#and that’s also blaming ahsoka which is not fair

[skygirlstars]

every time someone says “Anakin wouldn’t have turned to the dark side if Ahsoka hadn’t left the Order” an angel loses its wings

[antianakin]

So I recently rewatched Clone Wars, and season 7 was complex for me (mostly because it felt like too much Ahsoka away from the actual Clone Wars). The "Jedi don't care about the common people idea" coming from the sisters wasn't a bad worldbuilding thing since we know canonically Palpatine was trying to build dislike of the Jedi.

But the Mandalore arc where Ahsoka throws a fit because Obi-Wan and Anakin don't have time to go on a side quest for a planet that's not even part of the Republic when the literal Capital and Head Of State are being attacked? "This is why people don't trust the Jedi you only care about the core worlds." Girl took that to heart in the worst way possible.

Yeah, I think my feelings on the season 7 underlying theme is that it went too far in the direction of "the Jedi have lost their way, but Ahsoka realizes that instead of just abandoning the Jedi ways, she should re-discover the TRUE meaning of being a Jedi, unlike those OTHER Jedi who are being too political."

We all know that Filoni likes to try to promote Ahsoka as "better than the other Jedi," it's a reoccurring theme at this point and one that shows up for the first time in season 7 (chronologically at least, it would've shown up first in Rebels actually but it was slightly more subtle then. Slightly). So when Trace and Rafa bring out their sob story and then seem to blame the Jedi for what happened to their family more than, you know, the CRIMINAL WHO BROKE OUT OF PRISON IN THE FIRST PLACE, and the moral of the story at the end of both this arc and continuing into the Siege of Mandalore seems to be that the Jedi have "lost their way" because they no longer really care about the little people in the face of the war.

I think you're right that there's a germ of a good storyline here about how Palpatine's manipulations are working on the regular citizens, but the issue with this is that in order for that to be the story, the story needs to reinforce that what Trace and Rafa feel about the Jedi is WRONG, that the information they think they have is WRONG. But what we really get by the end of the arc is that they're RIGHT, the Jedi HAVE lost their way, and it's ONLY Ahsoka who realizes that and understands the true meaning of being a Jedi.

This continues into the Siege of Mandalore arc when she accuses Obi-Wan (and the Council and the rest of the Order through him) of being too political when they refuse to supply her with an army on a whim. She claims she's "not being fair" which should be an indictment against her entire argument, but it doesn't really feel like it is. It feels like we're supposed to be cheering her on, like "yeah, that's right, Ahsoka, you don't HAVE to be fair because the Jedi aren't being fair!" The Jedi no longer care about the little people and THAT'S why they won't help Bo-Katan take back Mandalore, they ONLY care about the elite in the Core and THAT'S why they prioritize Coruscant.

The issue with this entire theme is how contradictory it is across all of season 7. They claim that the Jedi only care about the elite of Coruscant when they choose to prioritize it except that the entire last arc was about the little people of Coruscant being abandoned by the Jedi in favor of going out to help other planets affected by the war. And the claim is also made in this episode that the Jedi SPECIFICALLY only care about the Chancellor's life, but then Ahsoka advocates for prioritizing Palpatine later because he's Anakin's friend or something like that. So what are we supposed to understand? That protecting Coruscant is only about helping the little people who live there when it's Ahsoka doing it? That defending and protecting Palpatine is only righteous and not about politics when it's Ahsoka doing it?

And THIS is where we get back to Filoni lifting Ahsoka up as better than all of the other Jedi. Ahsoka gets to get away with shit that no other Jedi is ever allowed to get away with. Ahsoka can be contradictory and hypocritical because she has to be right all the time no matter what the situation is because she's Ahsoka and better than everyone else. Specifically, obviously, better than all those other dumb Jedi in the Prequels Jedi Order.

I've seen people try to give benefit of the doubt to this season and claim that Ahsoka being contradictory and hypocritical is the point, that Ahsoka is still young and struggling with her feelings about the Wrong Jedi arc and figuring out who to trust, how to trust herself, and so she's being unfair on purpose and making mistakes, etc etc. And I understand that theory, but I just can't share it because at no point in either arc does it feel like I'm supposed to understand that Ahsoka is WRONG. I'd love for that to have been the story, because honestly I think there's a lot of merit to finally giving Ahsoka flaws again via the Wrong Jedi arc, showing how it's really impacted her and how much she still struggles with it and how it makes her unfair and unkind and lacking in compassion and understanding sometimes when it comes to the Jedi. That it's not necessarily the JEDI who've lost their way, but AHSOKA. If we stayed with the path that the Wrong Jedi left us on of Ahsoka saying that the person she no longer trusts is actually HERSELF, not the Jedi, that could've been great! But season 7 turns around and says "actually no, she just straight-up no longer trusts the Jedi completely but totally trusts herself just fine."

I don't HATE season 7, there's plenty I like about it, and I honestly do like Trace and Rafa and their arc (which seems to be a minority position), but it's also got a lot of things I dislike about it and it'll NEVER be within my most favorite seasons of TCW, honestly.

[warsamongthestars]

So, since its been a bit, let's start with a criticism.

Cody was badly handled in TBB.

( In fairness, a lot of things were. An unbelievable amount of things were. I'll eventually get to a full list. )

The thing about Commander Cody, is that he represents several things and is symbolic of several things.

He's the Hero-Mentor Archetype, shared with Obi-wan Kenobi. He's there to set the example to the characters the ideal of what he does, as well as serve as example to the Audience of what the function of this character in the greater universe is--both as function and, since we're in the space opera and symbolism is key, an indicator of the greater world-build at large. This is better shown in TCWs, though unfortunately, even there it falls through because TCWs didn't focus on the Clones outside of a handful of episodes (which is a damn shame, given the set up.)

Cody is the First Clone Character. He's the first named clone who has an effect on the world and thus catches the audience's eye. Just as Kenobi was the first Jedi character to ever be introduced, and thus, sets the example for every Jedi Character after him. ( Mind that i said Character. A person in the nameless mass that does nothing but sit there for a scene and is barely noticeable, is no more a character than a barrel in another scene. If something is just there to fill the backdrop, its not a character. Its filled scene space. ) Because Cody is the Clone's Clone, he serves as an example of what the greater clone world is: in his case, what the Ideal is, just Kenobi does for the Jedi. If something has gone wrong with the greater system, you will see it in them. ( Think Kenobi and the Hardeen situation. Then compare the Jedi's attitude with Ahsoka's trial. If the show isn't enough, try the Prequel Trilogy--Kenobi's criticism of Qui-gon Jin for picking up Anakin, and then how the attitude is reflected in the Jedi Council upon confronting Anakin. )

So, there's your backdrop.

The way TBBshow treats Cody starts off as, actually, rather decent.

Commander Cody wouldn't be just another Guest Character to take focus away from story, character and plot ( as an excuse to not write either three), it would make sense for him to show up in the immediate Post-Order 66 era.

His Gray Paint is also very nice.

I personally subscribe to the idea that, since the 212th had golden colors and Cody himself had a sun-like motif about him--the gray out was, in a sense, a parallel to the Deathstar.

Its a "star" but its moon gray and it causes death where ever it targets.

NOT-BONUS: Being familiar with Crosshair would've been a bonus, it makes for a nice touch on a pre-established relationship from TCWs--the problem is, is that the reason Crosshair is even there is a broken argument for a piss poor planning from Season 1. Crosshair is there, because the writers want him to be there, and not for anything reasonable in-story--remember, they even dropped the Chip plotline. There is no reason for Crosshair to be in the empire besides the fanfic plot of "The Jerk must be Evil because he's said Not Nice Things".

And that's where it stops.

Because we've suddenly got a Cody with Personality, in a time where y'know, that doesn't make any sense.

You could argue that "oh the chip wears off!"... which is from the same show that completely forgets about the chip a quarter way through, and would rather blame its victims for not trying to not do evil things when under influence.

And it ends with "Oh he ran away". With the implication of "Oh he just disagreed with the Empire!"

... Several things there, folks:

The Republic was the same way. Watch Phantom Menace. Watch the Clone Wars. What happened on that episode, is half the arcs and seasons on the Clone Wars. Except without trench warfare and the cost of thousands fo lives. If anything, it was arguably more peaceful than anything the Clone Wars produced.

It breaks Cody as a character. He's meant to represent Clones as a whole, just as Kenobi represents Jedi as a whole. Clones as a whole are under the chip influence and are willingly serving the empire; and even if they weren't, Pre-TCWs Extended Universe has several arguments (not necessarily good ones) about how clone training would've made systematic orders very easy for clones. Cody is meant to be under the influence. If anything, he's meant to be the Imperial's Imperial Clone by this point. Because by his nature as a clone in Star Wars, he falls to the Empire and Hunts Jedi down, because that's what being the Clone's Clone is in a Post Order 66 era. It is, in fact, a very important marking point in the whole Prequels and TCWs, that this happens.

It continues the obvious flaw: Lack of Communication and the Writer's inability to write anything deeper than One Liners You're telling me that the Officer in Charge, who would call one of his troops "Son" like he's a grizzled war-vet, who would be a gentleman one minute and fist fight walking-talking solid metal-bot, who has supposedly taken example from Kenobi the art of subterfuge, wouldn't confront Crosshair if he disagreed with Crosshair's methods? Congratulations, the new personality trait for Cody of the TBB is Cowardice. I'm so fucking happy about it. Really I am. No matter how boring and overtalkative they were, even the Prequels were capable of meaningful conversations. For one thing, they painfully talked about how Anakin repeatedly killed people. TBB does not have meaningful conversations. Oh it'll look to the wind dramatically and make the audience think that something is happening, and yeah, its fun to imagine that something up... ... But remember that nothing is actually there.

The "Story is Elsewhere" Then why aren't they writing That Story Elsewhere then? Fun thing about stories, is that, if you want them to happen, you Write Them. "Expanding in order to ensure other media" Thanks, I can find a regular Clickbait Content Farm online, without having to pay subscription for one. "Expanding on Star Wars at another time" I can go on AO3, for that, thank you. The ultimate truth is, is that this team cannot write. They will throw in a bunch of characters and references to get the blood pumping, but the moment you look back and see what is happening, you realize, absolutely nothing is happening at all. They would rather bank on resurrecting Ventress meaninglessly, than confront the fact that they killed Tech, who is by all time spent and story applied (regardless of quality at this point), a much more important character. They would rather dangle the kid sidekick from name any last century sci-fi shows, than confront the fact that Crosshair got brainwashed, and when they do confront that, its with the help of the sidekick like she's gods damn discount bootleg of Steven Universe, and with a helping heap of Victim Blaming. Why is a more interesting and meaningful story Implied to be elsewhere, when you could be writing an interesting and meaningful story Now what you have?

Now the thing about criticism, is that its easy, so how bout I offer a better scenario with what we have?

( I'll offer an Actually Decent Scenario when "Rewriting TBB" comes up. For now, we work with just the episode. )

Crosshair meets Cody again, they go on mission to take back a Separatist world. ( Yes, take back, because the Empire is also the Republic but with the shackles off, remember this. The Clone Wars didn't end just because the Jedi are dead. )

Cody doesn't call anyone by their names, except for Crosshair. (Working off of Imperial themes from S1). Besides that small issue of calling his brothers by their numbers, he otherwise seems to act like Cody.

After some cool fight scenes that play off of Cody and Crosshair' strengths--such as Crosshair sniping and mirror calculations, and Cody's ability to fist fight Robocop--they reach the planetary leader area.

Crosshair is, as a proper Sniper, is directed to set up in a sniping position to watch Cody's back, whilst negotiations under duress happen. It ends with Cody putting a blaster bolt through the Seppie Leader's head.

Now such heartlessness is something that Crosshair would expect out of himself (He knows what needs to be done--he's a sniper, he's been trained, there's already blood on his hands so he thinks he damned anyway), but it coming out of Cody is shocking. Because Cody is the Good Guys' Good Guy for Clones, any clones.

( In this instance, its both a shock and a sad confirmation to the audience, because we know and acknowledge the chip, and its much more powerful and tragic to see it affect someone as important and long standing as Commander Cody )

Crosshair confronts Cody about it, and Cody brushes it off as simply following orders for the greater good. When Crosshair pushes-- because as a Bad Batcher, pushing things beyond acceptable social limits is in the job description--Cody implies a threat, asking if Crosshair is thinking about going against orders in command.

( We can even have a nice shot of a thigh blaster with Cody's hand near it, with some dramatic, quiet music that thumps )

Crosshair goes "No sir", and the episode ends with the implication that Crosshair seeing what the Empire has been doing to the people he knew.

Cue the credits.

[jessepinwheel]

For parasitic extraction: could you please expand on 'every single mandalorian character’s Massive Issues including how Intensely Abnormal jango is about obi-wan in particular' 👀

yeah let's just go down the list and name a few

jango's obsession with obi-wan is basically what's allowed this entire plot to happen because all this could have been avoided if he would just kill obi-wan instead of trying to make clones of him in a weird fucked up power play. he hates obi-wan so much it's become like 70% of his personality but obi-wan is so intricately connected to his own sense of worth as an emperor that he can't give up on trying to break him. he is pretty much the epitome of "he wants to fuck obi-wan so bad it makes him stupid"

cody and rex are both fucked up because jango pretty much disowned them after they let a jedi go because they didn't want to kill a child. cody has the worst hatelationship a person can have with their dad and still trying to be a good soldier so he can regain the affection from jango that he never had in the first place. on the other side rex has a huge complex about being a clone and how he needs to be better than them, and also he's traumatized by that one time he had to kill anakin

ahsoka is a mandalorian jedi who blames the rebellion and the jedi for imperial forces slaughtering her entire family. she has absolutely no healthy coping mechanisms for anything except murder until she meets an obi-clone

padme is fucked up about jedi, mandalorian or otherwise, because of that one time anakin drank too much dark juice and started killing his own teammates, resulting in her losing an arm and a leg

anakin was a mandalorian jedi up until his obsession with padme led to him going off the rails and murdering a bunch of people and rex having to put him down

bo-katan is trying to plot a coup of the empire because she and her buddies are mad about jaster (and jango) strengthening the mandalorian middle class instead of keeping all the power with nobility. satine is also stuck in this assassination plot but also she decides to be sweet on her obi-clone because he's cute as well as a status symbol which is extremely uncomfortable for everyone involved

dooku, mandalorian jedi, is retired from active duty and doing intelligence work and drowning himself in old jedi texts because he never got over that time maul killed qui-gon

cin drallig is a disabled mandalorian jedi who ends up being sent to kamino to train the clones and has so little social support and is so depressed that the obi-clone hive mind accidentally absorbs him in an attempt to make him feel better (which, to be fair, it does) so he's been mind controlled by 2000 children for like six years

myles is probably the least fucked up mandalorian who gets focus in this story, and he's plotting to assassinate jango because he watched jango torture an obi-clone in front of obi-wan and was like holy shit this is going a little too far.

what I'm trying to say is that mandalorian mental health services are not very good

ask me a question about parasitic extraction, the role reversal mandalorian empire au that I have

[kalinara]

Okay, so the weirdest complaint I've seen lately is one about Ahsoka. Now, I haven't seen Ahsoka yet, so I'm not going to try to defend writing, acting or direction that I've never seen. But this complaint is weird.

The complaint was that every time the OP saw Hayden Christensen and Rosario Dawson acting together on Ahsoka, they saw people with no pre-existing chemistry to build their reunion off of.

And it's like...okay, I know we're spoiled by all this expanded universe stuff, spanning literal decades. But that's how MOST visual media works! These are ACTORS.

Mark Hamill and Sebastian Shaw did not, at least as far as I know, act together before Luke and Anakin had their emotional unmasking scene. Luke had a history with Vader, sure, but that was David Prowse in the suit. Shaw was brand new.

Most shows or movies don't film over twenty years, so basically any time the characters have either a pre-existing relationship in flashback, or a reunion in flash-forward, it's going to either be new actors or really shitty age makeup. I know which option I tend to prefer.

Like I said, I haven't seen it yet. Maybe the show does a lousy job of setting up the emotional reactions that we're supposed to have. But I don't think that can be blamed on the fact that these actors never played the characters together. (Also, if the alternative is the voice actors, which fair enough, it's perfectly understandable to prefer the performance of one actor over another - most voice acting jobs, as I understand them, aren't recorded in the same place or at the same time. You'd be expecting "pre-existing chemistry" from people who might never have been in the same room.)

