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berkcwitz · 5 years ago

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❛ ✶ ( madison beer, cisfemale, she/her ) spotted ! jalissa berkowitz was spotted singing along to find my way by dababy in hilton grove . you’ve heard of them right ? they are a twenty two year old pornographic actress / internet personality who has already amassed a net worth of 550m . you should really follow them on insta @callmejalissa , they’re about to hit 89m followers . the tabloids have been calling them the vixen because they are known for being whimsical but also a bit abrasive . though most people recognize them by a drunken gaze staring into the mirror as she holds finger guns to her head , a laugh too contagious , leaving notes in lipstick on bathroom mirrors & echoing of her mothers longtime disapproval . — ooc info ( mia. twenty. est. she/her. )

GUYYYSSSS ?! this group ? a masterpiece , wow . im hella excited to get to roleplay with you all . im mia by the way , im twenty ( i’ll be 21 in june what a vibe ) & i live in the est ( a clam chowder eating , dunkin donuts chugging , no Rs havin , boston sports loving new englander ). also i go by she/her pronouns ! i am going to be so honest with you guys . this intro is dummy long . like , i promise i will not judge you if you hmu asking for a quick synopsis of my girl because this shit below this cut ? is a novella & a half , sis . if im very honest i really just needed to flesh her out completely because she’s a new baby of mine ? and i wanted to make sure i really knew her before i put her out on the dash . im so anal about this , i know . anyways , before this little note section gets as long as the intro without further a do ? adu ? idfk ... here’s jalissa , she’s ... a piece of work . also if you'd prefer to plot on discord hmu @ 𝖒𝖌𝖐'𝖘 𝖜𝖍𝖔𝖗𝖊#9789 .

𝐆𝐄𝐓 𝐈𝐍 𝐃𝐄𝐏𝐓𝐇

full name: jalissa billie-jean berkowitz nickname: lissa , jals , jb , berks , jalissa cadden ( porn name ) birthday: october 13th birthplace: fort lauderdale , florida hometown: hilton grove residence: hilton grove nationality: american ( est. 1997 through birth ) , british ( est. 1997 automatically a citizen due to mother’s citizenship , passport was claimed est. 2012 ) ethnicity: askenazi jewish ( maternal & paternal , 100% ) religion: judaism orientation: pansexual , panromantic ( she never really came out per say , people just kind of know she’s attracted to all genders . her family is very religious and she’s very involved with her synagogue so she’s made the choice not the necessarily put a label on her sexuality but is open about loving people no matter gender ) languages spoken: english ( fluent , first language ) , yiddish ( fluent , second language ) , spanish ( fluent , third language ) , german ( conversational , fourth language ) . father: henry christian berkowitz ( 50 years old ) was born & raised in fort lauderdale , florida by a politician / banking heir & talk show host / philanthropist . henry himself went on to follow in his father’s footsteps and serve as a us senator for two terms & currently is the ceo of berkowitz capital . ( relationship: it’s never been perfect but the love is clear in the relationship & he’s been much better at being supportive of her in recent years . certainly a daddy’s little girl even when you do wrong you can’t do much wrong type of situation ) mother : austen sylvia rachelson-berkowitz ( 48 years old ) was born & raised in westminster , england up until her teens when she & her mother moved to washington dc after her mother had become the incumbent uk ambassador to the united states . austen was crowned miss usa at the age of 20 & later went on to follow in her families long time involvement in politics ( holding former offices as a us representative as well as governor for two terms ) . today she spends much of her time putting her law degree to work on criminal cases . ( relationship: they’ve never been close & have never quite seen eye to eye . since jalissa was nineteen she & her mom haven’t said more than ten words to one another & if they have it’s never necessarily positive ) brother: kenneth patrick berkowitz ( 24 years old ) was born in fort lauderdale , florida & raised in hilton grove . he shares the same parents as jalissa and is the couples first born & only son . kenneth is following in the berkowitz footsteps & is heading the uk sector for berkowitz capital since graduating from columbia university a couple years back . ( relationship: the two siblings have always been close. they had a similar friend group growing up & alot of the same interests . they’re still rather close to this day despite being countries away from one another ) sister: sariah rachel berkowitz ( 19 years old ) was born in fort lauderdale , florida & raised in hilton grove . she shares the same parents as jalissa and is the couples last born . sariah currently attends stanford university where she’s on a pre med track . ( relationship: the two were often at each other’s necks growing up . mostly because how similar they are to one another . as of recently the two have grown close , though , with sariah fessing up to looking up to her older sister ) social class: upper education: highschool diploma ( hilton grove highschool g. 2015 ) career: youtuber ( from 2014-present ) , pornographic actress ( from 2016-present ) , podcaster (from 2018-present ) notoriety: being apart of the prominent berkowitz family , having one of the top 10 most watched pornographic movies , her podcast with her best friend tickets to our downfall & her youtube channel callmejalissa . weight: 122lbs height: 5′4″ hair color: brown ( with blonde highlights ) eye color: hazel ( wears blue contacts sometimes ) positive traits: whimsical , astute , extroverted , affectionate , quick , intelligent , friendly , ambitious , passionate , humorous , loyal , compassionate , effervescent negative traits: opportunistic , recalcitrant , hypocritical , vain , critical , stubborn , distant , sneaky , abrasive , sarcastic , obsessive , vengeful , reckless , arrogant likes: black coffee , birthday parties , lying , sunshine , baby pink , glossy lips , gossiping , stand up comedy , sunkissed skin , dogs , peanut butter , popping champagne bottles , driving with the windows down , swimming , mimosas , oversized sweaters , taco bell , cranberry juice , makeup , football , cosmetic work , arguing , online shopping , exotic foods , jewelry the price of a car , fresh berries , roller skating dislikes: liars , driving in the snow , her mother , jelly , basketball , bad drivers , when people lie about their cosmetic work , sushi , hateful people , disloyalty , overly emotional people , romance , being alone , astrology enthusiasts , hospitals , silence , cheap perfume , criticism , traffic , being late , red wine , short hair , anything banana or grape flavored hobbies: reading magazines , dancing to her newly curated playlist in the mirror , gossiping with her grandparents , video editing , meddling , going for brunch , goat yoga , drinking alcohol while snuggled up in bed , painting alternate universe cartoons , attending big soirees , making impulsive decisions , smoking weed , sleepovers with her closest friends , suntanning on yacht decks , late night instagram lives , marilyn monroe movie marathons chara inspo: kourtney kardashian , emily nelson ( a simple favor ) , tan france ( queer eye ) , evie zamora ( thirteen ) , rebekah mikaelson ( the vampire diaries ) , jennifer check ( jennifer’s body ) , gabrielle solis ( desperate housewives ) , regina george ( mean girls ) , lucifer morningstar ( lucifer ) , kathryn merteuli ( cruel intentions ) , veronica lodge ( riverdale ) , chanel oberlin ( scream queens ) , samantha jones ( sex and the city ) , andie anderson ( how to lose a guy in 10 days ) , blair waldorf ( gossip girl ) , naomi lapaglia ( wolf of wall street ) , maddy perez ( euphoria ) , kat hernandez ( euphoria ) fashion inspo: fran drescher , bella hadid , alex chung , madison beer , romee strijd , kendall jenner , selena gomez career inspo: tana mongeau , jordan lipscombe , sofia franklyn , alexdandra cooper , lana rhodes , abella danger headcanons: she has one hundred percent smashed the windows in an exes car , she drives a black range rover , vandalized an exes home before , says “ harely quinn is my spirit animal “ once a day , is not the type of ask if you’re okay with her vlogging , has slept with rock stars and couldn’t care less that they’re basically the age of dirt at this point , is actually very sad when she’s not putting on the vivacious front in front of people , dances on tables whens she’s drunk , its not a party unless someone has offered her a line

𝐁𝐄𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐉𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐀

the berkowitz family name has long been one that holds prestige & power . among the 1% for over a century . they are a prominent banking family that has had their hands in the pots of nearly every big banking company across the nation . coming into the united states after word broke of the california gold rush back in 1849 , the berkowitz brother’s were of the lucky few to acquire pounds of gold by the thousands . later founding what would become a leading investment bank known as berkowitz capital . the generations to follow would capitalize on the head start given to them by the two brothers . expanding the family company as well as the knowledge of the family name through heavy involvement in politics alongside the kennedy’s . since as early as 1953 there has always been a berkowitz family member actively appointed to a political role ( governor , senator , representative , us ambassador , etc ) . although the families roots within the states are documented in the capital of california , as generations went on they made their way over to the east coast , with most of the family members now residing in southern florida .

