#although I'm still not liking any of the pirates in new Star Wars

[gwarden123]

Oof, those rubber masks in The Mandalorian do not look good. I mean, they look fine on their own when nobody’s talking, but the actor’s just can’t move their lips, and it’s way too obvious that there’s a good centimetre of crap on top of their mouth as soon as someone has to deliver their lines, drawing further attention to the fact that it’s a mask and not and alien’s face.

This is why Star Trek usually sticks to putting a thing on a guy’s forehead and painting their skin blue, rather than impeding a performer’s ability to emote.

[echos-gal]

ok i'm rapidly losing hope that Tech is still alive, and this sucks because it was basically the top thing i desperately wanted from this season. i wanted to see him survive. so here's my exhaustive and embarrassingly long list of reasons why he SHOULD still be alive, and if he isn't, why it was a missed opportunity. obviously no hate to the writers or anything, i love them dearly for creating this show!!!

(if you're a "Tech should stay dead for the stakes/so someone in SW stays dead for once/i hate delusional Tech stans" person, kindly keep scrolling, this ain't for you)

SEASON 2:

right from the start, Romar connects with Tech and calls himself "a survivor." HELLO???

in this same arc, Tech breaks his leg in a fall which he survives. he continues to walk on it, fighting off troopers to save Echo & Omega, showcasing his persistence and grit.

one of Phee's first lines is "better late than dead," and we know she shares a connection with Tech. she flirts with him later in this scene. it would be a shame not to reuse this line, i'm just saying....

Cid still owes Tech for racing for her in Faster. we see Cid looking miserable as she betrays the batch in Plan 99, so her playing a part in his rescue/comeback would be a nice way to show her growth. (i'm afraid there isn't enough time for this, though- as much as i thought a Cid redemption was on the horizon!)

Phee and Tech's departure is awkward, and although we have some context from season 3 (they talked more than we realized), the scene would do best if reconciled in person imo. it felt like it was setting up for something, and feels weird to leave hanging.

"don't go running off with any pirates or smugglers" could not have just been a throw away line. it set up for him to do exactly that. how fitting would it be if pirates or smugglers actually did manage to pick him up before the empire made it to the railcar crash site?

Hemlock's retrieval of the goggles shows that he sent a team to look through the wreckage. he thought there was a chance Tech survived, and may have him.

i won't go into the logistics, but big falls ARE survivable. in star wars especially. we have no idea what was below the layer of clouds/mist Tech fell through.

SEASON 3:

this is mostly CX-2 centric. their armor is very similar: the jaw/mouth shape, the hexagons over the ears, the rectangles on the chest, and the pouches/pockets.

"domicile." that is all.

CX-2 uses technology more than the other operatives we've seen, and he gets past the encryption on Phee's ship with ease.

"who are you?" was enunciated in the exact same way Tech says it to Trace and Rafa, which i definitely think was intentional.

CX-2 stops to use his rifle scope in the exact same spot where Tech and Phee stood to let down the ladders in the sea surge on Pabu.

he survives a waterfall plunge on Teth, which appears to have fooled Rex's group into thinking he'd died. the writers could have killed him off there and sent a new operative, but they chose to stick with CX-2 pursuing them to Pabu.

it's worth noting that while this CX is designated as "2," Tech's CT number is CT-9902. he is associated with the number even on a visual level: he's a dual-wielder, he wears goggles, he salutes with two fingers.

FROM A STORY PERSPECTIVE:

firstly, i am sorry and i LOVE the writers, but if you want people to accept a character's death, you've got to show his family and friends' grief. we saw no reaction from Crosshair or Phee, no tears from Hunter or Echo. it feels like fans were sadder about Tech's death than the characters in the story.

Tech seems to have been mentioned more in the second half of season 3 than the first half, which works if they want to bring him back in the finale.

the finale is called "The Cavalry Has Arrived." i really don't think you can have the cavalry (aka the bad batch) arrive without every member present. i also don't think it would feel right to play their theme without Tech there. idk, that feels incomplete!

we saw no body, and Hunter received Tech's goggles not from a trusted ally or friend, but from Hemlock. this calls into question the legitimacy of his claim that the goggles were "all he could salvage."

Tech alive and being held on Tantiss would provide a nice parallel to Echo in the first mission where we meet the batch, in TCW. and [ep 14 SPOILERS] we see that Echo is currently looking more like his TCW self, with his earpiece removed.

feels kinda sour that a character who a lot of people related to as neurodivergent representation would die just a few episodes after having a deep conversation with his sister about it.

likewise (and as a white woman i can't speak for WOC), from what i have seen, Black women are rarely the main love interest of a series! Phee is the ONLY love interest in this whole show, and it would suck to just cut off that romance before it could really become something. a lot of people wanted to see TechPhee become canon.

CX-2 is the one who destroys the marauder. it works well storywise for its pilot to have been the one to do that- the person who worked so hard modifying it, flying it, and teaching his sister to fly it. i'll be lowkey pissed if it turns out some random dude blew it up.

it's also CX-2 who invades and sets fire to Pabu. this is emotionally gripping on its own, but if he is Tech, it's even more so.

we have no idea what the operatives go through. Crosshair isn't telling, but it clearly put him in a really bad place. if Tech underwent this conditioning in his post-fall injured state, there's a chance he could come back from it. Emerie is probably the key to this, if they take the CX-2 route.

this show is all about a family trying to stay together as the Empire desperately tries to rip them apart. seeing the whole family together again - even if not everyone survives - in the finale is the satisfaction that the show ideally would go for. the last time they were all together was the season 1 finale. that was about 2 years ago in the show's timeline.

leaving Crosshair and Tech's final interactions be where they parted on the Kamino platform also feels off. Tech was the one who really vocalized the need to rescue Crosshair in season 2's finale. Crosshair, in the meantime, has changed significantly as a person. Tech's comment about Crosshair being "severe and unyielding," and unable to change this facet of his nature, is incorrect. leaving Tech dead would mean that he never gets to see this change in Crosshair, which makes me feel like a deflated balloon.

FROM MY SELFISH PERSPECTIVE!!!

give me Tech with cool scars and slightly disheveled longer hair. this is such a good opportunity for the creators to give him a sweet new look!

we never got to see Tech without his goggles on, despite Phee constantly referring to his eyes. he definitely doesn't have them right now (they're in the Archium), so we could get Mister Big Brown Eyes if he's alive. it's another missed opportunity if not, imo!

the goggles being placed in the Archium was a beautiful scene that makes me tear up whenever i think about it. it's symbolic, it's bittersweet, and it's exactly where the goggles belong. but was it closure for me? not really.