It's just a really bizarre complaint.

[confused-much]

Ahsoka ended and all I can say is that I feel empty and unsatisfied.

I expected something better, you know? I guess that's on me for having expectations about a Star Wars show.

I liked the early Hera scenes with Chopper. I liked the visuals, I liked Thrawn and I adored Ezra but the rest? Nope, big no no.

Ahsoka is terrible here. Where is her personality? Her fire? All she does is pretend to be a wise sage. First she says that they have to stop Thrawn and that includes destroying the map and at the end of the show praises Sabine for her selfish, terrible choice and I'm like what???

What the hell happened with you, Ahsoka???!

Don't let me start about ignoring the fact that Anakin was Darth Vader and did terrible things. Nope, he's a good master now. He's always supported Ahsoka.

Especially when he tried to KILL her in Rebels, remember that? Or when he KILLED the Jedi and younglings in Jedi Temple? Yep, perfect master material.

And seriously it's pissing me off because Anakin had his dark moments in Clone Wars too and suddenly they are irrelevant. Suddenly Anakin is good and when Ahsoka tries to even imply how he terrorized the Galaxy for years, he's like "Is that what this is about?"

And to be fair, I don't blame Anakin here. If they want to make him an unlikeable asshole who doesn't try to make amends with his padawan, cool.

But why the narrative suggests in every way that Anakin was good? Or, for that matter, that attachment is good?!

Guess what, you can love someone and also not be obsessed with that person. You can love and not let that love consume you and twist you into someone terrible and selfish.

I wish we got a scene in which Ezra learns what Sabine did to get to him. I want to see him disappointed in Sabine and hurt that with her one selfish decision she undermined his sacrifice.

Also, come on, that fight with zombies was terrible.

Sabine having suddenly the force is so stupid and unnecessary that I can't even comprehend it. Seriously, I just ignore it because what the fuck.

You can diss Kenobi show however much you want but at least it's portrayal of Obi-Wan was good and Anakin was the monster he was. Oh, and Reva actually had a story unlike Shin who was just there I guess.

I miss Clone Wars Ahsoka. I also miss Rex and the rest of clones but with the direction this whole shitshow is going maybe it's better if I don't see them again.

[burnwater13]

Din Djarin standing next to R2-D2 on Ossus. Image from The Book of Boba Fett, Season 1, Episode 6, From the Dessert Comes a Stranger. Calendar from DataWorks.

Grogu was glad that his time at Luke’s Jedi Sleep Away Camp was at an end. He hadn’t had as much fun as he’d hoped he would and when he found out that Luke and Ahsoka had prevented his dad from seeing him, after the bounty hunter had made the effort to travel all the way to Ossus, well that was it! Grogu was at his wits end. 

He supposed it was his own fault. Moff Gideon had tried very hard to hurt the Mandalorian and Grogu couldn’t tolerate that. He didn’t trust that Gideon and his cohorts wouldn’t find a way to come after them again. Instead of staying with his dad, Grogu decided that it was better to go with Luke and see how much he actually knew about being a Jedi. 

As it turned out, Luke really didn’t know all that much. Grogu couldn’t really blame him for that, but he did think that Luke should have been more straight forward about his actual knowledge of the Jedi. He should have explained to Din Djarin, someplace private and out of Moff Gideon’s earshot, that he’d only had two Jedi masters train him and only for a short period of time and that he was Anakin Skywalker’s son, which meant he was Darth Vader’s son. 

The masters at the Jedi Temple had been quite annoyed when Qui-Gon Jinn brought Anakin to the Jedi Temple because he was too old and had formed too many attachments. Okay, that wasn’t quite fair. Anakin had every right to be attached to his mom. But they didn’t bring her along and let her help him get used to the new environment. They left her on Tatooine. That wasn’t right. Grogu knew that. 

So instead of being slowly eased into the Jedi way of life and guided on how to handle his fears for his mother, Anakin was just thrust into the Jedi culture with no friends and no one who understood what it was like for him. Grogu was technically the same age as Anakin. He had no idea who his parents were and 99% of the Jedi younglings and padawans were in the same boat. He didn’t miss what he never knew. But Anakin had known and that was very different.

Grogu had always suspected that once they were old enough and able to act more independently, that many of the knights and even some of the masters had sought out that information. They’d found their family and made peace with the process that took them from the home of their birth and brought them to a Jedi Temple to raised and trained by strangers.

Grogu also knew that Jedi had deep and long term friendships with each other and with the people who had trained them. And they didn’t all remain with the Jedi Order over time. Some left and made their own way, without falling to the Darkside or becoming Sith or anything like that.  They just stopped being part of the Order. 

There had been a rumor for years that even Obi-Wan Kenobi had left the Order for a short time before returning and that he’d even considered leaving it again because of an attachment. Grogu didn’t know more details than that. The fall of the Temple had made such questions moot. Any who escaped had no home to return to and no one to talk to about it anyway. He knew that too well. 

Taking all of that into consideration, Grogu had to wonder who taught Luke, or Ahsoka for that matter, that attachments were best managed by abandoning the other person? Grogu couldn’t imagine that Anakin had ever said that to Ahsoka and he had been her mentor for a good amount of time. It wouldn’t have been Obi Wan either. 

That really just left Yoda. Grogu could tell based on Luke’s fighting style with the lightsaber that Yoda had been his master. How and where that came to be, Grogu didn’t know and he didn’t ask Luke. It wasn’t Grogu’s place to question a person who had helped when he was called to action.  

But it also wasn’t reasonable for Grogu to take Luke’s statements to him about the Force and the Jedi Order without a considerable grain of salt. More like a boulder really. Grogu had spent over twenty years at the temple. He’d been in training his whole life there and then had to apply everything he had learned for the next 28 years. He’d forgotten more about the Force and the Jedi than Luke could possibly know.

The one thing he could never forget was the pain of the loss of his friends, masters, and home. He had been attached to them all and it was because of that attachment he had persisted over the years. He survived to honor their sacrifice and to fulfill his role. That attachment had given him strength and comfort and focus. 

If Luke had done that, then perhaps the Mandalorian would have waited longer. He would have known to give Grogu a chance to meet with him outside of Luke’s obsession with physical fitness and Ahsoka’s reticence to be hurt by anyone ever again. He would have realized that Grogu had his hands full trying to train the young Jedi in the ways of the Force without Luke realizing that he was the one being trained. 

After all, Grogu had managed to save Din Djarin more than once without the Mandalorian realizing that Grogu was a Jedi, the sworn enemy to Mandalorians and even when the Armorer explained it, they both thought he was too helpless to be an enemy. But that wasn’t quite correct. He was too attached to the person who rescued him from the Imps to cause him or any other Mandalorian harm. 

Grogu had learned that attachments provided a powerful framework for peace and he was glad of that. People should be peaceful. This was Grogu’s way. Good thing he was prepared for it.

[jedi-enthusiast]

Alright dude, I'm responding and then I'm gonna ask you to please get the fuck off of my blog because I don't have the patience to deal with someone whose only argument is basically- "well that doesn't count" -or- "nuh uh" -whenever I make logically sound arguments.

Which, side note, if the only thing you can do when faced with an argument that disproves yours is change the goalposts and refuse to actually respond to the majority of my points, then maybe you're just wrong and refuse to admit it 🤷‍♀️

----------

Sure, main characters in SW tend to be Jedi, but if we're still going by the "main characters" argument then you can't criticize the Jedi, you're gonna need to get real specific on who you're talking about because the majority of the Jedi characters we see aren't main characters either---and you can't criticize the institution either because, again, it's not a "main character" or around "long enough," in your opinion.

Three movies and a show with multiple episodes centered around them don't make someone a main character? Ok then, by that logic, the only main characters in Star Wars are Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, Palpatine, and Anakin, going by Lucas-canon. No one else.

Luke, Han, Leia? Side characters.

Padme, Ahsoka, pretty much every other Jedi? Side characters.

The clones themselves? They only appear in two movies and in the show, sure they have some episodes to themselves, but they're usually side or background characters---so they don't matter either!!! Which means this whole debate is pointless!!!

Again, you either need to stick to the argument that only the main characters matter---which would mean the clones don't and so the Jedi don't have to do jack shit---or you need to stop responding to me pointing out the Senate's responsibility by saying- "nuh uh."

Next point, so being a woman immediately takes away a character's autonomy and responsibility? ...interesting that you think that, especially considering that sexism isn't really a thing in the SW universe. From what we see, gender never really comes into the equation throughout the shows and movies, not the way that things like class and age do---Leia is mocked by Han because she's a noble, not because she's a girl, Padme and Ahsoka are doubted because of their age, etc.

Not to mention that men are also equally doubted for the same things---Anakin is doubted because of his age in TPM (pod racing), Yoda is doubted because of his age (they think he's going senile), whoever the fuck Ahsoka had a crush on was doubted because he was a noble, same goes for Satine's nephew, etc.

So, again, you're basically just going- "nuh uh" -when faced with a sound argument.

And have you ever seen the show? The one with the characters you're arguing with me about? The Clone Wars? Because I can fucking list the times, let's fucking go:

The Lumen episodes, the Pantora moon episode, the episodes with Tarkin, again the episodes where people are literally protesting and bombing the Jedi, the episodes with the twins who don't like the Jedi, the episodes with Satine who vocally shits on the Jedi, and I could go on.

And I'll remind you that the galaxy cheered when the Jedi were murdered and that in Disney-canon it's shown that plenty of people actually didn't like the Jedi during the Republic and/or Empire days.

Some people loved them, yes, but not everyone and certainly not enough people to make the Senate give up their army---especially considering that most people never met a Jedi, so they wouldn't give a damn what they had to say just because they're Jedi. Again, people would be more likely to be swayed by the senators.

And why do you think it'd be fair for the Jedi to use their only "break" days, which usually aren't even breaks because usually they're just doing work on Coruscant, doing more paperwork...when the Senate and senators should be taking care of this shit?

Again, all you're doing is saying- "nuh uh" -and trying to blame the Jedi for everything rather than just admitting you were wrong when faced with a logically sound argument.

What, since Padme isn't a main character apparently, did you want Obi-Wan giving speeches in the Senate and walking around with 10 body doubles? Maybe Yoda could've been the one to give birth to Luke and Leia, since Padme doesn't matter. Palpatine should've just been having a conversation with a mirror in TPM when discussing the current Chancellor with the Queen of Naboo. Anakin was actually making out with his palm in that arena on Geonosis, and his wedding was really a hallucination brought on by the shit tons of medication he was probably on.

...

Because, yeah, Padme isn't a main character so therefore she and her actions don't count.

Maybe we could have Obi-Wan without a beard for Luke, Yoda with a gun for Han, and Palpatine in a drag for Leia since they're also not main characters---only being in three movies and all 🤷‍♀️

Could you debunk the "jedi are slavers/have slave" argument people always seem to bring up in correlation with leading the clones? Thanks in advance ! <3

Of course!!!

Firstly, while the Kaminoans say that the clones were made for the Jedi, they are actually property of the Republic---which means that, since I would agree that they're slaves even if that wasn't GL's intent, the Republic would be considered the slavers, not the Jedi.

"Oh, but Jedi-Enthusiast, the Jedi are still slavers because they're forcing them into battle-" NOPE!

The thing is, even if the Jedi could refuse to fight in the war---which is a very complicated thing, both morally and politically---the Republic would still be sending the clones to fight the Separatists, only this time without the Jedi. And, as we've seen multiple times in TCW, more clones tend to die on missions without the Jedi's help---and that the Jedi are often shown saving their men from situations where they would otherwise die or be injured.

And, as much as I enjoy the trope of "the Jedi have limited experience actually running a war, so they struggle a bit and ask for help so the Jedi and clones get closer" because of the angst and fluff potential, in canon the Jedi are shown to be very good tacticians and they're rarely shown to struggle leading their men.

All of this to say that the Jedi leading the clones actually saves more lives, and that the Jedi not leading them would mean a lot more of them die...and idk about y'all, but I don't think- "more clones should die so the Jedi stay morally pure" -is the gotcha anti-Jedi morons think it is.

Not to mention that, if the Jedi didn't lead them, the job would go to people like Tarkin---y'know the man who criticized the Jedi for not being ruthless enough and caring for their men.

Are the Jedi put in a difficult position by leading the clones? Yes.

Is fighting in the war a morally grey decision? Yes.

But are the Jedi slavers or terrible in any way for doing what they did? Absolutely fucking not.

[phoenixyfriend]

Fake Sith TCW Trio

I have another fucked up time-travel AU! Who’s surprised? (Nobody.)

So like. Have you guys read that one fic where Luke and his students go back in time and pretend to be Sith Lords and are super hammy about it? (Sith Lord Swell by AMournfulHowlInTheNight)

This AU has contributions by @atagotiak, @the-lunar-system, @purronronner, @gelpenss, @creepingthroughthistidalwave, and @thisarenotarealblog.

I want TCW trio (plus Rex and Cody) to go back to several years pre-TPM and, since the Council DEFINITELY won't believe them about the Sith being back... they'll force the issue.

Anakin is weirdly excited about things and building up their backstory.

Anakin: Okay so I can definitely be a Maul type, with the unhinged ranting and manic laughter, Obi-Wan can be the whole Refined Rich Guy type like Dooku, where you can't even tell he's evil until he starts talking about getting out the eyeball scoops, maybe toss in a bit of mad science stuff? Ahsoka could play up like Ventress OR, oh oh, she can be the Light Side Child we need to PROTECT who's publicly begging us to return to the Light after our big dramatic Falls where we murdered like eighty people to save her, and-- Obi-Wan: Why are you never this enthusiastic about actual undercover missions. Ahsoka: Did you just have all this ready to go, or...? Anakin: WE COULD GET YELLOW CONTACT LENSES FOR ME.

Obi-Wan: How's my evil laugh?

Anakin going “Okay.. so if any of us need to murder someone to sell the bit it should be me, I think I could handle it the best. Why? No reason.”

Obi-Wan: I'm not sure a complete Fall could come from protecting Ahsoka, really-- Anakin: No, no, it could.

Obi-Wan: Surely you’d hold back because you realize neither of us want that for you. Anakin: Uh. Sure. Definitely.

Obi-Wan points out that none of them can channel the dark side to Prove they're Sith and Anakin just goes "Okay, give me like two seconds to stew in my negativity and--right, you can stop staring in horror, please."

Anakin rambles on that they can TOTALLY make the galaxy a better place while playing at being Sith! He's got a whole LIST of slave empires to "take over" and disassemble!

Anakin has a whole excited spiel about how EVIL soldiers and assistants are minions, in this case partly because Cody and Rex are too good at what they do to be mooks. Cody could pull off evil minion very well. Facial scar? Looks good in black? Quietly competent and sarcastic?

He also pushes for Obi-Wan to lounge in a fancy throne with a glass of wine while Anakin stalks the shadows and Ahsoka hangs out on the window ledge. The disaster lineage is dramatic, okay, Anakin’s just leaning into it, he’d appreciate it if everyone stopped looking at him like that.

Qui-Gon, surprisingly, ends up a skeptic about all of this. Everyone is freaking out about the Sith and he’s like “y’know I’m not even sure they’re darksiders.”

Some Jedi, possibly Qui-Gon for his conspiracy board, gets in a real risky situation and one of the Fake Sith saves them, but also panics and kinda drops character for a bit.

Jedi: You saved me! Why’d you do that? Anakin: I uh... just wanted the pleasure of killing you myself?

"You saved me. Why?" "Mmmm. Jedi." [walks away]

Qui-Gon: [trying to figure out what is up with these people semi-competently (from his perspective) pretending to be Sith] Dooku: [trying to protect Qui-Gon from Sith influence]

The gang is the most successful at pretending to be Sith to Dooku. Sure, they’re not gonna punish him for something he hasn’t done, but it’s not hard to act menacing and angry around him.

(They really do have so much fun irritating the heck out of Dooku. He hasn’t Fallen yet, but they want to keep an eye out.)

At some point, future Obi-Wan definitely drops that little tidbit of "What, you didn't think the Banites were the only Sith running around did you? You... didn't even know about the Banites. How... disappointing."

They REGULARLY use Ahsoka as an excuse to be marginally less terrible. They claim that if Ahsoka pouts, they stop. ‘Soka also uses them as an excuse for why she’s a lil feral. (To be fair, that one is accurate. She was already a lil feral before but it’s not like they did anything to stop it.) Ahsoka gets her "breaking into people's offices" jollies by bugging Nute Gunray's office.

