#Dark Side of the Force

[savage-kult-of-gorthaur]

REFLECTIONS FROM A BACTA TANK -- SCENES FROM FORTRESS VADER.

PIC INFO: Mega spotlight on concept art of Darth Vader without life support suit, in his Bacta tank on Mustafar, artwork by London, UK-based concept deigner/ sculptor, Luke Fisher, from "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" (2016). Lucasfilm Ltd.

"He’s really a burns victim, and it’s not going to be fun for him when he’s not in the suit – he’s going to be uncomfortable. I love the idea of showing that he’s vulnerable as well. Just seeing those scars and realising that he’s… an amputee…it just [reminds] you of that [trauma] before he does all his stuff, it makes you torn."

-- "Rogue One" director GARETH EDWARDS on seeing Lord Vader in a bacta tank

Source: www.artstation.com/lukefisherart.

[galdorcraeft]

"Imagine it was you who set the monster loose."

We need more Nautolan art. And more Nautolan characters. And more Nautolan on screen.

Art by the lovely zencultist

[david-talks-sw]

What are your thoughts on the je'daii? Do they even work, like I find myself irritated by the concept because people often use them to validate/prove the notion that "balance = both sides of the Force"

If you stick to what George Lucas said, in Star Wars a person being "balanced" is someone who accepts their inner darkness and resists its pull nonetheless.

When fans mention the Je'daii, it's usually in the context of:

"The Jedi downgraded from the Je'daii, limited their studies of the Force, refusing to study the Dark Side was a mistake. It was an original sin that caused them to create an imbalance within them."

Which is weird, to me, because the whole point of the comic's narrative is that:

the Je’daii Order’s way was doomed to fail.

Introduced in the Legends comic series Dawn of the Jedi (2012), the Je'daii are the predecessors of the Jedi. They are an order of Force users who studied and practiced both the Light Side and the Dark Side in hopes of finding Balance.

The reasoning is simple: everyone has a bit of good and bad in them, you learn to master the good and the bad sides inside of you, indulging them equally. But while this method seems sound on paper… it didn't work.

Consider that they’re already dabbling with the Dark Side...

... but hey, at least they’re aware of its dangers, they’re trying to be responsible about it.

There's a support system where they all warn each other when they're about to cross a line. But even then, there's many who've fallen and been exiled to a moon, to be rehabilitated.

Suddenly, circumstances compel all of them to use the Forcesaber, a weapon that only activates when you draw on the Dark Side.

And that does something to them. Over the course of a year, they all become increasingly aggressive.

Soon, a faction breaks off because they no longer want to stop using the Forcesaber. They’re addicted to the Dark Side.

A war ensues, at the end of which the Jedi Order is born, a group of Force users who:

acknowledge and accept their inner darkness,

while also striving to overcome it rather than give it power.

So that’s the moral of the whole Je’daii story.

Their idea of "Balance by wielding both" was actually so fragile and difficult to maintain that all it took was a little push for them to become vulnerable to the Dark Side's temptation.

Hell, even after the Jedi Order was established, one of its founders, Master Rajivari - who in Dawn of the Jedi (2012) is framed as a wise ex-general who, albeit strict, spends his days meditating and philosophizing - he goes to the Dark Side too! 

Because that's how the Dark Side works.

The Dark Side isn’t just "negative feelings" or a "bad guy superpower" that you can mix with a "good guy superpower" to unleash the ultimate 'Force blast'. This isn’t an anime.

The Dark Side is a drugs/smoking/drinking addiction.

It's selfish, temporary pleasure. The more you consume it...

... the more you get addicted...

... and the more it consumes you right back...

... until nothing remains.

Jon Ostrander, who wrote Dawn of the Jedi (2012), echoed this sentiment multiple times:

“As I see it, those working on the light side work with the Force, channeling it, open and sensitive to what it tells them. They serve it. Those on the dark side try to impose their will on the Force, to make it do their will, to make it serve them. The Je’daii believe in a balance between the light and the dark side and so attempt to use both. Problem is, a balance is hard to maintain and the dark side is so very seductive.” - John Ostrander, LA Times, 2012

“The Je'daii aren't light side or dark side, although they know and are aware of both. Instead they seek a balance in the Force between light and dark. Balance, however, is a difficult thing to maintain and there is always the danger of falling wholly to the dark side — and some Je'daii have done so.” - John Ostrander, Newsarama, 2012

And this is a recurring theme throughout all of Ostrander’s comics, by the way. Be it with the Je’daii, but also with Quinlan Vos or Cade Skywalker, the point remains the same: 

"Yes, wielding the Dark Side gives you great power, and you get to show off some badass new tricks...

… but it ultimately destroys you and everyone around you."

Remember: if it weren’t for Cade or Quin’s loved ones, neither of them would have come back from the Dark Side. They aren't badasses because they can use Force Lightning, they're badasses because they found the strength to give that up.

So if you genuinely think the Jedi "downgraded" by refusing to give the Dark Side more power than it already has on them... you're missing the point.

“It’s not about ripping things out of the sky using the Force or Force Lightning. A lot of people, they think “oh look how powerful Vader is, look how powerful the Emperor is, I want to play be the bad guy because I get these powers”. It’s an empty feeling, at the end of the day, after the moment. [...] The Dark Side is a spiral downward that you’re trapped in.” - Dave Filoni, “Force of Rebellion”, 2018

It was an upgrade.

