#and yeah - it feels so different from sw’s usual vibe but it’s so true to the universe

[oreolesbian]

[radiosummons]

I don't think Obi-Wan would ever have become a Sith. Literally, one of the biggest points about him as a character is that despite all the bullshit and absolute insanity he goes through, he never gives in to the Dark Side.

BUT--

A part of me can't help but wonder what would have happened if Obi-Wan--for whatever absolutely character breaking reason--took Dooku up on his offer and joined the Sith/Separatist, how differently things would have gone down in the Clone Wars.

Because from where I'm standing, we all already know that Obi-Wan's biggest things is never half-assing literally anything he does. He always puts himself into any task he's given. He's just incapable of not seeing things to their absolute finish and then some.

I've read a few Sith!Obi-Wan AU fics and fan comics with this exact premise and I do find it fascinating how people have gone about exploring this sort of concept. There are, of course, quite a number of powerhouse Sith!Obi-Wan AUs where he just straight decimates the GAR and the Republic (usually with the intent of killing Darth Sidious in the end). But I'm also fascinated by the handful of stories I've seen where Obi-Wan doesn't necessarily become an actual Sith, but joins Dooku (whether as a voluntary double agent or due to time-travel shenanigans) in order to 1) Find out who the true Sith Lord is and take them down and/or 2) To attempt stymieing the overall devastation the war has on the entire galaxy.

So as OOC as Sith!Obi-Wan feels to me, I can't help but share the fascination that others do with the endless "What ifs?" scenarios that can spring to mind with an AU like this.

Especially, when you start thinking about the potential ways Darth Sidious would react to having a hypercompetent Force User and experienced military general "on his side."

Yeah, Sheev was hyperfocused on Anakin for reasons. But I can't help but sorta vibe with some of Sith!Obi-Wan AUs I've seen where Mister Sidious either 1) Realizes what an actual threat Obi-Wan is to his ultimate goal of becoming Emperor of the entire galaxy, and tries to get Dooku to get rid of him as result (similar to what he ordered Dooku to do with Asajj) or 2) Realizes that while Anakin is an absolute powerhouse in the force, Obi-Wan is sort of next level due to not having the copious, never ending layers of unstable emotional drama that Anakin is.

(Of course, being emotionally unstable is sort of the prime requirement for any powerful Dark Sider, but I raise you this--the amount of traumatic bullshit Obi-Wan has gone through is just about as insane, if not a little more, than Anakin. It would just take someone immorally depraved enough, like Mister Sidious, to really torture and drag all that trauma out of Obi-Wan to the point that he'd use said trauma to fuel his Sith abilities. Again, I don't think Obi-Wan would ever give in to the Dark Side even if Sheev was his main tormentor, but we're playing around in the Sith!Obi-Wan AU right now. After all, "The Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural").

I do feel obligated to sort of mention that sheer amount of angst that naturally comes with this sort of AU, but I don't feel the actual need to go super in depth with it. Just because, well, Obi-Wan in his natural canon state is already a bottomless well of angst and sadness pfffttt

Making him a Sith doesn't really change much in that regard for me, other than for other artists and fic writers to explore the darker elements of SW. Mainly, the horrific and outright torture that comes with being trained as a Sith and, you know, the atrocities of a galaxy wide war (just typically in more graphic detail and from a far more bleak perspective).

Tldr: I don't have an issue with Sith!Obi-Wan despite how horribly OOC it feels to me. I am absolutely and utterly impressed with the writers and artists who have fleshed out this AU in the detail and depths that they have. Y'all are so much stronger than me and I am grateful to everyone who was able to answer some of the questions bouncing around in my head through their art.

*fic recs underneath*

Yeah, I went on a Sith!Obi-Wan/Separatist AU spree a while back just out of curiousity and these are what I personally consider to be some of best (or at the very least, the ones I enjoyed most). Keep in mind, these fics range everywhere from Gen to Explicit/Mature and some do pertain to particular ships. That being said, I find the way these authors go about tackling Dark Sider/Sith/Separatist Obi-Wan to be pretty compelling. So approach these fics with all of that in mind, but do give extra kudos and comments to these writers. They did all the heavy lifting here, and they deserve all the attention and praise they're owed. So in no particular order, here are the fics I'd recommend for this particular AU:

Rank, Designation, Unit Name by soft_but_gremlin

You Shall Become (Me) by jedipati

Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ambassador of Mandalore series by alexjana91

I Got My Head Checked by frostbitebakery

What came after by galateaGalvanized

Name of the Game by esama

Certain Point by esama

Cuy'kaysh Dar by mneiai

Feel free to add your own personal recommendations in the tags, if you'd like. I know there's so much more of this AU out there, but I am in no way an expert. So I leave the additional fic recs in your hands.

