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#we get thrawn back but not Mara
phoenixkaptain · 1 year
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Luke and Mara’s relationship is SO FUNNY. Literally everyone else is like: “What are you doing? Why are you concerned? Luke, she threatens to kill you every time you speak with each other, please-“
I love the Luke was so concerned when he sensed that Mara’s ship lost power in the second book. Han describes it as Luke acting like Mara is his best friend rather than the woman who has repeatedly threatened him with murder. And after it’s all over, he does save her! He gets them to pick her up and they take her to Coruscant to heal and none of that would have happened without Luke’s influence.
Luke is so fond of Mara, despite having met her all of three months ago. All of their interactions involve murder threats and dangerous situations, literally none of them have been postive interactions, but Luke is so pleased to see her! Just! All the time!
Luke agrees to break Karrde off of Thrawn’s ship because Mara asks (no further requesting necessary). Luke breaks Mara out of her house arrest on Coruscant because he wants her to go to Wayland with them. Luke defends Mara constantly whenever Han (very reasonably) questions whether or not they should trust her. Han and Mara and Luke himself all ask “What if this ends in Luke’s death?” and Luke’s answer is always “¯\ _(ツ)_/¯ Guess I’ll die then.”
(Luke is basically like “If I die, I die. The Force wills it.” I think he and Qui-Gon were soulmates-)
I like that Luke finds out about Mara’s past in the first book but only ever brings it up in the third. And Han is like “She was the EMPEROR’S HAND, and you didn’t think that was worth mentioning???” and Luke just: “The past is in the past.”
Leia and Mara also have a fun relationship though. Leia speaks to Mara for the first time and Mara, right as Leia is leaving, is like “I’m going to kill your brother. Did he tell you that?” and Leia just: “No, he didn’t mention that. May I ask why?”
Leia consistently is like “Well. Luke trusts this person. I trust her too.” Which is almost exactly like Wedge “Luke vouched for them so I trust them with my life” Antilles.
Leia 🤝 Wedge
“If Luke trusts them, I trust them.”
Leia is always like “I know you’ve said you want to kill my brother. But, from what he’s said, you had a lot of opportunities to kill him. And he’s still alive. Are you sure you want to kill him?”
And Mara is just like: “Shut up.”
Han is the only one who is like “I don’t think we should trust this person who wants to kill Luke” and Luke is always like “Why not?”
But really what gets me is the final scene SPOILERS when Luke gives Mara Anakin’s lightsaber. And I know Mara thinks it’s him not-so-subtly telling her that they can both move on from the past, but all I can see it as is Luke seeing Mara like he saw Anakin. He sees them both enslaved to the Emperor and brainwashed and hurting and he ultimately saves both of them. But, Anakin never got to use his lightsaber again, after he came back to the light. So, giving it to Mara, who was in a very similar situation as Vader was, is such a good way to honour Anakin’s memory and every time I think about it - two people manipulated by Palpatine who find their way back after years and years of abuse, both using the same lightsaber at opposite ends of their life - I kind of want to cry.
And maybe I’m looking too deeply into it, but I love this scene. I love Mara asking why Luke is giving it to her and Luke saying “I want you to have it.” I love Anakin’s lightsaber finally being used in the light again, I love it I love it I love it- I’m crying again
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starplusfourletters · 4 months
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I finally finished the last command
and it was a romp (spoilers)
Chewie spends the whole book on the edge of a nervous breakdown but buddy you very much did that to yourself. Sure, you swear a life debt to a guy who turns out to be One of the People in the Galaxy That Things Just Keep Happening To. Bad luck, bound to happen sometimes. But then you decide that life debt extends to his wife knowing FULL WELL that Even More Things Just Keep Happening to HER, and then they go and have TWINS? That’s on you, bud.
Mara “I still do want revenge on Luke Skywalker yes definitely now hold that thought I need to go risk my life to save Leia and the twins” Jade. Mara you’re embarrassing yourself.
Actual conversation:
Leia: Thanks again for saving my life. Mara: Don’t thank me until after I’ve killed Luke which I still absolutely want to do. Leia: So uhhh why’d you do it? Mara: I’m just opposed to kidnapping. Leia: Were you kidnapped? Mara: I dOn’T wAnT tO tAlK aBoUt iT yes. Leia: ... Mara: YOU THINK THIS IS ABOUT MY TROUBLED PAST?? Leia: … Mara: BECAUSE IT’S NOT Leia: … Mara: Anyway here’s the information only I can provide that will turn the tide of the war. It’s free. Friends and family discount. Leia: Thanks. Mara: I’M STILL GOING TO KILL YOUR BROTHER Leia: That’s nice, dear.
MY KINGDOM FOR GHENT. His dad boss forgets to pick him up from AV Club so he spends two months wandering unrestricted through the capital building and then cracks Enigma because he’s bored
A TWELVE-DAY Character Bonding Hiking Trip??!? Zahn’s really outdone himself this time
WAIT THIS WHOLE TIME MARA DIDN’T KNOW LUKE AND VADER ARE RELATED?? Omigod that’s HILARIOUS. I mean, yeah, I guess it just never came up? And she didn’t watch the OT movies? That’s very funny to me for some reason. I definitely assumed she’d gotten that memo
Oh man it really feels like I should have seen that reveal coming and I absolutely did not. Gawd I love the 90s. Wowowowowowow. Chef’s kiss. I have so many questions about the Bespin janitorial system
“LUUKE” I’m dying
Admiral “It appears to be a trap.” Akbar
We interrupt your regularly scheduled Good vs. Evil Star Wars content to bring you “the two Evil factions getting in each other’s way vs the two Good factions getting in each other’s way until they all realize we’ve hit the end of the book and just start attacking everything indiscriminately”
The Climactic Battle Scene:
Luke: Fighting his clone! Han: Pew pew pew pew! Mara: Psychic defense! Psychic attack! Leia: Dual wielding blaster and lightsaber! Karrde: In the back, petting his doggos and talking on his phone I was legit worried about his safety in this book. But he's not dumb; he knows he doesn't have enough plot armor to take on the Big Bad. He is simply the best there is
Wedge / Aves is the rarepair I didn’t know I needed
RUKH!!
Oh thank God the doggos are okay
So as far as I can tell Thrawn made one mistake that wasn’t just bad luck and it was doing a shit job of getting Mara out of the way. The dude really should have had MORE of his enemies killed
Thesis statement: Aww Themb! <3
Now I just need to watch someone explain this series to Ep9-era Palpatine. Preferably in the style of Worthikids.
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marvelstars · 10 months
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“For a long moment, they stood together in silence. Vader thought about his secret... about Thrawn's loyalty... about the Emperor's continued need for him. Perhaps the entire Empire's need for him... "Anakin Skywalker is dead," he said.
Thrawn lowered his head. "I know."
Vader nodded slowly. *I know.* Not *So I have heard.* Not *So I was informed.* But *I know.* "We will not speak of him again," he said. "*You* will not speak of him again."
"I understand, my lord," Thrawn said. "But I will always honor his legacy.” ― Timothy Zahn, Thrawn: Alliances
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"Anakin Skywalker is dead," he said.
Thrawn lowered his head. "I know."
I have been thinking about this moment in the novel since Thrawn is going to appear in the new Ahsoka series and I just love this new dynamic Tymothy Zahn wrote with Vader and Thrawn in the new canon.
I always liked Thrawn since I read his first appareance in the novels, I believe he´s the best character created in legends, followed by Mara Jade, because he singlehandely managed to give dignity to imperial admirals, he represented the competent/brilliant side of the Empire that had the rebels running from them all over the galaxy, who thought by themselves and weren´t blindly loyal to the Emperor, he didn´t need to have force powers to be a fearsome opponent but his relationship with Vader on legends was distant, proffesional and very competitive so there wans´t much to talk about it from there, besides Thrawn use of the Nogri, a new species profoundly loyal to Vader because he helped their planet.
