ blood ⋆ drowning ⋆ suffocation ⋆ public speaking ⋆ forest ⋆ the supernatural ⋆ heights ⋆ loss ⋆ dying ⋆ death ⋆ love ⋆ intimacy ⋆ rejection ⋆ abandonment ⋆ the unknown ⋆ the future ⋆ not being good enough ⋆ scary stories ⋆ speaking to new people ⋆ poverty ⋆ loud noises ⋆ lack of noise ⋆ being touched ⋆ forgetting ⋆ insects ⋆ dogs ⋆ snakes ⋆ illness ⋆ doctors ⋆ thunder storms ⋆ being watched ⋆ eyes ⋆ being vulnerable ⋆ needles or pointed objects ⋆ isolation ⋆ shouting ⋆ change / fear of change.

#⠇ dashboard game ⠇ ━━━ the latest gossip in coruscant #⠇ headcanons ⠇ ━━━ the songbird trapped in a golden cage

[valorums]

YOUR MUSE’S MANY LAYERS

respond to the prompts with your muse in mind.

LAYER    001    :    THE    OUTSIDE.  

* NAME:   Shi’al Finis Valorum

* EYE COLOUR: Cerulean Blue

* HAIR STYLE  /  COLOUR:  Curls of golden sunshine that cascade in a waterfall down her back, extending beyond her shoulders.

* HEIGHT:   5′3″

* CLOTHING STYLE: During the twilight of the republic, Shi’al favors elegant attire with pastel color palettes and floral imagery. When Shi’al becomes PRESS SECRETARY, as mentioned in previous posts, her wardrobe mirrors Sidious’s own; she only dons black or red attire from the point of Order Sixty-Six onward.

* BEST PHYSICAL FEATURE:   A piercing gaze of cerulean blue, simultaneously so full of life that she becomes forever young and so haunted that one could easily ascertain that she has already lived a thousand lifetimes.

LAYER    002    :    THE    INSIDE.

* FEARS: Shi’al’s fears are numerous, but above all else reigns LONELINESS. Growing up in the world of the fine arts, where she told fairytales through ballet and opera, had a PROFOUND EFFECT on her psyche that resulted in the manifestation of this fear as an immense anxiety that she will never find true love. She knows that the fear is childish and she knows that romantic love isn’t the only form of love, but this fear still eats away at her for many years prior to the rise of the Empire.

* GUILTY PLEASURE:  Gossip. Shi’al is aware of the potential of gossip to be mean-spirited and cruel; however, she cannot help but keep her eyes and ears peeled for the latest gossip amongst the Coruscant elite. Eventually, her peers recognize her as someone who knows everything about everyone — if there’s something happening, she knows the full breadth of the situation. This is naturally a godsend during the Galactic Empire’s cutthroat rule, where it becomes every man for himself.

* BIGGEST PET PEEVE: False promises. If you make a promise to her, keep it.

* AMBITIONS FOR THE FUTURE: Prior to the rise of the Empire, Shi’al desperately wishes to achieve the EQUALITY and ABOLITION of enslavement that she has been working towards her whole life. However, after she defects from the Empire, she’ll settle for PEACE.

LAYER    003    :    THOUGHTS.

* FIRST THOUGHTS WAKING UP: The day ahead. Shi’al is a busy woman, and she must remain constantly aware of WHAT IS NEXT.

* WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT MOST:  Although much occupies her crowded thoughts, they are nevertheless dominated by DAYDREAMS. Sometimes, she is so swept up in the throes of a daydream that it seems as though she is in another world entirely. When she is not daydreaming, THE ARTS occupy her mind.

* WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT BEFORE BED: If she is not caught in the grasp of daydreams, then she will either review the day’s events — or ponder what lies ahead in her future.

* WHAT THEY THINK THEIR BEST QUALITY IS: She’s not sure.

LAYER    004    :    WHAT’S    BETTER?

* SINGLE OR GROUP DATES:   Single Dates — it’s a better way to get to know prospective partners.

