#I should also mention that Ren is very unreliable too

[krashlite]

Scar and Grian are probably the most unreliable narrators in this series and that’s just so fascinating I think

If you watch any other perspective they look so evil, not just in 3L either!! Grian specifically is mildly terrifying whenever he’s on screen and while Scar is very cheerful, he makes it clear he only has loyalties when it’s entertaining (minus clockers and partially minus desertduo)

Obv they’re more complex than just this but they’re always talked about like these poor sad puppy dogs trying to survive a train wreck when half the time they’re the ones derailing the train in the first place

[saintheartwing]

So Lily ONCE AGAIN Responded

So basically she thinks i’m a Bible-Thumper. And she also acts like I only care about the rich people.

 “Ironically, Aliana slaughters a bunch of security guards just doing their job in that same chapter but nobody mentions it. They only care about the rich people.”

 Uh...evidently she didn’t bother to read my “So Lily Responded Yet AGAIN” post where I said...and I’m quoting directly here...

“Also, I know someone will bring up “But what about Aliana killing Rey’s parents”? Yeah that was murder too, she killed them in a fit of rage and they were unarmed. They may have been assholes but it was still murder. I didn’t want to, at first, bring it up because part of me felt “well she was kinda in a really bad mood and she got triggered by what they said” and I almost felt bad for Aliana...but reconsidering it...yeah. That was wrong too. It’s wrong to kill unarmed people. Wrong to kill people who can’t fight back. THAT’S murder and THAT’S wrong. Then there was the whole “when she went to get the CodeMaster” thing. She killed a lot of security guards. I was SORTA willing to overlook that because those guys WERE kinda armed...” Yeah, I kinda addressed the larger “she’s a murderer” thing not just in relation to those rich jerks. But you know what? She doesn’t think the criticism of Aliana is fair because as a Sith, her character’s SUPPOSED to have a darker morality. Okay...fine. Except Rey also casually murders a guard for accosting a refugee. Forgot that. She literally force-snaps his neck. 

Okay, you know what...I’ve changed my mind. Aliana making those stormtroopers before doing the mass suicide, and Rey doing that neck snap of the guard outta nowhere for accosting a refugee, that kinda does seem like murder. It’s gross. You can’t just kill people for being kinda dickish. 

And yeah, this is the full scene: “Rey glanced over and saw a Coruscant security guard accosting a Twi’lek refugee and scoffed. “Really? Because it seems like they have time to stick guns in everyone’s faces.”“When you’re wealthy enough, you can put almost anyone in your pocket,” Leia said with a downcast expression. “Official security teams make the best crime muscle.” “Oh yeah?” Rey said, almostly tauntingly. She reached her hand out and twisted her wrist. The guard’s head snapped violently to the side and he fell twitching to the ground. The Twi’lek glanced around in surprise, before getting up and sprinting away as fast as she could. “Hmm… seems like they need work.”“Rey!” Amilyn exclaimed incredulously. “He was accosting a refugee. What, was I supposed to just do nothing?!” Rey yelled.”

Uh, yeah, you can’t just kill a cop on the street if they’re asking someone to get out of their car so they can search their pockets. You can’t just kill a security guard in a store or mall because they wanted someone to come with them to check to see if they stole something. Yeah he’s an armed guard but the way she did it, this does basically make it murder. 

And that “REY” from Amilyn is literally the ONLY criticism Rey gets. Guess what the next lines are? From LEIA of all people? ““I was more expecting you to go torture him a bit until his fellow guards laid down supressing fire allowing him to get away,” Leia said with a shrug. “You seem so fond of that tactic lately.”

So no objections whatsoever. I guess the SUGGESTION is supposed to be “All these guards on Coruscant are corrupt because the system is so unwieldy and unreliable”. Yeah, except there’s no proof that guard was corrupt or anything, he was just being kinda dickish and she casually kills him. 

Our HEROINES, ladies and gentlemen. Our HEROINES. I think I’ve made my point. The main protagonists that we’re supposed to root for in her story are just WAY too comfortable with casually killing people and the story doesn’t really treat it as a bad thing save with maybe a few lines like “Rey!” or “I’m glad you’re on our side” or “Okay, this is a new side of you that I’m not sure I like,” Yeah, cuz that’s REALLY calling her out there. Fight the good fight, Poe. 

I’ve said my piece. I just think it’s unpleasant and unethical behavior and frankly uncreative. Killing is the lowest common denominator. It’s the easy way out. And someone with Force powers should be smarter and more creative in how they handle problems. And so should Lily. 