Framing "balance" as "equal Dark and Light Side" is like consuming one (1) salad a day and one (1) whole bottle of vodka and calling that "balanced". No, buddy, that'll kill you. Because:

The vodka is better at being destructive than the salad is at making you healthy.

It's won't stay just one bottle per day. It'll eventually become two, three, etc.

Because as George Lucas stated time and again, resisting the Dark Side is a constant struggle.

So that's my two cents.

You've probably already heard about the recent announcement of a Dawn of the Jedi feature film, a biblical epic that will be directed by James Mangold.

And truth be told... it scares me SO much that we came THIS close to an Episode IX: Duel of the Fates that framed "balance" as - you guessed it - giving equal power to your light and darkness.

Like, how did this ⬆️ get as far as it did? Did nobody think to sit Colin Trevorrow down and explain to him that he fundamentally misunderstands how the Force works?

So all I can do is cross my fingers and hope James Mangold has a better grasp of - if not the lore (I wouldn't be surprised if the words "Je'daii" or "Tython" aren't uttered once in the film) - at least the message.

[jedi-enthusiasm-blog]

The Dark is generous, and it is patient.

Its first talent is hiding. Our true face lies in the darkness beneath our skin. Our true heart drowns in even deeper shadows. But what it hides from us the most is not our secret truths, what it is hiding is the truth of others.

The Dark protects us from what we are afraid to know.

It protects us from the horrors we are capabe of.

Its second talent is the ilusion of comfort, the peace of sweet dreams in the night's embrace, the beauty imagination gifts to that which would disgusts us in the light of day.

Its third talent is Light itself. Just as the days are counted by the night that divides them, and the stars by the endless blackness they move around in, the Dark embraces the Light and makes it stand out from its very core.

With every victory of the Light, the winner is the Dark.

All lights vanish, leaving nothing but darkness behind. All things die, all things end. With time, even stars burn out. Everything you have, everything you will achieve, every thriumph, every love. All that's yours, everyone you love, will die one die. You can't stop their deaths any more than you can stop the sun from setting. You will lose them, or perhaps you will be fortunate where they won't be, and they will lose you instead.

The people you love don't, and will not ever, belong to you. They belong to the universe, and the universe will take them.

It's that simple. It's that complex. And it's written in the very nature of the universe. In a universe where even stars burn out, no matter how good you are, all stories end the same way.

The Dark is generous, and it is patient.

The darkness is what sows the seeds of cruelty in justice, what leaks disdain into compassion, what poisons love with grains of doubt.

It takes your attachments and poisons them with the fear of the unstoppable, with the fear of losing everything you hold dear. It sows the seeds of anger, the shadows of greed.

The Dark can be patient because the smallest raindrop will make those seeds sprout.

And the rain will come, and the seeds will sprout, because the Dark is the ground they grow in and the clouds in the skies, and it awaits behind the stars that give them light.

With time, even stars burn out.

The Dark is the predator in the middle of a hunt, stalking you with eerie patience. You may run, you may hide, but it won't run after you or search for you; it doesn't have to, it doesn't need to.

It will catch you eventually. It knows this, and it knows you know this. If you flee, you will only delay the inevitable. If you embrace it, you will be consumed by the worst in yourself.

The Dark is generous and it is patient, and it always wins.

It always wins because it's in everything. It's in the wood that burns in the hearth of your home, it's under your chair and under your table and under the sheets of your bed, it's beneath your feet when you walk during midday.

The brightest of lights projects the darkest of shadows.

You can't flee from them, for they will catch you. You can't outrun them, you can't outsmart them. They will always find you, they will always catch you, they will always destroy you.

You can't join them. If you do, you will lose everything you are, and everything you hold dear will be crushed by your own hand. You will become nothing but a shadow of yourself, the incarnation of your worst tendencies, of your anger and hate and greed. You, like the darkness, will take and steal and plunder every little thing in the universe, but you will never be satiated.

You will try to hunt down every light, every little source of heat and comfort, to recover the warmth you lost. But it's not enough, it will never be. You will always be cold. Like the snows of Hoth, like the caves of Ilum.

You will remember power, but your power will never be more than a memory. You will lose it, surrender it to the darkness, and you will have nothing but a shadowy mockery of what you once possessed. Like an artist gone blind, like a composer gone deaf.

And in the void where your soul used to be, you will freeze in the everlasting cold.

This is how it feels to fall into the Dark Side, to give yourself to the Sith. Now. Right now. Forever.

The Dark is generous and it is patient. You cannot defeat it, you cannot escape from it, you cannot destroy it.

But in its strength lies weakness. For all its power for destruction, for all the things it has killed, kills and will kill, there is one thing the Dark will never take from you, no matter how much it tries.

The Dark will never kill your hope.

The Dark will never kill your faith.

The Dark will never kill your love.

Only you can take it from yourself.

Every time a door closes, a window opens, full of thrilling possibilities. Just as the storm brings safety for those who are prepared and the mist protects which doesn't want to be found, in the darkest of moments someone will dream of the break of dawn.

Just as the Dark has won its decisive victory over the Light, a new star will be born from the cold dusty remains of another, and bring new hope for another day.