the rachelson family is a prominent political family . synonymous with power & eloquence . with their rise initially taking place in the british parliament . many escaped to england from germany between 1933-1935 . they hadn’t settled into the states until jocelyn rachelson ( jalissa’s maternal grandmother ) was appointed the united kingdoms ambassador to the united states in 1987 . the rachelson’s have since had heavy involvement in the us government , both behind the scenes and at the forefront . much of the rachelson family have stayed within the european union ( germany & poland ) as well as england . although the few that followed jocelyn to the states now reside in washington dc and the tri-state area .

henry & austen had met through their mutual friends . it didn’t take long before the two became a rather public couple , a supercouple if you would ( similar to that of a brangelina of the 1% ) . although they’d met in new york the two decided that when it was time to start a family they wanted to move to hilton grove , an island austen had eyed for years . instead they found themselves moving down to fort lauderdale where henry had grown up . before they knew it , they were three kids deep in settling down in fort lauderdale . austen’s anger from never wanting to build a life in florida started to tumble into the relationship & the daily life of the family & so in an effort to recover the marriage henry agreed to moving the family up to hilton grove , where they have resided ever since .

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐉𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐀 𝐄𝐑𝐀

jalissa was born the second of three children and oh boy does she suffer from middle child syndrome , riddled with a envy and a need to be in the mix . the berkowitz household , although , from the outside looking in looked like a fabulous family life was anything but . jalissa , like her siblings , was born on a pedestal & what came attached with that was even higher expectations from her parents . her parents found a way to be extremely authoritarian & uninvolved all at the same time . they were very dismissive if you disappointed them & everything jalissa did seemingly did just that .

for a long time she was obsessed with getting her parents approval , she’d turned life into a silent competition between herself & her siblings . she befriended only the people her parents approved of , did all the events they asked her to do , did everything she could to excel academically & only dated people who were of benefit to her parents ( people who’s parents where also in high places ) .

during highschool she joined the model un , debate team , and soccer team . if it were up to jalissa & not her parents she’d probably had joined the cheerleading team but her mother would never let that fly . it was too “ self indulgent “ to fit the family brand ( if only she’d known what would be coming years later lol ) .

it wasn’t until she was seventeen that she started to deviate from her parents wishes . of course , the catalyst to this was a boy , one her parents hadn’t really approved of but jalissa was completely head over heels for him . he really helped her boost her confidence to be her own person ? and not allow her parents to treat her like a puppet . with his encouragement she started her youtube channel , something she’d wanted to do for years but her mother had shot down the idea anytime jalissa brought it up . it was once again too “ self indulgent ” . the channel known as callmejalissa was an outlet for her , talking to a camera was the most heard she’d felt in seventeen years of her life . and god she knew that was hella sad . she really grew to view her subscribers as family & by the time her channel was brought to her parents attention ( more like her mothers , her dad had found her channel just four months after she’d made it and promised not to tell her mother so long as she was smart about what she posted ) she was about to turn eighteen and there wasn’t much they could do to stop her from doing it .

at eighteen she’d graduated highschool salutatorian with offers from university of pennsylvania & brown university . in all honesty she didn’t wnat to go to college , she saw it as a complete waste of her time . it wasn’t like she was going to do anything with the degree anyways . it would simply be a point of bragging for her parents at events & at this point she really could care less about them being able to brag to their friends . she knew she had to play along though , because this was the same year she was going to receive her first half of her trust fund ( a whoopin 500m , yes her trust fund in total will be 1b her parents are grossly wealthy guys ) so she bamboozled ? her parents , promising she’d committed to attending penn just so they’d allow for the money to be released to her account . she moved out of the house , literally moving into a house of her own a couple blocks from her parents house & claimed she was living in pennsylvania for college . we stan a sneaky binch .

two months later her parents were at her front door , though , ready to give her an ear full . her mother basically disowned her at this point . telling her how every year jalissa found a new way to be a bigger disappointment . her dad kind of played good cop , like he normally would because her mother often dug into her pretty deeply . to the point where any insecurity ( even though with the way she carries herself you’d never think she has any ) she has stems from something her mother has said / called her in the past . if henry berkowitz had a soft spot , it was certainly jalissa , it that had only grown clearly with the harsher austen became on the girl .

a few months before her nineteenth birthday a sex tape was released of jalissa cheating on her boyfriend at the time . it was a drunken mistake she’d made around the time of her mother basically disowning her , but that explanation did suffice for her boyfriend who inevitably broke things off with her . although this was a horrific time she’d received an abundance of offers to film more tapes . it was enticing to say the least . she was someone who loved intercourse but also had this deeply rooted desire to get back at her mother ? and what better way to do so then to something so far left from what her mother was about . this was next level disappointment in the eyes of austen berkowitz . the only thing that made sense ( in her mind ) was to dive head first into the porn industry .

like you’d expect her parents had a fit when they found out about her new career choice . although her internet fame had soared to new heights and her youtube & instagram followers were loving every second of this move . her mom was currently serving as governor and has since not been able to get elected in the political world since jalissa became one of the top porn stars around . they basically blacklisted her & jalissa feels no remorse , she’s gone so far as telling her mother “ sucks to be shunned , huh? ” .

although it took her dad a while to come around , he cares far too much to shut her out .

not to long after jalissa & her best friend started their podcast tickets to our downfall , it’s a mix of call her daddy & the basement yard , basically two besties talking on a level that most people wouldn’t want to leave the privacy of their own space , giving advice , hoe tricks , and telling funny stories of their past . it a total hit & one of jalissa’s favorite things to do .

she live sin the same house she has since she was eighteen . she lives on her own with three dogs and a cat . she absolutely hates being alone and so maggie ( a tan corgi puppy ) , louis ( a yellow lab puppy ) , humphrey ( a chocolate lab ) , and cedric ( a orange scottish fold ) are her babies that keep her sane in her big ole home .

𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘

as you can tell jalissa is chaotic , impulsive , reactive , and overall just searching for attention . she doesn’t care if the attention she receives is for the wrong reason or not , as long as she’s getting it . despite this she’s a good person ? i promise . she’s very friendly , loves a good joke & having a good time . very fun loving . she’s the type of person to try and bring up everyone else’s mood even when she isn’t feeling 100% herself . she’s loyal to those she deems are loyal to her . sometimes she’s bad a seeing who is actually loyal to her though & will be disloyal to someone who actually has her back ? oops . she’s definitely not the type to sugar coat anything for you , she tells it like it is & refuses to apologize if that hurts your feelings . if you cross her ? i’ll be praying for you . she’s the type to fuck your s/o , tell your boss some wild story about you & dump alcohol over your head at an event all in the matter of a week . don’t get her going , she’s absolutely relentless . with that said she’d very affectionate ... ? you can catch her hugging up on whoever is next to her at all times . touch is her love language , because lord knows she’s no sweetheart . she hates the stereotype of porn stars / internet personalities being ditzy , although she didn’t attend university she was accepted into two ivy leagues based off her academic abilities alone . the girl is intelligent & enjoys having a clever conversation from time to time .

𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

a girl squad or just a squad in general really , give my baby her lil group of people please

her ex boyfriend from when she was seventeen ( he’s mentioned above ) but basically he’s the one who encouraged her to not let her parents make her their puppet , they didn’t approve of him , jalissa fell head over heels for him . they would’ve dated for nearly two years because the sex tape of her cheating on him came out .

the person she cheated on her ex with ? maybe they’re the one who leaked the sex tape ? maybe they never even told jalissa they were recording ?

her best friend that she does the tickets to our downfall podcast with ? these two are literally like twins , just two peas in a pod ( pun intended )

fans of her work ? and im not taking about her youtube channel or podcast

ex hook ups that think she’s crazy ? she probably gave them reason to think so lbr

frenemies give me blair & serena circa season one type of shit

just plain old enemies , they were probably friends at one point or maybe just have always disliked one another ?

smoking buddies were they literally just hot box cars together and munch on taco bell talking about why sound vibrates & shit

someone who isn’t afraid to confess their love for jalissa but her damaged ass refuses to confess her feelings for them ? so it’s just this constant cycle of them having a good time , them being sweet & her just gets weirdly quite & starring at them before she complaining about them going and ruining the vibes

she’s a bad influence on them ? they’re a good influence on her ? ride or dies ? partners in crime ? only friends when there is a substance involved ? sugar baby vibes ? unlikely friends ? flings ? crush ? friends with benefits ? everytime they are around one another its a fight ? someone she lets crash at her place sometimes ? someone she’s backstabbed & maybe they don’t even know she has & they still think she’s a ride or die for them ?

