#yoda voice issues and problems i may have

[david-talks-sw]

For a lot of fans, the "Jedi lost their way" take really comes down to:

"I never saw the Jedi Council genuinely be kind to Anakin in any meaningful way, so I just filled in the gaps and assumed they were dicks to him".

From there you get the myths that the Jedi manipulated him, only cared for him because of his power, forbid him from seeing his Mom, Mace in particular hated him, etc etc.

Well, quick reminder: in George Lucas' script, Anakin refers to the Jedi as his family.

But hey, if "not enough evidence" is a factor, how would we fix that?

PITCH: A five-issue comic book miniseries, featuring self-contained tales of young Anakin's interactions with various Jedi - seen from their POVs - about how they all come around to liking him, only to epilogue each issue with events from Episode III.

Not all of these are fully developed, but just to give you an idea...

Issue #1: Yoda.

Lesson: "letting to of what you fear to lose"

Set only months after Episode I, Obi-Wan is off on a mission, and Anakin is shadowing Yoda, for the day. Both are reluctant...

Yoda is still grappling with Anakin's uncertain future, maybe reeling from Qui-Gon's death and Yaddle's disappearance.

Anakin misses his Mom, and the last conversation he had with Yoda was the elf telling him he shouldn't be scared for his mother (or so Anakin thinks).

Throughout the day, shenanigans ensue.

Yoda takes Ani to a Council meeting and he keeps interrupting by asking Yarael Poof why his neck is so long, or asking Oppo Rancisis if he ever trims his hair. Giggles from all but Yoda.

Yoda mediates a negotiation between Senators and the subject of Malastare podracing comes up, so Anakin hijacks the meeting.

Yoda goes to Thustra to fight off mercenaries for the King and Anakin tags along, seemingly becoming a burden for Yoda.

However, despite their bumpy start (Anakin being a brat and Yoda being a grump) Anakin and Yoda bond and Anakin's input seemingly becomes the key to the mission's success.

Yoda discovers he admires Anakin's outside-the-box thinking and finds kindness deep in his heart. The issue's narrative voice is Yoda talking to Qui-Gon, noting how similar Anakin and Qui-Gon are.

Anakin realizes that Yoda trained the master who trained the master who trained his master... so that makes him his sort of grandpa! That's so wizard!

Once the task at hand is over, Yoda and Anakin have a moment and talk about the idea that Anakin misses his mother.

Yoda comforts Anakin, explaining that his mother let him leave the nest, and in life things come and go, things which they may grow to care for. But as Jedi, they must be able to let go of these attachments, when the time comes.

Anakin asks if Yoda ever lost someone he cared about. Yoda answers that he's almost 900, by now. A lot of loved ones of his came and went. Qui-Gon was one of them. Yaddle, too. Another one (thinking of Dooku)... still hurts to this day.

One day, it'll be up to him to be as strong as his mother, who Yoda adds might've made a wonderful Jedi. And who knows, maybe he'll see her again, once Anakin becomes a Jedi himself.

Anakin smiles.

Epilogue:

Anakin scowls.

We're seeing Yoda's scene with Anakin in Episode III through Yoda's POV. As he did years ago, Anakin still has problems with attachment... but in this case, he doesn't even tell Yoda anything. So Yoda can only give a general answer.

As Anakin refuses to elaborate on his premonitions and leaves, Yoda feels powerless, and can only hope he was able to help this troubled young man who, day after day, reminds him less of Qui-Gon and more of Dooku. Dooku who died yesterday.

Issue #2: Kit Fisto

Lesson: "don't try to be some 'Chosen One', just be yourself"

Anakin undergoes a trial that involves swimming. And he grew up on a desert planet. So of course, he fails. At night, he steals Obi-Wan's breather and sneaks out of their quarters to go to the pool and train.

He puts the breather on wrong and is about to drown but fear not! Jedi Knight Kit Fisto and his dashing smile are here to help!

He shows Anakin how to put his breather on right and shows him how to swim and fight underwater.

Now, this isn't just a pool. It's a pool in the Jedi Temple! So it's filled with a whole lot of marvelous fluorescent flora and fauna, I'm taking Avatar-style stuff.

So the swimming lesson becomes a lesson about the Living Force (who said it should just be Qui-Gon's thing? Lucas certainly didn't), using water as a metaphor.

The overall idea of the issue is that Anakin is concerned... he left his Mom behind, hoping to make her proud, make Qui-Gon proud, make Obi-Wan proud and live up to this expectation of being the Chosen One... but he's struggling at basic stuff like swimming! How's he gonna be this big time Jedi, one day?

Kit reassures Anakin: he shouldn't aspire to be a "Chosen One". All any Jedi should aspire to be is the best version of themselves.

Next day: Anakin passes the trial, Obi-Wan congratulates him, and Anakin completely misinterprets what Kit was telling him in a hilarious way by saying something silly and cocky like: "I just had to remind the water that I'm the best me there is so it better let me float or else."

Which gets an eye roll from Obi and a giggle from Kit.

(BTW, maybe we can have Nadar Vebb help Anakin swim too! Maybe even set him up as passing that trial the first time round with flying colors to contrast with Anakin, maybe he's an antagonist that comes around by the end, I dunno)

Epilogue:

As Mace battles Sidious in the other room, Kit Fisto, still breathing, rises to his feet and takes a few steps, intent on helping his friend despite his wound, but collapses... he's not gonna make it.

He turns around, stares at the ceiling. Is this how it ends?

Anakin appears in his line of sight, looking around at the dead Jedi, shocked. Kit smiles (ROTS novelization reference) as Anakin rushes into the adjacent corridor.

His last thought is the knowledge that everything's going to turn out alright, now that the Chosen One is here.

Issue #3: Mace Windu

Lesson: Control your feelings, don't let them control you.

Simple story. Obi-Wan was captured by a bunch of IG-11 assassins, allowing Anakin to escape and rescue a Senator's daughter. Now, Anakin and Mace are on a mission to get him back.

They make their way through a jungle filled with traps. Anakin is rushing, he's angry at the droids and afraid for Obi-Wan and it's making him do dumb stuff. After it happens a second time, Mace scolds him.

Around a campfire, Anakin apologizes for his impulsive behavior.

Mace comments that it's understandable. He only started being a Jedi, like, 5 years ago. Mastering your emotions isn't an easy thing to do, and in Anakin's case it's twice as hard. Anakin pries: is that why Mace didn't want him to become a Jedi?

Mace hesitates. Then says it, point blank: "yes".

And while he's sorry for being blunt, the fact remains that last week he threatened two of his fellow initiates with a lightsaber to the face.

Anakin points out that they were bullying him because they were jealous of his skill.

Against all expectation Mace smiles and reveals that he can relate to that. His own classmates would bully him for the same reason. You know who'd step in, in that situation? Qui-Gon. Qui-Gon was like a big brother to Mace, always had his back.

After sighing, with a calmer tone, Mace says he'll have a chat with those students. But Anakin needs to double his efforts to keep his feelings under control, lest he become enslaved by them.

The way he went about it was by developing Vaapad. He demonstrates it to Anakin, whose eyes are filled with stars.

Mace concludes that while he did have misgivings, he has faith that Anakin can find the way to do it.

In the morning, Anakin and Mace storm the castle filled with assassin droids. One of the droids sees they're losing and electrocutes Obi-Wan, hoping to unbalance them. Mace orders Anakin to stay focused, Kenobi can take it! And Anakin does!

Once the courtyard is cleared, Mace lifts the remaining droid torturing Obi-Wan with the Force and crushes it into a ball of metal.

As they walk away, Mace lets out a "good work, Skywalker."

Anakin asks Mace if he can teach him Vaapad-- Mace cuts him off with a "Nope".

"C'mooon!"

"Don't push it, Skywalker."

Epilogue:

In the Chancellor's office, Mace reflects the lightning back onto Palpatine's face.

The Sith seems out of commission.

And Mace is scared shitless. He almost died, a few seconds ago. His instinct is to run. He uses shatterpoint, tries to sense the future because Force knows he's got no idea what the hell he should do next. And that's when he sees it:

The various ways Sidious can kill him and Anakin.

Stop Mace's blade mid-air and Force Push them out of a window,

snap their necks with the Force,

crush the crystal in his lightsaber and let it blow up in his face.

Palpatine is faking and there are barely any scenarios in which Mace and Anakin are walking out of this room alive. And even if they do capture him, then

Sidious can bribe judges and Senate officials and supposing that doesn't work either, he can

escape any prison, kill thousands of clones in one night and

set up a new power base, starting from scratch.

This either ends now or the galaxy is doomed.

For a full second, the gravity of it all terrorizes Mace... then he chases his fear and musters his courage.

Anakin argues but Mace knows what he must do. He prepares to end the conflict once and for all, like a true Jedi would.

Anakin argues again, and Mace detects something else. Wait, why is Skywalker scared?

As he falls, Mace realizes the very thing that he feared would happen, a long time ago, has finally come true:

Anakin let his emotions rule him... and it doomed them all.

Issue #4: Shaak Ti

I was thinking for this one, we can have Obi-Wan bring her in as a sparring partner so she can demonstrate Jar'Kai to Anakin.

I haven't thought of a deeper lesson for this one, I just like Shaak Ti, folks, she's awesome :D

If anyone has suggestions, put 'em in the replies.

Epilogue:

(This one will definitely age poorly when The Mandalorian Season 3 comes out tomorrow!)

Order 66 rages as Shaak Ti protects a group of elderly Jedi in charge of the babies. She takes clone after clone down as she escorts them to an escape room the notices one baby left in the infirmary: Grogu.

Suddenly, she senses an overwhelming darkness approaching this wing of the temple. She thinks fast, she takes Grogu, crosses a corridor where 2-3 Jedi are killed (which is what Grogu remembers in the flashbacks)...

... and goes to a meditation room nearby. The shadow closes in and Shaak Ti realizes who it is: Skywalker.

We catch her moments later as she finished recording a message in her Holocron (the one from Star Wars #9)...

"It's up to you now. Don't let our deaths have been in vain. Don't let this be the end of the Jedi."

... then places it in Grogu's pod and hides him in an air vent. She sits on the chair, pretending to meditate.

The door slides open. Anakin enters the room, senses something in the air vent. Shaak Ti realizes he's about to find Grogu and distracts him: "what is it Skywalker?"

He stabs her. She falls.

He picks up her saber as he prepares to engage Cin Drallig and his apprentice with two lightsabers, just as she showed him.

A tear rolls down Shaak Ti's eye.

She looks at the air vent, sees Grogu's wet eyes peer through the grate. At least he's safe.

Issue #5: Obi-Wan

Lesson: Be less cocky, beware of Palpatine, ffs

Obi-Wan and Anakin are on a mission, maybe they're being chased by monsters, maybe it's in the middle of a firefight, maybe Anakin is trying to stop a train.

Bottom line: Anakin gets cocky and tries to do something incredibly stupid, thinking he can pull it off... and almost dies.

Obi-Wan manages to save him, but that hits him like a ton of bricks.

"I almost lost him."

Anakin's justification? Something along the lines of: he told the Chancellor he'd manage to do a triple flip next time he's on a mission, and that he'd try to catch it on a holovid.

So Obi-Wan loses his shit on Anakin, takes his saber and grounds him for a friggin' month.

Privately, he feels guilty. He almost lost Anakin and it would've been on him. His promise to Qui-Gon would be broken, Shmi's sacrifice, wherever she is, would be rendered pointless... and Anakin would be dead.

He talks to Mace and Yoda, who tell him not to blame himself. Obi-Wan takes this to heart and realizes who's to blame.

He goes to see the Chancellor.

And it's awkward af.

Put yourself in Obi-Wan's shoes. How do you tell your boss, the leader of the free world, to back off because he's a bad influence on your kid, in the most diplomatic way possible?

But he somehow manages. He puts his foot down and asks Palps if he wouldn't mind being a bit more hands-off.

Note: for one page, we're on Palpatine as he remembered every time he undermined everybody else's lessons. "Don't listen to Windu, your emotions are what make you human." "Still, a bit heartless of Yoda to not even send someone to free your mother. I'm sure they had their reasons." "Trust me, you're definitely a Chosen One, even if Jedi like Master Fisto don't see it."

Then Palpatine smiles. "Of course!" He even apologizes and agrees to step back for a bit, he understands that he may have inadvertently undermined Obi-Wan's authority. My bad, Master Kenobi. My bad.

Back in Anakin's quarters, Obi-Wan enters and sits next to Anakin on his bed. Silence.

What follows is a scene like this one in The Lion King:

Obi-Wan admits that Anakin really scared him today.

Anakin is sorry, but at the same time, he knew Obi-Wan would be there to save him in case he failed.

Obi-Wan explains that he won't always be able to be there to have Anakin's back. Anakin dismisses that, saying he trusts him.

"As long as we're together, it'll always turn out alright."

Epilogue:

As their dialog from the previous scene continues, Obi-Wan watches as his Padawan, his ward, his brother, his everything for the past 13 years, kneels in front of the Chancellor on a hologram recording.

So yeah, that was my attempt at writing Star Wars ^^' Thank you for making it this far!

Why only 5 issues? Well, it could be 6 issues. Could be 12, released monthly. I focused on 5 because I didn't wanna spend too much time photoshopping collages. Other scenarios could feature:

Saesee Tiin teaches Anakin flying maneuvers and finds he also has much to learn.

Quinlan Vos and Aayla Secura partner up with Obi-Wan and Anakin. Anakin initially finds a kindred spirit in Quin, even wonders if it would be possible for two knights to do a "Padawan swap", but eventually he sees that - as cool and laid back as Master Vos is - maybe he needs a Master who'll give him a bit more structure than the guy who'll let him stay up late.

Anakin and A'Sharad Hett going through a trial together. #Tatooineboys #arooo #kraytdragonsounds

Here's why I wrote these story ideas down:

There'll always be fans who see the Prequel Jedi as corrupt and arrogant, regardless of how much evidence from Canon or Lucas you provide to dispel the notion.

But sometimes, Star Wars transmedia content is used to fix inconsistencies or bolster ideas that were only alluded to in the films, or show a different point of view.

We got this recently with Shadows of the Sith, for example, which helped smooth some plot-holes from the Sequel Trilogy.

Sometimes, the material around the movies manages to re-contextualize and make the characters or the film itself more endearing, to fans. I mean, that's what The Clone Wars did for a lot of Prequel haters.

And I'm just disappointed this approach wasn't used to help the Prequel Jedi's perception among the fandom.

'Cause these are characters that have slowly been reframed as "the corrupt/complacent establishment" by authors who didn't find them likeable when they watched the films, when they were originally supposed to be "the underdogs who're doing their best".

An approach that was being taken during TCW was "let's question whether the Jedi are really all that good and moral and pure".

Nobody ever said they were, it's just that they tried to be their best selves, but whatever, let's play "devil's advocate", sure. Let's get some new points of view.

But skip to almost two decades later, and Star Wars has played "devil's advocate" with the Prequel Jedi so much that seeing them in a negative light is now mainstream.

So, now... how about we explore:

The trauma Mace Windu felt when he was actively seeing people he grew up with get shot to shreds by battle droids on the daily.

The ex-Jedi Knights who come back to the Order to help their former family, instead of focusing on the ones who left.

Rael or Sifo-Dyas calling Dooku out on his ideological bullshit and forcing him to face the fact that he's just a crook who talked himself into betraying his brethren.

The young Padawans whose masters went to Geonosis and never came back.

Plo Koon being attacked by a mob because he "looks evil" and both the Republic and the Separatist's war propaganda reflects badly on the Jedi, framed as “baby-snatching warmongers in their ivory tower”.

How about - instead of focusing on a series set 200 years prior, y'know, Back When The Jedi Were Great™ - we roll up our sleeves and question whether or not the Prequel Jedi were all that bad?

Just a thought.

#Obi-Wan Kenobi #Anakin Skywalker #Kit Fisto #Sheev Palpatine #Mace Windu #Shaak Ti #Yoda #Jedi Order #Jedi Council #long post #ultra long post #star wars #meta #sw meta #Fan-Art #in defense of the jedi #on the jedi's involvement in the clone wars #sw prequels #sw comics #star wars comics #god have mercy on whoever reaches the end of this post #fanfic #star wars fanfiction #pro jedi #jedi positivity #fan fic ideas

[dancingthesambaa]

The Smell of Plum Blossom Tea Ch 2

Summary: Just like a butterfly wing, a single act of kindness can change the course of the future, it certainly did for MK as a black-furred monkey put out a hand towards him.

Rating: Teen and up

Chapter 2: What’s in a Name?

It was a week since Macaque had taken MK in and to the child it has been the best week of his life. When he woke up in the mornings he didn’t have to worry about there being no food as he smelt it as soon as he opened his eyes, he could play in the forest with all the monkeys as long as Mac was there and he even had clothes that fit him instead of the same stinky shirt on days end. Everything was just wonderful.

“MK, what should we do about school?”

Or at least it was, but as soon as the monkey demon asked that question, MK's whole body deflated. “Do I have to go to school?”

“Education is important shooting star,” he said as he diced up some plants. “It helps things we don’t know and things we want to know.”

“Okay, but it is really boring, I always lose all my stuff all the time, and the teacher always explains it so weirdly,” the child pouted.

“Everyone has a different method of teaching, so you may have a method of learning as well.”

“Oohh….what does method mean?”

“It’s just another word for way.”

“Oh okay,” MK then tilts his head, “so what are you doing anyways?”

“Well right now I’m cutting up some herbs so I can use to make medicine,” he explained in simple terms as he then picked up the diced up blue plant and placed it into a cauldron and began to stir it.

“I didn’t know you could make your own medicine from home!” He leaped up and tried to poke his head over the counter to watch, “I always thought that you get it at the doctor's office.”

“Well doctors actually get it from a lab where people make the medicine there, this space here is my own lab.” He gestured to the room that was filled with all types of different ingredients all placed in a package inside of one storage cabinet and in another was a cabinet filled with modern lab equipment.

“So you don’t have to be a doctor to make medicine?”

“Well for most yeah, but for me,” he grinned as he picks up MK with one hand and placed him on his hip as he continues to stir with his other “let’s just say that I have been doing this for a little over 500 years, so I have a tad bit more experience and knowledge than regular humans.”

“Can I try?!” He excitedly asked.

“Well I don’t know, sometimes it will be a bit too dangerous for you to even be In here, which by the way, do not enter this lab unless I am here,” he sternly told him.

“Okay, okay got it, but pleaseee.”

“I don’t know, think you can handle it,” he teased.

“I’m a big boy! I can handle anything!”

“Hmmmm,” he pretended to think before conceding, “Alright you persuaded me, so I’ll allow it this once,” he said as he put the spoon down, “so first we make sure we have our safety gear on.”

“Check! Check!” MK adjusted the goggles on his eyes and showed off his long sleeve jacket and gloves.

“Next, what you have to do is go slow and make large circles.”

“Slow and large circles, got it,” he then proceeded to pick up the spoon and do what he said as he stirred.

“Good job kiddo, but how bout we make that circle a little bit bigger,” he gently grabbed MK’s hand and made it a bit wider. Soon enough the medicine's previous light yellow had transformed into a dark green.

“Look, it changed colors!” MK pointed out.

“That’s the beauty of medicine kid,” Mac grinned as he set him down, “now all I have left to do is to let this simmer for a few hours and it will be ready to be bottled up.”

“That’s a lot of medicine, is that all for you?”

The demon shook his head, “no it’s actually for one of my regular clients. His students routinely injure themselves, sometimes in the dumbest of ways, so I usually make batches of this every month.” His ears then slightly twitch as he grinned, “speaking of students, MK come here. I have someone here for you to meet.”

“Who?” He tilted his head as the monkey put a lid on a pot, proceeded to put away both of their safety gear as they left the room.

“Hey old-timer, I know your hearing isn’t that bad!” A voice yelled from down below that MK could barely hear, “come grab me, I’m carrying too much shit to climb up!”

“Someone to help,” was all Macaque said before he leaped out of the open window and less than a few seconds later, returned with a short bluenette woman in his arms. “MK this is Yanyu,” he said. “Yanyu, this is MK.”

“Uhhh, he shuffled his feet awkwardly as he gave a slight wave, “hi.”

“Awww,” she cooed at him, “it’s nice to meet you MK. You're rocking a pretty cool shirt there.” She pointed to his solar system shirt, “it’s really far out man.”

There was a pause as MK stuttered out a thank you and Macaque put his face in his hands.

“That was terrible, I hope you know that,” he groaned.

“That’s what you say, I know my puns are rockin my world,” she smirked at the louder groans.

“Please stop, I beg you.”

“Then beg.”

“Are you human?” MK bluntly asked, which made the two pause.

“Strangely enough that isn’t the first time I was asked that, but yes I am fully human. Though a small percentage of me is most likely full of crazy,” she grinned widely.

“I think you have those backward,” he muttered and didn’t even flinch when she elbowed his stomach. “So your probably wondering why she’s here right?”

“Uhhh yeah,” he nodded.

“Well, I have come to the realization that despite my many years with humans, I have never actually taken care of a human child outside of giving them medication.”

“Which he means that he knows not a single thing about taking care of you tiny ones,” Yanyu butted in as she crossed her arms, “and this is where I come in.”

“Oh well that’s good...I think?” MK didn’t exactly know what she meant, but since they said it’s a good thing, he feels like he doesn’t have any complaints.

“Oh trust me, it will be,” she said as she put down the bag and it was filled with books when she opened it up. “I may be a big sister of five, but even I can admit that I don’t know everything, so I brought some parenting books, nutrition, school, and a lot more.”

He couldn’t help but deflate slightly at the last word, which the bluenette noticed.

“Don’t like school?”

“Not really, it's just that I can’t stay focused sometimes,” he admitted as he lowered his head.

“Hey now,” Mac kneeled and ruffled his head, “you don’t have to feel shame for being distracted sometimes.”

“Hmm, well if you have troubles with traditional school classrooms, then how about you try online schooling?” Yanyu said.

“Online school?” MK tilted his head.

“I didn’t know it was also available for the younger grades, I thought it was only for the college classes like you had,” he admitted as he used his feet to pick up one of the parenting books.

“Nah, it was incorporated for all years a few years back. It certainly helped a lot of students out and one of them being me,” she proudly pointed a finger to herself, “let me tell you, kid, it was the second-best decision to do online school. Made my life so much easier.”

“What was the first?” He curiously asked.

Yanyu walked over to Macaque and patted him on the shoulder, “begging this ol doc here to take me on as a student. It was the cheapest and most informative learning I ever had since high school.”

“Student? You were a teacher!” MK's eyes widened as he looked at the monkey demon.

“Kinda, though I did question my sanity during those times,” he said as he flipped through the pages.

“Oh shut up, if it wasn’t for me you would still know squat about technology.”

“I wasn’t that bad.”

“You were still using the Jiaguwen system when I first met you.”

He winced, “okay yeah you got me there.”

“Anywho, it’s gonna be a right pleasure working with you MK,” she held out a fist bump to him, “we’re gonna see a lot of each other.”

MK looked at the outstretched fist and gave a little grin as he fist-bumped her hand.

“Boom,” Yanyu made an exploding sound as she opened her fist when the two parted.

He looked at her strangely.

“Don’t worry Starbright, she’s just weird like that,” Mac patted his head.

“Hey!”

A few months have passed and MK has taken to online schooling like a fish to water. He found it much better to concentrate and while there were still a few issues over understanding the problem itself, he had the help of both Macaque and Yanyu. The last one herself was helping him with his writing.

“The girl is walking to the market by the river to get milk for her mother,” MK repeated to himself as he finished writing.

“Congratulations kid, you have finally graduated from Yoda writing to a regular language,” she gave him a little applause.

“Thank you, thank you you're too kind,” he also jumped out of his seat to give a mock bow.

“But for real kid, you have really approved with your writing,” she gave him a high five, “nice job.”

“I couldn’t have done it without you both,” he scratched the back of his neck.

“I know that you would have been just fine even without our help and I know your dad would agree.”

“Really!” Then MK realized what she said and backtracked as he flailed his arms about, “Wait dad?! I mean dad is kinda a big word and he just adopted me, so he probably doesn’t even see me as a son, more like a responsibility he has to take care-,” he was stopped by a hand gently covering his mouth.

“Whoa there little monkey easy, I can’t keep up that fast,” she lightly teased as she put her hand down, “now you want to tell me what that was all about?”

“Well,” he sat down and kicked his feet, “I-its just-I don’t really-.”

“Take your time,” the bluenette said.

“Well,” he twisted his hands “is it okay if someone-and I don’t mean me just someone I know-don’t call mom and dad, well, mom and dad.”

“Yeah,” she said easily.

“Wait really?” He was a little more than shocked at how easy she said that.

“Really. You, or my bad that person you know, don’t feel comfortable or don’t want to call their parents so that they don’t have to.”

“But they gave birth to me-I mean that person and they raised them, so shouldn’t they have that name?” He tried to insist but was shut down by her shaking her head.

“They don’t keep that name if they harm the child, no parent ever deserves that kind of title if they purposely try to bring harm to their child. It is wrong,” she stated.

“Oh...and what about those that do?” He shyly said, both knowing what he was implying but not saying it out loud.

“Then you say it when your ready,” Yanyu simply said.

“I don’t think it’s that easy?”

“No, but what is?”

MK just shrugged his shoulders.

“Now how about we put away this stuff for ten more minutes before we get into history,” she pushed away from the materials and made sure the laptop was charged up.

“Yes!” He fist-bumped the air as he then spotted the pencil on the ground and tried to pick it up with his feet.

Yanyu had to press her lips together to fight against the bubbling laugh in her throat as she watched MK struggle to pick the pencil with the socks on his feet.

“Oi bastard I need a little help ova here!” A rough voice yelled out as it was followed by a loud bang, which led to the eight year old flailing off his bed.

“How many times have I told you to stop that?” He heard Macaque's familiar voice being annoyed.

“Too many times to count,” another softer voice replied.

“But you think that gunna sticka?” The third voice laughed out loud. “That’s a laugh!”

MK slowly opened his door and crept quietly to the living room as the voices got louder.

“I guess it is too much to ask you to be quiet for once?” The monkey deadpanned.

“Now why would I do that?” The first voice said.

It was at this point that MK managed to poke his head into the living room and saw three different demons, he knows they are demons this time, and his da-Macaque.