Just as you lose yourself in the worst of yourself, you will always find the best in you, if you know where to look.

The people you love aren't yours. They belong only to the universe and to themselves. You will lose them, because they go away or because the universe has taken them. But when you love them truly, you will find the purest form of joy, whether they are with you, by your side, or not.

The Dark will always be present, stalking you, hunting you. But as long as you carry your love within your heart, it will never hurt you.

The people you love may be gone, but they were here. They existed, they were by your side and have you their love. Nothing can take that love away from you, not all the power in the universe, and certainly not the Dark. What is grief, if not love persevering?

Hold on, come what may, and you will find a light in the darkness.

Never let your fear overpower your love, your anger nor your hate overpower your compassion, and even when it catches you, the Dark will be unable to destroy you. Always keep kindness at the core of your anger, for it is the hilt that protects you from the cold blade you wield.

The Dark is generous and it is patient, but in its strength lies weakness: one lone candle can hold it back.

Love is more than just a candle. Love can ignite the stars.

Don't lose sight of your love in your fear. Don't let your inner turmoil steal your kindness. Never forget who you are. Find the Light within your heart, and never lose sight of it.

Stop holding on, let go of what you're afraid to lose. Don't hold it tightly, do it kindly and gently and let it move away if it desires. Know yourself, know your pain, know your rage, and let it go. Free yourself from hate, from anger, from fear, and love people regardless of the pain it might bring you when those people are lost.

Love with everything you have, and you will make new stars shine brightly.

Only then will you be able to defeat…

the phantom menace.

[theatrelove3000]

You’re On Your Own, Kid

This is the first Obi-Wan fic I have posted, let alone let someone other than two close friends read. It took me three months of no time, energy, or inspiration to finish this, but it’s finally done, and I am actually really proud of it. I am thinking about expanding this, depending on the time I have and the inspiration as it comes. Let me know if you like this and want to see more!

Sith! Obi-Wan x former padawan reader

Warnings: I suck at warnings. Uhhh, dark side, mentions of death, maybe manipulation, kissing but only a little, canon violence (dude gets an arm cut off), lightsabers, Sith! Obi. I think that is it. The reader was his padawan but they didn’t start training together until she was already an adult. The reader wears a dress but I don’t think I used pronouns?  Lmk if I missed anything else.

Summary: When your master suddenly falls into the darkness, you are left alone to be subject to the watchful, judging, mistrusting eyes of the Jedi Council. It’s one thing to lose a master, you’ve lost one before Obi. It’s something else to lose the man you love. Especially when you can still hear his whispers. 

Inspired by Taylor Swift’s You’re On Your Own, Kid! Recommend listening while reading this

Three months, two weeks, and six days.

That's how long it's been since you last saw Obi Wan. He'd go on missions that could be that long, or longer, but this time stretch was harder because you know he isn't coming back. Obi Wan is gone. He left the order. He abandoned you. 

At least, that's what you keep telling yourself.

You try to stay upset and hurt about it but it's becoming more difficult by the day. Watching your master walk away from the only home and family he ever knew was a major shock to everyone. He always preached about how the Jedi Order was good, right, and peaceful, yet suddenly, he was gone after causing quite the stir in a council meeting.

He had come back to your shared apartment and marched right over to you, grabbed you by your elbow and drew you into his chest. He was always more physically affectionate with you but this was something different. Something unsettling. He had wrapped you in a tight hug, breathing in the scent of you before dropping his head and whispering one thing in your ear. 

"My chains are broken. The force has freed me."

And then he was gone.

It was explained to you later that your master had fallen and you were to be reassigned to complete your training. You had been set to take your trials for your knighthood in a few weeks but due to Obi Wan's sudden switch to the dark side, they feared you harbored the same beliefs he revealed he had to the council. 

Your new master is… for lack of a better word, an ass. She is your third master. Your first one, who had selected you at a young age, died a few years back. Obi Wan decided to complete your training, since you were just three or four years from knighthood, already an adult. This new master is short and cold and uncaring. You had just been through a rapid and difficult transition and she held no compassion in her eyes, only wariness and dislike. She didn't trust you. 

No one did now. All the friends you had no longer speak to you because they fear you are unstable and dangerous. You never showed signs of leaning into the dark side but because Obi Wan fell, you also must be dark. His apprentice. Only Anakin still speaks to you. Occasionally, Master Yoda invites you to meditate with him as well, though you suspect he is doing so to check on your signature. Master Yoda is a kind and gentle soul but he must be wary. You understand. Sort of. 

It isn't until the heat of summer fades and cool winter winds start to blow that you start to hear him.

My darling.

Little dove.

Sweet one.

Angel.

The terms of endearment your master used to call you whisper through your mind, as though he were right behind you. You feel his presence when you're alone and see him in your dreams. You'd thought if you dreamed of him, they'd be nightmares but they aren't. They're sweet dreams. Almost memories but with slight changes.

Mornings after nightmares when you'd wake in his bed wrapped in his embrace, though he lets his hands wander more. Presses kisses to your neck and shoulders. Messing up on purpose during training so he'd have to wrap his arms around you to fix your form but he stands far closer, holding you tightly to his body. 

