Where's baylan and shin ? Why isnt baylan teaching with the tl4j ? He certainly got the skills and experience. And unpopular opinion, his glorious beard's better than ezra's.
I don't think Baylan likes the Jedi enough to help, so he's off searching the galaxy for cool force/mortis stuff. Shin on the other hand already has a fulltime job:
Din’s new Nevarro neighbors realizing pretty quickly that the new guy will help you with anything if you ask him nicely. Got a leaky roof? He’ll climb up there and patch it and clean out the gutters while he’s at it. Old and need someone to run into town and pick up some groceries for you? How many potatoes do you need, ma’am? Some creep keeps harassing you? Don’t worry about it, it’s taken care of.
Din has all the thank-you pies, cakes, and pastries he and Grogu can eat.
"What a strange pair. A Mandalorian and a Force-sensitive youngling, hmm... Who is in need of a master to guide him and help him to come into his full power, yes?"
Any time Maul comes across a Force-sensitive youngster: "Is anyone going to claim this apprentice as his own or do I have to do everything around here?" and doesn't wait for an answer. (Grogu is safe tucked away in Din's satchel, don't worry)
Din accidentally turns up with Obi-wan's keepsake in his pocket once, and Maul doesn't only fly into an episode of blind rage and super melodramatic monologuing, but he also gives him a boon that is nothing but trouble and chaos of epic proportions.
Bonus background detail/close up, because while I didn't redraw the full thing, I'm quite proud of my modifications:
More of the Star Wars meets Hades AU (I’m trying to give monthly updates on my progress with it)
There’s something so Freudian about Luke Skywalker falling in love with a masked man with a menacing aura (who also just so happens to be an amazing father)
As much as I love the “Anakin hates Han but loves Din” headcanons it’s honestly probably the other way around.
Like, Din’s sorta got almost everything going against him when you stop and think about it, you know? He’s a bounty hunter (and Anakin, who was born a slave, is probably incredibly distrusting of bounty hunters), and on top of that he’s a Mandalorian bounty hunter. A Child of the Watch Mandalorian bounty hunter. Anakin doesn’t exactly have a good history with Death Watch and Children of the Watch, or just like, Mandalorians in general. And it’s not exactly like Din has the most stellar morals. Din’s got an honor code, yeah, and he does a lot for his Tribe, but he does, can, and will kill people for money, and he’s not exactly picky about his jobs or who he gets them from. Han was just a spice runner. He wasn’t taking bounties from the Hutts or the Empire like Din. Plus, you gotta remember, Din does everything in his power to stay out of conflict and politics. He’s not Han or Anakin. He didn’t drop everything to go rescue a princess and join a rebellion, or save a queen and help free her planet from an illegal occupation. Plus, Din hates droids. You’re gonna tell me Anakin Skywalker, certified droid lover, would look at Din, known droid hater, and go “welcome to the family :)”
Anakin wouldn’t hate Din, he’s got some good things going for him, but Din would for sure be on thin fucking ice for a long time.
Once again, courtesy of the Star Dads Discord! 💚🖤 I drew another thing for the Luke-grows-up-in-Aq-Vetina-with-Din-AU by drawing a Dinluke version of baby Anakin's opening line to Padmé in Phantom Menace.
Transcript Below!:
Luke: "Are you an angel?"
Din: "What?"
Luke: "An angel! I heard the deep space pilots talk about them. They're the most beautiful creatures in the universe. They live on the moons of Iego, I think."
Din: "You're a funny little boy. How do you know so much?"
THE END.