* TO BE LOVED OR RESPECTED: Loved, because it is from love that respect can be borne.

* BEAUTY OR BRAINS:  Brains. Although Shi’al considers herself a connaisseur of beautiful souls, she is also aware that aesthetic appearance isn’t everything. More often than not, there is more to someone than the facade that they don in public. Nothing is as it seems.

* DOGS OR CATS: How dare you make her suffer from having to do such an impossible choice?

LAYER    005    :    DO    THEY…

* LIE:    House Valorum is a political powerhouse whose legacy stretches back a thousand years, and she grew up calling politicians her closest acquaintances. When this is coupled with the reality that she must LIE TO SURVIVE as a double agent for the Rebel Alliance, of course she lies.

* BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES:   It is complicated, for confidence is something that she falsely projects yet struggles to maintain.

* BELIEVE IN LOVE:   How could one such as herself not believe in love, when their very career consists of performing fairytales every night for a live audience? Shi’al is a wholehearted believer in true love, and she is also a gentle soul who loves most everyone she meets. After all, only a soul such as this would be able to forgive Darth Tyranus for his brutal torture. In her eyes, everyone deserves compassion and everyone is worthy of experiencing love.

* WANT SOMEONE: She has always yearned for a KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR to sweep her off her feet and give her a romance straight from the pages of a fairytale, so perhaps, the answer is yes.

LAYER    006    :    HAVE    THEY    EVER…

* BEEN ON STAGE:   As a BALLET DANCER and OPERA STAR, she will often joke that her entire life has been spent on stage. Thus, she has indeed been on stage, and considers the Coruscant Opera House a second home.

* CHANGED WHO THEY WERE TO FIT IN:  It was an UNFORTUNATE NECESSITY to survive in the political scene of the empire. If she had remained who she was before Emperor Palpatine’s reign, the vultures that she called her colleagues would’ve eaten her alive.

LAYER    007    :    FAVORITES.

* FAVOURITE COLOUR:  Blush Pink, Gold, Lavender, Crimson Red, Silver

* FAVOURITE ANIMAL:   Dove

* FAVOURITE BOOK:   Assuming that our world’s literature exists in the Star Wars universe, Shi’al would answer either Shakespeare’s Macbeth or Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice if asked this question.

* FAVOURITE GAME: Chess.

LAYER    008    :    AGE.

* DAY THEIR NEXT BIRTHDAY WILL BE:  May Sixteenth.

* HOW OLD WILL THEY BE:   Universe and Timeline Dependent.

LAYER    009  :   FINISH    THE    SENTENCE.

* I LOVE: Life itself. There are so many beautiful things to experience in our galaxy, don’t you think?

* I FEEL: Hunted. Every single day, the enemies that I have made are hunting me down, plotting somewhere to end my life. There is never a moment’s peace; I must always look over my shoulder to make sure that I am safe. This is the life I must lead — the only way to escape it is to be silent, and I must not ever allow myself to be SILENCED. Silence is compliance with oppression. I abhor oppression.

* I HIDE: Bitter envy of the romances that others experience. Envy does nothing but DESTROY, and I want to BUILD OTHERS UP rather than TEAR THEM DOWN. Still, it eats away at my heart. Sometimes, I must also hide just how POWERLESS I feel to enact meaningful change.

* I MISS: Blissful ignorance. If only I could go back in time to the wonderful days before I knew that my godfather was a MONSTER.

* I WISH: for freedom. I don’t want to be a puppet anymore — it makes me feel trapped.

TAGGED BY no one.

TAGGING @misfittcd (Lahani), @nieithryn (Calista), @k4ssa (Cassian), @stars-written (Nil-Rae), @frxncaise (Angélique), @wornkindness (Amelia), @mayxthexforce (Rajeev), @unwaivering (Seth), @vendettavalor (Aurelia), @divinehr (Priscilla), AND YOU.