But the new canon added this delicate circunstance, Thrawn KNEW Anakin before he became Vader, they were allies for a short time but he still managed to get a sense of who Anakin was as a person, enough to miss him when he came back to the Empire and swore loyalty to the Emperor in exchange of support for his people.
Thrawn is bassically a Sherlock Holmes/Moriarty verision of an imperial admiral, he´s clever but also cold without being cruel unnecesarily, so there´s something so touching in the fact that he actually misses who Anakin used to be, to the point of going out of his way to try to get Vader to react to his old name, there´s nothing in there for him besides sympathy, it probably would be better for him to get Vader out of the way to develop his plans for the Empire, he in fact addmited to Vader he had three different plans to kill him, yet he felt the need to mention Anakin to Vader in repeated occasions, so when Vader officially told him to stop, he "lowers his head" as if mourning that´s too much emotion for someone like him who wasn´t close to Anakin yet knew him as respected his habilities, so this drives home how much was lost when Anakin fell to the darkside, not just for the Jedi/the Republic/his family/Galaxy but also for the Empire as well.
He just isn´t the person he used to be, even a virtual stranger without the force like Thrawn noticed it and yet he tried to get a reaction out of Vader if only because he thought Anakin´s legacy deserved that much.
This new take on their relationship is so much closer and honest, I just hope filoni takes some clues from there because it´s an interesting new take for them.
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kuwdora · 9 months
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Star Wars audiobooks! I've been restless for new Star Wars since Andor ended. Been going through a handful of Disney era and Legends novels over the last few months. I have enough reactions to get down into an actual post. Mostly I'm just going to be foaming at the mouth over Marc Thompson and Sam Witwer's narration and falling over myself about the characters. I have listened to: Dark Disciple, Last Shot, Disney Thrawn trilogy, Heir to the Empire, Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter. Lots of these books I liked, some of them I didn't but the narration and characters are still amazing. Motherfucking MARA JADE. Asajj Ventress!!!!!!!! I have no rational mind about Maul and I am one of those feral stick figures chewing on Thrawn. Hnnghh.
First of all, let me start with Marc Thompson. He's been doing the audiobooks for years and years now. Here’s a great intro where he’s talking about the differences of doing character voices and learning the importance of bringing the right dynamic to the prose. He slips so seamlessly into his Star Wars voices reel, ahaha.
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Here is a really cute Lip Sync Battle where Marc Thompson will say a line and then have a fan lip sync the same line back at the camera. His energy, his energy I love it so much. Everyone is having SO MUCH FUN. There’s also a cameo by Star Wars author Christie Golden in this video. Super cute.
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First book:
Dark Disciple - Christie Golden Narrated by Marc Thompson
Alright I actually had picked this up ages go from my library and never read it but since I’ve been on an audiobook kick, Marc Thompson got me goin’ with alllll his voices.
I love Asajj Ventress so I was pretty much guaranteed to enjoy something from this book. Apparently it was written based on some unfinished scripts for an arc that would have happened if the show didn’t get cancelled. Knowing this makes a lot more sense with regards to the pacing and I think I would have preferred the animated episodic for this since I think a lot of the early Quinlan and Asajj stuff dragged a little too much. However I did appreciate getting more of a deeper dive in Asajj’s head and it really made me want to go digging through AO3 for some amazing character studies that I know must exist at this point.
But yeah, I didn’t think I’d enjoy the eventual romance between Asajj and Quinlan but Quinlan was such a perfect set-up for a fall from the Jedi Order. I think I’m just really easy when it comes to whumping the fuck out of Jedi with torture and their own emotional repression.
I was really into all the Dathomir scenes and the history of Asajj with her sisters being touched upon again and how she managed to not “go crazy from the dark side” because of the balance she found because she was a Nightsister.
A++ for Asajj having to go to Boba fucking Fett to mount a rescue mission inside a fake heist.
Really I think I’m just so easy for murdery women with a rage boner. Fuck Dooku.
Marc Thompson’s narration was a delight and I definitely would recommend this for anyone who enjoyed The Clone Wars series and wanted to get a little more Asajj screen time. Here’s a scene where someone pulled Clone Wars clips and put Dark Disciple audio underneath. Marc Thompson bringing incredible Dooku subservience and Sidious danger, hhhngh.
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7/10, would listen to again even though I'd rather see the finished episodes.
Last Shot (A Han and Lando Novel) - Daniel Jose Older Narrated by Marc Thompson, Daniel Jose Older and January LaVoy
This book was extremely disappointing. Normally I am a fan of seeing fan-favorites have their mid-life crises but I was extremely bored and over with Older’s take on Han having an existential crisis of who he was as a father an husband in this post-Empire world. Lando on the other hand, was having a crisis of genuinely having fallen in love and not knowing how to handle that. I fucking loved that.
This book had multiple timelines and jumped around a lot and I don’t know if I just wasn’t focused enough while listening but the timeline jumps were jarring and incomprehensible at times. The action plot ended up being rather unsatisfying.
It was also very jarring to have three narrators for the different timelines and I kind of feel bad because I went and looked and Older’s narration is just consistently getting panned across all reviewers—and for good reason. Thompson and LaVoy are experienced voice actors and with Older in the middle, Older just seems slapdash in his reading. If it was just Older all the way through I might have been more forgiving but going back and forth with everyone… it really was painful at times.
It was a slog to get through this book, really. What I actually really enjoyed was all the original characters: an Ewok slicer, a nonbinary hot shot pilot, and Lando’s love of his life whose name is slipping my mind even now, agh. I wasn’t fan of the villain character, unfortunately, and it was a bit of a letdown that the action plot was just… I don’t know, boring. It was a riff on transhumanism except with droids and a bit of droid supremacy to it and I was just... tired by it.
Marc Thompson was KILLING it tho. His performances always fucking delight me. January LaVoy’s narration of Lando and L-3 were also really great even though I just wasn’t into the scenes themselves.
3/10 - do not recommend, HOWEVER I would read fic about the lady ewok hacker Peekpa.
Darth Maul: Shadow hunter By Michael Reeves Narrated by SAM WITWER
I am, as the fannish parlance goes, Not Normal about Maul or Sam Witwer's performance as Maul.
This novel takes place just before the events of The Phantom Menace and it’s a Star Wars story that is very, very narrow in scope. The stakes are still very high because someone has gained information about the Trade Federation’s impending blockade and Sidious sends Maul to go and take care of it. The whole story takes place in the underbelly of Coruscant and I gotta say, it’s really refreshing after going through a bunch of Star Wars shows, books and films where it’s all galactic hopping whirlwind stuff to have that's in one place and happening in a short amount of time. I think it's something like 2 or 3 days that all the events happen.
Michael Reeves is a man of deep characterization and creates an amazing sense of place in the Black Sun alley of Corusant. We get very little Sidious and Maul interaction but what bits we do get are fascinating and haunting. I do like the ‘less is more’ approach here with these two...although I will say I’m not sure I would have picked up this book if I hadn’t gone through The Clone Wars and lost my goddamn mind over Sam Witwer’s portrayal of Maul.
And his performance here. In this book. I don’t know what it is about Witwer but when he does Maul my brain just lights up in a way that I haven’t really gotten outside of live theater performances. He brings this sense of ruthlessness and competence to Maul, his gleeful rage and oscillating mania as he ends up tracking an information broker and Jedi Padawan. Oh, Witwer is truly just. Fucking amazing, okay.
I would love this book even if it wasn’t Witwer narrating it but my god he elevates it to a whole new level. I got my copy from the library but it is immediately on my to-buy list once I can buy books again.
Michael Reeves also wrote for Batman the Animated series and Gargoyles which makes a whole lot of sense in the way he’s able to just create such lush sensory detail of place and people, oh holy fuck. He’s the writer who wrote the Gargoyles episode about Broadway accidentally shooting Elisa with her gun (this is an episode that got pulled from airing and I don’t think they have on Disney+ right now). Aw man, alright I definitely need to read more of his stuff now.