There was one whose skin was dark brown, but lighter above the shoulders. The more he looked, the more he could see that they were actually feathers all along the body, and instead of hands, they had clawed bird-like feet and two large black wings protruding from the back.

Another one was softly glowing a light blue hue that matched the pale blue skin as the creature was gently floating just a smidge above the ground. They had almost a mushroom-shaped hat covering their eyes and dozens of dark blue and purple strings attached all around the bottom of the hat as they hung just above the demon feet.

The final one is something that MK could clearly tell what it was as he had seen a bunny before, though this one was way larger than the other bunnies he had ever seen. The demon had pure gray fur and large white fluffy paws, if he wasn’t so nervous right now he would ask to pet them.

“Well I was hoping that you would have kept it down for the kid that is currently living with me right now,” he cracked a smirk at their frozen faces.

“Huh?” They all said in unison.

“Speaking of kids, you can come out MK. Don’t worry bout them too much, they ain’t harmful, just insane.”

At the prompting MK slowly shuffled into the living room and he saw three heads swivel towards him.

“Uhhh hi,” he gave a little wave.

“You have a kid?!?” They all shouted either loudly or softly.

“It’s not that big of a shock,” he grumbled as he walked over to the child and threaded his fingers through his hair. “Sorry, these knuckleheads woke you up.”

“I know I have not been gone that long for you to have a chick without me knowin!” The female bird demon squawked as her feathers puffed up in indignation.

“Nah, adopted him a few months back.”

“And you didn’t tell us?!” The bunny huffed as they thumped his foot in agitation.

“Nope,” he grinned as he watched their growing frustration.

“There are times where you are the best of us and times you are the worst of us, I don’t know which one this falls under,” the mushroom head demon groaned as one of the strings was massaging the top of his head.

“Are they your friends?” MK loudly whispered to the monkey demon.

“I don’t claim these lunatics,” he bluntly said.

“I think you mean to say that we are your amazing, wonderful, fantastic friends that you hold dear,” the bunny demon pointed out as they put an arm around his shoulder.

“I was forced into this,” Macaque said as a wing wrapped around the two of them.

“Ah just admit that you have a soft fuzzy heart for us,” the bird demon grinned.

“Not even when my bones decay away.”

MK just blinked at the unprompted scene as he saw the glowing blue demon approach him.

“Sorry about my companions, they can be a little much sometimes,” he smiled softly to him.

“It’s fine, you're not the only ones who make a loud entrance,” he thought back to the times Yanyu would kick the door open when she walked in.

“I suppose not,” the demon then held out one of his arms to the child, making sure his tentacles were out of the way, “my name is Bohai little one.”

“I’m MK,” he smiled back and shook his hand.

“Oh, we’re doing introductions?! Well, I’m Daiyu chicky,” the female demon grinned or at least that's what he thought she was doing with her scarred beak.

“I’m Minsheng,” the bunny demon twitched their nose and gave a toothy grin, “you're so small that you remind me of my siblings when they were born.”

“How many siblings do you have?” He curiously asked.

“Pfft older or younger? I stopped counting after we reached the 200s,” they laughed.

His eyes widened, “over 200! That’s a lot of brothers and sisters.”

“Well, you know how bunnies are.”

Before MK could question that he felt two furry hands cover his ears.

“How about we don’t talk about that to a kid who has probably never had a crush before,” Macaque hissed to the bunny who had their hands held up.

“He’ll learn eventually.”

“But I would rather have that explained to him by literally anyone but you.”

“Fair enough.”

“Anyways,” the monkey took his hands off MK’s ears, “what were you screeching about earlier?”

“Oh well I got a bit nicked with some of dem cretins after a territory dispute you know how it is and,” Daiyu turned around and showed her back...which had a few knives sticking out of it. “I got a bit scratched up in the tussle.”

“At least you had the sense not to take it out,” he couldn’t help but sigh. “You at least win?”

“Who do ya think your talkin to?” She proudly puffed up her feathers.

“And people say I have too much pride, you damn vultures take the cake,” Macaque rolled his eyes as the two of them walked towards the infirmary room.

“You say that as if you never met Flicker before,” she chortled.

“Well there’s a stark difference between you two.”

“Wha that?”

“He actually has a brain.”

“Hey!” She attempted to pull his dangling fur, but he ducked away in time.

“Can I stay up a little longer!” The seven year old asked before the door could shut.

“Only for a little bit, but when I get back it’s straight to bed.” He answered back and then the door closed.

“Thank you!” He called out regardless as he fully knew that he could hear him.

“And that’s the whole lot of us kid, we're only half as insane as curly made us out to be '' Minsheng joked.

“Almost all of us,” the jellyfish demon said.

“Who you? Ha! Hate to break it to you, but the last time you lost your patience was when they didn’t make your starfish the way you wanted and you paralyzed the entire cooking staff.”

“You didn’t have to bring that up, but no not me,” he waved one of his tendrils. “I meant Ahmed.”

“I didn’t include him in the first place because that man does not even classify as insane,” he bluntly said. “He has the patience of a monk to deal with our brand of insanity which, in hindsight, is insane itself.”

“Whose Ahmed?” MK asked, “is he another friend of d-Mac?”

The two looked at each other before Baiyu spoke, “yeah, he’s a friend of Macaque.”

“Ouch, that’s a low blow for poor Med,” they grinned then winced as a tendril shocked their arm. “What? You know I’m right.”

“You know as well as I do that he can still hear you.”

“I’ve been craving death anyways,” they then turned back to the kid, “so you want to hear some crazy stories about your old man.”

Needless to say that Mac had tackled the bunny demon to the ground, with two violet glowing escrima sticks in hand, in the middle of their story on how the fierce monkey demon had to dance his way across a road of hot coal as he tried to outrun an angry herd of demon pheasant while wearing a rather beautiful kimono.

Macaque was reading out on the patio when his ears twitched as he heard a soft whimpering coming from MK’s room. He put the book on the table when he walked in and safely crept his way over his room and like many times before MK was crying in his sleep from a nightmare once more.

“It’s okay shooting star,” he gently began to thread his fingers through MK’s hair, “it's just a bad dream. You will be fine.”

At first, it didn't have any effect, but the longer he talked the softer the whimpers began to die down and the kid's eyes softly began to blink open.

“W-what's goin on?” He hoarsely said as he rubbed his eyes as he realized that he wasn’t dreaming anymore.

“You just had a bad dream kid,” he hummed as he continued stroking his hair.

“Oh.”

“Want to talk about it?” He received a firm shake of his head, “that’s okay, do you want to lie back down, sing, water, or want me to give you a little shadow puppet show?”

“Shadow show please,” he muffled out as he gripped tighter onto the blanket.

“One show coming right up,” he used a shadow clone to bring back a lantern as the room began to softly glow. When all was set Macaque began his tale in a low voice, “There once was an old man who lived in a shack.” He used some of his shadows to show a picture of an elderly man and wooden shack, “he was nothing special, did nothing extraordinary, and his life was simply normal. Until one day he happens upon the most peculiar thing.”

He continued to tell the tale of the old man even when he, unknowingly, had wrapped his tail around his child’s hand and MK, who was slowly drifting off into a deep slumber, held a tight grip upon it.

MK was currently sitting on the edge of a large lake as he kicked his feet in the water. He was alone at the moment as the monkey demon was tending to the plants that he needs for various medicines. The lake itself was a beautiful view filled with lily pads, reeds standing tall in the crystal lake, fishes and herons swimming in the water. Though he was trying to guess what that large dark shape was, it was nothing he has ever seen before.

“Hmmm I don’t think it’s a fish...maybe a duck?” He leaned in to get a better look and noticed. “Or maybe a turtle!”

The shape shifted as it appeared to be getting bigger and bigger as MK now noticed that he had never seen a turtle with long arms and claws before. He then saw there was long string hair upon what he thinks is its head until suddenly it disappeared and was replaced with two beady eyes. His heart dropped when the creature opened its mouth to reveal countless rows of sharp, pointed teeth. Then it began to rapidly swim towards him.

MK, frightened, fell on his back as he tried to crawl away, but it failed as the creature burst out of the water and onto the ground merely a foot away from him.

He let out a piercing scream, “DDAAADDDDD!”

At the same time the creature, with his mouth wide, said “hi there human child!”

“What?” He abruptly stopped his screaming right as an ominous force suddenly filled up the area as MK then felt two familiar hands scoop him up and hold him close as the voice spoke almost lowly.

“What happe-oh it’s just you,” Macaque let the pressure go back to normal once he realized that there wasn’t a true threat that was trying to attack his kid.

“Bwahahaha,” the creature let out a bellowing laugh, “sorry sorry. I must have scared your youngin.”

“No!” MK instantly said, but then he wilted and nodded, “just a bit.”

“Sorry about that little child, I just get a bit excited when a new face comes around my lake and all,” the webbed creature gave a toothy grin. “I know I startled the pant off Minzhe when I first met him.”

“Your lake? You live here?” MK, after being let down, carefully tried to examine the waters closer.

“Right on the mark, since being a Shui Gui and all.”

“Shui Gui,” he drawled out as he thought about that familiar name.

“Or Kappa, our damn naming changes so often that at this point I just go with the flow.”

“Oh! I know what a Shui Gui is!” MK brightened as he began to tell what his...mom used to tell him. “Aren’t they vengeful demons that have drowned and are bent on dragging helpless victims underwater, drowning them and finally eating their...flesh to…to...” his face took on a look of horror as he realized what he just blurted out. “I am so sorry!”

Luckily though the two demons chuckled, or at least Macaque did as the Kappa was holding his stomach. Though this did make MK’s face flush in embarrassment, he should be glad that the demon wasn’t angry, but he didn’t find any humor in what he said.

“Well I’ll give you credit,” Kappa said as his laughter died down, “what you said was mostly true, except I’m not a demon, just a ghost.”

“And let’s be clear he hasn't eaten people since two-maybe three millenniums ago,” the monkey demon intruded as he knew what MK was gonna ask next.

“You humans have become much too stringy for my taste,” he joked, but it served the opposite purpose as the small child paled even further.

“And this is why your only friend is an adrenaline junkie who has a taste for his own death,” Mac deadpanned as he soothed MK down.

After his heart stopped thrumming in his ears the human managed to look up at his guardian and his eyes widened as he noticed that Macaque suddenly had three pairs of different colored ears: red, blue, and purple. “When did you get three ears?!”

“You just now noticed?” He raised an eyebrow.

“Did you have them all this time?!?!!”

“Not all the time, but I do when it’s quiet usually.”

“Cooolll!” He attempted to climb the monkey to get a better look, “Is this how you're able to hear things from so far away?”

“Yeah,” he lets him examine his ears as only his eye minuscule twitch when MK accidentally pulls it too hard. “Be careful now, only have three pairs of them you know.”

“Right, sorry.” He apologized as he became gentler with his touches. He couldn’t help but gently drag his fingers through the oddly pointed ears and he smiled, now he understood why some of Mac's clients called him the Six-Eared Macaque. He eventually got down and faced the spirit once more, who was just looking at the two of them with amusement. “I’m real sorry for screaming at you.”

“Water under the bridge young child,” he waved him off, “least you apologize for it. I know that half the ones in these woods won’t even say sorry for ramming into you.”

“There’s more of you?” He tried to look in the lake, but he was once again met with only fish and water.

“Me specifically no, but spirits, demons, and other whatnot. Oh yeah there's hundreds of them dwelling in this here forest.”

“Wowww,” his eyes sparkled, “so does that mean that we are all neighbors.”

It was stunned silence before the Shun Gui began laughing once more as he bends down, “PFFTHAHAHA!”

“Did I say something funny?” MK looked towards Mac who was pinching his nose once more.

“No, he’s just obnoxious, that’s all.”

“You know what I like you kid, yeah we’re all neighbors, man even Ping would get a laugh out of this,” the water spirit said after his laughter died down. “Welcome to the neighborhood MK!”

“Thanks...umm what’s your name again?” He embarrassedly asked as he realized that he never got a name throughout this whole interaction.

“Oh here we go,” Mac sighed as he got comfortable and plucked up a Ravenna grass and began to chew on it. He grimaced as he realized that he had plucked up a weed again.

“Eh, you can call me Kappa if you want, don’t care for the whole naming thing,” he shrugged as he got back in the lake and laid there.

“Why not?” He curiously followed him.

“Why should I?” He shot back with a grin.

“Huh?”

“Why should I care for my name? It’s my name and I can do whatever I want with it, so I just choose not to care.”

“But don’t you like your name,” he was very confused about how this conversation came about.

“Oh I do, but truth be told, most of the time I forget others' names, so one day I just thought ‘you know what, what if I just don't use my name all the time’ and I didn't,” he finger gunned at the blank face child.

“You're kinda weird,” he bluntly told Kappa.

“I’m sorry,” Mac spoke up in disbelief, “You met a trio of lunatic demons that are a hot mess in general, an insane human who likes to add too much ghost jalapeño to her food, one of my clients who have their organs outside of their body and this is where you draw the line of weird?”

“I just wanted to know his name!” He threw his hands up.

“Just whatever is fine,” he laughed.

“Well fine! Your name is Whatever now!” He said in a fit of frustration before he realized what he said, “wait! I didn’t mean-,”

“Pfthahaha!” The spirit once more threw his head back in laughter.

“...what is even happening,” MK deadpanned.

“Welcome to my life Starchild,” Mac said as he ruffled his hair.

“That’s an interesting one, alright Whatever it is then,” he gave him a toothy grin.

“Wha-no please no,” MK almost begged him. “I didn’t-,”

“Nope too late, I won’t respond to anything else but Whatever from you. Hope to see you around short stack, you really know how to bring a laugh to a vengeful spirit face,” he let out a bark of a laugh before diving down deep into the lake.

MK blinked for a few moments before turning to Macaque, “is he really gonna-,”

“Oh yeah he is only gonna respond by that name,” he cut him off, “called him a Kappa once to his face and that slimy frog hasn’t let go since.”

“...I think I want to go back home dad,” said MK as he leaned into his fur. “I think I’m done for the day.”

Macaque’s breath hitched as he then gave him a gentle smile and scooped him up in his arms. “Yeah, I think I am as well.” And with that, the two mentally exhausted people made their way back to their warm home.

MK, who proudly turned nine as of a few months ago, was playing in an arcade as his dad was grocery shopping. He stuck out his tongue as he attempted to repeatedly punch the monster in Monkey Mech, but he keeps getting beaten right before he can land the final punch. He mused up his short ponytail out of frustration that was held by a red ribbon, “Oh man! I swear this guy cheats, alright seventeen times the charm.”

“I thought it was the third time the charm?” He turns around at the voice and sees a pigtail girl around his age looking at him.

“It is, but I lost sixteen other times, so this time I will win,” he confidently said as he put another token in, and just like before he lost. “I almost had it!”

“Move over,” the girl pushed him aside and took over the controls, “let me show you how to really play.”

MK's jaw dropped when the Winner title popped up after she managed to land the final triple axel uppercut to the enemy. “How’d you do that?!”

“Oh just a lot of practice, and searching online, to find the right moves to slain the beast,” she bragged.

He went down on his knees and bowed to her, “oh teach me your ways oh wise one.”

“You may refer to me as Master Mei,” she deepened her voice to sound elderly, “and who shall I call my young student.”

“Call me MK,” he followed along with glee, he hasn’t played with a kid his age in so long.

“Well then let me show you the ways of Monkey Mech,” and with that the two proceeded to play the game, playfully pushing each other as they double battled in a co-op mode. It wasn’t until a few hours had passed, and they had long passed Monkey Mech and went into all the different kinds of games in the arcade when MK noticed the digital clock behind the counter.

“Aww man, it’s getting late,” he pouted as he didn’t want to end, “I have to meet up with dad.”

“Awww,” Mei's shoulder slumped as they walked to the prize area, “that sucks.”

“Yeah,” he slumped his shoulder, as well as the two, looked through the prizes available, which did brighten the mood a bit as Mei left with a strange mutated stuffed dog that had three eyes, a few pieces of candy, and three bouncy balls, while MK was sucking on a swirly lollipop, pieces of chocolate in his pocket, and a sticky hand sling that he is slinging everywhere.

“So you like racing?” MK asked as they left the arcade, besides the Monkey Mech he noticed that Mei tended to go to the racing games more often.

“Yes! One day I will have my own motorcycle and I will be faster than anyone, even the Monkey King!” Mei declared.

“Even the Monkey King? Wow that is fast,” he said in awe, he read the story of the Journey to the West from the library. He was quickly enamored with the story the more he read and he soon began to idolize the great Monkey King. To think that such a being could ever exist in the first place was amazing! He did find it funny that the great Monkey King rival was named Macaque, it was hilarious to think that his dad could ever have powers to fight on equal standing with a god-like immortal. Grumpy? Sure! Easy annoyed? Oh yeah definitely, but scary? Ha! The scariest thing Dad has ever done was glare at his patients when they were being too noisy, but for some reason it always works as they shrink back in fear. He mentioned it to Yanyu and the demon gang one time and well-

“HAHAHAH/PFFTTTTT/SQUAK SQUAWK SQUAAAKK/SHEHEHEH,” Yanyu was rolling all over the floor as Minsheng was banging his feet, Daiyu was slamming the table with her wings, and Bohai was using all his tentacles to wrap himself.

-they burst out laughing when he mentioned this to them. He still hasn’t gotten a full answer for that one, all they told him was to wait.

“I wonder how far that can go?” Mei curiously asked as she watched the green sling attach itself on the top of the door that they were exiting.

“Not far, how high can your bouncy ball bounce?” He asked as he then watched her bounce the ball and saw it soar a bit high above their heads.

“Not that high either...how about we combine them,” she gave a mischievous grin as MK followed suit as he used his sticky sling and attached it to the ball.

“One,” Mei started.

“Two,” MK raised his hand in mid-air.

“Thr-”

“Ready to go kid.”

“AH!” They screamed and watched the sling and ball slip from his hand and instead of bouncing, it was thrown in Mac's face, who easily caught it.

“Not the first time I had something thrown at me,” he didn’t even blink at the outburst, though he did take a second glance at the other child next to his son, “though your new, made a friend Stardust.”

“Her name is Mei!” MK excitedly said though it didn’t look like Mei was paying attention to him at all as her focus was all on Macaque, or more specifically, his head.

“What?” The monkey demon raised an eyebrow.

“You have the longest hair I have ever seen,” her eyes sparkled as she instantly zoomed behind him and started to pull on his fur. “Can I braid it?!”

“It’s actually fur,” he corrected her.

“Can I still put it in a braid?”

“Sure.”

“Then I don’t care!” She happily proclaimed and pointed to one of the benches. “Sit.”

“...” he looked towards his kid who just shrugged his shoulders, “well I guess this is happening,” he sighed as he got a clone to take the rest of their groceries back home.

Needless to say that Mei very much enjoyed putting the demon fur in a messy, but still manageable, braid.

“You know if I had some Morning glories, they would look amazing in your hair,” she mused.

“You know their weeds right?” He pointed out.

“So? They look awesome.”

“You got me there.”

“There!” She proudly finished her creation with her green ribbon tied up at the end, “you have very fluffy hair.”

“Fur,” he once more corrected her.

“Eh fur, hair there the same thing,” she turned back from the monkey and to MK with a nervous smile, “you will definitely come back right? I haven’t finished playing all the arcade games with you.”

MK looks towards his dad with puppy dog eyes and Mei easily follows suit.

“You know those don’t work on me right,” he deadpanned and smirked at their hanging heads, “but yeah, I’ll drop him off from time to time.”

“Yes!” They both jump up in cheer, only for some of their candy to fall out and onto the floor.

“My babies!” MK rushed to pick up his pieces of semi-melted chocolate.

“Noooo!” Mei quickly began to grab as many of her jawbreakers as it rolled away.

Macaque watched them in amusement at their mad scramble to save their sugar fix.

#monkie kid #mk #six eared macaque #macaque #mei #lego monkie kid #PlumTeaAU

[leradny]

ROLE SWAP AU!!!

din djarin is a jedi. anakin skywalker is a mandalorian. literally all problems solved.

anakin:

-given up by shmi to a mandalorian for a better life. they remain in regular contact, and when shmi is abducted by raiders ani's adoptive parent goes with him in time to save her life and avoid the tusken massacre.

- anger issues? mandalorian sparring sessions provide a healthy, socially acceptable outlet. actual warfare has a STRICT no killing children or civilians code.

- marriage? fine. perhaps they'd raise a collective eyebrow at anakin "deadliest warrior" skywalker marrying the senator of NABOO of all places. do they even HAVE warriors there? (they do respect padme after learning how she saved her planet but they tease her about her wardrobe, SURELY she's got a suit of armor somewhere)

-scared your wife will die in childbirth? if he still doesnt believe that medical technology advanced enough to replace limbs wont save padme, there's no need to put padme through the physically taxing process of pregnancy at all! there's plenty of foundlings who need parental figures! luke and leia would be happy surprises surrounded by about 7 adopted siblings. (Anakin, leave some for the rest of us)

- want to be a leader? well, young warrior, you may TRY to defeat the current ruler in combat. but no one's really worried because an older, more experienced mandalorian would just tease anakin and watch him lose his temper before trouncing him.

-anakin's force abilities (if he even has them in this au) fade away, but anakin with a jet pack is just as terrifying.

din:

- rescued by jedi instead of mandalorians. he's still a little too old, but as he has no family left and he is force sensitive, they wait a few weeks and he adjusts fine.

- actually favors minimal violence as a fighting style which is perfect for jedi. see: pilot ep where giant sea creature bites his ship and he just gives it a poke with his taser rifle until it lets go. doesn't round back with his ship's guns to kill it or anything.

- not to mention giving multiple warnings to his bounty, and when the warnings are up, he *freezes him in carbonite* rather than the vastly cheaper alternative of shooting him. yes, dead bounties get less credits, but a blaster is cheaper and doesnt take up nearly as much space as that portable carbonite system.

- despite his prejudice against droids, talks IG11 down from self destructing like 3 times because they're supposed to be working together.

-highly dedicated to the creed and only breaks it 2-3 times because he or someone else would have died.

-patient. only loses his temper ONCE (when he thinks greef karga was responsible for killing everyone in his covert) and STILL doesnt use violence. see also: his old crew, all of whom are absolutely terrible people, and nobody would have missed them dying but he still leaves them alive.

-while secure in his skills, din defers very easily to authority and has no ambition for power whatsoever. creepy senator palpatine trying to encourage din 'i refuse to be the main character of my own show' djarin that he needs more recognition? um, he's perfectly happy teaching padawans how to lift rocks, especially little grogu.

- even among the jedi, din would be underestimated because he is soft spoken, polite, and very minimal in his use of the force. he has one of the lowest death counts of any jedi to the point where people forget he has a lightsaber sometimes. but he's cut off a lot of limbs without even raising his voice. no one has ever seen din truly angry. and no one with an ounce of intelligence wants to see him angry.

-but because din accidentally becoming leader of something is funny: yoda retires without telling anyone. din comes in first thing in the morning to find yoda gone and finds a hologram that says "gone to dagobah i have. retired now. forgot to mention it i did, hrmm hrm!" while din is frowning at the inconvenience, yoda goes on, "first person who opens this message, grandmaster will they become."

- grogu drops his training saber when he senses din in distress. ("grogu, master din is busy right now, please focus.")

-din quietly puts the hologram back where someone else will find it. buuuuuuut the message goes on, "and master din djarin this is. check security feed you must." din tries to put it up to a vote but everyone votes for him anyway because will of the force, and isnt the jedi with the lowest body count best suited to leading the order anyway? grogu hears mental screaming from din and starts wailing for him. the trainer decides to call naptime a little early.

#the mandalorian #star wars #anakin skywalker #din djarin #spoilers

[hellowkatey]

Febuwhump Day 17

Prompt: truth serum (alternate prompt 1)

Read on AO3

Unpleasant Truths

Anakin opens his mouth to say something but is immediately interrupted.

"Nope," Obi-Wan says with a swift shake of the head that makes a tendril of hair fall into his face. "Not a word, Anakin."

"Oh come on, Master."

"Not. A. Word."

"Do we have anything better to do?"

"Well, no," Obi-Wan says, and then cringes. Anakin has a feeling that wasn't the answer he wanted to give.

Anakin and Obi-Wan sit in adjacent beds of the med bay aboard The Resolute. There was only one private exam room left for them to take up, so they opted to share. While they aren't particularly hurt-- no more than any usual battle-- they were captured and exposed to a particularly potent truth serum. Nobody is really sure what to do with them. Least of all, one another. Anakin supposes his former master figured the lesser evil was to lock them in a room together-- no secrets accidentally being revealed to those without clearance.

However, they don't know how long this serum is supposed to last. They're waiting for Kix to come back with bloodwork.

"How will we know when it's worn off if we don't ask questions?" Anakin suggests. Obi-Wan doesn't look in the least bit amused.

"Because I know you. You're going to ask about things that amuse you or that you want to be nosy about," he raises an eyebrow. "Isn't that right?"

The knight swallows hard, the truth on the tip of his tongue. Of course, he is powerless in preventing it from slipping.

"Yes," he mutters.

"So no talking. We will wait for labs."

"You're no fun," Anakin lays back on the bed and points over at him. "And you know I'm telling the truth about that."

They sit in the prescribed silence for an hour or so before the door opens and Kix comes strolling in with a datapad and a set of IVs.

"Hello generals, how are we doing?"

"Not ideal," Obi-Wan says.

"Bored," Anakin chimes in. Kix looks a tad caught off guard-- maybe not used to them answering so truthfully about their condition. His brown eyes flicker between them before he decides to just give them the report.

"So the good news is the serum appears to be non-lethal. We just have to wait for it to filter out of your systems."

"I assume there is bad news then?" Obi-Wan asks.

"Well... the problem is, it embeds itself into the brain and spinal fluid. I have no way of knowing how long it will be in effect without doing an unnecessarily invasive procedure."

"Well that's..." Obi-Wan trails off, glancing at Anakin. "disappointing."

"Do you have a guess on how long, Kix?"

He seems to wager this in his head. "Six hours? More or less."

Great. There goes my afternoon.

Kix excuses himself, promises to return if they learn anymore. As soon as he's out the door, Obi-Wan lays back, letting his head fall against the pillow, and lets out an exacerbated sigh. Anakin can feel him in the beginnings of meditation, the Force around them drawing into his presence and making it shine like a beacon. And then it releases, and Obi-Wan groans again.

"What's wrong?"

"This blasted drug is muddying up the Force. I can't concentrate."

