#and also the connection of these elements with the story of Rey and Ben in this fanfic ♥️😆

[reescrever-as-estrelas]

🏠 Hometown (fanfic) by @writingwife-83

🎶 Fanfic inspired by Taylor Swift songs:

- Chapter 1: "'tis the damn season"

- Chapter 2: "Dorothea"

- Chapters 3 and 4: "Labyrinth"

[reachexceedinggrasp]

yeah, I love BATB, 'true' ETL, but a common problem I run into is that the female protagonist just isn't interesting. I think it's partly because she's the shining face of purity in the face of ostensible evil and that evil gets complexity she doesn't, probably part self-insert, probably also partly because writing 'complex' or interesting female characters is difficult enough as it is (and difficult enough when dealing with the reception of them, which can lead to sanding off the edges).

And generally writing interesting characters is hugely difficult in and of itself - villains begging for redemption are kind of interesting by nature of having a set archetypal struggle.

It was an issue for me with Reylo in particular, and I really liked the more possessive (scavenger) elements of Rey, her snap judgements, her loneliness, but that's harder to find in fic.

There are a lot of BATB/ETL-esque ships coming out now that my mutuals/people I follow are latching onto, and I just don't care, because none of the female characters are interesting lolllll. Hence my interest being piqued by your description of Lucy!

Yeah, for the dynamic to work, it has to be a mutual thing where Beauty is equally in need of saving but in a different way. When the B&tB is really good, it's because the Beast challenges Beauty and helps her to actualise into the best version of herself while she shows him the compassion he needs to realise he is human. Both are set free from bondage, both recognise each other. Beauty's most important qualities are that she is able to see the truth which others don't and that she is compassionate, but a lot of people seem to confuse being compassionate with being weak or simple.

Totally agree with you about Rey. I've talked about it many times before, but it always frustrated me in fic when people would flatten them into a morality chain pairing or a sunshine/grumpy stereotype. Not just because I hate morality chain 'redemption' on principle, but also because it's specifically so wrong about who Rey is. It's basic to the story that Rey is a fucked up person too, that she's alienated and standoffish and avoidant. Fics would make her this completely well-adjusted healthy adult who is emotionally available to her friends and has all her psychological needs met, and it's like not only is that not Rey, that person is not going to have the kinship with Ben which forms the entire basis of their connection. He understands her so perfectly because they have a lot in common.

Sometimes it's motivated by fear of letting her need him as well as fear of letting her be flawed, but like, that's the whole thing. This is the whole concept of romance. You have to be willing to allow your characters to be vulnerable and to need each other or it will always ring hollow. She's going to save him, she's already in a position of power and autonomy in the narrative, you don't have to make her a boring ubermensch getting nothing out of it in order to give her agency.

Lucy is a great example of a character who is the classic naive and compassionate protagonist without being at all boring or predictable. She's weird to the bone, stubborn, truly kind yet pigheadedly ruthless in doing what needs to be done. And even that naivety is a lot more bizarre and complicated than you might assume.

[redrascal1]

The number one Kylo hater on the JCF is at it again, now Adam has revealed Ben was never meant to be redeemed.

The first point seems to have been "Make a supporting character capable of standing alongside Vader as a villain" by ramping up his loathsomeness and making him detestable to the audience and fans of Han and Leia.

SUPPORTING character? Come off it, you moron. He was the last Skywalker. Of course he was more than a 'supporting' character.

So, Han doesn't die, but is murdered, and Leia has her heart completely broken by her son in an extremely bitter way, all so that the audience views Kylo as akin to their most hated version of Vader, and completely break from any investment in him as Han and Leia's kid or our "new" Skywalker - as Rey (and to a lesser extent, Finn) has taken that place in the story, for one reason or another. They have him do that to make the audience "disown" Kylo as a potential hero or protagonist for the story.

Finn? a child of the heroes. Gods, you really like Boyega, eh? You really have the hots for this underwhelming SUPPORTING character.

Han's being sacrificed on the "altar" of Kylo Is A Villain, not Ben Solo Needs Help. You're supposed to find him unacceptable as a POV or protagonist character from there on, and at most find him pitiable and mad, not sympathetic at all, and in general find him terrifying or hateable... and I'd argue that's clearly shown in the film, especially to people who connected to Rey and Finn. It's also one of the bigger reasons people felt like Rey *had* to be a Skywalker from a Saga-standpoint - Kylo was unacceptable as a Skywalker protagonist.

As opposed to a Palpatine?

But the second point is based off the opposite reasoning of the first - LFL needed Ben Solo as a/the hero of the ST solely because of the "...he's Han and Leia's kid" reasoning that @Daxon101 talks about, with a bit of "...and he's played by an actor we like better than the others" element as well. Him being the Big Bad was unacceptable even *with* a redemption, because the Big Bad is a supporting character, not a/the main one. From a story structure standpoint, Trevorrow and Abrams were largely in agreement about Kylo vis-a-vie Rey - he was a supporting character to Rey's story (though for Abrams, he was also a supporting character for Finn as well).

But TLJ and LFL want Kylo as a main character, clearly ranked above Finn, and de facto above Rey as well, because he's a Solo. TLJ, I'd argue, sees Kylo as a Tragic/Villainous Protagonist (depending on how little you think Johnson cares about the other characters or morality), and would be fine with him being the Bad Guy so long as he was still a protagonist - making it also agree with Trevorrow's script. But LFL wants Kylo as a Heroic Protagonist and wanted him to be sympathetic throughout the ST (and thus why they were always defending the worst, most sexist and elitist interpretation of TLJ), so they rejected Trevorrow and demanded a story where Ben Solo can fight a villain or two.

Basically... it's an argument over "Kylo is a supproting character and Villain to Rey and Finn" vs "Kylo is the Skywalker, and needs special treatment because of that."

Supporting character to FINN?

Jesus wept.

...Yes, this basically means the entire concept of Ben Solo was aborted in TFA by him killing Han from a dramatic and character standpoint in a way that doomed the Skywalkers from a dramatic POV, but again, that's why Rey needed to be a Skywalker, or Kylo needed to be seen as a loathsome liability the audience should cheer to see killed.

Don't worry...you won. Your tiresome darling survived. And may very well get the chance to 'lay the pipe' in Rey's naughty bits

Now THAT is loathsome.

[ultraericthered]

Rey VS Ren - A Lookback

Rey Skywalker and Ben Solo AKA Kylo Ren had connected character arcs and a shared story between them that was indisputedly the strongest element carried across all three films of the Star Wars sequel trilogy. They were also quite deliberately set up as parallels to the previous Skywalker Saga protagonists, Anakin Skywalker and his son Luke Skywalker, who’d famously come to blows back in the original trilogy. Ben was like Anakin - a child of the Light Side who had great expectations of him and what he could do for the Order of the Jedi since childhood but who was corrupted and turned to the Dark Side instead -, and Rey was like Luke - a young adventurous soul who grew up on a desert planet not knowing they carried on in them the blood lineage of a Sith Lord and was an adept learner of the ways of the Jedi and the Force all while fearing the temptation to turn to the Dark Side -, and it was almost as though the Force that once flowed within the Skywalker father and son had passed itself on into these two who were now destined to finish what they had started.

And when I look back at Rey and Ren’s adversarial relationship compared to Luke and Vader’s, I develop a deeper appreciation for how it was handled. In the OT, Vader was consistently stronger in the Force and a better combatant with a lightsaber than Luke (and would’ve finished him in a space vessel chase had Han not come in to make the save!) up until their final battle, where when Luke does manage to beat his father down and disarm him, it’s not a triumphant moment because Luke is in a rage that’s pushing him closer to the Dark Side. But with Rey VS Ren, there’s more of a balance. While Ren is actually more the underdog here due to his pull to the Dark Side not coming quite so natural to him (contrasted with Rey, who’s pull to the Force and prodigious mastery of Force-based abilities comes all too natural for her given where she comes from), he and Rey manage to go tit-for-tat with each other throughout the trilogy.

ROUND 1 - On Takodana

Win goes to: Ren. This was all too easy - Ren had a lightsaber while Rey was armed with only a blaster and a Droid. Using the force to put her in a body-bind, Kylo Ren is able to capture her and take her off planet to deliver her to Starkiller Base, right where he wanted her.

ROUND 2 - Interrogation Room

Win goes to: It’s a tie! (But with an edge for Rey) While Ren is able to use the Force to get into Rey’s head to probe her in order to extract from her any secret information she might know, Rey surprises him by hacking right into his head and exposing his hidden vulnerability, forcing him out and preventing him from getting the information about the map to Luke’s location he’d desired to have. Even Rey is unsure how she was able to do that, and Ren leaves the scene bewildered over that brief but strong connection of their minds.

ROUND 3 - Ilum Forest

Win goes to: Rey. Admittedly, a very narrow win for her. While Kylo Ren was not at his best due to an injury from Chewie’s blaster and internal turmoil over having murdered his father, Ren not at his best is still more than enough to dominate a lightsaber duel against the inexperienced Rey. But Ren makes two mistakes - opens his mouth and gives Rey the idea to let the Force guide her movements, and pushes her into a fury that knocks him down and leaves him scarred. Like her grandfather, wrath and hatred gives Rey extra strength.

ROUND 4 - Tug-of-war aboard the Supremacy

Win goes to: It’s a tie! Simply put, they both fail here. Ren fails to get Rey to join him on the Dark Side, Rey fails to bring Ben back to the Light Side, and they both end up breaking the Skywalker saber!

(For the sake of evenness, I really would’ve liked a brief lightsaber duel between them here that Kylo would more or less win.)

ROUND 5 - On Crait

Win goes to: Rey. “I want that piece of junk OUT OF THE SKY!” But alas for Ren, he does not blow that piece of junk out of the sky and Rey, piloting it, shoots down all the TIE-Fighter forces he sends after her. She also plays a part in bailing out the Resistance while Luke’s Force projection of himself is facing Ren down as a distraction.

