#I think rogue one and andor are so interesting in terms of the theme of non biological descent too like

[rotzaprachim]

The thing about writing a post apocalyptic sw au (station eleven and TLOU) is that it helps anúnciate the reality that the sequel trilogy is a post apocalyptic narrative. Like, the sequel trilogy is really, really bad, and one of the places it’s so bad it becomes fascinating is in the gap between the Light Action Adventure corporatized media Pew Pew Pew series it Thinks it is with all its product tie ins and Lego sets and the knock em out balls to the walls Hopeless post apocalyptic narrative it actually is. Never is it convinced that anything in the galaxy improved or rebuilt after the return of the Jedi. Because it is not a Series Smart enough to come up with it’s own plot lines it simply regurgitates the original trilogy plot lines without the intelligence to make a nuanced commentary about intergenerational trauma or way survivors of fascism must continue to fight new forms. The sequel trilogy is a hamster wheel. The war never ended. Everything is the same. The Death Star is the same. The rebellion is now the resistance, a far more splintered, shatter shell that can fit into and out the back of a single hangars. The weapon that killed a planet now destroys a planetary system. And what gets me is the individual stories. These are the children of an apocalypse. Finn was taken from his family as a child to become the next round of stormtrooper canon fodder. Rey scrabbled for survival by physically tearing sustenance from the carcasses of a war. Poe was born during the last war and lives to see his adult live suited up into the same conflict his parents fought. Rose is a refugee of a planet destroyed like alderaan and kenari. Every one of them is born on this hamster wheel without a way off. It’s why I have a hard time reconciling rogue one and andor as existing in the same universe as the sequel trilogy, because I think RO and Andor are both so much more cuttingly brutal and so much more hopeful that what the ST provides. Finn and Rey and Rose and Poe are way some substantiation of Andor’s worst nightmares. They’re literally each living the lives Cassian and so many others died to prevent from happening.

[someinstant]

16, 18, and 19 for the A03 wrap asks!

Hello, hello, sorry for being so slow to respond to your ask! I've been meaning to get to this, but it's not the sort of thing I like to do on a phone, and I've been avoiding my computer during this holiday break (except for writing and such) so that I don't do silly things like open my work email or do any lesson plannings while I'm off from school.

But! I have the time and the bandwidth this evening, so I'll go ahead and do this now!

16. What’s your most common “Additional Tags” tag?

I'm really inconsistent with my Additional Tags on AO3, honestly. I tend to be one of those folks who just tags characters and pairings and big genres or tropes, and possibly things like violence or content warnings. Other than that, I don't do a lot of additional tagging? But I think my favorite additional tag I used on AO3 this year was "Rampant backstory speculation that will likely be undone in future episodes but I'm okay with that." Because that is what happens when you're writing during a season of episodic television instead of after the fact.

18. The character that gave you the most trouble writing this year?

This is going to be so unsatisfactory, but-- none, really? I don't really think of it as having trouble writing a character, honestly. The trouble comes in writing something that isn't true to a character, or doesn't make sense for the character's understanding of a situation. I've definitely had trouble writing scenes before, or figuring out how to resolve a situation, but generally if I just think, "Well, what's the natural way for this person to feel about this situation? What would they say? What would they do? What are they noticing?," I find that I know the answers to those questions. So the issue it's so much having difficulties writing a character-- it's finding that the situation I've written is inconsistent with the honest portrayal of that character and their reality. And so long as I'm willing to delete the stuff that doesn't fit and move with the internal logic of the characters and their world, I can find my way out.

That said, I had such fun writing Clem and Cassian and Maarva. They're probably the easiest, most natural-feeling characters I wrote all year. I think one of my favorite bits of character-building where everything just flowed and felt right was the bit in It's the same old theme where Cass has just gotten into a fight at school. I felt like I understood a hell of a lot about those three characters in that passage, and I'm really proud of it. (And yes, I know it's a controversial take in ANDOR-fandom, but: I find Maarva fascinating, and I am going to write about her a lot, because it's so complicated and dense and I eat that shit up. YUM.)