"Oh no, you might have to spend the next six hours actually conscious," Anakin rolls his eyes.

"Meditating passes the time."

"Talking passes the time."

"Anakin," he sighs.

"Oh yes, what a tragedy to spend time with me."

The Jedi Master looks at him now, his eyebrows knit together. "I like spending time with you, Anakin. Do you think I don't?"

"Well... yeah."

"What could make you think that?"

He bites on his tongue, knowing fully well it won't help a thing. "You... dismiss me. Or seem annoyed by me. Or... I don't know... treat me like I'm still a little kid."

The truth falls heavy between them, and suddenly Anakin wishes they'd stuck to the code of silence. Obi-Wan's face shifts into something that he can only categorize as devastation. Even though it's true that he feels that sometimes his master wants nothing to do with him, he never wanted him to know that.

"Anakin... I'm sorry," he says softly, his eyes trained intensely on him. "I didn't realize..."

"Obi-Wan, don't apologize. I guess... I wanted what you and Qui-Gon had." He remembers fondly the brief memories of a young padawan Obi-Wan and his master. The little looks they had that meant more than they seemed. The inside jokes and synergy when they fought alongside one another. Anakin thinks he and Obi-Wan have some of that. They are two parts of a deadly machine on the battlefield, and they share their own little jokes but sometimes there's just this disconnect. Like he trusts him with his life, but not with the secret of his wife. He doesn't think it's supposed to be this way.

But surprisingly, Obi-Wan stiffens at his comment. Anakin wonders if the serum also makes his body language more readable because he's never seen his master so expressive. "What Qui-Gon and I... Anakin when you told me you thought I didn't like spending time with you, it made me worried that I had grown to be too much like Qui-Gon."

"What do you mean?"

He stares off into space a moment. Obviously fighting against the serum, which only makes Anakin more worried about his answer. Never has he ever heard a bad word about Master Jinn, so he isn't sure what it could have been.

"Qui-Gon and I... had a rocky relationship. He didn't want another padawan, but Yoda was quite insistent. He took me, it was a long time before he accepted me."

"Then... how did you become his padawan?"

"I... well to make a long story short I was willing to detonate a bomb that would kill me but save the agricorps settlement, and I suppose he took that as reassurance I wouldn't let him down," Obi-Wan presses his lips together. "Too bad he was wrong about that."

Now Anakin is sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at his master with confusion. "What do you mean he was wrong?"

"Well, I did leave the order shortly after, which thoroughly shattered his expectations."

"Wait, what?" There is just... so much to unpack in the few things he just revealed. But Obi-Wan looks at him with a face that pleas him to stop. So Anakin relaxes, holding in the urge to ask more questions. "Will you tell me about this when we aren't under truth serum?"

"Yes," he answers. Definitively. Without hesitation. So Anakin nods and sits back on the bed, his head still whirring with questions.

"Can I... ask why you felt Qui-Gon didn't like you? I always thought-- I don't know, that you guys were a team."

He crosses his arms over his chest, focusing on an invisible spot on the ceiling. "We had different ideas of how to do things. That's why Yoda wanted us together. I was an angry and headstrong youngling, and he was a rebel the council needed to find a way to reel in."

Anakin scoffs. "You? Angry?"

A small smile appears on his face. "I packed a nasty right hook in my initiate days. So when I was faced with a Master who disregarded the rules, I assumed the role of the logical rule follower."

"And then you never gave up that role."

"I had punk for a padawan, what else was I to do?"

Anakin looks down at his lap, a small smile on his face.

"Is this why you don't talk about your padawan years very often?"

"The memory of Qui-Gon is... painful. As are many of the experiences I had as a child," he winces.

Well, this is depressing, Anakin thinks, wishing he could ask more but he knows it would be wrong to do so. The mystery of Obi-Wan's past has suddenly been blown right open and he isn't quite sure what to make of it. Left the order? Denied by Qui-Gon? In his head, he had this image of his tiny master, fresh-faced and spouting off Jedi Code at every chance.

"Why does nobody ever talk about that stuff?" Anakin asks, wondering how he's gone over a decade as a Jedi without hearing a word about his master's unusual apprenticeship.

"It wasn't widely known. The council and a few others," Obi-wan stares at him, sadness in his eyes. "But there is no honor in tainting the reputation of the dead."

"But you..." Anakin lets out a shaky breath. "I talked about him all the time. And you never told me?"

"Qui-Gon... was your hero. He saved you, and I- I didn't want that to change for you," he pauses, his face paler now. "Anakin, he wasn't a bad man. He was great Jedi, deeply caring for others and a fantastic master-- I have no doubt had he lived, you two would have made a powerful... and troublesome pair."

Anakin isn't sure what to say about it. He is ashamed of the number of times he was mad at his master and wished a different reality for himself. He doesn't even know the entire extent of whatever Obi-Wan is referring to, but somehow he just... knows.

He's heard rumors before. The story of the Jedi Master who gave up his padawan to train a new initiate he thought was promising. The padawans considered it a horror story to tell when they snuck out of their rooms at night to walk the darkened halls. It took Anakin longer than he's willing to admit to realize the story was about him and Master Jinn's dismissal of Obi-Wan. The way Anakin remembered it was he declared Obi-Wan ready to be a knight and that he would then be free to take Anakin.

Apparently, that wasn't the case. He didn't understand the gravity of the gesture then, and never really thought about it too hard after.

But now... now he thinks about that story again-- that apparently Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon had issues in the past-- and maybe there was a lot more there than he even knows.

"When this is over, will you tell me everything, Master?"

"No," he says. No hesitation or waver in his voice.

"No?"

"There are some things I can't tell you."

"But why?"

To Anakin's surprise, he chuckles. "I am allowed my secrets, just as you are allowed yours."

This, of course, sends Anakin into a bit of internal panic. Is he just assuming I also have secrets or... does he know?

"I guess... that's fair."

"When this is over we will rest, and then I will tell you some things about my apprenticeship. And you may ask whatever questions you have then."

He supposes that's good enough. The nice thing about truth serum is he knows Obi-Wan isn't making empty promises. They leave things there for a while, Anakin falling asleep for a bit, and when he awakes, it's Obi-Wan who is surprisingly dozing off. Five hours pass. Anakin has moved to the end of Obi-Wan's bed to lay diagonally across it on his stomach, and Obi-Wan sits cross-legged against the headboard.

"Have you ever been in love, Master?" Anakin asks, looking up expecting a slap to the back of the head for such a question, but instead Obi-Wan smiles a little bit.

"Would it surprise you if I said yes?"

"Is that a yes?"

"Yes, it is."

Anakin blinks. He had his suspicions, but to hear it aloud...

"The Duchess?"

"Yes."

"And others?"

"A few."

"A few?"

He chuckles.

"To love is not prohibited, it is to put such love ahead of one's duty."

He's never thought about it like that.

"Have you been in love, Anakin?"

"Yes," he says. I'm in love, he thinks to himself.

Obi-Wan hesitates a moment, looking down at him with uncertainty that Anakin thinks he knows the source of. He supposes it's only fair, he's dug into his past relentlessly the past few hours but... his wife isn't just his past, she's his present. His future. Though a part of him wants to tell Obi-Wan about her more than anything, a part of him also knows that his knowing will put him in a horrible position with the council. The secret will undoubtedly come out, and he will be expelled from the Order or be forced to give her up. And nothing can make him give Padmé up.

"Padmé?"

Anakin looks at him. The neutrality of his face just makes him more nervous. He looks his former master dead in the eye.

"Padmé and I... are only close friends, Master."

Obi-Wan nods. Anakin hides his stress by burying his face in the comforter.

Well... looks like the serum has worn off.

Anakin decides to wait another half an hour before he lets Obi-Wan know that, though. Just to be safe.

#febuwhump #febuwhumpday17 #truth serum #oh look im catching up #or trying #anakin and obi-wan try to talk about things

[zelenacat]

When We Were Young- Chapter 32- An Obitine Story

They were fabulous, and everyone in the ballroom knew it. The family was graceful when gliding down the main stairs and across the dance floor. They were elegant and poised when they clustered around the throne, and the Duchess' smile was so warm and kind that many politicians smiled back at her.

Satine took a breath, “Friends, fellow Mandalorians, and guests. I am overjoyed to host you tonight alongside my family. It is my great pleasure to introduce them to you, and it’s my honor to welcome everyone I hold dear to my happy home. Thank you.”

Polite clapping echoed through the hall, and the musicians began to play. Satine nodded at her children and they walked up to their chosen partners, who were also making their way towards the throne. There was much excitement in the ballroom, it was bold to open with a waltz, but the Duchess was pleased. Everyone was talking about the children and who they were dancing with.

“You’ve put on quite the show.” Obi-Wan whispered, taking Jynn.

“I certainly have,” Satine agreed, cradling Lyra, “and here come the first parliamentarians.”

They bowed to the Duchess and gave a polite nod to Obi-Wan.

“Your Grace, Master Jedi.”

“Thank you for coming, Your Excellencies,” Satine smiled, “may I introduce Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, the father of my children.”

The men bowed, but didn’t grace the Jedi with a title.

“We were wondering, Your Grace,” one man spoke up, “if we might introduce the committee on updating the line of succession.”

“Of course,” Satine stood, “We’d love to be introduced.”

The Committee on Updating the Line of Succession was twenty people, and Obi-Wan handled them all with proper formality. Satine was quite proud.

“And if I may, Your Excellencies,” the Jedi gestured, “I know Master Yoda has stated he’d like to meet you.”

It was clear from the beginning of the conversation that Master Yoda wished the children to be heirs, and he all but told the committee this.

Jynn reached out to Master Yoda, “Ye ye-”

With a smile, the old Jedi watched with pride as Jynn walked over to him, holding Obi-Wan’s hand of course.

“You’re quite the favorite aren’t you, Master.” Anakin teased, approaching with Padme on his arm.

“Very cute, the child is,” Master Yoda grinned, “named after a former Padawan of mine, as well, she is.”

“We’ll take Lyra if you’d like to dance,” Padme suggested, “we don’t mind little ones.”

Satine grinned and shot a look at Obi-Wan.

“That sounds like a wonderful idea, thank you.”

They spun around for three dances and Satine had a wonderful time.

“Everyone is watching us.” Obi-Wan grinned.

Satine winked, “Get used to it, Ben.” 

After their dances they went back to schmoozing politicians, it was much less fun. They talked to every party of parliament. Red, orange, yellow, and white. It was quite late when Lyra walked for the first time.

“Ah ah-” the little ejuculated.

She was reaching out her little fist towards her mother and scrambled out of Padme’s arms. Waddling over, she cried again.

“Ah ah!”

Everyone cooed as Satine picked up her youngest, kissing her on the forehead.

“I’m here, Lyra, I’m here.”

By the end of the night, Jynn and Lyra were asleep in their parents’ arms as the guests bid their Duchess goodnight.

“Lovely evening,” Anakin smiled, “we really should do this again.”

Obi-Wan clasped his friend’s hand, “We’ll see you for the welcoming ceremony.”

Finally, when the night was over, Satine took her daughters to the jewel room.

“Pierre?”

The Royal Jewelmaster bowed.

“A success, Your Grace?” 

“Most certainly,” Satine took off her tiara, “thank you for your help.”

It was nearly four in the morning when Satine and Obi-Wan were changing the twins back into their pajamas.

“They’re smiling.” Obi-Wan sighed.

“Yes,” Satine agreed, “happy to be in bed.”

Finally, when the Duchess and her Jedi got to bed, they practically collapsed. 

“So much talking.” Obi-Wan complained, hand on his head.

“I know,” Satine sighed, “but I’m sure it’ll be worth it.”

Parna and Khaami were kind enough to give Satine and Obi-Wan two extra hours of sleep before waking them up.

“Satine, Master Jedi?”

Obi-Wan groaned, his Duchess swatted him in the face and woke him up.

Khaami snorted, “Parliament has sent a statement to us early, it says the children will join the line of succession once you marry.”

The Duchess froze. Really? Was it that easy?

“Satine,” Obi-Wan drawled out the syllables of her name, clearly smiling, “will you marry me.”

The Duchess sighed, “Why don’t you propose when you’re awake and you’ve eaten.”

Obi-Wan groaned and Satine kissed his head.

“Ladies,” she turned, “what shall I wear for my engagement day?”

Khaami snorted.

Your favorite ensemble,” Parna suggested, “maybe the salmon pink one?”

“You’re right,” Satine agreed, sitting up, “I’ll save the extravagance for the wedding.”

The Duchess and her ladies went into the closet to investigate, and when they came out, Obi-Wan was gone.

“Likey to prepare.” Khaami remarked.

Satine giggled, “I’m excited.”

“You should be,” Parna grinned, picking up a hair brush, “you’re going to be proposed to today.”

It happened that night, and Satine was anxious all during the day. Towards the afternoon she thought her Jedi wasn’t going to propose at all, but then Korkie came to get her.

“Lady Mother,” he was trying not to smile, “please come with me.”

All of a sudden Satine was nervous.

“Let me fix my hair.”

“Lady Mother,” Korkie grinned, “you’re fine.”

They walked out to the garden and into the maze.

“Korkie, what-”

The secret center of the maze looked lovely. There were pale blue silks tied between the trees and bunches of lilies stuffed into the hedges. There was a small picnic blanket on the ground with a bunch of food. The Duchess was so distracted she didn’t even notice Korkie leave.

“Dex’s diner,” Satine laughed, “Ben, you really know how to create a romantic evening.”

“Don’t I?” Obi-Wan asked, coming out from behind a tree.

“Hiding, were you?” the Duchess teased.

Obi-Wan winked, “I wanted to know what my lady thought.”

Satine walked up to her Jedi and kissed him on the cheek.

“I love it.”

“Come,” Obi-Wan took Satine’s hand, “sit.”

It was nice to have a romantic evening with her Jedi, they hadn’t really had a dedicated time to themselves since the battle was over, and now that the Separatists had lost their biggest leaders, the end of the war was in sight.

“Satine,” Obi-Wan looked up suddenly, “dance with me.”

The Duchess smiled and held out her hand, she didn’t need to be told twice. They twirled around the garden a couple of times before Obi-Wan stopped, kissed the Duchess’ hand, and got down on one knee.

“Satine Kryze,” the Jedi’s eyes softened, “you’ve made my life a joy to live. You’ve brought me six wonderful children, with three more to come, and I couldn’t imagine a better end to my days than spending them with you and our family.”

Obi-Wan reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring. Satine gasped, it was a simple silver band with two gems next to each other. One, a purple tourmaline and the other a lapis lazuli stone. The Duchess of Mandalore choked up.

“Satine,” Obi-Wan’s voice pronounced her name like an enchantment, “will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

“Yes, Obi-Wan Ben Kenobi,” Satine sighed, “I’ll marry you.”

The Jedi kissed his Duchess and it felt like the stars were raining glitter down on them. When the couple separated, the noticed cheering from the balcony. They turned, all six children were waving.

“Are those binoculars?” Satine asked, horrified.

“I told them they could watch our performance.” Obi-Wan admitted.

“Ben,” the Duchess huffed, “you must be very proud of yourself.”

“I am,” the Jedi straightened, “I have a fiancee.”

The press went wild when the engagement was announced, of course, it was just after the update to the line of succession had been publicly known. A wedding date was set for three months later, which definitely shocked the press, but excitement overruled surprise and all was well.

Satine was telling Hera all about it during her sonogram.

“Really,” the nurse asked, “cheering in the press room?”

“Yes,” the Duchess giggled, “this wedding has all the gossip columns excited.”

“Naturally,” Hera agreed, “how are you feeling?”

“A little big for fourteen weeks.” Satine confessed.

“Triplets,”the nurse reminded, “how’s your sleep?”

Satine laughed, “Once I find a good position I sleep like the dead.”

“Good,” Hera smiled, “I don’t see any problems, but we’ll do another one in a month, then you’ll get to see them.”

Obi-Wan came with Satine that time to see the triplets, and Hera was thrilled.

“Finally,” she huffed, “responsibility will be taken.”

The Jedi looked uncomfortable, the Duchess snorted. Hera seemed unbothered.

“This will be cold.” she warned.

It was all worth it when the triplets appeared on screen however, Obi-Wan burst into tears.

“Ben-”

“This is the first time I’ve been with them since before birth.” he choked.

“Oh, Obi,” Satine kissed his knuckles, “it’s alright, look at them some more.”

“Two boys and a girl.” Hera confirmed.

Satine smiled, her Jedi wiped his eyes.

“I still don’t see any issues,” the nurse added, “all healthy.”

Obi-Wan sighed.

“Names,” the Duchess told her fiance, “names are what we should be thinking about.”

That night as the parents shared the happy news with their children, Khaami ushered the Duchess away with an important call.

“Hera’s dead.”

Satine was aghast, “What?”

“They found her at home,” Khaami’s eyes moistened, “with the death watch symbol carved into her head.”

The Duchess choked out a sob and her lady wrapped her arms around her.

“Why?” Satine asked, tears streaming down her face.

“I don’t know,” Khaami answered, “but the police are looking into it.”

“Satine-”

“They killed her, Obi,” the Duchess turned, “they killed Hera.”

The Jedi’s eyes went wide.

“No, oh, Satine, I’m so sorry.”

It was at the vigil they held at the palace that Korkie suggested they name the baby after her.

“I like that,” the Duchess smiled sadly, a hand on her stomach, “I like that.”

The next couple of months went by as Satine planned the biggest event of her life. She had many dress fittings, menu meetings, guest list organizing, and so much more. As the day approached, Satine found herself slightly nervous.

“Can you believe it,” Obi-Wan asked, “tomorrow?”

“I know,” the Duchess smiled, “we’re getting married.”

“Darling,” the Jedi rolled over, “is that apprehension I sense?”

“No,” Satine sighed, “just nerves.”

“Aw,” Obi-Wan wrapped his arms around his fiancee, “you’ll be great.”

The Duchess turned to look at her Jedi.

“Promise you won’t leave me at the altar?” she asked, half kidding.

“Satine,” Obi-Wan kissed her, “tomorrow is the most exciting day of my life.”

“Sleep well, then,” Satine grinned, “because tomorrow we’ll actually be married.”

The morning of the wedding could only be described as chaotic. Everyone was running all over, servants and the royal family, with news, outfits, jewels, and more news.

“The guests are arriving,” Parna huffed, “and your children have gone out to greet them.”

“All of them?” Satine asked.

“Not me, Lady Mother,” Korkie smiled, poking his head in, “we’re going to make an entrance.”

“We certainly are.” the Duchess agreed.

Satine was wearing yellow, the traditional color for Mandalorian weddings, and she looked fabulous. Wearing a crown of lilies to match the embroidered flowers on her loose bodice, Satine fluffed out her skirts and took Korkie’s arm.

Obi-Wan was standing at the altar, grinning at Satine as she approached. Anakin was behind him, clearly happy for his master. As they walked down the aisle, Satine’s smile grew. She was finally marrying her Jedi Knight. After all these years.

Korkie placed his mother’s hand in his father’s, then stood off to the side with the rest of his siblings. A Mandalorian Archbishop officiated the wedding, and both Satine and Obi-Wan repeated after him, vowing to protect and shield each other from harm in sickness and health.

“And now, the rings.”

Ahsoka was very pleased to be the ring bearer at the wedding, and she performed her job beautifully, with a little flourish at the end.

Obi-Wan took Satine’s ring.

“Satine, I’m overjoyed to be marrying you,” he began, “you and the children are the lights of my life, and I’m honored to be doing right by you and spending the rest of my life by your side.”

Satine smiled down at the ring as it slipped on her finger.

“Obi-Wan,” the Duchess grinned, “this is what I’ve always wanted, so I want to thank you for making my dreams come true-”

“Aw.”

The crowd giggled at Ahoska’s reaction.

“I love you, Obi.”

“You may kiss the bride.”

The Jedi did, then he picked her up bridal style and spun her around. Everyone cheered, and after a second kiss on the Jaru Cathedral steps, the roar got even louder.

“This is magical,” Satine giggled as they climbed into their carriage.

“It certainly is.” Obi-Wan agreed.

The children followed behind in a carriage of their own, waving at the public just like their parents.

“Is this what it’s like,” Obi-Wan asked, “your entire life?”

“Not really,” Satine put her head on the Jedi’s shoulder, “public occasions are rare.”

Obi-Wan kissed Satine’s head, “Now at least we’re together.”

There was a celebratory feast back at the castle aftwards.

“Oh my God, Satine,” Quinlan embraced her, “I can finally call you Mrs. Kenobi.”

“Kryze-Kenobi,” the Duchess corrected, “we decided to hyphenate.”

“How fancy,” Anakin smiled, hand on Obi-Wan’s shoulder, “but speaking of fancy, let’s celebrate!”

Obi-Wan sighed, “Anakin-”

“Master Obi-Wan,” Ahsoka huffed, appearing on his other side, “you’re married now, to Momdalore!”

“I know,” the Jedi gave Satine the side eye, “I’m very lucky.”

The Duchess sat with her friend Padme for the celebration.

“Ten weeks left for me,” she told her friend, “what about you?”

“Eight,” Padme practically squealed, “I made Anakin build the cribs himself.”

Satine laughed.

“Do you wanna see the video?”

“Of course.”

It was hilarious and a very typical Anakin scene. He started without reading the directions and Padme had to help him.

“That’s certainly something.” Satine snorted.

“It is,” Padme agreed, “have you picked out a girl’s name yet?”

The Duchess smiled sadly, “We might name her after Hera.”

“Aw.”

“Although,” Satine grinned, “we’re currently discussing my husband’s title ceremony.”

“Ooh,” Padme clutched her chest, “Duke Consort?”

“Duke Consort.”

“He and Anakin are leaving the order officially, what,” Padme paused, “tomorrow?”

“I know,” Satine wiped her eyes, “I feel so fortunate.”

“So do I.”

Master Yoda let both the Jedi go with honorable distinction, happy that people he cared about had found happiness and their place in the world. It was a quick goodbye party, and then it was back to business.

“A title,” Obi-Wan whined, “I suppose it’s necessary.”

“It is.”

The former Jedi sighed, “Alright, what is it?”

“Duke Consort of Mandalore.”

Obi-Wan smiled and kissed his wife, “Sounds perfect.”

The ceremony was held a week later, and Satine confessed to her husband that walking was getting annoying.

“But don’t worry,” she told him, “Korkie, Tyra, Tristan, and Mara will be holding the heaviest things.”

It was done in the fashion of an ancient monarchy. Satine knighted her husband, which he confessed later was ironic, then crowned him, gave him a robe, and a scepter. Then Satine sat down on her throne with her husband next to her.

“The Duchess and Duke Consort of Mandalore!”

The crowd of nobles clapped politely before bowing or curtsying to their monarch’s husband.

“This is quite official now,” Obi-Wan smiled in relief when the ceremony was over, “and all that’s left are the triplets.”

“And of course their welcoming ceremony,” Satine grinned, “I’m excited to raise these ones with you.”

Obi-Wan’s eyes melted, “So am I.”

Things settled as the weeks went by, and a month later, Satine was in the hospital wing with her new nurse.

“You will likely deliver soon,” she told the Duchess, “and you stated you wanted an operation beforehand, correct?”

“Yes,” Satine nodded, “one with medicine this time.”

“Of course, Your Grace,” the nurse nodded, “let’s plan for a week from now, as triplets generally come early, we want to be ready when they come out.”

One night while Satine was welcoming Korkie’s old nurse and the apprentice nannies, Obi-Wan got a call from Anakin.

“It’s happening,” he told his wife, “and Anakin is so anxious.”

“I bet,” Satine nodded, “tell him not to worry, Coruscant is known for its doctors.”

Once the nannies were adjusted and the older children were in their own personal rooms, the new ones that had been built, Satine went to bed, thinking of Padme.

“Obi-Wan?”

The former Jedi rolled over towards Satine’s voice, but he was still dead asleep.

“Obi-Wan.”

He grunted, clearly having heard her.

“Obi-Wan, it’s happening.”

“I know.”

“No, Ben,” Satine shook her husband, “I’m supposed to have an operation, but they’re coming earlier than anyone expected.”

Obi-Wan’s eyes popped open.

“Babies?”

“Yes!” the Duchess screeched, tired of repeating herself.

“It’s probably their connection to the Skywalker twins,” Obi-Wan calmly got up, “let’s get you to the med ward.”

They began operating on Satine within the hour, and it was a very quick procedure, faster than what the Duchess had expected. Soon, she was holding the two boys, while Obi-Wan held Hera.

“They’re quite small,” the doctor informed Satine, “they will need to gain weight at their checkups.”

“How often are these checkups?” Obi-Wan asked.

“For the first week, every other day,” the doctor explained, “and then every other month if they get stronger.”

Satine nodded, “We ordered a lot of formula.”

“Good,” the doctor smiled, “and now I suggest rest for Your Grace, and the triplets.”

The nurses rolled in three bassinets decorated with ribbons and little initials.

“Aw,” Satine grinned, “Ben look.”

“They’re adorable,” Obi-Wan agreed, “and I’ll make the phone calls to those who need to be informed.”

“Thank you, darling,” Satine smiled, handing Jacen to a nurse, “we’ll rest.”

A second nurse and the doctor put the remaining twins to bed and the Duchess kissed her husband.

“Sleep well.” Obi-Wan grinned.

Heavily drugged, Satine slept until the morning, waking up in the hospital wing to her nurses.

“Where are the triplets?” were her first words of the day.

“In the nursery with their nannies,” the nurse answered, “no complications. For you or the babies.”

The Duchess was relieved, “That’s good to hear.”

The doors opened and Obi-Wan brought the children in. Jynn and Lyra, who had begun speaking about four months ago, both were struck with a fit of giggles upon seeing the babies, who were being wheeled in by the nannies.

“Baby!” Lyra pointed.

“Babies!” Jynn corrected.

Everyone laughed.

“This is Jacen,” Satine gestured to the littlest redhead, “the blonde is Sylvian-”

“Ooh.”

“And your youngest sister is Hera.”

“Aw.”

“She looks like me.” Mara clapped.

“And Sylvian is my mini body double.” Tristan added.

“But Jacen though,” Tyra grinned, “he looks like you and Dad, Korkie.”

“He does,” Obi-Wan shook his head, “so many children.”

The babies were passed around before they got fussy, and then it was eating time. Korkie was very happy to see his old nurse as well, and Satine thanked her, for everything she’d done for the family.