#OOOOOPS THIS GOT LONG #I wanted to dig deep into her character and this presented the perfect chance to do so #⠇ dashboard game ⠇ ━━━ the latest gossip in coruscant #⠇ headcanons ⠇ ━━━ the songbird trapped in a golden cage

[valorums]

MUSE AESTHETICS

LIST 3-5 THINGS FOR EACH CATEGORY THAT YOU ASSOCIATE WITH YOUR MUSE

EMOTIONS / FEELINGS:

the LONGING of a chronic daydreamer who yearns to experience a fairytale romance for herself.

CHILDLIKE AWE for the galaxy’s countless wonders.

SORROW for the innocent souls who suffer needlessly, whose pain and heartache is experienced as her own.

marrow-deep EXHAUSTION that never seems to end.

the naïve HOPE that tomorrow will be better.

GREETINGS / SAYINGS:

❝ Well, kriff. ❞

❝ Please, call me Shi’al. ❞

❝ It is a pleasure. ❞

COLORS:

PASTEL PINK

SILVER

CERULEAN BLUE

CRIMSON RED

OBSIDIAN BLACK

SCENTS:

ROSES delivered backstage to her dressing room after a triumphant performance

EVENING PRIMROSE from the Jedi Temple gardens

OLD BOOKS AND MANUSCRIPTS that are housed in Chancellor Palpatine’s extensive collection.

ATTIRE:

ballerina TUTUS.

extravagant BALLGOWNS that sparkle in the light.

DRESSES patterned with intricate floral motifs.

RIBBONS woven intricately throughout sunshine curls.

SILKEN PAJAMAS.

OBJECTS:

the THROWING KNIVES given to her as a tenth birthday present by then-Senator Palpatine.

the GOLDEN PENDANT in the shape of the republic’s insignia, worn around her neck every day.

a white steel and silver CROWN crafted to resemble a shining star in the night sky, borne from the diligent paws of a close family friend.

BALLET POINTE SHOES, donned with pride during her time as Prima Ballerina of the Coruscant Opera House.

VICES / BAD HABITS:

the moral and social HYPOCRISY cultivated by a slow transformation into the very thing that she once swore to destroy, reliant entirely upon COGNITIVE DISSONANCE in order to remain in place.

RECKLESSLY wielding her IMMENSE WIT and SHARP TONGUE in the heat of the moment, thus forgetting that her foe is capable of ensuring her destruction.

NAÏVETÉ amidst a well-intentioned desire to believe the best of others, even during times of war.

LONGING for a fairytale romance which is transformed into INSECURITY amidst the passage of time — and, if kept unchecked and unrestrained, burning JEALOUSY.

BODY LANGUAGE:

HEAD TILTING to express curiosity.

lips curling upward into a MISCHEVIOUS SMIRK.

SHOULDERS SQUARING in defiance.

FINGERS STEEPLED upon a desk.

AESTHETICS:

the tempest on the horizon.

the scales of justice, albeit unbalanced.

pure light embodied in a single human soul.

the conversation of a well-rehearsed orchestra.

a pawn maneuvered in the hands of a chessmaster.

SONGS:

THE SLEEPING BEAUTY, ACT 1 VALSE — Tchaikovsky

APPLAUSE — Lady Gaga

MATERIAL GIRL — Madonna

NO BODY, NO CRIME — Taylor Swift

POOR MARIONETTE — Sarah Cothran

`➠⠀:⠀⠀ TAGGED BY :⠀⠀ @alootus

TAGGING :⠀ @jedicide (Anakin), @jedibarsenthor (Drak), @mayxthexforce (Rajeev), @mvndrvke (Satine), @magikborn (Violet), @stars-written (Nil-Rae), @mandogold (Ayina), @shadowedlights, @oflightsbeam (Hera), @vendettavalor (Piper), @tcsaveyou (Luke), @vivalavillain (Xanatos), & YOU.

