#I am not a fan of rey and kylo's romantic relationship and I was not a fan of the dyad

[ct-hardcase]

one thing I have noticed in the last few years of discourse about star wars canon is the attitude from some parts of fandom, where when people go "hey, I don't like this problematic aspect of canon/I don't like that this canon significantly contradicts the other", others will respond, stating that star wars is a tapestry of stories, and that it's fine, actually, because you can just take the parts you want and/or to just cobble one's own canon together from whatever.

this isn't bad advice per se, and if that's someone's preferred way of interpreting canon or dealing with discrepancies, I'm genuinely happy they reached that solution (hell, I even do it myself sometimes—rey mind-tricking finn and poe in the tros novelization is something I absolutely choose to ignore on account of it being ooc and not in the movie), but the majority of the time, I like treating canon as a puzzle that I can put together, and when some of the pieces simply can't fit right, or if there's blatant disrespect to the other stories in the tapestry (hi, caleb in tbb), I don't think it's wrong to be pissed at that and expect the corporate entity managing the product to do better.

[rhea-of-kaylie]

Just so we're clear - because I've seen this way too much recently - not all reylos are implicitly racist? Not sure why this is hard to grasp for y'all.

The misbelief comes from the assertion that because reylos don't want Finn and Rey to be romantically endgame, they're racist because they don't want a white heroine involved with a black hero. On the surface, I understand these concerns. Rey is the morally pure white heroine. For her to be anything but Finn's friend complicates the comforts of traditional, conservative American society. However, I am not trying to undermine the validity of interracial relationships in storytelling or in real life by finding the reylo dynamic more appealing. We can and should include more representation of interracial couples in all storytelling mediums and genres.

Personally, the mythicality and balance between Rey and Ben is simply more exciting than the possible strangers to friends to lovers dynamic Rey and Finn could have had.

I've also seen criticisms of reylo as it relates to Kylo Ren being essentially an active agent for the First Order, the newest iteration of Star Wars space Nazis. Rest assured, internet, I also hate the First Order and what they stand for. Additionally, I hate what Ben Solo did when he was called Kylo Ren. Most, if not all, reylos will condemn the actions and ideologies of Kylo Ren. Reylo is and always has been about Ben Solo's inevitable redemption. He couldn't be with Rey until he reconciled his evil choices. (And most of us are wholly dissatisfied with how TROS inadequately addressed Kylo Ren's redemption).

We do also know that there's a very large overlap between stormpilot shippers and reylos right??? (ie reylos are the same people who want a gay relationship between a black man and a hispanic man, both of whom are fervent believers in violent revolution against a white supremacy-coded regime. Cathartic as hell and a 'fuck you' to the real basement-dweller racist Star Wars fans if you ask me.)

Anyway, hope this helps.

[galaxicide]

IMPORTANT CANON DIVERGENT POINTS: many of my divergency points are made due to the sore lack of context in the movies, messy writing, and a bit of downright terrible writing. most of these are probably already featured in my carrd. but this post will be directly accessible via my pinned post because the divergencies are important.

the og trio ALL survive, ben too. kylo injures han (the severity is up to rpers). leia does not die, neither does luke. why? well, I don't agree with the narrative of wiping out the old for the new. nor having kylo kill off han because harrison wanted out. given how close han and ben's relationship once was, this simply doesn't fit for me. and I also don't think there can be any true healing after the war for ben without his family there. this family is the HEART of the entire franchise. killing them all off was a bad move...as much as I enjoy a tragic narrative.

Luke did NOT try to kill Ben. Ben finding out his relationship with Vader triggered his fall to the dark side, and he accidentally summoned a force storm during his rage (fanned by snoke too) that razed the entire temple, its students, and luke too, under bens impression. believing he'd murdered his uncle, ben ran. and wasn't seen again for some years. Though this divergence is negotiable if Luke rpers would prefer to write the actual canon!

Kylo does NOT kill Snoke. Snoke is the big bad here for me, not sOmeHoW pAlPaTiNe rEtUrNeD. Therefore, Kylo does not become supreme leader. He is so brainwashed by Snoke, that even though he suspects one day Snoke will eliminate him, he is still loyal. Snoke is ALL he knows.

I do not write the dyad as a romantic bond, at least not with rey and ben. their relationship is utterly atrocious, and kylo does exactly to rey what snoke is doing to him. it's manipulative and abusive and is not a good foundation for any relationship. i think they can achieve something akin to siblingship one day. but that's years away after tros.

ben's identity as kylo is only known to VERY FEW, including snoke, some highers up in the first order, and a few in the resistance. it's probably less than 10 people altogether. he NEVER removes his helmet in public for various reasons not related to this post. so if you're unsure whether your muse is or might be one of those 10 or so people, please feel free to ask.

it's honestly not as obvious in the movies as it should be imo, and is not a canon divergence. but it feels like it needs to be said often cus people still want to dismiss this fact in 2023. ben solo is a victim of decades of abuse and manipulation. no, it doesn't excuse his actions, but it gives context and explanation to them. i will never not make this point enough.

annnnd here comes the maybe controversial one. might depend on how well i explain it. han and leia are/were not purposely neglectful parents, nor perfect people...please, keep reading after that sentence. take a step back and think about it in terms of real adult life, okay. both of them are important people. leia is a senator. it would literally be impossible for her to be around all the time for ben. you simply cannot be a person that powerful and have a well balanced family dynamic. han, on the other hand, we know canonically was ben's primary caregiver for 6 years, which is a hot win, imo. stay at home dad, excellent. but he, too, eventually goes back to training pilots at the academy because it's what he's good at, and he deserves to continue it. i am in NO WAY saying that han and leia are bad people or parents. far from it. I've no doubt they tried endlessly, and they still are, even with ben falling to the dark side. they're just doing normal things that adults do. just because you have a child does not mean you stop being a person. BUT their busy adult lives paved the way for Snoke to move in and do what he wanted with Ben, which was to slowly turn him against them and make him believe he was unwanted and unloved by them. and that's not han and leia's fault, they didn't know what was going on. Ben was a child, and Snoke was an abuser that easily slipped through the cracks because he couldn't be seen. i realise this also wasn't really a canon divergence, but it needs to be said some more.

[perrydowning]

tros treated female characters badly and i want see finnpoe kiss and rose would be supported their relationship what you think on dlf?

Hey there, sweet anon!

This is where I'm old as dirt, because I'm not totally sure I understand. So if I answer it all wrong, I'm really sorry.

I cannot overstate how disappointed I am in Disney/LucasFilm for not accepting that the world is just bigger now. They could still have made all the money even if they'd pissed of the hardcore white male fans (who have been stealing their best insights from the ladies for a while now).

I was going to move on, but I'm feeling feisty. It seems--to me--worth noting that white fanbros have an awfully suspicious affinity with space nazis. They didn't like Kylo Ren because he wasn't like Darth Vader. Let's sit with that for a moment.

So, yeah, Disney/LucasFilm sided with misogynistic, homophobic, wannabe fascists instead of ... everyone else? Fun fact, white men are around 6% of the world's population.

We absolutely should have had Poe play the Rose role in saving Finn from being Finn. Rey deserved a friend who could kind of understand her, as did Rose. We don't need Rose to be a romantic interest--she's just awesome and will fry your ass.

However, please remember that the line between myth and public domain is arbitrary and dumb. The only reason people have issue with us building off of each other's stories is money.

Canon is meaningless.

[kamechan98]

I love how one of the ships here is canon and the fans of the other- that is purely fanon- are so mad they didn't win that they pull a 'voters fraud' like this is the 2020 election. 😂

I'm not trying critizise Stucky fans or anything, I just find it funny people are mad at the actual canon ship- that actually end up kissing and having a romantic relationship- won by a very small percentage.

...okay maybe I am a little

Like, if I had to choose between a fanon couple- where one is the most boring and bland of boring bland white guys and the other is largely a mix between blorbo and a sad little meow meow- and an actual canon relationship with two well-developed characters that is actually romatic, wholesome and super adorable all the way, I'm going to pick the latter any day even if I wasn't actively shipping them.

also... I might be reading too deep into this, but does anyone else get the feeling this is also because it's a bi-racial relationship? Like, people are mad that the white couple didn't win over the couple where one is played by a self-described "Polynesian Jew"?

Sorry if I'm overstepping or looking for things that aren't there, it's just that this feels a little bit like with Star Wars when people were mad about Finn and Rey and prefered Rey and Kylo Ren, to the point of actual harrasment and death threats.

AO3 Top Relationships Bracket- Round 2 Side 1

This poll is a celebration of fandom history; we're aware that there are certain issues with many of the listed pairings and sources, but they are a part of that history. Please do not take this as an endorsement, and refrain from harassment.

[pearwaldorf]

Everything's been a little weird in fandom. Not in a bad way, but in a "Holy shit this is a lot" way. It feels like there are shifts in the way studios are approaching things, in that they have decided it's finally okay to acknowledge things we've only inferred for the longest time.

I was thinking about this scene (part 2; hella spoilers for S2E10) in Picard specifically. Q/Picard isn't a thing I've ever shipped, but of course I was aware of it, as somebody who watched way more TNG than I ever intended and as somebody in fandom. I haven't watched the show, and apparently they don't actually confirm the ship is canon, but how the fuck else am I supposed to interpret an all-powerful being wanting the last thing he sees at the end of his life to be this one particular mortal? "Even gods have favorites, and you've always been one of mine." I mean, really.