Can’t wait for another long post where she personally insults me, calls me a “fucking idiot” again and yells at me for being a Bible thumper or calls my morality “childish”. I find it pretty astounding that she says I’M the one having a break down when she’s the one who immediately went to multiple personal attacks, straw-manning my argument several times, and made more posts complaining about me than I did complaining about her STORY. Cuz that’s the thing. My critique was of her story and the character, not really Lily herself. But pretty much Lily’s ENTIRE bunch of criticism is mostly about ME being stupid and wrony and yadda yadda, that comes FIRST, defending Aliana’s behavior is second, and she only focused on the “Why do you care she killed rich assholes” thing, not the whole “Wow, she is WAAAAAY too comfortable with casual murder and killing people” thing that was my main point. 

Also, you know what else bothers me? I left another review on her story about a week or so ago, I tried to overlook that casual murder thing to bring up a critique about the story that I thought was fair...that there was no real drama left, no threat left. Because think about it.

There’s no big superweapon left to destroy like in TFA. Nobody is chasing the Resistance down and they could be mere hours from death like in TLJ. No huge superfleet that’s gonna destroy the galaxy in a matter of days like in RoS. No “ticking clock”. And there’s no big bad left that’s a real threat. They CREAMED Kylo Ren. Straight out. Aliana and Rey are just that powerful, Snoke’s dead, so...the bad guys aren’t a threat anymore but are still around and only exist to just...occasionally pop in courtesy of Lily to remind you they still exist. Or rather, they exist for Rey and Aliana to call them up and go “ha ha we’re still alive eff you”. 

So then, where’s the tension? Where’s the threat? If the bad guys aren’t a threat, then there’s no real conflict left. Aliana and Rey are basically unbeatable. The Republic can’t stand up to them and them TRYING to or even being at all concerned about the threat either would pose is treated as wrong. Their friends can’t stand up to them and won’t. And the bad guys are no threat. So...why are the bad guys still around? So I said “Why don’t you just have them go defeat them already, and you can focus the story on the interpersonal relationships between the characters, which is clearly the heart of the story anyhow”? After all, the bad guys aren’t serving much of a purpose anymore because they’re no longer a threat or a real obstacle, so just get rid of them and you can focus on the two lovers and antics and good times with them exploring the galaxy and being on their own with each other. I thought that was a fair point.

Course, she deleted it because...well, stuffed if I know. I honestly don’t know why she doesn’t just have the characters just go in and bust up the First Order in the very next chapter, it’s not like they could stand up to Aliana’s raw power. 

Just saying. 

[makeuptips-]

A Beginners Guide to Anti-Aging: New to anti-aging products? Ingredients, Routine, and Application Tips

The world of skincare is a vast and often overwhelming one where the process of purchasing the right products feels much like searching for needles in a haystack. By the time you hit your mid-twenties, your skin’s needs change, and you’ll likely find yourself tempted by bold marketing lingo that promises to “Lift and Plump!” or “Farewell Wrinkles!” The truth is, much like our hair colours, body shapes and personalities, our skin types are unique and individually effected by internal and external skin agers. Therefore, the manner in which we approach our anti-aging skincare routines should be personal and considered.

Skin care expert and Founding Director of UW Collective, Annabelle Personeni has engineered anti-aging products for Johnson & Johnson, Yves Rocher and A’kin. Annabelle explains that while we’re incapable of changing our genetic makeup, we do have sway over a number of external aging contributors, such as exposure to the sun, lack of sleep, smoking and diet choices. According to Personeni, a good anti-aging product “will contain high levels of antioxidants and will have a base which will deeply hydrate the skin and reinforce its barrier integrity.”

We’ve cut through the noise and compiled a basic guide on how to develop your very first anti-aging skincare routine – one suitable for all skin types.

 THE FIVE PRODUCTS YOU NEED

In the simplest terms, every skincare routine (especially one targeted towards anti ageing should contain: Cleanser (and a double cleanse at that), an Exfoliant, Serum, Moisturiser, and the biggest essential of all: Sunscreen.

