#maul will say it was dryden but it was really him | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

aces-to-apples · 4 years

Note

20 and Jessemaul please 🙏

For this ask meme

This got really horny, but like in a weird way, and I am so sorry.

NOT SAFE FOR WHALES

CITRUS SCALE: LEMON (POSSIBLY GRAPEFRUIT, I DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW WEIRD YOU GOTTA GET FOR THAT)

Warnings: Kink negotiation but maybe not quite enough, rough sex, overstimulation, biting and bruising, i think this counts as pain play, D/s, mild(?) sub drop/aftercare, crying during sex, safe word use, asexual character having sex

Here on AO3

20. Confessions

Three months after finally returning to Dathomir, Jesse sat down across from Maul and said, "I want you to hold me down and fuck me so hard I beg you to stop."

They had been intimate since the mess that was Florrum, mostly relegated to hands and mouths, but the suddenness of the request was startling. If Maul were a lesser being, or perhaps merely if Jesse had said this earlier into their sexual relationship, he might have choked on his tea. As it was, he was sure his expression was amusingly wide-eyed to the lieutenant.

"I take it you'd like me to use the... assistive equipment you've mentioned before," he said at length. Jesse's voice had been firm, unyielding, but he carried a tension in his shoulders, hands clasped his own cup so tightly as to turn his knuckles white, and his gaze was fixed on the small eating table between them. This was something... important to him, likely related to the way he'd been prowling about the residence lately. "And should I stop, when you beg me to?"

Deep brown eyes darted up, looking caught, before jerking aside to bore holes into the wall. "No, I... If I want you to actually stop, I'll say 'blue.' That's what a safe-word is."

Maul hummed. "And if I don't want to do this?" he asked, curious.

Jesse ground his teeth. "Then we don't."

He looked as if the prospect pained him. Their minds were no longer as deeply entangled as they had been when their bond was first established, but sometimes Maul missed it. The closeness made communication so much easier.

"This is something you want," he noted, watching with fascination as the skin around Jesse's eyes tightened. "Or, it's something you need."

His ver'alor snarled and a bit of frozen gold crept into his irises. "I don't need anything from you."

Which was such a blatant lie that Maul sat back in his chair and silently observed the fuming lieutenant. As a clone and a very sexual Human man, Jesse needed quite a bit, from Maul in particular.

He needed training in the Force. He needed trusted companionship in the absence of his brothers, sisters, and siblings. He needed skin-to-skin contact like he needed food, becoming sullen and aggressive without it. He needed regular sexual release, although he had admitted that involving Maul in the proceedings was merely a heavy preference.

An incident early into their partnership had proven their needs different, and at times incompatible. With their bond stabilized and their minds no longer so entwined, those differences became stark.

Seeking the physical affection Maul had, until that specific incident, been pleased enough to provide, Jesse had stepped right up against his back and pressed their bodies together. One hand had wrapped around his waist while the other crept underneath his shirt and grasped Maul's opposite shoulder. Jesse’s breath had fanned across the back of his neck and the prickling discomfort and irritation that had plagued Maul all throughout that day had solidified.

The rumbling growl had begun deep in his chest and ripped out of his throat with all the implicit threat his instincts could muster. Jesse had gone prey-still.

Slowly, so as not to startle him, Jesse had released his waist and removed his hand from Maul's skin, then put a careful distance between them.

"Sorry, vod," he'd said after a long silence, the two of them getting their bearings. "Didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

Maul had managed to force through gritted teeth that he didn't want to be touched at that time and the incident passed with some adjustment. Ever since, Jesse had brushed a questioning tendril across Maul's mind before initiating such contact. With this in mind, Maul knew that if he declined Jesse's request, that would likely be the end of it.

"Would late afternoon tomorrow be acceptable?" he finally said. "I have a meeting with Dryden Vos, which will no doubt be tedious."

Jesse's nose wrinkled at the mention of his least favorite of their figureheads, but the tightness around his eyes lessened. "Yeah, should be good."

Yes, the request was clearly something that Jesse needed quite badly.

To Maul's surprise, he entered Jesse's quarters after the meeting to find the room soaked with desperate, frustrated lust. He had clearly underestimated the severity of Jesse’s need, if he’d foregone any foreplay in favor of, in his own words, slicking himself up.

“Kriffing finally,” his ver’alor growled, tossing a scrap of clothing that he’d apparently saved for Maul’s appearance at his head. Ignoring the annoyed flick of Maul’s fingers to dislodge the fabric from his horns, he jerked his chin. “Harness is over there. Now, please come over here and fuck me.”

Rolling his eyes at the impatience, Maul stalked over to the indicated table and began to undress.

He could feel the spike of interest as he carefully folded his shirt and placed it aside. Jesse had once admitted that sexual preference in clones tended towards highly individualized species, had called Maul’s markings ‘tooka-nip.’

Maul focused on the feeling of Jesse’s arousal as it brushed against his mind, rather than the awkwardness and indignity of figuring out the aforementioned harness. He knew he was more sensitive to perceived derision than Jesse deemed ‘strictly healthy, by Kix’s standards’; if he allowed himself to become distracted by his insecurities, his already-simmering temper would lash out.

He also rolled his eyes at the red and black markings on the toy that Jesse had selected for his use. “Cute,” he muttered, fiddling with everything to make sure it was properly settled.

“Hot,” Jesse corrected from his place on the bed. “Very hot. Are you going to make me beg first or something?”

Maul sighed and made his way over to the bed. “No, I believe you requested that happen later in the proceedings.” He cast a critical eye over what he saw and could admit that the sight of Jesse splayed across silken sheets was evocative.

The lieutenant had gained weight since coming to Dathomir, his body eagerly hoarding fat and muscle at the slightest opportunity, and the way his warm brown skin stretched across both was pleasing. As was the flush of blood across various aspects of his anatomy as his fingers began twisting among the sheets, becoming more and more worked up the longer Maul did nothing to further his aims.

“Please,” he whined, panting and watching him beneath hooded eyes, his pupils blown wide. His hard-earned shields dropped a bit, letting Maul feel how desperately he wanted this, wanted him.

Swallowing a sudden rush of saliva, Maul carefully crawled between Jesse’s legs and braced himself above his ver’alor. “Is there anything else you need?” he asked, thinking of the little research he’d done that morning before Dryden Vos’ arrival.

“I—” Jesse began, swallowing thickly. “Pin my wrists, too.”

Maul hummed, unsurprised. “And we already know you like my voice,” he prompted. “Is there anything you’d like me to say?”

The blush across his cheeks really was quite beautiful, even if he was avoiding Maul’s gaze. “Nah, nothing—nothing in particular.”

“I see... Would you like me to fuck you now?”

For all his uncharacteristic shyness, the tease met its mark and Jesse leaned up to bite at Maul’s mouth with a silly little growl. Maul let him control the kiss and reveled in his groan as he guided the toy inside his body.

He spent a few moments testing how best to move, keeping a careful eye on how Jesse reacted to each thrust. While he had memories of Jesse’s memories to draw from, he had no practical experience of his own. That suddenly, with the lieutenant squirming beneath him, seemed an oversight. In fact, it was surprising that Jesse had waited this long to ask for it.

“Is this what you want?” he asked lazily, one hand tilting Jesse’s hips to see what difference it made to his enjoyment and the other braced above their heads to keep him steady. “Is this what you need?”

“Ngh,” Jesse eloquently replied. “S’good.”

“But... not quite?”

His head thrashed from side to side and a leg curled up his side, letting Maul sink deeper into his body. “Harder,” he gasped, “fuck me harder.”

Fairly confident now, Maul snapped his hips and watched avidly as Jesse’s lips parted. He did it again, and again, and Jesse groaned and reached up to drag him down for another kiss. Feeling generous, he allowed it for a moment before catching his wrists and pinning them above above his head.

Jesse broke away, seemingly unable to catch his breath, and carefully tested Maul’s grip. He tightened it into something that must be painful and felt a ripple of pleasure all his own at how the lieutenant melted beneath him.

He continued fucking him carefully, increasing the force behind each thrust only marginally, until he reached what Jesse was after.