As I have said before, there are reasons a lot of fans my age don't give a shit about whether ships become canon or not. But it doesn't mean we don't feel it when it's addressed in some way? I don't want to say it's like gaslighting, because I/we know something is there, whether it's acknowledged explicitly or not. It's hard though, to swim against conventional interpretation and insist that just because it's subtextual doesn't mean it's not valid. Especially when it keeps fucking happening. Or when you have evidence it is absolutely textual, but the show decides "No, you don't get to have this" and kills somebody off. (Pick your example. There's so fucking many.)

And this article about Kenobi popped up on my dash today. Obviously the show was not taken into consideration when Rise of Skywalker was a thing, but the fact that this sort of connection, the same as the one Rey and Kylo Ren shared, is interpreted the same way? Obviously a romantic relationship isn't necessary for a Force dyad, but it certainly doesn't preclude one. (And however you feel about Reylo, there was definitely something between them.)

Nothing is explicitly confirmed, which is fine! (I don't necessarily want a definitive interpretation.) But it feels like there is less... active hostility that these things could be seen as homoerotic or romantic without feeling queerbaity. Obviously that's in the eye of the beholder to some degree, but it doesn't feel like it's deliberately playing up subtext to bring in fangirls while also saying "lol no homo" like Sherlock or Supernatural.

Like I said, it's not bad it just takes a little bit of getting used to.

[onewomancitadel]

What are your thoughts on the claim that Knightfall is a dangerous portrayal to men women? imo this is a buncha bullshit but a lot of people I see calling it a "crack ship" are also saying that if it ever happened it would be toxic and harmful. Some say the idea of having a man save a woman is wrong and others say having Jaune date a killer would ruin his character. How do you deal with stupidity on this level?

Lol it's bullshit. Of course it's bullshit. It's not even worth debating because it's such a waste of time and such a reductive opinion grounded in bad media analysis and bad philosophy. If you hear the word 'toxic' you need to stage exit the conversation, it's a red flag.

Sure, women consuming the wrong fiction will make them get into abusive relationships, I love the victim blaming here. Or attributing abuse in real life relationships being a result of fiction? Yeah, I am sure that is going to fly in sincere debates surrounding intimate partner violence (IPV). I can guaratee you if you read any surrounding literature about IPV or DV, the focus is not going to be on who likes Kylo Ren too much or reads the wrong type of romance.

Even then, I don't think Knightfall is a) a crackship - it most certainly isn't, thank you, it's very narratively justified, and one of Jaune's biggest moments in the show, well two of them, are with her, or b) something bad or toxic at all, in fact thematically motivating the relationship (in canon) would be healing, forgiveness, and compassion, and fundamentally uplifting the notion of nonviolence. So Knightfall isn't even anything textually 'problematic'.

If it were textually problematic I would still dismiss the notion it would have a serious impact on real-life relationships - though trying to draw some type of actual casual impact is extremely difficult, because the kinds of things influencing real life harm is actually multi-modal. If you care about that thing, sincerely and truly, which to be quite frank people obsessed with toxicity in fiction don't care. Motivating a lot of this is just cloaked ship wars, or 'me not like this and it hurts my fee-fees'. Or deep, profound resentment for the art and structure of narrative and metaphor.

The reality is that tonally R/WBY is fantastical and it is romantic. A character like Cinder Fall killing Pyrrha Nikos isn't just flatly about killing, it's also conveying lots of different ideas:

the inevitability of change and growth (ooh! Autumnal theming!), the violence of change, the complete unseating she symbolically represents in the story [for the characters to grow], the death of childhood, the complicated morality of an expanding worldview as you come to see adults as people/the world beyond black and white/understand what made Cinder do it

and if you flatly define that as 'Cinder Fall big bad meanie who need dieeeeee' then your analysis bad too. But the irony here is that people who say ships like Knightfall are toxic are people fundamentally not interested in a) metaphor and the relationship we have to stories emotionally, b) actual compassion and transformation and healing, c) actual harm in the real world, especially when they go out of their way to hurt real people over fiction. You don't know the shit I've seen in the Reylo fandom (and yes, Reylo is a feminine-driven narrative, Rey was on the Heroine's Journey (most prominently in TLJ), though Reylo and Knightfall aren't necessarily tonally 1:1). I mean it was really shocking and so bad I don't want to talk about it, and people used Reylo as a cover to harass Jewish Reylo fans - calling them N*zi apologists!, Black Reylo fans, female and trans fans, and I saw some really shocking stuff. Again and again and again. By the time we hit the pressure point of TROS I saw one of the most offensive opinions about Kylo Ren expressed and retweeted on Twitter, which I advise you to skip the rest of this paragraph if you are in a sensitive space mentally: a user suggested that actually, if Kylo Ren's evil is analogous to mental illness, sometimes mentally ill people really do need to kill themselves because they're beyond help. Tell me: how is Kylo Ren being naughty worse than that? It fucked me up and still fucks me up, not just because of that but because of other things I have experienced.

So just ignore their framework and their approach. It's not about harm and it's not about protecting people or caring about what sort of relationships ought to be depicted in media. It's using false concern to load their argument and make it impossible to debate because you might concede territory to the idea that toxicity is okay. It's literally impossible to ever hold a conversation and I can guarantee you that 99% of people I've encountered with that opinion are 100% disinterested in hearing anything to challenge the notion of 'toxicity' because it's not about that - it's about ship and story taste. And nihilistic storytelling. Because stories are stupid and metaphors are also stupid.

Some say the idea of having a man save a woman is wrong

Lol this isn't even what it would be, but they're automatically trying to say it will be because they can't conceive of Cinder as an active character in the story because a) big mean baddie and b) stupid woman, really showing their hand there about how they conceive of female characters. Jaune helping Cinder, when everybody else has completely failed her, is profoundly meaningful, and Cinder being able to act on her own terms is profoundly empowering considering her enslavement.

But anybody trying to convince you that community is weak and we shouldn't help each other and we can't be uplifted through connection either has an ulterior motive or is somebody who has bought into deeply cynical thinking, which is probably more hurtful than anything Cinder could do.

and others say having Jaune date a killer would ruin his character.

Ruin his character how? Because he's their self-insert and it disrupts their projection? Because Jaune shouldn't do something important and transformative and he's better off left to the side? Because his Semblance shouldn't have a serious impact on the story? Lol

Yeah, would be so much better if Jaune killed Cinder. I've heard that story before, it's tragic and I don't like it. The whole point of Cinder's redemption is it would redeem the tragedy of Pyrrha's death. It's narrative patterns babey

How do you deal with stupidity on this level?

For some context, I am a TFA-era Reylo. I have seen it all. People who say Knightfall is toxic etc. (which I honestly haven't even seen because I know how to curate my fandom experience - just avoid stuff you don't like if you dislike Knightfall) are like little babies. Watch this

The way I personally deal with it is actually just to recognise you're never really having the argument you think that you're having. If you're somebody who takes IPV and the depiction of women in media really seriously, and you are interested in the way we resonate with narrative and want to discuss what it means for people to identify with villains, and if you enjoy discussing things seriously and trying to hear the other side out, you are having the wrong conversation and your 'ummmm this ship is toxic!!!' interlocutor does not care.

Yes, I'll allow there's probably some actual anxiety and projection into 'problematic media' that is actually about earnest concern - that displacement isn't controversial. But I would say that this doesn't make up the majority of the crowd. They're not interested in peer-reviewed sources, they're not interested in the kinds of 'problematic' stories which have been a part of storytelling for all of human history - and they deny humanist universalism and connection through stories as well, for dealing with complicated experiences, they're not interested in seriously debating the topic. It is the fandom age-old story of ship wars, and what kind of story someone is expecting, and this is especially apparent now with the rise of corporate storytelling. An easy story with cynical self-awareness, good vs. bad, kill bad guy. Make sure to insert a joke in there just in case you are getting too emotionally sincere.

But that doesn't matter. It doesn't mean anything to those people. Don't bother. Find your bliss instead. That goes for people who don't like Knightfall: maybe stop trying to destroy things and ask for other people to do the dirty work of making 'pure' media, and try to create things yourself.

You know why those 'pure' fandoms scare off creators and pretty much have dead fandoms? Because this kind of anodyne narrative analysis is actually creatively deadening. It's boring. Once you overthink your story this way it's impossible to write for. It's much more freeing to work in service to narrative, not in service to perceived political good... which for that matter, is a total separate tin of worms, which once you open up is extremely dangerous. If a story must be 'politically good' in order to allow to be told, I can guarantee you it will be used by the powers that be, not to tell empowering stories.

None of this is to say that I don't seriously think about the way social attitudes imprint themselves on fiction. The argument here is that social attitudes imprinted on fiction are as harmful, or as concerning as harm in real life, and must be wholly avoided. I am very comfortable reading stories which contain misogyny; I can recognise it's wrong, and part of my critical analysis enables me to use my groan up girl brain to identify whether it's something being used by the story to further its themes or whether the author is a fuckwit. I like to think that many others are just the same.

But Knightfall's not even like that lol. If anything it's empowering. To me I find the story of the deeply wounded villainess who comes into her own feminine power and redeems it through someone reaching out to her with uncompromising and literally magical compassion like, um, very compelling. Narratively the only person who can forgive Cinder is Jaune. That's why it's fun. It's not about fighting what you hate, but saving what you love.

Also, if the deep wound of the story is Ozlem, Jaune and Cinder - two characters in an ensemble cast, yes - coming together and proving you could work back from Ozlem as enemies back to lovers is... everything. That's not just emotionally moving, that's actually seriously saying something.

Although to me, the idea that you can still come back from something, and fix it, and you're not too far gone, and you can change, and you can open your heart, and you could decide not to choose violence today, and you could have a home, and you could be free, and you could take on responsibility you're prepared for, is very moving. See? It's not about toxicity. In my opinion, it's a resistance to vulnerability. Bad characters who change and recognise badness in themselves are scary.