“I’m pleased to, Your Grace,” the old woman smiled, “and I’m pleased at your happy ending.”

“So are we,” Obi-Wan smiled, “and once Satine’s ready, the Prime Minister will be coming.”

“Ah, yes,” Satine sighed, “and have you heard from Anakin?”

Obi-Wan nodded, but Tyra beat him to it.

“Luke and Leia,” she clapped, “they were also born yesterday.”

“Wow,” Satine sighed, “would you call that the force, Ben?”

“Most definitely.” Obi-Wan answered.

Later that day, after Satine’s nap, Prime Minister Djarin came with a bouquet of lilies.

“Thank you, Jaru,” the Duchess smiled, “I assume the public knows?”

“They're ecstatic,” the Prime Minister responded, “and how are you?”

“Well,” Satine sighed, “the children are healthy and the drugs are wearing off.”

“That’s good,”Jaru smiled, setting down the flowers, “I will inform the Ruling Council that you are resting today.”

“Thank you, Prime Minister,” the Duchess smiled, “that is something I really appreciate.”

Satine rested for the next day and a half, then, she went back to the business of governing.

“The criminals responsible for Nurse Hera’s death have pleaded guilty.”

“Good,” the Duchess nodded, “her family will have closure.”

“And the welcoming ceremony? When should that be?”

“A little longer than the traditional two weeks,” Satine decided, “the triplets need to grow a little more.”

Pencils scratched notepads.

“I’ll schedule it, Your Grace.”

“Now the ceremony’s menu.”

Then came the guest list, what the royal family would wear, and how to pay the Mandalorian Archbishops.

“Satine?”

It was Waldie who called, catching up with the Duchess in the hallway.

“Congratulations on the safe delivery.”

“Thank you,” Satine smiled, “I don’t remember much of it.”

“I hope it’s not too much to ask,” Waldie fiddled, “but now that there are more royal daughters, I think we should hire more seamstresses.”

“Ah,” Satine nodded, “perhaps one or two of the ones formerly in our service for the ball gowns, it’s a helpful suggestion, thank you Waldie.”

In the next two weeks, two more seamstresses were hired and welcoming outfits for the triplets were made. Everyone else in the family wore what they had to the ball presentation, and they made quite the spectacle all in white.

#Duchess Satine #satine kryze #obi wan x satine #satine x obiwan #obi wan kenobi #obitine #obiwan #fanfic #fanfiction #the clone wars #korkie kryze #korkie kenobi

[humandisasterskywalker]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi/Anakin Skywalker Characters: Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker Additional Tags: Pre-Relationship, Whump, Angst, No Beta We Die Like Clones, alternative universe - different masters, Miscommunication Series: Part 5 of Whumptober 2021 Summary:

Whumptober 2021

Day 5 - I'VE GOT RED IN MY LEDGER

betrayal & misunderstanding & broken nose

“What was it you said about him. That he was a ‘nuisance that trailed around your Master like a lost Tooka.’ That you’d ‘drop him back off on Tatooine if you could’. Don’t worry Obi Wan I’m sure all of us would be resentful about your Master’s supposed chosen one if we were in your position.”

“I’m just gonna go,” said a small voice.

Of Course Obi Wan had resented Anakin at the start. His Master had tried to throw away their new bond to take on Anakin instead. But he'd grown on him over the years. They had grown close. Not that Obi Wan had told his other friends that.

.

.

.

Obi Wan was sure he would never enjoy being in the council chambers. As an initiate when he feared not getting a master at all they were a place of potential failure. A place where his dreams could die. Where he would be rejected.

When he was a Padawan those very fears had become true within this chamber. His Master had been willing to throw away their new bond for the nine-year-old slave boy they had found on a mission to Tatooine. The council had rejected the move, reminding Qui-Gon Jinn of the responsibilities he had undertaken when accepting Obi Wan as a Padawan but he had never forgotten the feeling of rejection. Of his despair when he felt he was being cast aside.

“By the right of the Council, by the will of the Force, Knight Kenobi, you may rise."

A  Lightsaber flared and with a swing, his Padawan braid fell to the floor.

Obi Wan reached forward, picking up the braid before standing. The council was arrayed around him. They were smiling, Master Yoda in particular looked pleased, almost smug. As if some sort of plan had been seen to fruition.

Qui-Gon was stood in front of him, looking uncharacteristically emotional. Obi Wan smiled at him before presenting him with the braid. As difficult as the early years of their apprenticeship had been, as much as their relationship had never truly been repaired from that mission he could not help but appreciate that his Master had stuck with him ever since. That he had fulfilled his promise. That he had seen him through to Knighthood.

“You may go Knight Kenobi.” Master Windu said with a knowing smile. “I can sense your friends are already outside ready to celebrate.”

Obi Wan bowed to the council before turning and leaving the chamber.

As suggested there was a crowd of Senior Padawans and young Knights waiting just outside the door.

“I can’t believe you’ve done it!” Bant squealed, throwing her arms around him.

Obi Wan raised his eyebrows. “Did you have that little faith in me going into the trials?”

She pulled back, hitting him in the arm. “I didn’t mean it like that and you know it!”

Obi Wans face broke into a smile.

“I only meant that you’ve been self-deprecating ever since you became a Padawan and I am over the moon that you have finally proved yourself wrong.”

“You have subjected us to multiple monologues about how you were never going to be good enough to be a Knight” Greef agreed ruffling Obi Wans hair. “It did seem that you were you’re own worst enemy. None of us ever thought you’d have a problem, you always worked harder than any of us did.”

“Speak for yourself!” Bant laughed. “None of you have to spend hours on the wards in the Hall of Healers.”

Greef grinned at her “I apologise greatly Bant, please ensure that I still receive top notch treatment when I am dragged in after a mission.”

“You would be better off not having to come into the chambers at all.” She retorted.

Quinlan threw an arm around his shoulders. “Where are we going to celebrate then. I owe you revenge after the state you got me into after my Knighting.”

“I think you only have yourself to blame their Quin, no one said you had to do shots of all the spirits in that bar.” Obi Wan laughed.

“You issued it as a challenge. I do not say no to challenges.” Quinlan said his arm tightening around Obi Wans neck.

“And that challenge,” Bant interjected “Resulted in all of us back in the temple within hours with both of you making acquaintances with the fresher floor. Can’t we have a slightly quieter one this time?”

“Never! Quinlan crowed before tilting his head considering, “But then again, if we stayed out longer it might be possible to see what happens when you get beyond a couple of drinks Bant. No, I’ve changed my mind. We’ll do it your way.”

Obi Wan smiled as they began to bicker. It had been too long since they had all been at the Temple together. He had missed it.

“Congratulations are in order I hear.”

Obi Wan winced, turning towards Bruck Chun.

“Thank you Bruck”

“You must be very happy, not to have to put up with that brat from Tatooine trailing after you anymore. You can get away from him now that your not with a Master that cares more about him than you.”

“Piss off Bruck!” Greef growled.

“What, I’m just saying I’m impressed. It must be difficult to get knighted when your Master is more interested in someone else's apprentice.”

He smirked.

“What was it you said about him. That he was a ‘nuisance that trailed around your Master like a lost Tooka.’ That you’d ‘drop him back off on Tatooine if you could’. Don’t worry Obi Wan I’m sure all of us would be resentful about your Master’s supposed chosen one if we were in your position.”

Obi Wans friends had gone quiet. Grey-faced.

“What Obi Wan, not willing to remember everything you complained about him. How you wished he was never found and was left in slavery.”

“I never said that!” Obi Wan snapped. “Yes I said I resented him, yes I said complained. I may have wished we never went to Tatooine and that I never met him, but I never wished he was still a Slave.”

Bruck looked triumphant.

“Obi-“ Bant sounded pained.

“I’m just gonna go.” Said a small voice.

Obi Wan whirled round. Anakin was standing off to the side, he hadn’t noticed him after he left the chamber, mobbed as he’d been by all his former creche-mates. Anakin's face was carefully blank. Obi Wan had never seen him display fewer emotions. Obi Wan could normally read him like a book, but now he couldn’t tell anything. It was like Anakin was shutting down.

He turned to leave, slipping behind the crowd and walking down the corridor.

“Anakin, Ani wait!”

Obi Wan pushed through the crowd, Brucks voice echoing behind him.

“Looks like you’ve managed to ruin another relation there Obi, what is it with you being unable to maintain any sort of connection.

“You absolute dick!” Quinlan shouted jumping at him.

Obi Wan ignored the sound of the scuffle, trying to chase down Anakin.

He had walked quickly, the door on the turbo-lift already closing. Obi Wan caught sight of his face before the door closed. It was like a knife being driven into his heart. Anakin had never looked that upset before, even in the early days when he was homesick. And it was all because of him.

Anakin was nothing if not predictable, and had a small list of places he tended to go when upset, so Obi-Wan had assumed he would be able to find him quickly.

He was wrong, Anakin wasn’t in his quarters and Master Koon had not seen him. He wasn’t in the quarters he shared, well used to share with Qui-Gon. He wasn’t in the Speeder or Starfighter hangers. He wasn’t in the mechanics' office. He wasn’t in the small area in the basement where the Temple kept their mouse droids.

He couldn’t find him.

Obi Wan let his feet take him towards the Room of a Thousand fountains. Anakin wouldn’t be there, he had always hated meditation. That was one of the things he used to complain about. When Anakin had first come to the Temple he used to disrupt Obi Wans attempts to meditate all the time, but over the years he had grown almost fond of the disruption. He expected it. Not that he’d ever told anyone.

He headed towards his favoured spot, an area near one of the waterfalls.

It was already filled.

Anakin sat with his back to him. He was sat in a meditative position but Obi Wan knew he wasn’t meditating. His body was vibrating with repressed tension.

“Was it true?” Anakin said without turning to him. “Was what Brock said true, did you say those things about me?”

Obi Wan sighed. He sat next to Anakin, staring into the water.

“No… It wasn’t… That. That is not how I said it!”

Anakin closed his eyes before nodding.

“So that's a yes.”

Obi Wan felt constricted as if he could barely breathe. He felt like something was collapsing, that he was losing something significant. A bond that he had never truly accepted, but was now being ripped away from him.

“Anakin it was years ago.” He said frantically, “When you first came to the temple. I was hurt from what my Master said and I took it out on you to my friends. It wasn’t true!”

“I thought you were a superhero.” Anakin said dully, “I worshipped you. I thought you were the ideal Jedi, the role model for me to aim for. You were the one person here who I knew. The one friend I had. And all that time you were complaining about me. Laughing about me to your friends. Resenting me.”

He looked at Obi Wan. For the first time, he saw the passion that Anakin was so often caught up in directed at him. It wasn’t just sadness it was deep anger.

��Was I truly that oblivious? That the whole time I spent following you, trying to get a small part of your attention you were hating me. That you didn’t want me around. That I was making your life worse.”

“Anakin-“

“You could have told me to back off. I would have done it. I would have done anything you asked me to.”

“You can’t mean that.” Obi Wan said desperately.

“I do,” Anakin said with such surety. Like it was something that had never been questioned. That it was a simple fact in his life. “Well, I would have done, before.”

Obi Wan couldn’t accept it. This couldn’t be true, he had to find a reason why this wasn’t true.

“Anakin you were only nine when you came here, surely you can’t commit yourself so sure when you're that young.”

“Why Not? Clearly, you committed yourself to how much you resented me. You never told Bruck otherwise”

“Come on Anakin, I was thirteen years old being bothered by someone four years younger than me that would never shut up. How was I not supposed to be resentful!”

Obi Wan regretted the words as soon as they came out of his mouth. They were harsh, not at all what he meant. Why couldn’t he talk to Anakin? Why could he only hurt him?

He wasn’t shocked when the first connected with his nose. He would have done it to himself if he was able.

Anakin left, storming out of the room shaking his fist.

Obi Wan stayed sat, holding his nose to stop the bleeding. He felt bereft. Like something had been irreparably broken.

This had supposed to be the best day of his life. The day that he finally achieved all the dreams he had ever hoped for. But it no longer felt like it.

He felt adrift. It was far too quiet. He felt desperately alone. And the worst thing was, he knew it was entirely his fault.

#whumptober 2021 #no.5 #betrayal #misunderstandings #broken nose #obikin #fic #obi wan kenobi #anakin skywalker #look obi wan you inly have yourself to blame this time #angst #i mean they do get together in the end #after years of knighthood rivalry #when anakin finally realises obi wan did care after all #it will be very fluffy #eventually #look i write

[milfbenkenobi]

Star Wars Fic Rec List Part 4

All fics are complete, some may be in incomplete series.

still much that is fair by raineyday

Word count: 21173 Chapter count: 8

Anakin Skywalker was used to following the commands of the Force in his daily life. But a lot of the time, that didn't really mean much. Until the day the Force nudged him to catch a kid falling through the sky- and through time.

Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi was so tired of failing. He just couldn't handle it anymore. He always disappointed people. It would be better to just rip off the bandaid and remove the problem. He wasn't expecting to be caught in the attempt- or in the future.

Time traveling Obi-Wan on one end, and a Jedi Order losing their mind on the other. Mind the tags on this one.

——————

Life has a way of rewriting the story by K_R_Closson

Word count: 39193 Chapter count: 3

Obi-Wan Kenobi, failed Jedi initiate, never makes it to Bandomeer. Instead, she lands on Tatooine and has to figure out how to survive on a desert planet without losing her freedom.

When Anakin's destiny takes him to Coruscant and the Jedi, is this Obi-Wan's second chance? Or does her future lie elsewhere, with Jango Fett and his mysterious job on Kamino?

Okay, so normally I don’t read fem!obi, but I didn’t see the tags in time when I first read this this fic was so good, I had to keep going. Obi-Wan accidentally cons the entirety of Tatooine, what more can you wish for?

——————

When Night Falls by penguinkiwi

Word count: 5052 Chapter count: 1

In one universe, newly minted Sith Darth Vader, once Anakin Skywalker, kills the Jedi Battlemaster, Cin Drallig.

In another, Cin Drallig kills him.

Amazing fic, this is what first introduced me to the character of Cin Drallig. Whoever wrote this DEFINITELY knows how to write lightsaber battles.

——————

stars sing my name, scars tell my story by whymylife(nabringa)

Word count: 13994 Chapter count: 3

Anakin wasn’t sure how to ask, so he didn't.

Instead, he waited until Master Kenobi fell asleep and stayed up to tinker in the dark, building his own scanner out of parts stolen from the trash.

The chip was in his right thigh.

Anakin realizes that the clones have slave chips in their heads and ends the war before it begins. Lots of freed slave-related angst. Also, Shmi lives.

——————

Free the hearts and rust the chains by littlekaracan

First part in incomplete series. Word count: 464367 Chapter count: 3

There aren't many clones left in the Imperial Army. The ones that stay alive do so through methodical obeisance, resembling droids more than people.

Occasionally, some go rogue. There are stories of clones blowing up entire Star Destroyers for the Generals they killed themselves, stories of them awaiting execution and spitting curses at the officers for depriving the Galaxy of what should've become peace, stories of quiet, sobbed apologies in their sleep directed at the long-dead Jedi. Such clones, according to the Imperial Command, are not to be trusted.

Zhade-Ran doesn't trust her two bunkmates. Although perhaps not for the reasons she should.

Imperial defectors abound!!!! Cody and Boil are on a team with two other stormtroopers, and all four desert after a mission where they’re assumed dead. I put that the series is incomplete, but both works can be read with the series still having a satisfying ending.

——————

In Sacrifice, Peace by artikka

Word count: 5757 Chapter count: 1

“Shh. . .” Anakin says, gathering the younglings around him, reminding Obi-wan of all those whispered arguments where he had insisted to Anakin that yes, he was good with children, he’d be just fine teaching Ahsoka. He can almost feel the terror rising off Anakin from the hologram; Anakin doesn’t know what’s happening either. But he isn’t letting the younglings feel it. “You need to listen to me very carefully, okay? This--” his voice breaks, “--this is going to be scary. But you have to be calm, and strong. Just like Master Yoda taught you.

* * * * *

Or, the ROTS au where Obi-wan finds a very different type of pain while looking through the Temple's recordings of Order 66.

An Anakin doesn’t fall AU, with all sorts of angst. Delightfully sad.

——————

Still dancing with your ghosts (sleeping with your memories) by jcp_sob_rlj_lmep

Word count: 1070 Chapter count: 1

Everyone knows about the Massacre, and how no Jedi made it out alive.

The Jedi refuse to let anyone forget.

The Jedi, and later the clones, are ghosts that haunt the galaxy. Amazing fic told from a second-person POV. Normally I don’t like 2nd person POV, but this one is amazing

——————

In a Warped Time by Lochcamean

Word count: 20392 Chapter count: 1

In a single moment, history is changed forever and Depa Billaba is faced with a life she was never meant to have.

Role swap AU where Caleb/Kanan dies in Order 66 and Depa lives. Super interesting character study, especially because Depa is aware that the roles should have been reversed because of her Seeing abilities. Ezra is her padawan here.

——————

sand on memories and armor by loosingletters

Word count: 2122 Chapter count: 1

"Uncle Ben, Boba is messing around with Cody's weapons again!"

"Shut up, Luke!"

A family can be you, your former Commander, your apprentice's son and an eighteen-year-old with identity issues. Obi-Wan's life on Tatooine is slightly different than he thought it would turn out to be.

Obi-Wan and Cody vibe on Tatooine and try to keep their house from exploding.

——————

Today is the Day That Nobody Dies by omegarose

Word count: 1154 Chapter count: 1

A brief rewrite of a scene from ziggyzigzagged's "Ib'tuur Jatne Tuur Ash'ad Kyr'amur" where the fight in the reactor room doesn't end in Maul or Qui-Gon's death.

Qui-Gon’s POV while he watches reactor footage of a time traveling Obi-Wan and Maul in the reactor room. I’ve read this one so many times, I love it.

——————

#mads posts #tag: stir wirs

[metalgearkong]

The Mandalorian - Season 1 - Review

12/30/19 **Spoilers

Created by Jon Favreau & Dave Filoney

It’s a miracle that someone finally come up with something in the Star Wars universe of which fans are unanimously happy with. The Mandalorian is easily the best live-action Star Wars content since Return of the Jedi, and is some of the best Star Wars in any medium since the original trilogy concluded. This is a reasonably low budget and smaller Star Wars tale that draws inspiration from old Samurai and Western films, the very thing that inspired George Lucas to create his vision in the first place. The Mandalorian is deliberately paced, and has a focus on character over having a big entangling bombastic story. 

One of my favorite features is how grounded, dirty, and inelegant the show is within its own world. The Mandalorian himself, “Mando,” (Pedro Pascal) is far from a super human with flawless skills and incredible perfection. While he clearly has experience with blasters, gadgets, and hand-to-hand combat, virtually every action scene he’s in comes off as a real guy just doing the best he can. He almost always needs help from a side character, and survives by the skin of his teeth, with only a handful of standout moments when you see him in full control of his environment and enemies. It helped make the entire show feel relatible, realistic, and dramatic.

The Mandalorian takes place a few years after Return of the Jedi and the collapse of the Galactic Empire. Jedi are still a thing of misinformation and myth. The galaxy has become a wild west, and the Force isn’t even a concept most people know about. Although I do find it odd that Mandalorians wouldn’t have some knowledge of the Force or Jedi as the two factions have quite the history together over the past thousand years. It’s a nit pick but it gives the Jedi an heir of mystery and sorcery once again. It also contributes to the low key nature of this show where magic and spectacle are nearly non-existent. The Mandalorian doesn’t seem as concerned with bringing in huge masses of audiences, although it does draw in multiple demographics, more on that later. It’s a huge relief that something in Star Wars can feel so adult and be taken seriously, and it gives me a lot of hope for the future.

The Empire itself in The Mandalorian are resigned to an underground organization, with its only high profile leader seeming to be Grand Moff Gideon (possibly operating completely independently) played by Giancarlo Esposito. They still have their share of soldiers, vehicles, and weapons ordinance, but this is no longer a galaxy ruled or patrolled heavily by the “Imps.” One of my favorite things about this show is that we get a ton of stormtroopers and scout troopers as guys in dirty armor, which are unmodified from how they look in the original trilogy. I’ve been so sick of the fake CGI that brought clone troopers and battle droids to life in the movies and other shows. Some scenes give troopers a lot of humanity and personality as well. However the show perpetuates my issue with Star Wars as a whole where rank-and-file enemy troops prove to be little or no consequence as they can’t hit anything they shoot--and die themselves in one hit. I want stormtroopers one day to actually mean something and pose a threat to a protagonist.

The true star, however, happens to be the “Child,” the most brilliant creation of the show. Most of The Mandalorian is about a lone warrior shooting guns and fighting through dangerous situations, but the Child brings in entire audiences that may not have been interested in this very macho kind of show to begin with. The best part is, he’s a natural addition to the story and lore. The Child isn’t just an adorable shoe-in to give women and kids something to go “aaaw” at. The Child is an infant member of Yoda’s race, a race the creators intentionally never gave any detail on ever in Star Wars history. It sparks tons of intrigue as to where the race is from, how it develops, and its natural strong connection to the Force. It’s one of the greatest mysteries of the show and aside from the Child’s cute antics, it kept me hooked. 

Mando himself is your typical stoic gunslinger type who makes his living on bounty hunting. While he doesn’t have much uniqueness at first, you slowly learn more about him and the Mandalorian clan he is part of. Pedro Pascal gives a great physical performance, as his face is hidden by the helmet he is sworn never to take off in front of another living thing. The Mandalorians themselves seem to be a creed of people who were once regarded as great warriors, but are now nearly extinct. It’s yet another mystery to the show that I crave to learn more and more about. The heart and soul of this show is truly the relationship between the Child and Mando, two people who couldn’t be more opposite, and I think the memes infecting the entire internet speak for themselves.

We run into a lot of great side characters as well, usually one stand out per episode. These sidekicks are usually played by famous comedians or actors, and it was a fun game of “who’s that” every week it came on. These people Mando comes across are usually former solders or people who fall into the Chaotic Neutral category of washed up past their prime. The best of these is IG-11, the same model as IG-88 briefly seen in Empire Strikes Back and several Legends material. We finally get to see this kind of droid in action and why it’s so great. IG-11 is brought to life by excellent CGI, and what I’m guessing is a lot of robotic work as well. He’s voiced by none other than Taika Waititi and he gives a hilarious and poignant personality to the hunter droid. 

My other favorites include Carl Weathers as a bounty hunting guild leader, Nick Nolte as a lonely but helpful Ugnaught engineer, and Gina Carano as Cara Dune, a former Rebel shock trooper. Each of these characters are contrasted to Mando’s. He gets help one way or another from these people, and it helps flesh out his character seeing how he reacts to what they do and say. Mando goes through a great but subtle arch throughout the show, as we see him go from what appears to be a cold blooded killer, to someone who cares again about the people around him. Again, it’s nothing new or original, but it’s executed very well. The side characters aren’t just celebrities of the week either. Many of them come back in later episodes to help Mando and the Child, and I hope they continue to appear in future seasons.

Not only does The Mandalorian pay excellent homage to the original trilogy, but also combines elements from both the prequel and sequel trilogies as well. Small things like technology and droids (mostly background elements) help solidify the entire Star Wars canon in very subtle and realistic ways. It’s a great transitional time in the universe between the Empire and the First Order, and I can’t wait to see how this show continues to exist and influence the world its in. The only weakness I could say is that many of the episodes don’t go through a lot of change in terms of plot, and are more excuses for character introductions and character development. The show is so well executed, however, this isn’t a huge problem because nearly every minute has something to appreciate and enjoy. I love the mature tone and pace, and hope that never changes.

The Mandalorian may be a sign that Star Wars should transform itself to being small scaled. It seems like just about everything that can be done with the Jedi has been done, and I don’t know how you can throw more twists into Force using and blowing up giant super weapons. The Mandalorian was created with so much love and care, I want all Star Wars content to follow this same philosophy. Forget the big movies with huge lineages and chosen one prophecies, I want to take a fine toothed comb to the underbelly of the Star Wars universe. Keep it character focused, keep it low key. I can’t wait to see what future seasons of this show hold, and I pray that it maintains its quality and pace its established here.

8.5/10

#the mandalorian #ig11 #taika waititi #jon favreau #cara dune #the child #baby yoda #disney+ #star wars #return of the vampire #bounty hunter #mandalorian #bryce dallas howard #dave foley #carl weathers #greef karga #nick nolte #pedro pascal #gina carano #stormtroopers #scout troopers #at st #tatooine #boba fett #jango fett #great show #western #grand moff gideon

[david-talks-sw]

About the supposed “dig  at Rey” in the Mandalorian finale.

So a lot of people have taken to YouTube and social media, saying that Luke’s line about “talent without training (being) nothing” is a dig at Rey “bEcAuSe ShE’s A mArY sUe who’s good at everything and never trained!!”

No.

Quick recap: The Mandalorian is created by Jon Favreau, and he develops it with Dave Filoni (who created The Clone Wars with George Lucas, invented Ahsoka Tano, and created Star Wars: Rebels), among others.

As far as Dave is concerned, Rey is no different than Ahsoka, she’s not “OP”, she’s not a “Mary Sue”. He’s all for strong, independent, female characters.

He talked about this at the National Center for Women & Information Technology, you can find his full speech here. If you want to see the extracts specifically about Rey and female character in Star Wars, you can find it here (though I’d advise just ignoring the intentionally-triggering title and seeing the video for what it is).

All the backlash he saw about Rey? He saw it for Ahsoka too.

“Oh, she’s fighting Grievous and she’s only, like 13?! That’s so OP!”

“She feels like a Mary Sue written for a prequel based fan fiction.”

“Oh, she disobeyed an order from Yularen on Ryloth?! She’s so snippy!”

“Ugh, I hate her and her stupid voice!”

“She’s always pointing out stuff other characters have missed, like she’s so perfect! She's a Mary Sue with an annoying voice and personality.”

And honestly? I remember that period. People hated Ashley Eckstein and Ahsoka, just like they hated Hayden Christensen, and most Prequel-related content.

So no, that line is not a dig at Rey. If you expect that to ever come from Dave, big chance you’ll be disappointed. He is all for Rey, as a character (as am I, tbh). There may be issues with how she’s written, but none of it is related to her being too strong, or her being good at everything. Guess what? Captain America and Goku are good at everything too.

What The Mandalorian tackles, with that line, is a debate with bigger implications than just Grogu.

We get two sides of the same debate, from both Ahsoka, and Luke.

