#TLJ novel spoilers

[higuchisora]

As mentioned before, I'll be sharing my top 10 anime characters that could solo my beloved sweet baby boy Binghe. This is both serious and not at all serious. Disclaimer: I love him, he's my good son, but he also needs some competition to keep his head nice and deflated. I'm sticking with 1 character per show to keep things fresh. Also "anime" is a... loosely used term here lmao. Also also, manga/LN spoilers ahead for some shows.

Without further ado (and in no particular order):

10. Uzumaki Naruto (and friends)

Definitely the most obvious so I'm putting it first. Honestly the Naruto cast could've had its own top 10, but rules are rules. That Talk No Jutsu is fucking lethal. If he couldn't TedTalk Binghe into a reluctant friendship, he'd rock his shit first and THEN befriend him. Without so much as a filler episode.

I'm of the mind that any Kage-level character could wipe the floor with my son, Mano y Mano. But even a solid jonin team would have some serious hands for him.

9. Saitama from One Punch Man

I haven't watched the full thing, but ending careers with 1 punch is literally his job, so I'm taking this one on good faith that he'd also be fast enough to catch Binghe at all.

8. Yoriichi from Demon Slayer

The only thing that could defeat this man was his own sadness. He'd clap TLJ and then come for Binghe without so much as a snack break.

7. Hua Cheng from TGCF (yes I know it's a donghua shut up)

Call me biased, I don't care. Hua Cheng would obliterate this man without even thinking about it. He'd laugh, too, because he's an asshole. And then go home to bang Xie Lian.

6. Rimuru from That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime

I don't like this man or this show. But no one can tell me he wouldn't just. Eat Binghe. Like full vore, as is canon of his abilities. He's done it with physically larger targets and succeeded, he could do it for some pretty boy. Binghe wouldn't even be the first demon king he's fought.

5. Aang from The Last Airbender

I SAID WHAT I SAID. Specifically in his Avatar State, I firmly believe he'd clap Binghe if led to believe it was absolutely necessary. Like the literal world ending. He exorcised a man when he was 12, I think Aang at his peak could handle an emo boy in need of an exorcism.

4. Saiki Kusuo from the Disastrous Life of Saiki K.

He'd dust Binghe out of existence before homie even knew what hit him. Argue with the wall.

3. Yumiella Dolkness from Villainess Level 99

I don't even really like her, but considering she's taken on a demon king of her own before, and is capable of making black holes big enough to swallow cities without breaking a sweat, she'll at least be a worthy opponent.

2. Kumoko/D from So I'm a Spider, So What?

Literally a god. The world-ending kind, and that's when she's being chill about it. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if she ended up being in control of the System tormenting poor SQQ and SQH. She's not as advanced in the anime, but in the light novel ending a world is literally light work. She's done it before and she'll do it again.

1. Mash Burnedead from Mashle

I haven't even caught up 100% with this show but I don't care. It doesn't even matter that Mash can't do magic. Actually, it's precisely BECAUSE he can't do magic that I firmly believe he deserves a place on this list because that just means this human dude is just Built Different. Binghe would throw a bunch of spiritual/demonic energy attacks at him and Mash would just bitch slap it out of the way. And then bitch slap Binghe. Worst part is that he wouldn't even realize they're fighting for real, which would permanently ruin Binghe's self esteem, IMO.

Honorable mentions:

Gabimaru from Hell's Paradise

I don't think he COULDN'T take Binghe on, just that it's unlikely he'd survive, honestly. Cultivation is real in their world kinda, and from what I've watched he's not yet capable of taking one on by himself 100%. But he's tenacious and skilled, so he'd at least get a few good ones in before Binghe smokes him. With a good crew and a battle plan, he'd be able to lock an average Binghe under a mountain.

Sailor Moon

The only reason she isn't on top 10 is because I'm not confident in her ability to take hits. She's great at dishing them out, but in the event Binghe manages to get a good whack in, I feel like it'll be over for her. I don't think she's fast enough to reliably dodge the whole time either. Plus, I barely remember the OG show, so it's kind of odd to be comparing her to stuff like Naruto, which I know well.