The Jedi keep trying to Rescue Ahsoka.

Rex and Cody end up in real beskar, there's a whole Thing with Mandalore and Jango and Satine.

Obi-Wan is CONSISTENTLY worried about Anakin Falling for real, which... hey, at least he knows to be worried about Anakin Falling. Step up from canon, really.

Anakin is WAY too into killing the Hutts but like. It does... technically sell the bit.

Obi-Wan: Sure, I’m not sad that they’re dead, especially because we’re not connected to the Republic, so we don’t need to worry about starting a war and all that. But. Anakin is disturbingly cheerful about this. Rex: Wasn't he a Hutt slave? Obi-Wan: Well yes, but-- Rex: I'd kill Nala Se if I could get away with it.

Cody and Rex are very supportive of Anakin's murderous intentions.

Obi-Wan does understand anger, even killing someone in anger. Like Maul (the first time at least) and D’nar and a few others. All the same, like... y’know. The level of bloodthirst from the others is a little off-putting.

At one point, Anakin accidentally addresses young Obi-Wan by name, despite never having met before, and to cover it up, he... panic-flirts. He panics, and so he flirts, with young Obi-Wan.

(He will later blame this on old Obi-Wan, because he had to pick up the habit of flirting with the enemy from somewhere.)

Anakin vaguely implies that he's a wee bit obsessed with young Obi, and that the padawan should "get used to being the target of a dark-sider's interests," because he’s scrambling for Ominous Shit and, well, future Obi-Wan was pretty frequently a fixation point for darksiders, right?

The second he gets out, he just starts screaming into a bucket while Rex pats him on the back.

For the next however many terrible months, possibly years, he has to keep up the act while having an ongoing meltdown about how That's My Dad As A Twenty-Something.

(It doesn't help that young Obi-Wan reflexively flirted back.)

Old Obi-Wan, meanwhile, is just very "you dug this hole yourself, padawan."

There is an argument at the beginning about Obi-Wan’s outfit. If he’s gonna be a Sith, he can’t just go around in beige, but he’s like “I like this and it’s comfy.” Sure, he’s changed clothes for undercover stuff, but that’s always been temporary, y’know? He likes his beige.

We have a number of options.

My first instinct? Beige linen three piece suit, like a southern lawyer. "Now I may just be a simple Outer Rim force adept--"

And, of course, you can TOTALLY make the beige sinister: he’s impersonating a Jedi! Jedi impersonation would also explain why nobody has a red saber.

“Sure is good that the Jedi don’t seem to realize most of the galaxy doesn’t know red sabers are different and bad.” “Shhhh, stop poking holes in our story where a Jedi might overhear.”

Like.... if you do enough doublethink, it works! How would a Sith hide? In plain sight. Also, it’s a GREAT way (if they were actually assholes) to try to slander the Jedi name.

(Anakin and Ahsoka still think he could stand to put a little more effort in. Add a splash of color, for pity's sake!)

Though tbh part of me is like “What if Old Obi wore, like... a split skirt suit...” Victorian womenswear inspired because he misses his robes, but he has to look Professional, and like he's MOCKING Jedi instead of BEING one, so he wears a vintage-y split skirt thing over his leggings. Ends up looking a lot like what Ventress had for a while, but Beige. I also keep wanting to put him regency menswear.

Anyway. Obi-Wan’s wardrobe aside...

Anakin builds up his Tatoo accent again. It helps him with the (mostly true) "slavery helped me fall" backstory.

Either Cody or Rex offhandedly mentions being made to serve them (the Fake Sith) and now the Jedi are somewhat concerned about brainwashing. Are these Mandos the victims here?

“No like. Literally made for this. In a lab.” This is even more horrifying. So...

On the one hand good! The Jedi should be scared about Sith! On the other hand... it makes the Jedi more determined to stop them, specifically. They keep on getting in the way, just, all the time, and they’re not investigating the actual Sith problem, which is decidedly not great since the Team doesn’t actually know who’s a real Sith right now, except Maul, and who even knows where that guy is.

Obi-Wan, at some point: Do you think we've succeeded at this ruse... a little TOO well? Anakin: I don't follow. Obi-Wan, gesturing at the truly obnoxious amount of wealth they've collected, including "trophies" of their kills: Really? Because I'm a little worried! Anakin, planning out a battle to take on Nar Shadda: ...I'm not.

"How many people do we realistically we need to take over Hutt Space? Apparently... five."

(Mostly because Anakin is ridiculously op.)

ANAKIN AND YOUNG OBI GET KIDNAPPED BY PIRATES TOGETHER. It's tradition.

Anakin: Okay, so, I need to get really angry about something to pass as a Sith... time to think about my WIFE and how I'll NEVER SEE HER AGAIN.

Since Anakin’s life never goes as planned... this does not work. Instead of getting properly angry, he makes himself sad. There are tears. There is wailing. There’s a distraught rant or two. Young Obi ends up awkwardly trying to comfort him.

“Oh no, this… Sith?? Is crying on me. What do I do???”

Later on, when the Council wants intel: "So... one of the Sith cried on me about his wife. I think she's dead? He wasn't very clear about it but it, uh... it sounded like it might have contributed to his Fall. Also the relationship was a little unhealthy? He basically worshiped the ground she walked on and kept ranting about how he would have given her the galaxy on a platinum platter of she'd only asked, but that might be new and inspired by the Dark."

One of the random Jedi is REALLY good at detecting the truth Through The Force, and asks Anakin how he Fell...

Anakin just. Tells the Tuskens story.

They don't get pinged as lying, but oh boy does old Obi have a LOT of questions for Anakin once they're in private.

There are other things happening to help sell the ruse. Some of them are necessary! Some of them are... not.

Obi-Wan: What's the best way to show we're rich and kind of evil, but like... classy about it? Anakin, immediately: I sit on the floor next to the throne, leaning against it, and you call me pet names while stroking my hair, and then when you need something killed I get to do it for you and then I go back to the floor and you thank me for the directed violence, and then you go back to Negotiations with criminals while I’m sitting there covered in blood. Obi-Wan: ...is there something you want to TELL us, or...?

"You're all going to get a glimpse of something normally kept hidden about me." "Anakin, you don't have to do that." "No, I'm gonna."

(Anakin has decided hes going to peel his kink tomato to sell this ruse, and the others are slightly uncomfortable with that.)

Anakin: Okay, I cannot keep flirting with you. Young Obi: Wait, what? But that's the best part of any time we run into you! Anakin: You look WAY too much like my Master did when I met him. Obi: O...kay? If someone looked like my master when HE was young, I'd-- Anakin: My Sith Master half-raised me. He's basically my dad. Obi: ... Anakin: What's that look for? Obi: I mean, you spend a lot of time lounging at his feet, and, like, given how much you hate slavery, I... kind of assumed it was a kink thing? Anakin, brightly: Oh no, I just have a LOT of trauma. And neuroses. Snips says they’re neuroses.

Young Obi is a little upset because he was actually getting REALLY into Flirting With The Enemy and was hoping it would go somewhere. He mopes to Qui-Gon about it. Qui-Gon isn't sure whether to be proud about Obi breaking rules, or worried over Obi-Wan falling for a Fake Sith.

(As Tia put it: "You enjoy making young Obi-Wan have a completely unrequited crush on Anakin, don’t you?")

Fortunately, one of those attractive Young Mando boys very kindly helped him tape up his ribs this one time, and has thus caught his eye...

I feel like having Cody date Young Obi would court an entirely different kind of (internet) drama because clone ages, but whatever.

Also please imagine an element of "so I'm dating the genetic identical of my boss... who's dating the man I'm a genetic identical of..."

(It's probably not actually Jangobi but man would that be funny and also stupid.)

Somehow Young Obi figures out that the "Sith Master" is a future him before he realizes that they're not actually dark. In his defense, Anakin was pretty convincing. Especially with the wife rant. It makes HIM more obsessed with Anakin, in a reversal of the implied earlier dynamic, which is all kinds of weird. Less romantic but like. Still weird.

"Future Me Scares Me" with Extra stupid. "Future Me Annoys Me." "Future Me acts like grandmaster Dooku, but more sass." "Future Me raised a really hot evil guy that refuses to bang Present Me." "Future Me might be a Sith, but I'm getting more and more convinced he's just fucking with us all." "Future Me is really rocking that beard, and I can't BELIEVE we figured out a way around the babyface."

"I’m kinda concerned about the whole evil thing, but I’m also glad that I know I’ll stay hot as I get older."

Quinlan approves of the priorities.

Also a lot of interactions with older Obi are very Anakin: [does/says something deeply unhinged] Obi-Wan: So, do you want to…. Talk about that? Maybe? Anakin: What’s there to talk about?? I’m fine, everything’s fine! Anyways how about those plans for tracking down Maul?

Anakin later, like way after the ruse is lifted, just blankly tells everyone that he did Fall, once, and Older Obi made him get therapy about it after the truth came out between the two of them a few months into the Fake Sith thing.

Where'd they find a therapist? I'm sure there's one SOMEWHERE around. Denon and Herdessa are close enough, and they've done enough "your criminal empire now belongs to me" that they can pay well. They make sure to find one that takes confidentiality real seriously.

It's all very "we need some more time to unpack all that."

Therapy helps get Anakin to figure out Sheev’s whole deal. They don't necessarily figure out he’s a Sith from it, but they figure out he’s sketchy and they need to look into that more. Obi-Wan probably already thought he was sketchy, but the whole active gaslighting campaign was a little surprising. They realize that he kinda benefited a lot from a lot of Sith plots and they still probably don’t think he’s a Sith but Obi-Wan is definitely starting to think he’s working with one.

"Okay, we're already bugging Gunray, should we bug Palpatine just to be safe?"

They get away with a lot of slicing because Anakin is a technical genius from twenty years in the future.

The reasons they're so good at Taking Over Hutt Space: 1. They know parts of the future. 2. They have superpowers and FAR less reason to not use them, now that their actions aren't going to reflect on the Republic. 3. They have Cody and Rex, who are two of the greatest military minds in the galaxy, and know EXACTLY how to wage a war that covers a solid third of the galaxy, starting from a position of relative weakness. 4. Anakin's charisma is scary high, and his knowledge of slave culture means they gain a lot of trust from the people they free, and they just... keep acquiring volunteers for the army they didn't plan to have. Obi-Wan doesn't know what to do. He thinks they might have started a cult?

In his defense, Dooku sort of started a cult, and Komari got kidnapped by a cult, brainwashed into joining it properly, and then took it over as head figure of said cult. It's practically tradition!

Comics Vader is the central figure of like three different cults, it was really just inevitable.

Anakin: Aw, don't worry master, it's not a cult, it's a revolution! Ahsoka: They're worshiping him, though. Anakin: ...it's still a revolution! Just... with some misunderstandings.

Also, if they got wind of people trying to keep people from being able to leave and other culty stuff like that, they’d probably put a stop to it pretty damn quick.

Names! Time for names. As per usual, it's easiest to keep track of Obi-Wan's alternate Older Self by just calling him Ben.

Darth Ben.

Ahsoka: You should be Darth Boring. Obi-Wan: I can still make you run laps, you know.

Anakin: The Force is telling me to call myself Darth Vader. Obi-Wan: ...why? Anakin: I dunno, but it sounds cool, I'll run with it.

Someone: Ben has all the answers; we shouldn’t question him, ever. Ben: One time I lost a planet, and a five-year-old found it for me.

More options: Going with the "evil word with the prefix 'in' chopped off" that we get with Sidious and Vader: Darth Surrectus (as in insurrection) Just random Latin words: Darth Temporus (time) Darth Commenticius (fake)

Anyway, back to Nonsense:

Maul goes after young Obi early, because the Fake Sith are really invested in this one random Padawan (Sidious is saying he might be a cousin of the false Sith Master? They do look similar enough) so someone needs to investigate. Naturally, Anakin shows up with some wild screeching to fight Maul, and when someone questions why he got involved it gets very "Kenobi is MINE!" and like. Okay. So.

Anakin means it in a very Sith "to toy with" and "to torture" way, or the ‘my chosen opponent!’ way, just the same kind of Obsession as Maul had with Obi-Wan in the original timeline. Unfortunately, Anakin’s a weird-ass person who flirts with Young Obi against his own better judgement, so there's some awkward "Like... your boyfriend?" from young Obi. Anakin just screeches in SOME emotion that nobody wants to interpret, and couldn't even if they wanted to, and starts whacking away at Maul again.

(Anakin hasn't explained the "you look exactly like my dad, sorry, it's just too weird" thing yet, and he is HAVING MANY REGRETS.)

There's definitely at least one instance where a person asks Anakin if he's planning on dating That One Jedi Twink, or at least banging out the tension. At that point in time, Anakin doesn't actually know who the fuck they're talking about, because "Obi-Wan + Twink = Does Not Compute" for dear, dense Ani, and instead he just ends up ranting about how he is LOYAL TO THE MEMORY OF HIS LATE WIFE, how DARE anyone so much as INSINUATE that he would TARNISH HER PERFECT MEMORY and UNWAVERING KINDNESS and WHOLESOME BEING, and the person who asked doesn't end up lightsabered but they do end up with a LOT to tell whoever they're reporting to.

Young Obi-Wan definitely hears Anakin mutter the phrase “something to discuss with my therapist later” a few times, and he’s a little bewildered because darksiders definitely don’t seem like the type of people to go to therapy. They’re the type of people to need therapy, sure, but not the type to go to therapy.

I think it would be very fun for Young Obi to continue sighing over Anakin (who's pretending to be fine with it and even flirting back because he's in too deep to stop and hasn't worked up the courage to explain the elephant in the room) while Anakin is covered in grease and infodumping while having a slightly manic hyperfocus on engine repairs while the two of them Somehow got stranded together in the middle of bumfuck nowhere (it's Plagueis's doing, he finds the interactions between THESE two in particular to be the most informative regarding the fake Sith).

Anakin, at some point while stranded with young Obi-Wan, and having actually started unpacking some stuff in therapy, though he’s def still got a ways to go: I’m pretty sure Ben cares about me. He acts like he cares, like he’ll do stuff like put extra blankets in my quarters in the spaceship because I get cold real easily or track down those droid parts I need for a project and he always has my back in a fight but y’know it’d be nice to hear him say he loves me once in a while. Especially because we kinda had a rough start and idk I don’t think he wanted me around at first.

And uh. Obi-Wan definitely relates to that a bit too much, y’know?

I want to say that Young Obi ends up mentioning All That to one of the clones or Ahsoka later, because they seem probably invested in Anakin's well-being, even if Ben is, well, a Sith, so Obi-Wan's a little worried the man's affection really is fake, but at least Ahsoka...

(Ironic, given what Anakin's actual eventual Sith would-be-Master was like.)

Young Obi mentions Anakin’s most recent rant to Ahsoka, and she just goes "Wait, is that why Skyguy likes to sit by the throne and get called pet names?" "Uh... I don't... know... but it sounds like all of you have a LOT to unpack there, Miss Apprentice."

Later on: "Master Kenobi, you need to tell Skyguy you love him 'cause apparently he's been having a lot of emotions about you not telling him you care and he's been talking to mini-you about it whenever they get stuck together and--"

Young Obi-Wan is just constantly the "Now we don't have time to unpack all of that" John Mulaney gif. Anakin in particular is a mess, and young Obi-Wan slowly goes from "I want to date that" to "I want to study that" about him.

Obi-Wan gets stuck somewhere with Ben, tries to small talk, gets on the topic of Vader, and spills the drama. He gets an awkward “Thank you for bringing that to my attention.”

It’s followed by a fairly frustrated “I try, but Anakin refuses to communicate his needs to me, and it feels like I’m always falling short.”

At least one member of the group is in therapy, probably all of them, but they’re still using young Obi as a sounding board for all this stuff. On the bright side, this is probably good for impressing the importance of good communication on Obi-Wan.

Good for Obi-Wan! And... whatever Padawan he eventually has.

As for baby Anakin, who is approximately age four, I want to go with "Anakin decides to be his own uncle, and Shmi just rolls with it because fuck it, she’s not a slave anymore, and a Fake Sith is a solid defense against anyone trying to re-enslave them."

[This is a backstory I've had them use before (see here and here).]

Seeing Big Ani and Little Ani in the same space might be what finally pings the "oh shit, that's future me" thing for Obi-Wan... you know, if he’s ever allowed close enough to see Little Ani in the first place.