Tech is a character who became a LOT of people's favorite in season 2, including my own. why kill off a fan-favorite with an entire season to go?

yes, i desperately want a Rex and Echo series. yes, i want the batch to cameo in it, and yes... that includes Tech. making up for lost season 3 Tech content 😎

the finale will feature the zillo beast, and Tech loves the zillo beast. FREE HER! REUNITE THEM! he would love to witness her rampage.

FROM A "SURPRISE!!!!!" PERSPECTIVE

it seems like most people think Tech is either CX-2 or dead. it would be a great finale twist if we DID get CX-2's identity, it's NOT Tech, the audience loses hope, and then he shows up. i think this is actually plausible given the other assassin schematics Hemlock was looking at in Point of No Return. Tech might be in Hemlock's grasp, but not an active operative. having an enhanced clone to toy with is something Hemlock would want to keep under wraps. we see him step out of the assassin chamber at the start of that episode - if Tech is anywhere on Tantiss, i think it's here.

i think the writers have expected us to have all lost hope by now, so his finale reappearance would ideally come as a shock. the finale is almost guaranteed to be a very long episode, so we really might have quite a bit of time to explore his return, if it happens.

secret 16th episode: i know, i'm putting my clown makeup on as i type this. but the previous 2 seasons each had 16 episodes, with a two-parter finale. season 3 is just 15, with a single episode finale. TBB formally ends may 1st, so what if we get a may 4th surprise episode detailing how Tech survived? (that or an epilogue leading into a new series, which i think is more likely actually!)

[wyked-ao3]

Wyked's intro

Hey, I'm wyked (wicked) been on Tumblr a while now and finally got around to my intro

About me:↪ Wyked, she/her/psycho

↪ writer questionnaire here and here and another one here

↪ I'm 23 and would prefer not to interact with minors.

About my blog:↪ This is the blog for interactions and reblogging and tag games.

↪ Reader, writer, nerd,

↪Alpha/Beta reader, idea bouncer. (Send a pm if your looking for an extra set of eyes, just tell me what your looking for. I can be brutally honest if that's what you're looking for but I'm still listing my favorite parts regardless.)

↪Taurus born

↪I write mostly fanfiction multi fandom and have a blog for it here @wyked-fanfiction

↪ I'm currently writing my first original work the TPCG series and all lore and a majority of writing shares and ask will be shared on this blog @wyked-original-writing

All fandom related stuff will be contained to @wyked-fandom

↪My current game fandom's

Zelda (it's more link than Zelda but whatever lol) I have played (wind waker , orca of time, twilight princess, and a little of skyward sword)

Elder scrolls (Skyrim is my favorite)

Devil may cry 2-3

Red steel

Assassin's creed (can't wait for the new one…although I'm still not sure about upgrading from the PS3 lol)

↪My movie/series fandoms

Merlin, Twilight, Supernatural, Lucifer, Grimm,Once upon a time, Stargate (all), Primeval, Criminal minds, NCIS, Star trek, Harry Potter, Hannibal, Marvel, Harley Quinn, Shadow hunters, Arrow, How to train your dragons (all), Troll hunters (they ripped my heart out) Avatar the last Airbender, Avatar (blue), Jurassic world, Jurassic park, Dragon prince, The last of us?(Not the biggest fan of it but I do read the fic's and wrote for ot occasionally, Lost, Charmed (original), Originals (didn't finish it….I'm a softie okay), and to be honest I'm forgetting some… may edit as I remember or hit a phase where they are my favorite show again….

↪Anime fandom's…..some I'm only in due to my sister but it still counts…..

Black Butler

Heavens official blessing

Skum villain D

emon king academy

Welcome to demon school iruma (I love this)

Fairytail

↪My Never seen but I could probably convince you otherwise do to my sister's rambling list that will update as I remember names

Inuyasha

↪My interest and writing memes will be posted on @wyked-rebellion

Herbs,plants,trees, mushrooms, nature (I can keep going) animals,fish,corals and aquatic plants, invertebrates, mythology, pirates, knights, druids,shamans, hanfu, feudal era, history involving any of the above.. writing, gardening, wood carving and burning, sketching although I think you get more detail with wood burning……I can keep listing but most of that will not be covered here so I will stop now but feel free to drop in my inbox to chat

I will add more eventually here

↪My mutuals original story recommendation list

My favorite western, time loop horror romance by @tragedycoded I can not recommend this enough it got me hooked on a western.

If you like gay pirates, kidnapping, drama and found family that will keep you on your toes then check out @the-golden-comet 's story (read the warning)

↪My mutuals fanfiction recommendation list (it will change as I think of some I added the recommendations last minute so oops)

If you are into sarcastic lovable OC's and mandalorians from star wars check out @lillybaaaka 's work

she also has a fem Harry Potter/startrek crossover that I'm in love with lol highly recommend it, it's more startrek then Harry Potter

if you are into the bat family you should check out @gods-graveyard 's work

if you like bananafish fanfiction then check out @gioiaalbanoart she has several amazing ones but my favorite so far is this one

if you are a Zelda fan who ships Ganon and Link then I highly recommend you check out @the-golden-comet just make sure to read the warnings

[vibrantbirdy]

Pursuit: A Ben Solo Star Wars Story - Chapter 4

Title: Pursuit Fandom: Star Wars: Skywalker Saga Genres: Sci-Fi, Action/Adventure, Romance Setting: Post The Rise of Skywalker (Ben Solo lives!) Chapter: 4/? Main Character: Ben Solo (Kylo Ren) Warnings: Canon-typical violence; adventure peril; minor angst, mild sexuality/mutual sexual feelings - slow burn be slow burning; any further warnings will be specified by chapter Main Pairings: Ben Solo/OC Other Pairings throughout: Poe/Finn; Mentions of Ben Solo (Kylo Ren)/Rey Author's Note: My postings have finally caught up with my writing so I'm breaking new ground now, but I still hope to get a chapter out once a week. I'm also playing Jedi: Survivor at the moment, so there are other distractions...

Pinned Post: Please find all completed chapters of Pursuit here.

Read: Chapter 1 ; Chapter 2; Chapter 3

Summary: Three years after surviving events on the planet Exegol, Ben Solo is carving out a solitary life for himself in the New Republic against the backdrop of reconstruction. His pursuance of quiet redemption is interrupted when a new threat to the Galaxy emerges from an old and terrifying enemy. With the help of new friends and unlikely allies, Ben must set out into Wild Space to defeat the darkness rising and put his own demons to rest once and for all.