“I cannot train him. His attachment to you makes him vulnerable to his fears. His anger. I’ve seen what such feelings can do to a fully trained Jedi Knight. To the best of us. I will not start this child down that path. Better to let his abilities fade.”

“He is strong with the Force, but talent without training is nothing. I will give my life to protect the Child… but he will not be safe until he masters his abilities.“

The subject they really subliminally tackle is:

Should Anakin Skywalker have been trained to be a Jedi?

On the one hand:

Anakin has the potential of being the most powerful Force-user in galactic history, as the Jedi know it. It’s just a matter of time before he accidentally Force chokes someone in a fit of anger, or when submitted to extreme stress. He needs to be trained to hone his skills so he’s not a danger to himself and others.

Jedi Training would also help him get over the trauma of growing up as a slave on Tatooine, as it is aimed at keeping your emotions under control, whereas Anakin isn’t even acknowledging their existence (he pretends he’s not afraid in front of the Jedi Council, and seems to be the only person in the room to think that he should hide his fears). His hidden fears, his anger… Jedi Training would teach him to confront them.

Also, there’s a big chance the Sith are back! If they let this kid just go out into the wild, who knows, maybe the Sith Lords pick him up and make him one of their own. Better to keep the boy close.

Anakin is a good boy, raised by a loving mother, with a kind heart. If anything, he’s got the drive to do good as strong as that of any Jedi’s. Him being down-to-earth more than your average Jedi can potentially make him the best out of all of them. He could bridge the distance between the Jedi and the Senate, he could lead the Jedi into a new age. If anyone could be the next, better and improved Yoda, it’s Anakin Skywalker.

On the other hand:

Jedi training is for Jedi only. AKA, it’s perfect if you’re raised in the temple at a very young age to be a diplomat/wizard who upholds the values of the Republic, in control of your emotions and in Balance with the Force. But if you’re not? Then the strict rules of the Jedi Order will basically seem like an insurmountable (bordering on unreasonable) obstacle.

Any normal person will see these rules as attempting to turn you into a sociopath. Because if you’re a normal person, they might. For all intents and purposes, Anakin is a super-powerful normal person. If they take Anakin in, 10 years old, with the attachments he’s formed (his mother), the emotions he represses, the trauma from his upbringing - all of which, in a normal person, are totally fine and common - and try to force him in a mold he just won’t fit in, that’s just a recipe for disaster.

Of all people, Qui-Gon Jinn - Mister “I’m always right because I follow the Will of the Force and you don’t” - who is not the most forthcoming of people, as opposed to Obi-Wan, is insisting that he should train the boy. You give a chaotic Master a chaotic Padawan? That’s adding extra ingredients to the recipe for disaster.

The BEST thing to do would be Qui-Gon leaving the Order with Anakin, and raising Anakin as his surrogate son, teaching him his values, rather than training him as a Padawan and teaching him the values of the Jedi (which he’s too old for and which essentially make the Jedi the Senate’s lapdogs). But Qui-Gon’s insisting that he train him as a Jedi.

Anakin’s mind is too fragile as it is. If they add the stress of being a Jedi to that too, there’s a big chance he won’t be able to take it, and bring about the destruction of everything they are, stand for and care about.

And, to be honest? Both points are fair.

Because Anakin was both…

… the best of them…

… and their destructor.

But then, should Grogu be trained?

In my (and Luke’s) opinion? Yes.

Ahsoka’s logic makes sense… but it only applies to how things were before, back when the Jedi served the Republic as Force-sensitive diplomats/ambassadors, making decisions that impacted whole planets and their billions of inhabitants, keeping the peace through mediation, and occasionally investigating a crime.

But in Grogu’s case… things are a bit different.

The Republic is gone.

The Jedi’s mission of upholding its values seems to be gone with it.

So literally any surviving Jedi, has a new mission: just help people.

Be it Ezra & Kanan helping the Rebellion during the Dark Times.

Or Cal Kestis, saving the Force-sensitive children.

Or Ahsoka, helping the village of Calodan, after the fall of the Empire.

Or Luke, literally being a space-vagabond/Jedi archeologist for 10 years and helping out wherever and whoever he can.

The Jedi no longer have to deal with planet-sized problems, or mediations, or investigations, because the New Republic hasn’t included them in its government, seeing as they have their rangers, now.

So now, the pressure of “upholding the Republic’s values” and “going on missions which impact billions of lives” is gone.

Now, the Jedi operate at a smaller scale and just help people out. As they did, before they became Republic officials.

Sure, they still keep their emotions in control, but that’s simply for the sake of living a healthy life, rather than for the sake of objectiveness and diplomacy.

In these circumstances? It’s totally fine for Grogu to be trained, as he should be.

The line was about the fact that training Grogu to hone his skills is fine, and should be done, before he becomes a danger to everyone around him.

#star wars #meta #rey skywalker #rey #jedi #grogu #baby yoda #Luke Skywalker #luke #the mandalorian #mandalorian #the rescue #sw #SW meta #jedi order #Anakin Skywalker #it's always about #anakin #motherfucking #skywalker #in the end

[legobiwan]

I was the one who asked that last question about the light vs dark and i loved the answer you gave. I hope you don’t mind me asking another. What do you think makes the darkside so difficult to turn back from? Speaking from my own personal experience with mental illness (depression, anxiety, diagnosed anger issues. All of this from birth) in know that all those things can send a person to a very dark place. 1/

Not literally like with the force, but it can do that to anyone and it’s like doing a muscle man marathon to get out of it. It takes incredible strenth to dig yourself out of it and sometimes it’s easy to NOT want to get out of that suffering, painful state because you get so used to it. 2/

I subscribe to the idea that force sensitives constantly have enotions being filtered back at them, even their own which is why they all have to be in control of their their emotions, because if they let emotions like rage and hate and fear and pain and grief and all those things you frequently feel when dealing with those kinds of things, it gets reverted back at you and you are stuck in a cycle of all these negative things the dark side feeds on. 3/

Imagine dealing with all of that as a normal person and then having this echo chamber of it directed back at you and some, i’m guessing, semi-sentient dark side that feeds on that and tries to bring you down deeper. I think another part of it is 1.) Sunk Cost Fallacy and 2.) as you said about Anakin fir example: “well, i ate two cookies, might as well eat the whole bag”. 4/5

I’m sorry this turned out WAYY linger than i originally intended. I’d like to hear your thoughts (i always do) about maybe why the dark side is so hard to pull away from. 5/5

Oh hello again, friend! You ask such intriguing questions, thank you for stopping by!

First off, mental illness sucks and I am sorry that it is something you have had to contend with. I won’t profess to know exactly what you have gone through, but when I was a younger Lego, things got pretty dark for a while, so I do know of that bottomless pit to which you refer and the absolute wrenching struggle it is to dig one’s self out, tooth and nail.

Now, there are a few ideas at play in this question so I want to start with the idea you float about how Jedi feel emotions in the Force as a kind of feedback loop, make one or two detours before getting around to why it is so difficult to come back from the dark side.

“The Force is what gives a Jedi his power. It’s an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together.”

Yoda basically lays out the Force for us in ESB, describing as an invisible energy field that for me, resembles the way we describe the energy between (and in-between) molecules. And subscribe to the theory that all sentient are at least a little Force-sensitive, if they are able to lower their own barriers enough to listen for that heartbeat, that rhythm and song of the universe (music of the spheres, in a way.) But for the Jedi, well, they are on a whole other level, and to my mind, that barrier I just referred to is a whole lot more permeable, no longer a dense, velvet curtain, but a gauzy, diaphanous veil separating two planes of existence - the one we know and some unseen dimension of energies made, if not visible in the strictest terms, visible to the mind’s eye by metaphor.

In this little scenario I have set up, then, let’s say our Jedi is happy. Simple happiness. If our reality is a glass of water, this one emotion is a drop of food coloring, let’s say green, which, when dripped into the water is coalesced around the focal point of the droplet (the droplet being the emotion within the Jedi) and then branching outwards with its tendrils, beyond the Jedi themselves. In this way, the Jedi can almost see their own emotion outside of themselves. But, of course, at some point, the food coloring will overtake the water and turn the entire glass green, in which case the Jedi has been subsumed by their own emotion unless they can erect some particular carriers around themselves. This, in Yoda’s words, would be control. (A vaguely problematic term that I will get to in a little bit.)

But without that barrier, it does become a bit of a feedback loop, the Jedi (or Sith) broadcasting an emotion which then clouds (aha!) everything around the Force-sensitive who can then feed off that cloud and repeat the entire cycle ad nauseum. And well, we know where that can lead. And so, in a way, that semi-sentient voice that is whispering poems of power, words draped in seductive scarlet into our Jedi’s ear is really their own voice, turned back on them, taking this outside form as a separate being because of this strange feedback loop.

The seeds of our own destruction - and salvation - lie wholly within us.

And so to escape the dark side’s pull, its suffocating cloud, one must, in a way, come out of themselves. Which is what leads us to the Jedi idea of detachment and control, to build that barrier which I referred to earlier, that space of nothingness where our green dye is repelled by that shadow of oxidation, where it can exist on the outside without feeding back, so one might be able to look at it as a scientist might - without passion.

Now, the thing is - and if I may go on a tangent for a moment - the Jedi, especially the Jedi we know during the Republic, refer to this too often for my taste as control, and prefer to totally bleach out any of the dye rather than observe from the outside. To my mind, the Order had become a bit polarized in the wake of Ruusaan Reformation, eager to stamp out any bit of dark side rather than to acknowledge each being’s duality - something Yoda himself rally only came to when he had his adventures with the Force priestesses. It also explains, to a degree, why he is so laissez-faire in The Last Jedi - finally, he has come to true balance, and knows that the universe swings on a pendulum of energy, that light and dark will settle and unsettle again. I know TLJ gets a bad rap in some circles, but I personally adore the way they approached Force philosophy and the Jedi, because balance, to the Republic Jedi - was good, good only. Which is why it was referred to as control.

But seeking control in a universe where we can never control, ultimately, is an of fear, which leads to anger, and etc. 

However, your question is not about the foibles of the Jedi Order, but rather the dark side. Let’s take Anakin as an example. Anakin falls prey to his worst tendencies (and he is powerful in the Force, his connection with that other plane perhaps too strong, his ability to influence it unprecedented but also that open conduit making him more susceptible to everything I mentioned above.) He’s angry, he’s upset, and he turns that first on himself and then takes that fear and turns it on others, burning down the outer world with his inner. But he saves Luke. A fantastic act, but only a single act. Does one life saved balance out the atrocities of the previous twenty years? 

To my mind, no. It’s like those studies they’ve done on reform, where it is often found that behavior changes before mindset. Meaning Anakin has to go through the motions before he is truly redeemed. That, to my mind, is one of the hardest parts, because you can’t just flip a switch and say, hey, I’m light now! Look at Ventress - it took her a while just to get to morally grey and she wasn’t nearly as full-fledged dark as Anakin got. Look at Dooku, who started out grey and through his actions, through his own need for control, fell further and further until he walked right into his own demise. (And this is astounding for a man so intelligent.)

Note, I’m not even touching on that unearthly drug, adrenaline, that anger can unleash, sparking up all those dopamine receptors and as a Force-sensitive, this is only going to be multiplied by a thousand. It’s probably like doing hard drugs and there’s a reason they say the dark side is addictive. And we all know addiction is one hell of a beast to fight, that even in the throes of anger, the hangover must be brutal, emotionally and to give that up to turn light? 

Not easy. Not easy to do alone and the problem is as a Sith you have basically pushed everyone else away so who going to be your support if you even want to recover? (Note how Dooku was always trying to connect with his students. It says something.) And you know, if Anakin hadn’t died on the Death Star, despite everything, I think he would have had the best chance at redemption because Luke would have been there. It would have been a terrible, exhausting experience for all involved (not to mention Leia, who did not have Luke’s soft spot for her biological father, and for very good reason.)

Although after going on about all of this, I will say that from an author’s perspective, exploring a character’s fall and struggle is such an opportunity, narratively. But then again, I love to joke that writing is cheaper than therapy :D 

#Anonymous #hello there #ask legobiwan #i could go on about force shenanigans #but i'll call it here because i have some real life lego things to do before it's extended naptime #the force #meta #jedi #sith #legobiwan and their weirdass metaphors

[jbuffyangel]

It Ain't Nothing but a Family Thing: Arrow 7x17 Review (Inheritance)

“Inheritance” is equal parts necessary exposition and filler episode. Not quite sure how the writers accomplished that, but they did.

Let’s dig in…

Emiko and Oliver

Soooo… here’s the problem guys. I don’t really care about Emiko. The whole time I’m watching this plot line unfold I am thinking, “Couldn’t Thea have gone all evil?” 

Take a pause and give that a good think. How awesome would it have been for Thea to take a deep dive down the evil hole? It would have been amazing, which is why I loudly demanded it for the six years Willa Holland was on the show. 

Watching Oliver try to pull Thea away from the Ninth Circle would have been a good time.

Not so much with Replacement Thea. The problem is I just met Emiko this season. I understand that’s typically the case when it comes to Arrow villains, but I’m supposed to bond with her character as Oliver’s sister and then be horrified when she turns out to be a villain.

Arrow even tried to fast track my bonding by making Emiko into Oliver 2.0.  I’m not really seeing the individualism except for evil. Every week the writers were hanging a sign out that said, “SEE? SHE’S JUST LIKE OLIVER!” by mimicking previous OG Oliver Queen scenes. Just in case you missed any of the visual cues or copied verbatim scenes, the other characters are here to verbally proclaim Emiko is just like her brother. 

Eh… keep it. Unfortunately, none of this has accomplished Arrow’s intended goal which is for me to give a crap about Emiko.

It should be noted that when Arrow does the “SEE? SHE’S JUST LIKE OLIVER” with Mia or “SEE? HE’S JUST LIKE FELICITY!” with William (and vice versus) I love it. Yes, I am aware this is a double standard. Maybe it’s because the kids have more personality than cardboard. Sorry Emiko. Facts are facts. Maybe it’s because they are Olicity’s kids and therefore my investment is virtually guaranteed. I don’t know. I don’t care. It’s Season 7 and I’m gonna do me.

The only thing keeping me mildly entertained with Emiko is that she is evil. I’m not really interested in watching her be redeemed either. I know I know. The season theme is redemption, but come on! Someone has to burn in the fires of Hades for all eternity. It doesn’t mean anything if every character is redeemed.

Typically, I am down for Robert Queen flashbacks whenever possible, but in order to make this storyline work they had to turn Oliver’s father into a tremendous pile of stinking douchebag. Robert was always kind of a douchebag what with the whole killing a man by accident, lying about it and then getting embroiled in Merlyn’s plot to destroy half the city because of his guilt. 

But he had gravitas. The class of an elder statesman. Maybe it’s the silver hair and grumbly grandpa voice I pray Oliver Queen will have some day. Maybe it’s because he put a bullet in his head to save his son. Annnnd… also murdered someone else in the process. Alright. Robert was a douchebag, but he was a mildly noble douchebag and I love him okay? I DON’T KNOW WHY!

But the Robert Queen in “Inheritance” is a misogynistic, slimy, cheating, coward who kicks his mistress and love child out of the swanky apartment he was putting them up at and tells his daughter, “Life isn’t fair. We don’t always get what we want.” Wow. 

That’s a great way to create a villain, Robert. Watch Batman or Star Wars or ANY HERO STORY EVER and learn fool.

Emiko worked hard to get her father’s approval or acknowledgement of her existence to the world. She wanted to run Queen Consolidated, but nope that’s a man’s job sweetie. Oliver Queen and his penis, which was whoring its way through Starling City at the time, are destined for CEO.  Emiko takes Robert’s misogyny in stride and simply asks him to back a company of her own, but he balks at that too. This is the last straw in a very long line of straws.

Unfortunately, Emiko doesn’t tell her father where to stick it and cut off all contact. No, that would be reasonable. Instead, she decides to go super villain on him. She impresses Dante after stealing from him and he agrees to train her. Emiko vacillates between being a Queen and joining the Ninth Circle for years, but the final brush off from Robert is the tipping point. She decides Dante is right and the Ninth Circle is her real family.

Oliver follows Emiko after Bl*ck S*ren warns she may not be playing for the home team and he sees her with Dante. Oliver confronts Emiko and she sings some song and dance about not knowing who the real Dante was when she signed up with him. Now she’s trapped. It works. Oliver buys it hook line and sinker, because blindly ignoring blatant warning signs is what he does when it comes to the Queen family.

He smartens up once he figures out Emiko sabotaged Felicity’s Archer program to protect Dante’s location. DO NOT MESS WITH THE WIFEY’S TOYS. 

Oliver and Emiko face off in a fight that’s a lot about her ponytail. It had a life of its own.

Sadly, this is one of the worst fights I’ve seen in Arrow’s history. I really hope Sea Shimooka isn’t taking acting tips from KC, because it sure looks like it. 

WHO IS SHE LOOKING AT? I’m not putting all the blame at her feet. Stephen upped his cheese factor about ten notches too. The whole scene felt awkward, choppy and forced.

Source: smoakmonster 

Diggle sits Oliver down for a much needed Yoda talk. John warns him not to be so invested in Emiko’s redemption that he ignores the threat she poses. Ah yes, the evil sibling plot line also happened in Season 4 with Diggle and Andy. 

Yeesh, alright it’s time for this show to end. John’s need to save his brother ultimately cost L*urel her life and he doesn’t want Oliver to make the same mistake. 

It’s time you left yourself off the hook on that one, Diggle. 

It was all win from where I sat, so stop being so hard on yourself.

UGH.  I tell the man to be Jesus and then he starts acting like Jesus!!! The nerve. Oliver, being a fully realized superhero doesn’t mean you save EVERYONE. Jesus didn’t save every – never mind. The point is, after seven seasons, now the pine tree listens to me? He could’ve popped the question in Season 3 and I’d be on my way to a second set of triplets, but nooooo.

Oliver wants to redeem Emiko because then it means he’s redeemed the family in some way. 

Source: olivergifs 

Why isn’t enough that you’ve redeemed yourself Oliver? You’re a Queen. You count. Yes, you were a massive douchebag once upon a time, but you stopped sleeping with Lance sisters (thank God), fell in love with sunshine, and embraced monogamy & commitment like the squishy teddy bear with abs we always knew you were. You also fight for the city, save lives, and cook your pregnant wife yummy veggies to munch on. You’re evolved dude. Cut yourself a break. And Thea isn’t exactly the Mistress of Satan. She’s off saving the world too. Two out of three ain’t bad.

This whole “Right my wrongs” needs clarification. First it was the list, but it morphed into saving the Glades. Then Tommy died and things kind of snowballed. So, how many wrongs are we talking Bobby? Let’s get specific. We’ve only got 15 episodes left. Did you sell Iran nuclear weapons? Use Moira’s toothbrush and not tell her? Steal candy from babies? Are there a dozen more Robert Queen kiddos intent on world destruction? 

Time is a wasting. I have a spin off coming and it needs to not be about your bullshit man.

Team Arrow ultimately foils Emiko’s plan. Well… kind of. They miss one drone, but no worries! It was just a demonstration. They’re worried about the next time, when it’s not a demonstration, but I was more focused on the few extra tidbits delivered in the final moments of the episode

Not only does Emiko choose the Ninth Circle, she is their leader.

She is also targeting the Archer program, which means nothing good for Oliver, Felicity and their children. Despite, my frustrations with Emiko’s character I am glad they are tying this all back to Robert and the Queens. Family is where this story began and it’s where it should end. 

Dante gave Emiko a gift when she was struggling between being a Queen or joining the Ninth Circle. It was the most hilariously unrealistic looking invoice from Merlyn Global, but it showed the location of the bombs on the Queen’s Gambit. Emiko knew about Merlyn’s plan and she could have saved her father’s life if she simply passed on the information at their meeting. But he rejected her once more, so Emiko sent Robert to his death and unknowingly condemned her brother to five years of hell. Damn.

What Emiko doesn’t realize is that by keeping quiet about the bombs on the Queen’s Gambit she helped set her brother on a path to become someone who can stop her. In the immortal words of Leo McGarry, “ "It ain't nothing but a family thing.”

Felicity Smoak

Source: felicitysmoakgifs

Felicity wins Walter White. 

This is something many fans have been saying for years, including yours truly, so I am quite happy the writers agree.  

Felicity continues to slay at all three, but a key part to “having it all” is knowing when you need help. Felicity asks her friend Alena to join the company as CTO.  Look how excited this human rainbow is. She melts my heart.  

Source:  felicittysqueen

Unfortunately, I don’t really trust Alena. Yes, I know she’s helped Felicity in the past, but I still feel uneasy about her. Perhaps that distrust is unnecessary and her interactions with Felicity will continue to be adorable and on the up and up. But Archer is corrupted somehow in the future and I’m keeping an eye on Alena in present day.

Concerns aside, I did have myself a petty little cackle. Technically speaking, Felicity had a built in CTO for Smoak Tech on Team Arrow – Curtis Holt. Instead, the writers ship him off to D.C. and bring in Alena who, shady or not, is far preferable to Curtis. I just didn’t think Beth would agree with me. She’s like friggin Santa Claus.

The biggest issue I had with the spinal technology was it didn’t really connect to the Team Arrow storyline. A character feels isolated on their own show whenever that happens. My concern was Felicity’s great individual storyline was going to cut her off from the action. 

The genius of this season, and the retooling of Felicity’s company, is the writers have found a way to weave it in with the vigilante storyline. Smoak Tech no longer feels like an island they are placing Felicity on, but rather it permeates almost every facet of the show – both past and present. This means Felicity permeates every facet of the show.

Last, but certainly not least, Felicity continues to be a bad ass wife as she manages more Queen family drama.  The man is an Adonis who cooks, but oy does he come with family baggage. At least, Oliver’s reaction to this type of drama is predictable and Felicity doesn’t miss a beat.

When he comes back from the field empty handed Felicity knows immediately how to make him smile.

Source: olicitygifs

She tells Oliver he’s hot. That’s it. That’s how Felicity cheers him up.

He compartmentalizes and hyper focuses on stopping Emiko, but Felicity tells Oliver to take a beat and process. 

Source: olicitygifs

Of course, Oliver ignores her and becomes frustrated with the team when they aren’t moving fast enough. So, Felicity tells him to cool it. 

He ignores her AGAIN, but at least we are blessed with this glorious response. 

Source: oliverxfelicity

Where has this gif been for the last seven years? If Oliver is going to be a stubborn ass then at the very least his wife is going to drag him for it with some patented Felicity Smoak snark.

I think Felicity and Diggle have a system for deciding who talks to Oliver. Maybe it depends on circumstance. Diggle seems like the obvious choice because he had an evil sibling too. Maybe they rock paper scissors. Whatever the system, it was Diggle talking down their boy this week. 

We did, however, get some quality husband and wife crime fighting team work. YOUR OTP WOULD NEVER.

Source: olivergifs

After a long day of supporting her husband, incubating their child and stopping criminals, Felicity returns to the loft to work on Archer with Alena. And this was a light Felicity Smoak episode. Damn. Queen of DCTV is right.

Sweet holy Moses, how are we going to do ten episodes without her? 

I love Oliver Queen. He is my favorite character, but I think we can all agree Felicity Smoak makes him infinitely more tolerable. Oliver can be stubborn, grumpy pine tree left to his own devices. Hopefully, he’s evolved enough that all of Felicity’s hard work doesn’t go down the tubes the moment they are separated. He is supposed to be Jesus now. I think Slabside is evidence it won’t, but ten episodes without Felicity Smoak feels like a daunting task. It feels like climbing a mountain...

only to get stabbed in the chest and chucked off the edge once we reach the top.

Bl*ck S*ren

BS decides to follow Emiko and gets spliced with an arrow because she sucks at covert ops. 

Source:  nyssaalghl

She goes to Olicity’s apartment to speak to Felicity about her Emiko suspicions, but unfortunately the wifey isn’t home. Bl*ck S*ren turns to leave when she realizes the only person available to discuss her suspicions with is Oliver. I believe there's 0% chance of L*urel falling in love with Oliver and 99.99% chance she's already in love with Felicity.

Not to be outdone, Oliver offers to bandage up her bleeding wound. He takes out antibiotic and gauze and SETS. IT. ON. THE. KITCHEN. COUNTER. 

It’s a very large kitchen counter too, so it creates the wide berth these two require to stand being in a room together.  

 Source:  nyssaalghl 

We’ve gone from main love interest to stay on your side of the room. I died. 

I don’t know how we got here family, but we’re here and it’s fabulous. 

The writers are more anti L*uriver than I am, which is an impressive level of hate - if I’m being honest.

I need to put on a sweater whenever Stephen and KC film a scene because brr it’s cold! 

The L*uriver fans expecting sexy bandage time must have been deeply disappointed. Or at least the two fans left were deeply disappointed.

Of course, Oliver doesn’t believe BS because duh. My dog could’ve called that one. He tells her to mind her own business and pretty much kicks her out the apartment. Obviously, L*urel is right about Emiko, but Oliver telling her to shove it never gets old under any circumstances.

Then Dinah accuses her of murdering a witness 

Source:  nyssaalghl 

and L&urel is righteously indignant.

Of course, L*urel is right. It’s not like she has ever murdered before. Why on earth would anyone ever think that? 

Dinah even has the nerve to bring up her dead boyfriend again. She really needs to let this Vince thing go because L*urel played lawyer for the last seven months and helped get Oliver out of a jail. See? All better.

BS is redeemed now, so Dinah really needs to stop bitching. Arrow is my life tutor, so following that same logic I’m going to murder a baby and then buy a puppy because it will even the cosmic balance. 

The best moment is when Emiko releases images of Savior of the World L*urel L*nce meeting with Ricardo Diaz. 

Source:  nyssaalghl 

It’s going to be pretty tough for BS to keep up the pretense she is law abiding, justice yielding District Attorney L&urel L*nce when she’s hanging out with one of Star City’s most notorious criminals.  I take it back. Emiko is awesome.

Of course, I’m not delusional enough to believe Arrow is going to give BS an arc that actually qualifies as redemptive. Helping Felicity was a good start, but it doesn’t wipe the slate clean for me. Not by a long shot. Neither does being a fake lawyer. I would like to see L*urel pay for her crimes the same way Oliver paid for his by going to PRISON, but I doubt the writers will give me that much Christmas. I am very curious to see how “Lost Canary” shakes out. That said, I have very little doubt BS will betray her one true love.