[oadara]

I am totally conviced that Reylo is going to be canon. But I think is going to be bitter sweet. They play all over again Padme and Anakin, but it would be really boring and unsatisfactory for Reylo to have same fate aka dying. I think their ending is going to be some sort of starcrossed lovers mainly bc of Kylo' sins.

Hey anon,

I’ve been debating how much Reylo to post about on my blog because from what I’ve seen, it’s an extremely contentious thing in the SW fandom. But, I can’t help myself. 

My answer turned out to be ridiculously long because I needed to work things out in my head. I’m sorry, you don’t have to read it all. Long ass answer after the jump.

I didn’t pick up on the Reylo vibes after TFA, however, after the trailer for TLJ, I totally got the vibes. I thought, they telegraphed it pretty clearly and after watching the movie it’s clear this connection between them is an important aspect of the story.

Before addressing your question, I do want to note that my knowledge of the franchise is very limited and although I’ve been reading more about it, I still need to study.

Okay, now onto your question/comment. From what I understand of Star Wars, it’s story structure is geared towards a Fairy Tale/Opera in Space side of the spectrum and its characters follow very standard archetypes. At least until this past film, where I think the writer/director was trying to deconstruct the archetypes the series had followed in the past.

When we are introduced to Kylo Ren we are lead to believe he’s our standard villain, his grandfather’s grandson, if you will. However, even in the first film of this trilogy, there is some complexity to this particular villain, he’s not mustache twirling, there is some inner conflict going on. There is doubt in him, although, he continues to push through it in his pursuit to emulate his grandfather.

By the second film, we see that his struggle is more complex and that there might still be a path to redemption for him. However, as you note he has committed unspeakable atrocities, including patricide. I do think that to an extent Ben Solo was brainwashed by Snoke, especially if Snoke began his brainwashing while Ben was still a boy. But, Ben clearly knows the difference between right and wrong, he’s not oblivious to it, so there is a personal responsibility he needs to own up to and a recognition of the magnitude of his actions.

So, the first question is, can Kylo/Ben be redeemed? I think the answer is yes. There is still enough left of Ben Solo for a redemption to take place. Now, the second question and more important question is, have his actions been so egregious that he’s not “eligible” for a “happy ending”? And this is where the crux of the problem is for a Rely ending because if we’re being honest the answer to this question is probably also yes.

Having said that, it doesn’t mean that he automatically has to die in order to complete his redemption arc, because that would be repetitive and because his villainy is not at the same level as that of his grandfather. Up until halfway through TLJ he served Snoke, so he was following someone else’s orders. But again, he has enough autonomy that he is culpable for a lot of his actions.

I think that Kylo/Ben’s actions from the time Snoke dies until probably halfway through the next film will tell us what his punishment will be and what course his redemption arc will take. His actions are now wholly his own, the emotional and mental abuse Snoke and his family perpetuated on him aside, he’s now the master of his actions for better or worse. So, if he acts straight up villainously throughout the next film before seeing the light, he’ll have a sad and tragic redemption. Whatever that entails. On the other hand, if he becomes grayer (which he isn’t at this point) after the events of TLJ and until his redemption, his end will still be sad but less tragic. Perhaps some type of penance or purgatory, some halfway point.  

As for the chances of Rey and Ben being together at the end of the trilogy, is difficult to say. Based on what I noted above, it’s hard to see them get a “happily-ever-after” sort of ending. I think that’s unrealistic. But, and there is always a but, the outcome of their relationship will depend on Rey’s actions as much as Kylo/Ben’s.

What do I mean by Rey’s actions? Let’s use a real-world example here. If we look at any war throughout our history, even when the winner was on the right side, their actions in order to win the war are not always “good”. I use the word good in the sense of being judged by a moral standard. When at war many things that would be considered wrong, are excused, all’s fair in love and war, type thing. Even when a war might be considered just what it takes to win that war might not be considered moral or good under any other circumstance.

