#anti evil yoda

[wisegirlandseaweedbrainforever]

Them: why don't we call out x living parent figure for letting our child hero fight a war

Me: how about we just keep our heroic children, and let them keep their loving parents, how about that?

[toskarin]

revealing a bit of lore on that last reblog, I had just paid a bunch of bills, so I had hatred in my heart and had been drinking a bit to relax. I started thinking about yoda being anti war and got so mad that I made an evil yoda AU to slander him

[gffa]

Final verdict on Padawan's Pride? Feel free to spoil as I'm really curious about your thoughts on this!

I braced myself before listening (knowing how much anti jedi stuff bleeds into anything star wars these days...) but I'm about an hour in and surprisingly (tentatively) enjoying it! There have been a few moments that genuinely made me laugh out loud! Like Anakin straight up going "What would *you* know about intimidation?" to poor Obi-Wan sfghdjdkdlkl & Obi-Wan insisting to Yoda that they both deserve to be punished for Anakin sneaking off even after the council basically lets them off the hook and Anakin furiously shaking his head at him to shut!! up!!! & that mini Vader tease when Anakin's getting ready for the race!!

I'm enjoying Obi-Wan's characterization in this a lot so far, and I don't want to punt Anakin off a cliff like I usually do, which is nice.

Obi-Wan still grieving for Qui-Gon and spending his nights staying up to investigate his death got me right in the feels :( Him over thinking every single thing he does with Anakin while Anakin's thinking he's basically emotionless,,, but then when Obi-Wan's trying to awkwardly apologise/connect with him later and being vulnerable, Anakin is completely uncomfortable & internally going OBI-WAN??? HAS?? FEELINGS??? ABORT!! ABORT!!! DO NOT WANT!!!

I can't give a final verdict yet--I got about an hour and a half into it, realized, okay, no, there's just too much I wanted to quote and clip out for liveblogging and Jedi Citations, so I started over and am converting to text as I go, so now I'm back up to about an hour in.

And so far I love this book! Yeah, there's a couple of moments that made me wary, like I didn't know where this was going, but honestly I think the book is doing a really, really good job of presenting the characters as having the space to actually be characters.

What I mean is, for example, Anakin saying that the Jedi Temple is a prison and he hates it--Obi-Wan's response cuts through that, (Oh, well, perhaps we should take a trip to see the younglings with the laser swords, a thing prisons are famous for.) but not at the expense of Anakin's understandable frustration. He's a bored kid who craves excitement and the rush of adventure, which is understandable! It's something he's trying to work on, he's not evil for it, it's totally reasonable and understandable, just as it's totally reasonable and understandable for Obi-Wan to point out the flaw in that statement.

But what really made me love the book is when that comment comes up later and Obi-Wan makes a joke about it, and Anakin grumbles, "I wondered when you were going to throw that in my face." and Obi-Wan smiles and says he did, too. They were bantering about it! They made a joke about it! They found it kinda funny! This is what's delightful about the book, that the feelings they both went through earlier are genuine, but they're not Direly Serious in this moment in time.

They're allowed breathing room to not be mouthpieces for a meta essay, but instead characters in a story going through things.

It's the same for Anakin being all ABORT!! ABORT!!! ABORT!!!! when Obi-Wan is having feelings at him, it's the same when Obi-Wan insists that, no, they should be punished for Anakin's mischief (when the Jedi Council basically said, okay, what we're going to do is send you on a mission, instead of any kind of punishment for either of them), it's the same when Anakin misses his mom and Tatooine.

The moments are allowed genuine emotional weight, I have such affection and heart-wrenching feelings for both Obi-Wan and Anakin here, but it's characters being given space to be characters with their own personal motivations and reasons, to have conflict between them, but both doing their best to reach out to the other, and you can see the foundations being laid for their future incredible friendship.

I'm also utterly delighted by just how many times these two are psychically connected, like they are CONSTANTLY sensing each other--Anakin sensing Obi-Wan scratching at his incoming beard is HILARIOUS, no wonder Anakin hates Obi-Wan's beard, I'd hate it, too, if it was in my mind making me itchy!

But also that they know each other, they don't have to even be looking at each other to feel what the other feels, because that's what a Force bond is--knowing someone so well that they're connected to your soul, even when you're cranky af at them.

I still have three hours of the book left to go but I've enjoyed so much already and I apologize in advance to those who are exhausted by the two hundred screenshots I'm going to be yelling about. :D

[dotthings]

The layers ep 3 of The Acolyte has going on. The coven wants to use the force independently, in their own way and they are critical of the Jedi but so far we're seeing what is merely a different belief system, they follow the Thread rather than the Force, and the Thread could be any magical system in a high fantasy book cycle, can be used for good, or for evil, same as the Force can be used by the light or dark side. The Force, the Thread, are not inherently good/evil. It's in how it's wielded. It's about personal choices, Star Wars always has been.

The coven has its own dogmas and rules. Same as the Jedi has its dogmas. There's a lot in this about dogmas, and it's not that either side is the villains. It's about two religious groups of different belief systems. Mother Aniseya says "the galaxy is not a place that welcomes women like us." The group is isolationist and peaceful (from what we can see), this is an oppressed, misunderstood group driven into hiding, because their dogma doesn't follow the dogma systemically supported by the Republic, which would be the Jedi order's methods of doing things. The Jedi also being a religious order and they eventually got targeted and destroyed, and had to go into hiding. The Thread, the Force, these groups are mirrors. At the time The Acolyte takes place, the Jedi have the systemic upper hand.

The Thread are no less dogmatic than the Jedi, the Jedi are no less dogmatic than the Thread. The Jedi aren't isolationist--they are galactic. Contrasting to the isolationism of the Thread witches, but the Jedi can afford to be expansive. It's not order 66 yet. The Jedi don't have to go into hiding yet.

The story isn't anti-Jedi. The story is asking people to take another look, a closer look, at how the force mythos works in the Star Wars universe--50 years or so of stories--and see past default biases and assumptions people make. The Jedi critical aspects of Star Wars are not something invented after George left. That was part of the story he was telling in the prequels and The Clone Wars. And it's not "Jedi bad" either, and it's not "Jedi order has no flaws and Jedi are always right."

There's also references to Republic laws. There is a systemic power imbalance favoring the Jedi. That's not "Jedi bad" that's something that happens in the real world and has always been depicted in Star Wars.

Koril calls the Jedi "deranged monks" and that too is a mirror to how the coven was regarded with suspicion and fear. That's a two way street.

Mother Aniseya tells Osha "fear should not make this decision. You should." Sounds like something Yoda would say.

[david-talks-sw]

George Lucas & Karen Traviss' visions of Star Wars are NOT the same...

So whenever I come across this image:

I keep in mind that it's from a book written by Karen Traviss, who is a brilliant author (I adored Legacy of the Force: Bloodlines and Sacrifice) but whose stance on Anakin, Yoda & the Jedi and Star Wars morality is this:

As opposed to George Lucas' stance on Anakin, Yoda & the Jedi and Star Wars' morality, which is this:

In a children's story about Light and Dark, good and evil, selflessness vs selfishness, George Lucas marks the Empire as absolutely evil and the Rebels as absolutely good, in the Original Trilogy.

In the Prequels, the situation is more complex (the Jedi are drafted into a war and forced to do things they know they shouldn't be doing, but have to for the greater good; the Sith bring about order to a corrupt government) but the morality stays the same... the selfish, greedy Sith are absolutely evil and the selfless, compassionate Jedi are absolutely good.

That's George's thesis.

And, as a character, Yoda's function is to deliver that thesis. It's no wonder why Lucas treats Yoda's words as absolutely correct:

Yoda is Lucas' mouthpiece in the Prequels, his self-insert.

George Lucas' narrative frames Yoda as objectively right.