Stray Thoughts

“Which doesn’t mean she’s bad.” I told you Olicity wouldn’t care Emiko killed Diaz. They brought the marshmallows to his bonfire party.

“On your own.” Stephen read that line super diva and it cracked me up.

“Being a father is more than just blood.” I hate to agree with a villain but damn he’s right.

Every time Felicity touches her stomach I happy clap. Source: olicitygifs

L*urel’s shoulder pads have to be stopped. Just say no wardrobe department.

Forcing me to go without this adorableness for an additional ten episodes is not oka. I’ll go through Felicity Smoak withdrawal which is hazardous.  Source: ebett

Does Emiko visiting her father’s grave make a damn bit of sense now that we know she played a role in his death? Nope. Didn’t think so.

Disclaimer: Any gifs on the blog are not mine. If you would like a gif removed from my reviews, please message me. 7x17 gifs credited.

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#arrow #arrow 7x17 #arrow spoilers #arrow review #anti emiko queen #oliver queen #felicity smoak #olicity #arrow reviews #anti laurel lance #anti katie cassidy #anti lauriver #anti black siren #arrow season 7 #arrow season 7 reviews #arrow season 7 review #season 7 episode review #season 7 episode reviews

[threadsketchier]

Glimpses - a time to embrace

Happy May the Fourth, y’all.

Tagging the usual suspects @culturevulture73 @kaelinaloveslomaris @littlesparklight @onwardintolight

I’ll throw most of it behind a cut this time since I know these get kinda long here on le Tumblr.

Read it at AO3 instead

A couple of hours later Luke was settled into a small recovery suite aboard the Mercy, the fleet’s secondary medical frigate.  The Redemption’s destruction had left a bacta shortage; while Luke’s injuries could be treated without it, that meant a longer downtime, and that meant it’d be a task to keep him barve-tied to his bed until he was actually healed.  We’ll see about that Jedi patience nerfshit now, Han thought.

Being away from the insulation of the forest moon meant the brass was eager to get them debriefed, but Leia put her foot down about allowing them a bit more time to just decompress.  Han was glad and relieved to see her putting herself before duty for once.

Luke should have been sleeping his ordeal off, but the three of them were aware that being in each other’s company was what they really wanted.  At least he was finally horizontal.

“Why’d you look so afraid there when Furball sniffed you out?” Han asked.

Hesitating, Luke gazed at Leia for a minute, his eyes seeming to ask her permission before he would speak.  She simply stroked her hand through his hair, brushing it back from his brow.  He swallowed and replied softly, “I laid my father’s remains to rest.”

A thick silence fell between them.  Han was at a loss – how did the kid find it within himself to care about a monster who’d tried to murder all of them numerous times, who put him in carbonite and sold him off to Jabba, who left Leia scarred for the rest of her life, who’d hacked off his own son’s hand?  But right now the homicidal tin can from hell was dead and Luke was obviously mourning him, and trying to convince him otherwise wasn’t going to help.

Leia’s expression was pained, torn between grief for her brother and revulsion.  It just wasn’t fair to either of them.

“He came back,” Luke said gravely.  “He remembered who he was in the end.  He’s the reason I’m still alive.”

And from there the whole story poured out: how the Emperor had gloated and taunted him over the trap he’d laid for the Alliance, how he and Vader had fought each other, reluctantly at first and then in one last desperate and brutal volley when Luke had sensed Leia’s pain and accidentally revealed the identity of his twin, and been pressed too far.  How close he’d come to the edge of darkness and nearly lost himself.  How the Emperor really didn’t take no for an answer.  How he’d nearly died in a barrage of dark power he hadn’t known the despot was capable of, until Vader found and listened to the one remaining molecule of a conscience he had left.

By the time Luke was finished his voice was thin and his eyes were heavy.  “Leia…he told me to tell you…”  He floundered, searching for a way to express himself, and Leia was visibly steeling herself, probably expecting an apology from a man she still loathed and wanted no such thing from.

Surprisingly, Luke looked self-conscious, not wanting to meet her glare.  “Just that…I was right.”

Han’s eyebrows arched.  “…Kind of a bold thing to say, kid.”

Luke ran a hand down his face, letting out a wheezy little laugh.  “It does sound like that, doesn’t it?”  A tear trickled down his cheek, and his breathing grew shaky with emotion.  “I’m sorry, Leia.”

As anguished as she was, Leia shook her head slowly and laid herself down onto the edge of Luke’s bed to pull him close and hold him, and his arms wrapped around her in return.  Han stretched his arm over both of them and pressed his lips into Leia’s hair.  No, this wasn’t the time for judgment or distance.  Vader wasn’t going to keep their family apart from beyond the grave.

They lingered in each other’s embrace for a while, until Luke whispered, “I saw him there at the end.  At the edge of the village, in the trees.  Father’s spirit was standing next to Ben and Yoda, and they were all happy.  He looked so different, so much younger.  The way he once was.  He’s free now.”

Han didn’t know what to say about that either.  He couldn’t really deny the Force anymore – Luke had done too much, come too far, for him to chalk it up to trickery and delusion.  But this was something he’d never be able to verify with his own eyes.  Was it just wishful thinking?  Some figment of his imagination to give him closure?  And if it was, why should he disparage it?  It’d be like kicking a pup.

But the idea that Vader wasn’t completely dead, that he could still keep existing in one form or another – and a kriffing ghost, of all things – was far more unnerving than comforting.  If this was real, could he watch them right now?  What gave him the right to do that, after everything he’d done to them?

Buzz off, Vader, Han thought sourly, and don’t show your face, either of them, here again if you know better now.  You gave up these kids when you turned your back on doing good.

Luke drifted off to sleep shortly afterwards, worn out from his confessions.  Leaning back against the bulkhead from the crate he’d swiped as a makeshift seat, Han gathered Leia into his lap and held her, both of their minds too preoccupied to doze off but their fatigue and need for respite keeping them in contented silence.

*

“Alright, look, they don’t need to know the particulars.  I’m just gonna say Luke reported straight to me with this business about Vader and him sensing each other.”

“They’re going to ask why surrender was considered a better alternative to diversion,” Leia pointed out.

“I told them I came alone, but they already knew our shuttle had to be carrying a team,” Luke interjected.  “The Executor had your voice on record, and we don’t exactly sound the same,” he added dryly.  “There wasn’t any point in a diversion by then, and if they want to argue about handing a valuable target over to the enemy and doubling the risk by increasing my potential to turn to the Dark Side, I was betting against myself dying along with the Emperor and my father when you succeeded in getting the Death Star blown.”

Both Han and Leia stared at him for half a minute.  “Good strategy, but could you maybe not let us in on that?” Han deadpanned.

Luke had the decency to look sheepish.  “The bigger issue is telling them about my father,” he continued.

“Who says you have to tell them?  It’s none of their business.”

“This won’t make sense to them if I don’t – ”

“Sure it can!” Han protested.  “You’re a Jedi, they wanted you on their side.  They turned on each other because they’re crazy evil assholes and you got out.  End of story.”

“Han.”

“Trust me, kid, honesty doesn’t get you everywhere.  You’re gonna make this harder on yourself.”

A genuine, righteous anger started to twist Luke’s face.  “Han, it’s not just a matter of honesty, I’m proud of him.  He did something no one thought possible – Ben and Yoda wanted me to solve the problem by killing him.  And what was that going to get us?  He’d be dead, and then so would I, or else I’d be at the Emperor’s side right now.  He was my father, Han, and he finally chose to stop the evil.  Anakin Skywalker was a good man once, and he found that good again one last time.  I know it’s not going to mean much to anyone else, but I think it’s a truth worth telling.”

Han shifted back from his seat at the foot of Luke’s bed and held up his hands.  “…Okay, take it easy there.”  He could see Leia’s hackles were being raised and he didn’t think he’d like to be in the epicenter of a fight between these two.

But Luke’s indignation was tempered with self-conflict as he regarded Leia.  “But I know what this means for us.  I know you don’t…want any part of this, Leia.  And I accept that.  I didn’t intend to tell them about our relationship.  You don’t have to claim me as your brother in their eyes.”

Her tone was icier than the Hoth wastes.  “You’re proud of your father and ashamed of your twin,” she remarked, the blade of her words cutting all the much deeper in their softness.

Luke’s eyes widened and his mouth dropped open to protest, but Leia snapped, “I know what you’re trying to say.  That you want to protect my reputation.”

“Not just that, Leia, you.  You don’t deserve – ”

“You’re damn right I don’t,” she hissed.  “I’m more than happy to have a brother, but I never asked for Vader.  Even if I had no family of my own, even if I was a wretched orphan in the Coruscant sublevels.”  She sighed loudly and sharply and shut her eyes, reining in her fury.  “But fine.  If you insist on singing Vader’s praises to anyone who’ll hear, what makes you think I’d disown you for the sake of my status?”

Luke gazed back at her, shaken, and she leaned forward to grasp his face in her hands, until their noses nearly met.  “What makes you think I’d let the Empire take anything else from me?”

*

Han and Leia waited for him in the corridor while it was his turn.  When it was over Luke emerged from the briefing room red-eyed and utterly weary, and he sank into Leia’s grasp.  The medics had cleared him, but as far as Han was concerned, he needed a hell of a lot more time to recuperate, not only for his body but his mind also.  For that matter, so did Leia.

“How’d it go?” Han asked.  No one else had left the room yet; he could still give them a piece or two if things hadn’t fared well.

“Not great, of course, but not as bad as I thought,” Luke replied wryly, eyeing Han’s expression over Leia’s shoulder.  Sighing, he straightened but stayed within the comforting circle of Leia’s arms.  “I’d like to think it’s because they know me well enough by now to judge me by own merits, but once upon a time my father was a Jedi, and…”  His eyes dropped.  “Everyone is capable of evil,” he added softly.

“And you think we’d let you stray that far?”  Han challenged him.  “If you didn’t keep yourself in check?”  He stepped forward and jabbed a finger into Luke’s shoulder.  “And don’t use us as an excuse – you think we’d appreciate it from the grave or the void if you went off the deep end after we’re gone?”

“No,” Luke whispered.

“I know it’s hard right then.  But you know better.  Better we all die clean than sink to the level of the goons we’re fighting.  We all bite it in the end no matter what.  If you go bad on us, we’ll be waiting for you on the other side, and I don’t think you’ll like getting your ass kicked forever.”

That elicited a burst of laughter.  “I don’t doubt you would,” Luke chortled.

“Especially with her around.”

Both men looked down at Leia, who held their gazes with a knowing stare of effortless intimidation.  Luke’s laugh petered out as he sobered.  “I’m sorry,” he told her seriously.

“For what?”

“For almost giving myself to the Dark Side for you.  I know it’s not what you would’ve wanted.  I know it’s not worth it.  It was just…”

“Luke, I would have done the same for you.  And I don’t think I would have stopped myself.”

Swallowing hard, Luke cradled her close and rested his cheek on the crown of her head.  “And I’m sorry for the way I told you,” he murmured.

Leia frowned, not comprehending, and shifted herself to make eye contact with him again.  “What do you mean?”

“When I said you were my sister…I gave it to you as a responsibility.  That you had to carry on for me if I didn’t return.  I didn’t…”  Luke shook his head.  “Leia, I’m just glad to have you.  I love you.  You’re my sister no matter what happens or what we do.”

“Oh, Luke.”  She hugged him tight in reassurance.  “I knew that.”

“But it’s still important.  You mean so much more to me than that.”  Fresh tears shone in his eyes, but he smiled.  “I’ll be happy to teach you if you’re ready someday, though.”

“Maybe.  I suppose I couldn’t ask for a better teacher.  Or a brother.”  She tapped a finger on the tip of his nose, drawing another chuckle.

 Luke bit his lower lip, self-deprecation creeping into his amusement.  “You couldn’t ask for a better teacher because I’m the only one right now,” he muttered with a note of melancholy.

Han gently pried them apart and looped an arm around each of their backs to lead them away alongside him.  “Worry about that later.  And the two of you will be sick of each other before you know it.  Alright, now that that’s over, I’ve got a case of Whyren’s in the Falcon with our name on it.  Just go light on it for now, kid.”

#you'll pry my happy ending from my cold dead hands #let me just pretend all this shitty family business isn't a giant flaming dumpster fire mess #the Squad™ #OT3 for life #my fics #star wars #han solo #luke skywalker #leia organa #ROTJ

[lillianofliterature]

handling it |obi-wan kenobi x reader

a/n: This little story idea came to me when my father and I were playing a Star Wars video game and we were trying to drive these transporters to the next destination - and doing a terrible job. I ran into so many buildings and knocked over so much cargo. So enjoy this spin-off of my own poor piloting skills!  

And I know that Obi-Wan really is a wonderful pilot, but for the sake of this story and the fact that perhaps he wasn't always so great, I had to write about a sassy, unsure Kenobi behind the panel.

summary: When asked to give the new technicians a tour of the docking bay, Obi-Wan finds himself having to operate a new transporter. Reader attempts to help the Jedi whose discomfort of flying was so widely known - but he is having none of it. He can handle it, right?

warnings: all that poor cargo :/

word count: 2.4 K

music: Panda Po by Hans Zimmer and John Powell (when they start messing with the transporter)

"You want us to be tour guides?" Obi-Wan's voice dripped with incredulous shock. He glanced in your direction, hoping to find you just as shocked as he was. Your expression was one of confusion, your eyebrows were drawn together and your mouth was slightly agape. Knowing you felt the same, he now felt more comfortable with questioning the orders you'd both been given. He pressed onward with his master.

"With all due respect, Master Qui-Gon, I do not think showing technicians around the hangar is exactly the sort of thing Jedi are intended to do. I don't see how this will help with our training."

Qui-Gon chuckled, mostly to himself. He knew his padawan well enough to know that he would be suspicious of the task at hand. The truth of the matter was that they were short on anyone who could show the recruits around the docking bay and main hangar. The veterans of the base were preparing for the upcoming trip to Naboo and for the take-off from Coruscant. The council decided that the oldest padawans would be suitable for the job. In short, everyone was busy – except the two of you.

Likewise, there was now a discrepancy in the treaty forum that the Neimoidian people had been ready to offer to the new Queen of Naboo. The council was now in an uproar, trying to make a course of action and to do so quickly, without issuing an all-out battle in the atmosphere above the planet. It was a matter that did not concern the padawans as of yet, even though he himself had no issue in sharing it with the two of you. However, Mace Windu and Kai-Adi-Mundi believed it was an ordeal for the council members, and not their students. He had to be sure to hide all apprehension from his tone and from his countenance, lest either of you suspected the problem or felt his uneasiness.

"You must learn to trust the council, Obi-Wan. Not every lesson deals with meditation and combat skills. Some orders are given to help train you for life, not only for the path of becoming masters," Qui-Gon began, his solemn glance exchanging between the both of you. "And perhaps today will be a good lesson for you to learn to trust your own master. Without question."

"Yes, master." Obi-Wan said, accepting Qui-Gon's reasoning as he realized he was now treading on a thin rope.

"Now, the recruits are waiting outside on the landing strip. They've just come in from the training base on the outskirts of the city. Both of you will take them to the docking bay and hangar, show them the basics, answer any questions, and then take them to their quarters. The other technicians will take it from there. You may use a transporter if you wish."

"Yes, master." You both said, your voices entwined with disgruntled acceptance.

"When you're finished, return the transporter and meet in the dining hall. That will conclude your training for today."

He bowed to both of you as he turned to leave. You dipped your head in reply and smiled, trying to mask the disappointment in your expression. You had hoped to train with your own master today before the departure to Naboo. Yoda was a wonderful master and an even better Jedi and you relished any time you had with him training under his wisdom and unmatchable power. But today had taken a different turn.

"Well, are you ready?" Obi-Wan turned to you, the stark lack of excitement in his voice obstinately evident now that his master had left.

You hummed in reply, equally lacking in eagerness to begin the tour. You both walked side by side, making your way out of the temple and down the marble steps of the entryway. You silently passed through the courtyard, the distant gleam of the sun of the hangars slowly growing nearer.

"Are we taking a transporter?" You asked, curious as to where you were headed first.

"Yes, I'd rather not walk all the way to the strip and back. Wouldn't you rather take one?" With his question he smiled playfully.

"I hadn't thought of the distance on foot. That's a much better idea."

"I thought so, too." His smile remained, but his gaze broke away from yours as he took a look around him. You both approached the hangar, immediately casting searching glances to find the transporters. As you both entered, the bustle of the pilots and engineers swept you both into a current of bodies and cargo carts that were being shuffled about. Obi-Wan caught sight of the transporters first, being a head taller than you, and instinctively placed a hand on your back.

"They're over there, by the X-Wing port chargers." He pointed vaguely into the crowd, but even on your tip-toes you could just barely see over the sea of heads and helmets.

"It hasn't been this crowded since that night invasion in the outer rim! I thought the only mission pending was the adversary trip to Naboo? To oversee the trade treaty between the new queen and the Neimoidians?"

Obi-Wan's response was his stern expression that scanned the crowd and the condition of their speedy work. They were all anxious about something; you both could feel the tense emotions surround the scurrying task force. It was obvious they were working hard against time to get ready for something...but what?

"You don't think something's happened, do you?" You asked, looking up at him as you both felt their nerves pulse around you.

"I-I don't know. I haven't felt a disturbance."

"Surely Qui-Gon would have told us!"

Obi-Wan suddenly looked at you and his expression spilled forth his sudden realization. His lips pursed and his eyes became stern. Then, it dawned on you as well. You scoffed.

"They just wanted to get us out of their hair! Something has happened!"

Obi-Wan glanced back at the temple with a look of indignation, but the displeasure in his features was gone before it settled into his attitude. He corrected his frustration promptly, remembering that it was a quick path to anger, and anger was an opening to the dark side. Even the simplest of things could fixate one upon the wrong path.

"It's nothing we should worry about for now. We have a job to do. I'm sure our masters had good reasoning, (Y/n). They wouldn't just throw us out for the fun of it," He offered you a smile with his last comment that almost made you believe he was enjoying himself, but the plethora of concerns that raced behind his gaze told you he was still concerned for what had been hidden from the two of you. "Come on, we're almost there."

With his hand still pressed to your back, he led you through the crowd. He helped you dodge pilots running to and fro and large freight carts of cargo being ushered across the concrete floors with little warning. When you reached the transporters, you both stopped short and stared dumbfounded at the unfamiliar machinery in front of you.

"These are new." You mumbled, already crawling over the short white doors and looking over the control panel.

"I didn't hear about any new transporters coming in." Obi-Wan added as he peered over the hatch-like door and looked at the flaring lights and polished switches.

"Apparently there's a lot we're not made aware of." You replied, allowing one last bout of bitterness to flow from your lips. You, too, had tried to suppress the frustration of being kept out of the loop, but it was difficult. Even though you were nearing the time for the Jedi Trails, the council still viewed you as younglings. The word "padawan" always put a look of superiority on Mace Windu's face, especially if a padawan was in his presence. How did they expect you to become mature Jedi masters if they withheld information and circumstances from you? If they treated you as children? As if you hadn't been training your whole lives for this way of life?

Without warning, Obi-Wan hopped into the pilot's seat. He immediately began flipping switches and pressing buttons that glowed and buzzed. It was obvious that he intended to pilot it himself. With a skeptical expression, you pulled the leather belt around your waist and latched it tightly to the buckle. He absentmindedly did the same as he glanced over the panel.

"Are you sure about this, Obi-Wan? I thought you hated flying."

"It isn't flying if you're still on the ground."

"What I mean is, you generally dislike operating machinery."

"I only really loathe machinery when I'm being fired at by the opposing side."

"Are you sure you don't want me to pilot? This is a new control pan-"

"With all due respect (Y/n), I think I can handle a simple transporter."

You sat back against the seat and watched him maneuver the panel a little more. You folded your arms, ready for something to go wrong. Although you knew Obi-Wan was an exceptional pilot, he was unsteady all the same with operating unfamiliar ships. He liked a smooth, straightforward flight. Nothing crazy, nothing unexpected. And you weren't sure he knew anything about the new model. Much to your relief, the motor rumbled to life with a rich and satisfying sound. You quirked an eyebrow; you still felt as if something wasn't going right.

"Ah, there we are." Obi-Wan said, and reached forward and pressed a flashing blue button. An incessant whirling sound blared from the panel. He raised his hands in surrender to the temperamental machine.

"What in Naboo is wrong with this thing?" He mumbled and began pressing more buttons.

"No, no, you have to-" You began, but the sound grew louder and then the panel began beeping repeatedly along with it. You fumbled again for commands to make his hands stop flitting about the buttons and levers.

"Obi, no – push the compressor in and pull the reverter up- wait, nonono!" You frantically tried to pull his hands away from the turning the levy device, but it was too late. The transporter lurched backwards and a deafening rumble echoed throughout the entire hangar. You both had been flung harshly forward, but your quick reflexes made you both brace the dashboard. When the rumbling stopped and the purring of the engine was the only sound to be heard, you both turned to each other.

"I thought you said you could handle it?"

Obi-Wan scoffed at you as he flipped the engine off to inspect what damage he had done.

"Your commentary isn't really helping, (Y/n)."  

You fought the urge to dawn a mischievous smile as he looked around the panel, unsure himself of what he had done wrong. Then he sat up straight and looked over at you, completely at a loss at how to operate it a second time without repeating the incident. You only looked at him with a knowing smile, which he thought it kind and yet a little unnerving. It was as if the words, "I told you so" were on verge of escaping your tongue. When you said nothing, he thought it rather gracious of you, however he knew the temptation pricked at you. He then unbuckled himself and turned around to survey the damage he had done.

"Oh, dear."

Upon his remark, you followed suit and turned around in your seat. You gawked at the monstrosity of the pile of cargo that had toppled over upon impact. It now laid in a chaotic mess on the hangar floor. What was once neatly stacked and ready to be docked aboard the other ships was busted open and in disarray. Some of what had been inside the crates was skittering around mindlessly. You winced visibly at the sight.

"Now what?"

Much to your surprise, he turned back around and hopped out of the transporter in one fluent movement. You watched as he cast a subtle glance towards the crowd of engineers, who amongst the whirring and rumbling of other ships and the wave of jumbled communication had failed to notice the accident.

"Obi-Wan, what on Endor are you doing?" You asked as he neared your side of the transporter, placing his hand on the handle of your door.

"Slide over."

"What?"

"Slide over! Hurry up, before someone notices I've ruined their shipment." He motioned with his hands to the other seat, his voice as low as a whisper, as if the crowd could hear either of you. You unbuckled yourself and scooted to where he had previously vacated. You looked back at him with a questioning glance.

"You want me to drive this thing?" You asked, almost laughing at his implied solution.

"You seem to know more about it than I do," He admitted willingly, gesturing to the panel. When your expression went unchanged, he smiled warmly and added, "Besides, how much more damage can we do?"

With your hands cradling the joysticks, you pressed on in question.

"We're just going to leave this mess?"

"We have a job to do," He replied. "And I don't fancy making Master Qui-Gon any more agitated than he already is with us."

You nodded with a pursed smile. "You make a good point."

You glanced uneasily at the crowd in front you as you began operating the machine with more ease than Obi-Wan had. It accelerated smoothly this time, which no perpetual noises blaring at you. You inched forward through the crowd, maneuvering smoothly and making proper use of the gages and switches. When you exited the hangar without another incident to accompany you, Obi-Wan looked well-pleased and rather impressed.

"Well done, (Y/n). Perhaps I should let you take the pilot's seat from now on."

"Thank you, Kenobi. I think that would be an admirable decision." You said, partially speaking in jest towards his previous attempt.

The day's duties were about as bland as both of you had expected - little happened that either of you did not anticipate. At least, nothing you were made aware of. With your temporary roles as tour guides, you were both being shielded from the threat of another war that loomed over the planet of Naboo. However, to the council's dismay, the war - if this discrepancy with the Neimoidians could not be remedied - would be terribly one-sided. With Naboo being a peaceful planet, they harbored no weapons capable of prolonged defense and had no army to support them.

If the Neiomoidans were in fact trying to pull something over on the new Queen of Naboo, it would open a world of trouble that the council could sense would not end for many years. Although they were unsure of how this suspected boycott on the Naboo could effect the galaxy's interweavings of the governing of the planets and the sides of the Force, they could feel a great possibility for drastic change. Deeply troubled upon this discovery, the council hid this information from their oldest padawans for a few days. That is, until the Viceroy Nute Gunray cut off all trade with the Naboo and stationed themselves in their outer atmosphere with a threatening presence.

Master Qui-Gon would soon take Obi-Wan along with him to negotiate with the Neiomoidians who were a tricky and cowardly race. The events that followed were as the council suspected; drastic. Your lives would change from that instance on. Wrecking cargo and playing tour guides would be the highlight of your youth - the days you wished you could get back as chaos descended upon the galaxy.

tags: @yana-versio​

#star wars fanfiction #star wars x reader #star wars #starwarsxreader #obi wan kenobi x reader #obi wan x reader #obi wan kenobi #Obi-Wan Kenobi #star wars imagine #qui gon jinn #Ewan McGregor #ewan mcgregor x reader #ewan mcgregor imagine #obi wan imagine #starwars

[thedunesea]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi/Anakin Skywalker Additional Tags: Angst, Sith Horror, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Feelings, Love Summary:

On the inside, Anakin was devoured by his own inner fire. A moth to the flame, Obi-Wan knew that sooner or later he would be caught in the firestorm too.  

A vision of someone close to him dying has Anakin diving head-first into darkness; Obi-Wan goes to the rescue. Yes, they are just that predictable.

FULL TEXT UNDER THE CUT

[The holoimage shows a woman clad in standard-issue EduCorps garments. Her eyes are wide with fear, and the deafening noise of blasterfire intermingled with screams drowns her panicked words.]

We can’t get out. They’ve taken the walkway and the hangars. Cloud, Kit and Spike tried to hold them in hallway besh-three – they are dead.

[An explosion, somewhere not far from the speaker. Then the unmistakable clanking noise of marching droids.]

They’re coming in waves. Something – something has awaken in the tombs. We hear drums, drums in the deep – no! Force, no… they got through the blast doors!

[Another explosion. The clanking footsteps approach.]

We can’t get out. It’s the end... They’re coming.

[One last explosion, a scream, and the blue image crumples to the ground before disappearing.]

Silence fell over the High Council Room. The greatest Jedi Masters of this age sat motionless in their circle of wisdom; not a shadow of fear or doubt darkened their carven faces, but their silence said what their features did not.