#hilton:intro #❛ 🍑 ── 𝐅𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐃 𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑. / INTRO.

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gordonwilliamsweb · 4 years ago

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Head-Scratching Over Newsom’s Choice of Blue Shield to Lead Vaccination Push

This story also ran on Chico Enterprise-Record. It can be republished for free.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, struggling to salvage a once-bright political future dimmed by his mishandling of the covid crisis, tapped nonprofit health insurer Blue Shield of California last week to allocate the state’s covid vaccine.

The company has thus far said little about how it plans to reorganize a gargantuan and complicated vaccination campaign that has befuddled and frustrated public health officials and vaccine seekers alike.

The agreement with Blue Shield was made under an emergency authorization, circumventing the customary bidding process. Kaiser Permanente, California’s largest health plan, will sign an agreement with the state to manage vaccinations for its 9 million members and provide additional assistance to the broader effort. (KHN is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.)

Blue Shield’s job will be to assemble a statewide vaccination network and “allocate vaccines directly to providers to maximize distribution efficiency,” according to a statement from the California Health and Human Services agency.

Newsom hopes that replacing the patchwork of county-by-county efforts with a centralized system will accelerate the pace of vaccinations.

The vaccine rollout has been plagued by early stumbles, including confusing appointment systems; shifting rules on vaccine eligibility; long lines that have kept older people waiting for hours, leading some to abandon their quest and go home unvaccinated; and faulty data collection that left state officials unable to say whether Newsom had met his goal of administering 1 million doses in 10 days.

Some health care experts cautiously welcomed the new plan, saying Blue Shield could help bring more structure and efficiency to the enterprise of vaccinating California’s nearly 40 million residents.

Blue Shield is the third-largest health insurer in California, after Kaiser Permanente and Anthem Blue Cross. It contracts with a large number of hospitals, medical groups, pharmacies and other providers across the state. Newsom is counting on the insurer’s extensive web of relationships to help get vaccines out more quickly and effectively.

Since Blue Shield “has got an organization with a statewide footprint and knowledge of the geography and the population, it seems they could think through all the scheduling and logistics,” said Glenn Melnick, a professor of health economics at the University of Southern California’s Sol Price School of Public Policy.

Critics said Blue Shield may not be up to the task, and some suspected the decision was not entirely unrelated to the fact that the insurer has been a major Newsom donor.

Here are answers to five key questions about Blue Shield’s participation in the covid vaccination program:

1. Is Blue Shield up to the task?

Time will tell. Despite its experience and clout in the health care industry, Blue Shield has never attempted anything of such magnitude — with so much riding on it and so many eyes watching.

Skeptics note that Blue Shield’s track record in delivering health care to its enrollees has not always been stellar. Its rollout of Affordable Care Act health plans in 2014 was beset by errors, and it has been fined by regulators for improper coverage cancellations and consumer grievance violations, among other things. In 2015, it lost its state tax-exempt status following a controversy over large premium hikes and its hefty financial reserves.

In 2019, the most recent year for which data is available, Blue Shield had the second-highest rate of consumer complaints — after UnitedHealthcare — among the nine largest California health plans regulated by the state’s Department of Managed Health Care. And it got the lowest possible score on access to care in the 2019-20 health plan ratings by the National Committee for Quality Assurance.

2. Was Newsom’s decision politically motivated?

It’s hard to say definitively without having been a fly on the wall, but Blue Shield is on very good terms with the governor.

It gave about $1 million to support Newsom’s 2018 gubernatorial bid, according to filings with the California Secretary of State Office. Last year, the company contributed an additional $31,000 to Newsom’s 2022 campaign for governor, as well as $269,000 to his ballot measure committee.

“The reality, I think, is that it reflects the tight relationship Blue Shield has built with Newsom, not its capabilities,” said Michael Johnson, a former Blue Shield executive who resigned from the company in 2015 and is now one of its fiercest critics.

In addition, Blue Shield’s CEO, Paul Markovich, was co-chair of Newsom’s covid testing task force from March to June last year – experience that some health care experts cited as an asset in the insurer’s new role.

Another possible factor in the governor’s decision to shake things up is his political need to turn things around quickly, with an effort to recall him gaining momentum from the vaccination chaos.

3. Is Blue Shield well placed to accomplish the equitable distribution of vaccines to underserved communities that Newsom called “the North Star” of the new centralized system?

These communities are not among Blue Shield’s core constituency. It has a small presence in Medi-Cal, the state-funded insurance program for people with low incomes — and only in Los Angeles and San Diego counties. But it does have relationships with numerous hospitals and other providers that serve Medi-Cal patients. It will also need to collaborate with the state’s counties.

“It’s critical that Blue Shield be required to work hand in hand with local public health jurisdictions to reach vulnerable populations that do not have the same level of access to traditional health care,” said Sara Bosse, director of Madera County’s Department of Public Health.

4. What could have motivated Blue Shield to tackle such an onerous assignment?

Its payment from the state will be at cost, so there’s no apparent profit motive. Though Blue Shield could theoretically leverage its vaccine decision-making power to the advantage of its own business, health care experts doubt it would behave in such a cynical manner.

“Our goal is to do all we can to help overcome this pandemic, and it is our commitment to do that work at cost without making a profit from the state,” Blue Shield said in a news release Friday.

Melnick said he knew of no other health plan in the country that has jumped in to help public officials with testing or vaccinations. If Blue Shield succeeds, “it could be an answer for a lot of states and could put pressure on other plans to step up,” he said. By the same token, Blue Shield will probably catch the blame if vaccine supply shortages continue.

Johnson, the former Blue Shield executive, suggested a motive other than pure selflessness. “I think the biggest value to Blue Shield is the prestige of it,” he said. “It implies Blue Shield has the skill and integrity to be entrusted with something this vital to tens of millions of people.”

5. How will Blue Shield’s results be measured?

It shouldn’t be too difficult to determine whether the insurer is meeting two key goals the state set for it: to speed up the pace of vaccinations and to focus in particular on underserved communities. Both can be measured.

The bar for success is pretty low, Johnson said. “The whole thing has been managed so disastrously,” he said, “that it wouldn’t be difficult for Blue Shield to improve on the state’s performance thus far and come out of this looking like it did a good job.”

California Healthline political correspondent Samantha Young and KHN correspondent Anna Almendrala contributed to this report.

Kaiser Health News (KHN) is a national health policy news service. It is an editorially independent program of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation which is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.

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This story can be republished for free (details).

Head-Scratching Over Newsom’s Choice of Blue Shield to Lead Vaccination Push published first on https://nootropicspowdersupplier.tumblr.com/

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kpopfanfictrash · 7 years ago

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Sidhe

Author: kpopfanfictrash

Pairing: You / Jimin / Namjoon

Rating: PG-13

Genre: Fantasy, Fey!AU / Royalty!AU

Word Count: 5,323

Description: In the land of Humankind and the Otherworld, the Fey and Humans live side by side. Cursed are the Fey though, unable to use their own magic without a human wishing it so. You were born and raised to end this curse, to take down the system - so what happens when the Human you’re bound to, ends up becoming so much more?

PROLOGUE

Many years ago, there lived two realms.

The northernmost was the Otherworld. A place of shadows and forests, populated with creatures as strange and foreboding as the landscape. None of these more dangerous than the Fey. Humanoid in appearance only, the Fey were built of the earth; thrumming with energy and all things magical.

To the south lay Humankind. Gentler in both land and disposition, humans lived in peace with their formidable neighbors. Their land was ruled by monarchs, at the time held firmly by the kind King Jedrek. His kingdom was a land of crops and grains, one where few ever thought about the ambitious notion of war.