So when Karen Traviss questions the Jedi, particularly Yoda's character and wisdom, she's disagreeing with George Lucas' thesis.

Which is fair. Traviss, is a different person than Lucas, she's an ex-journalist with a more "grey" view of the world and a different philosophy re: fiction aimed at children. "Death of the author" and all that. Again, fair enough.

And if you like Travis' interpretation and philosophy more than George's, if her read resonates with you more... also fair enough.

But the EU is not a reliable source on Lucas' vision.

I've talked about this in MUCH more detail here, but if you do care about George Lucas' vision, then maybe don't draw from the Expanded Universe, which includes content written by authors who expressly disagree with him, like Traviss.

Sounds logical, but for some reason people will read the above-posted Dooku quote and treat it as reflective of Lucas' vision, when it's not the case.

George Lucas' Dooku doesn't have an issue with Yoda or the Jedi (at least not openly, as Darth Tyranus, the Sith Lord he wants them all dead). Dooku's issue is with the Senate and the Republic.

George Lucas specifically added that most Jedi share Dooku's concerns. Before he's revealed to be a mass-murdering, Sith who enslaves neutral systems, the Jedi think he makes a good point and are even reluctant to consider him a murder suspect.

But let's not start saying that Lucas' Prequels are meant to be about "the Jedi's failure" and "Dooku being right that the Jedi are corrupt.

Because that's not the case.

If that's how you see them, great. It's certainly how Traviss saw them. To each their own, authorial intent be damned.

But it's not what they were about, to Lucas. Stating the contrary is... I dunno, lying? Rewriting history?

It's as if I got hired to write a Lord of the Rings prequel seen from Gandalf's POV. And y'know what, maybe I don't like Gandalf. So I write him as a scheming asshole going “myahahahah, fuck hobbits! I’m gonna let them keep the One Ring so a bunch Nazgûl will swoop through the Shire and murder them!” and suddenly, everyone starts writing posts about the notion that “Growing up is realizing that Tolkien always intended for Gandalf to be the secret villain of LOTR!” as if that had always been the case and I didn't just reframe him that way retroactively.

Finally, I'd also encourage you to read @rendar-writes' well-made point here about the fact that, while claiming she "doesn't give the answers", Traviss nonetheless shows a clear anti-Jedi bias.

[jedi-enthusiast]

My Star Wars Rant MasterPost Pt. 1

Note: This MasterPost is for all of my Star Wars essay posts, which includes me defending the Jedi, hating on Anakin, critiquing shows, and other stuff---although those topics will definitely crossover, so be aware---although this post had to be split into two parts, due to how many links were present

In Defense of the Jedi:

Part One - The Jedi Didn't Cause Their Own Genocide Pt. 1

Part Two - The Jedi Didn't Cause Their Own Genocide Pt. 2

Part Three - An Ask About the Above

Part Four - This is Why We Can't Have an Anon Button

Part Five - The Jedi Weren't Responsible for Anakin's Fall Pt. 1

Part Six - The Jedi Weren't Responsible for Anakin's Fall Pt. 2

Part Seven - The Jedi Had Reasons to be Skeptical

Part Eight - Athena Andeadis Essay?

Part Nine - If You're Gonna Be Mad at the Jedi, They Gotta Be Wrong Pt. 1

Part Ten - If You're Gonna Be Mad at the Jedi, They Gotta Be Wrong Pt. 2

Part Eleven - Defending Yoda <3

Part Twelve - The Jedi Aren't Arrogant

Part Thirteen - Grey Jedi Hypocrisy

Part Fourteen - Breaking Down "The Jedi Are Evil Theory" Link List

Part Fifteen - Castlevania Gets Star Wars Link List

Part Sixteen - "The Jedi Are Evil Theory" Ask <3

Part Seventeen - Mace Was Not Mean to Ahsoka

Part Eighteen - I Would Not Want a Relationship if I Were a Jedi Pt. 1

Part Nineteen - I Would Not Want a Relationship if I Were a Jedi Pt. 2

Part Twenty - I Would Not Want a Relationship if I Were a Jedi Pt. 3

Part Twenty One - I Would Not Want a Relationship if I Were a Jedi Pt. 4

Part Twenty Two - I Would Not Want a Relationship if I Were a Jedi Pt. 5

Part Twenty Three - I Would Not Want a Relationship if I Were a Jedi Pt. 6

Part Twenty Four - Why Do People Think the Sith are Better?

Part Twenty Five - I Hate People Who Hate Mace Windu

Part Twenty Six - The Jedi are the Good Guys

Part Twenty Seven - Jedi v. Sith Public Opinion

Part Twenty Eight - Some MAGA Fuckhead

Part Twenty Nine - I Get so Many Anti-Jedi Asks Tbh

Part Thirty - Jedi Being Emotional/Unemotional

Part Thirty One - I Would Love to Just Talk About the Jedi

Part Thirty Two - Why I'm Passionately Pro-Jedi

Part Thirty Three - Jocasta Nu Wasn't Arrogant

Part Thirty Four - Anti-Jedi & Antisemitism Pt. 1

Part Thirty Five - Stop Hating on Mace Windu Pt. 1

Part Thirty Six - Stop Hating on Mace Windu Pt. 2

Part Thirty Seven - Stop Hating on Mace Windu Pt. 3

Part Thirty Eight - Anti-Jedi Morons Get Off of Pro-Jedi Posts

Part Thirty Nine - Why the Jedi Were Forgotten

Part Forty - The Clones Loved the Jedi

Part Forty One - The Jedi Didn't "Ban" Culture Pt. 1

Part Forty Two - The Jedi Didn't "Ban" Culture Pt. 2

Part Forty Three - The Jedi Didn't "Ban" Culture Pt. 3

Part Forty Four - The Jedi Didn't "Ban" Culture Pt. 4

Part Forty Five - Shatterpoint Lineage >>>

Part Forty Six - Attachment Discourse (Hoarders) <- TBA

Fuck Anakin Skywalker:

Part One - It's Obvious That Anakin's Decisions Are Shit

Part Two - The List of People That Didn't Commit Mass Murder in Response to Tragedy

Part Three - The Jedi Didn't Murder the Clones After Order 66, Anakin has No Excuse for the Tusken Massacre

Part Four - The Average Person Would Not Commit Mass Murder

Part Five - I Would Not Murder a Whole Village if my Mom Died

Part Six - Shmi Wouldn't Have Wanted the Tusken Massacre

Part Seven - I Want to Hit Anakin With a Metal Pipe

Part Eight - Someone Being Stupid in Reblogs of the Above

Part Nine - TCW/Rebels Separate Canon Discussion Pt. 1

Part Ten - TCW/Rebels Separate Canon Discussion Pt. 2

Part Eleven - TCW/Rebels Separate Canon Discussion Pt. 3

Part Twelve - TCW/Rebels Separate Canon Discussion Pt. 4

Part Thirteen - TCW/Rebels Separate Canon Discussion Pt. 5

Part Fourteen - TCW/Rebels Separate Canon Discussion Pt. 6

Part Fifteen - TCW/Rebels Separate Canon Discussion Pt. 7 <- TBA

Part Sixteen - Anakin Could've Been Sympathetic

Part Seventeen - Felony Being Fucking Delusional

Part Eighteen - Anakin's Age Doesn't Excuse Shit

Part Nineteen - Anakin Isn't Doing This For Love

Part Twenty - People Don't Think About Padme or Shmi

Part Twenty One - Anidala Proves Attachment is Bad

Part Twenty Two - People Are Allowed to Hate Anakin

Part Twenty Three - Debunking Some Bullshit

Part Twenty Four - Debunking More Bullshit

Part Twenty Five - Debunking Even More Bullshit Pt. 1

Part Twenty Six - Debunking Even More Bullshit Pt. 2

Part Twenty Seven - Anakin and Ahsoka Are Pick-Me's Pt. 1

Part Twenty Eight - Anakin and Ahsoka Are Pick-Me's Pt. 2

Part Twenty Nine - Anakin and Ahsoka Are Pick-Me's Pt. 3

Part Thirty - Stanakin Hypocrisy Pt. 1

Part Thirty One - Stanakin Hypocrisy Pt. 2

Part Thirty Two - Stanakin Hypocrisy Pt. 3

Part Thirty Three - Anakin Skywalker v. Abijah Fowler

Part Thirty Four - Trauma Doesn't Excuse Mass Murder Pt. 1

Part Thirty Five - Trauma Doesn't Excuse Mass Murder Pt. 2

Part Thirty Six - Sleep Depravation Doesn't Excuse Mass Murder

Part Thirty Seven - Anakin Had a Choice

[c-m-li-s-fanfic-corner]

WIP Lineup 5/27/24

So You Wanna Start a War?