 CLEANSER TIMES TWO

Cleansing contributes positively to our skin’s natural renewal cycle. Gently cleansing the skin both in the morning and before bed counteracts the havoc numerous external aggravators can play at a surface level; aggravators including pollution, indoor heating, dirt and makeup. Immediate signs of neglect often include clogged pores, an uneven tone, and dullness. Personeni advises, “it is important to choose cleansing products which respect the skin lipids, the skin pH and the natural microflora,” whereby the fewer additives your products contain, the better your skin will likely react. Opt for cream and oil cleansers in place of ‘soapier’ alternatives that tend to dry skin out (try Fresh’s Soy Face Cleanser or Dermalogica’s UltraCalming Cleanser). This first step will "melt" away the bulk of your makeup without stripping the skin. Follow up with a gentle cleanser, micellar waters work great, try Bioderma’s Sensibio H20 Make-up Removing Micelle Solution or Sisley’s Eau Efficace Gentle Makeup Remover.

 TIP: Be mindful when cleansing your eye area. Skin is thin and your eyes are more susceptible to irritation if exposed to chemicals.

 AN EFFECTIVE EXFOLIATOR

Exfoliating the skin two-three times per week takes the benefits of cleansing to a deeper level (literally and figuratively). While we often pinpoint the earliest sign of aging to be the development of fine lines, Personeni notes that it’s actually the subtle changes to the skin’s structure and colour that really play a part, whereby “pores become enlarged, the skin surface doesn’t reflect light as well, and starts to yellow”. For a cleanse that is effective without being rough and corase on the skin, try exfoliators containing Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs), like Glycolic or Lactic Acids, also designed to clear away dead skin cells for an evenly pigmented complexion (Chemical Exfoliants: Breakdown and Product Recommendations) AHAs are proven to shorten the skin’s renewal cycle from 28 to 16-20 days, Personeni explains, thereby getting your skin fresher, faster. The trick is to incorporate an AHA-based exfoliator into your routine for a couple of months at a time only (for example, in the lead up to a special event), because eventually your skin will adapt and results will subside. Try Alpha-H’s acclaimed Liquid Gold or Wander Beauty Fast Lane Instant Facial

SUPER SERUM

Often misunderstood yet highly effective, serums are fine liquids designed to plump the skin and target unique concerns. Lighter in consistency than traditional creams and lotions, serums contain tiny molecules that penetrate the skin deeply, providing reparative ingredients to unexposed dermal layers. This process is especially effective when using thin water-based serums gently pressed (not rubbed) into the skin post-cleansing. There are umpteen serums available, so it’s helpful to first identify what it is you’d like to achieve for your skin before ‘Adding to Cart’. As a general starting point, Personeni suggests trying a serum containing plant extracts “which are rich in flavonoids” as they are good “’free radical catchers” and will help protect the skin against the effect of pollution and light”. A great product for this is Innisfree’s Green Tea Seed Serum. Once you become familiar with how a serum works and feels, take your time to research what ingredients will respond best with your skin.

TIP: ”To me, skin care is a tactile business,” Personeni says on her preferred application method. “Our hands know our face, and massaging the skin gently with our fingers and warm palm of the hand is a wholesome way to be in tune with our skin, feel the life in it, be one with it!”

 MOISTURISER

Applying a moisturiser is often the first step we take in attempting to slow the skin’s aging process. We’re huge advocates of this, however it would be remiss to choose just any cream to apply. At the first signs of aging, Personeni recommends sourcing products rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory actives that “will help neutralise free radicals and pathways involved in the damage of skin’s vital structures.” Ultimately, you’ll see greater benefit from building the integrity of your skin at this early stage, rather than trying to reverse any pre-existing problems. Look out for moisturisers – whether in the form of a cream, lotion or gel – that contain any one or more of the following: vitamin E (to repair), vitamin C (to lighten), beta carotene/vitamin A (to divert UVA exposure), and Lycopene (to protect). “By keeping my skin at its optimal health level, it is in a much better position to defend itself against environmental damage,” Personeni explains. Try REN V-Cense Revitalising Night Cream to tick multiple boxes in one.

Got acne, but want anti ageing benefits? It’s also not uncommon to experience multiple skin concerns at once (particularly in your twenties while your body goes through varied hormonal highs and lows). If you’re one of many of us trying to stave off adult acne, search for creams containing Niacinamide (a form of vitamin B3 required by the body), like Olay’s Total Effects 7 in One Day Cream SPF 15 which is known to prevent acne while boosting hydration levels required to keep skin looking young. Alternatively, Personeni suggests tackling one problem at a time to allow skin to adapt to targeted products.