ROUND 6 - Pasaana surprise!

Win goes to: Ren. This seemed like a purely verbal sparring between the two from across different points in space, like what started in The Last Jedi. But by responding to Ren, Rey plays right into his hand, and he surprises her with a new ability to, through the Force Dyad, reach through and take physical items from Rey’s location back to his own, in this case the necklace that lets Ren know what planet she and her Resistance friends are currently on. Oops!

ROUND 7 - Ship pursuit on Pasaana

Win goes to: Rey. As Ren’s ship locates Rey and comes right towards her, Rey is able to run, jump, backflip, and skewer the ship with her lightsaber, causing it to skid out of control into a fiery crash.

ROUND 8 - Tug-of-war on Pasaana

Win goes to: It’s a tie! (But with an edge for Ren) It’s once again a Force tug-of-war between Rey and Ren, this time to try and bring down the carrier ship that Rey believes Chewie to have been taken prisoner on. But this time, it’s only Rey who ends up destroying it as Force Lightning shoots from her fingers and blows it up. Rey believes she’s lost a friend while Ren knows he’s gained something of value - getting to see Rey let out that power confirms to him what he’d wanted to know for sure about the dark lineage she comes from.

ROUND 9 - Aboard the big ship on Kijimi

Win goes to: Ren. In almost a total mirror image of how things started between them, it’s Ren who is collected and in total control throughout this fight while Rey fights more frantically with much fear and rage. Rey’s clumsy display leads to her and Ren knocking over the charred Vader mask, once again giving Rey’s location away to her foe. Ren then drops the bombshell on Rey regarding the truth of what befell her parents, why they sold her and flew off that day, and who the “father” of her father was...thus who she is. While Ren again can’t get Rey to take his hand and join the Dark Side, his words got her so shell-shocked that she’s unable to put up any more of a fight.

ROUND 10 (FINAL BATTLE!) - Death Star wreckage on Endor

Win goes to: Rey. The Force Awakens is further mirrored here. Much like their duel on Ilum, Ren very nearly beats Rey only to be defeated by her when she strikes back in a dark rage, and he’s run through by his own lightsaber just as he did to his father...at the exact moment he can sense his mother passing away. Rey can sense it too once her rage passes her, and it sours this victory to the point where she immediately uses her Force Healing to cure Ben’s fatal wound. The two of them share a moment of grief over losing the woman so dear to them both in total silence before Rey leaves him with these parting words “I wanted to take your hand...Ben’s hand.”

And thus was set in motion a union of Rey and Ben, a Dyad in the Force, to face the full might of the Sith and fulfill their own destinies. 

[themattress]

The Sequel Trilogy Rewatch

I watched all the movies again recently, and here are my insights after getting to experience the trilogy as a whole unit together, separated from the context of the previous two trilogies.

The Force Awakens - As I’ve said recently, it’s overrated and suffers the most from being derivative. Every rehashing of A New Hope is eye-roll inducing and threatens to take me out of the movie; by the time Starkiller Base enters the picture (”It’s another Death Star!”) it’s really grinding my gears. I understand completely why it was done, but with the thrill of the initial theatrical release gone, the movie suffers for it more and more. The Phantom Menace is a worse film by far, but at least Lucas’ stance of “it’s poetry, it rhymes” wasn’t taken to such a literal extreme there as it is here, making it feel like a more unique, if bad, trilogy opener.

But with that said, let’s give this movie the credit it’s due: everything about the new characters and elements and how they interact with the updated old characters and elements is done legitimately brilliantly. Rey, Finn, Poe, BB-8, Kylo Ren, General Hux and Maz Kanata are all just so captivating and interesting and enjoyable to watch on screen, as are the aged Han, Chewie, Leia, C-3PO, R2-D2 and - at the very end - Luke. The actors are giving it their all and the characters come alive as a result; you connect with them and want to follow them. And even though we all know they were made as Mystery Boxes, J.J Abrams truly is a master at making you want to know what’s in those boxes all the same. Who are Rey’s parents and why did they leave her on Jakkuu? Why is Rey so proficient in the Force right away? Is Finn Force-sensitive? Who is Snoke, how did he turn Ben Solo to the Dark Side and what’s his beef with Luke, the Jedi and the Light Side in general? What exactly are the Knights of Ren? Is there some kind of deeper connection between Kylo Ren and Rey? Why did Luke go to Ach-To and split the map that leads there? What’s the deal with Maz? How did she recover Luke’s old lightsaber? What in the fuck was that Force vision Rey experienced when she touched said lightsaber? And just why did C-3PO get a red arm grafted onto him? OK, that last one’s a joke, but you get my point. Questions are raised, and you want to see them answered even if Abrams himself isn’t completely firm on what those answers even are.

Also, this movie has the best pacing in the trilogy. It opens where it needs to, progresses in a natural flow, and ends at exactly the right point it should. Hats off to the editors on this one, and to Lawrence Kasdan, whose experience with writing Star Wars movies helped greatly.

The Last Jedi - I guess this movie is destined to always confound me. Throughout it, I just keep asking “Why?” Why did Rian Johnson do so exceptionally well with the storyline surrounding Luke, Rey, Kylo Ren, the Force, the Jedi, Ach-To and Snoke, only to then do...whatever the Hell he did with everything else in the movie? I love returning characters like Finn, Poe, Maz and Leia, and I love new characters like Paige, Rose, Holdo and DJ. but the story they are a part of and the things they are used to make happen is so dumb. And to quote Rian Johnson’s later (and stronger) work, it’s not “so dumb, it’s brilliant” - it’s just dumb! Seriously, I cannot believe Kathleen Kennedy signed onto what he did with Leia in this movie. If the reasoning was it would be made up for with her in the following film, then...um, whoops. This also creates a huge pacing problem, dragging the movie out longer than usual for Star Wars and having two climaxes. Cutting down on the dumbness would have done wonders.

That’s not to say everything in the better half is perfect, mind you - Luke is way too unlikable before he agrees to teach Rey and I totally agree with Mark Hamill’s concerns about this, some good decisions are marred by bad ones (ex: killing off Snoke so that Kylo Ren can ascend, which is good, without offering the remotest hint as to what his deal even was, which is bad), and God bless Daisy Ridley for keeping Rey an engaging heroine you follow and root for since her writing is a lopsided mess: she fucks up and fails miserably yet is also just perfect as is and needs no real training, she is drawn toward the Dark Side and a big deal is made over it only for her to have zero actual temptation to join Kylo Ren when he offers it, and the revelation of her parents being nobodies who abandoned her for no good reason is meant to be the most devastating thing she can hear yet then her next scene has her happily manning the Falcon’s guns cheering “Woo! I like this!”, and the parents are never brought up again and Rey simply partakes in a happy ending that just feels phony all things considered.

And yeah, doing either nothing with those Mystery Boxes from The Force Awakens or giving them the most purposefully anti-climactic answers possible was...a choice. I can’t entirely blame Johnson, since Lucasfilm didn’t have a firm plan in place and he wasn’t under any obligation to answer anything in any specific way, but it’s still odd that he goes this far in subverting expectations, to the point where it actually shuts off avenues for the subsequent film to explore. He’s treating the middle chapter of a trilogy like a standalone; it’s so bizarre. 

But hey, what’s done right is done so very right. The cinematography is the most gorgeous to ever be in a Star Wars movie, the atmosphere in every scene (particularly the good scenes) is on point, the action in the film’s last hour is amazing, and as I said before the writing for the film’s core narrative is strong. I especially adore Luke’s character arc once it really gets going; him feeling like a failure because he didn’t live up to “the legend” built around him is the kind of development that makes perfect sense both in-universe and out-of-universe, and seeing him finally learn to embrace himself as the failure of a person he is and as the legend he is regarded as because he recognizes that both are valuable to saving the galaxy...it’s perfect.

The Rise of Skywalker - So, watching it again, did I finally see how bad this movie truly is? Am I ready to eat all my words about enjoying it and defending it? Am I ready to accept that the critics and fandom are right in it not sticking the landing and being a bad conclusion?

Seriously; the editing (especially in the first third) is wonky just to fill a mandatory runtime despite the previous film running overlong, the exposition is often laborious and cringy (“Somehow Palpatine returned.”), and what it all amounts to is just so over-the-top stupid and crazy it’s almost hard to believe. It’s a big, bloated, popcorn movie shlockfest and I love it!

There are three huge things to consider with this movie. One: it had the rawest deal of the trilogy production-wise for multiple reasons and you need to take that into account when considering any choppiness; honestly with the situation J.J Abrams and co. were in, it’s amazing the film came out as coherently as it did! Two: is any disappointment you feel really this film’s doing, or is it the whole trilogy’s and Lucasfilm’s lack of an overarching creative vision for it? Because it feels like most detractors are actually experiencing the latter kind of disappointment and then pinning the blame on this movie for making them realize it. When applying logic, The Force Awakens which started the trilogy with a lack of a firm plan in mind and The Last Jedi which tossed aside all set-up and veered off into a wildly different direction that left the following film facing something of a dead-end have more share of the blame.

And three: this movie actually IS “so dumb, it’s brilliant”. If you read any interview with J.J Abrams and/or Chris Terrio, you’ll see they did their homework. They weren’t interested in trying to conform to an endlessly unpleasable fandom’s serious business vision of what Star Wars is / should be, they were just going to work with what Star Wars actually was when conceived: a goofy hodge-podge of film serials, B movies, comic books, fairy tales and ancient myths, given the most basic of spiritual undertones, and packaged as a feel-good entertaining thrill-ride for all audiences, particularly the young and the young-at-heart. Only as this was the conclusion of a nine-film saga, they took it a step further and made it primarily a goofy hodge-podge of previous Star Wars movies and even some other Star Wars projects like TV shows and comics. They deliberately brought Star Wars full circle, because they knew and loved Star Wars as it truly exists, not as the sacred thing so many fans build it up as. George Lucas himself said it: they’re just movies, you’re just meant to have a good time with them and not think too deeply about it, even if the movies do offer you things to think about (which is how/why expanded universe projects are made). You’re just meant to have fun.