Little Ani stays with the fake-Sith and is sorta jointly trained by all of them, and young Obi-Wan teaches little 'Soka at the Temple. Ani and 'Soka still end up friends somehow, but it is fairly different.

Every time little Ani addresses Old Obi as "Dad," it's just like ten kinds of awkward. The one time someone tried to explain that Ben wasn't his new dad, Shmi glared them down. She is of the opinion that, all the gods be damned, Ani deserves to refer to the most mature man in his life, who raised another him in another timeline already, as a father.

Ani doesn't NEED a father, Shmi herself is more than enough, but he does deserve to have this if he wants it.

An alternative conclusion to the time travel is uh. So the Mandalorians are genetically identical (give or take a hair gene) and really resemble Jango Fett, though whether anyone notices that is up in the air. Then the three ‘Sith’ (two fake Sith and their morality chain tag-along) have three younger, identical copies show up….

It could be really weird cloning shenanigans. Now, it makes no sense that they’d make clones, and stagger their production like that, and leave them as babies on various planets for Jedi to find. IDK what reasons Obi-Wan would come up with for that, but it’s a fun little detour before he gets to time travel.

There's a really painful moment (for the audience, who know about canon Vader) where someone tries to convince Ahsoka to leave the Sith and she's just like "no way, they'd never hurt me!” Then she clarifies that “someone has to keep them from doing stupid Sith shit whenever they get bored, you know?"

A bunch of Jedi probably think she’s delusional, but the few that have seen her get into trouble that is legitimately too much for her, which isn't often, have then seen Anakin show up like the devil himself to save her, and it's like. Oh. This is why she isn't scared of them hurting her.

We’ve discussed how Anakin does get concerningly in character with the fake Sith thing. However, Anakin and Ahsoka are, just once in a while, surprised by how Ben gets sometimes when playing the bad guy.

After all, he stabbed a dude with a fork and threatened to eat him during his time as Hardeen…

He has the same dramatic streak as all the rest of the lineage. He can be vindictive and creepy and scary as fuck.

HOWEVER:

Obi-Wan: I know I'm supposed to be playing at evil right now, but how do we feel about me making that evil a little... fruity? Ahsoka: Fruity, master? Anakin, who knows where this is going: [buries face in hands] Obi-Wan: You know, the... [limp wrist] Ahsoka: ... Obi-Wan: I mean, I'm already bisexual and well-groomed, I can play it up.

What’s the point of being evil if you can’t be flamboyant?

Anyway, I had to put in a lot of thought for what to do with Rex and Cody, because there's a solid place for them in terms of strategy, but it doesn't do much to give them independent narrative arcs, and 'young Obi-Wan has a crush' isn't much of an arc, you know?

So, basic info first: Cody, Rex, and Anakin all hold the rank of General in this AU because, like... who else is gonna. Ahsoka remains a commander because everyone declares her Baby, and also to keep up the "I'm a morality chain" ruse.

Cody maintains a very stern and unyielding public persona, but the second they're behind closed doors, he's roughhousing with his little brother.

Rex has some fun pretending to be a sadist whenever he and Anakin have to team up, because hamming it up as an evil bastard in front of Jedi is actually really fun... but usually, he's a competent fucking professional.

Because here's the thing: someone has to be.

They both kind of hate the army they've gotten, because these people don't even have proper trigger discipline, let alone any actual discipline.

This army? Tragic. They hate it. Give them the clones.

They have to be drill sergeants for months before they have anything worth sending onto the field.

I think that might be how/when they end up reaching out to Jango. Like, the first inroad is absolutely "we're your clones from the future and you were a Shit Dad so you owe us," but then they actually talk him around into letting the Fake Sith hire him. He brings along all the Mandalorians he can get to answer his calls, and on suggestion from Those Mando Twins, joins the army Ben doesn't even want.

Darth Boring doesn't want an army! Unfortunately, Cody thinks that's stupid as hell, and is overruling Ben so they can actually work on this 'cleaning up the galaxy of slavery' thing with actual resources.

Cody and Rex are super competent, and it shows in their horrified disdain for the state of their troops.

Rex: Fucking natborns. Anyone who isn't in the know: What's a natborn? Rex: [leaves without answering] People: WHAT'S A NATBORN???

(I'm assuming that the word smush is harder to parse in Basic.)

I think young Obi-Wan's new crush on Cody should also be unrequited. Cody's just like... bemused. Very "Okay, then, that sure is an Affection you've decided on."

Cody and Anakin both: Sorry, it’d just be too weird. Obi-Wan: Why would it be too weird? Cody and Anakin: Reasons.

Rex has to deal with the "whyyyyy" from both his brother and his (former?) General.

Young Obi-Wan just likes cute boys that fight good! Is that so wrong???

Ahsoka: So since we're not officially Jedi anymore-- Obi-Wan: We're still Je-- Ahsoka: Can we date? Can I date now? I want to date someone before we go back to the Code. It's a classic life experience for most teenage girls, and I want to Have That Experience before we're back at the Temple. Obi-Wan: You're not... you can date, Ahsoka, that's not actually banned by the Code. I mean, you'd have to keep it casual, but-- Ahsoka: I CAN DATE!!!

(Great priorities, Ahsoka.)

An idea I'm toying with is that one of the clones ends up Legally Engaged to Satine for political reasons, and young Obi-Wan is just like ???? because not only can he not date the hot boys, but one of said hot boys has become Mr. Steal Yo Girl.

Young Obi-Wan is suffering, and Quinlan is the worst friend ever because Quinlan is laughing at him.

There is obviously the question of

"How would Satine ever end up agreeing to that, given what their public personas are like and all that? She puts duty ahead of personal feelings but all indications are that it’s a terrible decision both ways." (as stated by Tia)

Which, yes, I forgot to actually say that I was imagining Jango had declared "those twins" his heirs after telling people they were his younger* cousins. Because reasons.

* Jango is about 27 when they land in the past, and I’m going to say the accelerated aging ended after hitting physically twenty because no, I don’t want to deal with that. As far as anyone knows, Cody and Rex are about five years younger than Jango. They’re less than year apart, which isn’t very visible, and most people assume they’re identical twins (except Rex’s hair), and that Cody just looks slightly older because of the scar.

Darth Boring had convinced Satine that the way to keeping Mandalore peaceful was to work with Jango (because Darth Boring, which is not his actual title but it is what Ahsoka insists on calling him in private, has a vested interest in keeping Mandalore and all interested parties calm), and he... maybe accidentally set up a political marriage between her and one of the clones.

It wasn't on purpose! Satine never married in his timeline, okay, he didn't expect her to ever get married here, either! He didn't even suggest it! This just happened!

(I want to say that Cody would be more competent at having a political marriage? But IDK.)

Do I do the Satine thing? It has potential, but also it's a bit of a cop-out. Do I have Cody be a diplomatic representative for their pseudo-Sith empire? He could be, but I think he'd hate it. Do I have Rex date one the Chaos Entities (Anakin or Ahsoka), or is that too repetitive with my other works? THERE'S JUST TOO MUCH GOING ON.

Part of me wants Quinlan to get a crush on Cody, and the crush gets bigger specifically in response to the fact that Cody refuses to take him seriously and/or just doesn't give him the time of day.

Based on their one interaction in TCW, they probably let get along ok. Cody maybe likes him back, buuuuuuut internally he's just a little "you were tolerable at almost-forty; early twenties you is obnoxious."

Just imagine the absolutely puppyish attempts at gaining approval and Impressing The Hot Mando General. Quinlan keeps having vague daydreams of seducing someone to the side of the Light. He really leans into the bodice ripper fantasies of saving someone evil with the power of love! (And also the power of really good sex.)

Bant looks at Quin and Obi and wants to throw them both into the nearest pond because they're idiots, but on this topic they are the same flavor of idiot. She considers calling up Reeft and Garen to help her knock some sense into them.

Quinlan: Can I volunteer to go undercover to the Sith? The Council: No. Quinlan: ...what if I-- The Council: No.

Tholme tries to get Qui-Gon to commiserate over their Padawans getting obsessed with Hot Sith Boys, but Qui-Gon just finds the whole thing funny. He knows from the chats he has with Ben that Anakin feels so completely, utterly, incredibly awkward about all of this.

(Ben continues to hold to "Anakin brought this on himself.")

(Ben also “kidnaps” Qui-Gon a lot.)

Also, hey, at least Quinlan isn’t actually into hot Sith boys! He’s into hot Sith minions which is... probably a step up. At least Cody’s not a Sith himself!

It's a step in some direction but Tholme has no idea which one.

(Quinlan sees Cody in dress uniform once and just keeps the mental image for Ages. It’s in his dreams. Sometimes said dreams overflow to Tholme via Force Mind Magic and Quinlan wakes up to someone smacking his face with a pillow.)

Arguably, Quin's also a lot more romantic about his crush than Obi-Wan is, in this case. Quinlan: I want to save him... Obi-Wan: Hey, hey, cute boy. Look at me. Let’s bang.

Cody: There are currently two future Jedi generals having some form of absurd romantic fixation in my direction. I don't know how to feel about this. Rex: Bed them. Cody: ...I'm not saying that's not eventually an option, but one of them is the younger Kenobi, and I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that. Rex: Pat him on the head like a tooka and then bed his friend, it'll be funny.

I think the Quinlan thing and also general exasperation of leading an absolutely useless army can function pretty solidly as the basis for Cody, but I have another idea for Rex now.

Komari is currently brainwashed in a cult, yes? So.

I keep bouncing around back and forth on what to do with Rex, but part of me suddenly really likes the idea of, after Team Fake Sith finds and dissolves the cult (as one does), and takes Komari into custody (because she's dangerous and deeply unwell), Rex kind of ends up her touchstone to being a decent person. He’s not a morality chain, and it’s not really a redeemed-through-love thing, just This Is A Solid Dude who doesn't pity her or thinks she's irredeemable (however you choose to define such a thing), but actually relates to the kind of conditions living like that can involve, and just kind of...

I don’t know. I think Rex's arc in this AU could be very heavily grounded in something to the effect of "You're not the worst darksider I've met. You're not the only person who was in a cult. You're not even the only former Jedi I know that's committed awful, horrible crimes. My question is just this: What are you going to do moving forward?"

Later Anakin: Wait, who do we know that was in a cult? Rex: What did you think Kamino was?

(Rex isn't as chill as he'd like her to think, but he's trying, and she's fairly reliant on the Force to understand emotions, and is currently in nullifying cuffs, so he can bluff.)

Komari needs someone solid and dependable to rely on for at least conversation, and I think Rex needs to feel needed.

I’m not sure if it’d be romance or friendship, but I think there's a solid basis to work with, potentially.

Per Tia:

One thing about Rex and shipping is like. If you want to do Rexwalker again that's fine, but if you're worried about repetitiveness but still want to like. Ship him in a non-political-convenience way. Rexsoka here actually would be different than your other stuff.

I'm trying to figure out if I can make it work because Ahsoka thematically fits very much into a little sister shaped hole here? She feels younger than in other works, despite not actually being younger than she is in, say, Commander Buir. In those other fics, she has some time alone to function and prove herself independently of Anakin and Obi-Wan.

I usually pluck Ahsoka out at sixteen if I'm pulling her from TCW, so she's got most of her competence but hasn't gotten quite all the trauma yet. Commander Buir, in particular, also has baby-shaped Anakin for contrast.

That said, I can see a decent source of narrative conflict in her wanting to experiment with romance and all that, and Anakin trying to tell her she's too young.

A year into this whole time-travel mess, she wants to give the dating thing a shot, and it spirals into "You were only two years older than me when you got married!"

I think I could build a plot out of Ahsoka wanting to do these things, and Anakin as an audience insert not quite processing that she's old enough to make these decisions. If she's choosing to date Rex, whose age works out as being close to hers when one takes into account Kamino fuckery, and whom she trusts absolutely, it’s arguably extra weird for Anakin to be upset with it.

"Senator Amidala was five years older than you, and you married her when you were nineteen and had only really known her for a week! I can go on a date with a guy we both know is one of the most trustworthy people alive if I want, Skyguy!"

I can definitely see Ahsoka getting annoyed with Anakin being overbearing and controlling at some point before that unrelated to romance, too. It’s not exactly a new fault of his.

My god, just imagine someone snidely asking Anakin "where's your little shadow?" and Anakin, being Himself and also a Fake Sith, has an emotional breakdown about how Ahsoka yelled at him for micromanaging her and not trusting her to make her own decisions in life and so she got herself a multi-month solo mission from Ben that Anakin isn't allowed to know any details about, and--

It's another one of those "oh, you have PROBLEMS problems with your mental health" incidents for the Jedi to add to the file, because Anakin having emotionally charged rants about his issues at seemingly terrible times is how they get a lot of information.

Some of the rants are planned.

Many of them, actually.

They want the Jedi to know these things.

Just, well. Anakin.

He really is a little Like That.

On that note, I'm low-key imagining that Anakin gets put on mood stabilizers by the therapist in this context, and he's doing good! He's handling his issues! He's--been captured with Obi-Wan the Younger again and his medication was confiscated.

Anakin is... not great. He's a little out of practice managing his unmedicated self, and when adding withdrawal symptoms onto that... poor Anakin.

(Poor Obi-Wan.)

I think it would be best if Anakin makes a bunch of ominous blustery comments at their captors about how they won't like what's coming to them if they take his belongings (AKA the fanny pack that has his backup pills), and then Obi-Wan just gets to watch Anakin get more and more erratic, because like. Yes, Anakin is using the Force to compensate, but unfortunately he's mostly cut off, and the stress of the situation is pushing him away from depression and into the beginnings of a manic episode.

Anakin is aware of his issues to the point where he's mostly managing, and he keeps asking Obi-Wan "would it make sense for me to [slightly deranged, very impulsive action]," and Obi-Wan realizes he's being the morality sounding board for the Hot Sith because ??? reasons?????

Eventually, Anakin does flop back in bed and dramatically throws his arm over his eyes, and says he needs his meds back, he's absolutely going to lose it, and Obi-Wan tentatively asks what kind of medication. There are levels to worry about. Mild allergy medication is one thing, but heart medication that needs to be taken every four hours is another, you know? He wants to know how much panic is appropriate.

Anakin lets him know that it's Psychiatric In Nature. Obi-Wan suddenly realizes that he really, really, really doesn't want to know what a properly erratic, unmedicated Anakin is like.

(An unmedicated Anakin really isn't nearly as bad as Obi-Wan fears. Anakin's been dealing with this for a while, and knows what his issues are and some of how to deal with them. He'd need to be running on no sleep and higher levels of stress, or to have been drugged with something meant to increase his aggression, to really lose his shit and do something worthy of Vader. RotS levels of stress and sleep deprivation is required to pull RotS levels of manic paranoid delusion.)

Tia asked:

How long does it take the Jedi in general to catch on to how like. They have opportunities. But these Sith never seem to harm any Jedi. And it’s not just like, the past timeline parts of the disaster lineage. They probably get opportunities to hurt other Jedi. Ones that are less skilled at saber work. And more importantly ones that they don’t seem weirdly interested in."

I'm not sure, really. The Jedi don't spend as much time in the Outer Rim as they could, and that's where the Team operates, so actually running into them by accident is unlikely for anyone other than Shadows.

Fortunately, it's really easy to toy with Shadows with the excuse of "I want to see how long it takes before you Fall with us."

I do want like... okay. Here’s the mental image:

Qui-Gon calls them out on being Fake Sith pretty quickly, so Ben just sort of eyes him, dramatically, and orders out "Leave us" to all non-team people. The threat of torture is implied but not stated. He gestures with wine to keep in character. He definitely makes sure Young Obi-Wan is ushered out, so it's just five time travelers, Qui-Gon Jinn, and Ahsoka's immortal force birb.

"...so, what's the reason for the farce, Obi-Wan?" "How in all the hells did you figure it out so quickly?"

(Qui-Gon cheated a bit. He could feel the broken training bond that was never properly severed due to Traumatic Death Of A Master on Ben's end)

Ben didn't realize he'd feel it! Young Obi-Wan can't feel his older self or a training bond with Anakin or Ahsoka, so why could Qui-Gon?

IDK if there would be anything on the level of crying and hugging it out, but I think it would be very funny if, every time young Obi and Anakin are getting captured by pirates or something, Ben and Qui-Gon are just having a nice afternoon tea and checking their watches to see if their respective walking bundles of neuroses are done with their adventure yet.