You knew you loved him before he left but he never showed signs of returning the feeling. It wasn't until he was gone that the signs appeared. For a while, you thought it was just your mind grieving the loss of him. That is, until he comes to you. 

~~~~~

Anakin manages to convince the council that you need to get out of the temple, take on a mission again. He's always been persuasive, though at first the council wasn't inclined to grant his request. Through many meetings and solid evidence that you're not like Obi Wan, they allow it on the condition that he keeps you in his line of sight at all times. He agrees readily and tells you to pack a bag. 

After explaining the mission, he takes you to Padme so she can help you find a dress. You're attending a gala the senate is holding in order to ease tensions, though with the way the galaxy is now it will only raise them. 

That's how you find yourself standing in a big ballroom wearing a long sleeve, floor length dress. Despite the dress still being modest compared to the other women around you, you still feel exposed. Your Jedi robes leave everything up to imagination but this dress does not. It's more form fitting and accentuates certain parts of your body in a very flattering way, while still being conservative.

"My, my. What have we here? Did you lose your way, Little dove?"

The voice makes you freeze. You spin around, looking for the owner but see no one. You shake your head, hoping to rid yourself of the panic and hope that had appeared with the voice.

"Did you stray too far from home? Do you need help finding the path?"

You know his voice better than you know your own. He's here somewhere. You can feel his eyes on you even if you can't see him.

You turn slightly, searching the crowd for Anakin. He's talking with some of the senators, Padme by his side. He's occupied.

You start walking.

Letting yourself out of the ballroom, you wander through the halls of the massive building the gala is being held in. You had seen a terrace when you first arrived and been escorted in. There it is. You open the doors and step out into the cool night air. 

You don't hear him as he follows you or as he shuts the doors to the terrace. You don't hear him take the last few strides necessary to stand behind you, closing the distance between you. The only sign that you were correct is the feeling of his hands on your hips. They're warm and strong and certain, just as they always were.

"My Little Dove." His greeting is whispered into your hair just above your ear.

"Master-"

"I am not your master any more, my darling." He interrupts you, his voice sending goosebumps down your arms. "I am simply a being you meet in your travels as a pawn in a game your side can't win. I am only a man who has missed you very dearly."

You take a deep breath, praying your voice won't shake as you respond, "you wouldn't have had to miss me if you hadn't gone."

The hum he gives in response is deep, seemingly coming from low in his chest. "It was time for me to go. I hope you can understand. Places to be and people to see, you know."

"You left me. You abandoned me like everyone else." 

He tightens his grip on your hips, fingers digging into them. "I did not abandon you. I never left you, Little Dove. I was always there, always watching. It may have been from a distance but you were never alone."

You try to control your emotions, keep your cool, "Your leaving the Order has shown me I have always been on my own. I didn't choose this life, Obi Wan. It was thrust upon me before I was at an age that I could understand it. I don't remember the sound of my mother's voice. I don't know my father's name."

"I didn't choose it either, darling. Very few of us did. To be entirely honest with you, I dreamed of leaving and yet I stayed. Do you know why, my Little Dove?" His fingers are tracing up your sides delicately, never straying into areas he has not gained permission to touch. 

Your voice cracks a bit as you respond, "Why, Obi?"

"I stayed because I needed to be around you. Your presence is my vise, your signature is, simply put, addictive to me. It was inappropriate for me to have the feelings I do for you while you trained under me so I kept them at bay as best I could." His nose grazes your temple as he speaks, the edge of his beard lightly scratching your cheekbone as he speaks, "I didn't do as good a job as I thought. Those around us began questioning our relationship. They said horrible things that I will never allow to reach your innocent ears. I could have killed anyone who ever said anything nasty about you. I still can. All you have to do is ask."

Your breathing falters, though you can't tell if it's from fear or shock or something else. If he catches it, he doesn't say a word. "I don't want that. Murder is still wrong, no matter where you stand politically."

"Ah, but don't you see, my Little Dove? I don't wish to kill for political reasons. I kill for you. Anyone who ever hurt you deserves to go."

"You're frightening me, Master," you whisper shakily. He responds by wrapping his arms around your waist and pulling you back against his chest.

"I do not wish for you to fear me, my love. I only want to protect you, to keep you safe. I can continue to do that from afar as I have been these three months. Or… you could come with me." He keeps his voice low, fingers stroking your sides delicately.

"Where? Where would you take me?"

"Home, Little Dove. I will take you home."

You close your eyes, feeling your resolve beginning to crumble. Suddenly the warmth of your former master against your back is gone. You turn and he's nowhere to be seen. The only sign that you did not imagine it is the phantom feeling of his hands on you. 

"All you have to do is call for me, my Little Dove. I'll come to save you from your golden cage." 

Suddenly you hear your name being called. It takes you a moment to register that it's Anakin's voice. He sounds a little worried. You turn all the way around for the first time since stepping onto the balcony. You use the force to open the doors.

"I'm here, Ani"

His head snaps to face you at your voice and he quickly makes his way over to you, "I've been looking everywhere for you! What the hell are you doing out here?"

"It was a little stuffy in there. I just needed some air. I'm sorry if I worried you. I didn't think I'd be gone long." You let him lead you back inside. Instead of taking you back to the ballroom, he escorts you outside where Padme is waiting.

"It's fine. I'm just glad I didn't lose you. That… would not have looked good on me." He laughs a little, rubbing your shoulder comfortingly, "it's time for us to head out. We're going to be escorting the senator to her suite in the hotel and then going to our room."

"Yes, Master Skywalker," you bow slightly dramatically, tone dripping in sarcasm.

He laughs, rolls his eyes at your playfulness and shoves your shoulder as you start walking, both of you flanking Padme. 