That’s why this movie will always by my favorite one in the trilogy, warts and all. It’s so fun.

But on that note, yeah, the Sequel Trilogy is fun. It’s flawed and uneven, but so are the other trilogies, which also received histrionic flak in their days. I find it morbidly laughable that people, whether they be Star Wars fans or professional film critics, have learned nothing after all this time. Those who don’t learn from history truly are doomed to repeat it, I suppose.

SIDE NOTE: There is one consistency in the Sequel Trilogy that I really feel deserves more appreciation, and that’s Kylo Ren. He gets criticized for us not getting to see his backstory compared to Anakin’s three movies and a TV show showing how he became Darth Vader, and for making some wild swings in terms of actions and plot usage depending on the movie, but I believe that Adam Driver’s performance combined with him being one of the few things in the new trilogy that did have something of a road map attached to him from the beginning counteracts that. He truly is Darth Vader in reverse, and that creates an entirely different sort of antagonist: not a cold, machine-like being that used to be human and became this way as a psychological response to his feelings causing him great trauma and tragedy, but a human who desperately wants and is actively trying to be a cold, machine-like being to escape all the pain that his feelings cause him. And as close as he gets to successfully crossing that line, he never fully does. In the end, he not only surpasses Vader by betraying his master and ruling his empire, but he also surpasses Anakin: rather than his mother’s death leading him down a path that ends in a fiery damnation, his mother’s death directly leads to a watery cleansing and salvation, which culminates in him actually saving the woman he loves from dying rather than trying to do so only to end up killing her. He’s a wonderful character and I adore him.

(Also: these skits. How can you not love the guy for these?)

[eagna-eilis]

Okay okay but I have been waiting for this take for YEARS. Some justification for the Sequels as Space Jane Eyre rather than Space Jane Austen...

Rey and Jane are orphans craving belongings, first and foremost.

Rey and Jane reject Kylo/Rochester for moral reasons. They're torn between desire and their own ideals of goodness, purity, Light/godliness.

I never felt that Darcy ever represented desire the way Rochester does, and I think there's something fundamentally carnal about the way Adam Driver performs in literally everything which makes Kylo/Ben feel so much less mannered than a Darcy analogue. Driver would make a bad Darcy, he oozes too much sex. He would be an incredible Rochester, perhaps even a definitive one if he could nail the accent, because of this ability to just exude carnality. Darcy doesn't need to do that, the pull between Elizabeth and Darcy isn't about that. For Jane and Rochester, that element is much more potent in the text. It exists only in the visuals of TLJ, but it is THERE is TLJ.

There's also a dangerousness to Rochester, and the fact that he has a genuinely compromised morality. He needs redemption for actual acts of cruelty, rather than simply being awkward, a bit haughty, and a subject of a slander the way Darcy is. Rochester engages in oppression and immorality, he is implicated in the slave trade FFS, and everything with Bertha is just awful. I am a Kylo/Ben apologist in so many ways, but we can all agree that he also makes some terrible, immoral choices. The point of P&P is that Lizzie was wrong about Darcy, and that he was wrong about her. The point in both the sequels and in JE is that neither Jane nor Rey are wrong at all in their summations of their would-be lovers, and that love can be a catalytic force for redemption.

It's been longer since I have read 'Pride and Prejudice' than my last Brontë reread, but from what I recall there is another Reylo connection missing which is present in 'Jane Eyre'. The sense between both sets of lovers in those texts is that between them lies some inherent understanding, that they see in one another something that is obfuscated to the wider world. I feel that Lizzie could have connected with plenty of other men had she met and gotten to know them, and that she gets with Darcy because in the end it's him she wants, but I don't feel that there is an almost supernatural connection there. Austen's novel is much more grounded and pragmatic than the Gothic tone of Brontë's, and obviously Star Wars is about space wizards. In a way that is also related to this grounded pragmatism, I also don't feel that Darcy idealises Elizabeth the way that Kylo and Rochester idealise Rey and Jane. The women in those stories represent goodness, light, redemption etc to their respective men. The Darcy/Elizabeth relationship feels healthier for this reason, but for me personally it is less sweepingly romantic.

Finally, 'Jane Eyre' contains a proto Force Bond moment, where Jane and Rochester sense each other across distances in some supernatural way.

Because Brontë wrote a text which has these overtones of the supernatural and is far more concerned with questions of spirituality and the soul, her lovers are more in line with some of the allegories we see in the Sequel Trilogy.

Also. Seriously. Somebody convince Adam to play Rochester. The girlies would be feral for it.

You know, I remember both before and after TLJ dropped people were calling Reylo "Space Pride & Prejudice" but there was one person I recall who said right after getting out of the theater "We were wrong. Kylo isn't Space Darcy, he's Space Rochester" and they were totally right.

Like, P&P really doesn't have that much in common with Reylo. P&P is about misjudging people. Lizzie rejects Darcy at the midpoint of the story because she's had a bad impression of him the whole time and the sudden revelation that he's in love with her does nothing to improve her opinion because Darcy's still clearly communicating that he thinks poorly of her rank and relations and remorselessly sabotaged her sister's relationship with Bingley. By contrast, Jane Eyre is madly in love with Rochester by the story's midpoint but rejects him because there's no way for them to be together without compromising her integrity.

It's easy for Lizzie to reject Darcy because she doesn't like him at all, but it takes Jane tremendous strength to resist temptation and leave Rochester. Rey clearly likes Ben by the end of TLJ. She wouldn't have confided in him, touched his hand, and FedExed herself to the Supremacy if she didn't already like him, and is clearly devastated to have to say "No" when he proposes to her. She even explicitly states in TROS that she was tempted to take his hand. But she didn't, because she would've had to compromise her morals to be with Ben while he was still on the Dark Side. Just like Jane, Rey is someone who's always craved love, so the hardest thing in the world for her is finding her soulmate, only to have to tear herself away from him just when happiness is within her grasp.

[busdriver-55]

Queer head-canon

Making this list was/is a very self indulgent activity for me. I came out fairly recently and this us kinda my fun passion project atm as far as rec lists go. I wanted to put together a list of all the queer reylo fics I've read (am reading atm) - I know there's the "Queerly Beloved Reylo" collection on Ao3, which has WAY MORE fics on there, but like I said I'm basically making this list for myself first and I'm gonna be updating it as often as possible. I really don't care if no one likes this list since it's something I'm making for myself. Buuut hopefully people can get some great fics off here!! 😌💖🏳️‍🌈

If you lead me from the shore by @howls-immobile-bungalow: The seas run rampant with pirates. Islanders live in fear of the sight of the Jolly Roger. To escape an arranged marriage, Rebecca Palpatine, also known as ‘Rey’, disguises as a man and enlists on a ship, which leads to being under command of the dreaded and fearsome pirate, Captain Kylo Ren. Through living under disguise, and getting dangerously close to the Captain, Rey will explore and discover his identity as a trans man, and his understanding of his place in the world will change forever.

How to Be a Heartbreaker by @littlestarlost: Rey is a black widow. Ben is her new husband. Things aren't quite going to plan.

Thanks for the feedback by antlersantlers: Name? Age? Is this the first time you fucked Ben? Did you cum? Would you fuck Ben again? Are you a… top / switch / bottom? What is your gender identity? What is your sexual orientation? Please rate your overall satisfaction 1-10. Please write any additional feedback on the opposite side.

Hold Me Up (In The Palm Of Your Hand) by violethoure666 -> @multishiptrashh: Rey is sent to live with her aunt and uncle at eleven after the unexpected death of her father Luke. Thank god for her cousin Ben. A slow burn, no age gap, coming of age story following Ben and Rey from eleven to nineteen.

You're Not Alone by @howls-immobile-bungalow: Not your everyday College/Coffee Shop AU. Ben Solo is a creative writing major (stage name Kylo Ren), has a rock band called the Knights of Ren, and he's a trans guy out and proud since childhood. Rey Jakku is a mechanical engineering major and a trans girl still in the closet. But that's about to change for her when she meets a hot barista attending the same school as her.

The Villain I Appear to Be by Leo_Rosa: When the young idealist Sociology major Rey Johnson and the jaded and cynical Political Sciences postdoctoral fellow Ben Solo met, it was hate at first sight. But grief and desire connect them in a twisted, powerful, and secret bond, showing them just how much two lonely souls have in common, in spite of all differences that divide them. When Professor Snoke, Ben's mentor, decides to ruin Rey's life and her career, their relationship is tested – as well as their beliefs.

meet me in the aftergloom by @diesirate: Weddings are supposed to be beginnings. But not to Rey. They're endings. This one is, anyway. Or, one winter night that changes Rey Niima's life. And Ben Solo's too.

To Love Shadows and Marvels by midwinterspring: A modern startup AU with Lovecraftian elements.

Lots More by MissCoppelia: Rey and Ben are ready for another year of sexy fun at their famous annual Purim party. This year they've been planning for an orgy, which Ben is looking forward to, but does Rey feel the same?

The Dinner Party by DarkKnightDarkSide: It's Rey's 30th birthday, and her husband Ben wants to give her the most unforgettable evening. All she wants, though, is a low key night in with some good friends. Some very good friends.

the eye has to travel by @secretreylotrash: Kylo Ren is the head of the Costume Department for the Star Alliance Opera. Rey is his beleaguered assistant. It’s hell. She’s slowly crumbling under endless hours of work and impossible standards. Being a broke post-grad, their most recent argument is fought over the condition of Rey’s personal wardrobe and her inability to find anything appropriate for the Opening Night Gala this season. Kylo insists he’s handled the problem by making her dress himself, but has he? It just seems like he's making Rey stay late after work out of spite, for hours of fittings, alone with him.