The Council is So Done, because Qui-Gon continues to insist that they're Not That Bad, but every time anyone other than Qui-Gon brings up the friendship, Ben laughs and makes a comment about how absolutely gullible Master Jinn is.

Obi-Wan is skeptical of his own experiences with Anakin, at least, if only because he's skeptical about Anakin's everything.

"I don't know if Vader is telling me the truth. I don't know if he's telling himself the truth. I don't think he's a great source of information even when he thinks he's being honest."

Anakin could tell Obi-Wan the full and complete truth, and Obi-Wan would worriedly put a hand to his forehead and start doing tests for hallucinations and paranoid delusions. In his defense, this is a very reasonable assumption to make with an individual like Anakin. It's just also not accurate, this time. I don’t know if Anakin hallucinates in canon without a weird inciting incident like Force Nonsense or getting drugged by the enemy, but paranoid delusion is pretty much all of RotS.

"I’m your time-traveling padawan who’s pretending to be a Sith to catch some other Sith who’re going to start a galactic civil war and those Mandalorians you like are from a clone army based on a template of Jango Fett made to serve the Jedi (because that’s totally something he’d sign up for), and one of the Sith is your grandmaster but he doesn’t seem to have fallen yet, it’s probably fine," is hard to believe.

Honestly, even if he seemed stable before saying that, which he doesn’t, it’s all real far fetched. There's a lot going on and Obi-Wan wouldn't even begin to believe it without evidence.

I've had it in my head that he and Bant and Quinlan have been gossiping about the mess for months if not years about these idiots, and at one point it became common knowledge that Ben was a Kenobi, and Bant convinced them (since the two were among the most likely in the entire Order to encounter the Fake Sith) to get a DNA sample, probably hair or blood since that's easiest so they can figure out HOW these two are related, if they are, and then there's a whole big thing.

Bant: No, no, this must be contaminated, it's coming up as Obi-Wan! Are you sure you didn't accidentally grab some of your own hairs? I know it's a little long for most of your hair, but the braid-- Quinlan: Wait, they keep claiming stuff about cloning, right? Maybe someone's a clone? Check for artificial telomeres! Bant: ...okay, so, there aren't any artificial telomeres, but the ones from apparently-Ben are... a lot shorter... um... I don't know what to do with this. It's like I have two samples from the same person, twenty years apart. Quinlan: Obi-Wan, what's that face? Why are you-- Obi-Wan: Vader told me he was a time-traveler. I thought it was the fever talking, but...

That’s how he finds out that Ben is future-him before finding out about how he’s not evil!

"Master Jinn... I think... I think the Sith controlling the Outer Rim is me from the future." "Oh, you finally figured it out?" "I AM HAVING A CRISIS HERE."

Obi-Wan, after a few hours of dazed realization, runs screaming to Quinlan and Bant like 'GUYS GUYS THIS EXPLAINS WHY VADER KEPT SAYING IT WAS WEIRD AND THAT I LOOK LIKE HIS MASTER AND THAT IT WOULD BE LIKE DATING HIS DAD.'

You know, the important stuff.

I think Qui-Gon tells him that Ben isn't evil because, like, That Sure Is A Crisis Obi-Wan's Having. He could hold off for shits and giggles, sure, but Obi-Wan’s on the edge of something Really Concerning, mentally. Best help calm him down on at least one or two things.

Obi-Wan’s maybe still a little skeptical until he confronts them over it. Because their Sith act was real good and also like. Maybe Qui-Gon just wants to believe the best of his Padawan, y’know?

Quinlan runs into Ben before Obi-Wan does, after this whole mess, and gets to observe as money changes hands and people act like sore winners about bets made for When Does Obi-Wan Figure It Out.

Anakin was saying 'soon' because he really didn't think the fever-fueled rant would be discounted as easily as it was.

Cody was of the opinion that it would take at least a few more years since they're actually pretty damn good at this whole schtick.

Quinlan: Wow, he's... going to be really disappointed that you have such a low opinion of his intelligence. Cody, gesturing at Ben: Experience. Darth Ben: ಠ_ಠ

Cody just rattles off some of the Extremely Stupid Shit that Ben's done in their time working together.

Rex cheerily offers up "You didn't even realize General Skywalker was married, sir! And they weren't subtle!" "I knew they were together, I just didn--" "Everyone knew they were together, sir. Everyone."

(Rex had the lowest opinion of their deductive capabilities. He claims it would have taken until Baby Ahsoka showed up at the Jedi Temple.)

-Once Obi-Wan accepts that they're decent people after all- Obi-Wan: Wow, Anakin, you're real good at acting unhinged! Anakin: Haha. Yeah. Thanks?

[legobiwan]

Do you think Anakin wanted to be a dad in ROTS? I read an essay that pointed out that at no point does he seem to worry about the child's fate/safety. He only cares about Padme. How even his reaction to the news seems like he's upset. To be fair he hasn't had time to absorb the information like Padme has. All he knows is that it'll make their forbidden relationship harder & Padme might not survive.

Honestly, anon, I don't think Anakin had the maturity or mindset to really consider the idea of "wanting" to be a dad at that point. (It's funny if you consider that question in terms of his relationship with Ahsoka. Anakin was definitely the big brother to her and sometimes-mentor, but certainly not the father figure that Obi-wan tried, and kind failed, to be).

I'm not even so sure he feels all that comfortable around younglings. Remember the opening scene of the whole Deception arc? Anakin has no desire to cart younglings around (although this does get explored a bit more in Brotherhood, which I admittedly have not gotten to finish).

I can't really blame him for being nonplussed at the news when Padmé finds him on Coruscant. I mean, Anakin had just gotten back from killing Dooku, "rescuing" Palpatine, and then flying half a flaming capital ship into the heart of the Republic capital. He's got a lot going on at that point and the gravity and reality of being a father is something I doubt he really spent all that much time considering during (or even prior to) RotS. (I mean, it also wasn't the best time for Padmé to spring that news on him. You're a Senator, Amidala, you should know a thing or two about timing).

And yeah, he really doesn't take the potential children's safety or future into consideration as I don't think it's a reality in his mind beyond oh hey, Padmé's pregnant, I'm going to be a father, that's what married people do. But again, with the war coming to its nadir and Anakin's grasp on his sanity slipping, it's not wholly surprising he's not really considering the kids. (And let's not forget that Padmé also chases an obviously unstable Anakin down to known Separatist hideout Mustafar while she is pregnant and the Republic is collapsing, rather than listening to poor Captain Typho's (who apparently is never listened to) advice).

[kiwikipedia]

Discovery

Fandom: Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Rating: K/T

Pairing: Kit/Plo (implied)

Summery: A new discovery leads Wolffe to have a bone to pick with an amphibian

AO3

There are scar marks on the General’s shoulder that weren’t there before.

Wolffe’s not sure why he knows that they weren’t there the last time he saw his General without his tunic on, but he knows it. He knows it as he watches the Kel Dor practically slam Fives into the grass.

Stop.

Rewind.

First of all, it was rare enough to get downtime on a peaceful planet, rather than on Coruscant. But it was even rarer to get downtime when another battalion was there.

It had been General Skywalker who suggested it, as a joke to ‘soka. Commander Tano. Ahsoka. Whatever Wolffe was supposed to call her because of the GAR.

She then passed it on through the 501st. And then somehow Boost and Sinker caught wind of it and wanted the 104th to join in too.

Nothing pressing, no, just some... friendly spars. Some exhibition matches, or something of the like. General Monn had taken one look at the Clones, then to his own hands— paws?— before claiming he was going to go sleep off to the side in the sun. Said he didn’t want to accidentally cut someone with his claws and Wolffe didn’t really blame him. He had seen what those things could do to metal with enough power behind his swipes.

The matches had started well before Plo returned from making a Very Important Call Back To The Temple— in other words, calling Fisto. Probably. There was a chance he was talking to General Fae Koon or Commander Lissarkh or General Swan or Commander Sha Koon or a whole host of others, but it was more likely that he was talking to his Riduur instead.

But nonetheless, once he had returned the matches had been in full swing.

Wolffe had won a few against the others from the 501st and 104th. He had also tied with Rex twice, beaten him three more times, and lost once to him, lost to Commander Tano once (she was slippery and she bit him, but that was fair game apparently), and beat both Boost and Sinker one-on-two twice in the meanwhile. Ghost was unimpressed by the going-ons and was keeping score and the betting pool totals with Data— who was still banned from open-mat after he shattered Nox’s nose once. Cable and Comet were also sitting with them joined with Tup and another 501st who he didn’t recognize— a shiny, Wolffe was pretty sure. He hadn’t caught his name.

Plo had simply raised a brow but nodded to him before he moved to sit down in the grass by Monn (who was face down in the grass, asleep) and ended up sitting out of the matches as he watched. He was more amused than anything, and talking to those who wished to talk to him... before Skywalker had the great idea to challenge him.

Being the responsible adult, Plo had declined the first few times. But he eventually took Skywalker up on the offer, which had started a round of cheers from both battalions and more betting had begun. Ahsoka seemed particularly smug when Plo dropped his talon guards into her hands, the metal clinking as he walked into the circle of vod.

Skywalker had been flat on his back within moments.

( Ghost had smugly told him that he had gotten three months of cleaning duty foisted off onto Echo and Fives for betting against their General. )

So that had started all of the 501st on this weird sort of pride-based challenge and Wolffe was getting kind of worried. The 501st had a lot of men, and each and every one of them wanted to challenge Plo.

Rex had gotten the closest in actually downing the Kel Dor (of course, making swipes for his mask was an illegal move and would get the offender’s ass kicked by all six hundred or so of the 104th), but still, Plo was a tricky opponent. He was strong, nimble, and, despite his position as a Jedi, he seemed to know unarmed combat just as well as the rest of them.

And somewhere along the lines, Skywalker had challenged him again and they had both decided to get serious— or at least Skywalker had. Plo had simply chuckled but agreed and practically removed all of his robes, but his leggings and boots. Skywalker had already stripped out of his robes and down to his leggings as well, so it was hardly out of place but it had still been startling.

Plo Koon was not a man who showed off a lot of skin to people—because that was Fisto’s stick— and, although Wolffe had seen them before, he had startled with the rest of the Vod once he saw the ritualistic scarring of the Baran Do across the General’s body— The lines and curves, the script and runes that marked his place among the Sages of Dorin.

For the most part, though, the General was built like a very tall human. Slim, but muscular, the only difference was that was visible were Plo’s ribs that one just could see pressing against his skin, which was thicker than most other sentients.

Kel Dor had twenty-eight vertebrae that were thicker and longer than the human thirty-three, but unlike Humans, Kel Dor had ribs that went all the way from sternum to pelvis. But Wolffe knew better. Kel Dor were just as flexible as any other species.

Still, the scarring had caught a number of the Vod off guard, even Ahsoka and Skywalker had been startled when they saw it.

(Ghost hadn’t been. Ghost had seen Plo in more vulnerable states, bleeding out, choking on air— it was almost impressive how calm the 104th’s head medic could be.)

But the shock hadn’t lasted long, because Skywalker was rearing for a fight. And it was a fight they got. This wasn’t like the first time, where Plo simply swung his leg out and unbalanced Skywalker before throwing him to the ground— this was a real fight. Or as real as it could get without Plo gouging an eye out with his talons.

The fight ended in the 104th’s victory, of course, but that just got the 501st even more riled and rearing to go.

Which was where Wolffe found himself now, sitting on a rock next to where General Monn was sprawled out in the grass on his back now, eyes closed and leg twitching a bit. Ghost was sitting nearby as well, with Data, Cable, and Comet, keeping a tally of the betting pools.

Wolffe squinted, gaze zeroing in on the ring of scars that was on Plo’s shoulder. It was new, he was certain. How new, he had no idea— considering how the last time he saw Plo out of his robes like this had been well over two months ago— but it was newer than the Baran Do scars.

He kicked Ghost.

“Hey,” he grunted, “On the General’s shoulder, what happened there?”

Ghost grunted as he was pushed forwards a bit, turning and glaring up at Wolffe.

“First of all, never kick your Medic, I choose if you live or die, bark-boy,” he snarked before turning and looking back at Plo as he helped Wildfire back to his feet. Great, now their own Battalion was getting in on this? Wolffe sighed internally.

Ghost tilted his head before snorting. “Those are bite marks, Commander,” he said flatly.

“And?”

Ghost was looking at him like he was stupid. “Commander who in the entire Galaxy could possibly get that close to our General and leave a bite mark like that?”

In truth, Wolffe’s first thought was “General Ti decided to bite our General and there’s nothing we can do about it because it’s General Shaak Ti” before it clicked. Aside from Ahsoka, who wouldn’t ever bite Plo, there was only one other person who had teeth that sharp.

“Pray for me, vod,” he said dryly. “I have to punch a karking High Council member when we get back to Coruscant.”

“Rest in peace, Wolffe, he died how he lived— punching people out,” was all Ghost said in return.

Wolffe swears on his life, though, that Fisto was in for the thrashing of his life when the 104th got back to Coruscant.

“Don’t beat up Dad too much,” Comet spoke up. “Monnk will be sad.”

“Monnk is always sad at Wolffe’s life choices,” Data drawled, ducking under Wolffe’s swipe at his head.

“How about you just don’t pick a fight with General Fisto?” Cable suggested but both Data and Wolffe looked at him with raised brows.

“It’s Wolffe’s second favorite pass time, vod’ika,” Data told him, patting his fellow slicer on the head. “Asking him to not pick a fight with Buir’s Riduur would be like asking Commander Cody to stop punching Droids.”

“Or General Bultar, for that matter,” Comet added with a grin and the five of them paused before groaning as their General’s former Padawan’s habits.

“Kot to Banks. Poor guy,” Cable sighed before he gave Wolffe a look. “But seriously, don’t beat up General Fisto too much, you’ll make Buir sad.”

Wolffe just waved him off.

Lmao happy valentines day. I’ll have an actual romancey thing out later today or like tomorrow? Hell if I know I should be doing classwork hahaha

also literally what the fuck is Kel Dor Anatomy (you can find the long conversation I had on it here )

[smhalltheurlsaretaken]

Hey! I literally love your last post so much but I'm confused about the rebels bit (never watched it). How does Rebels criticize the jedi? Thanks!

Aw, thank you! (Lol, this is such an old ask I don’t remember what that post was, but here goes).

Well in s2 Ahsoka, Kanan (a survivor from Order 66) and Ezra (his Padawan) all go to an old Jedi Temple to talk to Yoda about Vader and his Inquisitors (Darksiders who hunt the few remaining Jedi and kidnap Force sensitive kids). Yoda is only there spiritually and the three of them get different visions. Ahsoka sees Anakin as Vader, and Kanan has to fight several enemies and eventually admit he can't protect his Padawan from the world, only guide him (which prompts the vision to finally make him a Jedi Knight, as he survived Order 66 as a Padawan.)

And Ezra... Ugh. Ezra had a previous encounter with Yoda, in which he got his lightsaber crystal. Basically Yoda asked him why he wanted to be a Jedi, and Ezra had to do some self-examination and eventually realized that helping and protecting people made him feel alive, which greatly pleased Yoda who told him he might become a Jedi after all. That's a really great exchange and I love the character development Ezra gets, as he starts by saying he wants never to feel powerless and eventually realizes that's not the right answer.

But in this second encounter, as Ezra asks how they can defeat the Inquisitors, Yoda basically says that fighting is rarely the right path. And to illustrate that, he says that line about the Jedi being arrogant and joining the war swiftly "in their arrogance," which really bothers me. He also says they were "consumed by the Dark Side", which is why they're now gone. In all fairness, he also mentions that they were motivated by fear, which is partially true. 

Now, I write analyses and I try to be intellectually honest about them, because ignoring contradicting stuff weakens your argument instead of helping you. Except this time, I really can't accept this quote. I have an excuse, Lucas wasn't involved in Rebels so it's not the highest canon in my opinion (the 6 movies + TCW are, here are the quotes justifying my position), and I feel like that assertion is out of character for Yoda, ignoring his ST ghost appearances, and also plainly factually incorrect.