19. What’s one pairing you want to explore next year?

Eh, I dunno! For all that I've read a ton of it, I really haven't written much in the way of direct Jyn/Cassian romance-- my only other ROGUE ONE fic previous to this year alluded to a Jyn/Cassian relationship, but it was in the past and never onscreen, as it were-- and I think I'd like to see if I can find my way into writing something that lets me dig into that in a way that feels earned and meaningful enough for me to be content. And while I am MASSIVELY uninterested in paying any attention to ship wars or any of that nonsense, I could definitely see myself writing about Cassian's relationship with Melshi, or another male character-- because he does read as bi to me, and I'm interested in how he relates to men vs. women in the show, and what that means in terms of desire and its expression.* Honestly, my feelings about pairings (or moresomes! let's not be limiting!) is: whatever, man. I like what I like, I write what I want, and y'all should do the same. This is how we build a fandom that is low drama, which is all that I want.

--

*Okay, I'm going to ramble a bit here about something that I've been considering wrt Cassian and desire, okay? Okay. So: has anyone really grappled with what it means that Cassian was a thirteen-year-old boy who was incarcerated for most of his mid-teens? Prisons aren't exactly known as locations with a great deal of respect for bodily autonomy, and the Empire and most of the Core worlds seems to have a strong heteronormative traditionalism to them-- so it seems to me that if you were a boy who might be discovering that you're attracted sometimes to other boys, Sipo would not have been a kind place. And if you take that into consideration with how aggressive Cassian can get when some men get into his physical space (think about Taramyn, and Cassian's sharp, "Don't touch me"), versus how willing he is to be in close physical proximity to women-- I dunno, man. Something happened there, and it wasn't good. What I'm wondering is if Cassian desires both men and women (and all the spectrums beyond, perhaps), but feels less safe with men unless he really knows them. Because the way Cass relates to that unwelcome touch doesn't seem to be an expression of performative hypermasculinity, or anything like it-- Cass is more than willing to touch men, to hug them deeply, and let himself receive physical affection from them. Brasso and Pegla and Melshi all hug him, and he lets himself be vulnerable in all of those circumstances. But I think it happens less often with men for Cassian, because he feels at far greater risk.

[imsfire2]

Some more rebelcaptain fic recs

I did this once before and thought it was about time I did another.  This is just a selection of the top-notch fic this ship has given rise to in the last couple of months.  I’m putting notes and summaries below a read-more as the list on its own turned out quite long.

Hearts of kyber by rcmsw http://archiveofourown.org/works/10552890/chapters/23308910

As the fates unwind by Jaxin http://archiveofourown.org/works/9642863/chapters/21784796

Baby, you need to come home by aewgliriel http://archiveofourown.org/works/10988304/chapters/24471792

Over the edge by jplus http://archiveofourown.org/works/11047776/chapters/24628950

Inevitable by cellorocket http://archiveofourown.org/works/8945566/chapters/21612137

Death in the time of the Empire by Deputychairman http://archiveofourown.org/works/9023386

Die with your darlings by thelovelies http://archiveofourown.org/works/11128509

Been to the mountaintop by biclaras http://archiveofourown.org/works/8892652

To ashes and stardust by wandering_scavenger http://archiveofourown.org/works/8862787

We don’t know everything by Disneybrony http://archiveofourown.org/works/11018907

Happy endings (are just stories that haven’t finished yet) by guineapiggie http://archiveofourown.org/series/650546

A pile of bones by Not_So_Secretly_A_Spaceship and Wolf_Storm http://archiveofourown.org/series/647381

This is a rebellion, isn’t it? By aMassiveDisappointment (BadOldWest) http://archiveofourown.org/works/11041638/chapters/24613062

Back to the night by AlexOblivion http://archiveofourown.org/works/11095485

Kill the lights (and kiss my eyes) by ohstardustgirl http://archiveofourown.org/works/11055027

Truth spoke in whispers (will tear you apart) by guineapiggie http://archiveofourown.org/works/11014866

You can’t hide (your lyin’ eyes) by NewLeeland http://archiveofourown.org/works/11057235

Cassian Andor’s guide to cohabitation by brahe http://archiveofourown.org/series/609082

Priorities by RapidashPatronus http://archiveofourown.org/works/10974750

After by scoundrelhan http://archiveofourown.org/works/9046658

Lullaby by Tigersmeleth http://archiveofourown.org/works/10021151/chapters/22337249

It’s only ever been by NeonDaisies http://archiveofourown.org/works/9637268/chapters/21770894