After a few heartbeats, Yoda voiced what the others could not bear to even think.

“Awakened on Korriban, the ancient Sith have.”

***

Over the course of the years, Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi had become quite a connoisseur of desert planets. Even if his understanding of the hellish environment was still dwarfed by that of his former apprentice, who had grown up on Tatooine, he knew enough to realize with just one glance that Korriban was unlike any other such place he had ever seen.

The asteroid field through which the Resolute was slowly wading its way reminded him of a morbid image etched in his memory since his impressionable Padawan days, gray bloodflies flying in lazy circles around the putrid wounds of a man he and Qui-Gon had found days after he had died.

The image was morbid indeed, but accurate: the planet beyond the asteroid field was a putrid wound. There was something to the rusty color of its sands that spoke of millennia-old bloodstains on rugged cliffs, of fractured slabs still guarding desecrated tombs, an ill presence festering in every crack of the planet’s parched surface.

Not to mention the fact that the Force itself seemed to shriek away from the place.

Averting his gaze from the viewport and blinking away this unnecessary macabre line of thought, Obi-Wan cast a worried glance at his former apprentice, who was standing beside him and scowling at the planet below, horror and exhaustion carved deep in his features. Taking advantage of the fact that Anakin was too absorbed in his own musings to feel his gaze upon him, Obi-Wan took his time to study the boy he had watched turn into a man.

Nature had made Anakin tall and handsome; his training had given him broad shoulders and the lean, muscled body of a warrior. The loss of his hand had been a gruesome rite of passage to adulthood, a passage ultimately sealed by war, which had bestowed upon him a bronze tan and that trademark scar featured on the cover of half the Galaxy's holomagazines.

On the surface, Anakin was the perfect image of a Jedi – the poster boy of the Order, as Obi-Wan fondly called him. Sometimes he almost seemed to have come straight out of a holomovie on the Mandalorian Wars, and not because of his raw power, unlike anything else the Galaxy had seen in millennia, but because of his charming mix of dashing élan and natural leadership paired with a captivating smile and a generous heart.

On the inside, though, Anakin was devoured by his own inner fire. A moth to the flame, Obi-Wan knew that sooner or later he would be caught in the firestorm too.

“Master?”

Apparently, this time Obi-Wan had been the one too engrossed in his own thoughts to mind his surroundings; Anakin had averted his gaze from the viewport and was now staring at him, frowning slightly.

“Yes, Anakin?”

“What are you looking at?”

“You seem preoccupied,” Obi-Wan said, evading the question.

Anakin bit his lip, hesitating. “I wish they had assigned someone else to this mission, Master," he confessed.

Obi-Wan folded his hands in his sleeves, arching his eyebrows in an inquisitive frown.

“I have a bad feeling about this,” Anakin explained.

Obi-Wan opened himself to the Force and almost recoiled under the onslaught of Darkness soaring from Korriban’s sands. Fighting to stand his ground, he reached out, following the tide of time beyond the horizon of the present moment, but the future was silent. He retreated back to the here and now, where Korriban stood as a catalyst of the Dark Side; beyond the evil of the place he could feel nothing amiss - at least no more than usual in an age of civil war.

“That’s strange,” he said at last. “I sense nothing. Well, other than that abyss of darkness we are happily walking into.”

His try for a lighter mood failed; he saw Anakin swallowing, a brief spasm in the curve of his throat.

“I wish we weren’t.”

One hand slipped out of a sleeve, going to rest on Anakin’s forearm.

“So do I, Anakin.” An affectionate squeeze. “So do I.”

A weary smile tugged at the corners of Anakin’s lips. The golden grins of the first year of the war had long since gone, taken away by so many half-averted disasters: Mortis, Zygerria, the Rako Hardeen debacle, the loss of Ahsoka were only the major catastrophes in a tragedy three years in the making. Obi-Wan had never thought he would miss the times of Cristophsis and Geonosis.

“But we are Jedi, aren’t we, Master?” Anakin asked, then sighed and dropped his gaze. “And we will do what we must, whether we want it or not.”

***

The Republic archaeological research center built near the entrance of the Old Sith Academy had become a mass tomb: bodies – or what remained of them – were everywhere, sprawled across control boards, lying in crumpled heaps on the floor, some still in their beds. Trails of blood guided the troopers' steps. Death hung heavy on the air.

Unheard by all save Obi-Wan, the Force screamed in ghost agony.

The planet had been blockaded by Republic forces since the first months of the war; feeling safe under the protection of three star-destroyers, most of the archaeologists had been unarmed. No one could have figured death would come from below.

“Stay alert, men,” Obi-Wan said, his voice booming in the eerie silence. “They might come back.”

“They? What are they, Sir?” Boil asked, voicing what most of his brothers were without doubt thinking.

Obi-Wan kneeled beside the body of a young Zabrak woman; her chest sported two blaster wound, one for each heart.

“Droids,” he muttered.

“Clankers?” another man asked, skepticism clear in his voice.

“No.” Obi-Wan closed the women's eyes and got back to his feet, wiping his hands clean of her blood on his trousers. “Ancient droids, perhaps as old as the Great Hyperspace War. These blast points are too accurate for battle droids. Only supercommando are so precise, but there is no way they could have made planetfall without us knowing.”

“Droids still alive and kicking after thousands of years?” Cody asked, bewildered for probably the first time in his life.

“Yes. Such is the power of the Dark Side,” Obi-Wan said bitterly. “There were legends about this, bedtime scaretales for Jedi children, ancient tombs filled with assassin droids. There is always a bit of truth in old tales.”

“But where have they gone now? And why did they awake in the first place?”

Obi-Wan stroke his chin, deep in thought.

“Woke up on their own, these droids did not,” Yoda had said. “Activated them, someone has, someone powerful with the Dark Side.”

“I thought the problem was that the archaeologists had dug too deep... too greedily. That they awakened something."

“Perhaps. But the shroud of the Dark Side I feel. Darth Sidious I fear it may be.”

“But to what use, Master?”

“To test our resistance, perhaps, mmmm? Clouded everything, the Dark Side has. Beware, young Obi-Wan. Whatever you may see, trust it do not."

“I don’t know, Boil,” Obi-Wan said at last, relinquishing his reverie. “Perhaps the archaeologists triggered a trap. For now, though, the droids seem to have withdrawn.”

Or, perhaps, it was really a Jedi trap. Frowning, Obi-Wan tapped his comlink. Only time would tell. In the meantime, he had to make sure his men were safe.

“Kenobi here, awaiting status report.”

“Perimeter sweep complete, General. The area is clear. The squad in the dig site has reached the last check point with all green.”

“Very well. We’ll rendezvous at the opposite side of the Academy and go help Anakin and his men in the valley.” He tapped his commlink again, switching to his and Anakin's private frequency. A buzz of static met him. Unease crawled cold on his skin. He closed his eyes and tried to reach for him into the Force.

Anakin?

Darkness and silence. The Force, shrouded in timeless malice, seemed to close around him and jolted him out of his trance.

Fear gnawing at his heart, he turned to his men.

“Let us hurry, gentlemen. I’m afraid General Skywalker is in danger.”

"From the droids?" Cody asked, as he started to run.

"From himself," Obi-Wan said.

***

For a stunned moment Obi-Wan simply stood, staring at Rex in horror. A trickle of cold sweat run from the back of his neck down his spine.

“Anakin has done what?”

Another man would have probably recoiled at his tone of voice; Rex simply frowned.

“He has entered the inner chamber of the cave alone, Sir. There was some sort of… Force barrier, he called it, and we could not get in. The General thought you were in there - he had some kind of vision, said you were in danger. He sent us back here to look out for straggle droids.”

Exhausted and positively terrified, Obi-Wan brushed his fingers on the hilt of his lightsaber, searching his kyber for comfort, but not even the light of Ilum could pierce the encroaching darkness.

"Secure the perimeter, Rex, then call a med unit and wait for us. If we are not back in three hours, leave our hyperspace rings in orbit and return to Mandalore to join the rest of the battle group.”

“With all due respect, Sir, I…”

Imperiously, Obi-Wan raised his hand to stop the man's protests.

“Have I made myself clear, Captain?”

This time, Rex swallowed.

“Sir, yes sir.”

“Good.”

Then Obi-Wan turned on his heels and broke into a run, crossing the vast expanse of blood-red sand with a single-minded focus, leaping over fallen pillars and dashing among sun-bleached bones and effigies of evil monarchs of old.

Had the situation been less dramatic, he would probably had found the time to snort in amusement. Trust Anakin to rush headfirst into a Sith cave because of a darkside-driven vision of someone close to him being in danger - and trust him to follow suit.

***

Obi-Wan had seen the cave on the way from the Academy, a dark crevice opening in the rugged cliff on his left. The Force was so murky he had not felt Anakin's presence inside; he could not sense him even now that he knew where to look.

An old fear took him, the same fear he had felt as he stood behind the red barrier of light, helplessly watching Qui-Gon Jinn fighting Maul and dying at the Sith's hands.

He run as he had never run in his life. Winged creatures of darkness attacked him; he made short work of them, slicing through flesh and bone without even thinking. The Force guided his hand. Which aspect of the Force guided his hand was a question for another time.

When he reached a stone bridge arched across a gaping abyss, Obi-Wan knew his suspects had been founded. Straight out of a youngling’s nightmares, this was no mere cave: this was the tomb of Ludo Kressh, Dark Lord of the Sith.

Always an history enthusiast, Obi-Wan had read enough of the legends about the Sith Lords of old to recognize it. There were rumors about this tombs, whispers of arcane demons still wandering its depths, of dark magic so powerful it could drive a Jedi to madness.

According to ancient annals stored in the deepest vaults of the Archive, a Jedi Master of old had passed unscathed through the chambers, surviving all the horrors the tomb had unleashed upon them. The true nature of those horrors – ghosts, the records had called them – had unfortunately been lost to time; the most widely acknowledged theory was that the tomb forced those who entered it to witness memories that haunted them, fixed moments in time that could never be changed.

If it so, Obi-Wan defiantly thought, I have nothing to fear.

Dark as his past may be, filled with pain, anger and regret, there was nothing in it he could not face head-on. There was nothing he could not face head-on if it meant Anakin's life. Not even Qui-Gon Jinn's death.

He run across the bridge. A rock he accidentally hit fell down across the edge and plummeted into the abyss; no sound of it hitting the bottom ever came.

There it was, the Force barrier: electricity crackled in the air, purple sizzles of long-forgotten dark magic casting eerie shadows against the carved walls of the corridor beyond.

Obi-Wan opened himself to the Force, pulling at the faint threads of light to shroud himself in their warm protection. They broke apart under his touch, crying in distress as they met the darkness around him. He tried twice, then let go.

He didn't have any time to lose. He crossed the threshold unshielded.

***

Obi-Wan found himself in darkness – both in the realm of gross matter and in the Force.

He was standing on the summit of a slope; the ground under his feet was so hot its searing hit seeped past the soles of his boots. The only light in his pitch-black surroundings came from a river of molten fire flowing several feet below him. Still, the lighting was unnatural: not even the red glow of the lava could pierce the thick darkness that surrounded everything. Of one thing he was sure: this was no memory. He had never seen such a place place.

He stood there for a few moments, uncertain on what he was supposed to do. There seemed to be no way of crossing the river of flames, and somehow he knew that this was the direction he would have to go. Something moving at the edge of his line of sight caught his attention just as he was about to climb down the slope.

In precarious equilibrium on a small surface hovering across the lava flow, two figures of shadow were fighting each other, their blades shining in identical sapphire, a sight even more hideous than that of a red lightsaber.

The vilest blasphemy.

Jedi against Jedi.

Fratricide.

Aghast, unable to move, Obi-Wan stood and beheld the fight. The two warriors were good – incredibly good - and this made their duel even more horrific: Obi-Wan was an adept swordsman enough to know they were fighting to death. Still, he could not suppress the awe he felt before this show of skill. He hated to admit it, but it was a thing of beauty.

In all his years at the Temple and on the battlefield, Obi-Wan had never seen anyone fight like this. He had never even dreamed it was possible to fight like this.

A Jedi and a Fallen One.

There was no way of knowing whom was which.

It was a clash of fates. A shatterpoint of faiths.

A duel out of a long-forgotten hero tale.

As the paralyzed universe watched, the blinding sizzle of lightsabers went on. The two contestants fought without quarters, thrusting their blades in search of an opening, body slamming against body, fingers closing around wrist or around soft, frail throat, limbs contorting in a struggle to escape a death grip. Tremors shook the ground and the air; the tension piled up, electric, burning hot and thick in Obi-Wan's blood.

Mortified at the deep, dark thrill washing over him, he averted his gaze.

This was something more than a mere duel of fates.

This was something personal, a deadly dance on the thin line between love and hate.

Two souls beyond salvation making love to each other in the only way they could.

The two blades met again, pressing viciously one against the other. Roused by the sizzling noise, Obi-Wan turned back to watch and felt his hair standing on his arms. One of the two opponents disengaged, backflipping on the slope a few meters above the shore.

Obi-Wan knew, with the bone-deep certainty of the Force, that the duel was nearing its end.

Precognition, or, possibly, mere expertise in the art of swordsmanship told him what was going to happen. He felt the Force gathering around the taller figure, the one still standing on the hovering platform. The man would jump. And the other man would cut him down, probably with a savage mou kai, the Mark of Dismemberment.

This, at least, was what Obi-Wan would have done were he in his place.

He was bracing himself for the gruesome spectacle about to unfold before his eyes when a spurt of lava cast its smoldering light on the face of the soon-to-be victim.

"No!"

Darkness drowned his scream, and Anakin leapt.

It wasn't even a choice. Duty, trust and the overwhelming need to protect guided Obi-Wan's hand.

His own blue blade cut through the traitor's heart.

But, once again, he had been too late.

Just before he died, the unknown warrior had swept his blade in that forbidden move Obi-Wan had predicted, severing in one fell swoop both of Anakin's legs and his flesh arm.

The dead traitor crumbled to the ground in a dark heap, but Obi-Wan didn't even see; the only thing he saw was Anakin's maimed body sliding down the slope, towards the fire. Desperately, still screaming, Obi-Wan tumbled down the hill and gathered what had remained of his Padawan in his arms, cradling him with his eyes blinded by tears. When the stumps of Anakin's legs caught fire, they burned together.

The last scream on Obi-Wan's lips was Anakin's name.

***

“M-Master?"

Darkness. The ground shifting under him. A trickle of perspiration running down his neck.

"Obi-Wan?"

When he heard his name, Obi-Wan's eyes snapped open, but the darkness didn’t lift. He blinked twice, trying to make sense of his predicament. Now that he was almost awake, and more aware of his surroundings, he realized that the shifting ground under him was no ground at all. It was someone’s legs. Startled, he pulled up so fast his vision got black for a moment; he dropped back to his knees.

“Anakin?” he croaked as soon as he had regained his balance, belatedly appreciating the fact that, apparently, neither him nor Anakin of them were dead. He blindly groped around until his hands reached the body on which he had awakened. Anakin twitched under his touch.

“Yeah, it’s me.” Obi-Wan heard him snort. “It was a trap.”

Obi-Wan huffed in relief.  “Don't you say,” he said, tiredly mocking him. “Oh, Anakin. Will you ever learn?”

“I learnt from you. Spring the trap,” Anakin quoted, his sass somewhat spoiled by his still shaky voice.

“When we are together, not on your own.”

Obi-Wan could sense Anakin’s smile in the Force. “I knew you’d come,” he said. “Eventually.”

The memory of what he had seen before awakening sent a tendril of fear down Obi-Wan's spine: back then, he had been too late.

“Anakin,” he murmured. “Did you fight anyone?”

Anakin’s confusion echoed through the Force.

“Here, you mean? No, why?”

Sighing in relief, Obi-Wan realized his hands were still on Anakin's chest. He folded them on his lap.

“Nothing. I had a vision. You were fighting someone.”

"Who?"

“I don’t know. It doesn’t matter. He’s dead.”

“Well, that’s what usually happens when someone is stupid enough to pick a fight with me.”

Obi-Wan didn’t reply. There was nothing amusing in his memory. Anakin, incredibly, was tactful enough to understand he had somehow hit too close to home, and changed the subject. "At any rate, no, I wasn’t fighting anyone. I was just lying here unconscious until you tripped over me."

Snorting, Obi-Wan called his lightsaber to his palm; the blade flared to life, casting its sapphire glow on them. They had been in darkness long enough.

Anakin was half lying, half sitting on the floor, his back propped against something that looked suspiciously like a sarcophagus. Behind it, Obi-Wan could make out what seemed to be the feet and the legs of a ridiculously tall statue of an armored warrior, whose body was lost in the shadows above. Cautiously, Obi-Wan stood up and inserted the hilt of his saber in a empty sconce on the nearest wall, so that it could cast its glow on them without him having to hold it.

“Lovely,” Anakin said, eyeing his surroundings in disgust. “The Sith certainly knew how to brighten up a place.”

“Anakin, it’s a tomb, it doesn't need being bright,” Obi-Wan remarked before he could stop himself, sitting down again beside Anakin.

Anakin waved a hand in dismissal. “Whatever. I don’t like it.”

“Neither do I.” Wearily, Obi-Wan let his head thump back against the sarcophagus. “How in the blazes did you end up unconscious on the sarcophagus of a Sith Lord, Anakin? Honestly, I'm quite intrigued."

Anakin straightened, sitting cross-legged. “We were checking the cave for droids when I saw the Force barrier. I tried to reach out for it, but apparently the dark energy knocked me out for a while, and I think I had a vision." He frowned, his eyes glazed. "I was in a place I’ve never seen before, I’d say it was something like a military base – perhaps a space station. Some of the technology I couldn't recognize."

Trust Anakin to notice these kind of details even in a Sith-driven vision, Obi-Wan thought in fond amusement.

"The only thing I know is that I had to find you," Anakin went on, his voice now tense. "I don’t know why, but I had to. I could sense your presence, I knew you where there, but I couldn't find you... until I found your robes and your lightsaber in a heap on the floor. Then I woke up.” He blushed. "Screaming, according to Rex. I know this doesn't seem much, but trust me, it was creepy."

“And you thought that the best course of action was to come looking for me in a Sith tomb while you knew perfectly well that I was in the archaeological outpost,” Obi-Wan said, fond amusement now turning into frustration. He knew that this ferocious need to save everyone was one of the things that made Anakin so endearing, but it was a terrifying trait for whoever cared about him: it could only too easily become a self-inflicted death sentence.

Anakin shrugged. “Better safe then sorry.”

“I’m afraid that running headlong into a Sith tomb because visions fits more into the definition of sorry rather than safe,” Obi-Wan said in a tight voice.

Anakin jerked his head upright. “Obi-Wan, can you please knock it off?”

“Knock it off? You put yourself in danger and left your men and put me in danger and I have to knock it off?”

Indignantly, Anakin leapt on his feet. “How in the nine Sith hells did I put you in danger?” he spat.

“You knew I would come after you,” Obi-Wan said, dropping his voice and closing his eyes. Attachment. We have come to rely on our attachment to each other. Force preserve us. “You said that yourself. So you knew that I would put myself in danger to come and rescue you. Leaving our men behind.”

To this, Anakin had no reply. He dropped on the sarcophagus; the ancient stone croaked under his weight. “Ok. Sorry, Master,” he said in a flat tone, his head clasped in his hands.

Sighing, Obi-Wan got up and sat beside him.

“I’m not angry at you, Anakin, but don’t do this again,” he said softly. “You gave me quite a scare.”

Anakin blinked, turning towards him. “You… scared?”

“Of course I was. This place reeks of Darkness. Who knows what horrors still lie in these tombs. Wouldn’t you have been scared, were you in my place?”

“Well, that’s the reason why we’re here in the first place, isn't it? Beside me being a kriffing idiot, of course,” Anakin said, snorting. “I was scared.”

Obi-Wan sighed. The last thing he didn't want to deal with right now was Anakin's self pity. "You didn't tell me how you ended up here."

"Keep your pants on, Obi-Wan, I'm getting there."

Obi-Wan knew Anakin enough to sense that he'd rather not get there at all, if he could. "I assure you, my young friend, Sith visions most definitely don't make me want to pull my pants off," he said, trying to ease the tension.

As always, Anakin rose up to the bait. "I'm glad to hear that. Not that I would judge you, of course, but it'd still be quite kinky."

Obi-Wan let out a long-suffering sigh. "Anakin."

"Ok, ok." Clenching his fist, Anakin forced himself to speak. "I had another vision as soon as I crossed the barrier." He closed his eyes. "Do you remember the dead star we saw when I was a child? The white dwarf?"

Obi-Wan nodded, shifting closer to him and sliding one arm across his shoulder to pull him in a reassuring half-hug. He still remembered the blind panic that had taken old of a twelve-year old Anakin at the sight of the spent star, the tears streaking down his round, childish face when Obi-Wan had told him that, just as all things do, even stars burn out. Sighing, Anakin let his head drop on Obi-Wan's shoulder. "You had nightmares about it for years," Obi-Wan said.

"Still have," Anakin admitted wearily. "In the vision, I was standing on the bridge of a Star-destroyer, right before the viewport. It was empty - completely empty. No droids, no men, all consoles powered off, but the ship kept going. It was like it was caught in a tractor beam, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. And I didn't want to let the ship go there, I didn't, but I couldn't move, I was just staring at it... I was paralyzed, Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan felt a burst of pride swelling in his chest. He knew perfectly how much such a confession was costing him - the so-called Hero with no Fear. He tipped his head sideways to let it rest on Anakin's.

"It was the dead star," Anakin whispered. "Not the white dwarf we saw. It was the dead star of my nightmares. White. Solid. Dead.”

"Solid?" Obi-Wan asked, frowning. "A moon?"

"No, that was no moon," Anakin said, shaking his head. "I could feel the nucleus beneath the crust. Pure energy, like a kyber crystal. I know that stars aren't solid, but this one is. Was. I don't know how to explain." He frowned, as if in search for the right words. “It was sick – distorted. Abused. And I couldn’t stop falling towards it. I was just staring at it, even though I wanted it destroyed. I wanted to crush it, but it crushed me.”

Obi-Wan shivered, remembering Anakin’s maimed body sliding down the slope towards the flames, remembered how he had shattered the unknown man’s heart and how Anakin had died anyway. Their worst fears materializing before them.

“We cannot escape our deaths, Anakin,” Obi-Wan said softly. It was true, no matter how hardly he wished he could protect Anakin from this truth.

Anakin trembled under his fingers. “I know,” he said, his voice croaky. “I always thought death was the worst thing that could happen to anyone. Now I’m not sure anymore.” He paused, biting his lip. “I don’t want to be afraid.”

Oh, Anakin. “It’s this planet,” Obi-Wan said. “And this tomb. If I am right and this is the tomb of Ludo Kressh, it is famous for being haunted.”

Anakin let out a faint snort. “Force, Obi-Wan. First geonosian zombie worms, now ancient Sith magic. You are a weirdo, not a Jedi.”

“Well, one of us needs to know what we are doing,” Obi-Wan protested, faintly offended. “Anyway, some scholars thought that the ghosts in this tomb showed the immutable facts of our lives.” Obi-Wan paused, and Anakin’s horror spiked in the Force. “I think they are wrong," he went on hastily. "I think that what we saw are our worst fears: you told me that yourself, you saw the dead star of your nightmares."

In an instinctive gesture of affection, Obi-Wan lifted a hand to card his fingers through Anakin’s hair; Anakin winced and grabbed Obi-Wan's wrist, pulling away from him. “Don’t.”

Obi-Wan froze, his hand limp in Anakin’s clutch. “I am sorry,” he murmured, afraid to have crossed an unspoken barrier. He couldn't deny that, affectionate as they were, it was unusual for them to be this tactile - only during the second battle of Geonosis they had reached such... intimacy. Obi-Wan could still remember the heat spreading through him as they bantered throughout the battle briefing, Anakin's sheer relief when he had found him still alive, the way they had struggled to find a moment away from peering eyes just to hug each other in a crushing embrace. He blushed as he remembered what he had dreamt in his painkiller-induced sleep after the battle. War had given them that intimacy, and war had taken it away from them before it could even bloom.

“No, no,” Anakin blurted, apparently grasping the surface of the thought - at least, Obi-Wan hoped it was just the surface. “I mean… My hair is soaked with sweat.”

Oh. Obi-Wan’s shoulders relaxed; his lips curled in a crooked smile.

“Do you think it would bother me?” he asked, shaking his head in disbelief. “I’ve had your blood on my hands more times than I care to remember – and your vomit too, now that I think about it,” he added with a smirk.

Anakin grimaced in disgust. “Did you really have to bring that up? I was ten!”

Chuckling, Obi-Wan lifted his hand again, brushing his fingers against Anakin’s cheek. Anakin leant into the touch, his eyes fluttering close. Obi-Wan hadn’t seen him this vulnerable since after the first battle of Geonosis, in the aftermath of the loss of his hand. Back then, his fragility had been that of a devastated teenager who had broken down; now, though, it was a grown man deliberately shedding every defense before someone he trusted with his life. The realization made Obi-Wan shiver again; Anakin, apparently, misread the sentiment. He turned abruptly to face him, his hands raising to cup his face.

“What did you see, Obi-Wan?” he asked, his eyes wide and burning.

Obi-Wan straightened his back, painfully conscious of how near him Anakin was. “I don’t see how thi-”

“Tell me.” The voice of a General. Obi-Wan swallowed.

“I saw you die. I tried to kill the man you were fighting, but he got to you anyway. It was Qui-Gon all over again, only that this time I could have done something… But I failed.”

“Your worst fear is watching me die?” Anakin croaked.

Obi-Wan blinked. “Yes. Of course. What else?”

Anakin leant closer, so close that Obi-Wan could see every crack on his lips as they moved. “Because of Qui-Gon?”

There was no easy answer to that. The death of his Master had left him scarred; it had taken years for Obi-Wan to overcome the trauma. But somewhere deep in himself he knew that a life without Anakin by his side would have been his worst fear even if Qui-Gon had lived. To run away from the truth hiding behind his Master's death would have been a betrayal of Qui-Gon's memory and of Anakin’s trust.