The bed, a sturdy thing made to last, shuddered against the wall when Jesse’s moans turned to whimpers. Curious, Maul moved farther up the bed, bending Jesse nearly in half and increasing the weight on his wrists. The choked noise of pain and pleasure he got in response was gratifying, but the garbled sob of “stop” gave him pause.

Jesse often mocked his obsessive need for dominance but hurting him in such an intimate manner was not something from which Maul derived pleasure.

He leaned down and pressed his mouth to Jesse’s throat. “If you want me to stop, you say ‘blue,’” he reminded, then snapped his hips and sank his teeth into the yielding flesh. He could feel Jesse’s shout even more than he could here it.

Maul mentally grimaced and prepared for Jesse to say it, but did not stop. He worked his jaw so that he was nearly chewing on his lover, and the change in position made it difficult to truly thrust, resulting in sharp hitches of his hips that... certainly garnered a reaction. The cries turned quickly to crying, which tested his resolve nearly to its breaking point.

Jesse was strong and fierce and sure; it was a tad distressing to know that his actions were the cause of his tears, his shuddering sobs, the way he strained desperately against Maul’s hold. But this, he continued to remind himself, was what Jesse asked for.

“Please stop, please, Maul, I’ll be good, I swear, please...”

Disconcerted, Maul released one of Jesse’s hands, keeping it immobilized through the Force, and trailed his fingers down his chest to wrap around his cock. He would hopefully be content to stop after he came. Fortunately, Maul was well-versed in wringing as orgasm out of his lieutenant with his hands, and as worked up as he already was, it didn’t take long.

He slowed his thrusts and eased the bite into only the presence of his teeth as Jesse came between them, acutely aware that the overstimulation would be uncomfortable to painful. Somehow, he was unsurprised when Jesse, face covered in saltwater, made an inarticulate noise of protest.

With a deep breath, Maul resumed his previous pace, each thud of the bed against the wall suddenly making him wince.

Jesse’s pleas did not change in pitch, but content. “Please, please, fuck, oh fuck, fuck me please, Maul, fuck me, please, fuck, fuck please Kix—”

Startled, Maul’s hips stuttered, and the damage was done.

“Ah, fuck,” Jesse yelped, his voice full of something Maul couldn’t identify. “Fuck, Maul stop, blue.”

Immediately, he stilled and released his hold on the lieutenant’s wrists.

“Would you like me to—”

“Yes, please,” Jesse hiccupped, covering his face with one hand. He didn’t react when Maul pulled fully away, nor when he left the bed to remove the harness and put everything aside for cleaning later.

Unsure, Maul reached out and brushed Jesse’s mind like a question. The response was another shield-drop, which revealed a swirling morass of emotion that Maul lacked the emotional literacy to fully understand. Grief was easy enough to identify, but there was also a great deal of something that tasted like a relative of shame, and a strange dullness creeping along the edges of everything.

Maul steeled himself and ran his tongue over his teeth before turning to face him.

Jesse hadn’t moved much, his legs still brace against the bed, showing off the bruises forming along his hips, the backs of his thighs, around his wrists. The bite mark lacked any ounce of subtlety—a hair’s breadth from bleeding, it was far too high and prominent to be hidden by any clothes of theirs, and spectacular bruising would no doubt bloom around the imprints of his teeth.

Covered in marks and splattered with his own come, Jesse looked like he’d been ravaged. Maul wasn’t sure how much pride he was supposed to take in that, nor how much regret. The longer he stood apart, trying to piece together what he was meant to do, the more pronounced the minute trembling that Maul had taken as exhaustion became.

Jesse’s breath hitched visibly and he at once felt superfluous.

“Ah. Should I. Do you want me to touch you?” Maul asked, completely at a loss.

“Yes,” Jesse gasped, with that terrible, watery tone that meant he was crying again. “Yes. Please. Touch me.”

Clear instruction given, Maul strode back over and settled along his side, careful not to settle between Jesse’s legs again. Hesitating, he slid one arm underneath his shoulders, then huffed out a breath when he arms were suddenly full of quaking clone.

“Pet me,” came a falsely-imperious order, muffled by the meat of his shoulder. When Maul obliged, stroking his free hand down Jesse’s spine, the lieutenant shuddered and sniffled. “Tell me I did a good job.”

“You did very well, ver’alor,” Maul praised immediately. “Such a... good job. Well done, Jesse.”

Jesse took an unsteady breath.

“Tell me you love me.” The words reverberated between them, leaving no room for thought. “I’m sorry, you don’t have to—I’m sorry. For saying Kix’s name, too.”

Maul frowned, unsure if he wished for the openness of their unshielded bond at that moment or not. “I... don’t see why you should apologize,” he eventually said. “He’s your riduur.”

“And I’m fucking you,” Jesse spat, sounding angry. “I shouldn’t have. I asked you for this and then didn’t even say your name.”

“As I recall, you said my name many times.” He could hear Jesse swallow a whine. “Kix is important to you. I don’t protest his... presence, shall we say, during these proceedings.”

“He’s gone,” Jesse whispered.

“Lost, not dead. Out of our reach but for the moment. We’ll find him.” Still unsure what Jesse needed, Maul tightened his grip around his shoulders and continued stroking a firm hand up and down his back. “Did you get what you wanted?”

“I—”

Jesse rolled over, out of Maul’s arms, and flung an arm over his eyes. “Yes,” he muttered, sounding put out. “You were fucking me perfectly and then I karked it up—”

“I don’t see how saying Kix’s name is any different from talking about Alpha-17 while I’m pleasuring you with my mouth,” Maul said glibly.

The following silence was telling.

“That happened once,” Jesse said, sitting up to glare at him, “and you asked.”

Maul shrugged, unconcerned with such trivialities. “Will you want to do this again?” he asked and took his answer from the way Jesse immediately looked away. “Do you... want this to become a regular addition to our usual activities?”

“No, I—” His lieutenant scrubbed a hand over his face, grimacing at the discomfort of dried salt water. “I don’t need it very often, I just. Feeling cooped up, is all. Think I wanna take you up on that offer to take on some more responsibilities for the Collective.”

He said it like a challenge, like Maul wasn’t fascinated by his mind and the way he conducted business.

“That sounds very fine,” he said and bridged the gap between them to press his mouth against Jesse’s cheek. “And you? You’re well?”

Jesse blinked big brown eyes at him and smiled softly. “Yeah, vod. I’m good.”

“Good.”

He waited until his ver’alor had relaxed once more, confident that any missteps had been addressed, then pressed his lips to his ear.

“And Jesse? Since you asked. I believe I do.”

#answered asks #ask meme #fic bits #sw fic #king of the damned #by apples #jesse/maul #not safe for whales #citrus scale #lemon #arc trooper jesse #darth maul #trooper/trooper relationships #jessix #jesse17

48 notes · View notes

nchlsdmn · 4 years

Text

“Phantom Apprentice” Review...

The Phantom Apprentice is an episode full of action, terror, and a twist that will blow your mind! SPOILERS BELOW!!!

The episode starts without the fanfare, and without the narration, just straight into the action. Rex and his men manage to free Ahsoka from Maul’s grip, but the Sith lord gets away. He manages to take Arc Trooper Jesse hostage, and uses his mind control to learn more about Ahsoka.

Meanwhile, Ahsoka informs Obi-Wan about the news, and he tells her that Count Dooku has been killed by Anakin. He also tells her that Anakin is assigned to spy on the Chancellor, and that Kenobi is currently on Utapau looking for Grievous. He hopes that if Ahsoka can capture Maul, he can reveal more about the Sith Lord Darth Sidious.

Meanwhile, Maul informs The Black Sun, Pykes, and strangely enough Dryden Vos to go into hiding. I’m not 100% on board with bringing Disney’s failed “Solo” movie into Lucas-canon, but that fact that they took time to create a character model for Dryden is impressive on it’s own right.

Ahsoka decides to interrogate Almec to find out what Maul is really after. Almec says that Kenobi was just the start, but before he could tell her who else Maul was after, Gar Saxon shoots him in the chest twice! His last word was “Skywalker...” and as he falls dead, Ahsoka realizes that Anakin is a part of Maul’s plan.