The action plot is Lorn Pavan is a down-on-his-luck fellow who got information he shouldn’t have and he is trying to sell it, Darsha the Jedi Padawan gets sent down to bring in a Black Sun informant and things go tits up for her in horrible ways. Darsha and Lorn’s paths collide and they try to survive Maul. I love everything about these characters, except for the end where Lorn started having romantic feelings about the Padawan. Blech.
Also somehow I think I-5 is now my second favorite droid character I’ve come across in the greater Star Wars canon (Chopper will always be my #1 grumpy cat droid). Witwer has the best dry delivery for the droid character. Like. It’s so fucking GOOD.
I’m also impossibly impressed and obsessed with Witwer’s performance of Sidious and the Jedi Council. His Qui-Gon is SO FUCKING GOOD. His Palaptine has my teeth rattling in my head oh my god.
Here’s the first 5 or so minutes of Shadow Hunter, hhnngh. You get Maul, Sidious a drunk Lorn Pavan, and my new droid bestie I-5:
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I am 100% going to be reading Michael Reeves’ other Star Wars novels. Apparently he has a series that follows a Jedi-in-hiding post-Order 66 and I want to just dunk my head in all the Star Wars noir, I guess, yes please.
10/10 - I love, would heartily recommend to anyone wanting a kind of story that’s more heavy on character and setting and also SAM WITWER!!!!!!!!! Maul. Hnnghghghgh.
TIMOTHY ZAHN TIME.
Thrawn Trilogy (Disney era) Thrawn, Thrawn Alliances, Thrawn Treason Narrated by Marc Thompson
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This was my second time through the Disney novels. I watched Star Wars Rebels first, then my friend jb_slasher told me about Thrawn having novels. I had vaguely heard of Heir to the Empire over the years and also my friend recommended the Disney trilogy so I figured I’d start with that since I was diving off from Disney canon anyway.
My god I love this trilogy so fuckin’ much. Marc Thompson out here nailing it. This Thrawn is the type of character who is always the smartest person in the room and I should get irritated by that like all the other characters but mmmm, I have a competence kink. And I am just over the moon with how he instills loyally and allegiance in his crew who can now have a commander who is not interested in politicking his way through things but actually is committed to strategy and whatnot.
Also fucking Zahn made Thrawn go back to space college. And gave him a little protege who he grew to admire. Eli Vanto is a great character, I am reading a lot of slash about them obviously but yeah, I loved seeing his growth throughout the trilogy. And THRAWN ALLIANCE. Y’all. Y’all. The Star Wars memes about Thrawn and Darth Vader and Anakin Skywalker are AMAZING and really do the hilarity so much justice. Here's a fantastic book trailer cut together with Marc Thompson' narration, hnngh.
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This man absolutely knows who Darth Vader is and Darth Vader is like “oh fuck no you don’t.” And when Thrawn had met Anakin during the Clone Wars and Anakin had to try and work together with him? Perfection. Bonus Padme getting to be a ridiculous and foolish badass when she goes looking for trouble. And also her also having a competence kink for Thrawn, too. It cracks me the fuck uuuuuup, okay.
Thrawn absolutely hates politics so fucking much and I love to see how that is the primary way he gets thwarted or has to build his strategy around. Because people are fucking assholes and political everywhere. Seriously, have I mentioned how much I love Marc Thompson??
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Thrawn Treason gave us more of Thrawn’s people and whatnot with the Chiss which I also liked but I’m really less interested in their motivations and experiences as a culture on the edge of the Empire. More here for Vanto now getting to be the fish-out-of-water and leveling up and getting all the respect he deserves.
MARC THOMPSON, y’all. He does a great Thrawn, an AMAZING whinybaby sycophant Ronan of the Starkiller Project, and his Eli Vanto Space Yokel intonation is 💋. Also I feel like the loyalty and trust that Thrawn earns from his subordinates really feeds into this praise kink thing that everyone develops by being around him. I love it.
10/10 will lose my mind and listen/read this trilogy again and also read all the fanfic about it.
Heir to the Empire Timothy Zahn
I am sorry it took me 30 years to get here but I AM NOW HERE FOR MARA JADE’S RAGE BONER. Let me repeat: MARA. JADE. !!!!!!!!!
Also holy fuck. Luke Skywalker getting to be smart, technically creative and able to navigate through terrible situations in spite of a Force-Blocking Macguffin is AMAZING. I was not expecting to be this into a post-Empire Luke but I really fucking loved it.
I also love all of the Han and Lando scenes in this (WAY MORE than Last Shot, sorry Daniel Jose Older).
Leia and Chewie!! On Kashyyk!! Talon Karrde was so great (Thompson made him kind of sound like Antonio Banderas??)
Thrawn and his bestie Pelleaon! What a fascinating dynamic.
I actually was not very into Thrawn’s vibes in this book as much as I was in the Disney stuff. I don’t know if it’s because of the vibes they wrote him in Star Wars rebels that got filtered back into Zahn’s take on him for the books (or if it was the other way around?) - Like, the calculating tactical and man of strategy is still there, but… hm, I’ve been struggling to articulate what about it that didn’t tickle me as much. He’s still playing the long game in every situation but I don’t know… I think there’s this more pragmatic view of people he has in the Disney books that he doesn’t get here in the first of this trilogy. I haven’t gotten to the other two books from this series yet so maybe I’ll feel differently later. The anniversary edition of the audiobook that I got from my library was narrated by Marc Thompson and he (you'll be so surprised) fucking nailed it all for me. Love love love.
10/10 timothy zahn, I love you. You got an amazing way of writing action. I gotta read more of your stuff. Anyway, I'm also starting the Ahsoka novella that I think (??) is not quite canon anymore since they got a final season for Clone Wars, but it's by E.K. Johnston and narrated by Ahoska's voice actor Ashley Eckstein. Don't have enough thoughts about it yet but I love Ahsoka so I'm sure I'll have a decent time.
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angelbeni · 1 year
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AHSOKA TRAILER JUST DROPPED AND
I have so many questions and a full theory but omg I’m so exciteddd
-How much of the Heir to the empire saga are we getting?
-Could the white haired girl be Mara/play Mara’s role?
-Could the sith be Jorrus?
-Is the Rebels cast replacing the Skywalkers here?
-we should get some Skywalkers at some point though
-Also, how come Thrawn is ok and ready to fuck shit up but Ezra is NOWHERE to be seen?!
-Ezra better be ok riding his space whales or I’m rioting
-If we’re getting the ghost crew back, baby Jacen can’t be too far away omg
-IF platinum blondie is a sort of Mara, and Luke is nowhere to be seen, are we setting her up with Ezra?
-I’m definitely rooting for Ezra and Sabine to be the end game BUT I love getting drama too lol
-Is Ashoka the new Skywalker getting a girlfriend?!
-though I don’t want to parallel too much to the legends trilogy, I’m sure Filoni will surprise us with many new things we won’t ever come up with
-According to new canon, Thrawn is with the empire because he wants them to be possible allies to the Chiss, so why help the empire after the emperor’s long gone?
-wait for it
-CLONING AND MIDICLORIAN ENHACEMENT
-So it’s probably not Moff Gideon pulling the strings but Thrawn
-With the force sensitive Chiss children being more and more rare to find, this would be the best solution for their navigators problems
-Also connecting with The Bad batch, I’m hoping we eventually blow up Mount Tantiss because clones deserve that much
-But Mount Tantiss WAS the OG cloning facility in Heir to the empire, so why would Filoni give it away so early in the story?