Chapter 4 (Word Count: 6330)

Grand Inquisitor, Endo Seris, stood on the bridge of the Imperial Star Destroyer he had rechristened Seeker. A bit on the nose perhaps, but why beat around the bush? He'd never had the patience for subtlety.

The old relic was one of many Imperial ships he'd salvaged over the years from various places across Wild Space - junk yards, pirate strongholds, abandoned Imperial and First Order outposts. His fleet was growing day by day, although only one of his ten Destroyers, this one, was in good enough condition to fly as far as needed for this mission.

Second Sister and Third Brother flanked him on either side. Both had proven themselves worthy apprentices over the past three years. Second Sister, an adept Force wielder, had showed particular promise.

After bearing witness to the demise of the Emperor on Exegol at the hands of the traitor Ren and the Jedi girl, Seris had fled with remnants of the Sith Eternal into the very depths of Wild Space.

There, Seris had found them. His new kin. There had been slim pickings in terms of prey out on the very edge of the Galaxy to hone his students' skills but he had managed. Now, both young warriors were adept hunters of the Force sensitive.

“Officer Denkins,” Seris turned to the Officer at the helm. “Have we been detected by the New Republic?” “No Sir,” the Officer answered with a hint of pride.

Seris reached out through the Force and detected the pulse of ambition coursing through the young helmsman's veins. That was acceptable. Like all of Seris' skeleton crew, this young man was the result of generations of families with Imperial loyalties. Like his ships, Seris offered those faithful to the ideals and legacy of the Galactic Empire a new purpose.

Officer Denkins was wearing an Imperial uniform which Seris suspected had belonged to his father's father. It was worn and faded with age, but young man obviously took pride in it. There was not a crease, nor speck of dust to be seen.

Seris turned his attention back to the small freighter on their flank. The Force works in mysterious ways. How convenient that Kylo Ren and this Force sensitive youngling had found their way to each other. Seris had already been briefed on his chief engineer's conclusion that the old Destroyer's capability to lock on to their target was not yet operational. A shame today would not be the day he made Ren pay for his treachery, but it was no real matter. There was no rush. That day would come in time.

“They are getting away,” Third Brother growled in frustration, as they watched the small freighter carrying Ren and the girl from Bakura power up its engines to make the jump to light speed.

Third Brother, able warrior and skilled hunter though he was, had a tendency to look at what was right in front of him and miss the bigger picture. Second Sister had no such weakness. She was gifted with almost unnatural patience and she was sage with it too.

“Second Sister,” Seris asked, “What do you think Ren is going to do now that he understands we are not a mere manifestation of his pitiable, damaged psyche?”

“I feel the conflict raging within him, Grand Inquisitor,” Second Sister answered, eyes closed, a hungry smile spreading across her face.

“Ren has a pathetic desire to prove himself useful to the New Republic, to be worthy of their forgiveness. He is weak and he will not be able to resist the pull to the Light. He,” she paused as her wolfish grin widened, “will come to us.” “Precisely,” Seris said, pleased with her intelligent evaluation. “And when he does, he will lead us to the very heart of the new Jedi Order.”

He clenched his fist thinking of the sweetness of the victory to come. He watched Ren's ship stretch then disappear in a flash of light as it made the jump to hyper space.

Then he turned on his heel, giving Officer Denkins the order set a course back to Wild Space as he strode off the Seeker's bridge. He was satisfied, if not pleased, with the day's events.

********************************************************************

Poe Dameron found himself questioning his own reality as he stood in the middle of a large forest clearing on some backwater planet in the Mid Rim face to face with Kylo Ren.

Ren's ship sat at the opposite side of the clearing from Poe and Finn's borrowed HWK-290 light freighter. It was an old ship, but boy was she still fast, and they'd needed to take something quick and light to make the rendezvous on time. Poe had taken immense pleasure in flying it at the very limit of its speed threshold, much to Finn's chagrin.

Ren's face was different. More open, almost placid. Certainly much less like he was walking around with the world's worst tension headache. It made him look younger somehow despite the short beard he now wore. This man looked like your everyday variety cargo pilot.

Still, the intensity of his eyes, though less feral, had not faded.

“What do you want, Ren?” asked Poe, determining that this time, he definitely would talk first.

Poe could have sworn that the former Supreme Leader of the First Order had flinched at the mention of his old name. Poe revelled in it, although he knew he shouldn't.

He felt Finn, ever his conscience, move slightly at his shoulder, and Poe knew well enough that that was a subtle message for him to behave.

Solo from now on then, though Poe hardly thought he deserved to use the name.

“I need your help,” Ren - Solo – said, having regained his composure annoyingly quickly, “What do you know about the Inquisitorius?”

Silence.

“Nothing,” Poe admitted after a beat.

He spread his hands theatrically, gesturing to Solo that he should continue if he really had to.

“Please. Why don't you enlighten us.”

Solo explained that in the time of the Empire, an Order of Inquisitors, ruthless Force sensitive warriors, some former Jedi who had been turned to the Dark Side, had specialised in hunting down and slaughtering any Jedi who had survived Palpatine's purge. These Inquisitors would often capture Force sensitive children, brainwashing them and turning them into killing machines for the Empire.

Poe had thought he'd known everything there was to know about the depraved depths the Empire had sunk to in its domination of the Galaxy - how had he never heard of this? He had a sudden and unexpected rush of – what? Sympathy for Solo?

Maybe not quite. Perhaps he could best define it as a new perspective on the deplorable path that Solo's life had taken as Kylo Ren. From what he'd heard, Solo had been little more than an impressionable, lost kid himself when Snoke had corrupted him and turned him to the Dark Side.

“They're back,” Solo said, “They are searching for me and...”

“Ah, now we're getting to it,” Poe scoffed, so incensed he was physically unable to let Solo finish his sentence, “What are you asking? You want us to waste Republic time and resources because you're finally going to get your comeuppance from these guys for being a turn coat? C'mon!”

“That's not it.” Solo's tone was irritatingly level.

“OK, well,” Poe threw up his hands, “Whatever it is, this sounds more like Jedi business, so isn't it time you and Rey just...”

“No,” Solo and Finn said simultaneously.

They shared a strange look of knowing agreement which Poe found to be infuriating. The first time Finn had opened his mouth since they'd got there and he'd used it to agree with Kylo kriffing Ren.

“No,” Ben repeated still looking with a sort of mild curiosity at Finn.

“If they capture me and I know where Rey's Temple is...”

He trailed off before redirecting his piercing gaze towards Poe.

“Do you understand what I'm saying?”