War creates this grey area in our society. If we look at Kylo/Ben he’s not in that grey area, yet. His actions have benefited no one but those in power and those who want power. If we look at Rey she isn’t in that grey area either, up to this point she’s been working for the betterment of others.  But, if Kylo/Ben is making his way to the grey area if he chooses the light and to help the greater good, can an act of desperation in order to defeat a brutal enemy bring Rey to the grey area as well? Not because she’s tempted by darkness but in order to end a darkness she might be forced to commit an act that would not be considered moral outside of war.  This, of course, wouldn’t make her bad, most would consider her a hero, but she might not feel like she’s quite good anymore.  I’m thinking in the vein of Joseph Oppenheimer.

When Rey and Kylo/Ben touched and had their visions, I think Rey’s vision came true but I think Kylo/Ben’s has yet to come true. He misinterpreted when it would happen, he thought Rey would choose his side after he killed Snoke, but I think it’ll happen at the climax of the next movie. When Rey sees that he has been redeemed but others will not believe it because of his past sins.

So perhaps they could end up together meeting halfway in that grey area. After all, I don’t think that we are supposed to look at Rey in the same vein of the archetypical hero that Luke was. I think her hero’s journey has been complicated and effectively changed by her force bond with Ben.

In Star Wars the dichotomy of good and evil has been well defined throughout the franchise. But as I said earlier, I think TLJ tried to deconstruct the idea that people are either straight up good or straight up evil (at least when it comes to our heroes and villains). A big hint of this is the scene between Finn and DJ. In the scene, DJ shows Finn the records kept by the owner of the ship he stole. The owner was an arms dealer and he sold ships to both the FO and the Rebels. The rebels being the good guys probably wouldn’t buy ships from arms dealers during normal circumstances, however, desperate times call for desperate measures. (There is also the additional layer of war profiteering as another villain to peace, but that’s a story for another day.)

So, if this scene was meant to foreshadow more than just a brief commentary, I can see a scenario where at the end of this trilogy we won’t see the jubilant celebration of Return of the Jedi but a more nuanced look at the cost of war. The toll it takes on those who fight a war even when you are on the right side of history.  

However, having said that I think an ending where Ben and Rey meet in the grey area might be a little too dark for Disney. Usually, they want their heroes to be happy and get their just reward in the end. So yeah, their ending will probably be more of star-crossed lovers ending. 

Again, sorry this turned out to be so ridiculously long.

TTFN

[militant-holy-knight]

Alleged Lucasfilm Insider Spills the Beans

On May 26, 2018, on the /tv/ board on 4chan an user titled Lfl did an AMA session with the users. Given that the source was anonymous and his refusal to prove his credentials, we should take his information it with a grain of salt. Though I felt like resposting most of what he revealed. I know I am posting this with the good chance that OP was just roleplaying, but time will tell whether any of this is real or not.

>any talk of firing kathleen? She’s certainly not in good standing after the Last Jedi debacle. Absolutely hated in my department and by a lot of others I know of.

>Let me guess this is a thread where you pretend Lucasfilm is in shambles because a single movie is underperforming. Far from it, actually, but we’ve seen better days. TFA killed a lot of the creative/“anything goes” vibe we had, as evidenced by the “Art Of” book. Seriously, take a look at how cool some of the concept art we had that was thrown out for a safer approach. However, R1 was a blast to work on and felt like the old days. TLJ and Solo were very awkward to work around. A lot of wasted potential with Solo and a lot of in-fighting with both productions.

>tell me about Indiana Jones, news on the 5th film, are more films in the future? It’s in development hell. 2019 is a lucky shot in the dark. Overall, I don’t know much beyond the fact that it’s barely been moving along.

>Do you wish Kevin Feige was in charge? Are toy companies pissed off because of the lame characters and designs? Possibly. There are a number of people I’d rather have in charge of the writing, mostly some of the creative veterans like Filoni or Leeland. The general idea around here is that a “hands off” producer who could also keep things under control would work best. Hasbro is actually pissed off at the way information is handled and the focus on “earth tones” and less interesting visuals in both background aliens and main characters. Going forward there will be a push for more “toyetic” and PT-esque designs. I’ve seen some interesting IX designs, especially Kylo/Rey, who both have “battle armor” on. Kylo has some sort of red crystals on his. Not sure if Kyber or whatever.