 TIP: While we’re a big fan of oils, moisturisers often contain particles that are water-soluble and are therefore easier for the skin to soak up. Instead, consider applying oil on top of your moisturiser for a dewy finish.

 SAVE THE BEST ‘TIL LAST, SUNSCREEN

You’ve heard it before and you’ll hear it again – there is no product more reliable to steer your skin away from the signs of aging than a sunscreen. This is essentially due to the fact that a trusty Broad Spectrum SPF containing protection against both UVA and UVB rays will deter light from infiltrating the skin. While a short kick of vitamin D is encouraged, prolonged sun exposure is not. Too much can disturb the reproduction of healthy skin cells like collagen and elastin (that keep skin firm), cause dryness and irritation, not to mention the risk of skin cancer development. While outdoors, choose products containing titanium dioxide or zinc oxide, which work to physically block the sun. And while many of us work indoors and feel we’re exempt from requiring a daily SPF, you’d be wise to opt for foundation and moisturising products containing even a small SPF rating, as light passing through windows and reflecting off screens can be just as damaging. “Foundation formulations are rich in particles to opacify and help cover imperfections,” Personeni says. “Particles do help shield the skin from the sun, but unless it has been tested for SPF, the protection is unreliable.” Again, consider products rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory actives, Personeni advocates, because they “quench free radicals generated by light, and limit damage to the skin.” We’ve been using Ultraceuticals Ultra UV Protective Daily Moisturiser SPF 50+ Mattifying for years.

TIP: “In regards to storage, I prefer to store my products at ambient temperature rather than the fridge,” Personeni admits, “as some actives can crystallize at low temperature. Best is to not buy too many products ahead of time!”

 THE NICE-TO-HAVE’S (great additions to your skincare routine, but not necessary):

·       Toner

·       Oil

·       Eye Cream

·       Masks

·       Facials and Cosmetic Treatments

 LONG STORY SHORT…

Personeni’s advice: keep it simple. “It is best to have a regular skin care routine with low impact products rather than an erratic routine with episodes of high potency treatments.” Ultimately, the aim of the game when it comes to anti-aging is to keep your skin healthy, in much the same way you do for your body. Opt for products whose brand you’re familiar with, whose ethos you align with, that’s ingredients correspond to your skin type, and all in all, you’d be proud to house in your bathroom cabinet.

 Shop This Post:

Fresh Soy Face Cleanser

Dermalogica UltraCalming Cleanser

Bioderma Sensibio H20 Make-up Removing Micelle Solution

Sisley Eau Efficace Gentle Makeup Remover

Alpha-H Liquid Gold

Wander Beauty Fast Lane Instant Facial

Innisfree’s Green Tea Seed Serum.

REN V-Cense Revitalising Night Cream

Olay’s Total Effects 7 in One Day Cream SPF 15

Ultraceuticals Ultra UV Protective Daily Moisturiser SPF 50+ Mattifying

Story by: Hannah Gay

Photography by: Evangeline Sarney

[geekmystic]

The Fool’s Journey in the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy - Part 4

Part 1 // Part 2 // Part 3 // Part 4 // Part 5

Summary: The Hermit // Wheel of Fortune // Justice // The Hanged Man

The Hermit

It doesn’t get much more blatant than that.  The Hermit card is also called The Monk, The Sage, and Time.  He stands on a mountaintop.  This mountaintop should also remind you of the mountains in the background of The Fool as well as the mountains pictured on The Lovers and Strength.  Those mountains are the heights of Ahch-To.  As the Fool, Rey dreamed about this place.  Meeting her lover on Takodana, she is reminded of it again.  And she is probably remembering her dream again and how Kylo Ren pulled it from her during her battle in the snow.  Now, we are finally on this mountain.

I think the symbolism is pretty obvious.  A Hermit or Monk is someone who isolates themselves to exclusively pursue knowledge of Heaven/God/Spiritual Realities.  The Fool, upon realizing that such things even exist, and upon realizing that he is sensitive to these things, seeks rigorous knowledge of how to interact with these things.

Ben’s line echoes here.  “You need a teacher!”  Rey has learned that, not only is the Force real, she is very sensitive to it.  She needs the advice of someone who has trained and studied the ways of the Force.  So she seeks Luke Skywalker, not only to bring him to the resistance, but to get his training and advice.

