#anti rush clovis

[skyguy8108]

This is how Padmé and Anakin would resolve their argument over Padmé going on a dangerous mission not how The Clone Wars portrays it.

Secrets of the Jedi - by Jude Watson

Anakin needed to talk to Padme directly. Palpatine couldn’t order her not to go. But Anakin could.

Padme’s laughter bubbled, then died when she saw he was serious. “You’re ordering me?”

“Yes. I have a right. I have more experience than you do; I’m a Jedi and I know what we could be in for. I’m also an officer in the Republic army.”

“But I’m not.” Padme continued to fold a robe she was placing in a small bag at her feet. “So thanks but no thanks, Commander.”

“It’s dangerous and unnecessary for you to go, and I won’t allow it.”

Padme turned. Her gaze was direct. Cool and composed. That always infuriated him. “I think you know well enough how your attitude angers and upsets me. I don’t respond to orders. I am a Senator. I have a duty to perform. So I am going.”

“Padme, please.” He wanted to give in to her softness, but she stood before him, ramrod straight. She wasn’t wearing her ceremonial robes, only a soft sheath down to her ankles, but she might as well be costumed in armor. He collapsed on his back on the sleep couch. “I don’t know why it’s so hard to talk to you.”

“That’s because you’re not talking to me. You’re ordering me.”

“I’m just trying to keep you safe.”

“This is not the way to do it.” He looked up. She was smiling at him. She came and sat beside him.

“I know you worry about my safety,” she said in the soft tone he loved. “I worry about yours. We live in perilous times, Anakin. We’re in the middle of a war. I’m in danger no matter where I am. We’ve both been in some kind of danger since the moment you arrived to protect me.”

“Agreed. But do you have to volunteer for it?”

She took his hand and laced her fingers through his.

“I offered to go because I knew I would be safe. I knew the best Jedi in the Order would be there to protect me.”

He groaned. “Now don’t start flattering me.”

She grinned at him. “I meant Obi-Wan.”

He tossed a pillow at her, and she shrieked in surprise. She threw it back, and he held it suspended in the air with the Force.

“Are you still trying that same trick on me?”

“It’s worked in the past.” She lay down beside him. They faced each other, almost nose to nose.

“I’ll be careful,” she said.

“I won’t leave your side,” he said.

“Don’t,” she said, drawing him close. “I don’t want you to.”

[anidala-for-ever]

I mean , I loved that scene too.

Anakin: The real treasure is the memories we made along the way.

The Jedi Council: Senator Rush Clovis died.

Anakin: That… was my favourite memory.

[hannagoldworthy]

Rush Clovis was not, by any means, the injured party in his fight with Anakin Skywalker! He was forcing Padme to kiss him, and Anakin was just defending her! And, since you defend Clovis after he attempted such a heinous act of sexual violence against a woman, you don’t deserve to call yourself a woman! You Kenobists disgust me to my very soul!

Oh wow. Gee whirlickers. I wonder which of Anakin Skywalker’s anal suppositories inserted this in my mailbox. The writing style is sooooooo unidentifiable. Whatever shall I do.

In case you couldn’t tell (and knowing you, Domina…you can’t), that last paragraph was blatant sarcasm.

The last I checked, it was more than two years ago that this particular argument ended, and there hasn’t been hide nor hair of you seen in the Star Wars fandom since Rings of Power came out. Is the LotR fandom no longer responding to your incessant drama-mongering, Your Highness? Is that why you’re trudging up ancient history in a fandom so far beneath your standards as Star Wars?

Well, Your Worship, I’ll bite, just this one time. I have never, not even once, asserted that Rush Clovis was the injured party in that fight. I have only ever said that Anakin Skywalker is ALSO not the injured party.

The injured party is Padmé Amidala. Who was nearly kissed against her will (and yes, that is tantamount to attempted sexual assault). Who was sure that her beloved husband would come to her defense and stop the assault…only to have Anakin look her in the eye with disgust and say, “YOU have NO say in this!”

Anakin was not fighting to protect Padmé. He was trying to punish her, for something that was not her fault.

He SHOULD have defended her, yes, but instead he treated her like a cheater and a traitor, AND put her mission in considerable jeopardy. If Anakin had kept his head and non-violently escorted Clovis out of the apartment after the kiss was broken, Clovis might have believed Padmé’s argument that she and Anakin were just friends. Instead, he fell for Clovis’s obvious bait into a fight, which told Clovis all he needed to know: that Padmé was in love with someone else, and that she was only dating Clovis to spy on him. And that forced Clovis to accelerate his plans against the Republic, leading to him desperately putting a gun to Padmé’s head the very next episode.