Thanks for your ask anon. I may have got a bit impassioned there... sorrey...

[brotherskywalker]

SWRarePairs Letter below

Greetings Exalted One!

As you have probably gathered, I’m a huge Luke/Leia fan. I hope you are too, otherwise this might be a hard one for you to complete. I love them as a couple and view them as truly star-crossed lovers, so I hope you’re on board.

I did add a prompt along with each of my requests, so I won’t rehash those here. I mostly just wanted to write something to say thank you, and I guess to give a bit more perspective on what I love and want. I totally understand that this is all taken with a grain of salt. You can write your own interpretation of Luke and Leia and their relationship. But if you want to write the kind of Luke and Leia I love, then I’ll give you a little insight into my characterizations of them.

It’s my fanon that Luke and Leia were created by the Force in a similar way to Anakin. Not in the same way, but basically the Force was like “let’s take the Chosen One, give him twins, and have those twins give me even more powerful Force sensitive users.” So I’m all about Luke and Leia having kids together and it all being part of cosmic destiny. I love fics that explore this, from the struggle against the incest taboo, to the desires burning between them, to the utter submission to fate/destiny and the comfort of knowing it’s the right path they’re meant to be on.

Of course, adding other people to the pairing can complicate that and I requested several Luke/Leia + other people. I am happy with you combining things as you see fit. If you want to write romance between Luke/Leia/Han or Luke/Leia/Lando, for example, I am totally fine with it. I am happy for a situation like “Han and Leia love each other and get married as a way to help conceal the fact that Luke/Leia are also in love.” That scenario could work with any pairing for me. It is always my preference that any kids that Luke/Leia/+1 have are Luke’s and not the other partner’s, but you could also be non-specific if you want, or not include pregnancy or children.

A few more points: I don’t care for character bashing. In a story where Han isn’t involved romantically, I like him to merely have amicably broken up with Leia, or else it’s an AU where they were never involved. I don’t like him to be a huge source of angst for either of them. I don’t want him killed off and Leia grieving him. I don’t want him to be a huge abusive asshole, either. I just like him to be gone. If he is in the story, then I like him to be an equal partner to both Luke and Leia. I generally don’t care for Han/Leia, Luke/Leia where there is no Han/Luke, or where the two pairings are so separate neither knows about the other. I don’t want ANY solo Han/Leia whatsoever, please. (I am really really not into solo Han/Leia. I'm mostly fine with other combos like Luke/Din or Leia/Lando or something, but I'd rather it be Luke/Leia or an actual threesome with everyone participating.) I mean a little is fine, or if it starts one way and progresses with plot to something more, but I’d really prefer the focus be on Luke and Leia.

A few more points of my wants/DNWs: I don’t want any Legends/book stuff because I haven’t read them and don’t know them. I would prefer little to no references to the cartoons because I’m also unfamiliar with them, but I’m less picky about that so long as it can make sense if I haven’t seen them.  I do not like The Last Jedi. I love a lot of the characters from the sequels, but I do not like TLJ/the sequel trilogy. You are welcome to AU it if you’re doing anything involving prequel characters, or whatever you want. I do not like Rey/Kylo, and would beg you not to put in anything that alludes to that pairing.

I want Luke and Leia to love each other. A little unrequited stuff is okay, but ideally they are both equally in love with each other by the end of your story. I am not into anything abusive or coercive or cruel. (Exceptions can be made for LL/Vader etc. as a means to put LL closer together. Or they can be resistant at first, but come around as they give in to their true feelings.)

I am not into characters giving or receiving oral sex. (I know that's weird. If you really want to write a blow job or cunnilingus as part of sex, that's fine, but generally I'd just skip it 100%.) I am not into women receiving anal sex, however, double penetration is an exception with threesomes. A dick in each hole is love, lol. I always prefer Luke to be in her vagina and the other guy in the back, but I don't super care. (Two dicks up front is also nice, if Leia can take it.) I am totally fine with male/male anal sex. I like Luke to top one-on-one, but I am 100% down for Luke inside Leia, with Han (or whoever) inside Luke, for example.

I really don't like first person fic. Just throwing that out there.

I love graphic, loving sex. I love the incest kink. I love the pregnancy kink and lactation. I love Leia having a lot of kids with Luke. I love Luke loving Leia. I love the idea of The Force Ships It. I love the idea of Han and other people shipping Luke and Leia. I love porn with plot, and I love plot with porn. I love plotty porn especially. I love tropes and I love taking tropes and spinning them on their head. I love clever AUs. (Though no “switched at birth, Leia raised on Tatooine, Luke on Alderaan, please; it's just too over done.) I love domestic fic, and kidfic. I love angst and drama. I love romance. I love it all. I really want more fic of Luke and Leia out there that breaks the mold; that isn’t a rehash of a story someone else has already told. So, I'd rather no “sex in the Ewok village” or quickees between the scenes. I’d rather an AU.

You also welcome to ignore the sequel trilogy entirely. Please feel free to write any AU you want post-RotJ (or post-The Mandalorian if you're writing Luke/Leia/Din).

Okay, I am rambling on way too much. Here’s a link to my AO3 account in case you want to read any of my writings. Feel free as well to send me any anon asks here if you want to ask me questions about anything. You won't ruin the surprise, I promise.

In the end, thank you SO MUCH for offering to write for me. I am sure I will love anything new you write for Luke/Leia. We live in a dry desert so anything new will be wonderful. Please don’t stress about it. If you have some other idea you want to explore with them, please do it. I'm giving you my ideas to help you, not hinder you. If you hate them all and have some Luke/Leia story inside you that is aching to be released, please write it!

Thank you!!

[solohux]

happy 2021! i really hope we all have a better year this year but for now, here’s a list of my favourite kylo/hux fics that were published in 2020, ones that got me through days of lonliness and sadness to make me smile ✧

thank you fic writers of the kylux fandom! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

- keep in the dark (to stay out of the light) by howlingshame Modern AU. Smuggler Kylo Ren runs afoul of Armitage Hux, head of the First Order crime ring. Instead of killing him outright, Hux decides to keep him for his own instead. Kylo is none too thrilled with the situation, but Hux has plenty of patience. He wants Kylo to be his in every sense of the word, and they've got all the time in the world. [E, 247k words, warnings for violence, stockholm syndrome, sub kylo & dom hux]

- Please Remember I Love You by @bumblebae8 After murdering Snoke, Kylo Ren flees alongside Rey, returning to the Reistance and to his mother after ten years. They at once begin strategizing on how to take down the corrupt and evil First Order. [M, 65k words, no warnings, redeemed ben, skywalker family drama]

- Children of War by @starryartemis​ After a complicated diplomatic mission went awry, General Hux and Kylo Ren accidentally find themselves tasked with their most difficult mission: becoming parents. Despite their complex relationship, they both agree that raising an offspring will help bring glory to the First Order. Their original vision of a united family quickly falls apart as Hux and Ren cannot see eye to eye in what they want the future to hold. [E, 162k words, warnings for violence, kylux science babies, slow burn]

- I Should Live in Salt for Leaving You Behind by Asrael_Valtiri Of course, he’d betrayed Ren, to save the Order. To save himself and his people.To try to save Ren, in a way.Strange, Hux thought, closing his eyes against the glare of the overhead lighting. He pretended that the wetness escaping the corner of his eye was from the brightness. He failed.Stupid, he amended. Stupid, Armitage. [E, 65k words, no warnings, a TROS fix-it, kylo clones]

- Against All Odds by Kittens              Kylo really doesn't care for people, but he'll always help an animal in need. When he sees a dog covered in mud on a cold, rainy day, he can't help but try to help. What he didn't expect was for the dog to be a fox and the fox to be a man. [E, 49k words, warnings for violence, modern au, fox hux]

- Hadopelagic by DustOnBothSides [WIP] After a life of staying pharmaceutically heat-free, Hux has to allow his body to go through at least one natural cycle, lest there be consequences. He takes a shore leave and travels to a former omegan retreat, abandoned and all but forgotten after the fall of Old Republic. Ren, not knowing of Hux's predicament, decides to follow, suspecting treason. He finds something else instead. [E, 33k words, omega hux & alpha kylo]

- Sup From My Mouth by @atlinmerrick​ [Kylux Adjacent] Dolly Oblonskaya never precisely introduces her old friend to her children’s new tutor, no. She does put one lonely man in a room with the other again and again and again...and to her delight Konstantin Levin and Francisco Garupe take care of the rest. Or, this is the story of how an idealistic young Russian aristocrat helps heal a mourning young Jesuit priest, one very cold Moscow winter. [E, 58k words, no warnings, Fransisco Garupe/Konstantin Levin]

- Lighting the Fuse by hey_honey "What is going on?" Phasma asked when Hux returned from his meeting with Leia looking pale. He stared at her. "The Queen's son agreed to marry a First Order official on one condition," he said. "And?" Phasma encouraged. "That official has to be me," he said. [E, 30k words, no warnings, omega ben & alpha armitage, mpreg, ben is ruler of naboo]

- Across the Stars, I am Home by @venetumdrabbler [WIP] Before leaving to go undercover in the First Order, Armitage Hux had made promises. Keep an eye and report when able to the republic, and later the resistance. Keep tabs on the dark force user Snoke. And most important of all: Bring Ben Solo home. So far Hux had managed, or was managing, 2 out 3. Then there is an awakening. [M, 42k words, no warnings, jedi armitage au, slow burn]

- Pro Nobis Solum by CarelessHux (AraSigyrn)     Kylo Ren wakes after Starkiller.  Alone. [M, 8k words, no warnings, post tfa au, established relationship]