Hina from Hinamatsuri

Just offer a lifetime supply of red caviar and Binghe's a dead man. That being said, I don't think she'd walk away unscathed. This battle would mostly be dictated by how it starts. If she has the element of surprise, he's dead. If Binghe is suitably enraged (say, Xin Mo possession style), Hina's a goner. Hence she isn't strong enough to be able to beat him soundly in all scenarios.

Kaneki from Tokyo Ghoul

He's pretty cool. Also likes to eat flesh. I don't think he's as fast at it as Rimuru is, but then again I also gave up watching after the first season. Gets an honorable mention because he might actually be stronger than I think.

Goku

He's fucking Goku. I just have never watched this show so I didn't feel comfortable ranking him.

Kibutsuji Muzan + Upper moons from Demon Slayer

Any of them would be a solid threat. However, considering they get their asses handed to them by a bunch of human high schoolers and fold at the tiniest ray of sunlight, I figure the moons would be somewhat of a miniboss vs final boss in terms of power scaling.

Muzan probably would've gotten a place on the list if not for Yoriichi. Also, as said, anyone that gets clapped by a bunch of high schoolers in their own home gets a permanent L. Shine a lamp on him and it's over for bro.

Hashiras from Demon Slayer

Not a single one of them can 1v1 any upper moons. That being said, they still managed to body all of them. They go down with them though, so I'd say it would take all of the hashiras (maybe including pre-canon ones) to take down the average Binghe. And they'd all die doing it.

Hero of Time/Hero of the Wilds Link from Legend of Zelda

Is this an anime? No. Do I care? Not really. Fighting opponents wildly out of his league but ultimately winning anyway is literally his canon lore. All Link needs is a slingshot and an ocarina and he'll fight the fucking moon. He's no slouch in recent games either; a beef bowl and a stick is all it takes for him to take on the immortal demon king possessing the castle in nothing but his goddamn boxers.

This was my list!!! Very long, but a lot of fun. Let me know what your own lists are, I'm curious lol.

If I've not mentioned a show, it's probably because I've never watched it lol.

[eirenare]

TFA and TLJ French junior novelizations & TROS English junior novelization (finally got them!): some details + reactions soon

What the title says, I finally got them! :D

Current plan is to post my reactions to the TROS English junior novelization chapter by chapter starting this week (although some stuff I already know about), and to share as well things I find interesting of these 3 books (hopefully 4 soon, if the TROS junior novelization in French gets stock soon).

If you guys want me to post about certain passages/parts of any of these 3 books, about the translations or anything, just ask me and I’ll provide!

For now I’ll say this:

I’m bracing myself for the TROS junior novelization (some of the stuff I’ve seen is... yikes)

the TFA and TLJ French junior novelizations have a VERY nice editing that I’ll post some pics another day: the format is sturdy for being paperback, there’s a little Ben in each of the books’ spines (in TFA it’s him in his TFA outfit with his mask, in TLJ his unmasked TLJ appearence), the movie photos aren’t placed all in 2 pages or more in a row but placed where the actions of the photos take place (there’s one when Ben and Rey’s hands are touching AND the thigh-grab! ♥♥♥ *cries in Reylo*), there are little illustrations of characters silhouettes to mark different parts inside the chapters, on the 1st page of every book there’s the silhouette of a character (in TFA it’s Ben in TFA outfit, in TLJ it’s unmasked Ben and Rey), and the 1st page of every chapter is cool because the background is the cosmos with the chapter title like the rolling start credits and with different ships showing for every chapter (sometimes it’s a Destroyer, a TIE, the Millennium Falcon or an X-Wing)

the TFA and TLJ French junior novelizations, however, have some parts cut or reduced from the original English junior version it seems? The TLJ one doesn’t have one of the parts where Rey remembers the “Stay here. I’ll come back for you, sweetheart. I promise” (the one that she remembers when she’s escaping in Snoke’s shuttle from the Supremacy), and the TFA one lacks another part related to that phrase, specifically the one Rey hears in Jakku after waking up from a dream where she hears it)

[imashybear]

Y’all, I am LIVING for sassy Ben Solo. 😂

[wedgemccloud]

I kept a lot of high spirits even through Rise of the Skywalker. It was bad, but I just rode with it, even with the people around me obviously annoyed. I’ve been through worse Star Wars stories. Bad writing decisions in the prequels, in the games, in the books...