Poe nodded grimly, clenching his teeth and trying to keep his anger at bay. He did understand, boy did he understand. Memories of his own desperate attempts to resist Ren's excruciating probing of his mind for information; his futile efforts to protect his friends; the abject failure that followed.

He felt Finn's hand come to rest on the small of his back, a small gesture of comfort, but one which allowed him to refocus.

“It's not just about me, Dameron. They will hunt down and eliminate any Jedi that they find in whatever manner they see fit.”

Solo's words were quiet but steady as he continued in that deep monotone of his.

“They're building their numbers and amassing a fleet.”

“A fleet?” Finn asked incredulously. “From what? Scraps?”

“Yes.”

The answer was so simple, neither Poe nor Finn it seemed had any comeback prepared.

“I've seen it,” Solo continued. “They tracked me on an Imperial Star Destroyer from Wild Space to the edge of the Mid Rim.”

Poe rolled his eyes and he thought he even heard Finn let out an exasperated sigh. He was glad to know they were finally on the same page about this.

What a load of Bantha crap.

“Old Imperial ships don't have that tech...” Finn started, but Solo cut across him.

“No, I mean the Inquisitor tracked me. Not the ship.”

“They can do that?” Finn asked tentatively, “Using the Force?”

Solo nodded.

“They specialise in it.”

Then,

“If they go unchecked, they won't stop until they raze the New Republic to the ground.”

Solo's ominous words left a wake of empty, sober silence. The three men stood looking at one another for a moment. Poe sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He turned to Finn who shrugged. Poe heard his affable voice in his head. Let's hear him out.

“Okay, what are you suggesting, Solo?” Poe asked, finally.

“I play them at their own game. I track them through Wild Space, I find their stronghold, take stock of their forces and I report back to you.”

Solo's face broke into a crooked grin which was so unexpectedly charming it was almost shocking. Poe had never seen the man smile before.

“And then the New Republic blow them all to hell.”

At this, Poe couldn't keep a reluctant smirk of his own from lifting the corners of his mouth.

“Well,” he said, turning to Finn who grinned back, “I gotta admit, I kinda like the sound of that.”

“There's something else...”

“Oh perfect,” Poe quipped under his breath as he exchanged a nervous glance with Finn.

Solo took out a transponder and spoke into it.

“You can come out now,” he said.

*********************************************************************

Ada listened intently as Ben and the two strangers explained to her about a woman called Rey who was master of a new Jedi Temple. The Temple was safely hidden on a planet deep within the heart of the New Republic. Even Ben didn't know where it was. Poe Dameron and Finn – just Finn apparently – would take Tallah there and this Rey would help her hone her abilities.

Tallah stood between her and Ben, one little warm hand in hers, the other enveloped in Ben's.

“Tallah,” Ada said softly, moving between the girl and Ben and dropping to one knee so that she was level with her niece.

She tucked a stray blonde lock behind the girl's ear.

“I think you should go with them. Their friend can help you with your gift. But I won't make you. It's your choice”

Tallah nodded. “I want to go, I want to learn.”

She leaned in conspiratorially with a furtive glance at Finn and Poe and whispered, “I think they're nice.”

Overhearing this, Poe shrugged in an exasperated but not unkind sort of a way. He was clearly slightly bewildered at the whole situation. From the way they reacted to one another, it was obvious he, Finn and Ben had some history. Finn just smiled reassuringly.

They did seem “nice.” Or at least good enough to take on the responsibility of transporting a child in danger somewhere safe. And they certainly seemed capable of it. Ben had filled her in on the way – these guys were apparently Resistance war heroes.

It was a strange thing for Ada to even be considering letting her niece go with these two men she'd never met before. She'd spent the past few months hardly daring to even let her out of her sight. But she'd learned to trust Tallah's assessment of character and her ability to read people's intentions implicitly. It had kept them alive up until now. And besides, she found herself trusting Ben's judgement too.

Tallah looked over the top of Ada's head.

“Ben, will I get a laser sword?”

Ben let out a short burst of laughter, a pleasing wrinkle appearing on the bridge of his nose. Dameron and Finn were staring at him with a sort of disbelieving fascination. It was as if he'd just grown another head. Ben must have noticed it too because he quickly dialled back his mirth.

“Maybe kid,” he patted Tallah on her golden head.

“Ada's going with you,” she said to him simply and a little sadly, although Ada hadn't discussed it with her and it broke her heart to know that Tallah had worked it out on her own.

She could feel Ben's eyes burning into the back of her head and just knew he was looking at her with that that appraising gaze of his.

Great, she thought, standing up and dusting the forest floor off her knees in preparation for an disagreement. She spun round to face him. Infuriatingly, she realised she only came up to his chin.

“You know damn well you'll be more efficient with a navigator, someone who knows the terrain,” she said defiantly, refusing to let Ben get the first word, “I grew up in Wild Space.”

“I thought it was just space to you,” Ben shot back, but there was a lightness to his tone and Ada realised with some embarrassment that he'd not been intending argue with her at all.

“Are you sure, Ada?” was all he asked.

“Tallah will be safe with this woman, Rey?”

She answered his question with her own. The only one that mattered.

“Yes,” all three men spoke the word at once.

Ada was almost as amused as she was reassured by their uniform certainty.

“Tallah?”

Ada fixed her niece with a meaningful look. Tallah gave her a brave smile and a determined nod.

That kid. So much like her mother, Brenna. Ada's heart gave a little leap of pride that was mixed with melancholy and grief.

“Then yes, I'm sure,” she confirmed, “I can't just sit around and wait and do nothing, not when I can help. I have to do this.”

Ben considered her keenly. Ada wondered if he were using the Force to read her and whether it would even bother her if he was.

Tendrils of wild black hair drifted across his face in the breeze. She wanted to reach up and brush them out of his golden eyes so that she could see them better.

He nodded.

**********************************************************************

Ben glanced over at Ada who had fallen asleep in the Swift's copilot's chair. She would have looked wholly content if it weren't for the droplets of water still clinging to her long lashes, despite her slumber.

Ben knew that the choice had been a difficult and traumatic one. When she'd said farewell to Tallah, she'd embraced her neice so tightly and for so long, that at one point Ben thought he might have to intervene before the girl turned blue.

He allowed himself a small smile, remembering how Tallah had sprinted at him to say goodbye. He'd picked her up and she'd buried her face into his hair, whispering in his ear to look after her aunt. The Swift was quiet without her and he was surprised at how much he felt her absence.

He was both grateful and surprised that Ada had decided to accompany him. A co-pilot familiar with the territory of Wild Space would be invaluable, especially as they'd need to avoid the busier, well-travelled navigation routes.