- sisyphus rolls his boulder to the top by yogurtgun     While trying to convince Rey to turn to the Dark on the Steadfast, Kylo feels Hux's presence in the Force disappear. [T, 6.7k words, warnings for violence, tros fix-it, temporary character death]

- i can make your dreams come by claquesous It feels like the small hours of the morning, the blurry in-between Hux calls early and Kylo calls late. “Can’t even make it through the night without a pillow to hump, can you?” Hux sneers. [E, 3k words, no warnings, somnophilia, sub kylo & dom hux]

- Knot Finished by Ki_Ken_Tai_Ichi  Kylo learns a bit more about Arkanis physiology through practical demonstrations. [E, 2k words, no warnings, hux is alien, top hux & bottom kylo]

- 90 Day Fiancé by @bostarsky​ & @sunnywritesstuff​ “Maybe that means you’ll be more inclined to choose me,” Hux hints, glancing over at a drone buzzing by with a sneaky look on his face. Perfect, he’ll create as much support for himself with the public as possible. "What I choose doesn’t matter,” he croons, making it sound as romantic as he possibly can to hide the true meaning of the words. [E, 38.5k words, no warnings, alpha hux & omega kylo, kylo amidala, creepy snoke]

- What if We Tried Again? by @penpenhooray​ Perhaps, but did Pryde bother to check if he was actually dead?Armitage Hux may be many things, but a fool was not one of them. So rather than stay with the First Order and watch it burn, Hux decides that faking his death would be preferable, leaving him free to tie up his one loose end. His ex-husband, Kylo Ren. But what happens when Ren...isn't quite Ren anymore, but just as "dead" as Hux? What happens if they face their feelings surrounding their failed marriage? What if they dared to try again? [T, 2.7k words, no warnings, tros fix-it, mpreg & miscarriage]

- Where Do You Go When You're Lonely? by @vadianna​ Fresh off a grueling undercover mission on an unpleasant Outer Rim planet, Kylo Ren wants to eat, drink, and sleep. Unfortunately, Hux is sitting at the only bar in the area. Thinking that Hux is there to brief him, Kylo soon realizes that Hux is off-duty, and has also never seen him without his helmet on.  Things escalate, and the two wind up finishing Kylo's mission together as they both get to know each other. [E, 29.3k words, no warnings, false identity, bottom kylo & top hux]

- Team Hux or Team Ren? by AdamJensens General Hux overhears a conversation between stormtroopers that opens his eyes to a competition between the troops of the First Order. He discovers his subordinates are not only loyal and devoted but also obsessed – Hux has fans. So does Kylo Ren, and there's a kind of war going on between the two groups calling themselves Team Hux and Team Ren. What Hux doesn't know yet is that there's a third group solely focused on shipping the two co–commanders. There's fanfiction, fanart and all kinds of crazy theories. Shipping, as Hux will soon discover, is a serious business. [E, 11.5k words, no warnings, crack treated seriously, mutual pining]

- Under Covers of Darkness by Camellia Cook (thekurosakiconundrum) Alpha twins Ben and Kylo have a somewhat unusual arrangement with their mate Hux: they're together, all three of them, and it's not strictly a Hux-in-the-middle situation. [E, 3.3k words, no warnings, threesome, sibling incest alpha ben & alpha kylo & omega hux]

- Share the Load by @emperorsvornskr​ Hux runs into Kylo while dealing with his unique Arkanan biology- and Kylo is dealing with some self confidence issues. It's a match tailor made for the both of them. [E, 6.1k words, no warnings, alien armitage hux, trans kylo, eggs]

- Safety in his arms by @redcole​ Kylo knows it's time to bond with Hux, he just wants to make sure that his intentions are clear. After all, it isn't often that an omega courts an alpha. [M, 3.2k words, no warnings, omega kylo & alpha hux, mpreg]

- Horny Hearts by @rattlesnake777​ [Kylux Adjacent] Techie has a new flatmate called Matt and all he can really think about is doing it with him... [E, 18.3k words, no warnings, Clan Techie/Matt The Radar Tech, modern au, misunderstandings]

- Collars and Kisses by koi_boi Kylo loves his little fox and has missed him dearly after a long mission away. Hux, not so much, or so Kylo thinks. Then he actually thinks for once and comes to A Realization™. They fuck, they cuddle, then they get soft and tender. Disgusting. [E, 3.4k, no warnings, fox hux, fluff & smut, dom kylo & sub hux]

- the chancellor's gift by @thethespacecoyote​ Supreme Leader Kylo Ren goes on a mission to retrieve something invaluable for his lightsaber-obsessed chancellor. However, his plans for presenting the treasure to Hux are unfortunately derailed when a group of insurgents kidnap the chancellor and hold him hostage, threatening both Hux's life, and the life of their unborn pup. It seems, even years into their reign, that there are still enemies foolish enough to try to take from Kylo what's his. [M, 5.3k words, warnings for violence, alpha kylo & omega hux, mpreg, protective kylo]

- Entrapped by @kyluxtrashpit​ While searching for a mysterious Force artifact for Snoke, a squadron of Stormtroopers goes missing. Kylo insists on going out alone then, certain he can find and face down whatever might have killed them and succeed in getting the artifact. The creature responsible, however, has other plans for him. [E, 3.4k words, rape/noncon, tentacle sex, protective hux]

- Your Chain Around My Neck by @bastila-s​ After the council meeting about the Sith fleet, Kylo asks Hux to stay behind and "prove" he isn't a spy. [E, 3.6k words, no warnings but dubcon tag, power dynamics, smut, dom kylo & sub hux]

- Regret by @abraxas-drake​ Kylo tries to get Hux to relax under the guise of a work discussion. When things go terribly wrong, Hux must rely on the new Supreme Leader to save his life. [E, 3.8k words, warnings for violence and threats of noncon, alpha kylo & omega hux, protective kylo, forced into heat]

- Invasion by sigo Hux was seated at the long durasteel table in the Steadfast’s largest conference room, Enric Pryde on his left and Mitaka presenting his findings to the group standing on his right, when he felt it: Ren’s hands on his chest, running hot down his skin below his uniform. [E, 2.9k words, no warnings, pwp, bottom hux & top kylo, force sex, semi-public sex]

- In His Grasp by @cosleia​ Kylo Ren doesn't understand why General Hux is shirking his duty over a simple injury. When he tries to find out, though, he learns more than he bargained for...about the general, and about himself. [M, 4.1k words, post-tlj, pining, hand-feeding]

- Heat Sink by @sparrows-trashcan​ Kylo Ren is an omega but so is General Hux. While Hux doesn't mind everyone knowing that his preference is limited to male omegas Kylo Ren is shamed to feel the same. Everything changes after the Starkiller incident: Kylo Ren is in heat and there is only one person on the Finalizer who could possibly help him... [E, 4.2k words, no warnings, omega hux & omega kylo, smut]

- Distraction by @kyluxtrashpit​ Kylo needs a distraction from his hopeless pining over his co-commander, who he's sure he can never have. So he turns to the Knights of Ren to keep his mind - and body - busy. When Hux walks in on the events, however, Kylo learns that perhaps his feelings aren't a lost cause after all. [E, 3.6k words, no warnings, kylo/knights of ren, group sex]

- Between the Stars by Kittens The Finalizer's medical team does not want to deal with Kylo Ren. When he ends up injured during a mission, it's up to Hux to take care of him. It's not exactly what Hux is good at, but for Kylo it means everything. [T, 3.9k words, no warnings, hurt/comfort, bathing]

- Switch Up, Love Eternal by @onewhositswiththeturtles​ When Ren damages consoles aboard the Finalizer during a tantrum, Hux summons him for some much-deserved discipline. Perhaps there would be some hope for Ren learning the error of his ways if he wasn't such a whore for punishment. [E, 3.4k words, no warnings, dom/sub switching, smut]

- Across the Stars (To Find You) by Lady_Faulkner While on a mission for Snoke, Kylo Ren gets kidnapped by pirates and it's up to General Hux to track him down and rescue him before he's sold on the black market. Along the way, Hux discovers that his feelings of hatred for Kylo Ren have been masking another emotion altogether. [E, 10.9k, no warnings, kidnapping, hurt kylo]

- Doom's Desire by @nerdherderette​ Hux never expected to find a jewel worthy of the Empire's crown in an Outer Rim desert wasteland. [E, 10.3k words, no warnings, canon au, gladiator fighter kylo, emperor hux]

- Empire Day Miracle by coldashes         Kylo just wants to relax, to be surrounded by people is to be surrounded by the Force. Except this is the First Order's Empire Day officer party and things never go as well as one would hope. [E, 4.4k words, no warnings, pwp, identity mistakes, pre-tfa]

- Reptile Husbandry by koi_boi Hux is an accomplished researcher who's having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad time in the field. He stumbles into a cave filled with secrets and one very large, very curious snake. Hux gets fucked in more ways than one. [E, 13.4k words, no warnings, modern/fantasy au, naga kylo & researcher hux, smut]

- Utapaun Christening by @mcducklet-blog​ Kylo Ren is determined to ensure that his children are the strongest creatures in the galaxy. Armitage Hux is willing to go along with it.Neither of them is ready for what that entails. [T, 6.6k words, no warnings, mpreg, knights of ren, peril]

- so it goes by @msbyjckals​ [WIP] Hux wakes to feel a pair of warm, calloused hands covering his. He doesn’t remember much, just the mission brief, the landing, and the cold. [M, 2.9k words, no warnings, starkiller rescue]

- Rumor Mill by @theweddingofthefoxes​ Everybody has their own suspicions about what Kylo Ren and General Hux get up to in private, but the truth is far more tender than anyone would guess. [G, 1.2k words, no warnings, fluff, cuddling]