#⠇ dashboard game ⠇ ━━━ the latest gossip in coruscant #⠇ headcanons ⠇ ━━━ the songbird trapped in a golden cage

[valorums]

✈️ [ plane ] — an outfit that your muse would wear for some sort of travel

── ⠀⠀@kylo-wrecked

⠀⠀[ ⠀⠀ FROM The Wonderful World of Wardrobes ⠀⠀]

* UNIVERSE / TIMELINE: Canonical

AS A CELEBRITY FIGURE, even an ordinary activity like OFF-PLANET TRAVEL forces Shi’al into the public eye. Thus, when Shi’al selects her outfits for travel, she has to find a delicate balance between VISUAL AESTHETIC APPEAL and COMFORT. This is an example of what she might wear to visit a planet with a colder climate.

#⠇ askbox replies ⠇ ━━━ all i ask of you #⠇ headcanons ⠇ ━━━ the songbird trapped in a golden cage #⠇ visuals / wardrobe ⠇ ━━━ the finest fabrics in the galaxy

[valorums]

🪦 [ gravestone ] — an outfit that your muse would wear for a funeral of a family member or friend

── ⠀⠀@kylo-wrecked

⠀⠀[ ⠀⠀ FROM The Wonderful World of Wardrobes ⠀⠀]

* UNIVERSE / TIMELINE: Canonical

FOR HER FATHER’S FUNERAL, Shi’al chose to wear something SIMPLE, yet nevertheless ELEGANT. Grief coupled with exhaustion stole whatever energy she attempted to muster for the occasion — for once in her life, she lacked the instinctual desire to dress ELABORATELY.

#funeral mention #⠇ askbox replies ⠇ ━━━ all i ask of you #⠇ headcanons ⠇ ━━━ the songbird trapped in a golden cage #⠇ visuals / wardrobe ⠇ ━━━ the finest fabrics in the galaxy

[valorums]

☘️ [ clover ] — an outfit that your muse would wear for attending a gathering for friends and family.

── ⠀⠀@inebranlabl

⠀⠀[ ⠀⠀ FROM The Wonderful World of Wardrobes ⠀⠀]

* UNIVERSE / TIMELINE: Canonical

FOR SIMPLE GATHERINGS with family and friends, especially if they were hosted during the daytime, depicted here is just one example of the countless sundresses that Shi’al has in her collection to don at such events. FLORAL PATTERNS are a major motif present within her wardrobe in the Star Wars canon; she wears them frequently during the prequel trilogy as a symbolic representation of her genuinely good heart and gentle soul.

#if you’re seeing this post it is a sign — send me more of these prompts? 🥺👉🏻👈🏻 #⠇ askbox replies ⠇ ━━━ all i ask of you #⠇ headcanons ⠇ ━━━ the songbird trapped in a golden cage #⠇ visuals / wardrobe ⠇ ━━━ the finest fabrics in the galaxy

[valorums]

🗣️ [ silhouette ] — an outfit that your muse would wear to give a speech / for public speaking.

── ⠀⠀@divinehr

⠀⠀[ ⠀⠀ FROM The Wonderful World of Wardrobes ⠀⠀]

* UNIVERSE / TIMELINE: Canonical

WHEN PRESS SECRETARY VALORUM begins giving speeches to the Imperial Senate on Palpatine’s behalf and hosting regular Press Briefings, she makes the ENTIRELY CONSCIOUS and CAREFULLY PREMEDIATED decision for her attire to resemble the Emperor’s own. This simple yet elegant black gown with red accents donned during one of her press briefings in the earliest years of the Empire is one such example of an instance where these parallels may be found — it resembles the costume worn by Palpatine during his capture by Count Dooku.

#⠇ askbox replies ⠇ ━━━ all i ask of you #⠇ headcanons ⠇ ━━━ the songbird trapped in a golden cage #⠇ visuals / wardrobe ⠇ ━━━ the finest fabrics in the galaxy

[valorums]

Are there any tropes fandom would put upon your character, for better or for worse?