Luke, in The Last Jedi, is on a very anti-religion rant.  There is a difference between religion and spirituality.  One adage I like is “Religion is a man in church thinking about fishing.  Spirituality is a man fishing thinking about God.”  Religion, for me personally, is “I do XYZ so God will love me.” while Spirituality is “God loves me so I’ll do XYZ.”  Religion puts the cart before the horse so to speak.  The Jedi were no different.  The Jedi, having eschewed all attachments, lost their whole purpose for being.  They took the Force, boxed it up, imposed an unnatural structure on it and then wondered why it exploded in their faces.

Even before The Last Jedi novel came out, I noted the basic similarities between the old Jedi Order and General Hux’s stormtrooper program.  They both took children from their families, brainwashed them into absolute loyalty, and actively discouraged attachment.  The end result is that everyone looks the same, talks the same, thinks the same.  Think of the stormtrooper armor as the whitewashed tombs that Jesus talks about in the Gospels.  Pretty on the outside but dead on the inside.

Unfortunately, Luke comes to this realization a little too late.  Another nasty part of Religion is that it ultimately ends in death.  “You failed/sinned/fell away so now you must be stoned/burned at the stake/executed.”  Luke sensed the darkness in Ben, interpreted it as a personal failure on Ben’s part and was tempted to end it.

Rey ultimately learns from the experience that she is an instrument of the Force, not the other way around.  The Force is there to mold her and guide her and teach her.  She is not there to mold or guide the Force to her will.

The Hermit carries a lantern lit by the Star of David.  Now a traditional symbol of Judaism, it wasn’t always so.  It is another duality.  The star is made by joining two equilateral triangles.  One pointed up and one pointed down.  The most basic duality this represents is sexual union.  I mentioned before that Ahch-To is full of sexual imagery.  The basic idea of sex is the union of opposites.  Male/Female, God/Man, Heaven/Earth, Light/Dark, etc…

Wheel of Fortune

With this card, we finally talk about Finn (and Rose).  While Rey is off discovering the ways of the Force (and sexuality) and having secret communion with her Emperor, Finn and Rose have their own journey.  Our High Priestess sends them off to Canto Bight to find the Master Codebreaker in order to infiltrate the Finalizer.  Fitting that our High Priestess makes an appearance as this card again references the Torah just like the scroll she was hiding in her own card.

This card is packed with symbols.  The wheel itself contains 1) TARO, 2) TORA, 3) ROTA as well as the Tetragrammaton (the Hebrew letters in between the English letters).  The Tetragrammaton is the inexpressible name of God found in the Torah, YHVH.  The wheel also contains the alchemical symbols for Sulfur (East), Mercury (North), Salt (West), and Water (South).  The wheel itself is comprised of three wheels.  There are four creatures inhabiting the corners representing 1) the four elements, 2) the four creatures in Ezekiel’s vision of Heaven (along with angels that are just wheels within wheels), and 3) the zodiac signs Aquarius, Scorpio, Leo, and Taurus.  You can also see Typhon on a downward trajectory and Hermanubis on an upward trajectory.  We see the sphinx again speaking to the cycles of life.

The alchemical elements mentioned are considered the building blocks of life.  Mercury, Suflur, and Salt are symbolically Spirit, Soul, and Body with Water (the feminine) being the avenue through which it all comes into physical being.

At this point in the story, we have discovered that the Resistance is being tracked through hyperspace.  Hux explains his tracking system this way: “Our tracking system’s computer network contains millennia worth of data: every after-action report from Imperial history, as well as many from the Republic’s Judicial Forces and Planetary Security Forces. It contains astrogation reports, briefings from scouts and commercial guilds, Separatist intel—” and “Our sensors pinpoint the target’s last known trajectory, and tracking control analyzes it against our data sets. Trillions of potential destinations are sifted and reduced to hundreds, then dozens, and finally one.”

Hux’s philosophy is that the universe is completely deterministic.  That is, the wheel within the wheel within the wheel can be modeled using previous data.  There are so many algorithms that govern our lives that it would take several lifetimes of study to understand them all.  Some are intuitive and some involve complex statistical models.  (Hux being a statistician just makes too much sense.  Statistics is the dark side of Mathematics.:D)  Hyperspace tracking is the equivalent of “How did Facebook know I was thinking about that?”

As always, the universe loves to throw curve balls.  The universe contains no true randomness but is also not completely deterministic.  Maz continually talks about luck in The Last Jedi novel.  Rose and Finn meet by “Luck” and Maz sends them to a casino.  The universe turns and turns.  Sometimes you’re moving up.  Sometimes you’re moving down.  Sometimes you’re stagnant.