- The One with the Eggs by sigo                 Hux turned on his heel, but hardly made it two steps before running straight into Kylo Ren. He knew his face betrayed his dismay. He didn’t have time for this. “I apologize, Ren, but I must be on my way.” Hux stepped to the side and Ren stepped in front of him again. Hux shivered as he felt another dropping sensation inside himself. This time the ‘drop’ completed its path — the inside of his pants was wet, cold gel trickling at a glacial pace down his thighs. Of course, that was nothing compared to what lay ahead. “Ren,” He said sharply. His voice was higher, raising in pitch the way it always did when he was panicked. “I am ill. Let me through.” Ren spoke through his ridiculous helmet, voice distorted. “We have a meeting.” [E, 4.8k, no warnings, alien hux, eggs, bottom kylo & top hux]

- Shadow Of Your Heart by @pangolinpirate​ & @redcole​ & @starkillersbae​ [WIP] After the fall of the empire Luke Skywalker fought a rising evil in the outer rim, a villain named Snoke who tormented his young nephew. With Snoke defeated, Leia sent her son to be trained as part of the new order of jedi, in the hopes that it would keep him safe. [E, 22.7k words, no warnings, omega kylo & alpha kylo, mpreg]

- Clear From Far Away by @pizzzazlut​ “But most of all, curse Kylo bloody Ren for having a chest that sparked pure, unadulterated arousal that has Hux humping his pillow like a fucking virgin.” Or the one where Hux is just trying to get off but his Supreme Leader just won't leave him alone. [E, 1.8k words, no warnings but dubcon, pillow humping]

- Tripped Over A Mouse Droid by @milarca​ & @ranebowstitches​ Hux gets injured while working, and Kylo finds him in the medbay. Who knew mouse droids could be so dangerous? [G, 3k words, no warnings, hurt/comfort, alpha kylo & omega hux]

- with you by @msbyjckals​ “You know I love you, right?” Ren said. “Of course I know that, I’ve always had you; you’ve always been mine.” [T, 1k words, no warnings, sleepy cuddles, soft domestic fluff]

- Unexpected Avenues by @sinceyouaskedmeforataleof​ [WIP, Mitaka/Hux] No one wanted to take this particularly grisly task, but Dopheld is glad it fell to him when he realises that all is not as it seems. Can he make a new life on the run with his ex, now that everything he thought he knew has been turned upside down? [E, 84k words, omega hux & alpha kylo & alpha mitaka, mpreg, post-tros]

- Who Needs The Galaxy When There's You? by Mesmeret         Kylo is a simple, lonely smuggler with no one since his accident a decade ago. Or so he thought before his twelve year old daughter retrieves him to help out his long forgotten husband with a bothersome heat. [E, 7.7k words, no warnings, alpha kylo & omega hux, amnesia, smuggler kylo & mandalorian hux]

- By the Will of the Gods by @darktenshi17​ Armitage is chosen to be a sacrifice to his gods in return for his village's protection. It's not the gods who find him out in the woods. [E, 1.9k words, no warnings but dubcon, fantasy/medieval au,

- The Fall of Yesterday by @sinceyouaskedmeforataleof​  [WIP] Seven years after Exegol, a nameless sailor works a thankless job onboard an Arkanis pearl harvester and fails to forget all the things he has lost. When the ship arrives at a new port all he wants to do is find a place to sleep through his shore leave. He might find more than that. [E, 10k words, no warnings, tros fix-it, alpha kylo & omega hux]

- Special Delivery by DaisyChainz Hux orders a toy that's supposed to be 'discreetly packaged', but when his hot mailman brings it directly to his front door, he finds out it is definitely not. [E, 3.3k words, no warnings, modern au, smut]

- Most Wanted by @pizzzazlut​ When the most prolific serial killer the city of Arkanis has ever seen is finally arrested and awaiting trial, it takes two of the cities most respected lawyers to represent the culprit and the victims. The only problem is that Kylo Ren and Armitage Hux haven't interacted since law school and will now have to work against each other to win the career-building case of a lifetime. Or The one where Kylo and Hux are rival lawyers with too much history but an equal amount of hate for Snoke. [E, 12.6k words, warnings for violence, modern au, murders and blood]

- Devotion by @kyluxtrashpit​ The Emperor loves to hear about his devoted hound's successful missions, ideally in as much detail as possible. Kylo does not disappoint. [E, 1.9k, no warnings, smut, emperor hux & hound kylo]

- three's a crowd by @thethespacecoyote​ Ren Prime catches Ben sneaking a First Order cadet onboard, and decides an unorthodox kind of punishment is in order. [E, 1.4k words, no warnings, ren prime, smut, voyeurism]

- If we have each other (the world is ours to conquer) by                    thereisnocowboyemoji “You think, what, that I have feelings for her?” “Please, Ren, do not dare try to insult my intelligence.” [G, 1.3k, no warnings, married kylux, mpreg, jealousy]

- In the Vents by @kyluxtrashpit​ Hux returns from his shift to find the bottom half of Kylo sticking out of the heating vent. Kylo is stuck and Hux isn't one to let opportunities pass him by. [E, 2k words, no warnings, pwp]

- the monster in your bed by @thethespacecoyote​ In the dead of night, something terrifying and lascivious comes to a sleeping General Hux. [E, 2k words, no warnings, consensual noncon roleplay, sub hux & dom kylo]

- Old Hornington Rides Again by oorsprong “Don’t be vulgar.” Of course he remembered. The embarrassing nickname had somehow become part of the whole taboo. Sex in the conference room in the early hours; Hux naked but for his boots and his hat and taunting Kylo with dirty talk. Kylo worshiped his cock in those days, treated it with reverence. “I could do it again.” [E, 1.3k words, no warnings, smut, old married kylux]

- His Purpose by partialresonance When Hux hears Snoke's voice in his mind, he thinks it's a caffeine hallucination. Until the voice plants an insidious purpose that Hux has no choice but to fulfill. Thankfully, Kylo is there to save him. Little does he know that the sinister presence was targeting him all along. [M, 5.6k words, no warnings, suicide attempt, mind manipulation, love confessions]  

- Mariner’s Hollo by Eirean Whilst on a diplomatic mission, Kylo is invited to take part in the planet’s ancient ritual, and demands that the Grand Marshall accompany him. Said Grand Marshall is deeply unimpressed by the whole thing. [E, 9.7k words, no warnings, enemies to lovers, smut]

- Let It Happen by @pizzzazlut​ Armitage Hux re-analyzed all his life choices up to this point and could not come up with anything as careless as this. Or the one where Ren joins Kylo and Hux in bed because he doesn't like being left out. [E, 2k words, ren prime, threesome]

- Come On And Slam by @thediktatortot​ Hux and Kylo invite Ren Prime into their chambers and get more than they bargain for. [E, 1.9k words, no warnings, ren prime, threesome]

- A Passing Madness by moreless “It’s a gift,” says Ren simply, folding his large hands behind his back. His gaze moves between the lightsaber and Hux. “It used to belong to the Jedi traitor Mace Windu. It reminded me of you.” Two steps forward, one step back. Another step back. That's how their relationship works. Even now. [T, 1.9k words, no warnings, duel of the fates au, power dynamics]

- Our Impeccable Leadership by roseofgalaxies The Supreme Leader and his treacherous General have begun to collaborate with unexpected success. There's only one problem: Ren's stopped wearing a shirt. [E, 4.8k words, no warnings, lego holiday special, body worship]

- Giving In by Kyram (BrokenApril) Hux has a mission. Millions of lives are on the line, yet Ren's presence teases him. He's desperate to give in even if his job will become all the harder. [T, 2.2k words, no warnings, touch starvation, force sensitive hux]

- to lay your armor down by surrenderer Once in a while, the Supreme Leader likes to wear his Chancellor’s greatcoat around the Capitol building. [M, 661 words, no warnings, role reversal, force sensitive hux & force null kylo]

- Benefits of Force Sensitivity by Kittens After the surprising change in his relationship with Ren, Hux has a lot to think about. But they also have a mission to complete and that may have unintended consequences. [M, 4.3k words, no warnings, force sensitive hux, cuddling]

[himboskywalker]

Tag what is your opinion on the sequels and kylo ren And Reylo?

This feels like we’re standing underneath a tree and you’re taunting and daring me to climb it and whack down a hornets’ nest with a baseball bat and I am choosing to ✨engage✨

I feel like I’m alone in my corner as a prequels centric fan and blog and writer,because I’m one of the few that doesn’t just hate the sequels and everything about them. There were things I didn’t like,mostly what was done with Luke Skywalker’s character,but there was also a lot I loved. The Last Jedi is my least favorite film out of the three trilogies but I wholeheartedly loved Force Awakens and I even liked Rise of Skywalker. I think the choreography is phenomenal,I really like the characters,and in general they’re fun. Even more importantly kids and teenagers love them and there’s a whole new generation in love with Star Wars because of them and I would never begrudge a teen girl for loving Rey and thirsting after Kylo Ren when that’s the exact same thing prequels fans do.

I hate seeing all the antis or moral police on the internet being hateful and snide about how sick it is for people to love Kylo Ren because he’s a fascist or a horrible person blah blah blah. Like...A) it’s not real and it’s a fictional character and B) nobody flips their shit like that over prequels fans loving Anakin. The difference between their characters is that we see Anakin before he falls and see him as the protagonist before he becomes the antagonist. I think people lack the critical thinking skills to understand redemption arcs and the point of narrative themes and redemption itself and I get really tired of cancel culture and the cultish moralism of the internet.