Checklists and Promises by @crossingwinter: Rey's new to being a Domme, and when she comes across Kylo's sub profile, she worries she doesn't have enough experience for him. Kylo has ten years of experience subbing, after all. Soon enough, though, it's clear that even if she's something Kylo wants, she might also be someone that he needs.

(this will definitely be updated so stay tuned)

[ariainstars]

The Failure With “Reylo”: (Romantic) Love Doesn’t Conquer All

Rereading these days about the many fans’ disappointment about the outcome of the last Star Wars trilogy, I would like to write about what I have been mulling about in my head since The Rise of Skywalker came out.

Considering that Star Wars is a highly symbolic story and that it’s about a dysfunctional family, I believe the story of Ben Solo and Rey from Nowhere is telling us of a failed marriage. And since the saga uses cyclical narrative, we had to expect that this “secret marriage” (dyad) would fail. Anakin’s and Padmé’s marriage did not fail: they were emotionally bonded since they first met, we never see them quarrel or stop loving one another, down to their very last breaths. They did not separate, they were torn apart.

Ben and Rey were not torn apart; they never actually found a common ground. Padmé was not aware of what was going on in Anakin’s mind for too long; Rey always knew Ben’s inner darkness, and rejected it together with her own darkness. Padmé always saw the good little boy Anakin had been in him; Rey never knew Ben when he was small and still untainted by Snoke’s corruption and Luke’s failure. Rey is judgmental and aggressive while Padmé was tolerant and harmony-seeking.

The hint at the “Romeo and Juliet” theme in TFA was fitting; this was never meant to go well. It is also telling that we never heard so much as the hint of a love theme during the sequels.

Rey

Reylo’s were right when they quickly deduced that Ben and Rey belong together: as we learn, they are a dyad. However, there is little love coming from Rey’s side until the end. She does not even mourn the man who saved her, to whom she is bonded by the Force.

Rey has repeatedly hurt and tried to kill a man who was trying to connect with her, not to hurt or kill her in any way. In the Throne Room scene, when he offers her to stay by his side she does not simply say no: she reaches out for his weapon.

Although at first she might have been mistaken for that, Rey is not some Cinderella of sorts, a girl without a family who finds a prince. She is not a new Belle making the Beast mature and become a prince again. She is not the new element the Skywalker family needed to shake them up. She is not the new and fresh point of view Kylo Ren and / or the Jedi needed to rethink their ways.

Rey is and always was meant to be the villain, the person who ends everything. It is not nostalgia or bad writing that she turns out to be a Palpatine: the outline for her character was there since The Force Awakens. Kylo (Ben) was not attacking her: he defended himself almost playfully at first, and during the fight offered her to be her teacher. Rey not only defeated but additionally scarred him.

Star Wars always was about grey zones when it comes to morals. Both main parts of the audience were wrong interpreting Rey because one side saw her as the heroine who defeats the Bad Guy, while the more romantically inclined saw her as Ben Solo’s savior. Rey is neither. She is thrown into the narrative and while she is important for the Bad Guy to redeem himself, she doesn’t do it on purpose. First and foremost, she thinks of herself.

Rey never cared for Ben as himself, at least not on the long run. They shared a few moments, like the hand-touching scene or the kiss, but Ben largely remains a projection of Rey’s own delusions.

Many antis who hate the sequels say that the saga was ruined by feminism, because it appears that wrong feminism created an unconvincing, flat female heroine.

That is not true. Rey is not a heroine. She does nothing heroic. Rey is an immature girl without a grasp of reality; she can’t be blamed for that due to the way she grew up. However, her actions are dictated by her desire for belonging and validation.

Ben loves Rey although she does not deserve his love at all, because he is alone and desperate and she literally was the first ray of light into years of a dark, lonely prison. She is his other half, and instinctively he always knew that; she is as strong as he is; by right, she would fit to him.

But does Rey listen to him? Try to learn from him? Never. It’s either “Be the way I expect you to be or I will kill you (or leave you behind for someone else to kill.)” Good intentions are not enough when your attitude is bad. Rey is not as bad as Palpatine, but she has a long way to go before she can be an actual heroine.

Ben Solo / Kylo Ren

My take is that the sequels are the story of a man trying to reconcile his psyche, integrating and making peace with his female self (personified by Rey). He did manage, and the result made him powerful, but his success was short-lived.

Anakin had been loved by his mother because he was all she had. Leia did not love her son with the same dedication because she had much more. Rey also had much more; while Ben couldn’t help but loving her because she was literally the only ray of light in his personal hell after years and years. Ben’s tragedy was the knowledge that he was not wanted; that if he died today, nobody would mourn him. And he was proven right.

Ben was not meant to be a romantic, Byronic lover who is saved and turned into a better man by love. Though The Last Jedi set hopes high, Ben was already a damned man by The Force Awakens. When he first takes off his helmet in front of Rey, he places it in a container that is macabrely filled with the ashes of his victims. What he does later we all know too well. And a patricide may still be redeemable, but you can’t have him survive and find a happy ending. Had he redeemed himself without Rey’s aid, the same would apply. Ben had to die after his redemption, not as a punishment of sorts but because you can’t insert such a man into a normal society any more. Remember how Luke offered his father to come with him: it was as well-meant as it was naïve. Whoever would have believed Darth f**ng Vader that he was a changed man?

It is a common cliché that a guy will change and want to become a better man for the sake of a woman: one of the many parallels fans (mostly female ones) saw was the one with Pride and Prejudice. But as I had already written in another entry, the trope that came closest was The Phantom of the Opera, and this is how the story ended.

What Reylo’s Got Right, and What They Didn’t

Reylo’s saw right away that Kylo Ren / Ben Solo was not truly evil and that he might be destined for redemption. Many of us even identify with him. From that point of view, it is not difficult to see where he’s headed and that Rey is important for his personal change. What was wrong was the over-idealization of Rey as his perfect partner.

The saga is universally loved and followed by many fans. And not everyone sees and / or appreciates its metaphysical aspects and character developments, unfortunately. Many viewers are only in for the action scenes; they want to see the good guy killing the bad guy, saving the world, getting the girl, the end. It might sound too simplistic but these fans can’t be forbidden from watching Star Wars. And by the time Episode VIII rolled by, there were still countless fans who were convinced, without the shadow of a doubt, that Luke would come out of his exile to save the galaxy again, that Kylo Ren is the bad guy and Rey the heroine. Some were completely taken aback by the kiss.

Episode IX sucked, but it was necessary to make things clearer among the audience who doesn’t understand nuance. Redemption had to be convincing, Rey had to turn out as someone who comes from bad blood, the dyad had to be addressed. Else, the action fans would never have realized where all of this was heading to. They may still not like it, but now that it’s canon at least they can’t expect their well-beloved clichés to come true any more. And if we want to be good judges of these stories, we also must try to listen to what the authors are telling us, instead of interpreting first and foremost according to our own wishes and our likes and dislikes for certain characters.

The studios seem to have learned their lesson by splitting up the story in many storylines which everyone can follow the way they like. More simplistic fans may like stories like The Book of Boba Fett, a TV show I don’t intend to waste my time on. That must not mean that the multifaceted approach will be dropped entirely; it was how the saga was started after all.

It is a moot point how much of the expectations for the last instalment of the trilogy were so misguided by Reylo’s between fangirling about Adam Driver, wishful thinking and finding parallels in all the wrong places. However: Kylo alias Ben remains the deepest and most compelling character of the entire trilogy, for some fans even of the whole saga. It is frustrating to see his life, and the bloodline of his family, end without even giving it a sense.

Conclusions

Am I disappointed? Yes and no. I do think Ben and Rey would have fitted well, that if had they found balance together they would have been what the galaxy needs. But there was no way these two could have saved the galaxy with their love, and the reason is, again, the cyclical narrative.

Anakin was not a bad husband. He was a terrible father, once he became Darth Vader, so his and his grandson’s rehabilitation can only be made possible by fatherhood.

If Ben Solo gets another chance, I still believe that his fate is meant to be the father Anakin Skywalker could not be. His attitude, character, even his looks so opposite from Vader’s but with the same stance, his experiences with his own family, all point to a potential strong and good father figure.

This doesn’t mean the father will not want or need a mother figure by his side. Ben and Rey could very well meet again and find balance for themselves and the galaxy e.g. by taking care of neglected and abandoned children. It would also fit the narrative much more than a romantic love story. As George Lucas says, you are redeemed by your children, and neither Ben nor Rey came to a level of maturity where they could have been good parents.

Star Wars is about family, not about romantic love. Within the saga people who belong together are always torn apart by a war which is not so much about ideology as it is about power. Only belonging can be the counterbalance. A couple alone will not suffice for balance.

Letting the last of the Skywalker blood literally disappear and leaving the legacy in the hands of the offspring of their worst enemy, the terror of the galaxy, seems like the bleakest route imaginable. But honestly: had romance won the day, I would have found it sappy.

For now, all we can do is leave it in the hands of the responsible team for the next movies and shows. And I still dearly hope that I didn’t get it all wrong.

Bring Ben Solo back: yes. But please, give him the chance to be a father.

@save-ben-swolo

@frumfrumfroo

@redrascal1

@benthelastskywalker

@the-reylo-void

@benthelastskywalker

@reylokisses

@allgirlsareprincesses

@unexpectedreylo

[kylorenisadorkable]

The Importance of Life After Redemption and the Power of Storytelling

Star Wars may be heightened fantasy, so the situations that the characters are in are extreme for dramatic effect but the emotions of the characters are still very human. When we watch a film, we as the audience “put ourselves in the character's shoes.” 