~~~~~

And that's how it began.

You start answering him when he whispers into your mind. You didn't even see him that night but you know it was real. Even if it wasn't, you hope that you continue to hear him. You start feeling him as well. You even catch hints of his scent from time to time. Always when you need him the most.

Those moments became more and more common. The weight of arms around you in those few blissful moments between sleep and wakefulness make you think of him. He whispers encouragement as you train with your new master, even the occasional reminder to help you correct your form or a suggestion to make a motion easier for you. He's still helping to train you. Apparently your four years with him didn't make him sick of teaching you.

It's your next off-world mission that starts to cause your foundation to crumble.

Anakin had convinced Master Windu that he could take you off-world with himself and Ahsoka instead of being with your own master. It was a simple mission. Get into the separatist base, steal the information, get out. 

When is anything ever that simple?

Your cover was blown quickly and it doesn't take long to realize this was a trap. You are separated from Anakin and Ahsoka somewhere in the crossfire between your troops and the battle druids. You find yourself in an empty hallway alone, not even a clone behind you.

Looking around, you move back towards the way you came, only to realize you are more than a little lost in this base. You reach out your signature to find Anakin but are met with a different signature. Another, more familiar one.

Obi Wan.

Before you can take a moment to think it through, you're running towards it. You chase the warm, blue signature you've grown oh so attached to deeper into the base. When you reach a door that you can feel him behind, you pause. Pressing your palm flat against the cool metal, you reach out again. Reaching for him. He responds by tangling his signature with yours, but doesn't open the door. You hear a click and realize it's the lock. He unlocked the door. The door still doesn't open. He's giving you the choice. It almost makes you cry.

He is giving you the option to reach him. He isn't forcing you into anything, simply waiting to see how you decide. The Order never does that. All they do is command and demand and give expectations to meet. It's exhausting. You're tired. You miss him. 

"Obi?" You whisper to the door. As a response, you hear a small thud on the door as he presses his hand to it where yours is. You can feel the pressure of his power through the door. He whispers your name back to you.

"I'm frightened," you feel your eyes start to water, voice breaking softly, "I just want you."

"I know, my darling. It's alright if you are not ready yet. I'll wait for you. I'll wait an eternity for you." His voice is louder than yours, but not by much. You want to open the door but can't bring yourself to do it. He can feel it. You know he can. His signature brushes over yours gently again, soothing you. He was always good at that.

"I have to go, Master. I'm sorry. I need to find Anakin." 

"It's alright, Little Dove. I'll be with you. Always."

You nod and take another moment of weakness before pulling away and running the way you came. It takes you twenty minutes to find Anakin and Ahsoka again. As you reappear, Ahsoka crashes into you, hugging you tight.

"Are you okay!? Your comms weren't working. We've been calling you and sent troops to find you but we couldn't! What happened? Where did you go?"

You push Ahsoka back to look her into her eyes, holding her shoulders. "It's okay. I'm fine. I got lost in the hallways. The droids were coming from that way so I handled it. I just got confused on my way back to you. All the halls look so similar."

You try cracking a joke as you notice Anakin watching you cautiously. He knows something. Looking over, you cast what you hope is a charming smile in his direction. He nods and gives a small smile in return but still looks concerned, though you can't tell if it's for you or because of you. 

When you return to the Temple, the council convenes to be briefed on the mission. Anakin credits you with destroying a majority of the Droid squadron within the base. The council seems to be a mixture of impressed and put off by this news. You're not surprised.

You feel nothing for them anymore. They don't do anything but cause more problems for you and those around you. Most Jedi would say the most dangerous feeling to have is hatred. Some say anger. Others will tell you that hope is the worst thing to feel, especially in this war.

No. The most dangerous thing a Jedi can feel is indifference. Indifference causes one to not have loyalty to those they have been sworn to. With anger or hatred or even hope, it shows one still feels attached to something. With indifference, it is not so.