I don’t like Kylo as much as Anakin,I don’t think he’s as well written or fulfilled his character arc as well,but I do like his character and his role in the films. I also like Reylo,I’ve talked about before of why people shouldn’t have been shocked or blindsided by the direction his and Rey’s relationship took,wether you read romantic elements into it or not,by how he was introduced in Force Awakens. It’s just something I assumed would happen from the very beginning,because Star Wars works off hallmark narrative cycles and this is another one. People who act all disgusted and high and mighty over the ship confuse me because if you lack the ability to discern fiction from reality and acceptable,healthy,relationships then there’s a larger problem here,and it isn’t people lusting after a fictional villain. Does this mean I condone how some fans treated John Boyega,absolutely not,I think it’s abhorrent and shameful. But just because you ship Reylo doesn’t mean you’re racist,or condone fascist dictators and abuse,any more than shipping obikin means you condone unhealthy or illegal power dynamics in real life. We are allowed to like fictional,taboo things without being told we’re terrible people or lack the 2 brain cells to understand that these things aren’t good or normal in real life. It’s almost like that’s the point of fiction or something.

[anoray]

Yes, it’s been a while since the release of the SW sequel trilogy, so I’m not sure why I didn’t share these meandering thoughts at an earlier time. I guess my mind has been ever so slowly stewing on it, stirred occasionally whenever other people’s opinions of TFA, TLJ and TROS cross my dash, especially regarding the whole Rey/Ben/Kylo/Finn thing.  

As I am neither a Reylo nor an anti-Reylo, I objectively understand those SW fans who have a negative response to how things turned out between Rey and Finn. The ST certainly has some issues in that key character arcs, as well as the overall storyline, were not plotted out sufficiently in advance (or were not adhered to if they were), which clearly made it difficult for the variety of creative teams to maintain a consistent narrative throughout. This lack of creative cohesiveness caused certain aspects of the story and the characters’ journeys to feel like misfires when their arcs spun out in off kilter directions from what was set up in the previous film. The end result is three films that tend to undermine each other at times when they should flow together smoothly as a trilogy.

In regards to Rey, Ben/Kylo, and Finn, I do not view any of these three within the trope of a romantic love triangle. In TFA, the dynamic between Rey and Finn came across to me as very much like Luke and Leia (aka Jedi brother/sister) and I never expected them to be romantically involved. If they had become involved in that way in the later films, that would have been totally fine and fun, but what actually disappointed me about TLJ and TROS was that they did not explore and build on Finn as a budding Force sensitive even though it was clearly hinted at by Maz and other incidences in TFA. As many have already suggested, Finn’s journey in the ST would have been far better served in TLJ and TROS by focusing on his discovery of how to connect with the Force to defeat Phasma and help free fellow stormtroopers who were stolen as children and brainwashed by the New Order. 

As for Rey and Ben/Kylo, the true essence of their relationship comes across to me as spiritual, not romantic. We are told in TROS that they are two halves of one soul, a dyad in the Force. This is why they can connect the way they do across space/time and explains how Rey became so amplified in the Force after she and Kylo encountered each other. As such, Rey and Ben/Kylo represent a single soul engaged in an all out war with its own Light and Dark, each half struggling desperately for dominance until solace and reunion are achieved through balance. This torn soul’s constant inner battle manifests on the surface via the physical and verbal conflicts between Kylo and Rey until each half of the soul gradually accepts and forgives the worst of their combined Dark via the compassion of their combined Light. It is only after the two halves finally heal into one whole soul, that it can reconnect with all the Jedi/Light in the Force to balance the Dark of the Emperor/Sith. In other words, I don’t view Rey as being debased and reduced to “saving her abuser” the way some interpret their relationship. To me, she is dedicated to saving the one soul she and Ben/Kylo both share because she senses that is the will of the Force. 

Unfortunately, a muddled build up to this revelation of Rey/Ben/Kylo’s dyad dynamic in the previous two films makes it all too easy to see how the significance of their spiritual relationship gets completely buried beneath the surface of an ill-fated romance, problematic or otherwise. 

To sum up my take on the ST, I feel the trilogy’s main storyline with Rey tried hard to conclude the constant battle between Light and Dark, a conflict which had been represented by the Skywalkers and Palpatine in the PT and OT. By the time of TFA, the Force had now manifested itself into a single soul, one literally divided between the Skywalkers (Ben/Kylo) and Palpatine (Rey). The story could certainly have been told better, but I did find it interesting that it seemed like the Force wanted to test this divided soul to see if it would consume itself with hatred/Dark or heal and balance itself with unconditional love/LIght. 

Like every SW fan out there, I have my own wish list of  things I wanted done differently during these nine films (not to mention the various TV series), but I try to focus on appreciating the countless parts that I love just the way they are. Great fanfic fixits help a lot when I can’t ;)  In the end, I’m just glad SW is still alive and kicking, and that maybe someday I’ll get to watch the newest SW release with future grandchildren yet to be (may the Force be willing).

[darcyfitz]

Now That the Dust Has Settled...somewhat.

Reylo fam, the wounds are still fresh. Each time I try to write a descriptive meta about my feelings for TROS, I fall flat. I just can’t. The hurts is just too real. Yet there are some things I’d like to get off my chest. 

* I realize JJ deemed it necessary to return to Tattooine in some way. I get that. But I seriously take umbridge to Rey burying Luke and Leia’s sabers on Tattooine. It was, in my opinion, a monstrous mistake. Why? Well...Luke HATED Tattooine. Could not wait for some ship to “Teleport him off that rock”. Leia, on the other hand, had never been there. Other than the ties of their father to his home planet, it was just a place holding NO sentimental value. How lovely would it HAVE been, for Rey to bury the sabers in the waters of Naboo. It was where their parent’s fell in love, married, and shared the happiest times of their forbidden love story. It would have tied in Anakin, Padme, Luke and Leia perfectly since, well...they ARE Skywalker’s. And Rey, well...is not. No, Rey ending up on that dust bowl only served one purpose in my eyes: her muttering to a random desert dweller “I’m Rey Skywalker.”

* The total lack of screen time back story for Ben Solo. Remember him? The actual last Skywalker. I realize JJ and Co. try very hard to forget he even exists, but still. Why bother to introduce him AT ALL? Oh, right...I remember. As a vehicle for REY SKYWALKER to have her powers awaken. Got it. Forget he is the son of the beloved couple of the OT. Forget that hardly anyone in the GA reads SW canon novels and comics and has ZERO clue as to who he was before Snoke *cough* Palpatine got his spindly fingers into his head. Forget the fact he was ALONE his entire life. Actually, I can’t forget. I will never forget. Because Adam Driver played this character to absolute perfection, imparting Kylo/Ben with a light that will never fade. I’m pleased as a viewer and lifelong fan of SW that I didn’t succumb to bigotry after TFA against Kylo; painting him as an abuser, a fascist, a Nazi like monster, etc. I LOVED Han Solo. LOVED HIM. So Kylo killing Han was like a knife to my gut. But I delved deeper into who Ben Solo was, and I’m glad I did. My only question is...WHY DIDN’T JJ ABRAMS AND CREW?????

* I shipped Finn/Rose. I did. I get that so many wanted Finn/Rey to happen. Or Finn/Poe. I understand. You like who you like to ship. Live and let ship. One of my biggest gripes is that because there was not enough time to get to know Ben Solo more, that whole world building exercise in having Finnrose form a relationship in TLJ was pointless. They barely spoke in this film, and it looked like Finn had other romantic interests going on. There could have been so much time extra for Ben’s backstory if Canto Bight never happened. I realize TLJ was Rian and not JJ, but as a whole, the continuity was handled BADLY.

* I know that after Crait, Rey was PISSED at Kylo. I get that. He did some bad stuff. But I (and my husband) got tired and weary in this film watching Rey and Kylo battle it out every five minutes. By the deathstar scene, hubby leaned over and asked me ‘Another lightsaber duel?’ I gently whispered that all the fighting was a metaphor for sex. But I digress. Then, suddenly, she kisses the skin off of his lips. While the end for me is beautiful and horrible in equal measure, the fact that Ben dies with little fanfare leaves me wanting. A lot. 

* Which brings me to this: Where the hell was EVERYONE for Ben???? Not a soul was there to ‘Be With Him’. He spent a lifetime in isolation, and as the HEIR of Skywalker there was NO ONE. Not Anakin, which I am thoroughly pissed about. You bring ewoks back for this film, Lando back, but not Anakin? The entire production company came out for Rey, but not Ben. 

* I knew from the first hour of TFA that Rey was not ‘nobody’. I said she was either a Kenobi or a Palpatine. After TLJ when people were debating and arguing her lineage, so many were indignant that she could still be a great Jedi and be nobody. True. Only, she WAS somebody. And even though I have no hate for Rey, she stole Ben’s birthright courtesy of JJ Abrams. She had a meaningful albeit brief relationship with Ben’s parents. She had Han’s ship. Luke’s saber. Leia’s time and training. What the hell did Ben have again? Oh, yeah. Neglect. Mistrust. Fear. Everything Rey received, should have been Ben’s. Some friends of mine pointed out that well...since Ben and Rey are one soul in two bodies, technically- Nah. Hell no. Ben DESERVED love. Not that Rey didn’t, but she wasn’t the focus here. Oh, I’m sorry, I forgot. She WAS the focus. The legacy character of the ‘good’ guys was sacrificed so that the legacy character of the ‘bad’ guys could RISE. Again, Ben Solo was merely a vehicle to promote Rey as the new Luke of this generation. Rey got top billing in this trilogy and Ben was relegated to second fiddle. That would have been fine, if this trilogy was about the Palpatine’s. But it wasn’t. It was about the Skywalkers. Or it was. I have no freaking idea WHAT it’s about, at this point.