>Is the next anthology really Obi-Wan? Any plans for Maul in other anthologies? Yeah, Obi-Wan is the next anthology. Bit of a poorly kept secret at this point, but the announcement should happen within the next 3-4 months. I’ve seen some concept art and it’s honestly breathtaking. I have a great feeling about the film as long as it isn’t stiffled creatively. Don’t believe any bullshit about Thrawn being in it. As far as I know, he’s not. Next movie is up in the air, but talks are revolving mostly around a Boba Fett/Bounty Hunters movie. After that a Solo sequel is planned depending on how well this movie does. That’s where Maul should be making his next appearance. If Solo bombs then he’ll appear in the Fett movie. Considering the Mandolorian connection between them, it’s not a bad idea in my opinion.

>When’s Kuntleen getting the boot? How exactly are you going to right the ship for Episode IX? How much internal division is there at Disney/LFL about the direction the franchise is taking? Kathleen isn’t going anywhere until post IX. If that and Solo underperform then she’ll probably be chained to a smaller project that no one cares about, (ala FOD) and given creative control to herself. 9 is going to be very different. Timeskip, more “toyetic” designs. Personally, I think the damage is done at this point. A lot of higher-ups were gunning for JJ to do all 3 movies and are losing their minds at the idea of SW becoming unprofitable. By the way, Johnson’s trilogy will most likely not happen. Overall there is a very tense atmosphere in the upper-class of the company. Very competitive overall. Lower on the ranks, everyone seems a little bit more disgruntled than usual and a lot of the “magic” is gone. A lot of people are just happy to be paid.

>Is there any truth to the rumor that they are abandoning the trilogy structure for a continuous MCU style? That’s bullshit. Trilogies will always remain. Now, the anthology movies are a different case. Those will be handled more MCU-like.

>Anon you’re exposing yourself as a fake too easily here. Nobody shills on 4chan. It wasn’t JUST on 4chan obviously, but on the internet as a whole. Journalism sites, fan sites, ect. I think the lesson Disney learned is that shilling for a SW movie is pointless when the fans are so opinionated.

>How did they try to defend it? Rian Johnson was being toted around as a “true fan of both the OT/PT” here and that was the narrative/marketing strategy for awhile. Backfired when the movie actually came out and marketing had no idea how to handle it, so damage-control mode was engaged.

>Tell me the truth, how much posting on the Star Wars reddit is paid for? I go there for a good laugh every now and then, it’s the only community I’ve seen where people are so determined to be positive about TLJ that they will include stuff like “TLJ was my fav SW movie btw” at the end of completely unrelated posts. Reddit is a huge center of the marketing campaigns, especially since the site is such a hivemind and opinions get parroted once they’re popular enough to stand on their own. /tv/ is very similar, but contrarian, and harder to control. The Force.net is another, albeit smaller, center for damage control.

>what’s Rian like? Weirdo. Easily one of the weirdest fucking dudes I’ve met, and I only met him twice. Words cannot describe how awkward he is.

>What’s Pablo Hidalgo really like? Awesome irl, but a bit of a dick online. He’s constantly bombarded though. Personally, I think Matt Martin handles fan relations much better and more enthusiastically.

>Why is Disney afraid of using classic aliens? Why are all their alien designs fucking shit and the exact same earthy-brown muppets? Honestly, the art design in the Disney films are fucking boring, uninspired and more Dr. Who rather than Star Wars. Don’t even get me started. The reasoning behind it is despicable too. That brown/earthy skin tone is cheaper to cast for the prop department than recreating the colorful classic puppets/mask. It’s all about cutting corners. The amount of humans in the recent movies is so fucking boring and everyone agrees. Hopefully that’s something fixed with the “toyetic” initiative in future films.

>what is the general opinion of the movies and characters (rey, finn, poe) in the office? Not hated, but the general opinion is that nothing will come close to George’s movies/characters. Gotta admit, it was funny to watch some of the OT purists at LFL start to appriciate the PT when TFA came out. I think those movies will age a lot better now that George is gone. I know a fair amount people who really enjoy the ST characters. Rey is obviously the most popular, but everyone seems disappointed that Finn was sidestepped and turned into a joke in TLJ/TFA.

>Are they really talking about recasting Leia? That seems like such a shitty thing to do. Unfortunately, I can confirm it’s been talked about. No idea who the picks are, but it’s a better option than CGI Leia IMO

>Do you know why Trevorrow was Fired? What happened behind the scenes in rogue one between Edwards and Gilroy? He literally had no idea what to do with IX after Rian’s Rape and flipped out. I don’t blame him, who the fuck even cares about IX in the fanbase now?