The Fey were fond of their self-imposed isolation. Though the countries lived side by side, they did not live together. Each year Otherworld and Humankind grew larger, either expanding to the north or south and pointedly ignoring the other’s existence.

Everything was quiet for a very long time. Everything peaceful, until the balance of power began to shift. Thousands of years of solitude, shattered by a single figure known only to time as the Dark King.

What his true name was, few remember. Names are powerful things, after all. He was Fey. Male, with a fierce and prodigal talent for magic. One whose star burned bright, whose superiors predicted a quick rise through the ranks of the Fey council. Contrary to all these opinions, he became a Warrior. One assigned with watching the Southern border. It was on one such outing he encountered the King of Humankind. They passed through the same city, a moment of completely random happenstance in which the Warrior’s interest was piqued. Overcome with curiosity, he hid behind the treeline to observe.

Something like envy tinged his thoughts as the villagers cheered. They ran towards their King, kissed his hands, feet, the ground he walked on. Even the ground his horse walked on, since the King himself wasn’t expected to. The faery looked down in resentment at his own, tired and bloodied feet.

The longer he watched, the darker his thoughts became. And while his thoughts twisted, so did his magic. There is a certain kind of power in this world, one which feeds on the blackest parts of energy. It is darkness, envy, anger – those powerful things which offer a tempestuous kinds of strength.

The warrior was strong already, and dark magic made him unstoppable. Before long, he became the Dark King. For many years he reigned and the Fey grew stronger – but brutally so. The Otherworld kept growing until one day, they ran out space to the north. It was then the Dark King’s eyes turned south.

When the Fey descended upon Humankind, there was no notice. Their King carved a bloody path, stronger with every human he cut down. Though the Humans fought valiantly, it was with little hope. After years of bloody and brutal fighting, they decided to make their last stand at their palace of Ostia.

While the two Kings fought, far in the north the Fey council met in secret. Their desperation to end the darkness drove them to an ancient sort of magic. Bravely – or foolishly so – they sought to change the world. Deep in the Otherworld, seven Fey women joined hands. As each member of the council gave themselves in sacrifice, energy coursed through the circle. It changed them to something beyond human – beyond Fey. What emerged from the spell were the Seven Sisters: keepers of good, protectors of both Fey and Human alike. They rejoined hands to speak again, a spell meant to halt the Dark King’s magic.

Back in Humankind, King Jedrek stood frozen. Held in the grasp of the Dark King, only able to watch as his men were cut down. Watch, as his army was obliterated. Watch the Dark King lift his sword, watch the world lighten and watch when everything changed.

It happened suddenly. First, just one solider fell. He dropped with a clang, a noise which somehow broke above the clamor of battle. The rest of the army followed, dissipating after days of onslaught. Their Dark King looked up in confusion, and this distraction was all Jedrek needed to plunge his now-mobile sword into his chest.

Then it was over.

The victory came at a price, though. In order to bind the Dark faery’s magic to stop him, the Seven Sisters found it necessary to bind all magic. In their haste, magic was bound to the closest living thing – Humans. From that day on, Fey magic was not their own. No faery, neither good nor bad, could cast a spell unless humans wished it so.

And so began the time of Faery Godparents.

Ch. 1

I hate that story. It was my chambermaid who first told me it, back before I could protest otherwise. When I was little she would sit beside me during the night, knitting in her old, wooden rocking chair and rocking me to sleep. In the dusky hours before dark and dawn, the fables and myths would pour from her mouth – her legacy was a spinner of yarns, in more ways than one.

I’m not sure why this story bothered me. Maybe it was because it referred to the Fey as Faery Godparents. The name in itself is absurd, slang. It conjures warm and fuzzy images, ones far from the truth.

If I’m being honest though, perhaps the real reason I dislike the story is because I identify all too well with it. It’s that one part really, the one where the Dark King travels alone at the border. He stops to watch the happy villagers, which is something I can’t help but understand. I know what it’s like being a part of the outside, always watching and never knowing.

I used to ask my nursemaid questions about him, the Dark King. What town was he from? What did he look like? Did he have a daughter? She would give me looks back then; uneasy expressions which very clearly explained not to ask such things. The Dark King was evil. A fable, designed to warn children against the night. In the back of my mind though, I continued to think of him. The tale always seemed too cut and dry for me – the lines of good and evil too clearly drawn.

Now, in present day I roll on my back to stare at my ceiling. There’s a pit in the center of my stomach, one I find increasingly difficult to ignore. Today is the Parium. It’s also my eighteenth birthday but I care little about that, beyond the fact it means now I can participate.

After today, I’ll be a Sidhe Knight.

The thought spurs warring excitement and dread. To be Sidhe has been my dream, ever since I can remember – ever since I could stand and articulate it so. My nursemaid would frown at this and shake her head, but my father always nodded in approval.

“A Knight you shall be, Y/N.”

Soon after that, my training started. The sword and the javelin, horseback riding and archery. Lessons of poison, lessons of magic, lessons until the word itself ceased to have meaning. My father watched in the background; always observing, always preparing – all for today.

Occasionally referred to as the Matching ceremony, the Parium is the day when Humans are paired with the Fey. Like Sidhe Knight, Parium is the linguistically correct term. ‘Matching ceremony’ is slang, and slang is common. If I were to say as much out loud, my father would slap me across the face. Faery godparent is slang as well. A tongue in cheek reference to our supposed status as the watchers and protectors of humanity. Laughable, since being a parent to anything infers familial connection. A Sidhe Knight would never stoop so low, to involve themselves with a Human.

Sidhe is the ancient word for our race, the Fey. Calling us a Knight is in reference to our natural strength and speed, making us the perfect warrior. A Knight’s human is their Patron. In the company of other Fey, we usually refer them as ‘Master’. Unpleasant, but more realistic.

A Knight and a Patron together, are Amhéin. This comes from the ancient phrase meaning ‘one.’ At one time, I think the Sidhe tradition was noble. Back then, altruistic faeries swore to protect humanity because it was the right thing to do. Because it brought our two races closer, made them one. These days though, it’s little more than glorified slave trade.

Despite this, being Sidhe is still considered to be the highest aspiration for faeries. Where else, will you receive such high pay and prestige? Otherworld doesn’t have the same soil as Humankind. It wasn’t made to be inhabited by a magic-less people. Everyone who can become Sidhe does, once they turn eighteen. Our land is poor and no one can afford to turn down the generous payment being Sidhe offers. Even the nobles can’t refuse, the nobles like me.

Our King and Queen try and protect us. There are rules in place with the trade (trade – more slang, father would be livid if he heard). Mainly, only a small group of faeries are chosen each year for the Parium. The chosen are between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five. They must pass the Experior, a day long aptitude test which pushes both men and women to their limits. If you don’t receive a high enough score, you don’t receive an invitation to the Parium.

These rules are harsh but necessary. Choosing the path of Sidhe is not choosing fun and games. As much as the King and Queen try to pretend becoming Sidhe is no more malicious than becoming a bodyguard, being able to defend with your blade is only half the battle.

Coursing through our Fey blood is magic. All humans need to do to access this is wish it so. There are rules, of course but accidents happen more often than not. Sometimes the human doesn’t articulate properly. Sometimes they wish for dangerous things. Occasionally their wish is impossible and the Knight is overwhelmed by magic and dies. This is the future the Seven Sisters left us with – if you even believe in that sort of thing.

My eyes are closed beneath my sheets, not yet ready to face the day. Dark destiny and power still swirls in my mind, the lingering remnants of a turbulent dream.

At least I didn’t have the dream. The one where I wake up screaming. The one where I start off in a burning room, panicking and unable to move. The blaze starts to burn brighter, faster until I’m sure I’m finished and then – I don’t know. I wake up. Shaking my head, I try and dispel the notion that more often than not, my dreams are of death and fire.

“Y/N! What are you doing, still in bed at this hour?”

Blithe, my maid, enters. She heads towards the window, flinging it open before I can cover my eyes. The sun is blinding and I groan, pulling my pillow up to shelter my face.

“Come on, up,” Blithe scolds. “Your father wants you to leave in an hour. You know it’s not wise to keep him waiting.”

Bustling into the hallway, Blithe disappears from view. I remove the pillow from overhead but keep my eyes shut. My nerves twist and coil, tight with the worry that today won’t go as planned.