I heard the spoilers and had already braced for the kiss. The moments of repeating the same fakeout of “oh no, character you care about died! ...Not!” three times weren’t known to me, but they had already told me they were checked out with this one and I found my own fun.

You wanna know the single moment where I knew they wasted the potential of the series?

This moment. This was the same moment I had as when I saw Tron: Legacy in theaters and (spoiler alert!!1) Tron turns back to his old self and turns on Clu, saying “I fight for the users!” and I was hype despite seemingly no one else in the theater getting it. I was the only person in my group of like six people who saw the original Tron. That line was for, basically, me.

*points at my username*

This moment in RotS was for me as well. I read the Rogue Squadron novels as a kid and played the Rogue Squadron games. I put both my hands up in the theater the exact same way I did watching Tron: Legacy.

And I just wish it meant more.

He was a cameo that basically didn’t do anything, part of a massive “all the cavalry has shown up” battle against a bullshit ass-pull enemy fleet, after a cavalcade of bad writing decisions had taken the wind out of everyone else.

This was like... the only thing that I wanted that I ended up getting from RotS.

And that’s utterly damning.

Which drives me nuts because it was all so simple. I know some of the plot twists in TLJ were controversial (and I don’t mean by the anti-SJW crowd; Phasma was done dirty) but at least you could see what the idea was. RotS felt like it gave up. It over-corrected, ignored, and just wanted everything done in ways that especially frustrate someone like me who sees things in terms of how they could be fixed, how even a bad decision could still be done better.

I knew all in the post above wasn’t going to happen. Even still, I thought they would nail ONE of them. But, at the end of it all, I literally only got one thing.

I got Wedge. For half a minute.

(And Rey with a yellow lightsaber because that was what I always used in games and even that was a fucking MESS of a moment.)

Me leaving the theatre December 17 2015: Wow! I can’t wait for Finn to become a Jedi and lead a storm trooper revolution, and Rey to be a skywalker/Kenobi, and Poe to be a main character with development and lead with Leia, and Luke helping his sister lead the new rebellion and train Finn and Rey. And Hux and Kylo and Phasma are gonna be an evil trio! So much cool stuff is gonna happen!

[reylo-bond]

Kylo would break stuff around the house with the Force while growing up.

Rey will only be recalled as ‘Luke’s destructive and rude niece.’

[riri19911]

From TLJ novel (SPOILERS):

His smile faded at the sight of his uncles lightsaber.

"i'll take that" he said. "It belongs to me"...

"Strange, then, that it called to me at the castle" Rey said, studying the ancient weapon almost idly before snapping her gaze back to Kylo. "And not to you".

The corner of Kylo's mouth twitched in the beginning of a smile, and he inclined his head at the soldiers filling the hangar.

"You're in no position to dictate"

---

REY I LOVE YOUR SASS! Love this Reylo banter!

[heylo-reylo]

She had closed her eyes, opened them, and found Kylo Ren there--right next to her where she sat on the stone bench. As if she could actually reach out and touch his hand, his face, his hair.

-- Star Wars The Last Jedi: Expanded Edition by Jason Fry

[dustybowldance]

‘‘The voice was her own. She had imagined that voice and repeated those words over and over as a child until they became part of her reality, even her dreams’‘ Yeah! sketched another Reylo comic! I love how the junior novel explains that quote, but I can still hope that some day in the future, a redeemed Ben makes those words come to life!

[hamtro25]

Tlj novel spoiler alert Rey&kylo's thought after the explosion

[unbreykmyheart]

Talk to your kids, people, not just about them. :(

[reylo]

My favourite reylo lines so far. Novel spoilers ahead, beware. 