Rose’s message to Finn is that things change.  Rey will be a different person when she comes back.  She’s not romantically jealous of Rey.  She’s angry that Finn is not focusing on the big picture.  Rey is but one person and the galaxy is burning around them.  Rose has lost her home and her sister to war.  She can’t afford to narrow her focus to just one person.

The theme of the movie was failure.  Sometimes, things happen no matter how prepared you are.  The universe’s curveballs can send you spinning in any direction.  The name Canto Bight can be defined this way.  Canto, like incantation, can mean words or song which is also one way to define the word “universe”.  Bight is a geographical term for a curve or recess in a coastline.  It can also mean a curve in a length of rope.  Canto Bight is literally a curve in the universe.  It’s lesson is to roll with change and to be flexible.

Justice

While the Wheel of Fortune spins, Justice comes along to make course corrections.  Here we have a figure in a red robe sitting in front of a purple veil.  This echoes the High Priestess imagery.  The sword in her hand represents victory and the scales represent balance.

Admiral Holdo is dressed in purple but her people traditionally wear red.  Her and Leia (another High Priestess archetype) are best friends.  With our High Priestess incapacitated, she steps in to lead.  Her style is very different.  She takes Poe’s demotion very seriously.  She does not forget those who died on Poe’s reckless destruction of the dreadnought.  In her speech, she tells us, “Look around you. Four hundred of us on three ships. We are the last of the Resistance, but we’re not alone. In every corner of the galaxy, the downtrodden and oppressed know our symbol and they put their hope in it. We are the spark that will light the fire that will restore the Republic.”

Several times, Poe remarks that she doesn’t see the hopeless look on the crew’s faces.  Justice is blind.  Justice has a plan.  Justice needs everyone to do as they’re told.  The character is frustrating, not only to Poe, but to those who want a flashy action movie.  However, people miss the fact that this is modern myth, not a simple shoot-em-up narrative.  Myth requires our heroes to learn something in their adventures, not just slay the dragon and go home.  Poe is learning patience, restraint, and to let someone else lead.  Sometimes you make the plans.  Sometimes you just need to follow orders.  Balance.

It is at this time in the movie that Rey is learning about Luke’s betrayal and begins to understand Ben.  Finn is learning about the child slaves on Canto Bight (and elsewhere) and begins to find a purpose for his life.

The Hanged Man

The story of the Hanged Man is that of changing your perspective.  The card pictures a young man hanging upside from a cross made of living wood.  The cross evokes the World Tree with roots in the underworld and branches that stretch to the Heavens.  The young man is enlightened by the experience.  This card is associated with Neptune, god of the sea.

Rey, after her conversation with a certain shirtless space prince and her illusion of the perfect and wise Master shattered, decides to investigate the cave she saw during her first Jedi lesson.  Luke had told her it was the dark side calling her.  But Luke was turning out to an unreliable narrator.  She cautiously approaches the opening of this cave but as she bends down to peer inside, she is pulled in.  She is plunged into a deep pool of water and emerges to see a translucent wall, a dark mirror, almost like the background of the card.

She had been told the dark side would give her something she wanted.  And all she wanted was to see her parents.  She wanted to know where she came from, where her powers come from, what her place is in the unfolding story of the First Order and Resistance.  And the answer that comes back is less than satisfactory.  This card is about the dissolution of ego.  Rey wanted to say that she came from a long line of force sensitives like Luke, that she was a lost princess like Leia.  But the answer is that she is just…  here.  And her place in the story is whatever she decides.

I’ve been writing an Esther/Hadassah AU.  Esther was a Jewish girl kidnapped and forced to marry the King of Persia.  But she finds out about a plan to commit genocide against her people and decides to persuade the king to stop it.  I’m reminded of Mordecai’s speech to Esther as she prepares to speak to the king.  “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”

Like Esther, Rey’s story is not set in stone.  She has a choice to make.  She is not bound by familial/royal obligations like Ben is.  Yes, she is the response of the Light to the growing Darkness.  But the Light could call any number of people.  If Rey hides, the Light will just call another forward.  But Rey herself, as well as the Resistance, would likely perish.  This is not about who came before you or who will come after you.  What will YOU do with the power you’re given?

We’ll see her response to this in the card called Temperance.

Previous // Next

[thornsickle]

Let’s talk about the word ‘destroy’ in the Star Wars. I was jumping in my seat with joy when Kylo uttered: “I’ll destroy her. And you. And all of it.” Here’s why (hint, it’s never literal).