The art in the lie by Jaded http://archiveofourown.org/works/11143644/chapters/24860889

The remembrance of pain (time will explain) also by Jaded http://archiveofourown.org/works/9984434/chapters/22302065

The soul magicians by porcelainsimplicity http://archiveofourown.org/works/10914591/chapters/24270999

For a good time call by Jormaperalta http://archiveofourown.org/works/10530072/chapters/23247126

Anything can happen by stargirl428 http://archiveofourown.org/works/10572375/chapters/23360664

Killer Queen by ohmytheon http://archiveofourown.org/works/10892349?view_full_work=true

Heaven’s not far away (and I’m not going to leave you here) by Irelando http://archiveofourown.org/works/10859979/chapters/24118608

Rogues of the lost Ark by NewLeeland http://archiveofourown.org/works/10947519/chapters/24362628

Floating, sinking by shuofthewind http://archiveofourown.org/works/9053302/chapters/20596522

Resistance is built on hope by ChronicOlicity http://archiveofourown.org/works/9079141/chapters/20644807

Completed chapter fics, regular Rogue One setting, fix-it theme

Hearts of kyber by rcmsw http://archiveofourown.org/works/10552890/chapters/23308910

Just completed; a post-Scarif they-survive story with a lot of angst on the way but a happy ending at last. The character writing is simply beautiful and there are some really heart-stopping moments of emotion in this excellent mid-length chapter fic.

As the fates unwind by Jaxin http://archiveofourown.org/works/9642863/chapters/21784796

A completed mid-length chapter fic that goes right back to the beginning of the film narrative and posits an interesting (and all-too-rare) what-if; what if Lyra had not died on Lah’mu but survived and joined the partisans with her young daughter?  Lyra is beautifully written, a real lioness of a mother, and the alternative plot is excellent.  

WIP chapter fics, regular Rogue One setting, fix-it theme

Baby, you need to come home by aewgliriel http://archiveofourown.org/works/10988304/chapters/24471792

Exciting and emotional, a post-Scarif they-survive story with Jyn having a daughter after a one-night stand six years earlier with an incognito Cassian.  WIP.

Over the edge by jplus http://archiveofourown.org/works/11047776/chapters/24628950

This is terrific!  Jyn and Cassian survive mysteriously.  The world-building is fantastic and there’s a great alien race with a culture and social rules of their own; bonus points for a wonderful Bodhi characterisation, a cracking opening and a sympathetic treatment of Draven. WIP.

Inevitable by cellorocket http://archiveofourown.org/works/8945566/chapters/21612137

A good solid post-Scarif they-survive fic with one of the best re-writes of the battle to destroy the Death Star I’ve come across, featuring Bodhi piloting an X-wing and a terrific rolling tension maintained right through a long scene.  In fact it’s such a good piece of writing that my link above is to that specific chapter.  It’s absolutely gripping.  WIP.

Now: You want angst?  This ship does angst.  Boy does it do angst.

Death in the time of the Empire by Deputychairman http://archiveofourown.org/works/9023386

One-shot; canon compliant and pretty angsty character study for Cassian; heart-breaking imagined backstory and buckets of feels.

Die with your darlings by thelovelies http://archiveofourown.org/works/11128509

Canon-compliant one-shot, Cassian’s POV, horribly sad.

Been to the mountaintop by biclaras http://archiveofourown.org/works/8892652

Oh shit.  Short and sweet, and heart-breaking.

To ashes and stardust by wandering_scavenger http://archiveofourown.org/works/8862787

Ow ow ow.  Canon-compliant one-shot, Jyn’s POV; realisation coming too late.  A weepy.

We don’t know everything by Disneybrony http://archiveofourown.org/works/11018907

Jyn and Cassian are seriously injured (by the looks of it fatally) and Bodhi tries to help their young son.  A sad, dark, painful read.

Happy endings (are just stories that haven’t finished yet) by guineapiggie http://archiveofourown.org/series/650546

A series of one-shots and a chapter fic; the latter is still a WIP.  A painfully angsty modern dress AU, this deals with addiction among other things and is pretty hard-hitting on that subject, with all the unintentional emotional cruelty and anguished heart-break you’d expect.  I think the chapter fic part is heading towards a moderately happy resolution but wouldn’t like to swear to it. Beautifully written.