── ⠀⠀@misfittcd

⠀⠀[ ⠀⠀ FROM if your oc was canon⠀⠀]

There absolutely are. As I discussed in this post, Shi’al would be an incredibly POLARIZING character within the Star Wars community due to her role as COMMENTARY on humanity’s hypocrisy. Therefore, she is naturally a PERFECT VICTIM for mischaracterization through common tropes — both those which are fandom specific and those which are applicable to media at large — in fan-made content.

CANON: ⠀⠀Shi’al Valorum is a complex and multi-faceted character, whose moral CORRUPTION is meant to highlight both the sheer CHARISMA wielded by PALPATINE and the susceptibility of even the most well-intentioned humans to propaganda. The degradation of her morality depicted within this story can happen to ANY OF US, even the most righteous souls. We are all capable of both good and evil, no matter our origins or fiercely protected systems of belief.

FANON: ⠀⠀Shi’al Valorum is either a CARICATURE of a VILLAIN or a PARAGON of all that is GOOD and PURE in the galaxy; it is not possible for her to be MORALLY GRAY.

CANON: ⠀⠀Prior to ORDER SIXTY-SIX, Shi’al Valorum absolutely adored the JEDI ORDER and viewed them as honorary members of her family. Only when Palpatine managed to convince her that their existence was detrimental to the greater good of the galaxy did she agree to participate in a propaganda campaign denouncing the Jedi.

FANON: ⠀⠀The Jedi are at fault for not freeing Shi’al from her life as a PUPPET to PALPATINE. She was all too glad to participate in creating PROPAGANDA that vilified the Jedi Order because of her valid resentment towards their dogmatic ways and blindness regarding her corruption.

CANON: ⠀⠀There was a brief time where Shi’al Valorum FELL IN LOVE with Anakin Skywalker; however, she let go of her romantic affections once it became evident that he had won Padmè’s heart, so that her friendship with Padmè would not be jeopardized by childish JEALOUSY and broken hearts.

FANON: ⠀⠀The character of Shi’al Valorum will be reduced to a mere OBSTACLE for the development of ANIDALA (Anakin x Padmè), our much more beloved — and canonical — ship. Despite canon explicitly addressing the fact that she eventually lets go of her jealousy, we will portray her in our fanworks as VINDICATIVE and PETTY towards Padmè and Anakin for the sake of manufacturing DRAMA.

These are just a few examples — I have more swimming around in my head, but if I write them down here as well, then this post will become a full blown essay 😭

#⠇ askbox replies ⠇ ━━━ all i ask of you #⠇ headcanons ⠇ ━━━ the songbird trapped in a golden cage

[valorums]

@kylo-wrecked and @vivalavillain       sent        …      What do you imagine the most popular ship(s) for your character would be?

╰► SOURCE: If Your OC Was Canon.

SHI’AL X ANAKIN

I miiiiiight be biased with this answer because it is one of the main ships that I’ve been writing here on this blog, but I’d imagine that there would be a decently large faction of the fandom who ships Shi’al and Anakin together rather than Padmè and Anakin — especially when people start figuring out that Shi’al, Dooku, and Anakin are mirror images of each other. For Shi’al, Anakin is canonically the One That Got Away. He is the right person at the wrong time, who had his heart set entirely on someone else and subsequently broke Shi’al’s heart. The folks who ship them would probably have a grand old time writing fix it AU’s and making headcanons for timelines where Shi’al and Anakin did get together. Inevitably, there would ultimately be ship wars with people who ship Anakin and Padmè.

SHI’AL x PADMÈ

Even though I headcanon them as sisters in all but blood , there would undoubtedly be fans who shipped Padmè and Shi’al together romantically. They are two sides of the same coin in many, many ways, and the fandom would be drawn towards the countless EERIE SIMILARITIES that they share. Frequent discourse over this dynamic occurs — the vast majority of the fandom sees their dynamic as platonic sisters, but some still ship them romantically because fandom is Like That.