They return to the throne room, only to find all the men guarding it slaughtered, and Jesse captured. Thankfully, Maul frees Jesse, but I have a feeling Maul has other plans for Jesse in the coming episode. An all-out battle starts between Death Watch and the clones, leaving Ahsoka alone to face Maul.

Maul tells Ahsoka that his plan was to lure Anakin here, killing him, and thus depriving Sidious of his new apprentice. Ahsoka believes that Maul is lying and that his vision is false, which angers Maul as he wanted Ahsoka to join him in his quest to defeat the Sith.

And thus, the two engage in a lightsaber duel, the first lightsaber duel we’ve ever seen since Twin Suns. And technically, that wasn’t even a duel, so Twilight of The Apprentice back in 2016 was the last lightsaber duel in Star Wars for a while. Ray Park and an Ahsoka stunt double provided the motion-capture for this fight, creating one of the most epic duels in quite a while.

Meanwhile, Rex and the clones battle Saxon and Rook’s forces, encountering many loses until Bo-Katan and her Mandalorians show up and save the day. Saxon is forced to surrender, and Maul goes to the top of the Mandalore dome to escape.

Ahsoka manages to make Maul lose his footing, and Captain Rex captures him. Maul screams “WE’RE ALL GOING TO DIE! YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DOING!” before Rex stuns him. Having won the Siege of Mandalore, Ahsoka is left to wonder, was Maul right?

This episode is another 10/10. Though not as epic as the previous episode, it gleans more into Revenge of The Sith, and the so-called “Phantom Apprentice” is revealed to be none other than Anakin Skywalker. Things are about to get worse for Ahsoka and Rex, as Order 66 nears and the dark side looms.

172 notes · View notes

sellyoursoulforagoodfic · 4 years

Text

27/50 Kisses: As a Suggestion

Maul x reader

Word Count: 493

These sorts of parties always bored you, not to tears but it was a near thing. Unfortunately, these stupid little soires were sometimes necessary in order to keep the heads of Crimson Dawn pleased. Dryden Vos acted as the gracious host like he was supposed to, but sometimes it was necessary that you and Maul attend so you could personally see that the figurehead had everyone firmly under his thumb.

In order to properly blend in, Maul had to make himself blend in and not look like himself, which added another layer of annoyance for both of you because to do that he had to paint every bit of skin that would be left showing by whatever outfit he would wear. First came the matter of matching the red paint to his skin tone, then came the repainting of different tattoos. His vibrant red skin made it obvious that he was from Dathomir, so he couldn’t exactly be light-handed with the black markings. Just painting himself a blank red wasn’t an option. Fortunately, the two of you had come up with the different designs ages ago, so it was just a matter of applying them. All this just so he wouldn’t be recognized by any cameras, and all that so he could keep some gangsters fat and happy.

And you knew you would absolutely never get used to seeing the man you loved with basically a different face, but as if you would ever complain about the way he was looking at you from across the room. Those burning yellow eyes held a heat that you were intimately familiar with. You raised an eyebrow at the man in challenge.

Which of course he took you up on. Immediately, he started stalking his way across the room like a large predator . . . which you supposed he was, in a way.

“Well, hello stranger,” you greeted teasingly. Your gaze remained focused on his eyes; it made it easier to see the man beneath the paint. “Want something specific or am I just playing the part of eye candy?”

“You’re a distraction.”

Smirking, you leaned forward and stole a peck of a kiss. “And? Whatcha gonna do about it?”

“We are supposed to be doing reconnaissance,” he complained. Even a stranger could hear that his heart really wasn’t in the statement.

“So?” you prompted, kissing him again. Your hand tangled itself in the V of his mostly-open shirt. “These guys are going to keep doing this same shit for hours without saying much, and you know it. How about you and I go somewhere more fun? Get the details from Rook and Saxon later.”

Apparently your touch was enough to break his resolve, because he was already grabbing your hand and dragging you off towards the compound’s living quarters. “You win this time,” he growled threateningly. “Don’t get used to it.”

“As you wish, my lord,” you snickered teasingly, enjoying the snarl that left him in response.

#maul x reader #maul imagine #darth maul x reader #darth maul imagine #reader insert #star wars imagine #sw imagine #50 kisses

86 notes · View notes

dalekofchaos · 3 years

Text

Few simple changes that I think could've saved Solo A Star Wars Story as a movie

Just a few things I think could’ve improved Solo

Anthony Ingruber plays Han Solo. He looks like Harrison Ford, he talks like Harrison Ford, and he even played a young Harrison Ford in the film Age of Adaline. Anthony Ingruber had even audition for the role of Han Solo and the fact he didn’t get it for a guy who had so much trouble, they needed to bring in an acting coach. Alden was so unconvincing as Han it was laughable. Anthony Ingruber was the perfect person to play Han and he should’ve been Han Solo. If Anthony played Han, it could’ve been as great as Donald’s take on Lando.

Han Solo picks his own name. Han is a rebel without a cause. He doesn’t care where he came from, so a random Imperial Officer should not be given Solo his last name. This is Han’s story, he should tell the officer that he’s Han Solo. Han not calling himself Solo was a really bad sign.

No L3-37, Qi’Ra and no Maul. Qi’Ra derailed Han as a character(I’ll explain more later), L3 really served no purpose and her being inserted into the Falcon is both fridging and takes away from Han making the Kessel Run and Maul served no purpose to be in a movie about Han Solo when Han does not believe in the Jedi or the force

Replace Qi'Ra with Sana Starros. Danai Gurira plays Sana

Focus more on Han Solo as a character. The problem I had with the movie is it focuses on everyone but Han and was just showing how he gets his things

Keep in the Imperial Cadet deleted scene in. It shows Han is a good pilot, that Han wanted to do the right thing while his time in service, but the Empire cares more about equipment than lives. In a sense, Han begins as optimistic and happy before and during his time with the Imperials, and then when we meet him after he's been an Imperial for a while, he's thoroughly beaten down by it and that's what turned him into the cynical bastard we saw at the start of New Hope.

Change the Battle of Mimban to Battle Of Kashyyyk. Reason? This is where Han would save Chewie. I always loved the Legends take where Han's superiors wanted Chewie dead, but instead Han saves Chewie. So here, we would soon realize that the Empire is here to beat down a Wookie Rebellion. Han is tasked by his superior officer to kill the captured Chewnacca. Han chooses to save Chewie and stuns his superior officer. Han and Chewie flee the planet and that's when Beckett's crew picks up Han and Chewie

Han is mentored by Beckett and it makes him the callous and cold smuggler we know him to be in A New Hope. Their relationship is similar to Fast Eddie and Vincent in Color Of Money

With no Qi’Ra, Beckett’s connection to Vos would introduce us to Lando

Focus more on Han and Lando’s friendship. Show us why Han and Lando have a strong friendship, show don’t tell. Have Han and Lando being smugglers in arms. And finally Lando would not leave he would patch himself up and return to help Han in the end. We really needed to see why Han sees so much reverence in his friendship to Lando in ESB. What we got from Solo makes Lando’s betrayal unsurprising. We needed to see why Lando was willing to sacrifice an old friendship to save Bespin from the Imperials, the emotional weight of Han and Lando’s friendship wasn’t there in the movie, it needed to be there so their friendship should’ve been one of the core elements of the movie.

Make Dryden Vos more of a legit threatening villain. Paul Bettany used to play really fucking evil gangster characters and that’s what I was hoping Dryden was going to be playing, but he was barely there. Make him cruel, and a clear danger. Prior to the meeting, show him execute an underling for insubordination and have him say “sorry for the mess” and show us that Beckett is in a horrible debt that he can’t seem to get out of, a mirror of Han and Jabba’s relationship in the future

The heist would be to steal Coaxium from a complex security vault on Kessel

Han and Sana would get “married” as a pretense for the big heist, while Lando and Chewie make the big score.

Han would make the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs on his own. Han needed to make the Kessel Run on his own. Having a droid being part of why he made the Kessel Run takes away the great feat that Han made and brags about in ANH. It shows he’s a great pilot and has what it takes. That’s kinda what we needed to see.