Your indifference is what Obi Wan was waiting for. 

~~~~~

The next mission you are sent on is the one that sends you over the edge. 

It's another gala you are to attend, this time undercover as a senator's aid. The moment you arrive, you reach out for Obi Wan. You search the room with your eyes and your signature, praying to the Maker that he is there.

As the evening progresses, you stop looking for him. You become distracted by doing your job, working the crowd and getting more information you've been sent to collect. Though the council has seemed to develop more trust in you over the last couple of months, they don't trust you entirely. You have another Jedi with you to keep an eye on you. You don't remember his name, and it doesn't particularly matter to you anyway. He's just a security measure to protect the Order. 

"Pardon me for interrupting, Senator Gunray. I was hoping I might ask this lovely young lady for this dance." His voice drips across your ears like bacta over a burn. Your posture relaxes as the senator you were speaking with bows out gracefully, promising to speak with you again later.

You turn and finally see the man you've dreamt of for five whole months, though if you're honest, it's been longer than that. He looks dashing in his white suit and cape. As your eyes trail up from his chest, you catch the hairs of his auburn beard lift as he smiles at you. You see that smile next, the shining and slightly arrogant one you grew used to throughout your few years of training with him.

He reserves this smile for you. The one that shows his pride but also a glimmer of praise for you. He softens whenever he sees you, even if it's isn't noticeable to anyone else. It always was to you. He was a good and kind master, but a better friend. In this smile, you see your friend. 

You raise your eyes to meet his and your breath catches. The cerulean ocean you are used to seeing is gone, replaced by molten gold, framed by dark lashes, which seem darker than they used to. Maybe it's just your imagination.

"Remember to breathe, Little Dove. I fear you will pass out if you don't."

You let out a small huff of a laugh as you smile and glance down to your feet. You see him lift his hand to under your chin, raising your eyes back to his. You can see him searching your face for something. He must find it or you are imagining it because he draws away again, offering you his arm to take.

"I believe I offered you a dance, my love. May I have one?"

"Yes, my lord." He leads you out onto the floor. A waltz starts not long after he pulls you into position. As you dance, he keeps you closer to his body than the other partners on the floor. You don't mind, letting yourself melt into his arms for the first time in several months.

Obi Wan was the one who taught you to dance. He had been trying to help you learn to make your movements smoother, more choreographed as you dueled. You kept making jagged, uncoordinated movements that caused you to lose your footing or leave an open spot for someone to strike. Obi had taken your Saber, tossed it and his own to the side, then pulled you in gently. He kept a respectable amount of space between you as he placed your hand on his shoulder and his own on your waist, holding your opposite hand. And he taught you to dance. Slowly, you got the hang of it and he moved back into the forms you were learning. You never lost to him in a duel again.

The dance sessions became almost a regular occurrence. He'd hug you when you were upset and slowly rock you, letting it turn into a silly little dance to make you smile and giggle. He'd kiss your head and twirl you just to make you squeal or blush. Those are his fondest memories of being in the order.

"I have a question for you, Darling."

"I will answer anything you ask of me, Darth Nighte," you respond without hesitation.

He grins widely and lets out a laugh. "You always have, haven't you? My good girl."

You blush slightly and look away from him to hide it. He doesn't like that. He lifts your chin again and raises an eyebrow, warning you not to look away again. 

"Did you pick this gown to get someone's attention?" He says it in a teasing tone but you know what he is asking. Is the dress for him?

The dress you selected for the gala was bought with what little you had saved over the years. You had gone out into the city on one of your rare days off to buy it. It was in the shop window and you'd asked to try it on. It was a long sleeved, dark blue dress with tiny gems to make it appear as though you were a part of the evening sky. It's a bit lower cut in the bust than you thought you'd be comfortable with but seeing the way he admires it, you know it was the right decision.

"I must confess, my lord. I fear I am no longer a good Jedi. You see, I find myself disagreeing with the rules and growing agitated trying to suppress my emotions. It feels like I'm being pulled down a different, new path. I can't stand the rule against attachments. I have found that attachments only make you stronger. Maybe that is what they are afraid of…" you trail off as you realize how much you spoke but he holds your eye contact and nods for you to continue. "I have found myself deeply attached to a lord at this very party and I had hoped he'd find the dress pleasing."

"I'm sure he does, my darling. Do I know this lord, do you think?" He knows. He always does.

You smile and glance around as though making sure no one was listening, "I think you know him very well, my lord." 

"Then I suppose I'll leave you to him." He starts to release you but you grip onto him tighter. He laughs again, a sound you truly and sorely missed.

Together, you and Obi Wan danced for several more songs. You talk occasionally but mostly bask in the comfort you bring each other. As the night dwindles on and draws to a close, you know you have a decision to make. A path to choose.