HONORARY MENTIONS: Shi’al x Anakin x Padmè, Shi’al x Clovis, and for some reason I can also see Shi’al x Satine becoming popular???? Shi’al is an easy character to ship with, so I figure that there would be quite a few popular ships for her. Granted, the answer to this question varies depending on the universe we’re talking about.

#⠇ ooc ⠇ ━━━ dave filoni stole my last braincell. #⠇ headcanons ⠇ ━━━ the songbird trapped in a golden cage

[valorums]

CHARACTER ARCHETYPES

TAKE THE LINKED QUIZ AS YOUR CHARACTER.

SHI’AL VALORUM

56% PERFORMER: Taking center stage comes naturally to the Performer, whether at the water cooler or in front of an audience. They are magnetic and inspiring.

25% TASTEMAKER: The Tastemaker is always on top of the trends—or starting their own. Their sense of style is second to none and their taste, impeccable.

19% CAREGIVER: Friendly, sincere, and compassionate, the Caregiver finds their reward in helping others. No one could ask for a better best friend.

ENDA SERENNO (bonus / sith au)

48% ROYAL: When the Royal walks into a room, they command attention. They are the one in charge, and they enjoy reaping the rewards of their hard work.

28% SPIRITUAL: The Spiritual seeks a deeper meaning. For them, the journey of faith is never-ending. Thoughtful and compassionate, they have a strong sense of moral obligation.

24% VISIONARY: Leave it to others to live by the status quo. The Visionary is interested in new ways of seeing, solutions not yet imagined, products not yet built.

`➠⠀:⠀⠀ ACQUIRED FROM :⠀⠀@sithdestined

TAGGING :⠀⠀@mayxthexforce (Elodore), @mvndrvke (Seril), @magikborn (Violet), @vendettavalor (Rayn), @healingforce (Talam), @divinehr (Priscilla), @ofthestcrs (Ashla), @fallesto, @hotchocolatejedi (Luke), @shadowedlights, AND YOU.

#⠇ dashboard game ⠇ ━━━ the latest gossip in coruscant #⠇ headcanons ⠇ ━━━ the songbird trapped in a golden cage

[valorums]

@retrocognizantrecreant        sent        …      🎃 - A holiday-themed song that suits my muse / 🎚️ - A cultural piece that suits my muse

╰► SOURCE: RP Memes: Music Edition

🎃 ⠀ ⠀ ── ⠀ ⠀HOLIDAY-THEMED SONG

── ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀[ ⠀⠀ YOUTUBE LINK ⠀⠀]

⠀⠀ ⠀ALTHOUGH THIS ORCHESTRAL PIECE is not necessarily classified under the holiday umbrella, there have nevertheless been numerous occasions wherein I have seen orchestra directors select this piece for a Halloween-centric concert repertoire, including my own director for my university’s orchestra several semesters ago. I like to think of this piece as the perfect representation of the DARKER SIDE of Shi’al Valorum — the more sinister aspects of her character that she rarely demonstrates during the clone wars but which are fully demonstrated during the reign of the Empire.

🎚️ ⠀ ⠀ ── ⠀ ⠀CULTURAL PIECE

── ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀[ ⠀⠀ YOUTUBE LINK ⠀⠀]

⠀⠀THIS TRADITIONAL ENGLISH FOLK song lists a number of IMPOSSIBLE TASKS given to the singer’s former lover. It’s a gentle melody that I can envision Shi’al singing entirely for pleasure and vocal practice, but I can also see it as a metaphor for Shi’al’s evolving relationship with the Old Republic. The question of who is the singer and who is the former lover is interchangeable; Shi’al holds the Old Republic to a standard that is impossible for this government to meet, and the Old Republic holds Shi’al to a moral standard that is impossible for her to meet.