Beckett sells everyone out to Vos as per canon

When Vos has Han at his mercy, Lando comes to make the save and they kill Vos together

Han shoots Beckett first. But not because it was right or because of the money. Because Han saw it coming. Han learned everything from Beckett. Beckett would say “I would’ve done the same thing, kid.” and Han would say “I had a great teacher.” There needed a slight moral conundrum. Han respects Beckett and has learned a lot from him, but also knows that he absolutely can not be trusted and will inevitably kill Han without a care in the world if it means Beckett gets a better deal.

Han would only give Enfys Nest the Coaxium in exchange for a reward. So Enfys would give Han, Lando, Sana and Chewie enough stolen money the Marauders acquired throughout the years to be the perfect reward. Enfys asks Han to join the Rebellion, but Han makes it clear he’s in it for the money

The movie would end with Han and Lando playing Sabacc for the Falcon, maybe tweak it a little so it’s both a dice and card game, so that way Han uses the Dice we would see in TLJ to win the Falcon. This way it makes way more sense as to why Leia and Ben would feel emotional over the dice. It’s the lucky Dice that won the Falcon, it brought Han and Leia together and it’s something worth Ben feeling emotional about instead of Han’s jilted ex lover’s dice

Han should end the film leaving him as a guy who is mostly only going to get involved in capers due to the money. So that we can still make sense of the scene in ANH in which he takes the money and leaves (on Yavin) but only afterwards has a strike of conscience and returns to help Luke.

Solo wasn’t really a bad movie, I think it is a fun movie with great potential. The problem is they focused more on the future and not in the now, a movie about Han Solo does not focus on Han Solo and it’s not necessary at all and the story is very forgettable, and it really is just a cash grab. There is nothing remarkable about the movie and the only two characters who stand out as 100% only enjoyable to me are Enfys Nest and Lando. The rest of the characters just feel like unnecessary adds or barley passable imitations. So these are ways I would change Solo to make it a great movie

They made the movie about everything BUT Han Solo and their attempts to make Han a good man just betrays the character we knew in A New Hope. The reason why I chose to cut out Qi'Ra is because Han Solo having a love interest in my opinion was a pretty poor choice. Han Solo was always implied to be a loner before Leia came into his life. His name is SOLO. Han is a criminal smuggler, if anything he would've been sleeping around like Captain Kirk, especially Han in his 20's. Hell, in a deleted scene for ANH, Han basically has a small fling in the Cantina. As a matter of fact, showing that he was this intimate with someone before Leia takes a little bit of the mystique away from their relationship in later movies. I also felt like Han and Leia worked because they were the only ones who would get under each other's skins, but with here, Han and Qi'ra are just kind of in a relationship at the beginning and it's like "oh we don't even know these people" seeing him so deeply affected over another woman makes Han Solo comes across as a little bit more vulnerable than the Han we met in A New Hope.

Also why even have Qi'Ra when it's established that Han already had a wife in canon? Kathleen Kennedy sure does love her white Brunnettes doesn't she?

As for Maul. Does it need saying? Maul died in Rebels and bringing him back was pointless since mainstream audiences do not know that he survived. Also Han does not believe in the force and believes a blaster is superior to a Lightsaber

This whole movie shows a far more human Han, he's shown to be somewhat empathetic and sympathetic of others. He gives too much of a damn, there's a time or two in Solo where Han chooses to do what's right as opposed to what's right for him, he does jobs without looking for a real reward and that's just not Han Solo. In this movie it's clear that Han has a moral compass, whereas in the original trilogy, he was a lot more morally ambiguous and it was through Luke and Leia's influence and place in life that he began to become good. In A New Hope he had to constantly be reassured that he was going to be preciously rewarded. This completely destroys Han's arc in the original trilogy as this movie implies that Han was always a good guy.

#Star Wars #Han Solo #Solo A Star Wars Story #Lando Calrissian #Solorissian #Sana Starros #Chewbacca #Tobias Beckett #Drydon Vos

4 notes · View notes

kingofattolia · 4 years

Text

Siege of Mandalore Part II

his “loyal foal” Skywalker uhh lol this is such a weird thing to say??

you know we’ve nearly reached the end of all things when you start hearing Darth Sidious said out loud

“Darth Sidious is the Sith Lord who orchestrated the Clone Wars and played both sides of it from the beginning”

AHPHPMGHH THIS IS SO MUCH, THEY’RE SO CLOSE

this must be mostly taken from the Lost One arc but I’ve never heard anyone in universe state the truth so plainly before

WE’RE ALREADY INTO ROTS. WE’RE ALREADY THERE. WE HAVE 1 DAY IF NOT MERE HOURS

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

“Tell Anakin--” “I will.”

wow I need a detailed gif of Ahsoka's expression journey here

she looks at Obi-Wan like she's almost offended, then confused, then accepting??

IS THIS THE LAST TIME WE'RE GOING TO SEE OBI-WAN

and on a similar note WHY ARE THEY STILL DOING THIS TO HIM

he JUST fought with Ahsoka over this whole thing in the first place, just got through the Invisible Hand debacle, just fought with Anakin about the chancellor mission like twice, and now Ahsoka's yelling at him again

when did he even find time to comm Ahsoka? everything is his responsibility. is he already onboard his ship? is this after the "you are strong and wise and I am very proud of you" moment, or before???

HAS HE SEEN ANAKIN'S (semi) SANE FACE FOR THE LAST TIME

he's about to go to Utapau and watch the world end, but Ahsoka doesn't know that

I'm spiraling I can't handle this

did I hallucinate that Rex just said "yes ma'am" UMM WHAT? when did THIS become a thing? what happened to "yes sir"?!?!?

"Bo, help him remember" has such "Fezzik, jog his memory" energy

Dryden Vos cameo!

THE FORCE DEFLECTING BLASTER BOLTS... FIRST TIME I'VE EVER SEEN IT PRE-TFA

I wish

Maul

would talk

LESS

as much as I love Maul saying Ahsoka has "Kenobi's arrogance" she's so right. Maul is the one drunk on hubris. he couldn't even take Obi-Wan by himself with two-to-one odds. imagine Anakin and Obi-Wan BOTH turning up. they would have ended Maul in under a minute

WE'RE REALLY IN IT NOW

#tcw #tcw spoilers #star wars #grace for ts #lists of things with grace #ahsoka #that duel was visually gorgeous #i love the fighting on the girders #and the way ahsoka's previewing her double 'saber I LEAP ON TOP OF YOU AND SMASH DOWN move from twilight of the apprentice #and how she TOOK. his SABERSTAFF right out of his hands #maul is clearly barely holding onto the tatters of his sanity #i wonder if mother talzins original treatment wears off over time or if its just the shroud of the dark side descending #spoilers #the clone wars spoilers #clone wars spoilers #long post for ts #uhhh i freaking formatted this post beautifully with nested bullet points #and yoU CANT SEE ANY OF IT thanks new tumblr dashboard

19 notes · View notes

thedrown · 4 years

Text

Siege of Mandalore Ep2 Thoughts

Ooohhh slow fade in of the title card with spoooooky music, hell even was just “Clone Wars” before the tiny “Star Wars” bit faded in and it couldn’t be more apt since this fanfiction sure as hell isn’t Star Wars.

So from the beginning of the invasion to driving Maul and co into the sewers was about the same length of ROTS’ opening since Obi Wan’s transmission confirmed he’s speaking shortly after giving Anakin his spying assignment which primes things for good ole’ Order 66. Let the lingering unease begin.

Maul knowing the plan with the clones and everything is something that doesn’t come up often glad to see he accounted for it but bringing a literal invading army on the chance of Obi Wan (and Anakin as we learn) coming to an unimportant system at the wars end is still moronically out of character for such a great strategist.

Man doubling down on retconning Son of Dathomir cause the Shadow Collective is back and kickin’ better than ever and DRYDEN VOS IS AMONG THEM. They’re really trying to fix the massive gaping timeline issue of Solo’s dumb Maul cameo by saying Crimson Dawn was a thing during the Clone Wars? Sure why not, and not just that, if he ran the syndicate in Solo then clearly he did care about his powerbase which doesn’t make much sense with him sacrificing all of them now does it?