Ben might be a skilled navigator and an excellent pilot, both talents heightened through his strong connection with the Force, but he'd spent very little time deep in Wild Space. The times he had ventured out that far, he'd really rather forget...

The meeting with Dameron and the ex-Stormtrooper, had gone better than Ben had expected. Still, as they'd all turned to depart, Dameron had caught his arm roughly and taken him to one side away from the others.

Ada had raised her eyebrows at Ben but she hadn't stopped, instead making her way back to the Swift alone. Ben was relieved. Ada had clearly sensed that it was important that he and Dameron hash out whatever unfinished business this was in private.

Ben had watched her retreat, her arms crossed and shoulders hunched slightly. Although it wasn't cold, he saw her pull the fawn shawl that was draped across her shoulders tighter around her. Ben could feel the worry and guilt coursing through her at the thought of leaving Tallah. Still, as ever, he sensed that steady and constant determination burning bright at the very core of her being.

Meanwhile, heading in the opposite direction and with only a passing quizzical glance at Dameron, Finn made his way back to their ship with Tallah in tow. He and the girl were chatting animatedly to each other and Ben felt a rush of gratitude towards the ex-Stormtrooper.

Ben had never forgotten his first encounter with FN-2187 in the village on Jakku. Even then, Kylo Ren had sensed that the Force was strong within him although untrained and undisciplined, perhaps even unnoticed by the Trooper. He suspected that FN-2187 had been relying on his heightened instincts for years - like a sixth sense – not realising that this was something more than feelings.

What had really alerted Ren to the Stormtrooper's presence that night his First Order Division had descended upon the tiny village to intercept Resistance intel and capture Dameron, had been FN-2187's refusal to follow the order to open fire on the villagers. This, despite knowing the possible consequences he could bring upon himself. Even Ren, his head swirling with ambition and fury had the insight to recognise that this was not an act of cowardice. It was an act of courage.

Finn was clearly a man strong of heart and generous of spirit. Ben understood now why Rey had valued his friendship so deeply.

“Look, I really want to believe that you've turned some corner,” Dameron had said when he was sure the others were out of earshot, “but if you're playing us, or her,” his eyes flicked to Ada's retreating back, “in any way, I will come for you.”

Dameron's tone was low and dangerous, and Ben could feel the sharp, hot edges of his temper rising. With effort, he pushed it back down. While Dameron's suspicion riled him, he knew he couldn't blame the pilot for his caution. In fact, it was one of the reasons he trusted the man so much.

They might not like each other, but Ben knew more than most about Poe Dameron.

After capturing Dameron that night three years ago on Jakku, Ren had tortured him for information, using the Force to break his way violently into the pilot's mind.

The more he delved into Dameron's head, the more infuriated Ren had become. Dameron was so sure of who he was. A man so able to accept the life he'd made for himself; the person he was. A man who celebrated his successes, mourned his failures and learned from these experiences, from his loves, his losses. All of it.

Even after getting the information he needed, Ren could not stop himself from probing Dameron's consciousness with a twisted sort of fascination. It brought into sharp, painful focus the limitless failings Ren knew resided within himself.

Ren's inability to face his own fears paralysed him. His hopeless fury at his own inadequacies left him unable to learn from them. And the Dark Side, ever present, compounding his potent desire for power had left him unable to change any of it.

Ren had looked into Poe Dameron's very soul and had found an individual of great conviction, loyalty and bravery. It was how Ben now knew there was no safer place in the Galaxy for Tallah.

Except maybe with Rey.

“I understand,” he had replied, simply.

Dameron had given Ben a strange, hard look before speaking next as if he were weighing up whether or not to tell him something.

“Go to Theod first – it's just another backwater moon right on the edge of the Outer Rim. I'll patch coordinates through to your ship. We have a listening outpost there looking out for any remnant First Order activity. They might have heard something.”

Dameron paused and cleared his throat.

“Chewbacca's there.”

Ben felt all the air leave his body, as if he'd been punched in the gut. His calm expression must have slipped because when he refocused on Dameron's face, he was surprised to see a glint of reluctant sympathy in the man's eyes.

“Look, he knows what you did on Exegol. And he knows you saved Rey... I just... I can't promise he'll be happy to see you,” Dameron offered awkwardly.

Ben nodded, hoping he'd regained some of his external composure.

“Thank you.”

As a parting gesture, Dameron slapped Ben on the shoulder, probably just a little harder than was strictly necessary. Then, he'd stalked off to his ship, leaving Ben alone, cutting a tall, solitary figure in the still forest clearing.

Now, as he sat in the pilot's chair on the Swift, he inhaled deeply, trying to remember and recapture the scent of pine and damp earth from that afternoon in hopes it would quiet his roiling thoughts. He desperately needed to recentre himself, to ground himself in the Force. His mind was in turmoil at the very thought of seeing Chewbacca.

The last time Ben had seen the Wookie had been the day he'd killed his own father. When he thought of Han Solo's death, he did not try to escape culpability by separating the actions of Kylo Ren from his own. Ben Solo had been agonisingly present on that metal gangway too, suspended high up above the mechanical insides of the First Order's Starkiller Base.

More than anything, Ben had wanted to take his father's proffered hand that day, to escape the hell of the First Order and of Snoke's iron rule and to go home to his family. His greatest shame, his greatest regret was that the moment the chance to turn back to the Light had presented itself he was just too weak to take it. Too weak to resist the seduction of Dark Side.

All the nightmares of his father's death were accompanied by the echo of Chewbacca's anguished roar as Kylo Ren finally ignited his crackling, red saber and sent the blade straight through Han Solo's body.

That howl from Chewbacca as he was forced to witness his best friend fall into the mechanical abyss below was seared into Ben's mind like the white hot pain from the crossbow bolt fired into his left flank soon after from the Wookie's weapon.

Ben had grown up knowing the Wookie as part of his family. “Uncle Chewie” had even taught him some Wookie fighting methods before Leia had sent the boy away to her brother to train as a Jedi. In fact, that was one of the reasons behind Ben's forward leaning fighting stance.

Wookies used their size and strength to their advantage in combat, and Ben had integrated that principle into his technique with a lightsaber. Luke had recognised this immediately and had always found this amusing. He'd never corrected Ben's form. It worked.

All of Ben's fond memories of the Wookie were sullied by his own reprehensible actions. He couldn't imagine a universe in which Chewbacca could forgive him, and he certainly could never forgive himself. To see the Wookie again would force him to relive the worst day of his life. He had no idea if he was strong enough to do so.