Harry Potter / Marauders Era

Sirius Black & Arcturus Black

Sirius Black/Dorcas Meadowes

Noble and Most Ancient House of Black Centric

Anti-Walburga Black, Anti-Orion Black, Anti-Peter Pettigrew, Anti-Dumbledore

We're messing with the canon and fixing a lot of shit.

This is entirely finished. All that's left is proofreading and editing then it'll get posted.

* * *

If All We Know Is What We're Told Then They've Made Up Our Minds

DC Comics

Dick Grayson/Jason Todd

The Red Hood comes back to Gotham but has to pause his revenge tour when he finds out that Nightwing hasn't been seen in years since the Joker died.

Dick Grayson has given up Nightwing.

Heavy on the ramifications of Blockbuster/Catalina.

This will be bad parent Bruce Wayne.

* * *

Doomed By the Narrative

DC Comics

Dick Grayson & Jason Todd & John Constantine

John Constantine/Zatanna

John needs help to do a ritual to save Zatanna, but he can only use the help of people who have died and been brought back. The amount of people who have done that and that he trusts are extremely low.

Post-Spyral

Bad parent Bruce Wayne

* * *

Gold and Green Through a Different Lens

DC Comics / Marvel Comics

Dick Grayson & Jason Todd

Nightwing and the Red Hood get thrown into the Marvel universe where they clash with the Avengers, get mistaken for mutants, and get rescued by Magneto. Not necessarily in that order.

Former Talon Dick Grayson

Lazarus Pit Jason Todd

Avengers aren't in the best light, but they're not evil.

* * *

Heathen

Star Wars

Obi-Wan Kenobi & Cin Drallig

Rule 63 for Obi-Wan Kenobi

Melida-Daan canon divergence and thereafter.

Bashing for Qui-Gon Jinn and Yoda.

I've been sitting on the first chapter of this for over a year but I swear it's always in the back of my mind.

[deathbysneezing152]

hear me out. what if clone wars tlou au. but like. instead of zombies and a one planet setting and all that, it’s the clone’s order 66 going haywire and they just start going after Anything that is force sensitive.

so it’s still star wars stuff it’s just not a zombie apocalypse, but the clones are around and they’re still Hella anti any force wielded, not just the jedi. order 66 goes wrong, just starts going after and force sensitive things. they develop some system to track traces of the force in any creature, they attack them and they deem themselves the rulers of the galaxy. anakin goes with ahsoka to the siege of mandalore instead of going on the mission fo rescue the chancellor, and the chancellor didn’t foresee this happening. obi wan rescues him but doesn’t kill dooku cause he’s not a freak, and the jedi council is zoning in on palpatines evilness so he decides “fuck it if i’m going down i’m taking hall with me, “ issues order 66. windu kills palpatine but is killed by clones soon after, yoda escapes with a few stray padawans and younglings, padme is killed in the crossfire. anakin however is fighting for his and ahsokas lives leaving mandalore, along side rex and some droids, however they’re overwhelmed ahsoka gets hit in the crossfire trying to save anakin and passes. rex has to drag anakin away, they escape(anakin takes ahsokas sabers) and they receive obi wans message for the jedi to go into hiding. 15 years later he finds ezra, and when he found out ezra was Super force sensitive, Rex makes anakin promise to get him to yodas secret little jedi band while rex goes off and tries to disable the chip in some of the clones. anakin only sets off because he hasn’t gotten a transmission from obi wan in a while and he needs to make sure he hasn’t lost obi too.

i don’t quite have any concrete plans on who some of the other characters would be, and some stuff Couldmt happen the way the last of us plays out because of the way infected play into that story but this has been in my mind for a while.

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 5.21

Holidays

Afro-Colombian Day (Colombia)

Agricultural Fair Day

Anti-Terrorism Day (India)

Battle of Iquique Anniversary Day (Chile)

Capitol Build Day (New York)

Circassian Day of Mourning

Daylilly Day (French Republic)

Day of Patriots and Military (Hungary)

Emergency Medical Services Day

EMS Health, Wellness & Resilience Day

End of the World Day

Feast of the Triple Scoop

521 Day

Global Accessibility Awareness Day

Hug Your Interior Designer Day

Hummel Day (a.k.a. Sister Maria Hummel Day)

"I Need A Patch For That" Day

International Day of Statistical Literacy

Journée Nationale des Patriotes (National Patriots' Day; Quebec)

Keanu Reeves Day

Lilies and Roses Day (UK)

National American Red Cross Founder’s Day

National Mamey Day

National Memo Day

National Talk Like Yoda Day

Natura 2000 Day (EU)

Navy Day (Chile)

Passion Play Day (Germany)

Pogo Stick Day

Polar Explorer’s Day (Russia)

Purple Star of Jerusalem Day (a.k.a. Jack-Go-To-Bed-At-Noon)

Rapture Party Day (2011 prediction by Harold Camping)

Recommerce Day

Red Cross Day

Saint Helena Day (Saint Helena)

Sanja Matsuri begins (Tokyo, Japan)

Send a Letter Day

Slap a Patch On It Day

United States Cyber Command Day

World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development (UN)

World Fish Migration Day

World Meditation Day (UK)

World Tree Kangaroo Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

International Tea Day [also 12.15]

International Tennessee Whiskey Day

National Mourvèdre Day

National Waitstaff Day (a.k.a. Waiters and Waitresses Day)

Strawberries and Cream Day

World Chardonnay Day

Independence & Related Days

Malabon (City Founded; Philippines)

Montenegro (from Serbia, 2006)

New Zealand (Proclaimed a British Colony; 1840)

Southwest Vineland (Declared; 2021) [unrecognized]

Valentia Riqueza and Grandeza (a.k.a. ValeVRG; Declared; 2022) [unrecognized]

3rd Tuesday in May

International Dinosaur Day [3rd Tuesday; also 6.1]

National Stop Nausea Day [3rd Tuesday]

Sex Differences in Health Awareness Day [3rd Tuesday]

Taco Tuesday [Every Tuesday]

Festivals Beginning May 21, 2024

The Batch Festival (Bath, UK) [thru 5.26]

Sommeliers Choice Awards (Chicago, Illinois)

Feast Days

Adílio Daronch and Manuel Gómez González (Christian; Saint)

Agonalia (Ancient Rome) [also 1.9 & 12.11]

Albrecht Dürer (Artology)

Alexander Pope (Writerism)

Anastenaria (Fire-Walking Ritual; Ancient Greece)

Andrew Bobola (Christian; Martyr)

Arcangelo Tadini (Christian; Saint)

Chen Dayu (Artology)

Christopher Magallanes, and other Saints of the Cristero War (Christian; Saint)

Day of the Twins: Beginning of Gemini (Astrology/Pagan)

Édouard-Henri Avril (Artology)

Emperor Constantine I (Christian; Saint)

Eugène de Mazenod (Christian; Saint)

Felix of Cantalicio (Christian; Saint)