My father has a secret. He may be a noble, but he doesn’t support this monarchy. The Fey are dying; that much is obvious. The Otherworld’s population is the smallest it’s been in recent memory. We exist in droves, cooped up in towns, scattered about like the Humans. Without magic we’re forced to live together, something which goes against every part of our nature. We build stone houses and drink stale ale, steadily working our lives away – which cripples us.

The Fey can’t farm, Otherworld is too wild. We can’t mine, can’t work with metal since iron burns the Fey. All our swords are made of glass, infused with magic so they won’t break. Even politics or advisory are dangerous career options, seeing as the Fey cannot lie. The Sidhe Trade is our only real source of income, but even this is violent and dangerous. The Trade kills more of our population than the King and Queen are willing to let on.

My father thinks the current misery is due to our King and Queen. He’s always been against the Sidhe Trade, believing Humankind to be little more than glorified slavers. I don’t know what happened to make him think so, I have no mother to ask. My father never speaks of her – at least, not to me.

Personal motives aside, my father’s opposition of the Sidhe Trade is legitimate. It’s not as though Humans need the protection we Knights offer. Protection from whom, exactly? Besides themselves, of course. The Sidhe Trade takes advantage of the Fey – takes advantage of this horrible curse, forced upon us.

I’ve seen girls and boys return broken, a shell of the faery they once were. There are dark rumors which swirl around the Otherworld. Rumors of Patrons, creeping into young girls’ rooms, of human guards who beat disobeying men. Things of nightmares and terror, things my father seeks to end.

It might seem odd then, I’ve been training my whole life to become Sidhe. It also might seem odd then, that my father is happy about my attending the Parium. That he’s helping me get there. I should mention that my father’s secret is also my own. His cause is my own. I seek to end the Sidhe trade, have trained long and hard to do so. I was bred for the Parium, for the sole purpose of being bought by the highest possible bidder.

Once sent to live in Humankind, I will infiltrate my household. Work my way into the family. I will bring back to my father whatever information I can, until we can find a way to free the Fey from the tyranny of humans.

That said, I need to get through today first. Swinging my legs to the side, I stand from my bed onto cold, stone floor. The morning is freezing and I shiver crossing the room, catching sight of my reflection in the mirror before splashing my face with water.

My ears are slender, pointed at the top. Eyes green, like all Fey are.

I peer closer, trying to recognize the girl in the mirror. I do this every morning, hoping that one day I’ll recognize not just my outside, but inside as well. This morning is the same as ever though, and I turn away disappointed.

My training was mental, as well as physical. To help, my father told me. It puts me at advantage, of course. I can mold myself in a variety of ways. Become whomever I need to be, in order for people to trust me. It creates a rather stunted state of personal growth, though.

Blithe returns to do my hair, pinning it closely behind one ear. She next adds jewelry: a pair of tiny gold earrings, an equally delicate gold necklace. Today, I’ll look the part I’m trying to sell. My dress is gold as well, swirling from cinched waist to high-heeled boots. I stare back at the woman in the mirror. Perhaps this is me. Y/N, noble Lady Fey. The sight of me in a dress is foreign though and I feel like a little girl playing dress up.

Despite my discomfort, Blithe smiles in a wobbly sort of way. “So beautiful,” she murmurs, which I suppose must mean I look halfway decent.

Our back staircase is a spiral: wide, steep steps which lead directly to the kitchen. There’s a large window midway, one through I see a glimpse of my shining home. Seven years, I’ll be gone. It’s surprising to me that the thought is a sad one.

It’s not that Rakhaven isn’t beautiful. To the west lies the ocean, coming to an abrupt halt beneath cliffs. Cliffs looming starkly over the rocks below as to the east stains the forest; an endless, rolling green stretching farther than the eye can see. It’s all beautiful, incredibly so.

There’s a certain hollowness to the beauty, though. A part of me already feels as though I’ve left it. As though I’m looking out from a stranger’s visage but rising from my sadness is unrelenting excitement. I’ve never been to Humankind. I’ve never been anywhere, really. Until now, I was kept strictly confined to Rakhaven. Freedom is a luxury I’m not yet been acquainted with.

The first thing I notice entering my kitchen is my father. He’s tall, black hair and darker eyes than mine as he sits straight-backed in the middle of the kitchen table. He’s eating an apple, his motions immaculate even when he thinks no one is watching. It’s he kind of perfection I strive to emulate. His expression is stern - sometimes I joke that the lines on his forehead are my own fault; a permanent crease of disapproval at my actions.

My father and I’s relationship is not typical. This could have been inferred by my strict mental reference to him as father. His dual role as both guardian and mentor meant our interactions were always more formal than not. I know he loves me – just in his own, monosyllabic way.

My father doesn’t look up when I enter. “Y/N. Shall we go over today’s itinerary?”

I nod, pulling out a seat. My father gestures at the table, pointing towards the bountiful spread of food. I don’t need to be told twice to eat, grabbing an apple along with some bread.

“In one half hour, a human from Thron will arrive at our residence,” my father announces, taking a bite. “He will wish us into the Royal Castle and we’ll disperse to your dressing chambers. At noon precisely, the Parium will begin. You remember the Oath?”

I nod, somewhat unnecessarily. I had a whole series of lessons on said Sidhe Oath.

“Good.” He nods. “You, along with the other birthdays from the past year, will assemble on stage. The bidding process, for lack of a better term,” my father’s lip curls, “will then begin. You’ll showcase yourself. They’ll call you forward, one by one and the crowd will attempt to out-bid one another.”

He finally looks up, setting his apple on the table. “Pay no attention to the middle-class humans. They’re of little consequence to us. With any luck, the Royals won’t announce you until the end of the ceremony. That’s when the nobility will place their bids.”

Here, at last, lies the plan. Today I’ll be bought by a rich Human family, a noble, if we’re lucky. I won’t admit it to father, but it’s greatly unsettling how much our plan rests on luck. Infiltrating a Human household is dangerous. When Humankind and Otherworld signed the Treaty of Vermine, it became treason for a faery to report back anything they see performing their Sidhe duties. Treason, punishable by death.

This knowledge looms, making it hard to retain my composure. So much of our plan hinges on luck. On my actions, my abilities and what if I can’t do it? My stomach flutters, openly nervous but I refuse to let it show. My father wouldn’t understand such insecurities.

“Don’t be cocky,” my father reprimands, mistaking my silence for arrogance. “Humans are not to be underestimated. They will wish for rash and idiotic things, you must control your magic. You will receive a teacher after the Parium,” he allows. “But even that will not save you, if the human is inordinately stupid.”

When magic was in our control, Fey would use our magic only sparingly. Each spell carefully honed and crafted to perfection. Humans don’t understand this kind of intricacy; too often, they wish for things on a whim or fancy. Never considered the cost it might take to create.

Surprisingly enough, for the sheer amount of lessons I’ve had – very few of them have involved magic. The necessity of human presence would have made me vulnerable – and this was a risk my father was unwilling to take. In magic, and magic alone, I feel wholly unprepared. If I turn out to be a magical dud, I suppose I’ll just have to make do with my other skill sets.

There comes a knock at the front door, one which draws my father’s attention from our conversation. “He’s timely, at least.” Standing, my father tosses his apple into the waste bucket. “You’re as ready as you’ll ever be. I’ll go and get the human.”

He exits the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts. My mind is restless, anxious for the day to begin and my fingertips rap aimlessly on the table beneath my grasp. I decide dejectedly on some early morning target practice and grab a silver-handled carving knife. Using the right mindset, anything can be a weapon. Weighing the blade in my hand, I draw my arm back.

When a hand unexpectedly encircles my wrist, I gasp. “Hi,” a voice whispers, close enough that I exhale, recognizing his tone – it’s only Namjoon.

I relax my grip, turning to smile at my closest friend. Tall for a faery, Namjoon stands at least a head taller than I am. Light brown hair perpetually falling over his forehead, his eyes are a dark green color – emerald, really – staring back at me. Not only is Namjoon my best friend, he’s my only one. Like me, Namjoon has no mother. He’s doubly unfortunate though, as he’s also without a father. He used to be just the stable boy, until my father took an interest in him. Namjoon was then brought to live with us here in our household, nearly ten years prior.