-To relocate and restart all cloning experiments in whatever nightmare sith planet we saw back in Rise of Skywalker, thus giving finally some more solid ground to the new trilogy
That’s about all my thoughts so far
Any other theories guys? I’d love to compare what we got
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nikkeisimmer · 9 months
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Back in 1991 I was a college student in the music program at Douglas College, 20 years old in May 1991 (a month before I turned 21). I was not finding college much fun and my educational difficulties were showing up full force.
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Then along comes Timothy Zahn with a continuation of the Star Wars saga that I had grown up with. Gen X were the target audience as children for Star Wars back in 1977 when I was a kid of 6 years old at least when Star Wars came out in April of that year. And the entire trilogy (Star Wars, Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi) were complete and released in the theatres by the time I had turned 13.
So as a young adult, what’s now referred to as the Legends series of books were a part of my life. I would save up and buy each one as they came out, reveling in the further adventures of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Leia Organa (now Solo) and their growing family. Some of the events in my own personal life (in general my luck with women mirrored that of Luke Skywalker who couldn’t seem to find a match even if he tried. I mean, look at his track record (the woman who tried to kill him back during the Rebellion days then there was Gaerial Captison, a few others here and there, Callista (the Bodysnatcher) Ming) and well, Mara… who finally in the Legends became his wife).
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The relationship of Mara and Luke was one that really struck a close chord because to me Luke was the “everyman”; the hero of the story; the one everyone wants to be. And what I really wanted at the time,considering the circumstances of being in an abusive situation with my mother and her narcissistic traits, was an escape (from reality, perhaps); someway to get out of the situation I was in. So Star Wars was a way, when I wasn’t working at selling houses which frankly was no longer enjoyable by the time 1998 rolled around, to escape the abuse and BS at home.
Narcissistic parents and their enablers want you helpless and strip away your emotional supports and they did that quite well. If you’re doing the math, I was 29 at this point.
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The Hand of Thrawn duology of Ghosts of the Past and Visions of the Future had come out and we saw Luke and Mara get engaged.
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And well, I had met (online) my future wife and was on the phone with her a lot. This was wayyyy before everyone and their dog and cats. having their own personal cell phones. Cell phones and pagers (remember those?) were the realm of business people. I was in real estate, so I owned one of both.
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I rolled a sabacc on that one. We’re 23 years together as of next month. We’ve been through ups and downs that probably would have broken up most couples including my mother’s meddling. But the choice that I made was to stick with my wife: to get away from my mother who had done nothing other than to beat me down every chance she got.
In other words my relationship with my wife saved my life.
And that’s also a reason why Star Wars is so important to me. It provided an escape and a bit of sanity in an insane situation and allowed me a bit of time to plan my escape. I left my parent’s hpuse in March of 2000. 4 months before my now-wife came up from the States and 5 before she and I got married (parents were not invited - her mother due to logistics because of her being back in the States, secondly, my parents weren’t due to my mother’s abusive controlling behavior and my dad because by now he’d become her enabler). My uncle; my mother’s flying monkey had predicted our marriage wouldn’t last.
23 years and every wedding anniversary that passes is lile another happy “fuck you” to my uncle.
This is one of the reasons why I’m disgusted with the sequel series. Everyone goes through trials and tribulations and they grow, learn from their experiences and mature to become hopefully a better version of themselves.
Rey on the other hand is a Disney’fied version of their typical Princess stories. There’s no growth at all other than the time she was on Jakku. There was the “immediate learning” of her Jedi skills with very little training - a kind of Mulan’ish immediately good at everything. There was no connection at all with Rey as a character.
But then again if one likes their stories to be all fluff and light, then fine. But don’t disrespect the original characters while doing it.
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Turning the hero character into a miserable old grouch who lives like a hermit who tosses his father’s lightsaber when he originally treated it with reverence is not subverting the plot.
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It’s being a dick and ruining a much loved character just for a cheap laugh. Yeah, I’m pretty angry with the sequels because when I was a kid, I idolized Luke Skywalker and Han Solo.
I looked forward to the sequels, hoping that they would do justice to Lucas’s vision, but we got a disjointed plot, “Somehow Palpatine returned”, Super Rey Palpatine and bitter old angry OT characters who were characterized as incompetent. And what enraged me the most was that we got this.
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The final insult from Disney’s screwing up the sequels so badly was after filming TLJ, Carrie Fisher went into full cardiac arrest on an aircraft and passed away. There is now no way to rectify the mess that the House of Mouse has made to Star Wars; the franchise that I love more than any other sci-fi franchise. I grew up with this franchise and while I’ve grown out of what Lucas had termed as the target audience, when someone messes with the memories of your childhood, screws up your heroes, yeah, you get mad.
For me, Star Wars was my happy escape and thanks to Rian “Ruin” Johnson, it’s tainted irreparably. Harrison Ford may have wanted out but the rest loved their characters. And Mark Hamill wanted his character treated with some respect but instead of Luke Skywalker, the noble Jedi, he got Jake Skywalker - the down and out green-milk guzzling irritable hermit who “doesn’t give a shit no more!”
Disney has gone full on and said that anyone who dislikes the sequels and dislike the way Rey is written are old racists and white misogynists who live in their mom’s basements.
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Well I ain’t white, I don’t live in my mom’s basement, I wish women got treated more fairly, I’m more liberal than conservative and I’m frankly pissed that my childhood film heroes got so disrespected. OK granted, I may be old and not a kid any more (my wife would beg to differ. She says I’m a 2 year old in a 53 year old body) but I still love my Star Wars with the exception of the sequels.
And Legends will always have a special place in my heart because it got me through the toughest part of my life.
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jedimordsith · 1 year
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Long excerpt from an AU I might write someday where Leia and Mara met briefly at the fancy girls’ school Leia attended before Palps pulls her out, burns her alias, and leaves Leia thinking her new friend died... only to meet her again during TTT and instantly adopt her again (much to Luke’s delight and Mara’s confusion).
“Skywalker.” Mara stopped abruptly two steps out of the ‘fresher doorway. She was wrapped in a towel, her hair twisted up messily atop her head, dark circles under her eyes.  
“I didn’t mean to intrude,” Luke apologized, slanting his gaze away. “I heard Lando got called away and thought I’d cover the rest of his shift. I didn’t realize you were —” 
“It’s fine.” Mara headed toward the bed where a few pieces of clothing lay folded. “You don’t have to be chivalrous,” she added wearily as he turned away to give her privacy. “I’m sure Leia told you I’m not exactly virgin goods.”  
Luke’s jaw clenched. His sister hadn’t gone into detail about the time Mara had spent at the fancy school they’d attended together, but Luke hadn’t had any trouble reading between the lines.
“The things the Emperor let other people do to you aren’t your fault.”  
Mara gave a bitter laugh that ended in a hiss as a streak of pain shot through the Force. 
Luke was turning before he thought about it and caught a generous glimpse of creamy skin before Mara folded over. She’d gotten a pair of loose pants on and her arms bracing her against the end of the bed hid her breasts from view, but it didn’t matter because by then Luke’s whole attention was riveted on her back. 
“That’s not a single blaster bolt.” He was across the room in seconds. 
“Thrawn’s tipster must have told them I was dangerous.” Mara snorted then winced, drawing in a long slow breath against the pain. “Palace Sec wanted to make sure I went down.” 
Luke let his fingers hover over the charred edges of the wound. He could still feel heat radiating off the blistered skin. “This needs to be bandaged, Mara. It needs bacta.” 
“It’ll scar,” she said dismissively. “But I’ve had worse.” 
Luke’s jaw set and he side-stepped, one hand going to her arm, the other to her hip. “Get on the bed,” he ordered. 
Mara’s sense wobbled and his stomach turned. A murky wash of her shame flowed over him as he helped her crawl forward and eased her onto her stomach.  
“I’m going to get a med kit,” he said, forcing his voice to stay even despite the rage coiling in his gut. He brushed his fingers over her shoulder and watched her eyes squeeze shut. “Can you have somaprin?”
Revulsion spiked in the Force. 