Honestly, I know we got a somewhat happy ending. Good triumphed over evil. Ben was redeemed. He came home to his parents. He kissed the girl he loved, and died happy. Reylo, blessed Reylo, was REAL. And nobody can change that. No fanboy, no anti, not even JJ. But I still wanted. Not MORE for Ben, but for the GA to know who he was.  

@michellestarswept @ravenclaworganasolo @ajedisgirl @glitzescape @bellaren18 @nite0wl29 @asalookslikelokin @tazwren @zhrmf @franymol @roguewn @monharki @millennium-eagle @half-ok @psy-kylo-gy @catalina-infanta @franpaw-reylo-creations @empressdarkren

[unexpectedreylo]

Reylo & That Trailer

Say whatever else you want about JJ Abrams but the guy knows how to put out a trailer.  

I’m sorry to see people grumble that it was “anticlimactic” or “underwhelming” because this 42-year fan thought it was greatness on a cracker.  I was very apprehensive about TFA in 2015.  Now I’m excited.  I really think this movie is going to be a big epic gooey chocolate chip cookie of goodness. 

As Reylos, we have every reason to be optimistic.  I thought maybe we’d get a little tidbit, just enough to get tongues wagging.  They could’ve just focused on action or on nostalgia because not only do they not want to give away the film’s major plot twists, but also because overt romance tends not to sell well to male audiences.  While there’s action aplenty, the meat of the trailer is basically Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice thrown into a blender.  And you thought my “Space Lizzie Vs. Darth Darcy” was just a joke.

Rey’s frustrated voice-over that people think they know her (no one does) undermines Finn’s happy talk of the Force bringing “us” (whoever that is) together and Poe’s pep talk of not having to fight alone.  She’s like Jane Eyre after she leaves Rochester; she finds companionship and a new home but somehow it’s not the same or quite enough.

And who should appear through a spray of water than our Byronic hero, Kylo Ren a.k.a. Ben Solo.  “But I do,” he says in his sexy voice-over.

*SWOON.*

I knew in that moment we were going to be all right.  There’s no threat or anger in Kylo’s tone.  This sounds like the Ben Solo who told Rey, “You’re not alone.”

*DOUBLE SWOON.*

If you can’t figure out that Kylo is transforming into a romantic hero in this film, I can’t help you. The line “But I do” is swoonworthy not just because of how it’s delivered in Adam’s bass tones but especially because it is an acknowledgement of the deep and unique intimacy between them.  It’s incredibly erotic.

The stormy seas and driving rain among the Death Star wreckage seems to mirror the emotions running high between Rey and Kylo as they duel.  But notice it’s an inversion of the lava duel between Anakin and Obi-Wan in ROTS.  There, friends were transforming into enemies.  I believe here is where “enemies” are going to transform into...something else.  Once they get their angst out I really do think this scene will mark the turning point of their relationship.

If you have any doubt about that, there’s another shot in the trailer (with the caption “the story will live forever”) with Rey and Kylo standing in the ruins of the Emperor’s throne room.  Rey has her lightsaber ignited but Kylo does not.  The storm seems to have subsided and light pours in through the window between the two of them.  Rey is in the light and Kylo seems to be standing just where the light starts to reach.  (Someone pointed out it’s also yin-yang symbolism.)  His leg is extended forward.  It seems to me they are about to close the physical gap between them.

The setting is interesting for a number of reasons.  First, standing in the ruins of an abandoned structure is about as gothic lit as it gets.  Instead of a castle, manor, church, or abbey, it’s the Death Star II.  Second, it hints at what’s to come with their inevitable showdown with the former occupant of that throne room, Emperor Palpatine.  Third, it refers back to their last meeting in TLJ, the wreckage of Snoke’s throne room.  Except Snoke’s throne room was raining flames and there were dead bodies everywhere.  In the Death Star throne room, it seems calm and quiet among the wreckage from long ago.

Am I concerned about Palpatine gloating, “Long have I waited.  And now, your coming together will be your undoing?”  Nope.  The trailer implies he’s speaking to Rey and Kylo/Ben.  Could it be he’s talking to someone else or a larger group?  Possibly.  But whatever Palpatine thought he was going to get out of Rey and Ben, he’s not going to get it.  He can’t.  It’s easy to see why Palpatine would think love was a weakness.  Love was the carrot stick he used to lure Anakin Skywalker to the Dark Side.  But Palpatine consistently failed at one thing...underestimating its power for good.  He underestimated Vader’s love for his son and by extension for Padme, as well as Padme’s love for Anakin that allowed her to conceive and carry those twins.  And he will not only underestimate Ben and Rey’s love for each other, he will also underestimate the love between mother and son in spite of all that’s happened (yes I think Leia will somehow have a hand in defeating Palps).

(While I’m at it, this is why I don’t get some folks insisting Rey and Ben are totally platonic.  The bond isn’t what makes them powerful.  It’s the love in the currents beneath it, even if they haven’t acknowledged it yet.  It’s amazing to me how many fans miss this point.)

There’s some debate as to whether Rey and Kylo were working together when they destroyed Vader’s helmet or whether they were fighting each other.  My first impression was the former which is why it set my Reylo heart aflutter.  She seems to get into it more than he does but if he’s trying to defend an artifact sacred to him, he’s not trying too hard.  Just sayin’.

The end with another Romantic Hero shot of Kylo/Ben and the beatific Rey is obviously the same scene.  She seems to be facing Palpatine alone, then it looks like Baby Boy 2.0 has that “I know what I have to do” expression on his face.  I think this is his Big Redemption Moment and Rey is realizing the vision she had in TLJ is coming true.  I think he comes to join her to take out the Sidious trash once and for all.  The shot from the D23 trailerette where he’s dragging along his lightsaber?  It’s the same scene.  Notice his hand is unclenched in that shot.  He’s ready to come by by his lady’s side.

*SWOON.*

[sw-daydreamer]

Ben’s life Force

TROS told us that Rey was reborn thanks to Ben's life Force which is not only making it impossible for him to be a Force Ghost, but also  grants her the right to feel connected to Leia and Luke and call herself Skywalker, because he gave it all to HER, out of LOVE.

He gave  her his life, and his soul, everything he had. SO yes they are ONE now.

This should feel so romantic to me  and to all of us. So why is it not? Why are  we mourning Ben and almost reluctantly celebrating Reylo?

First the entire movie up to the duel does not take the time to assert the connection as truly romantic in the first place, it’s only relying on minimal references to the 2 previous movies, and even avoiding to create new emotions or lines that carry the weight of their deep connection. It’s all good VS bad again... the inner turmoil felt by Ben, and voiced by Rey,  is there, but muffled on purpose, behind the mask and the sheer lack of scenes. They’re not allowed to grow, as characters, only the bond but in a technical way, like a bigger super power.

Second,  when Ben turns, Adam’s portrayal is truly amazing, his demeanour changes completely and channels his fathers cockiness and self assurance , which added to his yielding of the Force,  is truly compelling to watch.  No words are further said, maybe to let us take in that change on the physical level, but also to limit the use of canon text to a minimum. The absence of the words, the text, is almost unbearable and unforgivable when he finally bring her back to life. No romantic vows, or promesses but only gestures, a nod, a smile, a hand taken, a life given, and one name BEN. It is actually beautiful if you take time to look at it properly... and  savour it... but you can’t because the pacing is fast, too fast to let you take it in, and MAKE IT MATTER. Besides, gestures are left to the interpretation of the viewer, making these acts subtle on the grounds of “their inner connection needs no words”  which is also likely to  make it less visible and powerful to the eyes of the general audience.

Third, the dyad, as a way to evoke their connection. When you look at a love story you call it a romance, you say it’s romantic, you speak of soulmates. The technical term, dyad,  is presented as being one in the Force, by Kylo before his turn and like life itself by Palpatine, the ultimate villain of the Saga. This throws a shadow of uncertainty as to the nature of this connection, of why it has come to be and remains only explained by Snoke in TLJ, when he reveals himself as the creator... yet we are told he was Palpatine’s puppet. In other terms, Snoke was probably lying. I do see  Reylo as soulmates connected by the Force, but what do others see in this fog of over complicated and murky explanations? Even then, Reylos are left with this irritating doubt around the core theme of their story, the thematic words are missing.

Fourth, Rey did not fade, Ben did, but did not reappear later as  a ghost. 

According to Kylo they are one in the Force, an idea vaguely borrowed to the concept of the Prime Jedi but without its profound implication that they both matter, that balance matters. When Rey dies she can not go, she is held by the other part that makes her : Ben, he acts as a tether to the the physical world.  She can’t fade away, because part of her is still alive, her other half. When he comes to her, he gives away all his LIFE Force to breathe in life back in her body. This  is given to Rey, he is not just USING the Force, it’s like a life force transfusion. This was even explained by REY early in the movie (copying Rian’s technique of explaining a Force projection  as deadly early in TLJ) when she heals the creature’s injury, and explained what she had done. So Ben is not his own entity anymore whether in the physical or spiritual world. Even though the idea of having a soulmate is extremely romantic at heart, it is meant as a metaphor, and not to be taken literally. We’re left with the sensation of emptiness because there is nothing left of Ben to mourn, no place to seek him or think of him as a presence, unless we accept TROS’s view that he is now a part of Rey, and this also is where the hurt continues!

fifth, Rey does not mourn, the loss of Ben, probably because she still feels him within her, but she does not tell anyone he is a part of her, unless we take the “ I am Rey Skywalker” as THE acknowledgement. Yet again it is up to interpretation, and anything which carries emotional weight in the movie is treated this way, gestures, hints, subtleties that drive the ones  who care crazy with uncertainty, and flies over the head of the casual audience. 