That's why the opening scene of the Last Jedi is so effective in getting the audience invested in the stakes of the film. Rian Johnson said that “Star Wars wasn’t about space ships but about the people inside the space ships.” Because while it's really hard for an audience to care about “the galaxy” being at stake if the heroes lose. When a movie gives us character's that we can connect with and relate to, then it makes it easier for the audience to care. For example, I care about what happens to the resistance because Rose is part of the resistance and I care about Rose because Rose lost her sister and clearly loved her, I can relate to this idea because I have two sisters and would be devastated if anything happened to them. 

I think this human element is what makes memorable and inspiring films.

No film illustrates this concept of the emotional connection between the characters and the audience better to me than one of my favorites, “Saving Mr. Banks.” (Which also just so happens to be about writers misunderstanding a redemption story and is also a Disney movie) 

“She's as real as can be to my daughters. And to thousands of other kids. Adults, too.” - Saving Mr. Banks (2013)

In fact, studies have shown that the relationships that we feel for fictional characters are very real and we can feel very strong emotions for them. “The interesting thing is that our brains aren’t really built to distinguish between whether a relationship is real or fictional, So these friendships can convey a lot of real-world benefits.” Those can include self-esteem boosts, decreased loneliness and more feelings of belonging.”- Jennifer Barnes (Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Oklahoma)

This is why fiction can feel like such a personal and intimate experience. I find it interesting that the writers of “The Force Awakens”, chose to make the villain of the series the son of Han and Leia two characters that audiences growing up watching the original trilogy loved and connected with. What is interesting is that OT Audiences are now Han and Leia’s age in the sequel trilogy and many have their own adult children. I believe that this was done intentionally because the audience is suppose to feel sympathy for Ben and see him as “their own child” in a sense. The audience is suppose to consider “what if this was my own child and they were struggling? What would I want to happen to them?”

And that is why I can’t support this interpretation of Leia’s character: 

“Why did you have to make him so cruel? He was not a monster! You all have children, yes? And do those children make letters for you? Do they write letters? Do they make you drawings? And would you tear up those gifts in front of them? It's a dreadful thing to do. I don't understand. Why must Father tear up the advertisement his children have made and throw it in the fireplace? Why won't he mend their kite? Why have you made him so unspeakably awful? "In glorious Technicolor"? "For all the world to see"? If you claim to make them live, why can't he... they live well?”-Saving Mr. Banks (2013)

I can't view Ben's death as this hopeful positive thing that they've been trying to portray it as. Parents want what is best for their children, they want to see them succeed. What parent wishes for their child's death? Especially after he's just found hope. Now that they've “seen the light” wouldn't you want them to live their life to the fullest?

“I swear that every time a person goes into a movie house – from Leicester Square to St Louis, they will see George Banks being saved. They will love him and his kids, they will weep for his cares, and wring their hands when he loses his job. And when he flies that kite, oh! They will rejoice, they will sing. In every movie house, all over the world, in the eyes and the hearts of my kids, and other kids and their mothers and fathers for generations to come, George Banks will be honored. George Banks will be redeemed. George Banks and all he stands for will be saved. Maybe not in life, but in imagination. Because that’s what we storytellers do. We restore order with imagination. We instill hope again and again and again.” - Saving Mr. Banks (2013)

Star Wars has many themes, but the most prominent are redemption, compassion, family and most importantly of all... “Hope”

 The reason we love redemption arcs is because they give us hope that anyone can change. They can inspire us to turn our own lives around and hope for a better future for ourselves and our family. The way TROS ends, with Ben’s death, creates a disconnect with the films message. 

George Lucas believed that it was possible for lost people to find their way again and make a difference. But killing Ben Solo off after he’s done one good deed, goes against this message. If you want people to change, you have to let them live to correct their mistakes. 

“Characters like Finn & Rey are examples of doing right. But you have to speak to the lost ones too if you want them to come home." -Unknown.

*Again I hope this makes sense, I have a lot of thoughts!

[sagemcmae]

20 Questions - Writer’s Edition

Thank you for tagging me @chierafied​ 💕💕💕

How many works do you have on AO3? 79

What’s your total AO3 word count? 1,820,522

How many fandoms have you written for and what are they? Technically, 2 (Star Wars and Inuyasha), though it looks like (5) because of the cross-overs

What are your top 5 fics by kudos? Hit Me With Your Best Shot (Reylo) He angled his head away just enough for her attempt to miss before he brought both her arms down in front of her, so he could wrap his hand around both of her wrists. With his free hand, he cupped her face, forcing her to look at him.  “It’s done.” He had a warning tone in his voice. “Yield.” MMA fighter, Kylo Ren is suspended from the league and sentenced to community service at his uncle’s martial arts academy. There he meets Rey Niima, a recent graduate with a natural ability and incredible potential. Two Truths & a Lie (Reylo) “My favorite color is black.” “I prefer pizza over cake.” “I think I'm falling in love with you.” Or in others words, Kylo Ren, Editor-in-Chief, should not drink alone with his beguiling staff writer, Rey Andor after hours. Silver & Gold (SessKag) Kagome finds a wounded stray in the park and takes him in. Seemingly indifferent to her, the dog serves as a quiet companion who eases her loneliness. He becomes a constant in her routine until one night changes everything. Kagome wakes up to an arm draped around her waist — a pale arm with purple markings. Lessons in Parenting (SessKag) Sesshomaru finds Rin not as a child but as an infant. Unsure how to care for a baby, he seeks help from the only trustworthy human he knows: his brother's miko. *2nd Place Winner - 'Best Characterization' for Feudal Connection's 2021 3rd Quarterly Inuyasha Fandom Awards!* If Found, Please Return (Reylo) Rey knows what it's like to be abandoned, so when she returns a lost dog to his posh Manhattan address, she gives his owner an earful. The only problem is, the dog's owner isn't the arrogant redhead she screamed at. It's Ben Solo, the world-renowned actor. And he's just offered her a job.

Do you respond to comments, why or why not? Yes (or at least I try to). If someone takes the time to read my story and leave me a note, I want to thank them. Each time I see a new note in my Inbox, I’m like 😍😍😍 And I understand how busy RL can be so I appreciate anyone who takes the time to let me know their thoughts.

What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending? If you’ve read my work, you know I’m not big on sad endings. I prefer happy ones, mostly because life is draining enough as it is. But in terms of fic endings, if I had to pick one, I’d say: Before the Dawn.

What’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending? This is a tough one. I guess it depends on how you define ‘happiest’. If you categorize it by the fluffiest (it’s all about the feel-good vibes 🥰 ), then I’d have to go with Melt or First Words for the SessKag fandom and Sight Unseen for the Reylo fandom.

Do you write crossovers? If so what is the craziest one you’ve written? Yes. I’m not sure if it’s the craziest one, but the one I’m most proud of is Happenstance which is my Inuyasha/Harry Potter crossover, featuring SessKag. I put a lot of research into it to meld the worlds together without compromising what makes each fandom so special to me. It’s definitely the fic that I’m most proud of writing.

Have you ever received hate on a fic? Yep, a lot of people think Reylo is a toxic relationship. And there are those who have strong feelings about SessKag too. Some have commented to me about the fact that Yashahime is canon and SessKag is dead....which makes me laugh but whatever helps you sleep at night.

Do you write smut? If so what kind? I have but lately it’s been a struggle. I focus more on intimacy (in whatever form that takes depending on the pace of the story).

Have you ever had a fic stolen? Not that I’m aware of...

Have you ever had a fic translated? Yes, a few have been translated into Spanish and Russian.

Have you ever co-written a fic before? Waaaaaaay back in the FFnet days, a friend and I co-wrote a fic together but between our RL schedules we never finished. I actually don’t even know if it’s still posted since it was under her account.

What’s your all time favorite ship? That’s another tough one. TRoS really burned me and my love of Star Wars has suffered for it.

What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will? Of Scales & Sky. I was so excited about this fic but my motivation has died from all the discourse in the fandom and the on-going saga of bad decisions Disney makes in regards to the SW franchise.

What are your writing strengths? Characterization is very important to me. Even if I’m putting the characters is a very non-canon premise, I want them to remain as in-character as possible.

What are your writing weaknesses? Finding the time to write. 🥲 This year has been particularly chaotic for me for several reasons.

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic? I did write some Japanese when I re-entered the SessKag fandom with Silver & Gold. I had one very adamant reviewer who kept DM-ing me that I sounded stupid and should stop. It was very discouraging. After asking around in the fandom, other writers suggested doing what I wanted but if I’m writing in English, the primary language should remain English.

What was the first fandom you wrote for? Labyrinth. When I was 13, my friend and I used to go to her house after school, sit on separate couches across from each other on our separate laptops, and write fanfiction. (*smiles* those were great times!) I often wrote in my notebooks (instead of taking notes in class) and was constantly posting on FFnet. But I also never finished anything because I was constantly distracted by other things.

What’s your favorite fic you’ve written? That’s like asking which child is my most favorite. 😂🤣😂 Happenstance is the fic that I’m most proud of. I feel like as a writer, it was the most challenging for me because of the continuity of the story line with the element of mystery. Shadow Song was written on a whim and quickly became one of my favorites and then there is Sanguis Sanguinem Meum which flowed so naturally that I wrote the entire thing in a couple of months.

Tagging: @sereia1313 @harlecorn @tmwillson3 @reysexualkylo

[sw-daydreamer]

Excellent review that will speak to you all.

Cinematic language carries meaning. Movies are more than just a series of events documented by a camera; the way those events are depicted – blocked, framed, edited, scored, mixed – is as important as the events themselves. When the cinematic toolbox is used well, movies can evoke feelings, make arguments, and change lives. Used poorly, though, films can say something completely contrary to what the filmmaker intends.