“No.” She didn’t elaborate. “I can’t sleep. Not here.”  
“You have to,” Luke countered. He stroked her hair, unable to stop himself, his heart twisting for all the pain and fear she’d had stuffed into her relatively short life so far. “You need to heal. Tell me what you can have and I’ll stay with you.” 
She faltered, the offer obviously unexpected. “You shouldn’t…”
“Do you know how upset Leia was when she thought you died?” Luke asked quietly, crouching beside her. “Do you have any idea how furious we both are that you saved her babies and got shot for your trouble? We’re done letting things happen to you, Mara. So please, tell me what you can have.” 
“They won’t give you any,” she objected, her eyes opening to meet his. 
Luke could feel the push-and-pull inside her as she offered up dangerous information, putting herself even more completely in his hands.
“Conergin’s the only thing that works.” Her voice was thick, a thread of panic she couldn’t quite suppress running along her sense. “But it’s restricted.” 
Luke’s heart cracked at her trust. “Han’s got some on the Falcon,” he told her, his hand finding hers and giving it a squeeze. “Benefits of traveling with a Wookie,” he added, giving her a lopsided smile. “Lots of things regulated for humans are casual use for them.” 
Rising, he grabbed a blanket and draped it over her legs and lower back. 
“Stay here. I’ll be right back, okay?” 
Pausing, he pulled his light saber off his belt and set it on the bed beside her. The guards didn’t know that she knew how to use it, so they hadn’t objected to him wearing into her room. He could guess how much it cost her to be like this — half naked, alone in the Palace where she’d grown up, injured and exhausted. He couldn’t leave her without protection, not even for the short time it would take him to get what he needed. 
Leaning down, he caught Mara’s hard and rested it atop the hilt. “If anyone but me tries to come in, don’t hesitate.” Dropping a kiss on her fingers, he straightened and strode out. 
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jessicas-pi · 2 years
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An updated guide to my AUs and fics:
(All fics are complete unless indicated otherwise)
Fic series:
The Time Heals 'Verse: SWR/TCW time travel fix-it fic. This fic did all the things Ahsoka (2023) did and it arguably did them better. (no, seriously.) (Sabezra, Anidala, Obitine, Kanera, faint traces of Blyla and Vostress. Plenty of space family and disaster lineage feels.) Time Heals Mortifying Memories (we'll laugh about them later) Time Heals All Wounds (yet the scars remain) Time Heals Old Hate (put your armor on) (in progress)
The Teenage Rebellion AU: Series of one-shots. SWR AU. Ezra is an Inquisitor, Sabine is a Coruscant-socialite-turned-Rebel-agent, and Leia is so done with this banthacrap. (Sabezra, Luke/Mara, background married Kanera as per usual.) In My Garden Seventeen, Young And Sweet Across The Room, Your Eyes Are Glowing In The Dark Gaze Into The Night
The dumpsterverse: modern AU where Kanan, Hera, Zeb, and Sabine found Ezra in a dumpster. Also Maul is a jerk. (Space family and Kanera, sequels are Sabezra, alternate sequel also has Dinbo) November blizzards (and other bonding experiences) 2AM pancakes (and other kinda romantic moments) (sort-of sequel) THEY'RE in love, WE'RE just friends (and other lies to tell yourself) (alternate sequel)
The Problem Children AU: TCW fix-it featuring a musical, Space AO3, and two original characters as obi-wan's padawan and venterss's padawan, respectively. (Anidala, Obitine, Vostress, Merrical, Blyla, lowkey future Kanera.) Playwrights, Group Chats, And All Around Chaos Fives Writes Fics, Ahsoka Writes A Play, And The Ghost Of Riyo Chuchi Strikes Back In Which Ahsoka’s Project Gets Bigger And The Group Chat Descends Into Even More Chaos (also Mace is on Space Tumblr)
Standalone fics:
This Is Fine The typical Sabezra fake-kiss-on-a-mission fic... except it's set during season two. Awkwardness ensues. (Sabezra, background Kanera.) (multi-chapter, in-progress)
Mixed Signals I got salty about that sister line from the Ahsoka show and used Mando'a language loopholes to make sense of it. (Sabezra)
blindness, yet sight AU where Ezra is blinded on Malachor, not Kanan. (Sabezra.) (may eventually be a series.)
Starbirds and Wolves Soulmarks AU. (Sabezra, background Kanera.) (may eventually be a series.) (1 of 2 chapters posted)
Jedi means family. Family means nobody lives alone in their comm tower of depression. Sabine is haunted by All The Jedi while she lives in her comm tower of sadness. (Can be read as platonic or as Sabezra.)
Careful— He Bites! Ezra got raised by wolves. This has... side effects. (Sabezra.)
Maybe the real family was the feral chaos gremlins we adopted along the way Anakin is a Mandalorian, Korkie gains a cool older cousinbrother, and Fenn Rau starts going prematurely gray. (Obitine, future Anidala & Fennbo, assorted other possible ships.) (in progress, sloooow updates)
Ahsoka's Amazing MUSE-ical Number (feat. Force Ghosts & Shin Hati) Sabine won't say she's in love. Ahsoka aims to change that. (Sabezra.)
The Phantom Of The Chimaera Ezra embraces his inner Vent Gremlin and turns Thrawn's life into a waking nightmare. (Mostly platonic, Sabezra if you squint a little.)
11 Sabine finds Ezra after 11 years. The reunion is nothing like like they hoped for. (Sabezra)
Sabine Wren's Guide to the Mythical and Mysterious: On Merfolk Kisses, The Untimely Occurrences And Interruptions Thereof Silly little (not actually little, it's 16k words) merfolk AU. (Sabezra)
and they were cellmates (oh my gosh they were CELLMATES) You've heard of Imperials AU, now get ready for Imperial Prisoners AU! (Sabezra)
Mission (Probably) Accomplished Time-travelling padawans from the Old Old Old Republic and imaginary love triangles and repressed emotions! Yay! (Sabezra.)
Commit To The Bit Sabine and Ezra are fake dating. Very fake dating. The dating is extremely fake, I assure you. (Sabezra.) (2 of 3 (maybe 4?) chapters posted)
Best Enemies Forever Cracky Inquisitor!Sabine AU. (Sabezra.)
supersonic (bleeding ears) canon-compliant minific. No ships.
Season's Greason's From Lothal Sabine and Ezra prank the Empire with a musical number. May become a series. (Background Kanera.)
Not-fics:
The Space Family, But Make It Medieval Romance Fantasy Kanera Princess Bride AU
The Space Family, But Make It A Modern AU Modern AU. (some Kanera)
The Space Family (and company), But Make It ✨Superheroes✨ Rebels Avengers AU (Some Kanera and Anidala. lightly Sabezra-flavored if you wanna squint.)
The Space Family, But Ezra's Hair Is 70 Feet Long (Among Other Things) Rebels Disney princess AU. (Kanera, future Sabezra.) (this one has art!)
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myevilmouse · 1 year
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For the deep fic writer asks:
10. how has writing positively impacted your mental health or overall mood?
11. Has a fic you’ve written ever caused issues/controversy?
Thank you 🤗
Ah thank you so much for these asks tonight!  So much fun to think about this stuff.
10. how has writing positively impacted your mental health or overall mood?
I love this question because it is an awesome thing to think about.  For me, the best thing about writing fanfic is rediscovering my love of writing in general.  English was always my favorite class in high school, and I wrote short stories and things in creative writing that I loved back then.  It was really fun.  Hobbies should be fun and positive, and if they aren’t, they aren’t really hobbies but chores.  Writing is a great outlet for me, escapist and challenging.  I love to make  things happen that didn’t happen before thanks to a story.  It’s so rewarding.  Luke/Mara sex pollen?  Sure.  Thrawn/Pryce in quarantine?  Sure.  #itdidntexistsoiwroteit is one of my favorite tags.