A pile of bones by Not_So_Secretly_A_Spaceship and Wolf_Storm http://archiveofourown.org/series/647381

A series of chapter fics and one-shots, some of them pretty hard-hitting (lot of medical detail including operations and PTSD by the bucketload, so NB do not read if you can’t handle descriptions of gore).  Post-Scarif they-survive stories, plus some background stories; drama and tension, great OCs and bonus points for a really likeable characterisation of Draven.  

You want smut?  This ship does smut.  Oh yeah.

This is a rebellion, isn’t it? By aMassiveDisappointment (BadOldWest) http://archiveofourown.org/works/11041638/chapters/24613062

This is a collection of drabbles and one-shots, some in-canon and some AU.  And some of it is very smutty indeed, gloriously, unashamedly so.

Back to the night by AlexOblivion http://archiveofourown.org/works/11095485

Smutty and romantic with plenty of feels as well.  Always a good mixture.

Kill the lights (and kiss my eyes) by ohstardustgirl http://archiveofourown.org/works/11055027

Really gorgeous bit of porn-with-plot and feels galore.

You want more feels?  We got feels, people, we got so many feels; feels and fluff too…

Truth spoke in whispers (will tear you apart) by guineapiggie http://archiveofourown.org/works/11014866

And its companion piece

You can’t hide (your lyin’ eyes) by NewLeeland http://archiveofourown.org/works/11057235

Paired modern-dress one-shots to give you a lump in the throat; bittersweet and emotional, all the feels.

Cassian Andor’s guide to cohabitation by brahe http://archiveofourown.org/series/609082

Two paired one-shots that give us bed-sharing, hurt/comfort, the First Kiss and so much emotion…

Priorities by RapidashPatronus http://archiveofourown.org/works/10974750

Baby fics are not usually my thing - they can so easily be horribly out of character, not to mention hyper-fluffy and unrealistic (given the realities of childbirth and life with babies) but this one is great; messy (there’s vomiting) and credible, and very touching.

After by scoundrelhan http://archiveofourown.org/works/9046658

A fix-it one shot of Jyn trying to come to terms with her feelings about staying in the rebellion, and about Cassian.  Emotionally truthful and true to character.  Quietly implies that both of them have mild PTSD but they are doing their best to deal with it (no graphic descriptions though).  Heartfelt and packed with feels.

Soulmates?  We can do soulmates.

Lullaby by Tigersmeleth http://archiveofourown.org/works/10021151/chapters/22337249

A really haunting soulmates chapter fic where child Jyn and child Cassian meet in their dreams and try to support one another through what are still very difficult childhoods. WIP.

It’s only ever been by NeonDaisies http://archiveofourown.org/works/9637268/chapters/21770894

Another soulmates chapter fic, this one using the trope that you can communicate with your soulmate by writing on your arm.  The world-building is superb in this and it is tremendously angsty; really emotional stuff. WIP.

AUs – yep, we have those aplenty, too.  

I’ve tended to be baffled by a lot of AUs in the past – I just don’t get why you’d want to, a lot of the time.  So often in AU territory what we have is people with the same names as our heroes but wildly OOC; not my cup of tea at all.  But such is the quality of the Rogue One fandom writers that we are getting some absolute crackers.

The art in the lie by Jaded http://archiveofourown.org/works/11143644/chapters/24860889

This is being expanded from a series of headcanon drabbles on tumblr, and it’s looking really good so far. Modern-dress AU in which Jyn and Cassian are film actors obliged to undertake a fake relationship as part of their contract when they get the chance to work with reclusive Kubrick-like director Davits Draven…  Lots of feels and some very nice carrying-over of the characters.  WIP.

By the same author: The remembrance of pain (time will explain) http://archiveofourown.org/works/9984434/chapters/22302065

Something I would not have expected to work, but it does.  And then some.  Rogue One mashed up with Jane Austen.  Persuasion, to be precise. Yes, honestly, take my word for it. Packed with feels.  WIP.  And yes, I know this is the third thing I’ve recommended by this writer; but Jaded is good.

The soul magicians by porcelainsimplicity http://archiveofourown.org/works/10914591/chapters/24270999

A “Cassian is a pop star and Jyn is a girl he falls for” AU set in a universe with a twist; heterosexuality is illegal, and they are straight.  Perhaps rather more tangential to the Star Wars themes than usual but I have to recommend this as it’s such a gorgeous romance, making beautiful use of that classic trope, forbidden love.  WIP.