(...)

Rey’s Last Jedi revelation that her parents were nobodies is crucial to her development. It’s interesting not just because it breaks from the legend and dynasty-obsessed story that’s blanketed the entire Star Wars saga, but because it breaks Rey from her own obsession with destiny. Without destiny, we only have ourselves. You can come from nothing, but you can make yourself something. These are powerful and impactful statements to make in Star Wars, calling back to Yoda’s philosophical musings from The Empire Strikes Back. These revelations aren’t the ones Rey wants, but they’re what she needs, and they push her to grow and change.

The Rise of Skywalker reverses much of that. By turning Rey from a nobody into the granddaughter of the most powerful Force-user in history, it shrinks the universe and contradicts The Last Jedi’s central message, telling Rey she’s only important and powerful because she was born into an important and powerful family. It turns all her positive, hard-won self-actualisation into ominous foreshadowing for the return of the wrinkly-face sparky-finger man. And by killing off Ben Solo, the film also robs her of the companionship she desired from her nascent dyad twin – her connection with whom is one of the few elements actually carried forward from The Last Jedi.

(...)

read the complete review : slashfilm.com/rey-in-the-rise-of-skywalker/

Tweet here : twitter.com/mistertodd/status/1209464465332174850

[misscrawfords]

Reylo and Finnpoe for the ships

Reylo is one of my big OTPs of recent years up there with Mary/Matthew and Harry/Hermione and Doctor/Rose. I spent years on it, wrote 1000s of words of fic and read much, much more. It meant a lot to me. In a way, it still does.

What drew me to the ship was the way it represented balance in every respect between Ben and Rey, a real partnership of equals and a really interesting way of changing the Jedi/Sith narrative and breathing fresh ideas and concepts into the SW saga. It meshed very much with ideas I'd had as a teenager in a Harry Potter sequel I never finished. It was the ship I'd always been looking for but never found in the media I was reading/watching. And then suddenly in TLJ - there it was! It had so much symbolism, depth, interest, potential. It inspired so much interesting fic, meta, art, analysis - everything. I can't really think of any other ship that had the capability for that and truly rewarded the attention that was given to it. By being in the Reylo fandom, I learned so much about storytelling, writing, reading, mythology, psychoanalysis, feminism - and I read so much. That's gone on to affect how I approach other works of literature and even the way I teach texts myself to students. The talents and intelligence of the Reylo fandom are truly incomparable. I've not been in a fandom like it. (Of course, every fandom has its idiots and those with distasteful views but they seemed few and far between.)

I think Reylo and the Reylo fandom has been incredibly maligned by people not involved in it. (And I say that as somebody who consumed a lot but had very little active involvement in the centre of it so I was never directly affected or targeted by the wank.) It saddened me considerably to see people whose values I generally agree with and whom I like a lot online posting hurtful memes and aligning themselves with antis who bullied and doxed shippers and who were very definitely positioned with awful, misogynistic positions, whether these people were aware of those connections or not. I felt very alone as a Reylo shipper online because basically nobody who I was friends with previously shipped them. As for what they were accusing Reylo shippers of - I saw none of it. For example, the idea that Reylo shippers hate Finn and are racist is laughable. Every shipper I interacted with loved Finn and agreed that his story was very messed up and not given the attention it deserved and were horrified by racist abuse directed at John Boyega. Shipping two characters together doesn't mean dislike or lack of appreciation for a third, wtf. Finn was extremely well written in fics and paired with Poe or Rose most of the time by people who really loved these ships. So while the fandom was great, the outside perception of it was... not great and truly hurtful at times. It's fine to not like a ship. It's not okay to be mocking and hurtful towards the shippers, especially if you obviously know that one of your friends is a shipper!

TROS was... devastating. I honestly felt like I'd gone through a breakup and I don't really want to write about it here but it was truly horrible. And I 've hardly engaged with Reylo or Star Wars since then. I miss it and I deplore the way that travesty of a film was written and how it killed everything that was good and innovative about TLJ. (Not just Reylo!) It's made me incredibly cynical about all the new SW projects and Disney in general. I really cannot support Disney.

Finn/Poe

Extremely cute and a missed opportunity. Everything about Finn was a missed opportunity tbh. I can't say that I ship them in the sense that I'd go looking for fic to read specifically about them, but I loved their interactions in TFA and TLJ and it would have been amazing for them to have been a canon ship - not that it would ever happen since Disney is in the pockets of certain conservative American "family friendly" elements pffft. I actually also really like Finn/Rose and the fact that went nowhere in TROS is another travesty. As is the near total erasure of Rose's character. Hmmmmmm. So I can't decide whether I like Finn/Poe or Finn/Rose better and I definitely multi-ship Finn. Basically I want him to be happy and both of these characters would do that.

[tros-for-dinner]

Like, okay, I need to talk about trauma a second

I’m reading The Body Keeps the Score right now - it’s a pretty comprehensive book about PTSD and trauma, and treatment of trauma-related mental illnesses and, like, I just keep thinking about Kylo (Ben)

In one sentence: Kylo is a deeply traumatized man and I can’t stop thinking about it.

As a general rule I don’t care about the ancillary materials, but “absentee parents” and “being left with droid caretakers that tried to kill him” is trauma - he didn’t have someone to comfort him and his usual caretakers weren’t safe. He probably started acting out, as what happens to kids that go through that. He was also deeply empathetic (metaphorically represented by being strong in the Force) so every lie that was told to him, every time someone feared him because of his ancestors, every time someone tried to use him because of his family - those are all wounds, too. Then, maybe because he was acting out, maybe because he was a deeply religious kid, he goes to live the ascetic life with his beloved Uncle Luke.

And I know this is my own headcanon, but knowing what I now know about trauma: he was still suffering the emotional effects of trauma. The fear, the mistrust, the anxiety, the anger - his fellow Force-sensitive students (and Luke) could feel those emotions. In the Jedi tradition, you either shut that shit down or you’re assumed to be on the road to the Dark Side.

Here’s the problem: the fear, the anxiety, the anger triggered by the pain of trauma can’t just be meditated away. It’s fight/flight instinct; it’s literally the oldest, most sub-conscious part of the brain reacting to the memory of pain and trying to prevent future pain. You can’t control it. You can’t reason with it. You either heal it or it controls you.

Luke can feel that his methods aren’t working but he hasn’t been trained in psychology so he has no idea how to fix this problem. Luke is deeply afraid of the Dark Side, and he was taught that emotions - a deeply-rooted function of the brain - are inherently ‘evil’ and cause self-destruction for the Jedi. Luke has a “all or nothing” “either I do it all or I’m a failure” mindset so he starts feeling despair at the bitter taste of failure. One night, out of pure fear, he takes an uninhibited look into his nephew’s mind (notably, without his consent) and sees how bad things could be in the future. For an instant, he honestly considers killing Ben to prevent that future from happening.

Here’s a question: what would you do if you woke up to a trusted, beloved family member pointing a loaded, safety-off shotgun at you, and you could feel without a doubt that they were definitely ready to kill you?

You would feel abject terror. Wounds from trusted loved ones can be the most painful, and this was a wound that eclipsed every other in Ben’s life. He escapes, and then falls into the hands of Snoke.

(I hate how the ancillary materials totally erased Ben’s agency by making Snoke influence his mind even before he was born. Grooming from a young age? That would have been fine. But as it is, it’s a supernatural element that oversimplifies and makes unbelievable a story that could have been more powerful.)

In my mind, Snoke doesn’t even have to be Force-sensitive: his gift is that he can tell what people wants, and he controls those people by promising what they want (and getting his victims just close enough to what they want so they keep coming back for more).

So he sees Ben and sees the perfect mark: someone who believes they’re inherently a bad person (drowning in shame, an instinct that is extremely self-isolating), enraged with pain, who has been indoctrinated into black-and-white thinking by the culture/religion he grew up in.

Snoke promises Ben 1. respect (i.e. a form of connection in which you don’t have to be vulnerable) and 2. power (which appeals to Ben’s helplessness).

All of us wear different “hats” depending on the situation we’re in: at work, we wear Customer Service or Manager hats. At home, we wear Caregiver or Partner or Roommate hats. Walking out to our cars in the dark, or taking the bus in a bad neighborhood, we might swagger with a Don’t Fuck With Me attitude. We hide or reveal parts of our personality depending on the tools we need in the situation.

Ben creates a persona to hide his shame, protect himself from vulnerability, and deaden the part of his conscience that objects to being part of an organization that is hurting people like his family was hurt. This persona is named Kylo Ren, and it uses the mask and robes like a magic spell to summon the gravitas and influence of his ancestor. But most importantly, the mask and robes shield him from the outside world as protection, but also to hide his shame and any emotions that aren’t ‘acceptable’ (’acceptable’ being anger, mostly).

The thing about shame is that it separates us from the people around us, preventing us from making meaningful connections. This is devastating to the human mind, because humans survive in groups (and our brain evolved to seek groups out). Bringing shame out into the light in the presence of someone you trust is usually enough to exorcise it.

Kylo doesn’t have anyone he can trust, and he is drowning in shame. He is totally isolated and knows he’s nothing but a weapon in Snoke’s hand. Snoke cultivates his shame and isolation because it makes Kylo easy to control. But then, totally by happenstance, Kylo meets Rey.

I hear people talk about ‘the power of love’ and I used to think it was total bullshit. I realize now that’s because visual media usually simplifies ‘love’ into ‘physical attraction’. In reality, love contains a spectrum of elements that are essential to a healthy, functioning mind. Specifically: a place you feel safe (a place where you feel trust, where you feel genuine connection, where you feel wanted, where you feel heard and seen and understood). The entire spectrum of intimacy (emotional, physical, and sexual) spans this need for a place to feel safe and known.