Apart from the stories themselves and the act of writing being enjoyable, I have made a lot of wonderful friends in this community (and others!).  One of my first online fandom friends I met for the first time at my wedding reception hahaha and the small group of my fic buddies are invariably supportive, encouraging, and sympathetic no matter if the topic is real life madness or characters refusing to obey the almighty author.  My tumblr friends are awesome, and everyone who takes a chance to read my stories are simply gifts to me as a writer.
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Also I really do enjoy reading my own stories.  I am not shy or modest about this.  I LOVE MY FIC because if I didn’t why would I write it?!  That is super fun for me to revisit and reread and be proud of something that didn’t exist until I wrote it 😊
This may be a good place to mention that if writing is NEGATIVELY impacting your mood or mental health, you should step away, take a break, consider what is having that effect.  For any writers struggling to feel that joy again (due to lack of engagement or toxicity or whatever), I suggest you write a fic and don’t post it, keep it just for yourself (personally I think everyone should have at least one fic that’s “just for you”—it’s like a secret indulgence and a great reminder of why we should be writing—for ourselves!).  I mean, I play piano as a hobby.  I definitely don’t want to share my ivory tickling on youtube or whatever, that would add pressure and misery and suck the joy out.  So remember it’s all about the joy.
11. Has a fic you’ve written ever caused issues/controversy?
YES actually.  What an interesting thing to think about!  I had forgotten but polled some friends and remembered a few…. These are minor controversies though, nothing like fissures in the space/time continuum or anything, more like hiccups in the tumblrsphere…
Back in 2019, I wrote a Luke/Ahsoka fic (I think it was the first one for the ship on Ao3, or one of them) and I got some tumblr hate which was fun to smack down.  People outed themselves as ageist and misogynist and, well, you can read my response here. 
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I had a similar reaction to my Luke/Mon Mothma fic.  Basically, I am militant that fanfic is for fun and you should write whatever the fuck you want.  I have no obligation to conform my stories to anyone’s expectations and refuse to do so.  Also Luke/Ahsoka is a GREAT SHIP you can’t change my mind haahah as is Luke/Mon, why can’t she get some Jedi loving?!
More recently, I understand there was some fandom kerfuffle around my Thrawn/Sabine story.  Again this had to do with age differences and the idea that professors/students is verboten blah blah blah. 
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All I have to say to that is if you see a rated E fic tagged “hot for teacher” and you want to complain to the author that it’s about a student banging her teacher, you have issues requiring addressing that are beyond my expertise.
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me @ the negativity
Thank you so much for these asks tonight @guestiguess!  I am enjoying them immensely! Hope you enjoyed the answers!
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jedimara77 · 8 months
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I had some thoughts on Twitter about Legends, the post-RotJ era, and Disney canon, all brought about by middle-aged nostalgic feels.
In response to: STAR WARS POSITIVITY looks a little different these days so qrt/reply with your FAVORITE Star Wars CANON book! 
My reading has been dismal lately, but I adored Thrawn Alliances, The Weapon of a Jedi, Lost Stars (esp the Rebellion stuff!), Bloodline, and Resistance Reborn.
While I appreciate getting books in many different eras, I realized I really do miss when books were centered around the post-Return of the Jedi era with the Big Three/Four. I know that’s not possible anymore thanks to streaming shows, but that New Republic era will always be my happy place.
I dove headfirst back into Luke/Mara fic recently because I don’t think the sort of stories I’m really interested in will be told even via streaming shows. And even if they do tell those stories, I will probably disagree with a lot of my favorite character’s decisions and how they are telling his story. (See: The Book of Boba Fett.)
Mostly, though, while Luke has always been my favorite, separating him from his family and friends will always make me feel detached from him. It’s not about him getting married or having a kid, it’s about the family he made for himself in the Rebellion/New Republic and Jedi.
He’s not the same if he doesn’t have people to bounce off of. As someone responded to my Instagram story, “Luke and all his sweu friends for life”. Yes, even fucking Kyp Durron.
And I will never agree with Luke reinstating the attachment rule because it’s fucking stupid especially considering he was gonna train his sister as a Jedi after she was married with a kid thanks for coming to my ted talk
Addendum: that’s not to say Legends was without flaws, or even good most of the time. I couldn’t stand it at the end. That’s why the reboot didn’t bother me. My other fave was already dead, two of the Solo kids were gone—what more could go wrong? (Monkey paw!) 
I was looking forward to getting new stories in that New Republic era that borrowed from the high points of Legends (and yes, I was hoping for Mara), but would have loved to see the Big Three fighting Thrawn (or some other major threat) and then Luke start his academy. We know the latter eventually happened, but who knows if we’ll ever get that story. (And I don’t necessarily mind Luke making mistakes while teaching Jedi because he sure as hell did in Legends. But later he had people (aka Mara) to call him on his shit.) He needs that. (See: exile on Ahch-To.) 
And knowing we are getting some of these stories, that Thrawn is coming, but Han/Luke/Leia won’t be involved (or they will be, but with AI acting) makes me make the Tim Gunn gross face.
(Also please, for the love of the Maker, please give me more X-wings. New or old squadron, doesn’t matter. I miss my pilots! We were on the verge of greatness. We were this close!)
Original thread here.
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stpeachery · 2 years
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Finally finished the Legacy of the Force series!
Much to think about!
Starting off, Jacen's downfall to becoming a sith still makes no sense to me. Like, I see the vision, but the more I think about it the more confusing it is. Denning really wanted an Anakin/Vader 2.0. Maybe if I read the dark nest trilogy then it'll make more sense. Also I was listening to the abridged audio book so that may be why.
I genuinely think Mara shouldn't have died. There was no reason for her to die. Jacen could've became a sith a different way. It seems like she was killed off for shock value. Like if anyone can explain why her death was needed then I'm all ears.
Also why wouldn't Mara explain in the letter that she wrote to Luke that she was going after Jacen because she suspected he had turned into a sith. "Gone hunting for a few days. Don't be mad at me, farmboy. Also, Jacen may be a sith so I'm going to confront him. If I don't come back, HUNT. HIM. DOWN." I'm serious this would have saved the team from hunting down Lumiya and Alema Rar (though they needed to go I won't lie) and confront Jacen right then and there.
Shout out to Jacen for wearing his custom designed, hand-sewn and tailored, black Versace GAG slim fit suit to his aunt's funeral. Y'know the aunt he killed, lol. Love that Mara got the last laugh (kinda) by outing Jacen as the one that killed her. Wish Luke picked up on it instead of being all "it's Mara's sign that we need to get along from now on, as a family :)" and leaving Ben to go after Jacen all by himself.
Tahiri...you're not seeing the pearly gates for trying to seduce a 14yr old. And he's the love of your lifes baby cousin?? 🤨 I won't hold it against her, instead I will actively hunt Denning down for that part. Hope she had some kind of healing in the next series of the books cause girly has had a rough life lmfao.
Where tf is Zekk??? He's just gone and not seen anymore. Anywhomst, now my Jaina/Jagged agenda can live.
Shout-out to my girl Tenel Ka-Djo. No specific reason, she's just really cool. Love her from infinity to infinity 💕💕💕 (Rip Isolder though, that blows)
Speaking of Tenel-Ka, I'm sorry but that elevator scene with her, Leia, and Han is kinda funny lmfao. She's literally crying her heart out because Jacen kidnapped their kid and (maybe accidentally) almost got her killed while escaping and Han is like "👀👀👀 Man, this kid is super upset, I wonder why talking about Jacen is making her so upset, it has to be because Allana is gone, yeah that's it." My brother in the Force she's technically your daughter(ish) in-law and your son kidnapped your grandchild.
Shout out to Ben Skywalker for constantly suspecting Jacen to be his mom's killer and not being swayed by anyone suggesting otherwise that it was Alema, Cal Omas (still giggling at this lol Jacen you're so petty), or Lumiya.