“But she [Rey] also felt his hurt and his loneliness. And his fear - that he would never prove as strong as Darth Vadar, the ghost who haunted his dreams.” Page 121. 

“Kylo had urged her to let him be her teacher - had pleaded with her almost. She rejected him - only to be rejected, in turn, by Luke.” Page 121. 

“Rey forced herself to look into his [Kylo’s] eyes - those angry, haunted, needy eyes.” Page 174.

“She had closed her eyes and opened them, and found Kylo Ren there - right next to her where she sat on the stone bench. As if she could actually reach out and touch his hand, his face, his hair. At the sight of him, she’d felt relief surge through her.” Page 181. 

“Rey quickened her pace to match his [Kylo’s] long strides, not wanting to be seen scurrying to keep up.” Page 203. 

“Ben?” she [Rey asked]. “That’s my old name,” he [Kylo] said. Page 244. 

“She had stood in the throne room and seen herself doing it [destroying Kylo] - and yet she had immediately known that she wouldn’t. Luke’s error had been to assume that Ben Solo’s future was predetermined - that his choice had been made. Her error had been to assume Kylo Ren’s choice was simple - that turning on Snoke was the same as rejecting the pull of darkness.” Page 260.  

[sw-daydreamer]

Why Kylo/Ben thought Rey would turn?

I have been thinking so much about why he is so convinced that she will turn, because of what he saw, I think I get it now!

He saw her past, he saw who her parents are, and he saw that she, like him, had been “discarded”, abandoned. He identifies with her, he relates to her. 

In his mind this deep feeling of loneliness and  insecurity, the sharp and endless pain of being UN-loved can only lead to anger and darkness, he does not see any other option. In other words he believes …

‘if we are kindred spirits as I just saw, you feel the same,  therefore you  will become the same as me…’

Except NO, and that is something he will be thinking over, after Luke’s death and sacrifice,  his rage is gone,  there is nothing left to hate, the healing starts  and once Rey closes the door, he will be seeing other possibilities…closer to the light, he will believe, finally, that it is NEVER too late.

And by refusing to join him, she is showing him a different path.

[eirenare]

TROS junior novelization + some light speculation (also: spoilers)

Tomorrow comes out the TROS junior novelization and I’m very very curious but also nervous and I don’t know if ready enough for more feels *heavy sweating*

Apparently the scene on Mustafar is even more expanded than in the non-junior novelization because it says that Ben walks TOWARDS Vader’s castle at a certain point, and when I saw that on TW and wrote a quote-retweet of the author’s post all like “omg Ben’s going to Vader’s castle? Yessss” the author (Michael Kogge, who’s written the junior TFA and TLJ novelizations too) just... liked my tweet

I wonder how different the scene will be... I wonder, too, what else is gonna be an exclusive scene, given that it’s confirmed in the book info that it has “exclusive scenes” *scratches chin* There’s minimum 1 exclusive scene more and it probably won’t be something too major, or nothing major, but I’m so curious

My wish list, ranging from less probable to most:

another ending where either Ben lives or there’s a hint to his return or of Rey seeking to bring him back (if there’s any media where they’d do this for now, based on TROS itself, I think it’d be on something junior-related)

more romantic Reylo

more of the “Stay here. I’ll come back for you” phrases (I think I might’ve GREATLY misunderstood a part of this in the TLJ junior novelization and it’s something I’ve been writing about and I want to post, related to World Between Worlds theorizing), since this author basically introduced that “subplot?” in the junior novelizations and it’s only there

to have FINALLY explained how the kriff did Ben know about the Dyad because apparently not even the normal novelization explains it

[reyloandstormpilot]

One of my favorite scenes from the tlj novelization.

[sentinelreylo]

“Ben as a toddler, forever following Han. Carrying the dice from the Millennium Falcon and promising anyone who’d listen that one day he would be a pilot, too, like his daddy.”

Star Wars (Lucasfilm, 1977-2017) The Last Jedi: Expanded Edition (Jason Fry, 2018)

[riri19911]

ACROSS THE STARS! Han/Leia theme! Anyone have the audiobook?