#there’s nothing that inspired me more to get into drawing than the AOTC ones

[val-aquenta]

1,2,15,and 22 for the writer asks?

Ooh Yay! Thanks for the ask! Maybe I’m procrastinating writing??? but whatever, this is fun!

1. Is there a favorite character or title you enjoy writing for the most?

heh this is easy. I’m perpetually stuck between Mace, Obi-Wan, Yoda, or Luminara. Yoda I prefer to write as a side character tbh mainly because I want him to be extra grandpa to his fellow Jedi lmao. But yeah, I love writing Obi-Wan because I feel like we’re pretty similar and I can sink into his thought process quite easily which is a plus. Mace is a really fun character to write because I like to balance his emotional/soft side with his more rational, I have to do what is necessary side. Personally I also empathise with Mace a whole bunch because I also have quite a large rational side, which is a plus. I tend to think that he usually knows what he needs to do and he might dislike it, but he will still do it. I just love Mace, okay, and of course I’m overwriting shitty fanon Mace Windu because no he doesn’t hate Anakin, and yes he loves Depa so much that when she didn’t give him a hug he was super depresso. He’s just so sweet, but he knows that sometimes shit has to be done and moping around complaining won’t make anything better. Luminara is just sweet. I want to write so much more for her, but I tend to have her as a side character in my fics (a tragedy I know) but I am working on making her more of a main character is some fics. She’s very much like Mace in that she understands that sometimes to do the right thing, you must sacrifice stuff that you love which is commendable imo. She also loves Barriss very much and I headcanon that she and Obi-Wan are best buds. She and Obi-Wan definitely geek out about the stupidest shit, you can’t change my mind. 

2.  Is there a least favorite character or title you dislike writing for?

Uhh... typically I tend to avoid characters who I don’t want to write because i find it difficult to write them and not enjoyable. But I’ll share a few for this sake. Palpatine kinda makes me feel slimy when I write him. It can be fun to write crack Palpatine, but realistic trying to write him can be a nightmare for me. I don’t really know how to write manipulative sheev well, so I feel it ends up very much crackfic feelings. 

Anakin is also difficult, but sometimes I enjoy the challenge. He can be pretty complex to some, but for me the pain is trying to write his priorities because christ he can’t get them straight at all. Post!aotc Anakin is obviously placing Padmè VERY high (at the top lmao) but not really because if it were that he’d leave the order to be with her. Idk I get very confused writing him. I also feel very apprehensive posting stuff with Anakin because I know a lot of people love him and have somewhat specific (typically fanon) ideas about him and also have very strong feelings about those. I’m not saying you can’t have them, but sometimes I worry that I’ll be attacked because my view on Anakin is far from friendly lmao. Tbh Padmè suffers similarly because I don’t know how to write her without being mean xD. I don’t really understand many of her motivations surrounding the secret marriage and shit and her prioritisation is also strange. I mean the whole ignoring the Tusken massacre basically and only turning from Anakin after Anakin tells his part in breaking the Republic (not listening to Obi-Wan say he killed Jedi) makes it ahrd to sympathise. Fandom has a typically positive view of her and I don’t want to anger anyone with my views, so I try to keep a somewhat ambivalent take with her. I haven’t written anything starring her/them together much so yeah. 

I actually like writing Ahsoka because she’s pretty cool, but I’m very nervous posting stuff about her post wrong Jedi arc because I think my views on it are pretty unpopular, and some of her fans are very... vehement about their views which is fine as logn as you’re not trying to invalidate my interpretation you know? Kind of makes me sad since I do love her character, but sometimes her fans put me off. 

Idk if this counts but also romance. Personally never really had a great one, so I don’t understand how to properly write it which makes it hard, and I don’t see the draw of it. I tend to both read and write platonic stuff. Lots of gen for me :)

15. What made you start to write fanfiction/stories?

I think @jedimasterbailey said she started writing Luminara stuff/fanfic in general because of the amount of Luminara slander and I kind of do the same but for jedi hate in general. Also, more specifically, Mace Windu hate. It just grinds on my nerves, but I’m not going to sit here and say people can’t write what they do, so yeah I just started writing my own to hopefully inspire others to do the same, or to just shove more pro Jedi shit out there ahaha. I’ve actually gotten a few comments of people saying that my fics have made them like/appreciate Mace a bit more which means a lot since he’s one of my favourite characters. 