I understand that Ezra really needed to be taught not to always seek to fight. At this point, he's still an emotional kid who occasionally struggles with the Dark Side. Not fighting is important to a Jedi's path, so I can understand Yoda's intention. But the example he uses? According to Lucas, the Jedi were drafted in the war. That's not jumping into a conflict out of arrogance, that's literally being dragged there against your will. And sure, there’s Geonosis, but how exactly is rescuing a bunch of your people that’s getting slaughtered by a Sith Lord the same thing as arrogantly jumping into a fight? Like, what’s the option here? Not go, and let an innocent Senator and a bunch of Jedi be murdered?

It's like Rebels!Yoda isn't acknowledging that the war was fake and that a Sith Lord engineered it as the perfect trap (which is recurring problem in Rebels; at one point Ezra, Kanan and Rex have to fight an old Separatist tactical droid and Ezra "solves" the Clone Wars by pointing out that nobody won except the Empire, so really they were on the same side all along, and he gets praised for doing what "a bunch of Jedi, senators and Clones couldn't do," ie getting both sides to talk to each other – except wtf??? setting aside that the Jedi and Rex were aware of the war being fake by the end of it, and that the Separatists were openly led by a Sith Lord and attempted to commit genocide several times in TCW and did commit mass murder, and reduced like several worlds to slavery or starvation and were backed by the worst big corporations you could imagine, the war would NOT have ended if the two sides had tried talking it out. 1) The Senate made it illegal 2) the big corporations arranged for terrorist attacks on both sides the one time they tried to negotiate so the war would drag on and they'd get more money out of it 3) Sidious. Was. Controlling. Everything. What. The. Heck. Would. Have. Been. Accomplished. By. Negotiating.)  Plus the question of whether or not the Jedi should even fight is like... constantly raised by the Jedi during TCW, so I really can’t see it as “oh wow we didn’t even take the time to think and we got killed because of it, we really sucked.” 

Seriously, there’s this S6 quote: 

MACE: Are you sure we are taking the right path? YODA: The right path, no. The only path, yes. Designed by the Dark Lord of the Sith, this web is. For now, play his game, we must.

Like yeah, totally rushing in and being eager to fight lol. Nothing to do with being boxed in and having no alternatives. 

So yeah that's bothers me and I don't think it jibes with the rest of canon. I don't remember Yoda telling Luke (who, in the beginning, is as eager to fight as Ezra is) that the Jedi "disappeared" because of some fault of their own, or because of an eagerness to fight. (Seriously, pussyfooting around the fact that the Jedi were slaughtered grates me.) The OT never, ever, ever implies that the destruction of the Jedi Order was their fault - and unless you assume that the OT is “pro-Jedi propaganda” (*laughs in dumb youtube comments*) then I don’t see Rebels weaving it into its narrative as legitimate.

Again, choosing alternatives to fighting is a great lesson on a personal level, but it doesn't work on the scale of the Rebels/Empire conflict - or the Jedi/Sith one. Ezra should often choose not to fight because of what it'll do to his soul. The Rebels should not stop fighting because there is no cohabitation with something as evil as the Empire. Imo Yoda is always presented as wise enough to know the difference. 

The last thing that makes me think it's out of character is Yoda's spiritual journey in TCW s6. He gets all of his flaws thrown into his face and has to conquer them – he has to face his literal Dark Side and he wins. And yet at no point during that arc is he ever made to conquer his ‘Jedi arrogance’ or whatever. He has to face his worst fear (first vision, all the Jedi dying), let go of his attachments (second vision, him having to accept that he can’t live in a perfect world where everything is beautiful and no one is dead), and reaffirm who he is as a Jedi (third vision, refusing to give up on Anakin and trying to save him rather than to kill Sidious) but at no point is he ever made to recognize that wow, the Jedi are the worst for fighting. 

I’d argue that the very purpose of the visions showing him Order 66 and Anakin falling are to make him accept that these things are completely beyond his control - and as such, not his fault. He doesn’t get to fix things, because the fate of the Order is not in their own hands. It is, in fact, in Anakin’s (from a thematical/narrative standpoint). Yoda has a hard time with it (actually he almost shuts down when he first sees everybody dead and his first reaction is to say that he failed them, so I can’t accept Yoda blaming his grandkids for dying) but he accepts it in the end, when he tells Mace and Obi-Wan he’s not certain one ever wins a war, but they might still find ‘victory for all time’ (referring to balance aka Sidious’ death in RotJ). 

So anyway that’s my beef with Rebels!Yoda. Not hate on Rebels though, there are many parts of it that I really, really love - but some of them kinda infuriate me, and this is one of them. 

[firefly-fez]

I also really, really don’t like this conversation and I am happy that it was never fully developed because it just doesn’t fit the characters right.

My biggest issue with the dialogue is that it’s very unclear what the intended meaning is. A lot of fans interpret “and that’s precisely what Ahsoka did, even in her most critical moment” to mean that Obi Wan is chastising Ahsoka for letting emotions cloud her judgement. I personally don’t think that’s what he meant, I think he is praising her for keeping a clear head in her choice to leave. But fans disagree on the interpretation of that line, which to me, suggests that it’s very unclear what the intended meaning is.

I also dislike the latter part of the conversation — it doesn’t feel fair that Anakin considers Ahsoka a failure. But again, is that actually what he meant? Is he trying to say that HE failed Ahsoka because he couldn’t give her a reason to stay? Does he blame himself on behalf of the Order? It’s unclear what he truly means, and I feel like the justification for him to see Ahsoka as a failure for leaving isn’t fleshed out enough for it to make sense to the audience. Even if it’s a sentiment we’re supposed to disagree with, it should still make sense how Anakin came to that conclusion… and I feel like it doesn’t.

Anyway. Yeah, I never liked this dialogue either. It feels like they were trying to shoehorn the forshadowing into the conversation and made out Ahsoka to be a disappointment/failure just for the parallel 🤷‍♀️

So… Crystal Crisis. Some of the most amazing, heart wrenching, I have to lay down and cry foreshadowing ever.

And I hate it. I hate it so much. Like, visceral, need to shake some people, rage.

Why?

Because that famous foreshadowing quote is the worst characterization of Obi-wan I have ever seen (from Star Wars. The worst characterization definitely belongs to some fanfic somewhere).

And here’s why. It’s all in the quote (the quote, the reason Crystal Crisis gets so much tumblr action than the other not completed arcs).

Quote 1:

Obi-Wan: "I will grant you mistakes were made, but she choseto leave. Part of the Jedi way is not letting emotion cloud your better judgment. And that's precisely what Ahsoka did, even in her most critical moment.

Ahsoka has many, many lapses in judgement during The Wrong Jedi arc. Like, so many. She is clearly panicking. She absolutely let her emotions cloud her judgement.

But not when she chose to leave.

Obi-wan and Anakin may not like the decision she made, but she made it with a clear head.

It is very in character for Anakin to not understand this.

But Obi-wan? No. This is so far out of character for him.

… and yet it gets worse

Quote the second:

Obi-Wan: "You can't take responsibility for Ahsoka's decision, Anakin."

Anakin: "How would you feel if I turned into a major disappointment?"

Obi-Wan: "It's not the same."

Anakin: "It's precisely the same: you took me under your wing and practically raised me. I'm your padawan, just like Ahsoka was mine. How well would you sleep knowing that I failed you?"

Obi-Wan: "Not very well, I imagine. Luckily, that isn't true and never will be. "

Star Wars rhymes and foreshadows and is beautiful and makes us cry and this quote is one of the reasons.

Obi-wan is so sure Anakin won’t disappoint him and then HE DOES and it is awful and hurts!!

But that isn’t what I want to talk about here.

What I want to talk about is how Ahsoka is not a failure.

She is not a disappointment.

She went through a trauma and said I cannot trust myself, I need some time.

She did not do anything un-jedi-like on her way out. No middle fingers, no yelling, just a simple I cannot be here anymore.

Again - this is spot on Anakin characterization (for his worst faults).

If someone leaves him, he has to blame them if he can’t blame himself. It cannot be neutral. It cannot be something that just needed to happen, something must have gone wrong. Someone must have failed. He is not good at situations he cannot fix, and this is one he cannot fix. When he cannot fix it, it must be someone’s fault.

But Obi-wan? I am expected to believe that he considers Ahsoka a failure? That he considers her a disappointment?

I refuse to believe it.

Obi-wan may be disappointed she is gone. He may be disappointed she left. But he is not disappointed in her.

You can be disappointed in the way something happened, or the choice someone made, without being disappointed in them.

What Obi-wan should have done here (what I believe he absolutely would have done) is explain the difference to Anakin. Explain that they don’t have to like her choice, but they should support is and hope she is doing well. They should be hoping they she is finding the answers and solace that she needs. That she is healing.

Reaffirm that people are allowed to make decisions, and that making a decision Anakin doesn’t agree with does not make someone a failure.

[siennahrobek]

Initially, Obi-Wan thought that sleep would assuredly allude him.

Perhaps he underestimated the trust and affect his troops had on him and how exhausted he really was because he slept fairly soundly through the night.

He was still surrounded by troopers by the time he woke up, although he was fairly certain that there significantly less numbers of them. Although it was a bit of a challenge with position, Obi-Wan tried to meditate a little before the next disaster would inevitably occur. It was only a tad successful as he kept going back to thinking about Anakin. And right now he just…couldn’t.

Afterwards, he got dressed, complete with his old armor pieces and left the barracks to get to work.

“Greetings, Master Kenobi,” Cin Drallig nodded at him as Obi-Wan walked onto the bridge. There wasn’t many present; it was mostly a skeleton crew, but they paid him little heed. Next to the battle master stood a clone trooper from the meeting before, one of Obi-Wan’s 212th boys, Menace.

“General,” Menace welcomed.

“Master Drallig, Menace,” Obi-Wan nodded at the both of them.

“The boys and I have encrypted and encoded a way for you to get a message to the other Jedi generals that are scattered across the galaxy,” Menace explained as he pulled up a map of the galaxy, planets already highlighted. Obi-Wan presumed that was where jedi and their troops had been positioned. “As long as we know where they are stationed, we can get it to them and encode it so only a Jedi would be able to access it. We made this option just in case there are any activated chipped troopers around or natborns who are loyal to the Empire.”

“That was rather fortuitous of you,” Cin glanced at the trooper, curiously but he projected gratitude, something a little odd from the battlemaster but it was no less appreciated.

“Just precautions sir.”

“Alright, we have to figure out exactly what information we need to send to the others,” Obi-Wan said as he followed Cin and Menace down the halls which ended up being to an office. Was it his? At this point, he wasn’t really paying attention and most of the office rooms looked virtually all the same. This one had been recently packed with communications equipment and a holotable for good measure.

“The basics will be key,” Cin replied with a hum as he closed the door behind them and tied back his longer hair. “We will have to divide it up between what to do when running from activated soldiers or what to do when communications have been shut down so they can’t receive the orders to active the chips.”

“Constrain natborn officers, no communications aside from jedi, which will come up in about three days,” Obi-Wan listed.

“That is a fair chunk of time,” Menace admitted as started to open up and turn on the machinery around the room, as well as the data blockers for outside communications, just incase someone would try to butt in on the networks. “Can they avoid the Empire for that long? We don’t know which forces that the emperor has now or how quickly they will go after those they cannot get a hold of.”

“If they come across conflict, leave immediately,” Cin suggested as made his spot off to the side. “Getting too close to activated chips will active any clones they are around. But we did warn many jedi. The Empire Forces have to be fairly diminished if they understood those warnings. I can’t imagine the new government is completely on it’s feet yet.”

That was true. Even though the Republic had been slowly shifting into something less democratic over the course of the war, it was still a fairly big change, and a lot of things would have to be restructured. There was also the issue, for the Empire, of those who would fight back against its creation or not agree with it. That may buy them some time, he mused.

“But we do need to plan quick, because I’m sure it won’t be long before they are organized and mobilized enough to chase us,” Obi-Wan added, sitting down in one of the chairs next to Menace. In front of him was a little desk area. “If they haven’t realized that Kamino specifically isn’t responding because of this, they will figure it out soon.”

“How about we make a list?” Menace suggested, his gaze flickering between the two masters.

Obi-Wan nodded and his hand shuffled around the desk to find a data pad. Putting it in front of him, he grabbed a utensil and created a list.

“Alright, so first and foremost, the clones are chipped, proximity to activated chips activates others. Activation can also be verbal but only from the Sith. Block all communications available to clones,” Cin started quickly as Obi-Wan immediately wrote down the thoughts on the datapad.

“We can send Healer Che’s information on where the chips are as well, if anyone has the equipment or skills to start taking them out,” Obi-Wan added, the pencil flipping around his fingers to momentarily point at the battlemaster. They both nodded in response.

“Two; the Republic is gone, an Empire has rose. We are being hunted and killed as we are claimed to be traitors. Confine any officers loyal to the Empire until further notice,” Cin continued

“If you have inactivated clones, keep them away from conflict with others, due to the proximity thing,” Menace included, flicking on a few more nozzles and switches.

“If you are around activated clones, get away as quickly as possible, stay low or get away from them if you can,” Cin added, eyeing Menace, carefully. The clone’s presence filled up with a moment of quiet grief and disappointment.

“I’m sorry,” Obi-Wan whispered, unable to meet his eyes.

“Don’t be, it’s not your fault sir,” Menace swallowed harshly but shook his head. “We can’t save anyone yet without a real plan.”

“Contact,” Cin started up again, a little hesitant to keep going as he looked between the two. “Contact will be reestablished within a couple of days, once we get to Kamino. If you have a long range holotable, use it, but keep your comm on you. There will be a coded message to indicate if communications come from us.”

They paused.

“I think…I think those are some good basics, hopefully they can survive until then,” Obi-Wan sighed, jotting down the last of the notes.

“Battle master Drallig and I can get these coded and sent out fairly quickly,” Menace said, gently taking the datapad from Obi-Wan’s hands.

“It’s a start,” he echoed.

***

“I believe it is about time we talk,” Padme said, her face flat with one hand rested on her stomach. Her greeting was desperate and although not exactly unkind, it wasn’t very patient either. Obi-Wan glanced around and let out a silent sigh. This was not going to be a pleasant conversation. One that he didn’t particularly want to have.

He had been working with the other masters and clones to figure out where to go and what to do next for some time. He knew this conversation was coming. He was just dreading it.

Obi-Wan just swallowed and nodded in defeat as he turned to face the pregnant woman. “Alright. But I think it would be best if we would keep this conversation rather private. The 501st survivors and much of the 212thhave been following me like ghosts and they certainly don’t need to hear this.”

Padme’s expression was something of confusion, but she consented, and they found themselves in Obi-Wan’s former office. It was still technically his office, he supposed, but others had been using it since the evacuation. One could tell by all the paperwork and things that cluttered it more than it already was, the things that he knew were not his or Cody’s. He locked the door behind them and let Padme sit on the cot in the corner. He dragged a chair over to her to sit himself, although he could not find a position that was comfortable.

“I suppose we can start with what happened with Anakin,” Obi-Wan said, a bit quietly. He did not want to talk about this right now, not at all. He wasn’t ready for this; he was hardly wrapping his own head around what had happened. His heart clenched harshly in his chest, and he was sure his throat would close up. Taking a shaking deep breath, he tried to continue to speak. “What, exactly, do you already know?”

“Ahsoka called me, telling me there was an attack on the Jedi Temple,” Padme confessed, shaking her head in disbelief. “She told me that Anakin had turned to the Dark Side, that he was killing younglings and leading brainwashed clones to kill everyone.”

Her tone was incredulous and unconvinced, not that Obi-Wan could exactly blame her. He was not even sure if he believed it, and he was there. It seemed impossible. He knew Anakin struggled with some of the jedi tenants, especially that of attachment, which Obi-Wan had tried to talk to him about, to reach out. But Anakin had been closing off more and more as of late. That didn’t mean he could have ever have seen this coming.

Perhaps he should have. Was he so blind?

“That…that would be accurate,” Obi-Wan choked out but did his best to keep his voice constant and steady with as much as patience as he could lacing it.

Padme stood up suddenly but then wavered and leaned against the wall for support. He leaned forward, ready to catch her if she should fall. She steadied herself and straightened her back to stare down at him. “That is absolutely ridiculous,” she announced with such confidence even he almost believed it. “And you know it, Obi-Wan! He is your friend, and he would never do such a thing; the Jedi…”

“If you start blaming my people while we are fleeing for our lives, please refrain,” his own voice continued to be soft but there was a steel bone underlaying it, that made no room for challenge.

“Anakin would never do such a thing,” Padme repeated firmly and shook her head. He closed himself off to her in the Force, he didn’t want to know what she was feeling. He wasn’t sure if he could handle her feelings along with his own. “He has been worried and stressed but that is only because of…”

“Because of what?”