I’m curious why Maul interrogated troops about Ahsoka, her relationship to Obi Wan? Whether or not she was technically a Jedi and if that would affect Order 66? Information on Anakin? Hmmm.

So Bo Katan’s jetpack gives out at just the right moment and I guess the elevator loses it’s weight? Sure why not.

Love how Ahsoka bosses everyone around, wouldn’t even know she’s friends with Rex if someone who hadn’t seen the series saw this.

Really? Join me and we can rule the galaxy, again? Getting old guys after the 50th time and while it’s interesting Maul wanted to lure Obi Wan and Anakin to Mandalore to evade Order 66/Anakin joining Sidious, in what galaxy did he think Obi Wan Ke-fucking-nobi would kill his padawan? Remember if Maul’s plan went as intended Anakin wouldn’t have started the final path to Sidious by killing Dooku so Anakin wouldn’t be veering so dangerously close to the dark side. Again, Maul isn’t an idiot stop portraying him as one.

You know shaking the camera during slow and static action doesn’t make the battle more extreme or engaging and apparently every Mandalorian forgot rifles exist since all of them have been using pistols only this whole arc.

So Ahsoka agrees to join Maul to stop Sidious but once he tells her Anakin is destined to destroy (Which no one knows his inner darkness like Ahsoka does and she knows full well Maul has truth to his words) she decides nah truce over immediately. If you’re going pull a bait and switch within moments of it’s setup then just don’t do it all and again, did Maul really think this would work?

Maul vs Ahsoka here we go, the thing I’ve been fearing and boi did it deliver on those fears. Ahsoka fends off Maul effortlessly even giving snyde cocky comments during their fight before launching him out of a window all without breaking a sweat. Darth fucking Maul runs away from Ahsoka and when pressed up on some rafters they duel and again Ahsoka has him on the ropes and never loses her footing as she throws herself around while Maul can barely stay balanced. Then when he does gets the upper hand he has Ahsoka standing on the wrong end of a sky high beam and instead of just cutting the other half Maul decides to go to her and attempt to strike her down (which he fails at flailing around like an idiot despite her being unarmed) only for teenage girl Ahsoka to physically overpower Darth motherfucking Maul and toss him over the edge no problem.

Beyond that, this fight was one of the worst in all of Star Wars, the choreography was ridiculous and out of character for both of their fighting styles and moreover was so “over animated” so to speak that it was unbelievably slow. What I mean is it’s like they painstakingly animated every possible movement to try and be impactful but also slowed down the fighting to make sure you saw it that the fight has zero flow whats so ever which is made worse by these being two of the most agile duelists we know. The best comparison I can make is that it was like watching those DBZ fights in 60FPS that look god awful, and also like those 60FPS DBZ fights, fanboys love this too. Zero animation techniques were used to make the movement more fluid because they really wanted you to see how “well animated” the fight was, and no, speeding it up does not fix it it still looks abysmally janky and unnatural.

A month ago Maul: Holding his own against Grievous, Dooku, and Sidious TWICE back to back to back Maul now: Loses and runs away from Ahsoka within a minute

From the way these two eps have been, it’s become glaringly apparent the biggest flaw is just how forced in Ahsoka is. She has no reason to be here, it breaks all logic for her to be here, and half the time she’s just hanging out behind other characters and is just there. As per usual filoni isn’t even trying to hide his boner for his OC (plz don’t steal) and keeps pushing his fanfiction. This arc would’ve been infinitely better if it focused purely on Mandalore and was told from Maul’s perspective considering his preparations for the end of the war and Order 66. Maul is the one saving grace of this episode and even then he’s treated like he’s a weak, scared, imbecile and stops sounding like Maul near the episodes end and is just pure Sam Witwer and it’s jarring.

#star wars #Clone Wars #season 7 #siege of mandalore #darth maul #ahsoka tano #the phantom apprentice

11 notes · View notes

zforhire · 4 years

Text

Flailing about Old Friends Not Forgotten and The Phantom Apprentice

Not surprisingly, these last two episodes have had me on a bit of a roller coaster and it took me a while to get a bit more coherent about it. Old Friends Not Forgotten was the episode I was most waiting for; I knew it was going to hurt, but I’ve spent the time since the first trailers wondering just how. My thoughts under the cut.

Quick and dirty up front, the things that I wasn’t so happy with (there aren’t many):

The thing that I’m most unhappy about—again, probably not surprisingly—is that my Team got less than half an episode together again, and then that there wasn’t any kind of hug between them. Other people have written beautiful posts about how that makes everything more poignant and tragic, and they’re right, but the heart wants what it wants. I just keep remembering that reunion hug that Ahsoka and Rex have in Rebels and I really wanted something like that, if not for Obi-wan and Anakin both, then at least Anakin.*

I know that the Ahsoka novel hasn’t been official canon for a few years now, but I was still a bit sad to see some things from it being altered or left out. Even though I loved the bit with the 332nd and the lightsabers I was a little sad that we didn’t hear Anakin tell Ahsoka he was proud of her, or the “You know how I worry” line. I was also unhappy with how they shifted the “Fulcrum” name to being Saw’s first; I loved that Ahsoka was the first Fulcrum. But now onto the things I loved!

That the beginning of the episode had so much of the same energy as the opening to RoTS was a delight, and the upside down 501st killed me. XD

I was really not expecting Anakin to be such a puppy the whole time! Given the conversation he had about Ahsoka in the Crystal Crisis story reel, and how angry they played that then, I was worried they would make him angry/hurt for most of his screentime. It was such a relief to me, though also hurt in its own way. *Ahsoka stopping Anakin from touching her when she’s right off the ship, and then him stopping himself later when they’re having their last conversation? The perfect kind of sadness for me.

Anakin’s argument that Ahsoka’s leaving must have been “meant to be” had such echos of him repeating Qui-gon’s “will of the Force” line. It just goes to show how hard he’s been clinging to that idea, maybe for his entire time with the Jedi, and it broke my heart. And I will always love the new blue blades on Ahsoka’s lightsabers. I’ve been wondering for ages how that was supposed to have happened—new crystals? Anakin imprinting on the old ones after handling them so much?—and I’m so happy that Dave Filoni has actually spoken about it!

I’d spent so much time worried about Anakin’s potential anger (from the reel) or Ahsoka’s potential anger (from overthinking on the trailer) that it never even occurred to me that Ahsoka and Obi-wan might have a fight. That absolutely wrecked me for a while, thinking about how it was essentially their last conversation, and honestly would’ve been a point in the negative column if they hadn’t gotten to speak again in The Phantom Apprentice.

Which was start to finish such an amazing episode! Beautiful fight choreography is a great love of mine and this episode completely delivered. Plus the sheer level of sass that Ahsoka was constantly flinging at Maul was such a joy. And Maul—getting to hear him talk more about what he knew of the Big Plan was such a great delivery after it had been alluded to way back in his earlier seasons. Once it was pointed out to me, I also appreciated the Dryden Vos cameo when Maul was comming his lieutenants. (It really is blink and you’ll miss it!)

Like I mentioned before, Ahsoka having another chance to talk to Obi-wan was such an ease to my poor heart, I’m glad they got to close out on better terms. And that Obi-wan asked her to talk to Anakin, because he thought she could make a difference—thank you for twisting the knife and supporting my headcanons! And his “That’s why I’m asking”...I’ve been saying since they announced the comeback that I know it’s going to hurt, I just want it to hurt the right way, and this was it.

Now that the Big One is dropping tomorrow, I’m ready to feel just what it says on the tin—Shattered.

#TCW #The Team #Ahsoka Tano #Anakin Skywalker #Obi-wan Kenobi #Darth Maul

8 notes · View notes

theleafpile · 5 years

Text

@dressedforthebills asked, in reference to the post I made stating that Solo: A Star Wars Story, is a bad movie:

What makes the writing bad? Plot? Structure? What stereotypes would that be?

So I’m just going to go over what’s fresh in my head, so there might be some pieces missing that I’m not particularly interested in. I enjoy the Star Wars movies and read a lot of fic about it, but I’m not a die-hard fan and haven’t read anything in the extended universe.