More than that, thought, I just enjoy fanfic. I had loads of ideas for stories from multiple fandoms and I thought I might start posting some of them because they’re doing nothing just chilling in my drive. Also all the lovely writers of fic in multiple fandoms inspired me, so thanks to you I kind of got the courage to actually upload anything :)

22. Care to share any future WIP ideas you have lined up?

Ooh boy I got loads heheh. But I’ll talk of a few. So I had this idea about a time travel au (I know so original xD) and it was supposed to be Obi-Wan going back in time, but I actually wanted to kind of combine two different ideas, one being Ahsoka as Obi-Wan’s padawan, and a time travel au to one. So yeah... I have a fic in the works about an Ahsoka who travels back right after Vader kills her on Malachor (no Ezra saving her) and who becomes Obi-Wan’s padawan. This one’s a bit in the begining so it will probably be a while before anything’s posted, but if you want to send some kind of help for it I would appreciate a lot. This will probs be my first really longer fic, so I’m worried I’ll lose motivation which is why I’m going to plan it a bit more than most of my other stuff. I’m so excited because the idea has been bouncing around my head for so long!!!

I have another that is much closer to finishing which is a little 5+1 fic about Obi-Wan and the name Ben. I want to change a few things before posting but it should be coming around soon. It’s a little angsty, but mostly fluff.

Last one I’ll talk about, I promise haha. This one is a little uncertain of when I’ll finish because it’s somewhat written out, but the last bit is KILLING me. It’s an essay style writing up of order 66 and the empires rise. Kind of examining public opinion and stuff about it. Basically exploring how the genocide has affected the universe. It is written after the empire falls, so it talks a bit about the shitty Empire and propoganda and is just a pro jedi love letter xD

#long post #ask game

[fialleril]

the ontario election is making me sad. :( any chance we can have a happy hopeful snippet? basically any fic would be good although if you want me to choose a fic i'd suggest Heretic Pride

Sorry for the delay with this, anon, but I needed time to write something. (The downside of actually posting the fic in question is that I no longer have any pre-written but unpublished bits to share.)

So this is a snippet set after the end of AOTC, featuring Ryoo and Pooja being curious about Anakin’s new hand. It’s technically set in Heretic Pride, and I may work it into the published story when I get to that point, but I’m pretty sure this could actually fit into canon too, at least if you headcanon that Padme’s family knew about her marriage.

“Uncle Ani, is it true you’re part droid now?”

Anakin looks up from the schematics he’s been sketching tofind Ryoo and Pooja hovering in the doorway, looking as though they mightburst, and the only question is whether nerves or curiosity will be the cause.

He smiles to reassure them and sets the charcoal down,careful not to smudge the flimsi. “Yes, that’s right,” he says.

There’s a burst of whispering between the girls. Poojastretches up on the tips of her toes, trying to get a good look at his hands,but neither girl moves from the doorway.

Anakin represses the urge to laugh. They’d only think he wasmaking fun of them, and that will do nothing for their nerves. So instead heoffers them a conspiratorial grin and says, “Do you want to see?”

Their eyes widen comically. “Can we?” Ryoo breathes.

“Sure,” Anakin says, and before the word is half out of hismouth they’ve dashed across the room to hover beside his work table. Chucklingsoftly, he sets his right hand on the table for their perusal.

“Wow,” says Ryoo.

Pooja’s face scrunches up in consternation. “It looks likeyou borrowed Threepio’s hand, Uncle Ani,” she says, rather disapprovingly.

He wonders if she’s offended on Threepio’s behalf, andallows himself a quick grin. The girls don’t notice, too caught up in theirstudy of his new hand.

“Maybe I did,” Anakin says.