First, here are three coupled examples, so far, of this word being used in a non-literal manner (”DESTROY THAT BOMBER!!!!” ahem, does not count).

A New Hope (Episode IV)

Luke: How did my father die?

Obi-Wan: A young Jedi named Darth Vader, who was a pupil of mine until he turned to evil, helped the Empire hunt down and destroy the Jedi knights. He betrayed and murdered your father. Now the Jedi are all but extinct. Vader was seduced by the dark side of the Force.

Return of the Jedi (Episode VI)

Luke: Ben! Why didn’t you tell me? You told me that Darth Vader betrayed and murdered my father.

Obi-Wan: Your father… was seduced by the Dark Side of the Force. He ceased to be the Jedi Anakin Skywalker and ‘became’ Darth Vader. When that happened, the good man who was your father was destroyed. So, what I told you was true… from a certain point of view.

……………………….

The Force Awakens (Episode VII)

Han: He was training a new generation of Jedi. One boy, an apprentice, turned against him and destroyed it all. Luke felt responsible. He just walked away from everything.

The Last Jedi (Episode VIII)

Luke: I saw darkness. I’d sensed it building in him. I’d seen it in moments during his training. But then I looked inside, and it was beyond what I ever imagined. Snoke had already turned his heart. He would bring destruction, and pain, and death, and the end of everything I love because of what he will become. And for the briefest moment of pure instinct, I thought I could stop it. It passed like a fleeting shadow. And I was left with shame, and with consequence. And the last thing I saw were the eyes of a frightened boy whose master had failed him.

…………………………………..

Attack of the Clones (Episode II)

Anakin: It doesn’t have to be that way. We could keep it a secret.

Padme: We’d be living a lie. One we couldn’t keep, even if we wanted to. I couldn’t do that. Could you, Anakin? Could you live like that?

Anakin: No, you’re right, it would destroy us.

Attack of the Clones (Episode II)

Anakin: Don’t be afraid.

Padme: I’m not afraid to die. I’ve been dying a little bit each day since you came back into my life.

Anakin: What are you talking about?

Padme: I love you.

Anakin: You love me? I thought we had decided not to fall in love. That we’d be forced to live a lie and that it would destroy our lives.

Padme: I think our lives are about to be destroyed anyway. I truly… deeply… love you and before we die I want you to know.

……………………………….

The Last Jedi (Episode VIII)

Kylo Ren: I’ll destroy her. And you. And all of it.

Luke: No. Strike me down in anger and I’ll always be with you. Just like your father.

The dialogue, I think, speaks for itself. This specific word NEVER means what it first appears to mean in Star Wars and it has been purposefully used throughout the saga to demonstrate when a character is either an unreliable narrator, unconvinced in what they are saying or outright lying. It is actually a pretty nebulous word since it suggests one thing but could very well mean something else. The crux of the matter is, Rian Johnson chose to use this word DELIBERATELY.

Why would he decide to use this specific word, other than to imply that Kylo’s statement would come back to mean something different other than the obvious, either subverted, misunderstood or revealed to be a lie.

Luke, you’re going to find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view.

In ‘The Last Jedi’, Luke finally comes to understand what Obi Wan meant, which is why we are given different versions of what happened between the Jedi Master and his nephew. It is to prove both Obi Wan’s point and also how Luke has evolved as a person and become a wiser man than before. He understands Kylo’s pain, understands that, for him, the truth will always be that Luke betrayed him and left him no choice. Luke acknowledges this truth, which is why he is finally able to accept his failures and also Kylo’s choice to be on the dark side. However, having understood Obi Wan’s words, he also knows that Kylo’s words will not ring entirely true when he states he will destroy Rey.

Let’s look at what ‘destroy’ actually means, within the context of Star Wars.

The instance (release date-wise) where we see the first use of this nebulous word is in RotJ, with Obi-Wan’s famous words revealing his misdirection. In this instance, the word ‘destroy’ is revealed to not directly mean ‘betrayal’ and ‘murder’. It DOES mean these words, but not literally, more figuratively. This understandably frustrates Luke, but it shows how Obi Wan was not lying. The point of this example is to show ‘self-destruction’ and how destroy does not directly mean murder.

So if we compare that to Kylo’s line, it becomes clear, especially to Luke, that though Kylo believes this to mean murder, it will likely result in something quite different, even if Kylo succeeds (which he won’t because Rey is our heroine haha, but he might come close, more on that later).