For a good time call by Jormaperalta http://archiveofourown.org/works/10530072/chapters/23247126

The modern-dress AU I would never have expected to like.  Seriously, I’ve never bothered to read anything tagged “college AU” and I would have said “and I never will” until I started reading this one rainy Sunday. Like “The soul magicians” the plot is completely tangential to the Star Wars plotlines; but it’s sweet, romantic and very, very funny, and has a delightful human K-2SO.  Like a perfect Saturday night sappy rom-com.  WIP (but I think the author is getting near to the end).

Anything can happen by stargirl428 http://archiveofourown.org/works/10572375/chapters/23360664

Another modern-dress rom-com AU I would not have expected to like but am thoroughly enjoying; holiday house-swap with a bit of coffee shop thrown in.  Utterly sweet and fluffy.  But be warned, Jyn’s ex is Krennic in this, which is a bit yucky.  WIP.

Killer Queen by ohmytheon http://archiveofourown.org/works/10892349?view_full_work=true

Another modern-dress AU that has grabbed me unexpectedly; believe it or not, this one is Rogue One plus Miss Congeniality.  It’s sweet and very funny.  WIP

Heaven’s not far away (and I’m not going to leave you here) by Irelando http://archiveofourown.org/works/10859979/chapters/24118608

Another cross-over AU that works quite brilliantly.  Rogue One/Pacific Rim mash-up.  Jyn is the Raleigh Beckett character, Cassian is Mako Mori, Draven is Pentecost.  The POV starts off with Jyn and is about to move to Cassian; both their voices are tremendously well captured.  Irelando writes very economically and has a knack for the single perfect word to convey a ton of feeling by the most minimal of means. WIP.  (I must confess to a bias here as I have the privilege of beta-ing this lovely piece of work).  

Rogues of the lost Ark by NewLeeland http://archiveofourown.org/works/10947519/chapters/24362628

This is looking really good so far!  As you can probably guess from the title, it’s a Rogue One/Raiders of the Lost Ark mash-up. The fusion works really well, Cassian makes an excellent Indiana Jones and the whole thing is set fair to be thoroughly exciting.  WIP.

And finally, repeat recommendations for two of the best bits of fanfic I’ve ever read:

Floating, sinking by shuofthewind http://archiveofourown.org/works/9053302/chapters/20596522

Cracking good, v long chapter fic that takes our Rogue One team on into the events of A New Hope. Complex skilful plotting and high drama, and lots of gut-wrenching emotions.  WIP (but very nearly finished by the looks of it).

And

Resistance is built on hope by chronicolicity http://archiveofourown.org/works/9079141/chapters/20644807

Best WW2 AU ever and possibly the best human Kay as well.  Brilliantly characterised with a beautiful period setting; completely gripping and moving. WIP.

[rotzaprachim]

i know i’ve said something about loving the lack of legacy characters in andor to focus on new characters BUT. let’s talk my spaghetti on a wall theory that would be very fun for ME (secret solo enjoyer.): anto kreegyr is enfys nest. a more solid piece of meta and theorising i believe in quite strongly is that the organised military rebellion as we’re used to seeing it, even in rogue one, doesn’t exist yet, and cassian will play a lynchpin role in creating it from his own path towards liberation AND the work of those who’ve come before him. (he isn’t joining! he’s creating! none of the white people telling him to wise up and join had any really solid, unified rebellion yet for him TO join.) and so into this comes anto krieger. krieger is a fascinating late-season sort of side-addition to the plot, but the andor plot is so calibrated and precise i can’t imagine they’d include him without specific reason. it interests me that we haven’t yet seen ANY kind of organised rebel flight technology or capabilities yet at ALL, and so krieger is also our first ever hint at some kind of armed flight-ready resistance action.

 (it’s also worth noting that there isn’t anyone cast yet for season 1 AS “anto krieger,” limiting the options to: it’s someone we know, it’s someone who will be cast in season 2, it’s someone who will remain perpetually off screen OR anto krieger just doesn’t exist and exists as a front for someone else.) 