Pooja gasps in outrage. “Uncle Ani!” she exclaims in astartlingly accurate imitation of Sola’s scolding tone.

“He didn’t really, Pooja,” Ryoo says very solemnly. “UncleAni is just teasing. Aren’t you Uncle Ani?”

Both girls look up at him with identical stern expressions.Anakin bites back another laugh and regards them seriously as he says, “Ofcourse I am. This is my hand, not Threepio’s.”

“Okay,” says Pooja, all traces of disapproval vanishing. Shebegins to reach her own hand toward his, then draws it back, biting her lip andfrowning.

“It’s all right,” Anakin says. Inspiration strikes and heholds out his hand to shake.

Pooja giggles. “But I’ve already met you, Uncle Ani! You’reour uncle now. I don’t need to shakeyour hand.”

“Nonsense,” says Anakin breezily. “When you first met me Ididn’t have this hand. So we’ve got to shake again.”

“Oh,” says Pooja, nodding solemnly as though this wereperfectly logical. “Okay.” Without any further hesitation, she takes his handin hers and shakes it vigorously.

Ryoo is watching all of this with an expression that remindsAnakin of Padmé studying a new bill: sharply focused but withholding judgment.He wonders what she’s looking for.

“It feels just like Threepio’s hand, too,” Pooja sayswonderingly.

“It is pretty similar,” Anakin says.

Pooja hums under her breath, then steps back and turns toher sister. “Your turn, Ryoo,” she says.

Anakin leaves his hand extended, and after a moment’shesitation Ryoo takes it. She doesn’t shake, though. Instead, she turns hishand over, examining it from every angle. “Does it hurt?” she whispers.

“It did at first,” Anakin says. “But that’s more because itreally hurt when I lost my old one. And it’s going to take my body a while toget fully used to this one. But the healers gave me exercises to help withthat, so pretty soon I’ll be as good as new.”

Ryoo frowns. “I don’t know, Uncle Ani,” she says. “I don’tlike that it looks like a skeleton. Threepio’s hand is more solid.”

Anakin regards her seriously. “You’re right about that,” hesays. “You’ve got a good engineer’s eye.”

Ryoo beams at the compliment.

“That’s what I’m working on, see?” Anakin says, indicatinghis sketches. “This hand works, but it could be a lot better. You’re right thatit’s not good to have the wires exposed, but I do want a little moreflexibility than Threepio has.”

The girls giggle. “Yeah,” says Pooja. “Threepio can’t evenbend his fingers all the way.” She eyes him slyly. “Maybe you should make himnew hands, too, Uncle Ani.”

Anakin laughs. “Maybe I should.”

“If you build a new hand, Uncle Ani, you should make it adifferent color,” Ryoo says with a decisive nod. “Gold isn’t your color.”

Anakin has to physically bite his tongue to keep fromlaughing this time. She’s got her aunt’s fashion sense, apparently.

“Don’t worry,” he says when he’s sure he can keep a seriouslook on his face. “I don’t want an all gold hand, either. It works forThreepio, but it looks too gaudy on me.”

Pooja frowns. “What’s gaddy mean, Uncle Ani?”

“Gaudy,” Ryoo saysprimly before Anakin can respond. “It means you’re trying too hard to be fancy,and you just look silly. Remember? Like Aunt Padmé said about that Twi’leksenator.”

“Oh yeah,” Pooja says while Anakin snickers. So Padmé thinksOrn Free Taa is gaudy, huh? He’ll have to remember that next time she teaseshim about being too harsh in his judgments of poor, defenseless politicians.

“What color are you going to make your new hand, then?” Ryooasks.

“Black, I think,” Anakin says.

The girls nod in approval. “That makes sense,” says Ryoo. “Blackis for justice, Aunt Padmé says.”

“On Tatooine it means freedom,” Anakin says. “But I thinkboth meanings work.”

Ryoo and Pooja look up at him with identical cheeky grins.“Does Aunt Padmé like it?” Pooja asks.