Obi Wan senses your panic and turmoil. He searches your eyes again before leading you off the dance floor to a little alcove on the side of the ballroom. He presses you back against the wall and lets his body tower over yours. 

"My angel, you do not have to do anything you don't wish to. I don't intend to steal you away and hide you from the galaxy. It is your decision. This is your life. Lead it how you wish to. No matter what you decide, I will always love and support you. Even if I must do so from afar." He leans down and presses his forehead to yours. You can feel the love in his signature. True love. Pure love. How can a feeling so pure be so bad? 

Lifting your chin slightly, you let your nose brush his and hear his quick intake of breath. He leans further into you slowly, giving you time to pull away from him. To say no.

You never will.

He lets his lips brush yours. It's gentle, simple, peaceful. He lets you decide how to proceed. Slowly, your hands move from where you had pressed them to his chest up into his hair to pull him closer. He hums in pleasure and pushes you further into the alcove. He kisses you the way you imagined he would. Gentle but dominant. Kind but leading. Persuasive. The Great Negotiator, indeed.

You pull away first, needing to breathe. He lets you go but keeps his forehead against yours. 

"Obi?" You whisper to him.

"Sweet One?" He responds.

"Am I ready now?"

"That, my dearest little dove, is not a question I can answer for you."

You nod, feeling the tears form. His hand is holding your cheek and jaw on one side. He can feel when they start to fall. He coos gently and pulls you into his chest, whispering reassurances and words of love.

"I don't want you to go again. It hurts when you go, my Obi." You mutter through the tears. Obi Wan pulls away enough to hold your face with both hands.

"I don't have to. You can come with me, Darling. I have a place for us. It's safe and quiet and peaceful. It's perfect. I made sure it's perfect for you. All you have to do is say yes. Little Dove, you can stay with me. Come with me."

His voice isn't commanding or ordering you. It's… begging. He's begging you to stay with him.

Sniffling and wiping your eyes, you look up at his eyes. They're no longer gold the way they were before. They're darker now. Green. Your breathing picks up as you kiss him again. It's a soft, quick kiss. He reciprocates, waiting for your decision.

"Home?" You ask him. He smiles against your lips and nods.

"Home." 

"Obi Wan. Take me home."

The burst of joy in his signature is more than enough to convince you that this was the right decision. He kisses you fiercely before retreating and standing up straight. A lord once again. Offering you his arm, he leads you back into the public eye.

As he escorts you through the front doors of the building and towards the hanger, you are stopped by a voice yelling your name. Your Jedi babysitter. You forgot about him. Obi Wan stiffens as he hears it as well, turning his head just enough to see the man behind you. You try to keep going but Obi Wan has stopped. Your panic is beginning to rise again. You'll never be free.

"You are to return to the Temple with me immediately, Young Padawan. This is not a debate."

"I-" 

"My apologies, Jedi, but I believe she has made her decision." Obi Wan's voice is calm but there is a hint of a threat in it. He's daring the man to oppose him.

"I'm sorry, Senator, but that will not be happening. She has been asked to return to the Temple."

"Senator? Do you hear that, my darling? Senator. The level of disrespect tossed about by the Order is truly insulting. He doesn't even know my name."

You keep your eyes on Obi, pleading with him through your signature to just take you and go. In your bones, you knew it wouldn't be this easy. If only.

Obi Wan turns and the Jedi recognizes him. His eyes, now returned to gold, are a dead giveaway. The Jedi draws his weapon and beckons you over, holding his hand out as he calls your name again. 

"This man is not who you think he is, Padawan. Come with me." He reaches for you again but you take a step back, closer to Obi Wan. 

"Maybe I'm not who you thought I was, Master. Or… I think perhaps I am." Glancing up at Obi, you see him watching you with curiosity and… hope. You haven't seen hope in so long you almost don't recognize it. 

Your Obi nods at you, just once, and takes a step back. The Jedi is gazing at the both of you with confusion and horror as you look at Obi Wan.

"I told you already, Little Dove. This is your decision. No one can make it for you." His voice calms you. There's no malice in it when he directs it at you.

"He's trying to trick you, Padawan. It's time to go now." The Jedi got close enough to grab your wrist and begin to pull you away. The moment he touches you, your lightsaber is in your hand and the Jedi is screaming. You open your eyes and see the man's arm on the ground between you. His lightsaber falls from his other hand and Obi Wan comes to pick it up. You feel your hands shaking as you watch him replace the Jedi's Saber on his belt before reaching a hand out to you. 

"Are you ready now, darling?"

You look between Obi's hand and the man's arm and then at the blood on your gown. You take Obi Wan's hand and leave the Jedi kneeling on the ground of the hanger as you're taken onto your love's ship. He sits you down and pulls off his cape, draping it over you. It's heavier than it looked. He helps to strap you into the co-pilot seat before getting into the pilot seat.

As the ship lifts off, you catch a reflection in the glass of the cockpit window. Your eyes are surrounded by a ring of gold.

You feel Obi Wan take your hand as you reach hyperspace and let him smooth his thumb over your knuckles. You glance up at his beautiful eyes and see they are the blue you missed. You realize something that nearly brings you to tears again. You've been on your own for most of your life, especially when it got hard.

You don't have to be alone anymore. You have your Obi Wan.