Festival for Vevodus (God of the Dead, Swamps & Volvanic Movements; Ancient Rome)

Festival of Demeter (Greek Barley Mother Goddess)

Festival of Vejovis (Roman God of Healing)

42 Day (Pastafarian)

Franz Jägerstätter (Christian; Saint)

Free Money Day (Church of the SubGenius)

Godrick of Finkley (Christian; Saint)

Green Four-Net (Muppetism)

Harold Robbins (Writerism)

Helena of Constantinople (a.k.a. "Feast of the Holy Great Sovereigns Constantine and Helen, Equal-to-the-Apostles,” Eastern Orthodox Church, Anglican Communion)

Henri Rousseau (Artology)

Hospitius (Christian; Saint)

John Elliot (Episcopal Church)

Nestinarstvo (Fire-Walking Ritual; Ancient Bulgaria)

Nost-na-Lothion (Elven feast for the birth of flowers; Lord of the Rings)

Ponder Pointlessness Day (Pastafarian)

Rudolf Koller (Artology)

Saint Camping’s Day (Discordian)

St. Luke (Positivist; Saint)

Theophilus of Corte (Christian; Saint)

Hebrew Calendar Holidays [Begins at Sundown]

Pesach Sheni (2nd Passover) [13-14 Iyar]

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Taian (大安 Japan) [Lucky all day.]

Umu Limnu (Evil Day; Babylonian Calendar; 24 of 60)

Premieres

Agents of Fortune, by Blue Oyster Cult (Album; 1976)

Alison, by Elvis Costello (Song; 1977)

Annie (Film; 1982)

The Conquest of Everest, by John Hurt (Memoir; 1954)

Curtain Razor (WB LT Cartoon; 1949)

Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid (Film; 1982)

The Deep Blue Good-By, by John D. MacDonald (Novel; 1964)

Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (Silent Film; 1908)

The Egg Hunt (Color Rhapsody Cartoon; 1940)

The Foxy Pup (Color Rhapsody Cartoon; 1937)

Gimme All Your Lovin’, by ZZ Top (Music Video; 1983)

Godzilla vs. Kong (Film; 2021)

Gypsy (Broadway Musical; 1959)

Hassle in a Castle (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1966)

Hot Shots! Part Deux (Film; 1993)

Injun Trouble (WB LT Cartoon; 1938)

I Sing the Body Electric! & Other Stories, by Ray Bradbury (Short Stories; 1969)

Lunch Poems, by Frank O'Hara (Poetry; 1963)

Mad Max 2 (Film; 1982)

Mask of Orpheus, by Harrison Birtwistle (Opera; 1986)

Maybellene, recorded by Chuck Berry (Song; 1955)

McCartney II, by Paul McCartney (Album; 1980)

Mouse for Sale (Tom & Jerry Cartoon; 1955)

Naked Came the Stranger (Adult Film; 1975)

Notting Hill (Film; 1999)

Ohio, by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (Song; 1970)

The Optimist's Daughter, by Eudora Welty (Novella; 1972)

Pagliacci, by Ruggero Leoncavallo (Opera; 1892)

Past Perfumance (WB MM Cartoon; 1955)

Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be, sung by Doris Day (Song; 1956)

The Real World (TV Series; 1992)

The Return of the Pink Panther (Film; 1975)

The Rhinemann Exchange, by Robert Ludlum (Novel; 1974)

Riptide, by Vance Joy (Song; 2013)

The Road Warrior (Film; 1982)

The Secret of the Hittites, by C.W. Ceram (History Book; 1956)

Shrek Forever After (Animated Film; 2010)

Snow Excuse (WB MM Cartoon; 1966)

Sour, by Olivia Rodrigo (Album; 2021)

Star Wars, Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (UK Film; 1980)

Terminator Salvation (Film; 2009)

Touch of Evil (Film; 1958)

Twin Peaks: The Return (TV Series; 2017)

The Twisker Pitcher (Fleischer Popeye Cartoon; 1937)

Under the Boardwalk, recorded by The Drifters (Song; 1964)

What’s Going On, by Marvin Gaye (Album; 1971)

Today’s Name Days

Christoph, Constantin, Josef, Julio (Austria)

Elena, Konstantin, Kosta, Kostadin, Kostadinka, Lenko, Stoyan (Bulgaria)

Dubravka, Eugen, Kristofor (Croatia)

Monika (Czech Republic)

Helene (Denmark)

Kindel, Konstantin, Kostel, Tiino (Estonia)

Konsta, Konstantin, Kosti (Finland)

Constantin (France)

Hermann, Konst, Wiltrud (Germany)

Constantine, Constantina, Elena, Elene, Eleni, Helen, Konstantina, Konstantinos, Lena, Nantia (Greece)

Konstantin (Hungary)

Angelo, Giulia, Vittorio (Italy)

Ernestine, Ingmārs, Vinija (Latvia)

Vaidivutis, Valentas, Vydmina (Lithuania)

Eli, Ellen, Helene (Norway)

Donat, Donata, Jan, Kryspin, Przec��awa, Pudens, Tymoteusz, Walenty, Wiktor, Wiktoriusz (Poland)

Constantin, Elena (România)

Zina (Slovakia)

Cristóbal, Virginia (Spain)

Conny, Konstantin (Sweden)

Constance, Constantine, Helen (Ukraine)

Adelric, Adiel, Audric, Keaton, Kendrick (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 142 of 2024; 224 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 2 of week 21 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Huath (Hawthorn) [Day 10 of 28]

Chinese: Month 4 (Ji-Si), Day 14 (Yi-You)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 13 Iyar 5784

Islamic: 13 Dhu al-Qada 1445

J Cal: 22 Magenta; Oneday [22 of 30]

Julian: 8 May 2024

Moon: 96%: Waxing Gibbous

Positivist: 1 St. Paul (6th Month) [St. Luke]

Runic Half Month: Ing (Expansive Energy) [Day 12 of 15]

Season: Spring (Day 64 of 92)

Week: 3rd Full Week of May

Zodiac: Gemini (Day 1 of 31)

Calendar Changes

Gemini (The Twins) begins [Zodiac Sign 3; thru 6.21]

Saint Paul (Catholicism) [Month 6 of 13; Positivist]

[brookston]

Holidays 5.21

Holidays

Afro-Colombian Day (Colombia)

Agricultural Fair Day

Anti-Terrorism Day (India)

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Feast of the Triple Scoop

521 Day

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Hug Your Interior Designer Day

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"I Need A Patch For That" Day

International Day of Statistical Literacy

Journée Nationale des Patriotes (National Patriots' Day; Quebec)

Keanu Reeves Day

Lilies and Roses Day (UK)

National American Red Cross Founder’s Day

National Mamey Day

National Memo Day

National Talk Like Yoda Day

Natura 2000 Day (EU)

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Purple Star of Jerusalem Day (a.k.a. Jack-Go-To-Bed-At-Noon)

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Recommerce Day

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World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development (UN)

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Food & Drink Celebrations

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Independence & Related Days

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New Zealand (Proclaimed a British Colony; 1840)

Southwest Vineland (Declared; 2021) [unrecognized]

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3rd Tuesday in May

International Dinosaur Day [3rd Tuesday; also 6.1]

National Stop Nausea Day [3rd Tuesday]

Sex Differences in Health Awareness Day [3rd Tuesday]

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Festivals Beginning May 21, 2024

The Batch Festival (Bath, UK) [thru 5.26]

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John Elliot (Episcopal Church)

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Nost-na-Lothion (Elven feast for the birth of flowers; Lord of the Rings)

Ponder Pointlessness Day (Pastafarian)

Rudolf Koller (Artology)

Saint Camping’s Day (Discordian)

St. Luke (Positivist; Saint)

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Hebrew Calendar Holidays [Begins at Sundown]

Pesach Sheni (2nd Passover) [13-14 Iyar]

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Taian (大安 Japan) [Lucky all day.]