The example in The Force Awakens always felt fishy to me. Han’s use of that cursed word ‘destroy’ sent alarm bells through my mind. Check out this short post about my thoughts then.

http://sakurau121.tumblr.com/post/153877814060/one-apprentice-a-boy-turned-against-him

As we saw in TLJ, my doubts were well founded for. Kylo literally destroyed Luke’s academy, but Luke was the reason it finally happened. Luke played a part in that destruction and while Han does not lie, his words are now viewed in a very different light. His words suggest Kylo decided to turn against Luke when in reality he was given no choice but to turn against his master. Even as Luke describes how Kylo Ren would bring ‘destruction’ to the galaxy, it is not clear what ‘type’ of destruction that is and later in the film when Kylo kills Snoke, we realize the true scope of what Luke foresaw, which again subverts our expectations. I have a feeling Episode IX will continue to do this. It should be noted as well that Kylo does not ‘destroy it all’ as he took some of Luke’s students with him (we have still to find out why, whether this will be developed in Episode IX or not, I’m not sure).

In Episode II, Anakin’s words are ominous. When he states that their love for each other would ‘destroy’ them, he is right. In this instance, George Lucas uses this word because it ties into Obi Wan’s description of what happened to Anakin (this is the wonderful thing that happens when you have one dude writing the whole thing but whatever, I digress). In both cases, we know Anakin won’t ‘die’ but he will self-destruct. For Padme, the word ‘destroy’ does literally mean she will die.

Which makes it all the more tragic, because it shows that they were aware their love would bring about destruction but they decided love was more important than death. Yes, their own death.

So now we return to Kylo Ren and his final statement. I will lay out all the possibilities, based on what has come before. I don’t believe all of them, but I’m just putting them out there for the purposes of this post. ‘I will kill her and you and all of it’ is the literal translation, but I am 100% sure this is not what is foreshadowed.

1. Kylo’s words will show how he does not end up killing Rey, but rather destroying her light, turning her to the dark side, like what happened with Vader. He will merge the Resistance with the First Order once they are defeated. 

This won’t happen, at least not permanently, but I still think she could dally in it. Luke does during his final battle with Vader, so to keep up the tension, I think this is a possibility. But Rey won’t turn into Darth Vader 2.0 obviously. The grey still has to be analyzed but I’ll do a separate post on that.

2. Kylo’s words reveal he will destroy ‘all of it’. As in, he will end the First Order and the Resistance. This is hinted at because it is clear he has no real affinity with any group (revealed during his final speech to Rey), strangely rather like his father. He is in fact a rogue at heart, so it’s possible he will bring about the First Order’s destruction. Either by causing it to fall, abandoning it, purposefully betraying it or causing it to surrender. This ties back with the ‘destruction’ Luke foresaw when Ben was his student. It won’t mean what Luke thought it meant. This is why he says ‘no’ in response because he realizes the possibilities are endless. Perhaps he only foresaw Ben’s future in one way but in fact did not see the other side to what his fate could be.

3. The third one is a bit tragic and for me, sad but here it is. Anakin and Padme’s love for each other ‘destroyed’ them. George Lucas tied these two words together ‘destruction’ and ‘love’, so it is possible to see the link here too. Kylo reveals through his words that he loves Rey because it will bring about her destruction, as it was with Anakin and Padme. But note again, that Luke replies with ‘no’. So perhaps this is foreshadowing that Kylo’s love for Rey will not bring about her destruction at all.

‘I thought we had decided that love would destroy our lives.’

‘I will destroy her.’

In this context, Kylo’s words take on a very different meaning. At the end of their confrontation, Rey rejects Kylo’s hands because she knows he does not see her side. Rey is crying because she sees she cannot accept Kylo’s promise of unity because it would mean the end of who she is. The ‘self-destruction’ which Obi Wan talks about when speaking of Vader. The love which resulted in Padme’s death.

What is beautiful is that Luke knows Rey will not be destroyed. That Kylo won’t destroy her. Unlike every other exchange I have mentioned in this post, the one between Kylo and Luke is actually foreshadowing something positive that is to come in Episode IX. It means the fate of Kylo and Rey’s connection is not that of ‘destruction’.

If you need anymore confirmation, just think. Kylo has already been proven wrong. He didn’t destroy Luke at all, in fact he helped Luke become one with the Force.