SPOILERS abound.

Rule #1 of Storytelling: Don’t tell the audience something they already know.

Solo already sort of breaks this rule simply by existing, but we could forgive that fact based on the idea that it was meant to show Han’s early years. However, this rule sticks out to me throughout.

We know Han won the Millennium Falcon from Lando in a card game - we see two (three?) card games played. It’s difficult to be invested in a card game when you don’t understand the rules. When they lay down their cards, we have no basis of understanding if they are good or not before being shown an in-world audience reaction, which throws off the beat. (At least in most card movies there is a shot of the cards and a voice over of the dealer saying what the hand is for those who don’t know, so the audience can see the cards and hear the hand and make the connection as though they made it themselves. So that could be a simple editing issue.)

We know Han and Qi’ra don’t end up together. We have no reason to be invested in their romantic arc. I could forgive this if they did something at the end like they did at the end of Casino Royale, where the pacing was thrown off because we thought Bond was really going to leave with Vesper, only to find out that she betrayed him at the end and he vowed to go back to work (and never fall in love again). But instead, at the end of Solo, we have Solo left on a beach wondering why the fuck the ship Qi’ra is on is suddenly leaving - was she trapped? Did someone else take over? Is she a hostage again? (all perfectly acceptable canon questions that Han would ask). There’s no clear cut image or moment to show that that was a betrayal, leaving us (and Han) confused.

Rule #1 of Romance: If you have to show two characters kissing to show they’re together, it’s bad writing.

The first scene with Qi’ra and Han breaks this rule. He’s running, in a panic - there’s no reason at all why he would suddenly stop what he was doing, switch gears immediately from panic to lust, and kiss her as he did. It’s a simple and fast way to show two characters are allied, but its boring. If he saw her hiding and waiting for him, and while running took her hand and dashed them to a safer place it would have 1) established that he is confident in his surroundings enough to hide (we love experts) and 2) shown them allied anyway.

They were able to show Qi’ra and Dryden Vos allied even though they never macked on one another, which I guess was to show that Qi’ra still had feelings for Han and that she wasn’t really on Vos’ side.

Qi’ra would have been a more interesting character if she were Han’s sister, not his love interest.

The guilt he feels for not be able to return to Corellia sooner and the worry he feels over her would have been more palpable if she were his blood relation, the only person in the world he had left and/or could trust, and the only person in the galaxy who could have actually relied on him - making seeing her on the yacht that much more of a surprise, showing that this girl who once relied on him has grown up.

Also, it would have made a neat parallel for Leia/Luke if there was any strange sexual chemistry between Han and Qi’ra’s actors.

No idea what planet Han was on as a soldier, their objectives, or the purpose.

Which, I guess, was the same as Han felt. If confusion was the goal, they got it. In the book, I guess, they give a reason why Chewbacca was caged there, but for the movie they didn’t tell us so it just felt very, you know. Contrived.

The heist scene doesn’t make any sense.

The goal was to attach the ship to one shipping container, detach the container, and lift it away. Which means that there was no reason to blow up the bridge ahead. Which means...

Val didn’t need to die during the heist.

There was no reason to kill her character. If they were doing this job, as Beckett said, to steal a bunch of coaxium for a gangster, then being a thief she would know the risk involved (i.e., Dryden Vos would kill them if they did not return with what was asked) and not be willing to sacrifice herself in the chance that 1) their failing plan would work, 2) Beckett would survive, 3) the coaxium would survive and 4) her life was worth saving Beckett.

Which, love, I guess. But seriously she had no reason to die. And, being the only black character of the group, it was pretty shitty that killed off her and the alien pilot and not one of the two white guys. Because plot. Of course.

Coaxium is apparently super unstable when unprocessed - but it’s okay to be tossed around.

Take any high school chemistry class and the teacher’s going to tell you that unstable materials are called that for a reason. All the moving around they do getting the raw coaxium out of the mine, loading it and transporting it on the ship, and the temperature heating up to the breaking point (yet still safe enough to get onto the other world, unloaded, and stuck in a container and plugged into something that I guess immediately neutralizes it) but it’s still able to be handled, without any safety gear, by Beckett when he takes “a drop” (not a unit of measurement) and shoves it into the fuel line of the Falcon.

I mean, hell. When it is processed look at Han so carefully gives the containers over to Dryden Vos. The audience is meant to think he’s being too extra careful because we think it’s fake and he’s overdoing it, but - no. That’s how you handle very explosive processed material. I guess the “super unstable” unprocessed material is okay, though.

Stereotypes.

Seems like Hollywood can’t make a movie lately without poking fun at “SJWs.” Enter L3. Who walked, talked, and sassed like a prototypical black woman. No thanks. She did have some funny lines, but I hate how her character’s actual correct ideas were treated as the punch line. (The same problem Hermione had with the SPEW stuff in the HP books.)

Lando is vain. He has a whole closet for capes. Unfortunately we don’t get to see him be or say anything vain at all whatsoever elsewhere.

The alien pilot at the beginning is like “I am here to state the theme and die.”

Major characterization problems - aka I don’t care about these people.

Qi’ra’s woe-is-me / you won’t look at me the same way if I’ve told you what I’ve done / you don’t know what I’ve done lines. The audience has no idea either, so I feel absolutely nothing when she says these lines. Was she a prostitute? Did she steal, lie, cheat? Did she make other people work for her? How did she get to be in Dos’ inner circle? No clue. It doesn’t make her mysterious. It makes her boring.

Enfrys Nest’s rebellion has nothing to do with rebellion against the Empire.

Meaning I don’t care about it. That twelve year old mercenary is rebelling against the crime syndicate, which is not affiliated with the rebellion. But wait -

There was zero indication that was Darth Maul speaking to Qi’ra.

Maul came from a planet where people just... looked like that. The actor was the same but much older, and it showed enough that I had zero inkling to think “oh, hey, that’s Darth Maul” who is a character I really liked. You know why else? Because Qi-gon Jin murdered his ass twenty years ago. I don’t think the Force can keep you alive after being sliced in half and sent down a bottomless well. That’s not how the Force works. They tried to make me think it by needlessly igniting his double bladed red lightsaber, but I was still like.. okay. Another Sith. Whatever.

Also. There’s no indication in the prequels that Darth Maul was the leader of a crime syndicate.

Things I liked:

- Making the Kessel run. The visuals were pretty cool with the tunnel vision, the Imperial ship, and darting off into the wild unknown with the eldritch monster. Here’s a good example at telling something the audience doesn’t know: Han cheated to do the run in 12 parsecs using the coaxium, which is why no one believes that he actually did that fast. So that’s funny. (”Not if you round down” was a cute line, too.)

- The riot scene with the droids at the mine. They were having a good time.

- Chewie helping his fellow Wookies to get free, and that moment where they touched foreheads. Small character movements like those make a big difference.

- Vos’ blades. That looked like kyber power, which means that those were probably super expensive, and that’s cool characterization.

So, no. I didn’t like Solo: A Star Wars Story. It added nothing to the characterization of Han or the Skywalker space opera universe we’ve all come to know and love. I know the prequels aren’t as beloved because of the political content, but I think a young Leia movie would’ve been a more worthwhile investment. We could have seen her on Alderran, a planet which we know nothing about, struggling with the life of being both royalty and a senator. We could’ve seen a young woman struggle to be taken seriously at her job that would have had actual in-universe repercussions for the storylines and characters we are familiar with. Yes, it could have had all the problems Solo did, but we would have known that Alderran would be blown up by the Empire, making us root for any chance we saw for characters to leave the planet (and be heartbroken when something required them to stay).

Young Leia was feisty, not afraid to stand up to Vader (of all people), and I want an origin story for her, dammit! I’m tired of men’s stories! Honor Carrie Fisher you cowards!