Still, Ben knew that if he wanted to track the Inquisitorius, he hadn't much of a choice. If there was even a slight possibility that Chewbacca held intel....

Not only had the sudden and brazen appearance of the Imperial Destroyer in the Mid Rim convinced Ben that the threat was even greater than he could have possibly even imagined, worse still, when the colossal vessel had dropped out of hyper space, his link with the Force had abruptly alerted him to the presence of not one Inquisitor, but three.

For a few seconds, Ben closed his eyes and buried his head in his hands, pushing his fingers through his hair and trying to clear his mind. He sat up and conducted a check on the Swift's flight and navigation settings. They were on course to make Theod in five hours at light speed. Hyperdrive looked fine, surprisingly.

It was no use sitting staring out at the stars whizzing by and ruminating, Ben decided. He would run some lightsaber drills instead in the hopes that physical exertion might quiet his racing mind.

Ada was still sleeping peacefully in the chair beside him and Ben didn't see the need to wake her. She could probably do with the rest. He noticed that her beige shawl had slipped off one shoulder and her pale skin beneath was starting to rise into little goosebumps.

Ben stood as quietly as he could, reaching over to Ada and pulling the wayward material back up over her shoulder. He crept through to the Swift's living area, returning a moment later with a woollen blanket which he draped gently over the sleeping woman. He allowed his eyes to linger on her face for a moment.

Force, she was beautiful.

He shook himself, not wanting her to wake up and find him standing over her like some idiot. He left her slumbering in her chair and padded silently out of the Swift's cockpit, through the living area, and down the arterial passageway to the storage room he used for training.

************************************************************************

Ada was pleasantly cosy. She was cocooned in a blanket and nestled in a surprisingly comfy high backed chair. As she slowly came to, she realised that must have fallen asleep in the cockpit of the Swift. Ben must have covered her with the blanket to keep her from getting cold.

The soft hum from Swift's engines was so soothing, it was almost impossible for Ada to even contemplate moving. But there was another noise, something above the gentle roar of the ship. A strange, low buzzing sound in the distance.

The Swift's copilot chair squeaked as Ada sat up with a jolt. Her thoughts were muddied with the confusion of sleep. She'd heard that sound before. That night on Bakura. The night the Inquisitor had come. A lightsaber. He couldn't be here. Could he? No.

Ben? It must be Ben.

Throwing the blanket around her shoulders, Ada tiptoed out of the cockpit and through the ship, following the oscillations until she came to the storage room on the main passage.

She pressed her ear against the cold metal, imagining Ben's movements within, blade in hand twirling, rising and falling to that steady, electric thrum and swish. She couldn't say why, but Ada thought it an entirely different sound to that which had emanated from the Inquisitor's weapon. Less abrasive. More melodic.

She pressed the green door chime button and it rang out with a pleasant trilling sound.

“It's open,” came Ben's slightly muffled voice from the other side.

Ada passed her hand over the entry controls and the door hissed open. Ben was standing in the middle of the room, lightsaber in hand, his breathing heightened slightly with exertion. He was wearing a loose long-sleeved black t-shirt. The v at his neck hung low and slightly squint, allowing Ada sight of that strange white scar that trailed down the right side of his face and past his collar bone. It was so faint it was almost non-existent. She wanted to trace her finger tips down it to make sure it was really there.

Around the edges of the room, durasteel crates and containers of different sizes sat at varying heights and angles against the walls, clearly put together as some kind of makeshift obstacle course.

“Are you coming in?” Ben asked, a spark of amusement in his eyes.

He thumbed a switch on the weapon's hilt and the blue blade retracted as Ada entered and the doors swished closed behind her.

“I don't want to interrupt, I was just …. curious.”

“I was just finishing up anyway.”

“Oh,” Ada tried to hide her disappointment.

It felt childish, but Ada had wanted to see. As a kid, she'd loved listening to her grandfather's stories of Jedi Knights, their daring exploits and their skill with their legendary blades. He'd been a boy during the very last days of the Republic. Before the scourge of the Empire. His mother had once taken him on a visit to see family on the vast city planet of Coruscant. He'd begged her to take him to see the Jedi Temple, and Ada remembered how reverently her Grandpa used to speak of his memories of standing outside the sacred, gargantuan building watching the mighty Jedi sweep past in their robes on important business, lightsabers clinking at their hips.

But apart from the Inquisitor's dual bladed nightmare, Ada had never seen a lightsaber. Not one carried by a Jedi at least. Then again, Ben had insisted that he wasn't a Jedi...

Ben secured his lightsabre to his belt, then went over to a small trunk in the far corner of the room. He took out two wooden training sabers and tossed one to Ada. She caught it easily and grinned at Ben, throwing her cloak of a blanket off and into a corner of the room with a dramatic flourish.

Ada's grandfather had fought in the Rebel Alliance against the Empire at the very height of its dominion. Inspired by his boyhood obsession with the Jedi, Grandpa had substituted a vibroblade for lack of a lightsaber in ground combat, rather than use a blaster. Whenever he visited, Ada begged him to give her lessons although she was only little and he was very old.

She tried to remember the basic stance Grandpa had taught her. Left foot forward, right foot back, weight distributed evenly. She held the grip with both hands, right above the left, and raised the hilt of the weapon to shoulder height.

“Perfect, just widen your grip a little.” Ben placed his own weapon on the floor and moved close behind Ada.

She bit her lip to suppress a gasp as his breath tickled her right ear. He readjusted the position of her hands beneath his own on the hilt of the weapon. In this way, Ben manoeuvred the weapon in Ada's hands so that she got a feeling for a high block, a low block and then a strike. They repeated these movements a few times until Ada had the flow and positioning right.

“Good,” Ben's voice was so low it was almost a whisper.

The single word reverberated through Ada, making her flush as she felt the stirrings of desire deep in the pit of her stomach. There was something intoxicating about his closeness to her. That heady scent of Endor pine wood again, pleasantly mixed with the heat of physical exertion. Their proximity, his chest pressed against her back and his large hands on hers meant that she could feel Ben's heartbeat pulsing through his whole body. It was beating a steady rhythm, but Ada was certain it was slightly elevated. She wondered if he could feel her own heart which was beating so wildly in her chest, she thought it might burst.

Ben disengaged from her, moving away to pick up his weapon and face her. Ada felt a flash of satisfaction to see that he did indeed look a little flustered. He disguised it with a crooked smirk, raising his weapon to strike the first blow.

He moved slowly and deliberately, allowing Ada to parry, parry, then strike. Then Ada moved towards him - strike, strike, parry – the same pattern in reverse.