Speaking of Ben, what happened to that little girl he rescued???
Love Niathal, my gaslight gatekeep girlboss Admiral gworl. Not so much Daala because I know what she does to Luke and the Jedi later on. ._.
Also Rip Pellaeon, the last of Thrawn's legacy, fly high (or low) old man 💕💕💕
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tljisthegoat · 6 months
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Lightsaber twirls are just sooo satisfying. Such good eye candy. Can you imagine dual lightsaber Rey with her new lightsaber & Kylo Ren's lightsaber 🥵
She could have her old TLJ hairstyle back (which NEVER should've changed!!!)
Have a mix of her old TLJ outfit & Kylo Ren's outfit because that would look perfect on sooo many levels. Have her go to everywhere Ben has been because of their DYAD connection being so powerful. Have her mourn in solitude but keep putting on a brave face for The Rebellion & The New Republic until she decides it'd be better to abandon a cause she doesn't believe in.
She'll make enemies out of even the most loyal of her friends like Finn, who wouldn't think bringing back Ben at all is a good idea despite him wanting Rey to be okay.
She'll make unexpected allies, like Rose (who'd be her biggest cheerleader), Ahsoka Tano (you know Dave Filoni will find a way to have them meet), and Kreia. Who would be more questionable in terms of morality. Like The Illusive Man in Mass Effect 2.
I'd love to see her make Vader's castle on Mustafar, her secret hideout when she turns to the dark side. I'd also love to see her make Naboo, her permanent home to get away from everything with Ben when all the fighting is over.
She'd take very good care of The Millennium Falcon & make sure to keep Kylo Ren's saber in the best condition possible with her scavenger knowledge. She'd make sure Ben has a beautiful home to come back to.
I'd love to see her be playful & vicious when she's using the dark side. She'd love overpowering her enemies like Kylo Ren. Stabbing them in the chest & hitting them with lightning if she's feeling like making a statement.
Her fighting style would be a mix of Kylo & her own. She'd also use her blaster alot more.
She'd replace her staff with another blaster so she can dual wield both her blasters & lightsabers for the best weapon coverage.
She'd definitely become more interested in learning about The Force & Kreia would be the best Force user that I could believe still lives on in The Sequel Trilogy.
Thrawn definitely seems like he could be a good endgame villain especially if we get to see Reylo vs Thrawn.
Imagine if we got Dark Rey & Ben Solo vs The Rebellion & Thrawn?
Like Dark Rey is fighting The Rebellion while trying to get to Ben Solo who's escaping Thrawn's new empire?
What if Mara Jade comes back into canon to help Rey because she hears that Rey is Luke's padawan?
I'd definitely have Rey assemble a new crew for the sole purpose of bringing back Ben & protecting the galaxy. Like Mass Effect 2 but Star Wars. Now I'm just thinking of a game that would let you play as Dark Rey lol
Anyways, Rey has unlimited potential going forward as long as she's handled correctly.
Rian Johnson should definitely get a chance to make a Reylo show on Disney+
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starplusfourletters · 4 months
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I read specter of the past (hand of thrawn book 1)
This turned into a liveblog srry
Me, reading the Thrawn trilogy: Okay obvi Mara/Luke is a slow burn
Me, skipping to the duology set 10 years later: GUYS YOU’RE LOSING DAYLIGHT
Oh no they have a passive aggressive “may the Force be with you” / “good luck” thing oh no I might ship it
Also the small existential crisis that ensues every time I remember Luke is (checks Wookieepedia) THIRTY-EIGHT YEARS OLD. I cannot picture Luke Skywalker a day over 22 I think my brain would explode [actively represses the sequel trilogy]
This book is absolutely crawling with badass female smugglers and I’m living for it
Oooh proto-convor! [two pages later] OH NO PROTO-CONVOR DEATH ☹
Mara Jade, Force sensitive specializing in precognition, former Emperor’s Hand, second-in-command of the most powerful information dealing organization in the galaxy: Runs into a wall and spends the rest of the book knocked out
Lando “Could I Please Get Back to My Day Job It Has Been Two Decades” Calrissian. Just let the man mine in unlikely places it’s all he’s ever wanted
I got way too happy about the implication that the Imperial whose name I've forgotten figured out the tractor beam thing. He solved Science! Good for he!
Loving how everyone’s opinion on Karrde is basically “nice guy; sus that he insists on getting paid, though.” Like yes this is still a capitalist economy and he runs a business with a large number of employees
We interrupt your space fantasy to bring you a “Chicken Fried” music video with clone sleeper agents
Okay everybody place your bets is Car’das a secret brother, secret father, or ex-boyfriend (hype for some Karrde backstory and realizing the extent to which my brain has decided he and Kaz Brekker are the same person is Extensive)
Legit starting to feel sorry for Gilead “Sad Fascist Grandpa” Pellaeon. Somebody give this guy a peace treaty and a hug. Also more and more irked about No Prisoners why did that need a retcon
Really enjoyed the book’s interrogation of the premise “how do we actually make a galactic organization that includes cultures with mutually exclusive legal and ethical codes WITHOUT being fascist.” Felt very Trek. Actually went further toward radical inclusivity than Trek usually does; the Federation does have an element of “you must be this close to 20th-21st century American values to ride” which is its own kind of cultural imperialism and in this essay I will -
I simply cannot get enough of these books’ “protagonist stumbles, Kramer-like, into the Site of Maximal Galactic Importance Du Jour.” I will let you know when it stops being funny to me. Also really like how the villains are starting to learn to use it to their advantage; like yeah it DOES look like a conspiracy when you think about it
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kitewithfish · 1 year
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Wednesday Reading Meme - Nov-9-2022
What I’ve Read So, I have finished nothing that was traditionally published in the last week, but I have read a non-trival amount of fic, and worked thru a lot of books that I hadn’t actually had a chance to finish yet. For the finished things, I’m trying to pull back into the format I used for recc’ing works, because if I preserve more info, then it’s easier to find things if they are later taken down
Title: The Legend Of Liob by Killbothtwins Fandom: Star Wars Clone Wars Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/38656698 Length:19K Summary: The Republic sends a combat photographer to be attached to the 212th until further notice, citing the need for a morale boost. The clones make up a fake clone, citing the absolute fact that it is very funny. Somehow, these two things save the galaxy. Why I love it: I love Cody’s point of view on this fic, as he tries desperately to reign in the nonsense that several thousand bored soldiers get into while playing a joke on their newly assigned war correspondent.  I love the original character’s general willingness to do what she can to help the clones out and use public opinion to help them. The troopers of the 212th are having some fun in the middle of some of the worst possible things that could happen to a person, and it is truly hilarious. This is just a very fun fix it fic!
Title: Triumvirate by celinamarniss Fandom: Star Wars ex-canonical pre-disney works by Timothy Zahn Link: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1494842 Length: 77K Summary: (Mine) Mara Jade and Prince Luke Skywalker of Naboo are given as concubines to Admiral Thrawn. Surprisingly, this works out well. Why I love it: Welp, I did not expect a threesome where Thrawn the meat in a Luke and Mara sandwich, but, hello, we are here. It’s a bit kinky, a bit dark, a bit sweet, a bit of an AU
Title: Seeking Shelter By sphagnum Fandom: Original work Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15648981 Length: 7k Summary: Guns down, gentlemen. Oscar protocol. The betas lowered their rifles instantly, pointing them at the ground in front of Max instead of his chest. Max took a deeper breath in, his tension easing a bit as he moved past the part of the plan where he might just get shot dead before he had a chance to try to bargain. It had always been a risk; it had just seemed like a better death than slow starvation. Why I love it: I unrepentantly adore writing where characters are operating thru a hard language barrier. In this case, one character has a form of fictional virus-induced aphasia and it’s really well written and interesting to see the world thru his eyes while also getting the dialogue of the people around him.