#star wars #asks #solo a star wars story #han solo

9 notes · View notes

mutatiio · 4 months

Note

Just popping in to say how much I loooove when you bless us with your headcanons and writing. I am so invested in all of your muses. You breathe life and humanity into your villain muses which really elevates them beyond what we see in canon. I feel so deeply for your Maul & Anakin even though I still despise the things they have done. You have a way of crafting that delicate balance through dialogue, immersive imagery and descriptive mannerisms. All of which leave the reader wanting more. I've also earned a new understanding and appreciation for Bode through your writing. He was a character I knew little about until being exposed to him though your blog. Now I am 👀 at his threads. You are truly a blessing on the dash & I hope you know that.

I'M REPLYING TO THIS SO LATE BUT I'VE BEEN SO EMOTIONAL SINCE YOU SENT IT. i think this is genuinely the nicest compliment i've ever gotten in regards to my writing and i've been so weepy about it,,, thank you so much. i'm so glad you enjoy my terribly troubled men. and i'm looking forward to developing mr weirdo (dryden) more and accidentally making you appreciate him too lmao jkfncbknf

but seriously. thank you so much for this. i'm glad last year let me meet you and i'm so grateful i get to share a fandom space with you and your deliciously sassy gremlin (and all of your muses, but hux in particular has a special place in my heart bc of you).

#acharnemcnt #⸢ keepsake ⤑ ooc ⸥ deploy the clown nose.#ame?? the sweetest person alive?? YES.

2 notes · View notes

neonoires · 6 years

Text

My thoughts on Solo: A Star Wars Story [Spoilery?]

Alden Ehrenreich, you get my apologies. When I found out you were cast I made fun of you and then someone told me about the on set rumors about needing acting classes [I didn’t quite believe this because I’m familiar with his work] and I wrote you off as Han immediately. But BITCH you snatched my wig. Alden was endearing, charming, SEXY, brave, sweet, empathetic, and of course, the good guy. I love Alden’s version of Han, it made my icy cold heart feel warm and fuzzy. I felt the chemistry radiating off of Alden with every scene partner. Han + Chewbacca made me tear up. Han + Lando made me want some sort of buddy smuggling film even though I know it won’t work timeline wise. Han + Tobias Beckett gave me the feels for some reason, almost reminiscent to Han + Finn in the Force Awakens. And Han + Qi’ra had so much chemistry that I was like “HAN HOW DARE YOU CHEAT ON LEIA BEFORE YOU GUYS EVEN MEET. YOU ARE SUCH A TYPICAL GUY.” Also Star Wars, the brunette white heroine is getting a little weird, imagine Han through the different stages in his life with Qi’ra, Leia, and Rey.... gets confusing and kind of weird. As I write this I’m made aware of the Rey being related to Qi’ra theories and I’m not mad at it.

Beckett stole the show for me. Woody Harrelson showed why he’s the vet on the scene and if it weren’t for him, I think that the movie would have been incredibly dull. I understand that all he had to really do was take what Harrison Ford has done since 1977 with the role as Han and come off like a mentor but I’m a sheeple and I 100% fell for it, I don’t care. I loved him from beginning to the end. Qi’ra is a character that I didn’t expect to like but I fucking love her. She’s smart, tough, and warm which is a recipe for a great heroine to me. There were times when I felt like I was waiting for the hammer to drop because I figured she would turn because it was hyped throughout the entire movie which gave me so much anxiety. But I was satisfied with both of these character’s storylines in the end.

Dryden was intense but it wasn’t overwhelming. I didn’t find him to be a compelling villain just because I don’t think we had a lot of time with him but he did feel really threatening. I loved the whole criminal underbelly to the galaxy and I also liked how they didn’t beat us over the head with empire stuff. The fact that Han was part of the imperial army at some point was a really cool addition in my opinion. Or maybe it’s not even an addition because I literally only watch the movies so I wouldn’t know.

Lando grew on me. I smiled all while Donald Glover was on screen. My only gripe with him is that there were points when his accent was kind of grating. I was wondering WTF Donald Glover was doing with his voice which made me cringe but it wasn’t horrible. Speaking of Black representation, Val.... I saw people on Twitter call it a glorified cameo and I have to agree with that. I would have liked to see more of Val because she’s one of the few Black women we see in space and Thandie Newton is a gem. I needed way more of her but kudos to Disney for finally putting a visibly Black woman on screen. Also, to the sister that was singing at that one place [I’ve only seen this movie once so forgive me], I see you! That gold dress was everything. OMG Erin Kellyman as Enfys Nest, such a fucking bad ass bitch. I NEEDED MORE OF HER TOO. But again, I’m thankful for Thandie and Erin being in this even for a split second but I expect way more screen time in the future.

I was cringed out when Han was speaking Wookie, I’m glad that didn’t continue through the movie because I hated it so much LOL. There was a huge WTF moment for me and since I’m technically seeing this late as fuck [didn’t get to see it opening weekend] I feel like I can say it. Darth Maul showing up was a major WTF moment but after a one minute Twitter search I learned that he appears in Clone Wars and that he didn’t die in the Phantom Menace like I originally thought. I need to learn more about that. I liked L3, I thought she was perfect for the #TimesUp movement happening in our world today. At times I felt like she was too much and trying too hard to be funny but it didn’t take away from the viewing experience.

All in all I think that Solo didn’t really get a fair shot. The trailers were garbage and all of that production drama and stalling put a lot of people off. Then there’s Star Wars fatigue and the fact that so many people were unhappy with The Last Jedi so they weren’t going to run out and see this but I loved this film. It made me extremely happy and I can’t wait to watch this again. As I wrap this long AF post up I am remembering the music and it was an overall heartwarming experience. I hope that once all this “box office flop” hype calms the fuck down we can all see that this is a highly enjoyable film whether or not you think a Han Solo origin story was necessary. I don’t think that it should be compared to Rogue One because it’s not as serious as Rogue One but for me, I wanted to see parts of the universe that were unexplored like the criminal underbelly. I applaud Rogue One and The Last Jedi for showing us the parts of the universe who don’t have the connection with the defeat of the empire. I’ve always been into seeing regular degular people in the SW universe. Go see this film!

#solo: a star wars story #star wars #han solo #solo a star wars story #han solo movie #solo #sw #alden ehrenreich #lando calrissian #qi'ra #tobias beckett #enfys nest #val beckett #thandie newton #woody harrelson #emilia clarke #donald glover

109 notes · View notes

guynamedultimax · 5 years

Text

Soo...I saw Solo: A Star Wars Story yesterday.

What can I say? Poor Han had a shitty life before meeting Chewie.

For Qi’ra, why the hell are you scared of literally everyone? Just run away with the ma-oh wait no, what am I saying, thanks Qi’ra. You ensured Ben Solo’s existence, and that guy is hella funny in his own ways. Also...THAT MAUL CAMEO HOLY FUCKING SHIT. I really wonder what happened to him after that. I got a bit lost with the canon after Rebels’ Season 3. I only know that Kanan died at the end of the series and that Hera is pregnant.

Chewie’s story is really heartwarming if you have already watched the prequels. Beckett and his comrades have also earned my pity. Especially Rio lol that fucker was hella funny for the 10 minutes he was onscreen.

Also, I couldn’t stop thinking about Dryden Vos’ actor being Paul Bettany a.k.a. fucking Vision. He got scarred by Thanos lol. Literally, i can’t imagine that guy bein’ evil.

And the reveal that Enfys Nest’s tribe is one of the first Rebel cells...holy swap-a-moly...

In terms of worldbuilding and action it was literally fire. The actor portraying Han was really good. The others felt slightly robotic.

Actually, no, Han almost never had a good life. Dude got accidentally rejected by the girl he loved since he was a kid, after all that he did to return to her. Then he got in stinky business with Jabba the Hutt, then he had to deal with Leia and Luke’s antics in the 1st movie, and then, after finding his one true love, he got frozen in carbonite. Then he got out of the carbonite and was partially blind for a little period. And don’t get me started on his death. Why the hell do the Skywalkers and everyone related to them have to suffer? This might be even worse than the Potter family’s fate

Btw, the movie gets a 7/10 for me.

SIDE INFORMATION: Since I am watching the Nintendo Direct live, which means at midnight in my country, expect the reaction post in the following days since I’m too fucking busy.