Namjoon is loyal, my father loves him because of this. The loyalty he gives is fierce, one of his greatest qualities. It also might be the reason my father is so attached. Namjoon’s parents were killed by humans long ago, making his hatred for Humankind rival only that of my father.

None of that is visible now, though. Namjoon’s eyes sparkle with laughter when he takes the knife from my hand. I allow him to do so, leaning back against the edge of the table and smiling.

“Careful.” Namjoon’s lips quirk, full of silent laughter. “Wouldn’t want you to bloody your one and only dress.”

I offer him a mock-frown. “Not true,” I retort. “I wore a dress on my eleventh birthday. It was blue.”

“As I recall,” Namjoon leans in. “You ruined that dress when you rode your horse through a giant mud puddle later that afternoon.”

“Only to prove girls could do anything boys could!”

“A noble cause, I’m sure,” Namjoon laughs. “Though if I’m remembering correctly, the boy teasing you probably just wanted your attention.”

“Well,” I grin, turning from him. “All you had to do was ask, Namjoon.”

Namjoon says nothing. The silence between us grows, becoming what could only be described as an uncomfortable length of time – were it not for the intensity of his gaze. I’m not sure when this silence started, nor how it began but it’s crept into more and more of our conversations lately. I do know I haven’t done anything to stop it. His gaze makes me stand straighter, bringing us even closer in height.

“Y/N,” Namjoon hesitates, wrestling with what he has to say. “I want you to be careful.”

My eyebrows rise. Namjoon doesn’t need to say that to me. “You know I will,” I shrug. “I’ll be careful.” I will, though I don’t know if that means I’ll be okay.

Namjoon rubs his forehead in the way that he does when he’s frustrated with me. “I know you need to leave,” he sighs. “I just wish –ˮ

“Be careful what you wish for,” I interrupt without thinking.

Namjoon’s eyes narrow. The saying is an old one, sprung up since the curse but it only serves to remind Namjoon of the danger I’m facing. He shakes his head, hard. “I want you to be careful, Y/N,” he insists, gaze hesitant. “Not just for you. For me. I couldn’t live with myself if you get hurt.”

“I don’t want to be hurt either, Namjoon,” I frown. “I’ll be careful.”

This doesn’t seem to be the answer he’s looking for.

“You’re about to enter their world Y/N,” Namjoon insists, taking a step closer. “You know how dangerous that is. Human beings aren’t like us.” Expression intense, he slowly sets the knife back down on the counter. “Some call the Fey capricious, but we’re nothing compared to humans. It drives me mad to think about what might happen and I swear, when I think about you being trapped with them for so long, I just –”

I can sense his agitation. Namjoon’s jaw is tight turning away, pushing a hand through his hair for the sake of doing something. He exhales, glancing over his shoulder in an attempt to change direction. “How do you feel about me?”

When I blink, he takes a step closer. “We’ve known each other since we were kids, right?” Namjoon’s eyes are wide, earnest. “But we’re not kids anymore. You’re putting yourself at risk and I need to know before you go, I – I need to know about us,” he stammers.

Namjoon’s expression is hopeful, becoming nervous the longer I stay silent. My fingers are restless though, drumming an incessant beat on the tabletop behind me. “You need to know about us?” I frown. “What about us?”

Namjoon looks bewildered by the question. “You know – us?”

His voice peaks on the last word, suddenly unsure and I nearly laugh at his expression. I stop myself just in time – it’s not fair that he make some sort of halfhearted declaration and expect me to pour my heart out. He hasn’t even said how he feels, gods.

“Well,” I stall. “How do you feel about us?”

Namjoon rolls his eyes, understanding. “I feel you’re the most frustrating woman in the entire Otherworld, Y/N,” he takes a step closer, forcing my heartbeat to quicken. “I feel you’re my best friend. I feel I’m closer to you than anyone else in the world. I feel,” Namjoon pauses, a hair’s breadth away. “I can’t stop thinking about you – in a way I never have before.”

My exhale is shaky, breath suddenly uncooperative. “Are you saying you like me?” I ask, voice smaller than I intended it to be.

Namjoon draws back, perplexed. “We’ve been friends for as long as I can remember. How can you question whether I like you?”

But it’s precisely because we’ve known each other this long that I question it. Maybe I’m expecting too much, but I want Namjoon to want me for me, not because I’m the girl he knows. I want there to be something more than friendship, something which burns, something unstoppable.

A voice in my mind tells me I’m being insecure, but I want him to be specific. To say he wants me not as a friend, not because we’re already close, not just because I have kissable lips. I want him to want me. “It amazes me,” I say quietly, looking back at him. “That you seem to know who I am, when I have no idea.”

“What are you talking about?” Namjoon seems confused by this, concerned by the direction our conversation is moving.

“I don’t know,” I groan, turning away from him. “How can you like me for me, when I don’t even know who I am?”

“I know who you are,” Namjoon interrupts, reaching. “With time, so will you.” His voice is so sure, steady I almost believe him. “Y/N,” he says, his fingers intertwining with mine. “I’m sorry for putting this on you. I should have said something sooner, but I was scared. I just want to know, before… Well,ˮ Namjoon breaks off, not wanting to say it out loud.

He knows some Sidhe don’t return. Expression softening, I lift my hand to touch his cheek. “Namjoon. I’m not saying no,” I pause. “I’m just – eighteen. I’m about to spend seven years separated, with no idea how this will change me. I don’t know who I’ll be when I return to you – if I return to you. I may not be the girl I am now.”

Namjoon’s face clears, studying my expression. “Y/N. I’m saying I want to wait for you. That I’ll accept you, no matter who or what you become, beanpole,” he teases, using my childhood nickname.

His eyes are open, so incredibly honest that before I can warn myself of the repercussions, I brush a strand of hair from his forehead. Namjoon’s eyes widen and he bends, so slow it kills me. He bends, brushing his lips with mine.

The kiss is brief. My eyes close without thinking, shuttered by some unknown impulse. Before I can reciprocate, before I can think through what this means – a throat clears in the air behind us.

I jump backwards, feeling as though I’ve been caught doing something I shouldn’t. Namjoon moves as well, cheeks flamed red with embarrassment. My father’s eyes flick over us both before coming to a stop on my face.

“Y/N, it’s time we leave.”

With that he turns, his exit as sudden as his arrival – and leaving me alone with Namjoon. When I glance sideways, I see that his cheeks are still crimson. I smile. “Blushing?” I tease. “I wonder if that happens every time.”

Namjoon looks at me, surprised. “I guess we’ll find out.”

This time when he moves, his stride is purposeful. When our lips meet, I forget about the Parium. Forget about being Sidhe. I forget about anything and everything but the boy kissing me and when I pull away, I do so reluctantly. “I have to go,” I mutter, fingers clenched. “Father is waiting.”

“I know, Y/N,” Namjoon smiles wistfully, gently re-pinning a strand of hair that’s come loose. “If the richest man at the ceremony doesn’t buy you,” he chuckles. “I’ll eat my words.”

“You would probably choke,” I tease, then grow solemn. “Goodbye, Namjoon.”

“Goodbye.”

He stares and I know I need to leave. I must, because the way he’s looking is too dangerous. It makes to consider a future; one I didn’t even know I wanted. It’s suddenly easy to envision a life where I don’t leave, one where I stay and don’t put myself in danger. I could stay here with Namjoon. Stay safe, loved and happy. There’s a future for us in Otherworld, a future together and for the first time I can remember – I feel torn about leaving.

“I don’t know how to go,” I say at last.

“But you will,” Namjoon replies. His answering smile is sad, crooked. “There’s a reason I love you, Y/N. You’re a heroine. Someday you’ll realize that, too.”

I’m still reeling from this confession when my father’s voice echoes throughout the house.

“Y/N!”

The tone is commanding and I wince. “I really have to go,” I groan, moving before I can change my mind. Upon reaching the door, I look back. The sunlight casts Namjoon in warm light and I close my eyes, committing that picture to memory. “I’ll see you again, Namjoon,” I say quietly, knowing he hears. “I can promise you that.”

When he opens his eyes, he nods. I turn away quickly, before I can convince myself to stay.