Anakin chuckles again. He’s not going to lie to them, but inthis case the full truth would be wildly inappropriate, so he settles for, “Shelikes me, and this hand is part of me now.”

The mischief in their eyes fades and they look at oneanother for a long moment before nodding seriously. “Okay,” says Ryoo. “Then welike it too.”

Anakin blinks back the sudden and unexpected urge to cry.“I’m glad,” he says softly.

“Good,” says Pooja. “Now that’s settled.” She’s obviouslyquoting one of the adults in her life, and it startles another laugh around thelump in Anakin’s throat.

“Now we can ask you what we really came for,” Ryoo says in aconspiratorial whisper.

Anakin’s eyebrow shoots up. “Oh?”

The girls nod eagerly. “Mom said we could go swimming, butonly if we have a grown up with us, and everybody else is busy with boringgrown up things,” Pooja says with a pout.

“Ah,” says Anakin, drawing out the word – and the suspense.They’re looking at him like they might spontaneously combust if they don’t getan answer immediately, and it’s hilarious.

“Please, UncleAni,” whines Pooja, the first to crack.

“Oh, all right,” Anakin says, his put upon sigh belied byhis grin. “I need to test the waterproofing on this hand, anyway.”

Ryoo and Pooja cheer. “You’re the best, Uncle Ani!” theyshout, already dashing off to change into their swimming gear.

Anakin smiles to himself as he carefully puts his schematicsaway. There’ll be time enough for that later.

#replies #anon #i write things #the jedi reformation au #star wars #anakin skywalker #ryoo naberrie #pooja naberrie #lots and lots of tooth rotting fluff #and one line that hints at something saucy lol #let's just say that anakin's metal hand can vibrate #the rest i leave to your imagination ;) #in other more g-rated news #i had fun writing a thing about anakin's prosthetic that's basically entirely happy #he'll probably have to deal with some ableism from the jedi #but at least he has the naberries #ryoo and pooja think it's pretty damn awesome that their uncle is part droid #so long as he's not stealing threepio's arms

[wingletblackbird]

This Weapon is Your Life

“This weapon is your life,” is a statement that, I believe, gets a lot of unwarranted criticism and is frequently misunderstood, particularly amongst the Western, Star Wars fandom. The general opinion that I have found on the subject is that it indicates that the Jedi are teaching people to think of themselves as weapons, and/or that it shows hypocrisy as Jedi are supposed to discourage “possession,” and/or that saying a weapon is your life, encourages or advocates violence. I am here as an apologist for that phrase, because for the reasons indicated below, I think that that phrase is awesome.

What one must first understand is that George Lucas took a lot of inspiration for Star Wars from eastern sources, Japan in particular. Darth Vader’s mask was based upon the Samurai mask, C-3P0 and R2-D2 were inspired by a Japanese movie told from the perspective of two slaves who are caught up in the conflict going around them, and the Sith and the Jedi were inspired by the notion of rival Samurai clans. As such, I feel the lightsabre, its value, its treatment, and its symbolism come from Bushido, the Samurai code, and the katana.

What one must first understand about this is that the Samurai sword, the katana, was considered representative of the Samurai’s soul, so sacred that a Samurai should never be parted from it. Sound familiar? When these blades were made, the smiths would stay up three days and three nights to get the perfect metallic composition, were expected to pray over it and place their very spirit into it, and often had the beginning of the process blessed by a priest. By the time the blade was finished, it was to be beyond a mere sword but the spiritual form brought into physical art. This is similar to how the Jedi view their weapons. They go into a deep meditation for days, in Anakin’s case three days and three nights, and during this time, they construct their lightsabres. They imbue the crystals that make up the blade with their own connection to the Force, and they don’t know how it will manifest until they have completed the construction. Thus, the lightsabre becomes a representation of their very presence in the Force made manifest in the physical realm. (Curiously, Vader’s blade looks just like Anakin’s only black....I’m sure this is significant.) It was said you could know the Jedi from his lightsabre.