“He’s been having nightmares…” she started slowly, eyeing Obi-Wan as if that would give her some insight, some answers on what was happening. “About me, dying in childbirth.”

“Nightmares,” Obi-Wan repeated numbly. “That is what he was so worked up about? He didn’t come to me or anyone else about them. And he knows how dangerous pregnancies are in this sort of situation. He should have known to talk to the healers about it.”

He should have talked to the healers. At least doctors, someone. Generally speaking, people didn’t just die in childbirth, not on Coruscant, certainly not a prominent senator. No one would ever deny her prenatal care, no matter who the father was.

Even if the father was a jedi.

“He was probably afraid,” Padme glanced away.

It was as if Anakin didn’t know anything of the Jedi at all. The Jedi would have never turned Padme away for pregnancy care or information, Force around, the Jedi wouldn’t turn anyone away who came to their steps in need of help with pregnancy. Force sensitive or not.

“We are getting off track,” Obi-Wan shook his head with a small sigh. He ran a hand through his hair. He just wanted… honestly, he wasn’t entirely sure what he wanted. He supposed he wanted this to all be his own nightmare, one he could just wake up from. One where none of this was real. “Padme, I don’t know how to convince you of what Anakin has done,” he continued. “He led an attack to kill everyone in the Temple, he led an army of brainwashed clones. He murdered Temple Guards and younglings just trying to escape the battle. He fought mewith the intent to kill, rambling about the failings of the jedi,” Obi-Wan stressed, leaning forward. “Master Drallig said he called himself Darth Vader which let me tell you, is a Sith name. All I could feel in him was desperation and fury.”

“You’re wrong,” Padme insisted, her eyes blazing into something so passionate, it nearly hurt to look at. Her loyalty, although her perhaps commendable to an extent, was difficult to work with. Difficult when she wouldn’t believe the truth. He knew it was hard to swallow. He was still in that process. “He is good, there is good in him, of course there is. Something else must be at play.”

“Something else?” Obi-Wan asked, his own voice echoing confusion. He couldn’t imagine much else being at play, his former padawan, his brother, had intended on murdering everyone in the Temple, all those that thought he was their family. All those that thought he cared about them. He had nearly succeeded. If Cody’s chip hadn’t been activated when and where it was… Obi-Wan nearly shuddered at the prospect. He sighed and shook his head again. “I love Anakin. And even after all that he has done I still love him; I will always love him. But I am not blind to what he has become now. I was blind before, not seeing it; only seeing what I wanted to, the good person I thought he could be, the person I thought he was.”

“He is that good person,” she persisted with a sound not open for debate.

Obi-Wan was tired, even the several hours of last night’s sleep would not erase all of the time he had been awake, active, fighting for his life and the lives of those around him.

“Tell that to the younglings that he cut down in front of his former padawan,” Obi-Wan’s hand waved out in emphasis. He hated bringing Ahsoka into this but Padme cared about the young Togruta, probably nearly as much as Anakin used to as well. “Or the 501st troopers who were forced to lead an attack on the Temple, on the Jedi, against their own free will.”

The young woman just stared at him, and he knew that she didn’t believe him. He didn’t think she would ever actually believe him without seeing it for herself.

The fact that Anakin, of all people, would lead a forced brainwashed army to fight people they never would have in their right minds seemed ludicrous.

“Okay, we are at an impasse,” Obi-Wan slumped back a little in his chair. He took a commlink out of his pocket and let his fingers sweep over it, absentmindedly. “Perhaps a break from this line of conversation may be beneficial,” he said slowly, giving Padme the time to sit down on the cot once again. “I think…we need to also talk about your pregnancy,” Obi-Wan added slowly. Padme placed a hand on her belly, protectively.

“You mentioned…you mentioned I could die from this,” Padme replied slowly, her eyes meeting his in a massive flurry of concern and fear. The conversation was not over about Anakin but for now, for now what he had said would have to do. He didn’t know how much longer he could try to help her in that scenario. “So, Anakin was right, I’m going to die in childbirth.”

“It’s not that simple. There is a lot that is included,” Obi-Wan shook his head. How to explain something that he only knew the basics of? Perhaps a professional was best to be in order “Look. Let me call my friend Bant. She is a healer, and she will be able to answer most, if not all, of your questions.”

Without waiting for an answer, he sent his friend a message who near immediately contacted him back, relieved that he had found their wayward patient. Apparently, Padme was not supposed to be out of the medbay. Obi-Wan imagined they would want to monitor her, considering her pregnancy and situation. His comm beeped again.

“We’ll be there in a couple of minutes.”

Obi-Wan didn’t know who the other side of the we was but at this point, he would take all the help he could get.

Those few minutes were the most awkward ones Obi-Wan could remember.

The Mon Calamari walked in with another healer trailed in behind her and Obi-Wan could not even help the sigh of relief. At last. “Hello Obi-Wan, senator,” Bant greeted, giving them both a nod, her large dark eyes brimming with sympathy and kindness. Obi-Wan would forever be baffled and astounded at the amount of love and compassion his friend could hold. “Senator, my name is Bant. I am a healer. This is Healer Jayden; she specializes in pregnancies.”

“You have special doctors for pregnancies in the jedi?” Padme asked, a little taken back.

“Of course,” the doctor nodded as Obi-Wan got up to give them both seats. He ended up standing off a little to the side, often finding himself leaning against the wall for support. “Believe it or not, the jedi are not celibate,” she pointed out, even though Padme’s glance looked a bit skeptic. “And although it isn’t extremely common, jedi can and do get pregnant.”

“They do?” Padme echoed.

“Of course. Force Sensitivity isn’t always passed down, but it is more likely if one or more of the parents have it,” Jayden explained, her voice smooth and calm. It could not be said that Jedi didn’t know when they were supposed to be healers. He could only imagine how determined they must be in such an art. “Pregnancies involving force sensitivity in general can be quite difficult, but we should really talk about your case specifically.”

“Is it…different?”

“I have been briefed on a few things,” Healer Jayden said, giving Bant a quick glance as if for confirmation. Obi-Wan wondered how much she had been told about the situation, about the father. “The father of your children is former Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, is it not?”

“Current Jedi Knight,” Padme corrected, her voice laced with bitter undertones and eyes narrowed. Something she had picked up from Anakin, he supposed. “Unless the Jedi have kicked him out for loving someone.”

“The Jedi do not typically, kick people out,” Bant continued, her voice just as relaxed and mellow. She was taking this very well. Obi-Wan nearly felt like shaking Anakin or someonewho should know better for all the things misinterpreted, deliberately or otherwise. “Not for loving anyone or getting people pregnant.”

“Yes,” Padme confirmed, her voice subdued. “He is the father.”

“Alright. So, the father has an incredibly high number of midiclorians in his body, which is how one can determine how force sensitive an individual is. He is a very high number, more than anyone else and is very, very strong in the Force,” Jayden explained, patiently. She spoke in chunks, probably to better allow Padme to follow what she was saying.

“What does that mean for the baby? That it will be force-sensitive?”

The healer nodded but her expression was a bit grave. “In your case, certainly. Because if they hadn’t, you would probably be dead already.”

And… Obi-Wan hadn’t expected her to be so blunt. Padme stared wide-eyed.

“Skywalker is so strong in the Force that it is killing you, not to mention the darkness that is practically permeating you,” the healer continued and although Obi-Wan could feel a tad of concern with it, she did not show it outright, rather keeping a cool presence of security. “The only reason that you are still alive and as strong as you are, currently, is because the two babies inside of you are also extremely force-sensitive and are keeping you alive. It is…very complex and seems a bit paradoxical, and difficult to explain when it comes to the specifics, as well as the ins and outs of what is happening in your body.”

“So, I will not survive this birth,” Padme realized.

“The odds are not fantastic,” Jayden replied truthfully with a small frown. “But the only way you can survive is with a Jedi Healer’s help. If you stayed on the planet, you would not have survived the birth and I doubt anyone would have understood why. But we can and we will help you, Padme,” she said, taking the woman’s hand gently, curling her partially translucent fingers around the younger senator’s. “You can trust us that we will do everything in our power to make sure that you survive to see your children grow up.”

“What are the odds?” Padme whispered, staring at her hands.

“It is difficult to say,” Jayden admitted, candidly. “We’ve never had a child from someone as powerful as Skywalker before. Best case scenario you will be out of commission, maybe even comatose, for some time while your body regenerates its strength.”

If it can, went unspoken.

With her free hand, Padme brought it up to cover her mouth, letting out a shaky breath, tears starting to slip down her cheeks.

“I think you could use some rest, senator,” Bant advised, speaking up for the first time. Although Healer Jayden did most of the talking, Obi-Wan was still grateful for his friend’s presence. “I think we have a small room near the medical bay that we can use for you,” she added and glanced at Obi-Wan. “Would you mind getting her there?”

He didn’t think, just nodded. With a second thought, he didn’t really want to, he didn’t want to talk with her right now. He was just so tired and there was much to do but he knew it was right. Walking over, he helped Padme up and walked her out of the door. He led her through the halls towards the medical bay, appreciative for the silence.

He didn’t need an argument right now.

As they got to the small room, he unlocked and opened the door. “I will have some of my handmaidens come and bring things from the ship,” she whispered.

He hadn’t realized that she had brought anyone. Oh, he hoped she hadn’t brought Jar Jar. He didn’t mind the Gungan, almost liked him really, but he had a tendency to get into trouble and that was the last thing they needed.

He was about to leave when she pulled him back to look at her. “There is good in Anakin, Obi-Wan,” she announced, although her voice stayed rather quiet, just firm. “You must see it. And I will prove it to you,” her tone reflected her eyes, something fiery and passionate.

This was always going to be a tragedy, he realized suddenly.

There was very little he could say to that. He didn’t believe her but then again, he was trying hard not to think of Anakin right now. His thoughts were dominated with the survival of his people, both jedi and clone.

He had to put them first.

“Okay,” he croaked.

And then whisked himself away as quickly as he could without making it seem like he was literally running from her.

He was entirely exhausted.

The talk with Padme had last longer than he had anticipated and honestly, all he wanted was to sleep. Could he though? How much was there left to do? Then again, at this point, he wasn’t sure if there was anything specifically, he could do, aside from perhaps trying to research? Maybe?

His brain just felt full. He wasn’t entirely sure if he would be of any help.

“There you are sir,” the familiar voice and tonal individuality of Boil registered to Obi-Wan’s ears nearly a beat too late. He turned to see the clone walking up to him, a small youngling on arm.

Waxer was the one who was outspoken about loving little ones but anyone who knew anything about Boil knew he loved being around them just as much.

The thought made Obi-Wan smile and his chest warm.

Presence of people that he cared about, that perhaps cared about him, ones that he didn’t constantly have to fight tooth and nail with, were something of a relief. Just a presence to fall into that wasn’t consistently looking for lies or secrets or to tear his head off.

“How are you, Boil?” he asked, trying for a smile.

It must not have worked very well because the clone gave him an odd glance but, in the end, he just shrugged. “I’m alright, just taking this young’in to the modified creche,” he explained, gesturing to the young jedi child on his hip. “He accidently got lost and I’m bringing him back before my allotted hours of sleep.”

“Allotted hours?”

How late was it?

“Sir, it’s quite late,” Boil pointed out, answering his unasked question for him, and gesturing lightly for the general to follow. He did so without pause or thought. It was interesting, he believed, how easily and unthinkingly he would follow them. Perhaps it was foolishness but perhaps it was just trust and faith. He was in a rather short supply of that these past few days. “The daytime officers and workers are getting ready for sleep. The Jedi are hunkering down in the creche places and barracks along with the children and troopers. I never realized how cuddly Jedi could be when they sleep together,” he added with a bit of a half laugh.

The child laughed alongside with him, although a bit louder and fuller.

“We slept in piles a lot,” Obi-Wan replied.

“We like to do that too,” Boil shrugged to keep a hold on the little one hanging from him. “It’s good that your sleeping arrangements are around the men, it’s good for morale, especially at a time like this. Everyone is a little freaked out, I think it helps there is someone they can trust around during those times.”

Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes. Who taught Boil manipulation tactics?

He paused, nearly tripping at the realization.

Oh right. Hedid.

Accidently, of course. It wasn’t like Obi-Wan was giving lectures or classes on how to manipulate or negotiate yourself out of situations. But still, his behavior would be seeming to be biting him in the butt now, as his troopers were now using it against him.

Part of him almost felt impressed.

“Right,” Obi-Wan muttered.

The child hanging off of Boil, giggled knowingly. As the two of them dropped the child off at one of the places set aside for the children, Boil offered to escort him to the barracks for sleep. Obi-Wan tried to back out of it but Boil was rather adamant and then….

And then Rex showed up.

And Obi-Wan knew he was completely was doomed.

He couldn’t say no to Rex right now, not with what his troops had gone through.

“Hello, general,” Rex greeted with a bit of a wavering smile. He was trying hard. Obi-Wan suspected he had spent most of his day with the survivors of the 501st. He knew it wasn’t pretty and they were trying very hard to make sense of what had happened to them. “People have been wondering where you have been.”

“Is that so?” Obi-Wan hummed in response.

“Yes, the 501stsurvivors have been curious to know if you are coming back tonight,” he added in, thinking himself rather sly. Survivors; wasn’t that what they all were now. Survivors of a genocide, survivors of brainwashed slavery, survivors of being unmade into a vacant body.

“As a matter of fact, Boil was just escorting me to the barracks,” Obi-Wan shot back. He kept falling into this trap, he knew it. But at least this time he would not be caught floundering like the day before. “It has been quite the day, full of… colorful conversations.”

“Oh? Who did you talk to?”

“I had to have to talk about Senator Amidala and her pregnancy.”

Obi-Wan could practically just feel Rex’s stomach drop. “You…you know about that sir?”

“I probably knew about it before you did,” he muttered under his breath. As if Anakin could keep a secret like that from him, as if Padme could. Any Jedi that came across her would have known; would have sensed her pregnancy. He, of course, was the one who knew it was Anakin’s child because honestly, who’s else could it have been. But louder, instead he tried, “Yes. I’ve known about Anakin and Padme for quite some time. It is not difficult to sense her pregnancy. I do not know why Anakin thought he was being subtle or discreet. And you, captain, well, I think you could work on your acting skills a little.”

The captain just blushed hard. “My apologies sir.”

“No worries. It hardly matters,” Obi-Wan shrugged. “But talking with her, about what we had to, was rather exhausting and I will, quite frankly, be a bit glad to get some rest before the next day comes about. Because soon, we will be at Kamino and a whole new situation will arise.”

“We don’t know how much time it will be before the Empire comes after us,” Boil realized with a deep frown.

“So, we should get as much rest as we can until then,” Obi-Wan nodded at the two of them as they neared the barracks. “Because who knows how much real rest we will get once the new conflicts arise.”

***

It was the middle of the night when he had heard it.

Obi-Wan had been stuck in the near middle of a pile once again, surrounded on all sides by mostly clone troopers, the main force being the de-chipped 212th and the 501st survivors, with a few others they had rescued within the Temple before and during the siege. He could make out Inkspot somewhere, leaning against Trapper and Gearshift.

Many of the survivors, mostly those of the 501st specifically, had horrible nightmares, even so soon after the events. He couldn’t blame them; it was a horrible ordeal they had gone through. He tried to shield them the best he could, to help them sleep with less nightmares. He did his best. He didn’t dare take a look into what they contained, he feared they would just feed into his own.

For some reason or another, the scratching woke him up.

Shifting his body up carefully so he wouldn’t awake the troopers surrounding him, he glanced around at the barracks for the sound. No way he was just hearing it in his mind.

There. Some movement in the corner.

Carefully he cleared himself of snuggling troopers and got up.

Obi-Wan moved through the bodies, making his way to the edge of the pile of clone troopers until he found one of the 501st in the corner, frantically trying to scrub his armor. Not just his armor, the jedi realized, but the blue paint off of it. And there was quite a bit of it.

The trooper nearly jumped feet in the air when he realized Obi-Wan had sat next to him, his eyes wide in fear and panic.

“At ease,” he assured quietly but it did very little to ease the trooper’s anxiety. Obi-Wan reached out into the Force towards his presence.

Calmpeacesafe

It helped more than words had.

“Are you alright, Graffiti?”

The trooper looked at him, a little surprised. “You…know who I am? Y-You remember?”