Umu Limnu (Evil Day; Babylonian Calendar; 24 of 60)

Premieres

Agents of Fortune, by Blue Oyster Cult (Album; 1976)

Alison, by Elvis Costello (Song; 1977)

Annie (Film; 1982)

The Conquest of Everest, by John Hurt (Memoir; 1954)

Curtain Razor (WB LT Cartoon; 1949)

Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid (Film; 1982)

The Deep Blue Good-By, by John D. MacDonald (Novel; 1964)

Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (Silent Film; 1908)

The Egg Hunt (Color Rhapsody Cartoon; 1940)

The Foxy Pup (Color Rhapsody Cartoon; 1937)

Gimme All Your Lovin’, by ZZ Top (Music Video; 1983)

Godzilla vs. Kong (Film; 2021)

Gypsy (Broadway Musical; 1959)

Hassle in a Castle (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1966)

Hot Shots! Part Deux (Film; 1993)

Injun Trouble (WB LT Cartoon; 1938)

I Sing the Body Electric! & Other Stories, by Ray Bradbury (Short Stories; 1969)

Lunch Poems, by Frank O'Hara (Poetry; 1963)

Mad Max 2 (Film; 1982)

Mask of Orpheus, by Harrison Birtwistle (Opera; 1986)

Maybellene, recorded by Chuck Berry (Song; 1955)

McCartney II, by Paul McCartney (Album; 1980)

Mouse for Sale (Tom & Jerry Cartoon; 1955)

Naked Came the Stranger (Adult Film; 1975)

Notting Hill (Film; 1999)

Ohio, by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (Song; 1970)

The Optimist's Daughter, by Eudora Welty (Novella; 1972)

Pagliacci, by Ruggero Leoncavallo (Opera; 1892)

Past Perfumance (WB MM Cartoon; 1955)

Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be, sung by Doris Day (Song; 1956)

The Real World (TV Series; 1992)

The Return of the Pink Panther (Film; 1975)

The Rhinemann Exchange, by Robert Ludlum (Novel; 1974)

Riptide, by Vance Joy (Song; 2013)

The Road Warrior (Film; 1982)

The Secret of the Hittites, by C.W. Ceram (History Book; 1956)

Shrek Forever After (Animated Film; 2010)

Snow Excuse (WB MM Cartoon; 1966)

Sour, by Olivia Rodrigo (Album; 2021)

Star Wars, Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (UK Film; 1980)

Terminator Salvation (Film; 2009)

Touch of Evil (Film; 1958)

Twin Peaks: The Return (TV Series; 2017)

The Twisker Pitcher (Fleischer Popeye Cartoon; 1937)

Under the Boardwalk, recorded by The Drifters (Song; 1964)

What’s Going On, by Marvin Gaye (Album; 1971)

Today’s Name Days

Christoph, Constantin, Josef, Julio (Austria)

Elena, Konstantin, Kosta, Kostadin, Kostadinka, Lenko, Stoyan (Bulgaria)

Dubravka, Eugen, Kristofor (Croatia)

Monika (Czech Republic)

Helene (Denmark)

Kindel, Konstantin, Kostel, Tiino (Estonia)

Konsta, Konstantin, Kosti (Finland)

Constantin (France)

Hermann, Konst, Wiltrud (Germany)

Constantine, Constantina, Elena, Elene, Eleni, Helen, Konstantina, Konstantinos, Lena, Nantia (Greece)

Konstantin (Hungary)

Angelo, Giulia, Vittorio (Italy)

Ernestine, Ingmārs, Vinija (Latvia)

Vaidivutis, Valentas, Vydmina (Lithuania)

Eli, Ellen, Helene (Norway)

Donat, Donata, Jan, Kryspin, Przecława, Pudens, Tymoteusz, Walenty, Wiktor, Wiktoriusz (Poland)

Constantin, Elena (România)

Zina (Slovakia)

Cristóbal, Virginia (Spain)

Conny, Konstantin (Sweden)

Constance, Constantine, Helen (Ukraine)

Adelric, Adiel, Audric, Keaton, Kendrick (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 142 of 2024; 224 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 2 of week 21 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Huath (Hawthorn) [Day 10 of 28]

Chinese: Month 4 (Ji-Si), Day 14 (Yi-You)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 13 Iyar 5784

Islamic: 13 Dhu al-Qada 1445

J Cal: 22 Magenta; Oneday [22 of 30]

Julian: 8 May 2024

Moon: 96%: Waxing Gibbous

Positivist: 1 St. Paul (6th Month) [St. Luke]

Runic Half Month: Ing (Expansive Energy) [Day 12 of 15]

Season: Spring (Day 64 of 92)

Week: 3rd Full Week of May

Zodiac: Gemini (Day 1 of 31)

Calendar Changes

Gemini (The Twins) begins [Zodiac Sign 3; thru 6.21]

Saint Paul (Catholicism) [Month 6 of 13; Positivist]

[gch1995]

HELP! I saw a post that compared Obi-Wan to Jesus! What is, in your opinion, the most fucked up thing Obi-Wan’s done??

Oh, while he was never horrifyingly evil at his worst, Obi-Wan Kenobi was far from a saint that so many of his stans paint him as either. He’s had quite a few shitty moments. He was generally a pretty terrible guardian, friend, and mentor to the Skywalker boys. Also, just not a very good person in general.

The worst moments he had would have to be:

• Cutting off Anakin’s organic limbs and leaving him to burn alive in agony on Mustafar-Anakin deserved to be stopped and held accountable for his crimes, but what Obi-Wan did here was just cruel and unusual punishment. He knew it, but he was too cowardly and vindictive to end Anakin’s suffering more swiftly when he had the chance.

• Using Padme, a defenseless pregnant woman, as live bait to lure Anakin into a position that would make it easier to execute him on Mustafar without her consent or knowledge-I get that Anakin was in an unhinged state at that point and needed to be stopped. However, Obi-Wan also knew that Anakin loved Padme deeply. He knew that she would be the last person that Anakin would ever be willing to physically endanger or harm. Considering she was pregnant with his kids, he would have reason to assume that she was one of the last people that Anakin still trusted. He knew that Padme was pregnant with Anakin’s kids.

Yet, he decided to further provoke an already unhinged Anakin by using Padme as bait to lure him into a trap that put him in a position that would make it easier for him to kill him for Yoda without Padme’s consent and knowledge. It doesn’t mean Anakin’s blameless for recklessly force choking Padme unconscious in a blind rage and paranoia like that on Mustafar. Regardless of the compromised sanity, Padme would still have had every right to hate him for doing that. However, between the two of them in that scene, Obi-Wan comes across as the more stable aggressor of that conflict, while Anakin was grappling with his sanity, really didn’t want to fight Obi-Wan, and probably could have been convinced to get back on that ship with Padme or surrendered to Obi-Wan if his friend and mentor hadn’t been trying to bait him into a conflict.

• Letting Anakin speak alone with Palpatine from the time he was a child under his care, in spite of suspecting he was shady. Then, enabling the Council’s decision to let Anakin join them, just so that they could use him as a spy with that friendship between him and the Chancellor in Revenge of the Sith, even though he knew it was wrong. Still, having the nerve to baselessly accuse Anakin of using his friendship with the Chancellor to get a seat as master on the Council afterwards- Obi-Wan wasn’t in the room when Anakin and the Chancellor were speaking. It was not his place to presume that Anakin used his friendship with the Chancellor to get a seat on the Council, which he didn’t. Even if he did, though, it sounded like victim blaming for Obi-Wan to be guilt tripping Anakin for having a friendship with the Chancellor that he and the Council, his guardians, allowed and encouraged for him to have from the time he was a child under their care to protect their public reputation in the Republic and to spy on him for their own benefits, in spite of their suspicions of Palpatine’s shadiness. He knew it was a bad idea for the Council to vote on letting Anakin have a seat, just so that they could use him as a mole to commit treason against Palpatine, but he still carried out their orders to Anakin because he was too much of a cowardly kiss ass to put his foot down and say no.