#han solo #solo a star wars story #star wars #review

1 note · View note

onwardintolight · 6 years

Note

I'm curious what you thought of Qi'ra's motivations at the end of Solo. I haven't seen the movie but I'm fascinated by how I've seen completely opposite interpretations of her character - from that she spent the entire film martyring and sacrificing her happiness for Han so that he could get away free without a bounty (by lying to Maul about Han's involvement with Vos' death) and their romance portrayed as epic star crossed lovers who loved each other but couldn't be together - or the other[1/2]

(2 of 2) - that she had moved on from Han in the 3 years they had been apart, was no longer in love with him and saw him as an opportunity to overthrow Vos and take over for him as a long term plan. What was your interpretation? I find it very interesting that different people saw the movie and have such vastly different interpretations!

Oooh, good question, thanks!

I personally think the answer is not quite either extreme, but weighted towards the latter nonetheless, both because of what Qi’ra says and does in the movie and evidence of her character from tie-ins such as Most Wanted.

I think Qi’ra still has feelings for Han, and after three years she still thinks of him very fondly (”thinking about going on adventures with you… always made me smile.”). But ultimately, she has moved on.

All her life, she’s learned that in order to survive, in order to climb the ladder and be who she wants to be, she has to put herself first, regardless of whether that means she ends up leaving someone behind. A quote from the Official Guide: “It’s what we learned on the street, Han: somebody falls, you keep running. It’s how you stay alive.”

This certainly doesn’t mean that she’s heartless, or that she doesn’t care, or that she is merely using Han — but it does mean that when push comes to shove, she will put herself and her ambition first. In Most Wanted, we see her genuine shock and confusion when people such as Han choose otherwise. For a time, his compassion and loyalty seem to influence her, but I think it’s clear from the movie that by the time those three years have passed, she’s back to her prior philosophy. After all, what good had it done her to be otherwise? Other than her brief friendship with Han, her entire life has been one of cutthroat competition for survival. And then he left, and by this point she’s assumed he’ll never come back, because, after all, that’s just the way the galaxy works.

And she not only wants to survive, she wants to thrive. She craves comfort and luxury and the freedom that comes from money and status (this is made clear in Most Wanted). But by the time she meets Han again, she’s begun to realize that she may not ever be truly free, free from servitude, at least. “Everyone serves someone,” she tells Han. She says that really, she never escaped.

And indeed, the evidence looms large that her position as Dryden Vos’ lieutenant involves much that she’d rather not do (including the disturbing inference of a power-imbalanced sexual relationship). I don’t think she’s actually enslaved to him, although I could see how one might look at it that way. I think, based on what I’ve read of her character (and how I think she’s presented in the movie), she has made the choice to serve him in this manner because of the benefits it grants her, which are many (comfort, power, status, a measure of freedom, among others — a big leap up from working for the White Worms). Granted, I think she probably felt like her choices were extremely limited, and like she says, it’s a life she’s locked into now; you don’t easily unentangle yourself from Crimson Dawn. And it’s sad and sickening to me what she’s had to endure, both with Dryden Vos and the White Worms. She’s been subject to abuse all her life. But she’s also become an expert at playing the game (even really enjoys playing the game, according to Most Wanted; she has a particular knack for it and loves strategizing), and this is giving her plenty of opportunity to do so. She really is climbing the ladder now, getting closer to the power that brings her nearer to the life she craves.

All evidence from the written materials aside, I don’t think it makes much sense to assume that her move to take Dryden’s place in Crimson Dawn was a sacrificial thing she did for Han. I believe she could have left with Han, and let someone else take up the mantle. With the person in the syndicate who knows her best (and would pose the most danger to her) dead, she probably wouldn’t have to worry as much about Crimson Dawn tracking her down, especially if she manages to sneak away and spread the impression that none of them survived (something that, given her experience, she’s perfectly capable of doing). Granted, Maul might already know her well enough, so he could be a threat, but if he doesn’t even know if she’s alive, nor does whoever takes up Dryden’s signet ring, they may not have enough incentive to make tracking her down a priority. Besides, whoever takes up the signet ring is likely to do exactly what Qi’ra did and make up some story about others (particularly possible contenders for the position) dying tragically.

In summary, I think she could have escaped with Han and made it work, if that’s what she really, truly wanted to do. But in the end, she decides her ambition is more important to her than her relationship with Han, and, while she likes Han and wishes him all the best (and covers his tracks from Maul by claiming his death), she feels that this is the time for that part of her life to come to a close. This is the chance for her to become the person she’s always wanted to be.

#Qi'ra #Solo: A Star Wars Story #Star Wars #SW meta #Han x Qi'ra #not to mention I feel like it does a disservice to her character to say she spends the entire film as a martyr for Han #not that I'm opposed to sacrifice for love — I think that's generally a wonderful concept #but I think in this context it comes a little too close to stripping her of her importance and her agency and her worthiness to exist #and not just exist for the sake of a man #Solo spoilers #Qi'ra's a Slytherin y'all #or rather I think she's a Slytherclaw #incredibly smart and cunning and ambitious #thoughts #asks

13 notes · View notes

teagrl · 6 years

Text

Some thoughts on Solo

I actually started it kind of bored, but the movie became interesting to me around the train heist scene.

So some notes:

-I hated the Corellia scenes. I guess I just never imagined Corellia like that.

-I hated the infantry scene (so bland so boring), though I did like the freighter.

-I imagined the first encounter with Chewie more involved than that though Han speaking shyriiwook was awesome.

- I really really loved the look of the train scene and the flipping, arghhh.

-Val’s fridging, Rio’s death were lowlights certainly because Becket seems more concerned with Crimson Dawn than the loss of his wife and fellow crewbeing.

-The whole meeting Qi’Ra again scene was awkward on a writing level. That’s a fucking BAD TRANSITION yo, I was wincing. One of those dialogue and interactions because the plot needs it, not how actual human beings would interact in that situation.

-The sabacc scene was A+++

-I hated how unserious they were about the droid rights thing. It’s not that I would necessarily want a deep take on this, but I just thought as a gag it was low hanging fruit.

-Lando recording his narration however was hilarious.

-I loved the Kessel heist -- Lando scrambling to save L3 was awesome and a genuinely affecting scene.

-The actual Kessel run was the highlight of the movie for me. Peak Star Wars (well as Star Wars as you can get without my favorite part of Star Wars), Imperial Star Destroyer, TIE fighter battle with the laser canon, Chewie taking us all to school on what a copilot does, eldritch maw monster, Lando hooking up L3 to the Falcon for her to plot a route, the fake out meltdown where they almost get sucked in, NGHHHH ALL OF IT. SPACE BATTLE WOOOOOOOOO.

(Once the TIEs started shooting in my head I heard echoes of “They’re coming in way too fast” “Don’t worry. She’ll hold together. Hear me, baby, hold together.” NOSTALGIA BLANKET)

-The Enfys Nest thing is great. For me as a broader EU fan with a longer view what I love about it was that it’s yet another view of the complicated pockets of resistance before the Rebel Alliance becomes more than cells (which I take it is the status during Rebels? I haven’t watched the show). Same reason why I find Saw’s partisans and Cham Syndulla’s Free Ryloth movement fascinating. I love how different these are from each other and from the resistance organized by Mon and Bail.

-I enjoyed the Qi’ra - Dryden fight though I thought his blades were fanservice-y and stupid.

-Did Maul really have to light up his lightsaber? I FUCKING GET IT BRO.

-It was a neat nod to previous canon how all these criminal organizations are partnered with the Sith/Empire.

-Hah, Han got Becket while he was was about to monologue, is what I thought in the “Han shot first” scene.

-The call back to the fake out in ESB was great when Han goes to see Lando at the end for the sabacc round that gets him the Falcon.

Ultimately I’m not that sold on Alden Ehrenreich as Han. I went with it, but in terms of character, the movie didn’t do much for me. In terms of plot, and the feel of it about an hour in -ish, I would say, it turned into a vastly more enjoyable movie for me than the Sequel Trilogy on a worldbuilding level.

#han solo #solo #trainscape awesomeness #space battle awesomeness #character boredom #took a level in space monster #i approve of that

7 notes · View notes