Obi-Wan nodded. “Yes. Would you like to tell me what is going on?” he asked gently.

The trooper swallowed, staring down at his armor before tearing his eyes away. He couldn’t seem to keep his eyes on it for more than a moment.

“Everyone has nightmares, it is nothing to be ashamed of.”

“I do, sometimes,” Graffiti admitted, hesitant with his voice choked on tears. “It’s not even the fighting or the war or anything. I just see blank faces, marching blue, so much blue. People…people always think when terrible things happen, when blood is shed, everything is in a haze of red because blood is red. But for me…for me it was a haze of blue. Not just any blue. The 501st blue. It’s…its supposed to be something proud of, a color we should be proud of.”

Obi-Wan just waited patiently.

“I woke up shaking this morning,” he continued, his voice quivering with tears already accumulating in his eyes as he shoved the piece of armor that was in his arms away. “It was so bad I couldn’t even put my armor on. One of my brothers had to do it for me. But even then, I…. I felt so awful. I kept making excuses to go to the head and then my brothers kept making excuses for me, just in case.”

“You do not have to wear it if you do not wish to,” Obi-Wan replied gently. “Things, I imagine, are going to be different now.”

“It’s…it’s not the armor itself,” he confessed, staring down at the piece that he was holding. “I don’t think it is the armor. It’s…it’s the color,” he looked confused when he glanced at the jedi, as if he wasn’t entirely sure why he was saying this or even the reasoning behind it. “Every time I see it, I keep getting sick. I keep remembering when we were marching towards the Temple, all the blue of the amor, creating a sea of soldiers, all in time and not even…not even hesitating on what we were going to do.”

“You couldn’t move.”

“I couldn’t even think until afterwards,” Graffiti admitted the quiver in his voice growing. “I just wanted to scream. Even after we got into the Temple, I remember everything but…it’s all in this horrible blue haze that I choke on. Something I was once proud to bear, a color that I was proud of, was twisted into something horrible and evil. I know it doesn’t make any sense but…”

“Sometimes things like this don’t make sense to others or even ourselves,” Obi-Wan’s voice was quiet and calm as he looked over at the trooper. The latter had a difficult time meeting his gaze, but he finally had, tears welled up in his eyes, certainly obscuring his vision.

“I think I would rather have no paint, just be a blank set of armor like a no-name shiny again before I wear something that has been so twisted,” he whispered, running a hand along his helmet, half scrubbed of blue paint. “And isn’t that awful? I was brainwashed into being no one and now, I want to go back to being a no one again, just…slightly different type of no one.”

The jedi’s heart shuttered in his chest.

“Would you mind waiting here for a moment?” he asked, placing a hand gently on the soldier’s shoulder. “I will be right back. I think…I think I have something.”

Graffiti looked quite confused but nodded.

Obi-Wan stood up and made his way through the maze of people, towards the door. As he got to the halls, his pace quickened. There weren’t particularly many people around, but a few had caught him gliding through the halls quickly, often giving him looks that made him want to shrink back into the pile in the barracks.

Some did not seem happy to see him out and about.

He got to a storage room and opened the door. Upon finding what he was looking for, he grabbed it and hurried back. Obi-Wan came back, worked his way through the maze of sleeping men again, and set down a large can on the ground as quietly as he could. The trooper just stared at it, wide-eyed, a bit confused and certainly a lot speechless.

“It’s yours, if you want it.”

Graffiti took a moment to realize what it was. At first, he didn’t look entirely sure, like it might be a trap, but it took only a minute before he burst into a quiet sob, covering his face with his hands.

“It may not stop the nightmares,” Obi-Wan explained quietly. “But know that you will always have a place with us.”

Eventually, when he got a little more control of himself, Obi-Wan could make out a nod from him.

“I think I might need something new,” Graffiti rasped out, just barely.

“Perhaps you should make a visit to one of the creche groups,” Obi-Wan offered, shooting him a quick, warm, glance. “They are full of ideas. And they would love to see you.”

Graffiti met his gaze, his eyebrows scrunched together. He didn’t verbally reply but the jedi master had a feeling he would anyways.

Obi-Wan spent the rest of the night with him, quietly scrubbing off the blue paint and replacing it with shimmering gold.

[kazhan]

The Mandalorian s2 finale.

It’s time to rant about The Mandalorian.

I’m seeing a lot of people upset over The Mandalorian season 2 ending and calling it awful and I honestly think half of you guys suffer from a case of Jedi Order Hate and Drawing Hasty Conclusions.

Disclaimer: Although I loved seeing Luke in live action again and them getting it right after the mess that were the sequels, I didn’t want him to be the Jedi Grogu called. Now, this is what we got and even if I wish we’d had someone else, I still enjoyed the episode. Also I don’t want to say I hate the idea of Luke being included until I see what they do next. 

Luke stole Grogu from Din!!!!

Okay so there’s a lot to unpack here.

First of all, we’ve known since the season 1 finale that Din’s goal this season was to find Grogu’s people so he could return him to his kind. Yes, we all grew attached to the little womp rat which means none of us wanted to see him go, but it’s literally the plot: find the Jedi, give them Grogu. We all entered the season knowing it was a possibility.

Now, we’ve seen Din grow attached to Grogu, going as far as removing his helmet in front of people and breaking his code for him. We’ve seen him act as a father to Grogu and that relationship is what makes The Mandalorian so great, I think everyone agrees on this. 

Because of that, I’ve seen people say things like “what was the point of showing us that relationship if they’re going to destroy it in the finale?” and I think they completely missed the point.

They didn’t destroy their bond. They showed us how strong it is, because no matter how much Din loves Grogu, he didn’t make the selfish choice of asking him to stay. He let him go. This is another proof of how good and kind and selfless Din is. This kid became everything to him and yet, he was able to let him go, out of love for him. This is what Anakin couldn’t do, what led him to the darkside. But here’s Din Djarin, Mandalorian bounty hunter, showing us a true act of love by saying goodbye to Grogu because he’s convinced that’s what’s best for him.

Now, to the people saying that Grogu didn’t even want to go with Luke, you are so mistaken.

Ahsoka told Din in episode 5 that the choice was Grogu’s to make. Grogu made his choice on Tython when he reached out to Luke and clearly asked him to come find him. Luke wouldn’t have shown up if Grogu hadn’t told him to.

Grogu clearly made that choice again when he reacted to Luke boarding Gideon’s cruiser, when he reached out to him through the video surveillance feed, when he asked Din to get to Luke, when he asked Din his permission and finally, when he asked Luke to pick him up.

Grogu has chosen the Jedi path, again and again and again. Now, I understand being sad over this choice because it means he won’t be with Din anymore but don’t go calling Luke an asshole and a baby snatcher when it’s clear that this was Grogu’s choice.

We didn’t see or hear what Luke and Grogu “talked about” on Tython, but when Luke shows up, he already knows Grogu wants to go with him. He isn’t here to steal a kid from anyone, he’s here to train a child who asked him to. And yet, he knows Grogu needs Din’s permission to leave him and he lets them have that talk, he doesn’t intervene. Did you guys notice how Luke only picks up Grogu when he asks him to? An evil baby snatcher would have grabbed him the second Din let him go, but Luke still gave him the time to change his mind if he wanted to. 

So, no, Luke didn’t steal Grogu from Din.

Now, to the people disappointed by Grogu’s choice.

Grogu is a Temple baby. He is 50, which means he’s spent around 20 years growing up around Jedi. They were his family and he lost them all during the rise of the Empire. Do you guys imagine how traumatizing Order 66 must have been for a Force sensitive baby? Most Jedi felt their own being decimated across the galaxy and Grogu was right here at the Temple where everyone was massacred. He lost everyone he knew. We’re not sure exactly what happened to him right after Order 66 other that a Jedi saved him and hid him, but I think it’s fair to assume his life was nothing but running away from the Empire afterwards, then being captured by pirates and finally, saved by Din. We don’t know how long he stayed with Din. Weeks? Months? I’m not trying to diminish their bond here because it’s clear that they love each other, but the Jedi are Grogu’s family too. 

Can we blame him for choosing the Jedi path when he’s one of the last of his kind, already has had training and desperately needs someone to teach him how to master his abilities? 

And he wanted Din’s permission. Which means that if Din had said no, he would have stayed with him. And Luke would have respected that choice, none of you can tell me otherwise. 

So, saying that Luke and the Jedi are baby thieves is completely discarding Grogu’s choice, Din’s sacrifice and the good man Luke is. Which is, you know. Not cool. At all.

We won’t be seeing Din anymore!!! Boba is going to replace him!!!

Okay so, about Din. Guys. Bo-Katan asked him to join her to retake Mandalore once he’s done with his other duties (aka Grogu) and he said he would. 

“If you should manage to finish your quest, I would have you reconsider joining our efforts.”

[...]

“Fair enough.”

He took the Darksaber back from Moff Gideon, which gives him the right to claim the Mandalorian throne. We are not done with Din Djarin. 

Plus, he promised Grogu they’d see each other again and I’m pretty sure he meant that, but also that it was some kind of promise made to the audience as well. So we’re probably not done with Grogu either. 

Now, about Boba. I might be completely wrong here, but I’m guessing The Book of Boba Fett is a spin-off series, not season 3. Boba doesn’t consider himself Mandalorian (and I could write essays about how sad this is) so I really don’t think he’s going to become the new main character of a show named The Mandalorian. That’s Din, since the beginning, and I can totally see them expanding on the universe with all the characters they introduced, but Din will probably always be at the heart of the show. If it’s not a spin-off, then maybe we’ll get a few episodes focused on Boba before coming back to Din. I don’t know! But Boba is not here to replace Din.

Now, maybe I’ll come back to this post in december 2021 and realize how much of a fool I was, but in the meantime: I don’t know what they’re going to do, so I’m not going to scream about how bad the show was, how they ruined Din Djarin and are getting rid of the character. 

Conclusion

People being upset because watching Din say goodbye to his kid was heartbreaking are 100% valid because that was the point. The audience is supposed to feel how hard it was for Din, but we’re also supposed to understand it was necessary and how beautiful being able to let someone you love go for their own good is. 

People calling Luke a baby snatcher are definitely not valid and should stop hating on the Jedi. 

People saying Din is being replaced and hating on the show because of it… take a chill pill, wait until next year, we’ll see how it goes.

[fanfoolishness]

Liveblog time!

Live-blogging for The Mandalorian 2x05, The Jedi, beginning now!

Almost forgot! This was my first piece of Mandalorian fanart, I think!

Calodan on Corvus is possibly my favorite planet after Sorgan. I love the misty color palette so much.

Also heeeey I’ve now seen nearly 3 seasons of The Clone Wars so Ahsoka will not be nearly so much a stranger this time around!

Calodan gives me such an Avatar-city under siege from the Fire Nation vibe, except Ahsoka’s the whole-ass Fire Nation and she’s here to save the day.

Why does the Magistrate have the beskar spear, anyway? And I wonder if it has any electronics in it the way everything else beskar we’ve seen has. I would guess not, but it would be kind of cool if it did, maybe something that actively keeps the spear well-balanced.

Look, evil lady, killing people doesn’t put the blame on Ahsoka. It just ain’t how it works. But bad guys always think that’s somehow an argument?

I wonder if the men of Star Wars are sad. Their hair is never very exciting but the women go all out.

So Din’s slightly testy with Grogu about getting back in his seat. Because... he’s fully expecting to go down to that planet and come back up again without the kid. I’d be testy too. ;_;

Oh God Grogu is even cuter than I remembered somehow. Like weeks and weeks of nothing but Mandalorian and every time I watch him he’s still just marvelous.

Love that shot of him focusing on the control knob with the pretty lights behind it. It really makes it seem magical, which to Grogu’s mind, it is

Love these weird giant creatures in the back, apparently just massacring these trees. CRONCH

I wonder how far they walked into town. I just love finding every little scrap of time between cuts that you could stuff a fic into.

I bet Grogu loves the smells of the marketplace, but can pick up on the tense atmosphere and doesn’t like it. He likes the kids, though.

I really enjoy the lighting of this episode because 1) we get to see those little lights on Din’s gauntlet easily and 2) it drives home the fact that not every world is going to have the same spectrum of light as our yellow sun. Reminds me of when I got to see the total solar eclipse in 2017. The sky seemed like daylight, but wasn’t. It was utterly unlike our world and I still get chills EVERY. TIME. I think about it.

I like her stupid guard droid. Cool color scheme.

God I wish I had a little water garden all my own.

Love the sound beskar on beskar makes.

Grogu: “Dad, this guy sucks. I can tell.”

UGH love those misty hills!!!!! So fucking pretty!

I love these trees so much. They remind me of buckberry.

Ahsoka: BABY???

Ugh the misty background is so gorgeous at night too!

Poor Din. He is so worried. Look at all this pacing when this is normally such a man of stillness and restraint.

Din: *pacing around anxiously* *kicks a cool rock* “I wonder if the kid would like this rock? MAYBE I SHOULD GO INTERRUPT THEM AND ASK oh never mind.” *back to pacing*

That smile that Ahsoka gives Grogu after she looks at Din — it’s so clear how many nice things he’s telling her about Din <3

Din is so worried. What’s she going to say? Is he doing this right? He doesn’t want to mess things up for the kid —

Can you just imagine everything in Din’s head right now? Relief at knowing the kid HAS a name, that Ahsoka can talk to him? Guilt at not somehow knowing the name before this? His heart going out to the kid, thinking of his home being taken away from him, thinking of him being in danger many times before Din could meet him or help him? Thinking this is time to say goodbye...

Awww thinking of Grogu curled up in Din’s cloak on the mossy ground while they sleep

Din is so worried Grogu won’t pass his test ;_;

Din is worried *he* won’t pass the test XD

So cute how Din kneels down to his level to encourage him to take the ball :)

Din is SO EXCITED

I love how when *Grogu* calls the ball to his hand, the musical cue plays *Din’s* motif with the recorder — a sign of their connection <3 <3 <3

Mando music is playing in the background. Grogu is NOT going to grow up to be a Jedi! I’ve said it before and I’ve said it again, the title of the show might refer to Grogu :)

Ahsoka: giggling at “laser swords”

Aww man, these trees aren’t this way because of the giant animals? The Magistrate did this? Goddammit. I was hoping it was just like, a life cycle of the planet.

I like that even though Ahsoka is grownup and serious you can still see all those little smirks <3 Love that Snips!

CAN’T BELIEVE DIN TRUSTED HER WITH THE MUDHORN PAULDRON

Hey! Din learned how to drop-kick someone with the Rising Phoenix!!! Good job Din! Learning from Koska, I see. (Not as graceful as her, though.)

Huh, he still has durasteel or something on his shoulder, from under the beskar. I don’t know WHY THEY WON’T PUT OUT AN OFFICIAL DRAWING OF HOW ALL THE ARMOR FITS TOGETHER.

Look dude, don’t even mess with Din Djarin, all right? And none of this “we’re a lot alike” bullshit. But I did appreciate this guy’s attempt to “I don’t even care, bro” as foolish at it was.

WHERE IS THRAWN AWWWWWW FUCKING YEAAAAAH I still only know him from the Zahn trilogy but I’m so excited they repurposed such an awesome character.

“Wait here, I’ll... go get him.”

Din rocking him gently in the hammock back and forth ;___;

... how... long did they stay there just... cuddling... I fucking CAN’T

Ahsoka: “...it’s been like four hours. I’d better go look for them. Either Mando’s not giving the kid up or the kid doesn’t want to go. Shoulda seen that coming...”

I totally got this wrong in one of my fics. I wrote Din flying the Razor Crest back to the town. I’d forgotten HE SITS THERE SO LONG WITH THE KID AHSOKA HAS TO GO AND FIND THEM when Din was the one who claimed “I’ll go get him, wait here.” OMG DIN. JUST ADMIT YOU WANT TO PARENT THIS CHILD FOREVER.

The concept art of Din and Grogu striding off into the sunset together? My HEART

Man. I’m enjoying the Clone Wars, but I’m just so sad at all the badness that’s going to happen to everybody in them ;_; And thinking of how many things Ahsoka has gone through by this point is just... the Star Wars galaxy just hates people not being traumatized, doesn’t it?

Do I have the strength to get through The Tragedy tonight??? I mean, there’s Boba Fett and Fennec Shand being badass, and the best opening of any media, ever, but then there is PAIN and CRUELTY and it ISN’T FAIR.