[Master List]

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she-elf4 · 7 years ago

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The Anthropology of Star Wars

In Defense of Recent Developments and Grey Areas

Recent developments in Star Wars have made a lot of older fans angry, largely because it questions the older 'Good vs. Evil' dichotomy the original trilogy is built on. In a large way, I am one of these people. The reason for this is because to me, Star Wars is comfort food, like a big bowl of ice cream for my mind. With recent political upheavals causing massive divisions between people of different countries and possibly pushing us to the brink of war, having something that's easy to categorize and understand, something that seems to give an absolute truth, gives many people a sense of security. It makes us feel better temporarily. However, like a big bowl of ice cream, it isn't necessarily good for us in the long run. While 'good' and 'evil' in themselves are fairly universal concepts, the exact definition of good and evil changes from culture to culture. Therefore, questioning the absoluteness of which side is 'good' and which side is 'evil' in the Star Wars franchise deepens the story and makes it more realistic. This, in turn, leads us to question our own assumptions and could possibly lead to a better understanding between cultures. What better way is there to celebrate our childhood heroes than to use them to bring different people together? In this paper, I will examine what drives the rebellion, what the empire actually is, and how the tribalistic nature of good and evil affects our interpretation of Star Wars.

I) What are Rebellions Made of?

All rebellions are made of two things: one, a shiny, feel-good reason that's used as the public face of the organization, and two, an economic advantage they want to gain or keep. (This is largely caused by feeling deprived of something they feel they are entitled to. This is called 'Relative Deprivation.') The nice, good reason is used to gain public support for the rebellion. A lot of the lower-level people, the ground soldiers if you will, believe in this reason alone. But the higher ups are always interested in the economic reason (although, they may also believe the feel-good reason, see 'Tribalism of Good vs. Evil' below).

As evidence, let's first look at a lot of the Middle Eastern terrorist/rebel groups. The shiny reason they use is, "Defeat the evil, greedy foreigners!" But the underlying economic reason is to control the region's oil reserves, most of which are currently controlled by foreign corporations. (If you're interested in learning more about this topic, read Overthrow by Stephen Kinzer.)

There are two episodes of rebellion in American history. First, let's look at the American Revolution, the colonies' war for independence from England. The shiny reason that's still taught in American schools today is, "Taxation without representation." That is, we were supposedly being unfairly taxed without having any governmental voice in the matter. However, underneath that reason, the taxes (which were being used to pay for the French and Indian war that England fought on the then-colonies' behalf) were interfering in the illegal black-market rum and slave trade. The second one was the Civil War, which the rebels lost. The shiny reason the southern states use to this day is, "State's Rights." The state's rights to do what? Be a slave-holding state. To learn more about this particular example, read the book Apostles of Disunion by Charles B. Dew.

So, how does this relate to Star Wars? Let's first take a look at the shiny, feel-good reason for the rebellion. The reason is never overtly stated, but it starts right as the senate's power is decreased significantly by Palpatine being crowned emperor. So here, we see a lack of representation and state's rights, which are both a big part of America's founding mythology. I don't think this comparison should be taken lightly, since the story was written by an American. Hope for a better future for the common man is also a big one, which again goes into American national identity.

What, then, are the underlying economic reasons? I would argue that it goes into black market trade and slavery, the same as it did in America. As evidence, first look at the roots of the Rebel Alliance. They start as the separatist movement, officially called the Confederacy of Independent Systems, with the Trade Federation as one of the founding members. In The Phantom Menace, this group is implied to be greedy and violent in their blockade of Naboo. In Attack of the Clones, they still have enough money to build a bigger and better droid army in spite of having lost their trade license. That implies that they are still involved in quite significant trade, all of it on the black market. After the collapse of the separatist movement, its groundwork was used in the formation of the Rebel Alliance. Therefore, a confederacy built on a foundation of black market deals lays the groundwork for an organization that espouses state's rights, similar to the American Civil War. More broadly, you could even argue that capitalism in general is what's being threatened (see 'What is the Empire' below).

The other economic reason I mentioned, slavery, is not as concretely shown. To see this, you have to consider the fact that the Confederacy collapsed, and many of its worlds were seized by the Empire. Also consider the fact that most of the Rebel Alliance's ships are custom designed and custom built (such as the X-Wing). They don't even worry that much about leaving most of their equipment behind on Hoth (granted, they had limited time to evacuate). Where, then, are these black market deals that support the Alliance coming from? The obvious answer is other black market trade organizations that stand to lose a lot if the Empire successfully takes control of the Galaxy. The most prominently shown of these is the Hutt crime syndicate, which is staunchly pro-slavery. This does not mean that the alliance itself is pro-slavery, but they are willing to put up with it "for the greater good" of rebuilding the Galactic Republic. Even in the Old Galactic Republic, slavery was tolerated in spite of it being illegal. This is shown both in its existence among the Hutts and on Coruscant itself during the bar scene in Attack of the Clones (one of the Twi'Lek girls is confirmed to be a slave). This is also mirrored in American history, with the northern colonies putting up with the southern colonies' interest in slavery for the sake of winning the American Revolution. More recently, it can be seen in both private businesses and government officials using incarcerated persons as laborers without paying them, made legal by the thirteenth amendment: "...abolish slavery or involuntary servitude...except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted."

How does Alderaan fit into all of this? Given that both Leia and Bail are both heavily involved with the upper echelons of the Rebel Alliance, it's fairly safe to say that Alderaan was one of the Rebel Alliance's financial backers. You could even make the argument that Alderaan was the main backer and the Rebellion doesn't make shady deals with the Hutts at all. However, if this were true, the Rebel Alliance would have collapsed with Alderaan's destruction. This was possibly the main reason Tarkin chose to destroy Alderaan (more on that in 'What is the Empire?' below). We know that Alderaan was one of the core worlds in the Old Republic, and one of the most prestigious. We also know that it had no significant weapons and, presumably, no standing army or armada of warships either. So how, exactly, has it gained and maintained its status as one of the most prestigious worlds in the galaxy? My guess is through large, multi-planetary corporations. This is similar to how a lot of first-world countries maintain their wealth and prestige. This also explains why Alderaan stands with the Rebel Alliance.

Alderaan maintains the appearance of a perfect utopian planet by outsourcing a lot of its dirtier and lower-level jobs to poorer planets. I suspect this includes quite a lot of manufacturing-type jobs. If these sorts of jobs are in an extremely wealthy place that has a lot of labor and minimum wage laws, that cuts significantly into the company's profit margin. Prices would be driven up, and a lot of those companies would be driven out of business. By outsourcing jobs like that to Jakku or Tatooine, you avoid labor, wage, and environmental laws. They also wouldn't have to keep a standing military, since they could hire security details locally. Thus, their own planet is kept pretty, pristine, and peaceful, the proverbial "white city on the hill." (For more on this in America, see the book Overthrow by Stephen Kinzer.) Therefore, if the Empire is some sort of socialistic regime, Alderaan stands to lose that image as well as most of its wealth and prestige.

II) What is the Empire?

The only thing we ever really see of the Empire is its military. Its overall structure is similar to any average military, especially the American military. However, the most prominently displayed uniform type (other than Stormtrooper uniforms) is the olive uniforms with the puff pants and riding boots. A lot of people have, consciously or unconsciously, recognized this uniform's similarity to Nazi uniforms. Take for example this image:

This is a standard example of a Nazi officer's uniform. Additionally, we generally only see humans among the officers, suggesting a 'racial purity' theme that also echos the Nazis. Therefore, they are cast as "space Nazis." However, Star Wars was written during the Cold War. I don't think this should be taken lightly. Consider these Soviet Union uniforms:

Here, we have two shades of green, a grey uniform, and a uniform with a white top and black pants. Several have flared pants and riding boots. Some of them even have hats with a front flap. It's equally likely that the uniform design was inspired by the Soviet Union. Further, let us consider Grand Admiral Thrawn being made a canon character. Obviously, he is not human. This directly contradicts the idea of racial purity. This idea is further contradicted by the imperial spy in Mos Eisley that we see telling the Stormtroopers where Luke and Obi-Wan are.

Another thing that could arguably be similar to the Nazis is Darth Vader's interrogation of Leia. However, it is never overtly stated on screen that he tortured her. The only hint we see about her interrogation is a large syringe attached to the mind probe. This suggests a truth serum rather than physical torture. This theory is supported by the complete and utter lack of any sign of trauma in the next scene we see Leia in. Common behavioral symptoms of trauma include disorientation and confusion, social withdrawal, lack of interest in hobbies, and being exhausted and easily startled. Far from seeming disoriented, withdrawn, and exhausted, she's just as spunky and sarcastic as she was when she arrived. Nor has she gained any new fear of Darth Vader, as she mocks that Tarkin is "holding Vader's leash."