• Faking his death for a mission and disguising himself as Rakko Hardeen with Anakin because “he was too untrustworthy,” and then guilt tripping Anakin for getting reasonably pissed off about it after finding out- If a parent, family member, friend, or guardian ever pulled the shit that Obi-Wan did with Anakin in the Deception arc on me, then I would cut them off, and stop speaking to them forever. That’s not just an innocent misunderstanding. That’s emotional/psychological abuse.

• Encouraging Anakin to quit worrying about his mother the Jedi Council and Republic left in slavery when he has visions of her in danger, even though it is a fact that they could easily be true, which Obi-Wan knows well-Just bad advice from Obi-Wan that also would have made me cut off someone who ever did something like that to me in real life, too.

• Deceiving and manipulating an innocent Luke Skywalker to try to make him a weapon to finish off the monster of a man he and Yoda inadvertently helped turn his father into two decades earlier-It’s just fucked up to use an innocent man to clean up a mess with his biological father and the Empire that he had no hand in contributing to the creation of. Then, to never even express any signs of regret for it, even in the afterlife, makes it all the worse. At least, Anakin seems to learn to his lesson in the end for Luke. I can’t say the same thing about Obi-Wan and Yoda.

• Voting on Ahsoka’s Execution: The only reason why this one is not higher is because, though the evidence was not that great, I can see why Obi-Wan would doubt her innocence after Barriss framed her. At the very least, they took the trial to the Senate. Still very shitty.

• Shaming and dismissing Anakin for having his own opinions and trying to be a good person by just being himself- Yeah, he wanted him to be a perfect Jedi™️, but that entire lifestyle in the prequels was invalidating and unhealthy.

• His blind hypocrisy- Obi-Wan is very much the teacher of “do as I say, not as I do,” and Anakin clearly learned from example over 37 years in both the Jedi and Sith from those with positions of authority over him.

• The fact that he decided to honor Qui-Gonn’s dying wish to take on Anakin as a padawan, but then spent the rest of his life outright disrespecting his late master’s and his closest friends more balanced, compassionate, idealistic, open-minded, and understanding examples at their best to be Yoda’s blind ass-kisser to get on the Council and fit in repeatedly at all costs instead-Yeah, the Order is a cult that discourages individual emotional/psychological growth in the prequels. Qui Gonn was also corrupt in the way he only took an interest in little Anakin in the first place in his desire to use him as a weapon to destroy the Sith. It’s not just Obi-Wan’s fault he grew up to be that much of an infuriatingly close-minded ass-kissing conformist, but I also find him to be the most difficult Jedi of the prequels to empathize with for being that way because he actively put in an effort to not be anything better than that because he saw that trying to be a good person by trying to be true to themselves and explore possibilities outside of Yoda’s and the Council’s approval didn’t get Qui-Gonn, Anakin, or Ahsoka ahead in the Order.

All of Obi-Wan’s closest relationships were with emotionally-driven people, who, at their best, put in real efforts to be truly kind, spontaneously selfless, and self-motivated heroes for others in the galaxy who they felt needed their compassion and help because they genuinely cared about making a difference for the better, not just because it meant getting ahead or fitting in with the elites who held positions of authority over them in those organizations. It’s just difficult for me to empathize with a character who repeatedly rejected every opportunity he had to self-reflect and self-improve from Qui-Gonn’s, Anakin’s, Ahsoka’s, and Luke’s examples at their best, even though they were the closest to almost having true friends he ever got, so that he could suck up to the cold, close-minded, and elitist Yoda and Jedi Council who really never gave a shit about him or anyone outside of their pre-determined “greater good.”

I get that all the Jedi of the old Order and Republic were guilty of throwing away their agency, consciences, friendships, and relationships to serve corrupt authority figures with positions over them in public because they couldn’t feel safe saying no, and it’s not entirely their fault they grew up to be deeply dysfunctional adults. However, Obi-Wan is one of those old Jedi who rub me the wrong way the most for displaying that attitude in the prequels because he’s genuinely the most complacent with being Yoda’s and the Council’s close minded and subservient ass-kisser at all costs in public and private, and he makes an active effort to not self-reflect and self-improve because he sees it won’t get him ahead or fit in over and over again. While Anakin, Ahsoka, Qui Gonn, Ezra, and other more open-minded Jedi are more vulnerable to the dark side for wanting better outside of just Yoda’s and the Jedi Council’s boundaries in the prequels, they still have moments of self-reflection, they still have individual desires and needs outside of just the Order’s boundaries. They’re not comfortable in the Jedi Order, and while the ones who went dark were morally wrong to perpetuate crimes against them all for the Sith in their fear of the unknown, they weren’t wrong about deserving better than Yoda and the Jedi Council.

Most people in their positions in real life, in spite of all the grooming to be submissive to cult leaders and corrupt authority figures, would not feel truly comfortable being that way. Most would ask questions. Most would at least try to make an effort to be their own person with their own beliefs, ideals, interests, and motives outside of just their cult, even if they were too afraid to go public with it. Obi-Wan almost consistently makes an active effort to have no personal aspirations, identity, or life outside of just the Jedi Order. While it is tragic that he never felt confident enough to be someone outside of just Yoda and the Council, I find that really difficult to relate to because it’s not very realistic. Not to mention the fact that he was closest to people who genuinely cared about being good for something greater than just Yoda’s and the Council’s validation.

Like, why take on Anakin as a padawan to honor his master’s dying wish at all, if he only ever planned to dishonor his memory by making an active decision to be the type of Jedi that Yoda and the Council encouraged him and their recruits to be to fit in and get on the Council instead?

• His fighting style of baiting opponents into duels by egging them on and using their weaknesses against them-I know some people think it’s so cool that Obi-Wan is willing to bait his opponents into duels because it shows cunning and intellect, but it strikes me as a cowardly, dishonest, and dirty type of fighting technique in battle. He can’t just be clean, honest, fair, and direct when fighting his enemies. Obi-Wan always has to make it a game. Sure, later on Anakin attempts the same thing at times as Vader, but he also never got away with it. Obi-Wan kind of did because he was the “hero.”

If anyone who I follow wants to add any more, they’re welcome to:

@tragicfantasy-girl

@leias-left-hair-bun-again

@the-chosen-anakin

[dotthings]

The Jedi never said attachments are bad. The point has always been cautions about greedy, selfish, possessive, destructive love. The Jedi aren't unfeeling. The Jedi aren't forbidden to love. The Jedi experience strong attachments. People are projecting so much onto the Jedi that isn't canon.

They aren't anti-love. The biggest issue is their fear. And because of their fear, they lean too far into emotion regulation and are far too dogmatic. It's not wrong, in fact, it's that they have this problem with self-acceptance. To really face and embrace their darker emotions as part of who they are, but not the whole.

There are Jedi who do it successfully. Yoda, Obi Wan, Luke, others. It's not that it never works. But even with the ones who did successfully, we've seen it's not some perfect thing where they're never afraid or angry again. Which doesn't mean they're going dark side, since they successfully faced their shadow selves. But we've seen the vulnerabilities of individual Jedi before now.

What the Jedi order seems to be systemically scared of is if they let their stronger emotions out too much it leads to the dark side. And facing those emotions kinda...require facing them not burying them.

They meditate. They modulate. They learn to stay calm. Not unfeeling. Not against attachments. It's wild how many times I see SW commentary that says "Jedi are bad because attachments are forbidden and Jedi aren't allowed to have feelings." That isn't how this works at all.