As a consequence of this belief, it was the heights of dishonor and the highest insult to disrespect a Samurai’s sword or a Jedi’s sabre. Furthermore, to place one’s sword/sabre into another's hands was to afford them a great honor as you were placing your “soul” into their care. This sheds a lot of light on why Anakin placing his sabre in Padme’s hands was so profound. Moreover, exchanging lightsabres amongst Jedi was called the “concordance of fealty,” and represented a serious commitment between two individuals because of this. A Jedi, or a Samurai, was, put bluntly, never to be seen without his sword within hands reach, even at so young an age as five. This can be observed in how the Jedi encouraged their Padawans, to wear their sabre at all times. Furthermore, in the same way that only Samurai were allowed to wear katana, only Jedi were supposed to wield a lightsabre. In both cases it symbolized their positon of authority and demanded respect.

However, with respect and power comes responsibility. The Samurai’s sword also represented his dedication to Bushido which is the “Way of the Warrior.” In GFFA, this is the Jedi Code. Bushido was based in Buddhism and represented non-violence. It meant that those who wielded the katana should only draw it when absolutely necessary. It meant that they were expected to be honorable, disciplined, obedient, wise...as are the Jedi. The Jedi were taught that they should only draw a lightsabre when necessary, and if they must draw it they must be prepared for the consequences. They were taught that, as a Jedi, they should be responsible for their actions, aware of the consequences, humble and obedient. Indeed, the word Samurai, representing the warrior class, comes from the verb “to serve.” The Jedi frequently say “we come to serve.” The lightsabre/katana symbolizes this very way of life. Ergo, it was their life. They had imbued these blades with the very essence of themselves and their commitments/beliefs and it was intensely personal. 

Now, taking all of this into context, let’s look at AotC. (”Next time try not to lose it. This weapon is your life!”) Anakin has drawn his lightsabre quickly and arguably foolishly. As a result, he has lost his weapon. Already in doing so he has shown his disrespect for the Jedi way. However, more than that, and more significantly, he is doing so out of a desire to impress Padme. He is doing it for selfish gain and ambition. His heart is not in the Jedi way, so losing his sword is very symbolic. When Obi-Wan looks at him and says “try not to lose it,” he’s reminding Anakin of his purpose and his oath. He’s saying not to neglect his responsibilities, not to disrespect the code, to be non-violent, and to be selfless. Anakin doesn’t want to hear it and grabs his lightsabre in a frustrated manner. He isn’t listening. He’s treating his very soul, his essence, the light side even, with contempt. (The Jedi Code too, and note, the Code in and of itself isn’t the issue, it’s the council’s unfortunate understanding of it, which we’ve all commented on...So, no, not good at all.)Thus, Anakin foreshadows his own fall.

As someone who was raised in Japanese schools from grade 1 to grade 7, and is fluent in Japanese as a result, I must confess that moment hit me hard and I found it quite profound. Don’t disrespect the sword! There’s rather a lot of subtext there.

Incidentally, swords were often passed down one generation to another and something of the previous owner’s spirit was said to go with it. It wouldn’t surprise me in the least if the Jedi passed down hilts, and/or crystals, (the best sabres had three after all), down from Master to Padawan to create a legacy that you carried reverently in your hand. Therefore, when Obi-Wan gives Luke his father’s lightsabre, he carries that tradition forward in the hope that as Luke wields it, and wields the Force through it, some of his father’s skill, talent, and essence, before he fell, may pass onto the son on some level. The sword is sacred.

(This also explains why Obi-Wan thinks blasters are “uncivlised” and “clumsy.” They can be mass produced; they aren’t hand-made; they aren’t sacred; they don’t connect you to a higher realm, a greater world, a better understanding. They signify nothing, are attached to no Code. When you hold a blaster, if you are Obi-Wan at least, you feel no connection to anything but mindless violence.)

(And, of course, from a practical stand point, losing your sword in a dangerous environment is also a surefire way to get yourself killed...)

#Star Wars #Anakin Skywalker #obi wan kenobi #This weapon is your life #Prequels #Jedi Code #Lightsabres #Katana #Samurai #Japan #Bushido