(it’s also worth noting that at this point, t-minus 5 years till death star destruction, we haven’t seen a single x-wing. which makes total sense- why would the rebellion as splintered as it is USE flightcraft that mark them for what they are? i suspect krieger uses stolen imperial flightcraft, which would also provide the benefit of anonymity but FURTHER widen the playing field of who krieger is, actually.) 

so here’s what i think is interesting about krieger. they could be someone totally new. but the star wars canon has already given us someone with flight capabilities in the earliest stages of resistance, well before any kind of hinted at planned rebellion, and it’s this absolute badass: 

counting against this being her is a lot of logic - i don’t think erin kellyman was signed on for season 2, andor is for good reason resistant to being too interconnected with the “disney cinematic universe.” counting on her is a lot of interesting stuff both in terms of practicality and themes. 

let’s talk anto kreegyr. we know he’s male. (hmm.) we know luthen rael knows him and saw dismisses him as “stupid and slow.” (we also know that luthen and saw lie.) we know he’s connected, maybe, to the clone wars? (we also know the empire is frequently wrong.) but what really interests me is his M.O. we know he scares the shit out of the empire to be talked about at these kinds of meetings and that mid-level power players like dedra are applauded for figuring out how to outsmart him. he’s built a fucking image! and there’s the specific detail about the kind of raid kreegyr carries out: attacking imperial power stations, presumably off site ones. 

now let’s talk about enfys nest. we know she’s one of the first people to set up an organised flight-based resistance. but we also know she loves to build up an image- in fact, that’s arguably her greatest weapon! she manages to make a criminal syndicate bow in fear to a scrappy rebel group on space-motorcycles, basically, and that’s fucking incredible! we spend most of a movie assuming she’s a man, as well. and her specific m.o. we learn about in Solo is that she goes after stuff, working on breaking the supply chains of the empire (another way why, fascinatingly, solo for being a kind of fun-mediocre film feels imho oddly contiguous with the far superior andorverse. the most banal tiny aspects of this worldbuilding...). in solo her focus is on... stealing fuel, specifically coaxium, the stuff required from hyperdrives, both in refined form and unrefined form straight from the mines. so there’s also a pretty similar focus in modus operandi! another interesting detail is that according to the comics, unseen by the movie, she delivers all of it to saw gerrera! (and meets 11 yr old Jyn!), meaning that, absolutely saw knows of her and is outright lying about her being slow and stupid. which is... exactly what a tough partisan leader would do, tbh, around luthen. so while i think andor as a whole does not go into comics or non r-1 canon, there’s a really interesting foundational base here to return. 

that’s all the practical stuff, which I think is pretty compelling. but i also think enfys nest would be a great addition to the thematic world of andor as well. on a practical level i think the show’s metanarrative is about cassian’s involvement in the formation of the rebellion (somehow the prison colors of narkina 5 had to be reclaimed as the colour of liberation for an entire fleet, after all), with season 2 focusing on the practicalities of getting that up and running, and there is so much place for enfys to be in that, in particular as another group leader among the leftist infighting. (enfys and bix building the rebellion pilot fleet please pretty pls). she’s already such an andor-read character with her focus on the praxis of practical rebellion when you have nothing, after all, and the focus her story already had on liberating the people trapped by empire. but also: she’s a fascinating, fantastic foil to cassian! here we have a fascinating opportunity to dig into some imperial and rebellion gender politics- has everyone just assumed that Kreegyr is a man? Here we have a young Black woman who has, actually, already been radicalised against the empire, and she does it in hiding, disguising her anti-empire activities as the work of cash-oriented local pirates. she hides just like cassian does, except instead of behind a fake name, she has a mask! rather than slip into the abyss to become unnoticeable, unseen, unmemorable, as cassian does, we have enfys who makes a fucking legend of herself to use fear and image as a weapon. she also has a direct connection to her mother as a rebel, like cassian does with maarva. all of this makes meaty fucking material for season 2. i just- i wanna see her again!!! 

(i also would love to throw in the caveat that it’s entirely possible kreegyr is already dead, or she as kreegyr is dead, or- a very andor twist in its pretty systemic undoing of the idea a single person can messianically lead a rebellion- kreegyr is a collective of people. also, if she does show up it might not just be as kreegyr but possibly someone who recruited and trained cinta and vel, who seem to use some similar tactics.)