But here's a complication, because without emotional regulation, people letting their rage and fear and darker emotions define them and take them over wholly, is also not a good idea. Qimir and Koril weaponize their darker emotions and think it's the real strength. They turn themselves into weapons of rage and believe they're in the right.

People losing sight of the loving and compassionate parts of themselves is a trap. There's a reason the Jungian confrontation with the shadow self and integration is a major part of Jedi philosophy and we've seen it play out on screen over and over. The Acolyte is about that too, coming at it in a different way. But it's about that.

"Jedi never did anything wrong and this text is anti-Jedi" and "Jedi are bad and evil" are both completely misunderstanding the actual examination of Jedi in the Star Wars universe.

[starwars-and-discourse]

Same here! Although, sometimes I think it’s less of a misunderstanding and more of an intentional misinterpretation made in bad faith. There is quite a toxic subset of the Star Wars fandom, generally anti-Jedi, and they do not care about good faith engagement usually.

But yes! Jedi CAN love. Jedi love all the time. They love life as a whole. They love the light. They love peace. They love justice. The list goes on. They just try to avoid becoming too attached to any one person or ideal. Because as we see from Anakin, and as stated by Yoda, “attachment leads to jealousy—the shadow of greed, that is.”

Your final point is a great one. We, as the audience, have in-depth knowledge of the story, the characters, and the outcomes. The characters themselves do not. I’ve been asked so many times how the Jedi could have been oblivious to Palpatine, since he’s “obviously evil.” He’s only obviously evil to us, because we know what he really is. In universe, there would be absolutely no reason to suspect him until it was far too late. As Mace says in the Revenge of the Sith novelization, “The only reason I don’t suspect Palpatine, is that he already controls the galaxy.”

Great to hear from you! Enjoyed your commentary! 😊

Anti-Jedi content is always so interesting. Most of the criticism seems to come from either a fundamental misunderstanding of how the Jedi operate, intentional misrepresentation of canon, or blaming the Jedi for things outside of their direct control.

Much of it also seems to imply, if not outright state, that the Jedi are to blame for their genocide. Which is just…wild to me. The Jedi Order certainly had faults, as no organization is perfect. But something I see quite often is taking the flaws of individual Jedi and ascribing them to all Jedi.

“Mace Windu was mean to Anakin!!” No, he really wasn’t. Windu was stern, certainly. But I don’t think he was ever “mean.” Anakin was rash, arrogant, and so ruled by his emotions that Windu had every reason NOT to trust him or make him a master.

“The Jedi take children by force!” No, they don’t. That’s just blatantly untrue. If a family does not wish to give up their children, the Jedi do not take them.

“The Jedi use a slave army!!” This is an oversimplification. This is an issue that the Jedi routinely grapple with throughout canon. The Jedi don’t want to be leading any army at all—Palpatine gives them no choice. If they don’t fight? The public grows resentful toward them even sooner and Palpatine can call them traitors even earlier. They do fight? The war drags on due to Palpatine’s manipulation and the Jedi are called warmongers and things go as we know. The Jedi, overall, fostered the clones’ individuality and encouraged them to think for themselves. The Clone Wars had numerous victims, but chief among them are the clones themselves and the Jedi.

These are just a few of the anti-Jedi talking points I regularly see. There are countless others. I am of course willing to debate (respectfully, and if it is in good faith) my positions. But I find these ideas very tiresome at this point.

[jedi-enthusiast]

Debunking the "The Jedi are Evil" Theory Made by The Film Theorists PT 4

Point 4 - The Jedi are a Cult

(TW: Human Trafficking, SA in regards to Human Trafficking)

Oh boy! We've finally gotten to the point that every single anti-Jedi idiot makes when they claim that the Jedi are evil!

Let's see what exactly Matthew says about it:

"The Jedi Order is a irrevocable cult that lands somewhere between an involuntary boot camp and human trafficking!"

Wow, that's quite a claim! Surely if you're making a claim like that, you've checked to make sure that the Jedi Order fits at least one of those definitions, right?

Let's check!

---

Cult Definition:

"A relatively small group of people having beliefs or practices, especially relating to religion, that are regarded by others as strange or sinister or as imposing excessive control over members." - via Oxford Dictionary, according to Google

The Jedi Order is about a group of 10,000 during the Prequels, so not exactly what I would call small--but sure, I'll give you small, since that's a pretty negligible amount of people in the galaxy.

Their beliefs and practices are rarely seen as a bit odd by people who aren't Jedi and/or haven't ever interacted with the Jedi, but for the most part people just regard their practices as hard to follow--since they practice a lot of self control and emotional regulation (which is healthy)--but ultimately good. Their beliefs definitely aren't regarded as "sinister."

The only people we see that even come close to believing that are the protesters in TCW, but they just think the Jedi are wrong for fighting in the war. It's nothing about their beliefs or practices.

And the Jedi certainly don't exercise "excessive control" over their members.

Many of the members dress differently, we're shown that the Jedi often disagree with each other and interpret their philosophy differently, the Jedi can leave the Order whenever they want, many members of the Order also practice the cultures of their homeworlds, people are literally appointed to the Council for thinking differently because the Jedi want to have differing viewpoints brought up, etc.

They even bend their own fucking rules sometimes to help their fellow Jedi!

Once a female Jedi fell in love and got pregnant and hid it, and Yoda and Dooku literally had a conversation where Yoda said point blank that they would've helped her, if they'd have known about it!

Literally the only things that the Jedi are anal about are:

1. Don't kill or hurt people, except as a last resort.

and 2. don't turn to the Dark Side (and I've already outlined why that's bad).

And even when people do turn to the Dark Side and hurt people, the Jedi fucking help them! They, of course, hold them accountable for their actions, but they try to help them turn back to Light and do better in the future!

---

Welp, they obviously don't fit the definition of a cult. Let's see about the next definition--involuntary boot camp.

Involuntary Definition:

"Done against someone's will; compulsory." - via Google

Boot Camp Definition:

"A place for training soldiers, especially new recruits." - via Google

Considering that parents willingly give up their children to the Jedi Order and then those children--when they grow up--choose to stay, since we've already established that they can leave at any time, I'd say that the Jedi Order definitely isn't involuntary.

And, as I've said before, the Jedi Order is a religious institution--not a militia--and even the work they do for the Republic is primarily diplomatic and peacekeeping ventures. So they're definitely not a boot camp either.

---

Wow, that's two definitions down that the Jedi definitely don't fit!

This next one's quite a serious claim, though, so the Jedi must fit this one--because it'd be pretty tone deaf and shitty to make said claim without it actually being true, right?

Human Trafficking Definition:

"Human trafficking is the trade of humans for the purpose of forced labour, sexual slavery, or commercial sexual exploitation." - via Wikipedia

HOLY SHIT, YOU COULD NOT BE MORE WRONG!

The Jedi do not "trade" their initiates, they do not force them into labor, and they certainly don't sexually exploit them--what the actual fuck is wrong with you to make this claim?

Especially when nothing we're shown is even remotely close to coming near this definition--even in the worst bad-faith reading of SW media.

Wow, so not a single thing that Matthew assigns the Jedi is actually something they fit the definition of. Imagine that.

[politicalpadme]

Reasons the Jedi Should End 21/?

Anakin comes to Yoda for help and Yoda does not help, tells no one, never follows up.