They repeated this back and fore over and over again. Ada found she was able to pick it up with ease, her training as a child not so forgotten after all. She and Ben gained speed and momentum until they were going so fast and their movements were so ostentatious, so deliberately ridiculous that Ada couldn't help but burst out laughing. Ben joined her, folding at the waist.

He was more animated than Ada had ever seen him. It was the first time she'd seen him really and freely enjoying himself. Ever since they'd met, he'd been a mystery. A reserved but capable man with a mysterious, perhaps dangerous past. The way he'd showed no fear when the pirates had boarded the Swift or in the face of the violence and threats that followed. The way Tallah had described his ferociousness in combat with the Inquisitor. But the obvious truth Ada had learned about Ben was that he was clearly burdened with an overbearing and inescapable sadness.

It lifted Ada's heart to see this side of him. His amber eyes crinkled with mirth, cheeks dimpling as a grin stretched across his face, his long nose crumpling as he laughed.

“Ok, time to improvise,” Ben said, once they finally managed to get a grip of themselves.

Ben raised his training saber and Ada followed suit as they circled one another. Ben's strikes became more unpredictable as he started forcing Ada to block at odd angles. He began to land strikes on Ada's body.

She could tell he was being easy on her, going gentle. Still, she had to admit that he cut an imposing figure even with a training weapon and she was glad she didn't have to fight him for real.

Finally, determined to get back at him for the several stinging blows he'd inflicted on her, Ada used her smaller stature to her advantage. She deftly blocked an overhead attack from her opponent, quickly ducking and twirling under his arms and... Yes! She landed a strike on Ben with a satisfying thwack across his bottom and down the back of his right thigh.

He yelped and then laughed in delight at her success. Ada was almost certain he'd allowed her to land the blow, but she revelled her in her victory none the less, beaming from ear to ear.

“You've done this before,” he chucked, theatrically holding his backside and walking a little circle.

“A little,” she admitted, smirking, “My grandfather taught me some moves. It was a long time ago.”

Ada dropped down to the floor, cross-legged, pleasantly exhausted and satisfied with her little win. Ben sat down opposite her and they relaxed in comfortable silence while they caught their breath.

“So. Theod?” Ada asked, breaking the quiet as she suddenly remembered the brief conversation they'd had in the cockpit before she'd fallen asleep.

Ben nodded, “We're going to see a Wookie.”

“A Wookie?!” Ada exclaimed in delight.

“Yeah, well, this one's not going to be pleased to see me...”

“What? Why?”

Ben fixed her with a look that said she didn't want to know. Ada really, really did want to know, but she saw in Ben's eyes the encroaching shadow of that sadness and turmoil which seemed to simmer, always, within him. She suddenly found she had no desire to press him further. Not right now.

[androgynousblackbox]

Re having One Big Fandom: the thing that's hard for me is that a lot of fandoms have a relatively high barrier to entry.

You want me to get into a shonen anime? There's probably 100s of episodes that I'll have to first find space to download (we don't have good streaming options around here) and then find time to watch. Video game fandom? I don't own any consoles and I'm also not very good at games so that's a big time investment as well. Things like Star Wars and MCU have more than 10 different movies not to mention all the other stuff. Even book fandoms can get expensive (going to the library isn't really an option around here) considering that some series run to dozens of volumes or more, not to mention the investment of reading time.

As a working adult I don't really have time to spend getting into new canons all the time so mostly I stick to what I already know I like. It's simply not feasible for me to spend all that time on a new fandom only to have to give it all up every couple years.

Whoops that one big fandom ask was meant for someone else please ignore Anon, I know you said to ignore it but I hope you don't mind I answer anyway because I have some thoughts about this: 1. First, do you even care about those fandoms? I don't mean it in a bad way, I mean, like, do you really feel attracted to any of the stories that have Big Fandoms or just want to get into those stories because, well, the fandoms are so active and you want to participate on the action? If you do not care about Star Wars, MCU, that particular anime, that other show, then there's absolutely nothing wrong staying on the fandoms of the properties you already know and enjoy. They might not be the biggest fandoms ever, but who cares? As long there is a community for it and you are enjoying your free time in the way that makes you the happiest, then that is all that matters. 2. But if you do feel like there is something interesting about those stories and want to participate on fandom, then you don't need to watch however many episodes/movies to get on it. I barely ever play videogames, but I am still on videogame based fandoms because I watched gameplays, I follow blogs talking about it and/or read articles about them from other fans. You don't need to play anything to just know about the characters, the world or the universe. If you know who is who then that is more than enough to have your own ship, look for fanart, etc. 3. Likewise, you don't need to watch however many movies because, especially for something so mainstream like Star Wars or MCU, there is already plenty of fan made summaries for anyone to be up to date with whatever the fuck is happening right now. Same for anime! The reason shounen anime specifically can last so fucking much is because of filler episodes that do nothing for the overall plot (although they can be fun). The manga is always straight to the point, but if that is also way too fucking long, again, fan made summaries are your friends! Even if you got the minor details wrong when writing fanfiction or making a comic, who cares?? You either keep it in mind for the next, correct it if possible or forget about it entirely and declare it your very own AU. Nobody will mind. And if they do? Well, fuck them because you are just doing this shit for fun. Who cares about canon anyway! 4. Book fandoms? You can either pirate them directly online and then only invest on a small basic e-reader to have an entire library like that (that is what I do because book ARE way too expensive here) or find audiobooks for you to listen while doing something else. You might also find articles speaking on broad strucks about the plot. Read reviews, the more indeepth the better. If those books have movie adaptations there might be already videos comparing the two source material. If it's an entire saga that has been popular for a long time then no doubt someone already talked in lenght about it. I never read After, the Harry Styles fanfiction turned to movie, and yet I am way too knowledgeable about it because of listening other people talk about it. 5. If you don't have time to do any of that either then, again, it's just fine to keep doing what you can and keep with what is good for you. Try to get into a fandom only to get more stressed about it is literally defeating the purpose of a hobby so don't worry about it.

[swainlake]

Hello! So now that got has ended I'm looking for some tv shows that I could watch after I'm done with my exams. Do you have any suggestions? I'm not looking for anything specific, although if you have watched some good period dramas, I'd love some recommendations. Also wanted to add how much I love your blog, it's really beautiful

tysm that’s so sweet!! i love giving recs so i’ve got a bunch that you might like under the cut; i’ve put a ♡ next to my favs

period dramas:

NEW WORLDS (2014)this one is a mini series, only 4 episodes long, but please don’t let that stop you! it’s about anti-monarchism and rebellion and forbidden love in the 1600′s & is set in both england and america. i cried more than once but the ending is so bittersweet and hopeful!! 