The only other thing that made the Nazi party stand out in the modern mind is the racial purging in the concentration camps. One could argue that Alderaan is a parallel here. However, I argue against it. First of all, Alderaan was destroyed in a second. The victims of the Holocaust were tortured to death over a period of four years. I would argue that destroying Alderaan was closer to dropping Atomic Bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Dropping the bombs was decided by one man (the American president of the time), just like Alderaan's destruction was the decision of Tarkin alone instead of a regime-wide phenomenon like the Holocaust was. Furthermore, the point of Alderaan's destruction was not to purge an unwanted race, but to demoralize the Rebel Alliance, force them to surrender, and make any other would-be rebels give up before they started. In short, it was meant to be an end to all war (just like the Atomic Bombs were intended to be). If they had regained the Death Star plans, it would have worked.

If the Empire isn't the Nazis, who are they? I would argue that they are a composite of both the Soviet Union and the Empire of Japan. I've already gone over my reasoning with the Soviet Union, so let's look at Japan. First, there's the armor. There are three armor styles that are similar to Japanese armor: Darth Vader's armor, stormtrooper armor, and the new red guards' armor. Two of them have capes and all three of them have helmets that hide the face, like Samurai armor typically does. Vader's helmet style is even commonly compared to Samurai helmets. Furthermore, it is called "The Galactic Empire," and the Empire of Japan was America's main enemy during World War II. Finally, the Galactic Empire's emperor is a space wizard and the Japanese Emperor is believed to be descended from the Gods.

If we take this comparison further, what would the Empire's economic reasons for the war be? Considering the inspiration provided by the Soviet Union, we can safely assume it's some kind of socialistic regime, possibly with a limited free market that lets small businesses thrive. However, large, multi-planet corporations would largely be outlawed. This would largely be supported by the lowest classes: the slaves, the unemployed, and the homeless, the kinds of people who generally don't have enough to survive. On the top, you have politicians like Palpatine who, under the old regime, were losing more and more power to special business interests like the Trade Federation. He even mentions this in The Phantom Menace: "Enter the Bureaucrats, the true rulers of the Republic, and on the payroll of the Trade Federation I might add. This is where [the chancellor's] strength will disappear." If you were to draw a modern American comparison, it is similar to how large oil businesses have suppressed environmental regulations. So, to summarize, the Empire's aim is to take control of the economy, and the galaxy at large, back from large corporations and crime syndicates, and possibly to ensure a basic job and income to all citizens. "Support the Common Man" would be their feel-good slogan, with their relative deprivation being a lack of stability, both in income and in politics. (The 'relative deprivation' here is, arguably, less relative.) Again, you could compare this to the Soviet Union, which was formed out of worker's unions. With all this in mind, I question whether Palpatine is after galactic control purely out of greed, or if he is, in fact, originally from a poor background. However, I will explore that topic further in another essay.

III) The Tribalistic Nature of Good vs. Evil

"Good" versus "evil" is, at its heart, about "us" versus "them." In Humanity's earliest times, any "them" we came across fell into one of three categories: dangerous predators, food, or competitors for the same resources. (Of course, these categories often overlap.) In that time, when a human saw a new type of animal for the first time, they had to be able to categorize it quickly and fairly accurately so they would know how to act. This is where stereotypes come from; a human of the time would know what traits a stereotypical predator has and would therefore recognize a bear as a predator even if they've never seen one before. This tendency to quickly categorize things into stereotypes is applied universally to every new thing any human encounters. It also explains why things that aren't easily categorized and things that remind us of harmful things are hated and feared, even if we've never actually had any negative experiences with them before. Things we can't categorize unnerve us because we don't know how to act around them. Things that remind us of harm we've experienced or heard about will be treated as if they are harmful, often without our conscious decision to do so. For example, look at how African American men are portrayed in Hollywood. One of the more common portrayals is of the black gangster. If this is your main source of information about African American people in America, you'll automatically feel threatened any time they approach you. Hence, cops shooting unarmed black kids and insisting they felt in danger. It's not that the cops are lying or that all of them are corrupt, it's that they don't recognize their own internal stereotyping process.

In Star Wars, the most prominent trait we see in the Imperials is there uniform, which as I said earlier, most recognize as similar to Nazi uniforms. Most of the rest are wearing identical armor, seeming almost robotic rather than human. Interestingly, Stormtrooper armor is white, which is a color typically associated with purity. However, in this instance, it represents death, as the helmets look rather skull-like. Most of the rest of their commonly seen color pallet is grey or black, with the Tie Fighters and Darth Vader being the most involved in the actual fight. In this case, grey represents metal and automation rather than moral ambiguity. Black typically represents evil and death. Thus, we see them as unfeeling killing machines and Space Nazis. In the Rebel Alliance, we see a group operating out of a makeshift base situated in an old temple. The two most prominent heroes, Luke and Leia, are both introduced in white clothing, as is the leader of the Rebellion, Mon Mothma. Even the ships themselves are colored white, to oppose the black Tie Fighters. As stated above, the color white is seen to represent purity in most Western European cultures and the makeshift style of their base suggests an underdog. Thus, they are seen as the morally righteous underdog fighting the evil murderous Space Nazis. This kind of story is seen throughout history, from the story of David and Goliath to the popular portrayal of the American Revolution. Therefore, the Rebel Alliance being the "good guy" and the Galactic Empire being the "bad guy" is not based on any actual action of either group, but purely on stereotypes.

In conclusion, the Galactic Empire being "evil" and the Rebel Alliance being "good" is largely based on what we think good and evil ought to look like, based on what's considered ideal and typical Western European symbology. However, if you look at how groups like that function in the real world, you see that both groups are a reflection of ourselves. The Rebels represent what we admire, individuals overcoming the odds, while the Imperials represent the fear that too much interest in the group erases individuality. They both have ties to the real world at the time it was written, America and the Soviet Union. If we look at such works of fiction with a critical eye, we may find that the "them" in any given situation is actually "us," and there is no such thing as "them."

Works Cited

Pinterest, 10/10/2017. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/451485931366975671/

Pinterest, 10/10/2017. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/71705819037156479/

Apostles of Disunion: Southern Secession Commissioners and the Causes of the Civil War. Charles B. Dew. University of Virginia Press, 2002.

Star Wars Saga, Lucasfilm, Fox, Disney.

Nazism, Wikipedia. 2017. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazism

Soviet Union, Wikipedia. 2017. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Union

Empire of Japan, Wikipedia. 2017. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_of_Japan

Confederacy of Independant Systems, Wookieepedia. 2017. http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Confederacy_of_Independent_Systems

Meet the Twi'leks from Star Wars, StarWars.com. 2017. http://www.starwars.com/news/die-wanna-wanga-encounters-of-the-twilek-kind

Rebellion, Wikipedia. 2017. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebellion

Overthrow. Stephen Kinzer. Times Books, 2006.

Alderaan. Star Wars.com. 2017. http://www.starwars.com/databank/alderaan

We Don't Call Out White Terrorism Because We Don't Other Whiteness. Ravishly.com. 2017. https://ravishly.com/we-don-t-call-out-white-terrorism-because-we-don-t-other-whiteness

Us and Them. An Intricate History of Otherness. Jagoda Romanowska. Biweekly.pl. 2017. http://www.biweekly.pl/article/2094-us-and-them-an-intricate-history-of-otherness.html

10 Questions You've Always Wanted To Ask Your Black Friend, Annette Richmond. Ravishly.com. 2017. https://ravishly.com/10-questions-youve-always-wanted-ask-your-black-friend

Signs and Symptoms of Emotional Trauma, Cascadebh.com. 2017. http://www.cascadebh.com/behavioral/trauma/signs-symptoms-effects

Images of Black Males in Popular Media, Darron T Smith. Huffingtonpost.com. 2017. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/darron-t-smith-phd/black-men-media_b_2844990.html

#star wars #anthropology #good evil #rebel alliance #galactic empire

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16 Cheap Budget Wedding Venue Ideas For The Ceremony ...

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