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 5.21

Holidays

Afro-Colombian Day (Colombia)

Agricultural Fair Day

Anti-Terrorism Day (India)

Circassian Day of Mourning

Daylilly Day (French Republic)

Day of Patriots and Military (Hungary)

Emergency Medical Services Day

EMS Health, Wellness & Resilience Day

End of the World Day

Feast of the Triple Scoop

Global Accessibility Awareness Day

Hug Your Interior Designer Day

Hummel Day (a.k.a. Sister Maria Hummel Day)

"I Need A Patch For That" Day

Journée Nationale des Patriotes (National Patriots' Day; Quebec)

Keanu Reeves Day

Lilies and Roses Day (UK)

National American Red Cross Founder’s Day

National Mamey Day

National Memo Day

National Patriots’ Day (Quebec, Canada)

National Talk Like Yoda Day

Natura 2000 Day (EU)

Navy Day (Chile)

Neighbor Day (Rhode Island)

Passion Play Day (Germany)

Pogo Stick Day

Rapture Party Day (2011 prediction by Harold Camping)

Red Cross Day

Saint Helena Day (Saint Helena)

Sanja Matsuri begins (Tokyo, Japan)

Send a Letter Day

Slap a Patch On It Day

United States Cyber Command Day

World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development (UN)

World Fish Migration Day

World Meditation Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

International Tea Day [also 12.15]

National Mourvèdre Day

National Waitstaff Day (a.k.a. Waiters and Waitresses Day)

Strawberries and Cream Day

3rd Sunday in May

Aunt's Day [3rd Sunday]

Bay to Breakers Race Day (San Francisco, California) [3rd Sunday]

Commemoration Day of Fallen Soldiers (Finland) [3rd Sunday]

Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Political Repressions by the Soviet Regime (Ukraine) [3rd Sunday]

Father’s Day (Tonga) [3rd Sunday]

Flower Day (Michigan) [3rd Sunday]

I Am An American Day [3rd Sunday]

International AIDS Candlelight Memorial [3rd Sunday]

International Day of the Baltic Harbour Porpoise [3rd Sunday]

My Other Mother's Day [3rd Sunday]

National Famine Memorial Day [3rd Sunday]

No Menthol Day [3rd Sunday]

Peace Day [3rd Sunday]

Ride a Unicycle Day [3rd Sunday]

Rural Life Sunday (Canada) [3rd Sunday]

Soil Stewardship Day [3rd Sunday]

Stepmother's Day [3rd Sunday]

Take Your Parents to the Playground Day [3rd Sunday]

World Baking Day [3rd Sunday]

Independence Days

Montenegro (from Serbia, 2006)

Southwest Vineland (Declared; 2021) [unrecognized]

Valentia Riqueza and Grandeza (a.k.a. ValeVRG; Declared; 2022) [unrecognized]

Feast Days

Agonalia (Ancient Rome) [also 1.9 & 12.11]

Albrecht Dürer (Artology)

Anastenarides Feast (Ancient Greek festival of dancing barefoot on hot coals)

Arcangelo Tadini (Christian; Saint)

Adílio Daronch and Manuel Gómez González (Christian; Saint)

Christopher Magallanes, and other Saints of the Cristero War (Christian; Saint)

Day of the Twins: Beginning of Gemini (Astrology/Pagan)

Emperor Constantine I (Christian; Saint)

Eugène de Mazenod (Christian; Saint)

Felix of Cantalicio (Christian; Saint)

Festival for Vevodus (God of the Dead, Swamps & Volvanic Movements; Ancient Rome)

Festival of Demeter (Greek Barley Mother Goddess)

Festival of Vejovis (Roman God of Healing)

42 Day (Pastafarian)

Franz Jägerstätter (Christian; Saint)

Free Money Day (Church of the SubGenius)

Godrick of Finkley (Christian; Saint)

Green Four-Net (Muppetism)

Helena of Constantinople (a.k.a. "Feast of the Holy Great Sovereigns Constantine and Helen, Equal-to-the-Apostles,” Eastern Orthodox Church, Anglican Communion)

Henri Rousseau (Artology)

Hospitius (Christian; Saint)

Ponder Pointlessness Day (Pastafarian)

John Elliot (Episcopal Church)

Saint Camping’s Day (Discordian)

St. Luke (Positivist; Saint)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Taian (大安 Japan) [Lucky all day.]

Umu Limnu (Evil Day; Babylonian Calendar; 24 of 60)

Premieres

Alison, by Elvis Costello (Song; 1977)

Annie (Film; 1982)

The Conquest of Everest, by John Hurt (Memoir; 1954)

Curtain Razor (WB LT Cartoon; 1949)

Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid (Film; 1982)

Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (Silent Film; 1908)

Gimme All Your Lovin’, by ZZ Top (Music Video; 1983)

Godzilla vs. Kong (Film; 2021)

Gypsy (Broadway Musical; 1959)

Hot Shots! Part Deux (Film; 1993)

Injun Trouble (WB LT Cartoon; 1938)

Mad Max 2 (Film; 1982)

Maybellene, recorded by Chuck Berry (Song; 1955)

Notting Hill (Film; 1999)

Ohio, by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (Song; 1970)

Pagliacci, by Ruggero Leoncavallo (Opera; 1892)

Past Perfumance (WB MM Cartoon; 1955)

Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be, sung by Doris Day (Song; 1956)

The Real World (TV Series; 1992)

The Return of the Pink Panther (Film; 1975)

Riptide, by Vance Joy (Song; 2013)

The Road Warrior (Film; 1982)

The Secret of the Hittites, by C.W. Ceram (History Book; 1956)

Shrek Forever After (Animated Film; 2010)

Snow Excuse (WB MM Cartoon; 1966)

Sour, by Olivia Rodrigo (Album; 2021)

Star Wars, Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (UK Film; 1980)

Terminator Salvation (Film; 2009)

Under the Boardwalk, recorded by The Drifters (Song; 1964)

What’s Going On, by Marvin Gaye (Album; 1971)

Today’s Name Days

Christoph, Constantin, Josef, Julio (Austria)

Elena, Konstantin, Kosta, Kostadin, Kostadinka, Lenko, Stoyan (Bulgaria)

Dubravka, Eugen, Kristofor (Croatia)

Monika (Czech Republic)

Helene (Denmark)

Kindel, Konstantin, Kostel, Tiino (Estonia)

Konsta, Konstantin, Kosti (Finland)

Constantin (France)

Hermann, Konst, Wiltrud (Germany)

Constantine, Constantina, Elena, Elene, Eleni, Helen, Konstantina, Konstantinos, Lena, Nantia (Greece)

Konstantin (Hungary)

Angelo, Giulia, Vittorio (Italy)

Ernestine, Ingmārs, Vinija (Latvia)

Vaidivutis, Valentas, Vydmina (Lithuania)

Eli, Ellen, Helene (Norway)

Donat, Donata, Jan, Kryspin, Przecława, Pudens, Tymoteusz, Walenty, Wiktor, Wiktoriusz (Poland)

Constantin, Elena (România)

Zina (Slovakia)

Cristóbal, Virginia (Spain)

Conny, Konstantin (Sweden)

Constance, Constantine, Helen (Ukraine)

Adelric, Adiel, Audric, Keaton, Kendrick (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 141 of 2024; 224 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 7 of week 20 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Huath (Hawthorn) [Day 8 of 28]

Chinese: Month 4 (Ding-Si), Day 3 (Ji-Mao)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 1 Sivan 5783

Islamic: 1 Dhu al-Qada 1444

J Cal: 20 Bīja; Sixday [20 of 30]

Julian: 8 May 2023

Moon: 4%: Waxing Crescent

Positivist: 1 St. Paul (6th Month) [St. Luke]

Runic Half Month: Ing (Expansive Energy) [Day 12 of 15]

Season: Spring (Day 63 of 90)

Zodiac: Gemini (Day 1 of 32)

Calendar Changes

Ḏū al-Qaʿdah [ذُو ٱلْقَعْدَة] (Islamic Calendar) [Month 11 of 12] (The One of Truce/Sitting)

Gemini (The Twins) begins [Zodiac Sign 3; thru 6.21]

Saint Paul (Catholicism) [Month 6 of 13; Positivist]

Sivan (a.k.a. Sīwān or Siwan) [סִיוָן / סיוון‎] (Hebrew Calendar) [Month 3 of 12]