Sixth, the impossibility to be a couple for more than 2 seconds takes away the necessity to reason the moral integrity of their relationship. Toxic or not toxic, that is NOT the question anymore, it’s simply not. And yet, his death, or transference into her, leaves the sour taste in our mouth that he was not redeemed enough or worthy to carry on living. Death is a punishment and when all of Ben Solo’s background story of abuse and victimisation, pushed towards the dark side, rather than chosen, is only made CLEAR in canon novels and comics, then the pill becomes hard to swallow. 

Finally, Adam Driver said about his character, “What does he have to be redeemed for?” Indeed, the character is described in canon material as abused  and as a victim, so our hearts swell when Ben is finding the strength to be his true self, break the protective shell of Kylo Ren, he was hiding within and runs to save his love. SO  why does he need to be punished? Why is the sacrifice of his life and soul made to appear as a fleeting moment?

I am mourning Ben Solo on a personal level that I did not think could be possible and it is truly painful. I want it to stop.

The idea of Rey and Ben being ONE within Rey is not the payoff I wanted, because all the lights are on Rey and Ben remains in the shadow, once again. I wanted balance, two equals in the Force.

 I think Reylos are a strong, fun and compassionate eclectic band of romantic star wars fans... we can do this... continue the story, fill in the gaps, bring back Ben Solo, because really, with these awesome new Force super powers, there has to be a resurrection one... Palpatine did it... and Rey is...

Give Ben Solo his voice back.... 

[velvet-tread]

In which Star Wars was uplifting af for a hot second and we all hoped they wouldn’t fuck it up

TROS got a lot wrong (howls into the Rey nobody/Rose Tico void forever) but boy did they get one thing right and that was the rise of Ben Solo on Kef Bir.

And maybe I’m misinterpreting this Important Man Work with my delicate lady eyes, but for me it was about a bit more than the symbolism of Kylo Ren’s “death”, which has been much picked over already and confirmed by the production team. The tl;dr is that the whole sequence felt like it ran far deeper than a simple death-rebirth cycle, and there’s a certain rhythm to how this sequence goes down that is just pure poetry. So, I have to have do a breakdown.

Caveat: Some of my read on it may be way off what was actually intended because I fully believe this movie was written by a team of barely-sentient walruses with fanboy party hats on and we should probably lower our expectations with regards to emotional intelligence but here goes anyway.

The location is a ruined Death Star in the middle of a churning sea. A RUINED DEATH STAR. IN A CHURNING SEA.

What better metaphor is there for Kylo Ren? All of the conflict, all of the rage and all of his chaotic energy in the Force which led him down this path, embodied in roiling water. Everything he aspired to, the power and glory of Darth Vader, rotting and fragile and corrupted by the very same turmoil that corrupted Ben Solo.

Safety info: walruses shouldn’t be allowed trowels at all, let alone permitted to use them to lay it on so damn heavy.

So in the middle of this mad-dramatique metaphor Kylo Ren is chasing Rey. She lures him to the very, very edge of this Death Star, this old, crumbling dream of his, to fight him to the death. SWEET LORD THEY ARE SO STRONG AND EVENLY MATCHED IN THE FORCE AND MY KINK LIVES.

And then: Leia calls.

His mother, her mother, the mother of every Star Wars fan that ever lived. She calls. And Kylo Ren brbs out of battle headspace, Leia dies with the effort of it and Rey spears him with his own lightsabre just as they both feel Leia’s light putter out.

Silence.

This is where I get very emo even for me.  I can’t remember if the score was cut – it probably wasn’t – but it may as well have been because I just heard white noise. WHAT. A. MOMENT.

Obviously this changes everything but not in the way I – or these two characters – had been prepared for. Because what really sticks is that Kylo getting skewered isn’t the Important Development here. It’s utterly incidental. The most important development in this whole edge of the world scenario is that Leia is dead.

(Sidebar: I know that Chris Terrio has said that some of what followed was intended as Leia mindfuckery, but seeing as a) I hate that, and b) they chose to insert her “death” at the point where she reached out to Ben, I’m ignoring that extra-textual info hashtag walrus).

We get a couple of shocked seconds as Kylo Ren and Rey process. Kylo doesn’t even seem to notice that he has a gaping hole in his torso. Rey looks numb. Neither of them seem aware that the other is present. But then she looks at him and oh- not only is he physically broken, visibly made of the same flesh and bone that she is, but that horror she feels is reflected right back at her.

It’s a moment of parallel, silent grief and shared, binding humanity, and that is what I think leads her to heal him. Suddenly, she can no longer see a monster. She sees only a human being, pitiful, lost and wrecked, someone who meant something to Leia and she to him, and because’s she’s Rey, her compassion and empathy and all her inherent kindness kick in.

And look, this is where I diverge from some of the more critical views on Bendemption and its real-world meaning. Because I don’t think this particular redemption story is really about the rendemptee. This isn’t a story that centres male pain (although there is plenty of it in the ancilliary material and I Do Not Forget Ben Solo’s pain) and it isn’t a story that makes the case for redemption on a man’s inherent “goodness”. In fact Kylo/Ben, his character and rap sheet, don’t really matter in this moment.

What matters is Rey, and the choices she makes when she’s looking into the darkness herself. Her mentor is dead. She’s just won a battle and has sentenced her enemy to death. It would be very easy for her to grab that little slice of darkness she’s been so tempted by this whole time. Salve the wound of her grief with the feeling of power over another. Satiate her loneliness with anger. But she doesn’t. She chooses kindness. She chooses love.

And like, I don’t mean romantic love, shipper though I be. I mean the love that Rey has within her, separate from her idea of justice and completely unrelated to forgiveness or “deserving”.

This love that Rey has for Leia, for the Resistance, for Han, for her vanquished drama queen enemy Kylo Ren, for hot mess Ben Solo, for everyone, is so fucking powerful and redemptive in its own right it needs an executive assistant and its own en suite bathroom. It’s on her face as she weeps uncontrollably as she heals him (and damn, Daisy Ridley absolutely smashed this whole scene), and it’s reflected in his face which is – thank you Adam Driver for this – utterly incredulous that she would give him another chance at life when he knows damn well he isn’t owed one.

That is when she deals the sucker punch. She doesn’t offer him forgiveness. She tells him what he could have had if he hadn’t made his choices. “Ben’s hand” is the hand of someone who chooses the light, commits to it and sacrifices for it. Which means: power and glory isn’t worth her soul, and it shouldn’t be worth his either. That his inner conflict means nothing on its own. That the mere existence of goodness within him would never have been enough for her. Then she leaves.

*screams into a pillow for all eternity*

According to George Lucas, Star Wars has always been about love. And it’s shrouded in this cloak of unconditional human love – and I am not a fan of unconditional love in a relationship context but HOLY FUCK this is the love that counts here – that Ben Solo finds the strength to compartmentalise Kylo Ren and confront the worst thing he’s ever done: the death of his father. And the forgiveness Memory!Han implicitly offers (and it ABSOLUTELY tracks that Han Solo, who canonically cherished his son even after he was murdered by him, would offer him forgiveness, fight me) is what gives him the strength to turn away from the Dark Side, let his anger go and let the churning sea claim his cracked, volatile crossguard.

Leia’s sacrifice, Rey’s compassion and Han’s forgiveness, all powered by love, rebuilt a whole-ass PERSON and that shit is hopeful af. I thought – wow this is GENUINELY UPLIFTING AND MOVING, I hope they don’t fuck it up.

*looks at the camera like I’m in the Office*

Anyway, Ben Solo lives. Peace out.

[elfpen]

So, reprise is one of the great gen star wars epics and I was wondering if (outside of the fic) you "ship" anything in the star wars fandom, canon or non-canon? Thanks!

Oooh that’s a good question, anon!

To be honest, in Star Wars, as in a lot of fandoms, I’m a fairly ambivalent fan when it comes to ships. With good writing, I am usually open to persuasion except for a few ships, which are absolute nos.

Here is a list which is by no means exhaustive:

A few ships that I absolutely do not like and refuse to read:

Rey/Kylo

Anakin/Obi-Wan

Qui-Gon/Obi-Wan

Really any master/student match-up or any ship with questionable power dynamics. This includes many but not all ships to do with clones.

Anything with Kylo Ren, really.

Ships that I find to be meh or just okay:

Obi-Wan/Satine

Luke/anyone

Leia/Han

Anakin/Padme

Aayla/Bly

So like... a lot of the canon ones, I’m now realizing...

Some ships that I like a lot:

Qui-Gon/Tahl -- listen, these two were the ultimate tragic pair when I was just a youngster getting into the fandom, and I continue to love the many fanon interpretations on their relationship

Obi-Wan/Padme

Dooku/Jocasta Nu -- please check out @emily-escott‘s amazing and adorable SW comics!

Kanan/Hera

Poe/Finn -- platonic, romantic, whatever you want to spin it as, let these boys stick together!

As an honorable mention, I will say that many years ago, I read a lovely AU (which for the life of me I cannot find anywhere now, maybe it was taken down?) where Ahsoka Tano was a Jedi knight for the full course of the Clone Wars rather than being a padawan. In this AU, she and Rex were command buddies a la Cody and Obi-Wan, and the two ended up in a bit of a slow burn relationship which worked incredibly well and I really fell in love with. The chemistry actually informed a bit of how I write Aola and Cody in Reprise. However, since this was a major AU and doesn’t reflect canon, I cannot say I actually like the Rex/Ahsoka ship because the age and power imbalances in that ship are just... *shudder* no. Just no. Canon Rex and Ashoka are totally badass bros who are with each other to the end, but nothing more.