So Kylo meets this girl and a couple of things happen. 1. he realizes he isn’t actually alone. There is someone in the whole of the galaxy who might be his equal. 2. Totally inadvertently, Rey exposes his deepest shame (that he can’t live up to the legacy, that he is hurting himself for nothing) and brings it out into the light.

And, like, all of that would be disrupting enough, but then something even more important happens. See, Snoke built the expectation in Kylo’s mind that if Kylo cut away everyone who loved him, Kylo would be stronger, would be more powerful. Kylo gets the opportunity to cut away his father in the most final way - to kill him - and he takes the opportunity.

As soon as he kills Han - the very second after he ignites his saber - he realizes that Snoke was lying. It didn’t make him more powerful, it just makes things worse.

So while he’s reeling from that realization, his mind instinctively reaches out for connection, for people who might understand. I once read a meta that the Force Skype scenes in TLJ are initiated when Rey feels lonely, which I totally 100% buy into, but I’d suggest the connection happens when both of them are feeling lonely or hurt.

As far as I’m concerned, they bridged their own minds - Snoke took credit because he knew that would be devastating to Ben. Ben and Rey experience emotional intimacy and through their connection, they both start to heal a little from their individual traumas.

I went on a bit of a tangent there but here’s what I’m trying to get to: trauma doesn’t just go away. You don’t just flip a switch, forget about the past, and move on with your life. If you don’t heal, then that trauma and the damage to your brain persists. It takes time and an enduring safe place to heal. So I’m sitting here, trying to imagine what that healing could look like in-universe. And I’m just thinking about the fact that Episode 9 could have been about healing. They gave Rey the gift of healing. The moviemakers had a love story all wrapped up in a bow that could have been a metaphor for the healing power of love. They had all these traumatized characters that could have experienced healing. We, the audience, could have experienced the healing power of catharsis.

And in conclusion, I’m just thinking about Adam Driver performing this incredibly relatable character and TLJ’s Reylo and Luke&Rey plotlines being what they are - and just feeling deep gratitude. 

[darth-schism]

Evidence to Suggest that Luke was NOT all that he seemed in TLJ

Luke Skywalker may have isolated himself because of his guilt/depression. But I also believe he did it for practical reasons, and that his “totally given up” act, was just that, an act. Evidence for this Head-cannon/interpretive take:

1. He made a map to his location

Not only that, but it was so specific, it was literally called “The Map to Skywalker.” The only way it would have gotten a name as tailored as that is if someone else had found him before Rey, or, if he told people about it himself. In any event, to whatever varying degree, Luke wanted to be found and/or influence the galaxy around him.

One piece of the map was  tossed around to all sorts of corners of the galaxy, while the rest of it was entrusted to R2D2. 

2. This was a deliberate combo to serve two different purposes

          - Keep Snoke distracted: The entirety of TFA was Kylo and Snoke obsessing over Luke’s location. Their preoccupation with it was evident and, instead of letting them focus on relentlessly attacking the New Republic, Luke gave them a reason to go on wild goose chases. Consider that Snoke doesn’t go ‘all in’ on trying to destroy the Resistance until after he realizes he lost the race to get to Skywalker. Which shows just how much stock he had put into that singular Jedi. What’s more, even if they had succeeded, they’d only have a useless fraction with no reference as to where in the galaxy Luke’s secret location actually was.      

          - Meanwhile, R2D2 would also play the role of a “given up/powered down” hero: But we see that, soon as the coast is clear, and some plot heroes arrive with the map, he assessed the situation, turned on, and sent them right to Skywalker. I think it’s safe to say that R2D2 was merely in ‘sleep mode,’ as opposed to ‘shut down.’ However, despite all this, the element of being powered down/unassuming was still crucial because... 

3. Snoke made it abundantly clear that when he found Skywalker, he’d blow up the entire landmass he was found, or even theorized to be, on

Luke would never put a population of innocents at risk of complete annihilation just because someone might to recognize him at a local market. So it’s no wonder he chose a place as isolated as he did (On top of that, considering his critical stance towards the Jedi Order by 28ish ABY, it wouldn’t necessarily be a heartbreak to him if the island did end up getting destroyed, or one to anyone else really, because of how obscure/unknown it was...or so he convinced himself).

4. He was picking his battles

If Luke Skywalker wanted to be found. Then why was he so dismissive of Rey? There’s no solid evidence here (aside from the whole existence of the map scheme), but I think there’s good reason to believe that Luke’s instant stand-offish behavior is one of caution and assessment not dissimilar how how Yoda and Kenobi put up an initial façade when they were discovered in exile (but more on that later). In any event, this approach would give him the means to offer personalized help to those who ended up on his doorstep. It honestly didn’t take Luke long to go from tossing his father’s lightsaber, to offering Rey the three lessons she needed to understand the force better. Although I believe Rey’s visit to Luke was far different than what others had probably been but (again) more on that later.

5. He was able leave anytime he wanted

The very clear image of Luke’s submerged X-Wing in the ocean painted a picture of cut ties, and a “no going back” stance. However, it wasn’t the first time that starfighter had been at the bottom of a water bed, and clearly it wasn’t the last. I’m inclined to believe that this is another part of Luke’s deliberate presentation of a hero who had lost all hope. But all speculation aside, there was nothing to physically stop Luke from leaving that island whenever he wanted. There’s nothing to say that he didn’t break form/character operate to find a way to undermine Snoke further.

6. He was actively protecting others close to him

There was a reason Luke getting Grogu at the end of Season 2 of The Mandalorian caused such a stir in Disney, and caused Kennedy to go for Faverau’s throat. All “who’s idea was who’s” arguments aside. At the end of the day it created two possible outcomes for this element of the Star Wars franchise: Either Grogu died in Kylo’s attack. Or there were survivors. Since killing the money making Baby Yoda isn’t necessarily on Disney’s to do list, it’s a reasonable bet that he survives the slaughter (unless he’s returned to Din’s side before Kylo goes ballistic, in which case he avoids it all together). But even if that does happen, this theory still holds a little water). Luke lying low, and operating in secret may have been the only way he was keeping himself, the galaxies citizens, and his few remaining students from getting hit with an orbital strike. 

7. He was never fully disconnected from the force.

Perhaps, somewhat disconnected, but it’s clear that Luke hasn’t cut himself off from the force as much as he, perhaps, wanted to admit. Luke is still able to effortlessly summon a weapon, keep control of the duel between himself and Rey, and gently lower his body to the ground when he loses his footing. Despite his stance on using/taking ownership of the force in TLJ, it seems as though Luke kept just enough around so that he could still fight. This theory is more optimistically minded than some of the others, but I still can’t help but think that Luke kept these reserves of power ready, because he already had to use them more than once during his supposed isolation.

8. Rey’s visit was different than the others who had come before.

“You went straight into the Dark. It offered you something you needed, and you didn’t even try to stop yourself.” 

“I've seen this raw strength only once before, in Ben Solo. It didn't scare me enough then. It does now.”

Other plot heroes/adventurers may have come, gone, or even convinced Luke to help them in secret. So assuming all, or even some, of the above is true, then that means Luke wasn’t just pushing to dismiss Rey, but also disillusion her. I think this is because Rey wasn’t there to get help with a specific mission, rescue, etc, but there to have Luke become the public symbol of hope again. And we’ve already listed the reasons why this couldn’t happen. On top of that, this push was done in a way that directly conflicted with all the “none theorized” reasons Luke had isolated himself. Luke knew he couldn’t accommodate this. He sensed the darkness in Rey. He sensed her connection to Kylo. In many ways his lessons also doubled as a means to properly evaluate Rey, and confirm his suspicions. In any event, all of this brought up an element of his isolation that no one else knew. He already had the, half truth, story as to what happened to his temple well rehearsed. But it was Rey’s visit that dragged out his greatest regret, which was his near attempt to take Ben’s life, due to both the mind bending fear Snoke had manipulated into palce, and the hypocritical, and self destructive Jedi philosophies that had been drilled in to his head. This was the final straw that made him want to destroy the Jedi texts. But it was also the push he needed to find inner peace, and think of the means to make one last public appearance, without endangering anyone.  

9. In no interpretation is Luke an attempt child killer 

This is more of a bonus point in nature. I think so many people were caught off guard by the narrative choice Luke undertook in this part of the film, that it painted the whole ordeal in a far more unfavorable light than it actually was. For starters: Ben was no child. He was 23 years old when he fell to the darkside. Luke was saw the images of planetary destruction, and the deaths of friends and family alike at the hands of an adult. But even at that, Luke’s ligthsaber had already lowered, and his face expressing that of shame and sadness, when Ben glances over, and decides to take up his lightsaber, and make the first strike. Luke doesn’t even ignite his lightsaber in response until after Ben swings it. The influence Snoke had over Ben, and the mental attack he lured Luke into suffering, to make this moment come to pass cannot be understated.   

 - This also means that Luke’s isolation lasted only 7 years. Not twenty, not even 10. Just 7. Which is less than half the time both Yoda and Obi Wan imposed on themselves.

10. He was following in the footsteps of his masters

I think Luke’s response to trauma is a little unfair in some ways. Obi Wan and Yoda witnessed genocide, and imposed exile on themselves for twenty years. Now, in film, we know that Obi Wan, while playing the part of a delusional hermit, worked to protect Luke as he grew up on Tatooine, and that Yoda, playing the part of a silly swamp kook, did...something...on Dagobah (?), waited for Luke to grow up so he could train him for a few weeks at most (?). 

Those are two pretty limited things, and yet they don’t catch near as much flack for “abandoning the galaxy to the Empire” as TLJ Luke does, after he also witnessed slaughter, and went into isolation for only 7 years. But, of course, we know Obi Wan did more during his time in the desert, and that Yoda did more during his time in the swamp. So why can’t Luke have also done more while on his island? Everything about the parallels here point to Luke, despite his own misgivings, applying what he learned from his master. All three Jedi isolated themselves because of their personal tragedies. All three greatly reduced their presence in the galaxy. But all three had no choice, and all three still did what they could despite their circumstances.    