~~~~~

@meshlasolus @vi-does-stuff @star-whores-a-new-hoe @turtlelover59 @lowkeyorloki 

[darkside-skyguy]

Qimir and Osha have what Reylo should’ve had 😭😭 thank Leslye Headland for finally giving us the seduction to the dark side storyline we deserve

[sw5w]

At Last We Will Have Revenge

STAR WARS EPISODE I: The Phantom Menace 00:40:38

[aceinhyperspace]

SUN KILLER LULLABY

SUMMARY: In the final days of the Clone Wars, Ahsoka Tano struggles to protect the shattered remains of her family. Her brothers, the clones, are falling faster than she can save them, and each loss tears away at her. Anakin, too, is slipping away, their bond twisted by an unsettling darkness that threatens to consume them both. On Mandalore, with enemies pressing in and the weight of the galaxy on her shoulders, Ahsoka is forced to confront a harsh truth: some battles aren’t meant to be won—only survived.

RATING: M

PAIRINGS: GEN

WARNINGS: Graphic Depictions of Violence, Character Death, visit A03 for the full list of tags

CHAPTER I: TELL ME THE WAVES WON'T RISE SUMMARY: Old bonds are reforged, and visions are shared. CHAPTER WORD COUNT: 6.2 K

You’re not home, Ahsoka reminds herself, ignoring the swoop of emotions in her chest. She’s surrounded in the Force by the warmth of the soldiers around her, not the least Rex and Anakin. Rex glows with pride, the newly painted orange and white helmet held gently between his gloves as she trails her hands over it. Anakin wears a small smirk, mischievous and self-satisfied. He’s been projecting unease ever since she landed on the Negotiator, stepping around her cautiously, tripping over his words. Only by presenting her a company in her own colors do his turbulent emotions settle. Behind Ahsoka, twinned relief and excitement emanates from the small contingent of clone officers, but especially from the ones she knows well. Vaughn is at perfect attention, his energy calm and balanced, but incredibly pleased to see her. Kes and Lion are radiating delight, barely holding their salutes. Prim and Finch feel nearly as animated. Jesse stands over her right shoulder, the ARC Trooper an unshakably warm presence that settles in the back of her skull. She’s missed this, the easy comradery of her siblings, her vode. The last time she saw most of this group had been on the Resolute, well before the Temple bombing. She spent weeks wondering if they blamed her for leaving the Order without saying goodbye... Even if they had, any lingering resentment has been replaced with infectious joy at seeing her safe and back amongst them. You’re not back and you are not home, she chides, pulling herself back to the present. In Anakin’s hands there is a lightsaber box. Her lightsabers. Her throat closes, unruly emotions getting the best of her. She reaches out, long fingers coming to rest on the carved wood.

CONTINUE READING ON AO3

[writerbuddha]

Since the Force is not a power one has, but rather what gives one their power, would it be reasonable, if accurate to assume the Light and Dark Sides of the Force are not just means to the power of the Force, but also psychological states of mind? Joseph Campbell's reading on Christ's "peace" and the Buddha's "Nirvana" as inherent within us and where we can properly act from by our learning to center ourselves in them has had me wondering.

Yes, that would be accurate! The power of the Force, the Force-powers and all that are externalized psychological states of the mind, made manifest by those who have the talent to have some control over the energy, which is the substance of those psychological states and the mind and self and consciousness.

For example, Yoda never manifests lethal bolts from himself, because he doesn’t have the psychological state of a violent storm. He is "only" able to absorb and repel those bolts, because he harnesses his mental state in which anger, hate and aggression, all what that lighting actually is, are dissolved or controlled. And if you watch Sidious, you don’t see him actually controlling his lightning. He can manifest it, sure, but in Episode III and VI, it's very clear that it's like allowing steam to burst out of his fingers, in the same way steam bursts out of your ears, so to speak, and he can direct that steam to targets and burning them. But when it’s reflected back onto him, he can't absorb it, he can't repel it. He is burning as well, this is why his face gets a scarred, distorted. He can only stop manifesting the steam. So, yes, the Force is not just giving strength to Jedi and Sith, it's not just a way to get strength, it’s also their psychological, mental, emotional, intellectual, spiritual processes.

The Kingdom of God and Nirvana would be a bit deeper that that, though, that’s more like the individual Force recognizing that its part of the cosmic Force, like a wave is part of an ocean, from which it's made of, from which it rises and into which it will be reversed. This way, they can rejoice for those around them who are transformed into the larger=cosmic Force from the smaller=living Force, and can conquer their fears and they can let go.

[redcell6]

The Power of the Dark Side

by Victor Garcia

[savage-kult-of-gorthaur]

THE DREAD FACE OF MASKED IMPERIAL MILITARY POWER -- ENTER THE DARK LORD.

PIC INFO: Resolution at 1080×1350 -- Spotlight on doodle art of Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith, legendary movie villain & primary antagonist of the "STAR WARS" Original Trilogy, artwork by Japanese doodle artist, Mizmaru Kawahara, published c. August 2024.

Source: www.picuki.com/media/3457334147663093121.

[raccoonpriestess]

Falling doesn’t seem so bad - chapter 3 update

Hello!

Chapter 3 of my obikin fic is out and if you haven't read it yet and need something to convince you, here is a glimpse into the chapter:

Obi-Wan cleared his throat, looking back at the city, anywhere to avoid Anakin’s eyes. “The Council has a mission for us, maybe we could talk about it on the way there,” he offered.

“Is it a mission for us, or is it a mission for you, and you need a backup, and I get to tag along?” Anakin asked and he closed his eyes, letting the breeze comb through his hair. Obi-Wan almost caught the sign of the setting sun in Anakin’s eyes, their color reflecting the yellow sky. 

“It is meant for us both,” he confirmed. “And even if it was meant only for me, I wouldn’t dare to go without you. We’re a team.”

“You mean it?”

“I will never leave you alone, Anakin,” Obi-Wan promised.

As the sun set, enclosing the planet in the darkness, Anakin opened his eyes to look straight at Obi-Wan’s soul. He looked hurt as if he knew that Obi-Wan would fail to keep his promise. Then he smiled, and whispered, “Thank you for reminding me of that,” and Obi-Wan knew that his fate was sealed.

And he knew he was falling. 

[theprotagonistisdead]

listening to the original thrawn trilogy audioplays again and i just want to say. WHEN I GET YOU FILONI

[iris-363]

Nightbrother V2 (Unmasked)

OC Art

[wolvebonez]

im in my evil era (starwars fan)

i need him to be normal right  fucking now. 

[queen-rhaenys-opress]

A quick piece of Valeisha. Pretty sithy Sith!