POLDARK (2015—)i have a love/hate relationship with this one tbh. i started watching because of the main relationship but i ended up really into it for the side relationships instead?? the actual political plot doesn’t interest me but i love the drama between the family members. also i adore the women in this show, every single female character is well-written and realistic and you’ll love them all (even if at times you hate them). the men tho? the men are pretty much collectively the worst. “what’s wrong with the women in this family?” “the men.”

SPARTACUS (2010—2013) ♡i started watching this before i ever got into game of thrones but if you like the fight scenes in got, you’ll enjoy this! great characters, great fight scenes, great friendships. this one is based on gladiators who are fighting for their freedom.

THE WHITE PRINCESS (2017) ♡okay firstly and most importantly: jodie comer stars in this so you know it’s good. it’s also got michelle fairly (catelyn stark) in it though tbh she wasn’t my favourite character in this and i didn’t find her likeable at all. it’s not very historically accurate ofc but the relationship between henry/elizabeth is honestly the perfect enemies to lovers rep & always lowkey reminds me of book!sansa/jon possibilities

PAN AM (2011—2012)this one isn’t like game of thrones at all but it’s only one season and it’s super cute and has a lot of famous actresses in it like christina ricci & margot robbie. based on the adventures of a crew of pan am stewardesses, this is a good combination of lighthearted fun and chilling cold-war drama. an old favourite. 

THE MUSKETEERS (2014—2016) ♡i’ll be gushing over this for years to come tbh it’s really just that perfect. the relationship between the musketeers is so lovely, the personification of ‘brotherhood’ really, but also the romantic relationships are really good too?? which for some reason i personally hadn’t expected. my fav couple is aramis/anne (anne is played by the actress who played roslin frey!) because the forbidden love & the respect and adoration between those two is just perfect but really every relationship (even the ones that don’t become endgame) are written very well

OUTLANDER (2014—)i haven’t watched every single episode of this one but from what i have seen it’s very good, and has some similar themes to game of thrones!! the sex scenes are epic, the main relationship is lovely, and overall its a very realistic show that features supernatural elements!

THE LAST KINGDOM (2015—) ♡i’m not going to lie: i started this series by skipping straight to 2x7 because i’d seen gifs of the relationship between aethelflaed and erik but it was so good i ended up going back and starting from the beginning! this show reminds me of ‘vikings’ more tham game of thrones but it’s not as gory and the characters aren’t all assholes. side note: if you love sansa stark as much as i do you’re gonna love aethelflaed, lady of mercia! she’s actually a real person but this show is based on a book series that looks super interesting! honestly the main character also kind of reminds me of jon snow

HARLOTS (2017—) ♡oh my gosh how do i describe this show?? the family dynamics are so! intricate! and! beautiful! honestly just stunning. everything about this show is s t u n n i n g. the costumes are colourful and vivid and honestly i’d recommend watching just for that but the storyline really does keep you hooked!! also: liv tyler and jessica brown findlay are love interests in this which is honestly a dream come true

BLACK SAILS (2015—2017)okay full disclosure; i haven’t actually seen this but i’ve heard very good things and it’s on my list!! it’s about pirates, i think there’s some queer rep (can anybody confirm??), and there’s lots of amazing women. again, allegedly. 

dramas:

THE SOCIETY (2018—)i literally watched the entire first season in a single night so it must be alright, right? basically all you need to know about this is that a town full of teenagers go on a field trip & then return to find all their parents mysteriously missing and their town closed off from the outside world. it’s basically lord of the flies but modern! with some kick-ass friendships! and amazing young women (one literally teaches herself to be a doctor can you believe?)! 

SHARP OBJECTS (2018)if you haven’t heard about this one yet idk what rock you’ve been living under but welcome back! this one is a m a z i n g but also hella chilling and the ending is such a shocker if it hasn’t been spoiled for you yet!

THE BOLD TYPE (2017—) ♡i always describe this one as ‘sex and the city for millennials’ but i’ve never watched a single sex and the city episode in my life so i honestly don’t know how accurate that is?? but it’s about a group of 20-something year old women who are best friends and work mates and they love each other so much?? the relationship between the girls is my favourite thing about the show but the show honestly tackles a lot of relevant issues; trump, age gaps, queer rep, immigration, racism, etc. i can’t recommend this enough!

CODE BLACK (2015—2018) ♡you know those episodes in greys anatomy where everything is life-or-death and you’re on edge for the whole episode? that’s basically every single episode of code black. this is hands-down one of my most rewatched shows ever. i love medical dramas and this one balances well written characters with action-packed medical miracles so honestly what’s not to like?? 

A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES (2018—)okay admittedly the only reason i watch this show is because of the main couple but i can’t help it when they’re just so gosh-darn cute!! they love each other so god damned much! i wasn’t completely sold on this straight away but by ep 3 i was HOOKED. if you like supernatural romances/dramas that are more mature than your usual cw show, this one is a good choice!

THE OA (2016—) ♡i can’t even put into words how much i adore this?? but also: it will confuse THE SHIT out of you. no matter how smart you are, this one will leave you scratching your head. basically: a group of people who’ve had near-death experiences get kidnapped and experimented on. it’s not as brutal as it sounds, in fact the show is exceptionally beautiful, but it does deal with some hard themes and the good guys don’t always win. 

12 MONKEYS (2015—2018)do you like time travel? do you like forbidden and yet totally-still-devoted-to-one-another-anyway love? then this is the show for you! this one is dark and gritty and deals pretty realistically with the concept of time travel & self-sacrifice and what people will give up to create a better world. it’s got a happy ending & you wont regret watching!

THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE (2018)oh this one will make you cry. in a good way though! long story short a family grows up in a haunted house and it affects them in ways they cannot imagine. it’s hauntingly beautiful and poetic and everybody should watch it at least once imo

comedies:

THE MARVELOUS MRS MAISEL (2017—)okay so this one counts as a period drama as well but it’s about a COMEDIAN so i put it in the comedy section lol. okay so long story short, a woman is left by her husband, she’s worth 1000 of him & everybody else knows it because you seriously can’t help falling in love with this woman but ofc there’s period-typical sexism she has to face as she struggles with being a single woman, a single mother, and an up-and-coming comedian. def recommend.

SANTA CLARITA DIET (2017—2019)drew barrymore is a zombie!! who lives a normal life but also eats people!! it’s only weird for the first couple of eps. the family dynamics are snarky and witty and they manage to make gore funny?? honestly this entire show is legit laugh-out-loud darkly hilarious.