11. Luke may have been overcome with grief. But he hadn’t truly changed

Now, I fully admit that this is a very optimistic way of looking at things. But some of these points also have more weight to them than others. I also cannot stress enough that even though I think some of what Luke was doing was an act, I also know it was equally proportional to the very real, emotional reasons, and struggles he faced. I also definitely do NOT think Kennedy/Johnson meant for any of these possible theories to have any validity to them. But with how they are presented, they also can’t be disproven. 

If Favreau doesn’t formally put the sequels in it’s own little pocket universe, then I really hope he takes the opportunity to make something like ^the above^ happen. It could easily be established in one to two episodes in a live action show. Lots of things could be done to make the sequels a more bearable set of movies to watch. And as much as I’m worried that hoping for this is simply too optimistic, at least now there is a justifiable interpretive take that has both in film evidence to support, and a lack of otherwise to refute.  

At the end of the day (and as usual) the important part here is to see that Luke hadn’t given up. Struggling, disillusioned, forced into a tough spot, willingly keeping himself scarce, etc. All bearable. But knowing he hadn’t given up is super important to the character and fanbase, so hopefully we get something that makes that cannon. In any facet really.  

AND IT WOULD GET MARK HAMILL BACK ON SET GODAMNIT! XD

*Reblogged with new gifs and information

[irinapaleolog]

Opinions on the Star Wars sequel trilogy may be somewhat mixed, but many fans enjoyed the relationship between two of the series’ main characters: the hero Rey and the villain Kylo Ren (formerly known as Ben Solo).

What made fans respond to their relationship was how authentic it felt. Their story fit within the larger story the films were telling. There’s a specific reason it felt so genuine, however: it’s because it mirrors another fan-favorite romance from Star Wars.

Star Wars: making the story rhyme

While many people have contributed to the Star Wars universe and its stories, no one is more responsible for it than George Lucas. On a behind the scenes documentary, Lucas once talked about the story structure of the Star Wars films. Here’s what he had to say about the connection of his prequels to the original trilogy, as captured by The AV Club:

While Lucas did not play a major role in the development or creation of the sequel trilogy, that element of the story rhyming with the films that came before it is still present. Much like Luke Skywalker before her, the hero Rey is stuck on a desolate planet yearning for greater adventures. Kylo Ren is sick, twisted, and evil, but he wasn’t always that way — much like Darth Vader before him. There are multiple elements of the sequels that can trace their origins back to the original trilogy, or even the prequels in some cases.

One of those elements is the relationship between Rey and Ben.

The relationship between Rey and Ben

The relationship between Rey and Ben has been subject to much speculation among Star Wars fans. It’s not quite an outright romance, though there are certainly romantic elements. It has more of a “what could have been” feel to it, as Rey clearly has feelings for the good man who once stood where Kylo Ren now resides.

We see their relationship begin in The Force Awakens as he interrogates her and they fight — though he doesn’t kill her despite multiple opportunities. In The Last Jedi, the two make a connection and even a bond. The Rise of Skywalker sees this bond strengthen as Rey confronts her lineage and Ben attempts yet again to turn her to his side. In the end, Ben joins her on the light side of the Force, sacrificing himself to save her.

So what exactly does this part of the story rhyme with? It goes back to a romance from the prequels: Padme Amidala and Anakin Skywalker.

How Rey and Ben mirror Padme and Anakin

A Star Wars fan on Reddit pointed out why the potential romance set up in The Last Jedi between Rey and Ben is such a great part of the story: it rhymes with the Padme and Anakin romance. Here’s what the fan had to say about it:

“When Kylo asks Rey to join him, you might have been reminded of TESB [The Empire Strikes Back], but the rhyme is actually much stronger with ROTS [Revenge of the Sith], because Kylo literally says exactly the same thing that Anakin said to Padme, but reworded. (‘Rey, I want you to join me. We can rule together and bring a new order to the galaxy’ / ‘And together, you and I can rule the galaxy. Make things the way we want them to be!’).”

The fan also points out that their relationship is like Padme and Anakin’s but inverted. One relationship begins with passion and ends in violence while the other beings with violence and ends with admiration, respect, and something resembling love in the form of a sacrifice. It’s why the relationship resonates with fans: not only is it well-developed, but it’s reminiscent of something they’ve seen done well before.

[cosmo-gonika]

TROS, a movie that thrives on Nostalgia.

I saw TROS yesterday. Needless to say my expectations were super low. I want to do this movie justice, independently of me being a die-hard Reylo and Kylo Ren/Ben Solo stan. 

Spoilers ahead!!!

The main problem about TROS is that it’s not a bad movie; narrative choices had to be made, but it suffers from a lack of narrative consistency within the ST. It suffers from the Disney LF area we’re in, meaning, the rein of money and commercial blockbuster pressure, aka, the materialist world we live in. 

My personal feeling about TROS is like an atonal symphony within the ST : you never come home. You don’t have the sensation that the journey came to a full circle, with all the satisfaction of the plot points and holes being fulfilled, like a classical symphony gives you. 

Why is that? JJ started the ST with TFA, and Rian took the threats that were opened and created new interesting, bold and creative narratives, disappointing all the long time fans that thrive on bloodlines and lineages. JJ took that disappointment and fulfilled those expectative : he thrives on Nostalgia. On bloodlines and lineage, on the idea that you have to be born in a certain family to have certain powers. It’s all very elitist and aristocratic. He also thrives on actions as a filler : you never get bored because you’re trying to get the point about what is happening. There is too much. The pace is wild. There are no true silences to reflect upon what is happening. This is where Rian was a genius, with his silences, held stares and glares, and why he’s infinitely superior as a filmmaker. 

But more than anything, the problem is there is no creative consistency.  Thus it gives the sensation that things were not planned from the start, and the journey is not fulfilled. As a fan fiction author I’d say : bad story writing!

But no wonder regular audiences like the movie. It’s a Star Wars movie with all the elements it could have to make a casual viewer happy. But when you start digging the surface, the narratives choices that JJ made are very questionable and there was not only one way to close this saga, and thus for me, these choices make the movie a failure because it only relies on blockbuster techniques, and doesn’t introduce anything new or creative. 

Here are my critical points. 

1) Kylo and Rey should have been more centerstage. The main problem I have with the movie is that it goes everywhere, losing the principal focus which is understanding why Kylo and Rey are force bonded and the Force Lore mystic The entire point of the movie would have been to dig into the Force Dyad, which is basically One soul that is incarnated in Two bodies. It explains the Force bond and why Kylo and Rey are attracted to one another. They are basically soulmates. But it’s mentioned fast twice in the whole movie, and nothing is shown or explained and worse : one part of the Dyad dies! Where is the logic in that? 

Which leads me to my only hope : Ben dies in the Light. But I think the Force Dyad remains intact, meaning there will be a connection between them from the other side of the veil. It’s impossible the connection was severed by death, thus I am wondering if Ben will no reappear in future material, or that Rey will find a way to resurrect him. 

And I just need more Ben Solo Smiles!!!

2) The logical ending would have been that Ben/Kylo resurrects at the end. It would have made sense and given a sense of Christian Glory to the end of the Saga. 

PT : Downfall

OT : Redemption

ST: Resurrection 

It would have given a feeling of completion, and justice, to a character that is essentially a victim, thus reversing entirely his grandfather Anakin’s arc. Because Ben dying does NOT make sense and gives him a greek tragedy ending which is very heartbreaking. 

But, I am going to be honest, I do think that Ben’s redemption was wonderfully made, thanks to Adam’s amazing acting skills. I mean HOW the hell did Adam show us the very minute when Kylo Ren dies and transforms into Ben Solo!! He’s a MASTERPIECE. I also thought that his dying could make sense because his redemption is so well done : he gives his life for Rey, and there is nothing as powerful as self-sacrifice. He is truly home when he dies. But there were other ways of resurrecting him without falling into a cheesy Disney ending. 

3) I wrote a meta in November 2017: “Why Rey is a Palpatine”  which made perfect sense to me even at the time. Beware, I’m not saying I would not have liked her to be a nobody. It’s what I wrote in Songs and i still love it. BUT the Palpatine branch always made sense, because it was the mirroring effects of their bloodlines that was interesting for Reylo, and knowing they are a Dyad, it makes even more sense! 

Rey comes from Darkness but choses the Light and the Jedi Path. 

Ben comes from Light but fell into Darkness and the Sith ways. 

They are each other’s opposites, Two sides of the same coin. It made sense they needed the other to prevail and save the galaxy and that they bloodlines were essentially the two main ones. 

One of the things I thought was really well done in the movie is how Rey is conflicted with herself and how she choses the Light despite her bloodline. I thought that was the only thing they did right with Rey : that she choses her heart and her new family against blood. 

4) The Emperor returned, but how? It is never explained. And the entire Snoke business is never properly explained, he was just a puppet, okay, but how did the Emperor come back from the dead? This is where my blood boils a bit : TROS retconned everything Rian had built on to bring back Palpatine and there, you really feel the ST is just a big narrative mess. Had TROS taken time to explain fully and show us the reasons, it would have been way better. 

5) Making Finn a force sensitive : WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK? Where was Finnrose? Where was Finn’s arc? Totally disappeared. It was so badly done, too. 

6) The fan service was absolutely cringe as fuck. The Nostalgia really unbearable for me. I was all the time like : this, again??

This is basically what i have to say about the movie. I liked some parts a lot. I hated others. I think it’s ONE take on the many possibilities it offered and it doesn’t fulfill my personal expectations at all. But this is me and I won’t be an anti and trash the creators, they did their best but as a fan, I am very disappointed by some choices.