#⠇ askbox replies ⠇ ━━━ all i ask of you #⠇ headcanons ⠇ ━━━ the songbird trapped in a golden cage

[valorums]

UNIVERSE: Force Suppressed / Force Sensitive

Shi’al, in certain branches of her Force Suppressed universe where Chancellor Palpatine is executed or otherwise killed, carries Sidious’s lightsaber as her own after the kyber crystal chooses her of its own volition. At first, Shi’al wants nothing to do with the lightsaber that has performed so many evil deeds, and vehemently rejects the lightsaber’s presence. However, Master Yoda convinces her that perhaps the blade ought to be given the chance to be wielded as a weapon for good. She purifies its kyber crystal, and instead of its familiar crimson red, the blade now glows white when activated.

        Alongside Palpatine’s blade, she also wields a lightsaber of her own design. The lightsaber’s kyber crystal is acquired during a visit to Ilum, and takes on a purple hue in order to symbolize her affinity for commanding both the light side and the dark side of the Force.

Despite what one may think given her extensive self-defense training, Shi’al struggles immensely with mastering lightsaber combat forms. She briefly considered them to be her greatest weakness as a Jedi Padawan, but this changes when she realizes that combat is, for all intents and purposes, a dance. Thus, she designs an eighth lightsaber combat form based upon slight modifications to Makashi and careful applications of technique learned during her many years as a ballet dancer.

#( 𝑨𝑳𝑻𝑬𝑹𝑵𝑨𝑻𝑬 𝑼𝑵𝑰𝑽𝑬𝑹𝑺𝑬 / force sensitive ) ⠀⠀ ଽ ⠀⠀force suppressed⠀⠀—⠀⠀canon divergent #⠇ headcanons ⠇ ━━━ the songbird trapped in a golden cage #⠇ ooc ⠇ ━━━ dave filoni stole my last braincell.

[valorums]

Before she becomes Palpatine’s press secretary, he puts her in charge of managing every single one of the Republic’s official social media accounts during the Clone Wars.

#As much as I hate to admit it Shi’al would be an active TikToker #⠇ headcanons ⠇ ━━━ the songbird trapped in a golden cage

[valorums]

UNIVERSE: All Universes

Alongside her extensive training in ballet, Shi’al also pursued instruction in MARTIAL ARTS as a form of SELF DEFENSE. It was her father who insisted in this pursuit — life as the chancellor’s daughter is quite dangerous, and Finis wished for her to be able to protect herself amidst the assassination threats made against their family on an almost daily basis.

           Shi’al, although initially reluctant to begin her training and vehement in her protests against it, soon took to martial arts like a moth to a flame. She genuinely excelled in the field, climbing through the ranks of the CORUSCANT ACADEMY FOR THE MARTIAL ARTS at a breakneck pace. By the dawn of the Clone Wars, Shi’al had acquired a black belt, and was experienced enough to join the academy’s Grandmaster — a CHALACTAN human by the name of VAADRA JOVEM — as his Assistant Instructor. Notably, Grandmaster Jovem taught Shi’al how to wield a KATANA SWORD during the time wherein she was under his tutelage. This, amongst the many other lessons that she learned from the man, saved her life numerous times throughout the Clone Wars.

However, her hands, her voice, and a katana sword aren’t the only weapons with which Shi’al is gifted. For Shi’al’s tenth birthday, her godfather — a close family friend by the name of SHEEV PALPATINE — gifted her a set of silver THROWING KNIVES and a DAGGER to be used in combat. In this, too, she proved herself a prodigy; she grew so adept in the art of knife throwing that hitting the bullseye of a target was pure instinct, and she could even do so whilst blindfolded.

      When one is as prominent as Shi’al, every second spent out in public is a second where your life may be in jeopardy. Hence, Shi’al made a concrete effort to learn these various combat skills in all forms of attire. She gave particular focus to learning hand-in-hand combat while wearing dresses. It was not unusual to see her decked out in a ballgown, ballet tutu, or even one of her opera costumes while training in the dojang. Suffice to say, she can hold her own in a fight.

#⠇ headcanons ⠇ ━━━ the songbird trapped in a golden cage