“No,” he admitted slowly. “At least, not entirely. Perhaps the fear of watching you die and being unable to help is affected by my trauma, but... we are at war, Anakin. We both know that not even our abilities can guarantee that we will live to see its end. We march into each battle knowing it may be the last. It’s only natural that I fear losing you.” The more he talked, the hoarser his voice became, until his last words were nothing more than a rasping whisper. Anakin was so close, too close, and when he swept his tongue on his quivering lips, covering them in a thin film of moisture, Obi-Wan had to swallow a gasp. Something red and dark pooled in his groin. He remembered the wanton way Anakin had slammed his body against that of his unnamed opponent, the carnal heat of their fight. Blind jealousy shot through him, and he felt a black jolt of grim pleasure at the memory of his blade cutting through the man’s heart – the same ecstasy he had felt as he watched Darth Maul’s severed body plummeting down into the abyss.

“But you killed him?” Anakin asked, a dangerous gleam in his eyes. “The man who murdered me?”

“Yes.” Revenge was not the Jedi way, and Obi-Wan tried to tell himself he had acted only to save Anakin. Without even realizing, he leant closer. His hand slid back into Anakin's damp hair. “I put a blade through his heart the moment he struck you down.”

“Good.”

For a long moment they stood together in precarious balance on the edge of the precipice, mouth a hair's breadth from mouth, just close enough that Anakin's warm breath fluttered on and past Obi-Wan's already parted lips.

Obi-Wan had always known that, once started, this was a fight he could not win; there was no fighting gravity, the eternal law binding gross matter and pulling him towards Anakin, the burning fulcrum of his life.

Not on a Sith Lord's tomb, was his only half-rational thought as he closed the distance between them.

Shaking, he let himself fall, pushing Anakin down with him and pinning him against the cold floor with his weight. Anakin's lips were there to catch him, warm and damp, primigenial.

Anakin kissed like he flied: bold and impetuous, smothering his inner fire in the absence of thought, his fingers tracing deep creases on Obi-Wan's back. For once, Obi-Wan soared with him, high among the stars, kissing him as he had never kissed before – as he had never done anything else before, with an abandonment he had never felt, with the same forbidden eroticism of the battle he had witnessed, his hands entangled in Anakin's hair.

They pulled apart, gasping for air, and guilt washed over Obi-Wan; frantically, he searched Anakin's face for a sign of regret for what had just happened. He found his eyes, and they were wide, darkened from arousal, impossibly blue in the light of Obi-Wan's plasma blade.

Gently, Anakin lifted a finger and touched Obi-Wan’s cheekbone, tracing a languid path towards his lips. Obi-Wan leant into the touch with a sigh and his eyes fluttered close, but only for the briefest moment: he could not bear to lose the sight of Anakin lying under him, eyes wide and wet lips slightly apart.

Anakin's hand slid back, his fingers curling against the short hair on the back of Obi-Wan's neck, pulling him down for another kiss, mouth against mouth, desperate, drowning. Obi-Wan's hands traced the lean lines of Anakin's body, a body he knew better than his own and yet didn't know; his mouth slid down Anakin's neck, kissing and licking, eliciting small gasps. He could feel Anakin's own desire burning in the Force, intermingled with his, their barriers falling one after the other, crumpling to dust.

Slowly, deliberately, Obi-Wan tipped his head back to watch Anakin as he pressed his hips down on his, grinding his already almost full erection against Anakin's. The small sound Anakin made as his lips opened in pleasure sent a dark flame of arousal through Obi-Wan's body; clumsily, hungrily, he let his lips slide down over Anakin's jawbone, leaving a trail of hot dampness and small bites that made Anakin whimper under his wandering hands.

Reverentially, he let them slide down Anakin's muscled chest, down towards his belt and further down. Anakin moaned again, thrusting his hips upwards into Obi-Wan; then, he opened his legs, letting Obi-Wan in between them, clutching his hipbones with his strong thighs.

"Oh," was all Obi-Wan could say, all rational thought crumbling to ashes in the firestorm, Anakin's own arousal pressing against his stomach.

Then, the firestorm was inside him, burning, a urge more powerful than that of sex, stronger than honor and duty and vows. Panicked, Obi-Wan froze, his lips stilling on Anakin's collarbone.

"Obi-Wan?" Anakin moaned, distress for the interruption intermingled with worry.

“Anakin. I-” Obi-Wan knew what he wanted - needed to do. It was only right that he did it before he and Anakin crossed this last barrier together - no more secrets, no more lies. Still, he stumbled on the words. They had been true before, and for others than Anakin, but Anakin was the first person for whom Obi-Wan was willing to say them out loud. The first person for whom the words were more important than anything else. The Force itself seemed to nod in tacit consent. “I-”

His commlink started to beep with the high-pitched tone of the emergency channel. Dismay flashed across Anakin’s face, and he looked away. Obi-Wan cursed softly, letting out a ragged breath and trying to compose himself before tapping the comm open.

“Kenobi.”

“General. We have an urgent message from the Jedi Council.”

Blast. With a sigh, Obi-Wan rolled off of Anakin and scowled at the black ceiling.

“Put it through, Cody. Standing by.”

Anakin had propped himself on an elbow, and was watching him with wide eyes still glazed with lust. Obi-Wan couldn't help smiling, and was rewarded by a grin as blinding as the light of Tatooine’s twin suns, even if a little giddy. The grin he had not seen on Anakin's face for years. Hope bloomed inside him, hope for a newly found trust after all the lies and the shadows of these three years of war.

“You were saying, Master?” Anakin asked, and leant over to kiss him swiftly, nothing more than a brush of lips against lips.

"Obi-Wan. "

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes in frustration, eliciting a smirk from Anakin, who pulled away.

“Kenobi here.”

“Obi-Wan. Coruscant is under siege. Grievous has kidnapped the Chancellor. We need you and Anakin back now to lead the rescue mission.”

Anakin was on his feet even before Mace had finished speaking, his fist clenched in rage and fear.

"What?"

Exhausted, Obi-Wan nodded.

“We are on our way.”

And perhaps it is better this way, Obi-Wan thought as they rushed out of the Temple. The place was tainted with darkness, and they had both been too emotional and raw. Too unbalanced because of those horrific visions of fears that would never become real.

This is not how I want it to be.

I will tell Anakin I love him when the war is over.

#obikin #obi wan kenobi #anakin skywalker #star wars fanfiction #star wars #star wars prequels #star wars the clone wars #tcw

[wanderingspacedragon]

Snoke & Mirrors

Back again with a third meta/speculation this time about this tall pale raisin.

I know what some are probable going to think. 

*SPOILERS FOR THE LAST JEDI & LOTS OF SPECULATION FOR EP IX*

But he’s dead! Why do a meta about this guy now?

Well I think there’s more to this guy then what we’ve seen and the Sequel Trilogy has been trying to clue us in on that. Maybe too much so when it came to the Force Awakens. There was/is a lot of backlash from the killing off this character before we got answers leaving many to go, huh? Others have taken to the idea that we don’t need any answers cause, hey, Kylo Ren/General Hux are the big bads now so who needs Snoke. I believe Lucasfilm would like the audience to be lulled into this idea cause coming in Episode IX when those answers are revealed they will have more of a ‘punch.’ Problem with the backlash now is I think many were expecting this reveal in The Last Jedi and that expectation is bit of The Empire Strikes Back fault.

In ESB, we got the huge reveal that Darth Vader was Luke’s father. (Sorry if I spoiled that, but seriously who hasn’t seen that movie and is currently reading this) This left the audience reeling and they didn’t get a resolution to this until The Return of The Jedi. Thing was there was nothing on that same or greater emotional impact like that scene with Luke and Vader at Cloud City in RTJ. Don’t get me wrong. I loved RTJ, but just doesn’t have the same weight as ESB and I think it suffers a little from that. The last movie of the Original Trilogy is mostly resolution so the beginning part feels a lot of waiting around until we get the pieces into play to get to that resolution. I’m talking about the Jabba’s palace and rescuing Han. I think Lucasfilm realized this issue and is saving the big reveals for Episode IX so they finish the Skywalker saga with a BANG! Gotta have that weight for the last movie.

So who is Snoke? Well I don’t think we’ll get a final answer until the next movie, but here’s what we do know. Star Wars Sith/Dark force users have on-the-nose kind of names. You have the title of Darth (which George Lucas has said to mean Dark), there is Darth Plagueis (Dark Plague), Darth Maul ( Dark To Wound by Tearing/Scratching...to maul), Darth Tyranus (Dark Tyrant), Darth Sidious (….I mean come on!) and then even Darth Vader (Dark Father, The Dutch word for father is Vader). So back to Snoke….what’s the first thing his name reminds you of....SMOKE.

When we see him in The Force Awakens we see this ghostly hologram form.

Now this is striking to me cause it reminds me of an old illusion to create ghost effects.

So in the 1700′s there was an illusion trick were it would look like an entity floating in midair using a hidden projector, a mirror to bounce the image off and smoke to cast the reflected image on.

These is example I found. There is also an effect called Pepper’s Ghost Technique which is what the Snoke scene above reminded me of. This technique is similar except it uses glass to cast the reflected projection on.

They use this effect in Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion

(Here’s a video describing the Pepper’s Ghost Technique in detail https://youtu.be/TcqyoYfHIFM)

So what’s the meaning of all this. Well the term “smoke and mirrors” which meant an obvious illusion came from this very trick. Snoke is just smoke. That isn’t his true form, but an illusion. This isn’t the only clue that what we see of Snoke is not his true self. Recently Rian Johnson responded to this on his Twitter. 

Link to original post. Source for images are from @mydeardetective

I’m adding this cause come on!

(Big ol’ evil Oz floating head)

Which begs the question...Who’s behind the curtain? 

Now one thing I think is not the case. I don’t think it was a force projection in the throne room of TLJ. Reason why I don’t think this is the case is cause one we see the body afterwards and two we actually see him physically cut in two. We see the effect the lightsaber had on his form. With Luke Skywalker we see Kylo Ren stick his saber into his chest and see it had no effect. I know my husband likes this theory, but I don’t cause I feel it undermines the sacrifice and weight of what Luke achieved by this feat. No, I think this Dark Side user had something else up his sleeve.

Here’s what else we know about Snoke. We know he’s not a Sith, but is of the Dark side of the Force. Andy Serkis said himself in an interview that "He’s definitely not a Sith, but he’s certainly at the darker end of the Force. Without giving too much away, that begins to unfold a little in this one. (referring to The Last Jedi Movie)” This seems to me that there is more we are going to find out about Snoke later on. Now mind you this interview was right BEFORE The Last Jedi came out so he could be just trying to not give away what would happen in the film. But I don’t think so... 

We know Snoke views compassion and attachments as weakness as stated in the Force Awakens Novelization. He considers Darth Vader’s sentimentality towards his own son was his failure and weakness that Snoke believed not only brought Vader down, but the whole Empire. We know he’s from the unknown region and that he is both a new character to the audience (at least Lucasfilm keeps saying that) and is very old. Hence he watched the rise and fall of the Empire. He’s also very into collecting dark side artifacts. Like the ring with the stone from Vader’s Castle with the glyphs from the Four Sages of Dwartii enscribed on it. The four Dwartii were seen in statue form in Palpatine’s room in Revenge of The Sith.

This is interesting cause Mustafar is a locus (focal point) for the Dark Side of the Force. So a rock from Vader’s castle (which by the way Vader went to in order to help him bled his kyber crystal) must have some dark side significance. We really don’t know much about the these sages of Dwartii other than they were a group of contentious philosophers and lawgivers from the early days of the Galactic Republic, who had great influence on its early constitution. Emperor Palpatine was fond of the Sistros staute which he had in his office and later moved it to the Imperial Palace, (the former Jedi Order’s temple). But so far they’ve only been associated with Palpatine and Snoke, so we really don’t know who the Four Sages of Dwartii truly are yet. 

My husband really likes the idea that he’s Darth Plagueis, a sith lord brought up by Palpatine in ROTS. 

The Sith legend says that Darth Plagueis The Wise was once so powerful that he could use the Force to influence the midi-chlorians to create life and could even save others from dying. He became so powerful all he worried about was losing his power and then, in his sleep, was killed by his apprentice Darth Sidious. Now I don’t think Snoke is Plagueis... well maybe he is but this idea has been shot down by Lucasfilm several times. So I’m not sure. There is also the fact that Snoke does not consider himself a Sith. I think he may have taught Plagueis this ‘power’, or Plagueis was just one of Snoke’s many shells he used. You see, I think the reason we’ll see more of Snoke in Episode IX is cause we’ll see his dark force ghost or at least the dark side version of force spirits.

Let me explain force ghosts a bit. The force ghosts we’ve seen so far have been Obi Wan Kenobi, Yoda, Anakin (at the end of ROTJ), and Qui-Gon Jinn (Clone Wars show). The knowledge to become one so far have only been those on the Light Side. This ability was first partially taught to Qui-Gon though he never completed his training so he could only manifest his voice. He showed Yoda where he could learn this from. The Five priestesses of the Wellspring of Life taught Yoda how to manifest himself after death. Yoda after mastering this ability then past it on to Obi Wan. We don’t really know how Anakin learns this ability except maybe post-mortem? (If it was explained somewhere I would love to see the source!) Force spirits are beings that have become one with the Force and are now part of it and its will. So when Obi Wan had said to Vader, “If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.” This is what he meant. So we haven’t seen dark side force spirits. Not really. We did get to see a bit an illusion of them on Moraband, aka Korriban, when Yoda went there to complete his training to learn this ability at the homeworld of the Sith. There were several “specters” that try to stop Yoda when he arrives, claiming there is nothing after death. These I believe are just part of his test and to explain why the Sith focused on power so much.

They thought after ones death there was nothing hence they focus on trying to obtain as much power as they could and keep it as long as possible. George Lucas has stated that the light side was selflessness and the dark was selfishness. The Dark wants to control and keep that control. Their interest in staying alive or preserving oneself would logically be on their agenda. Heck Palpatine was always dabbling in that and trying to find a way to maintain his rule to be forever lasting.

So Dark side force ‘ghosts’ could be something else. A perversion of the Force. Bending it and stealing it from others in order to retain for oneself. They may need to be tied to a physical place like the illusion of Darth Bane and his tomb. Or The Presence, the voice inside the Sith Holocron in Star Wars Rebels. Perhaps just to obtain this dark side ability requires extreme measures. I could have swore I read some where that Snoke was twisted and deformed, used very dark side abilities to maintain/heal himself. (I can’t find where this is from so if anyone remembers could you please send me a link so I could source it?) 

We also got this concept art teased in The Art of The Last Jedi book.

(Thank you @inwildspace for this!)

From The Art of The Last Jedi:

“We’ve seen dead Jedi come back as blue ghosts. Maybe Sith can come back. And maybe there’s some all powerful Sith that’s controlling whatever the dark side is. We did talk a lot about how the final battle frontier for Jedi might be in the spirit realm. So you have to have a bad-guy ghost.” - Alzmann 

That sure does look like Snoke….doesn’t it?

The other thing is I think neither of these two are the “big bad.”

This is cause they just don’t ramp the stakes up enough for me. I’ve said before I’m pretty sure we are getting a Bendemption (redemption of Ben Solo) in some form. You don’t leave the big villain at the end of Act 2 looking regretful and kneeling on the floor looking like he’s about to cry, staring down at his father’s fading dice. You also honestly don’t have Leia say “I know my son is truly gone.” and then have Luke say to her “No one’s ever really gone.” I can go into more depth of how Lucasfilm has been repeatedly hinting at Kylo Ren getting redeemed, but that’s a meta/speculation post for another time. (This is already ridiculously long). He’s also doesn’t seem care about the First Order’s cause and is really after is own agenda. 

Then there’s Hux. I love his scheming and gloating little smug mug and goodness it would be fun to see him go full emperor, however it has been stated that he doesn’t have any use for Force abilities or powers. He’s more reliant on technological power. Hence in TLJ novelization he wants to make a second Starkiller and rely on massive fleet capabilities. And I’m pretty sure everyone is tired of is another Death Star as the thing to blow up. No more Death Stars/Starkillers. It’s been done. Please Lucasfilm, not another one.

So what could ramp up the stakes even more in the next film? Well I think it’s going to be Force related and something that could effect the whole galaxy. Think Darth Nihilus level of power. Consuming life through the force to gain power. 

We’ve seen this ability hinted at a bit in canon in Clone Wars with Mother Talzin using an orb to absorb the life force of living beings in the episodes The Disappeared, part 1 & 2. Just on a waaaaaaay bigger scale. 

Sooooooo yeah...that’s my crazy speculation for Ep IX regarding Snoke. Sorry for the length, but I like to explain where I’m coming from with these. Remember this is all speculation and I’m most likely wrong on this, but woah what a rabbit whole I went down!

#long post #star wars #ep ix speculation #ep ix speculations #meta #snoke #supreme leader #dark side #spoilers #force ghosts #Bendemption #supreme leader snoke #general hux #kylo ren #the first order #the empire #sith #ep ix #ep ix predictions

[cienie-isengardu]

Well, the great difference between the Jedi and the clones is that while Jedi indoctrination makes for mitigating circumstances, they are still held personally responsible. Yes, the narrative may skirt around these issues, but it still brings them up - Slick calls the clones slaves, Barriss criticizes Jedi's part in the war, otoh Miraj argues that the Jedi themselves are akin to slaves etc. But the clones are blameless. They did not turn against their buddies and slaughter them with a clear head

2/2 to the audience it also feels different to slaughter a complete stranger or a passing aquaitance as opposed to a friend. In spite of all else, how could fandom not hate Wolffe and co. if they killed Plo for no reason than because a superior ordered it? As for the comparison to Kenobi, as opposed to clones he had very good evidence of Anakin’s crimes. If he had any doubt, it disappeared when Anakin strangled Padme. He might not wanted to be the one to deal with it, but there was no one else.

Firstly, I’m sorry it takes me so long to answer, I had really tiresome two weeks at work and couldn’t reply earlier. Also, I lost my first draft of the answer and needed to rewrite it entirety, so sorry in advance for possible grammatical mistakes and so on.

Secondly… Well, I’m not so sure if Jedi were truly held personally responsible in The Clone Wars animated series - yes, TCW’s narrative brought the issue few times, but never really addressed them in a way that made me feel the Jedi actually were forced to think over what happened. Slick’s accusation was pretty fast dismissed, because he was the traitor and “disappointment” and it was his selfish doing that killed so many clone troopers in the process. Barriss would never be brought to trial at all (and thus never openly criticized Jedi Order), if not for Anakin and Padme, the only people willing to prove Ahsoka’s innocence. But did Jedi Council take any blame for the whole fiasco? Not really. They just washed their hands of both Barriss and Ahsoka. Anakin & Plo were the only one who bothered to say “sorry” to Ahsoka, but rest of Council acted as it was the Will of the Force or her Jedi Trail and were now kind enough to allow her come back. In the end, Ahsoka’s departure was about how she couldn’t trust herself since Council didn’t trust her than how they failed a child in their care. I don’t know what happened to Barriss after trial (and since that was public thing, I doubt Jedi could sent her to their own top secret Ghost Prison), but did any Council member or the girl’s master even get involved afterwards? I don’t remember anything like that. Barriss’ words had merit but are easy dismissed - she is terrorist whose action killed innocent people. If she cared so much how Order changed for worse, why she used violence or did not speak about that in more civil way? How she can criticize Jedi when she alone put bombs and killed people?

And the queen Miraj? She was the “bad one”, so why Jedi (or audience that is supposed to cheer up for Jedi) should care for her claims and screwed up ideology/POV? She enriched on human trafficking, allowed to torture, abuse and dehumanization of captured people - what she really knew about Republic and Jedi corruption, if she alone wasn’t saint? Did she really meant that or did she just messed up with Anakin who was forced to obey her, otherwise dear to him people would be hurt? Or Asajj, who by most of time mercilessly killed people and never questioned Dooku’s evil orders until he betrayed her? See, the problem with accusations coming up from the bad ones is that, those characters do not have any higher moral ground to pass judgment or criticize anyone. I admit I didn’t watch TCW for a long time, so I may missed some more important moments (the padawans left behind, for example). But at the end of day, Jedi are the heroes and rescuers, even when some groups didn’t want to be bring into their military conflict. The villains may have valid points, but it’s easy to dismiss them. TCW did not bring criticism for Jedi from the good guys and for most of time, I feel like all accusation only reinforces Jedi false belief how flawless they were.

I mean that. Yoda, Plo and Shaak Ti may gave clones pep talk, but they would send them on suicidal mission without any remorse or doubt, if that was for the greater good. Saving son of Jabba the Hutt is the best example. Does anyone hold Jedi responsible for letting behind slaves in need, when they actually made a deal with slaver? Not really.

Or did any senator (citizen of Republic) even once asked why Jedi will not pay themselves for clone army whose creation they ordered without the senate’s knowledge, when republic budget was discussed? Did anyone asked how out-of-nowhere, there is a full army ready for a war? Did we even see Yoda to explain any Jedi matters to non-Jedi person (senators?) at least one time? Or being questioned by anyone? Not really.

That said, in some sources (usually Legends) Jedi were forced to rethink their choices or were blamed for things that went wrong. Like senator Ask Aak, who blamed Jedi for another lost battle and even questioned not only their ability, but the desire to defeat Dooku. Still, Jedi weren’t hold responsible nor their mistakes weren’t publicized (“Whispers of names that the Jedi would like to pretend never existed. Sora Bulq. Depa Billaba. Jedi who have fallen to the dark. Who have joined the Separatists, or worse: who have massacred civilians, or even murdered their comrades.” [RotS novel]). They did not apologized for action of Jedi who fell to Dark Side. They did not answer to senate or court the way average citizen would be forced to.

Let me quote fragment from Order 66 novel, between ARC troopers and Jedi master Zey that I think sums up pretty much the different idea of obedience:

“They killed us … They killed us all … Why?” […]

“Orders,” Ordo said. “You never read the GAR’s contingency orders? They’re on the mainframe. I suppose nobody thinks contingency orders will ever be needed.”

Zey leaned panting against the door frame as if he was about to collapse. “But why?”

“Because,” said Maze’s voice from outside the doors, “it’s neither your right nor your position to decide who runs the Republic. Who elected you?” […]

“Maze, what are you going to do now?” Ordo asked.

“I’ve never disobeyed an order,” said the ARC captain. Zey didn’t seem to have the strength to turn and look at his former aide, just shutting his eyes as if he was waiting for the coup de grace. “What am I supposed to do? Pick and choose? That’s the irony. The Jedi thought we were excellent troops because we’re so disciplined and we obey orders, but when we obey all orders - and they’re lawful orders, remember - then we’ve betrayed them. Can’t have it both ways, General.”

[…]

“I really must be going, General,” Ordo said. But he had to know. “Just tell me, is it true that Windu tried to depose the Chancellor?”

Zey raised his head all anguish and agony. “He’s a Sith. Can’t you see? A Sith! He’s taking over the government, he’s occupying the galaxy with his new clones, he’s evil…”

“I said, is it true?”

“Yes! It was our duty as Jedi to stop him.” “What’s a Sith?” Maze asked.[…[

“Like Jedi,” Ordo said “only on the other side. Mandalorians fought for them thousands of years ago, and we got stiffed by them in the end. We got stiffed by the Jedi, too. So, all in all, it’s a moot point for us.”

“Palpatine’s probably the one who had you created” Zey said. He was lucky he was still breathing. Ordo wasn’t sure why Maze hadn’t just slotted him. “Why couldn’t you see what he was?”

“Why couldn’t you sniff him out with your Force powers?” Ordo asked. “And why the shab did you never ask where we came from?”

Jedi Order was politically untouchable organization until now. Jedi matters were only for Jedi. The outsiders didn’t have much to say about that nor could put them on public trail (Ahsoka was a special case). Jedi ruled themselves on their own way. But the moment when Mace Windu and Council members attacked Chancellor - a legally elected leader - this changed everything. We know why they did so, but for average citizen of Republic? This was just coup. No one cared for Sith or Dark Side of the Force. Council tried to take control over Republic and so all Jedi paid the price. It’s unfair and cruel, especially for all children killed in Temple and padawans who suddenly lost their masters and friends and remained alone in the cruel galaxy. It’s unfair for all those Jedi that never had anything to say about Order politics or Yoda/Council decisions. But they paid the price and since then Jedi were blamed for everything bad that happened or forgotten for good. But to that point, Jedi rarely were hold responsible for their crimes or ignorance. And TCW made it quite clear, all bad things happened because of Sith’s doing or Jedi who fell to Dark Side or corrupted politicians & greedy people or mad scientist and so on.

But at the same time, clones weren’t blameless. Jedi blamed clones for “betrayal” when troopers suddenly followed someone’s else (legal!) orders. Some people actually don’t think that much about reasons behind clone action, because they don’t see them as human beings. Clones were breed to war and obedience, so it’s easy to dismiss their feelings or beliefs or inner pain, if they really didn’t like Order 66 but still did as were ordered.

I saw Revenge of the Sith in cinema in 2005, way before knowing that much of clone wars era, but even then I didn’t hate clones. For sure I don’t blame them now. Frankly, I wouldn’t mind seeing someone shooting down Yoda for sure. In a way, Jedi had a chance to save themselves during the three years of war. They could dig and dig all the mystery of clone army yet they never did much about that. They took clones (and their obedience) for granted and that was used against them.

Kenobi had a solid proof of Anakin’s crimes. And you know what he still said to Yoda then? I will not kill Anakin.

Despite everything that Skywalker have done, Obi-Wan didn’t want nor feel to be emotionally ready to kill Anakin. And yet he did what Yoda ordered him; he used pregnant woman to get to Anakin (and revealed himself in the worst moment, really). But the worst part of that? He shouldn’t be sent after Anakin. Skywalker should be stopped faster than later, yes. Should be brought to justice, YES. But Palpatine was the biggest threat then. Yoda shouldn’t be so fucking arrogant to think he alone will kill Darth Sidious, when Mace Windu and three other members of Council get killed in less than, like what? Two minutes? And since Yoda felt death of Jedi in the Force I pretty sure he could put all pieces together how quickly they died. My point is, Skywalker fall to Dark Side was important stuff to deal, but death of Palpatine should be prioritized over everything else. Too sure of themselves [Jedi]  are. Even the older, more experienced ones. Yeah, shame Yoda never thought he may be the most arrogant one. And to the end of his life, Yoda had never been held responsible for that arrogance, while hundreds of Jedi paid the ultimate price.

#star wars #jedi #clone troopers #order 66 #my answers #my rant #yoda #anti yoda #more likely #sorry it took so long #to answer