What I’m Reading: 2312 by Kim Stanley Robinson - book club, descriptive heavy but interesting. Someone I love who typically has deeply different reading tastes than me truly hated this book, and I took that as the recommendation that it usually is.
Westerns: Making the Man in Fiction and Film by Lee Clark Mitchell - Reading for the Great Queer Supernatural Rewatch - we’re thinking about westerns and masculinity! And how that genre of work says things about The American West as a setting and what it means for the kind of masculinity that the characters of Supernatural are dealing with. Related to the third chapter, we also watched Stagecoach (1938) which had some fascinating elements to it in terms of writing and an ensemble cast. (It was the first movie in which I found John Wayne to be charming and a good actor - I normally get deeply grossed out by him!) The racism in Stagecoach felt generic, by which I mean, it’s an inherent part of the genre and cannot be removed, but was also not pointed or with a lot of motivation behind it. Racism as wallpaper. Had a nice long discussion with a friend of how that compared to the John Carter of Mars novels that they’re currently reading, which really wants to pound into your head that the Martians cannot actually feel love and are terrible people who deserve to be conquered. Compared to Stagecoach, where Geronimo is a boogeyman and the Apaches are portrayed with all the inhumane violence of a twister, the John Carter novels are far less palatable to us. But I have a sneaking sense that Stagecoach’s racism has a longer tail because as a viewer of the film, you have to accept The Bargain that a Western movie is making in order to get any pleasure from it.
Darth Maul: Son of Dathomir by Jeremy Barlow - a bit spare. I recall that this was a means to publish plots that had been cut short by the end of the Clone Wars cartoon, and it’s a got a little bit of that feeling - I keep thinking that this would be better with performances behind the characters.
Ocean’s Echo by Everina Maxwell - continues great! I'm about halfway thru and the main couple, who started the novel by trying to pull off scam to fake a mental bond that would put one of them permanently in control of the other, are now in a situation where the power dynamic has swapped! The whole thing is running on a basis of trust, admiration for each other's deeply different skill sets, and a solid basis of unacknowledged lust, so it's pretty much catnip.
What I’ll Read Next
Library books in the house Maul: Lockdown - Joe Schreiber The Whale Rider -Witi Ihimaera Tiger's Daughter - K Arsenault Rivera Riot Baby - Rochi Onyeuchi The Silence of the Wilting Skin - Tlotlo Tsamaase An Unkindness of Ghosts - Rivers Solomon
Recently purchased and need to read: NK Jemisin's The World We Make, Frey Marske's A Restless Truth, California Bones
Newly purchased: Even Though I Know the End by CL Polk - this apparently started life as a Destiel fic and I didn’t know that and I have Polk $11 for the good of the fandom collective even before I got into the book
Also newly purchased - To Seek and to Find by Tamryn Eradani - I found this on a list of books that had started their lives as Supernatural fanfic and I bought it almost as an act of solidarity - I’m hopeful that it’s good, but if it’s not, it’s still only $5.
Own but reminding myself - Penric's Demon! Get on that! Fansplaining podcast just described it as Venom but in the middle ages, good god, ride that like you stole it. 
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winepresswrath · 3 years
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If Rey has a force baby with Kylo instead of just being a Sheevakin attempt at replicating Vader's powers with a less annoying personality I'm going to be so annoyed. Star Wars is always letting me down with their flavour of stupid; they could choose to be outrageously dumb in a fun, sexy way (Sheevakin test tube baby whose embryo was unfrozen by scrappers) and instead they choose relyo that not even reylos wanted. I've become a bitter old nerd yearning for they days when George Lucas was stupid with vision and unearned confidence in the cinematic value of early 2000s CGI.
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elivanto · 2 years
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i can’t get over how fucking funny the thrawn & formbi dynamic is. or rather formbi’s dynamic with thrawn. because i doubt thrawn’s losing any sleep over him.
i just. i need to—
here, have a couple cute passages about thrawn blatantly disregarding the cedf’s protocols on preemptive strikes
outbound flight (2006):
Car’das shook his head. “We were lucky.”      “We had a good leader,” Maris corrected. “The Vagaari are going to be very unhappy about this.”      “Good,” Thrawn said evenly. “Perhaps they’ll be angry enough to make an overt move against the Chiss Ascendancy.”      Car’das frowned. “Are you saying you were trying to goad them into an attack?”
chaos rising (2020):
But in that case, why hadn’t [Thrawn] come out of hyperspace much farther out and done at least a quick recon before committing himself and his ship to this vector? At least then he might have found a way or route that would have given his shuttle a better chance of getting somewhere before it was destroyed.      A cold chill ran up his back. No, Thrawn couldn’t be that short-sighted. Not the Thrawn whose battle tactics Qilori had had the misfortune to see firsthand.      Which left only one other option. Thrawn had arrived on this particular vector because he wanted the Nikardun to attack him.
again, chaos rising:
[Thrawn] shook his head slowly. “I can beat them, Ziara. I can take all four, right now, without any serious damage to the Parala.”      “Serious is a highly relative term,” Ziara pointed out. “Even if you can, we have no justification. Chiss territory hasn’t been invaded, and we haven’t been attacked.”      “If we move closer, we might be.”      “Deliberate provocation is also disallowed.”
AND NOW MAY I PRESENT ARISTOCRA CHAF’ORM’BINTRANO’S THOUGHTS ON THE MATTER
outbound flight (2006):
[Car’das] stole a look at the commander’s profile. “I take it you and Aristocra Chaf’orm’bintrano disagree on this point?”      “I and the entire Chiss species disagree on this point,” Thrawn said [...].      “Did you tell the Aristocra about the Vagaari ship?” Car’das asked. “There seemed to be plunder in there from a lot of different species.”      “I did, and he wasn’t particularly impressed,” Thrawn said. “For him, the defensive-only doctrine admits to no exceptions.”
and 50 years later—
survivor’s quest (2004):
“I see now why your people don’t need to bother with preemptive strikes,” he commented. “With a refuge like this, you can afford to let any enemy take the first shot.”      Formbi swiveled sharply to face him. “That has nothing to do with the Redoubt,” he said stiffly. “It is completely and purely a matter of honor and morality. The Chiss are never to be the aggressor people. We cannot and will not make war against any until and unless we have been attacked. That has been our law for a thousand years, Master Skywalker, and we will not bend from it.”      “I understand,” Luke said hastily, taken aback by the vehemence of Formbi’s response. No wonder Thrawn and his aggressive military philosophy had rubbed these people backward.
formbi: thrawn is terrible formbi: the worst officer in the cedf, really formbi: his disregard for the law, not to mention his love for aliens with the most incredibly dull fashion sense is SO unbecoming formbi: thank fuck he’s gone. no other chiss would EVER try to get away with deliberately provoking an attack on their own people smh
ALSO FORMBI:
survivor’s quest (2004):
“And even knowing who [the Vagaari] were, you let them aboard your ship?” Jinzler demanded, sounding more surprised than angry.      Formbi closed his eyes again. “The Vagaari are a violent people, Ambassador,” he said wearily. “They have killed many, enslaved many others, and driven all who know them to terror and despair. […]”      “So the Vagaari need to be slapped down hard,” Mara said, frowning. “So what’s the problem?”      Formbi smiled wanly. “The problem is Chiss military doctrine, Jedi Skywalker,” he said. “Specifically, the decree that no potential adversaries may be attacked until and unless they first act against Chiss interests within Chiss space.”      Mara stared at him. “You wanted them to make a move against you,” she said, not quite sure she believed it. “You invited them aboard one of your ships and into your most critical military base, hoping they’d pull this exact stunt.”
i just love that he’s pulling a “i’m going to provoke these people into attacking us so that we’ll be justified to destroy them” à la thrawn—despite literally having thrawn arrested for it during the outbound flight Incident—and having it completely backfire because he’s, of course, not thrawn. you tried, formbi. you tried.
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