Anakin did not defend Padmè. All he accomplished by beating the shit out of Clovis was putting Padmé in more danger. And if I had been Padmé, I’d have dumped his ass permanently.

That’s my last word on the matter. Now fuck off and get a paying job, Domina, if you can.

[thecleverqueer]

Random Thoughts on Star Wars Ships (Part One)

First, I’m going to focus on toxic Star Wars ships that I absolutely despise. There are three. They are all canon. Some of them are more serious than others, but all of them are incredibly pernicious and problematic. To say they’re my “least favorite” would be selling my hatred of them short, but yeah… the word “loathe” comes to mind. They are as follows:

1.) Luxsoka (aka Ahsoka Tano and Lux Bonteri)

This is my least favorite ship of them all because watching it unfold at times was physically painful. Part of me doesn’t understand it, but the other part of me knows that it was likely just a tepid attempt by Filoni egged on by Lucas to make Ahsoka more relatable. It didn’t work.

I guess the premise didn’t start out too bad with “Heroes on Both Sides” aside from the fact that it sort of felt forced and completely unnecessary, but holy fuck did it go off the rails fast!

Lux’s behavior in “A Friend in Need” was completely unacceptable and inexcusable. I mean, less than 10 minutes into that episode, Lux is threatening to shoot Ahsoka with a deadly firearm, followed by him stunning her unconscious, stealing her ship, hiding her lightsabers from her, then meeting up with known terrorists with anti-Jedi sentiment and history of violence against Jedi. Then, there’s the unwanted kiss. He just sort of grabs her and kisses her against her will to shut her up. She tries to wiggle herself out of it, and when she finally succeeds you can tell she’s PISSED. Rightfully so. Technically, that’s sexual assault. The episode ends with Ahsoka somehow being more fond of him, I guess… I assume it’s related to trauma. I don’t know.

Anyway, the last time we see them together is in the Onderon arc, Lux has fallen for and appears to be in a romantic relationship with Steela Gerrera, and Ahsoka finds a way get over him, which, good for her. It takes two episodes (of a four episode arc) of her being completely insufferable, but she gets there. Ahsoka deserved better anyway. By the end of the arc, she sort of does this attaboy shoulder slug to Lux after Steela kisses him for luck. By that point, Ahsoka probably also found Steela to be pretty hot, and at least one of them got to kiss her. Steela should have kissed you, Ahsoka, but we can’t win them all.

Filoni basically said he was experimenting with this anyway, and I would say that this particular experiment was an abject failure. I’m just glad that it fizzed out before it ever became anything. It was trash. Utter fucking trash.

2.) Anidala (aka Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala)

This is another toxic relationship that I don’t really understand. No. I mean, I do get it. It’s a plot point that gets us to a specific place in a character’s development.

It’s unfortunate really. Padme is supposed to be this badass strong, independent woman, and yet, she blatantly ignores countless red flags during “Attack of the Clones” that should have made her turn away… Anakin being generally creepy, crossing her boundaries, frequently interrupting her, admitting to being a dictatorial fascist… I guess I could technically write all of that off because sometimes your brain short-circuits when you’re in love, and you miss red flags. But… genocide? That was a bridge too far. She should have ran. She should have reported the incident to the Jedi council, but she didn’t because she’s “in love” and actually just a prop.

Their relationship didn’t get much better during the Clone Wars. Anakin guilted her often when she chose duty over desire, something her role in the galaxy required. It was also pretty apparent that Anakin didn’t trust her as far as he could throw her based on the way he acted during the Rush Clovis arcs. There was a point where it felt like their relationship should have ended during season six. Padme needed a break, and told Anakin that she just couldn’t do it anymore after Anakin brutally beat the dog shit out of Clovis. But then, more trauma. Maybe the moral of the story is to avoid “romantic” relationships when you’re in the midst of a traumatic experience because it’s going to end badly, I don’t know.

Then he kills her in “Revenge of the Sith”. Well. He force chokes her and she dies of a broken heart… and then he proceeds to lose his shit, force crushing an entire room with overwhelming emotion (say what you will about the Jedi and their obsession with not forming attachments and overcoming feelings but… *gestures vaguely at this incident right here*).

It’s just an incredibly disastrous toxic sludge of a relationship. And, I know I was more vague about this one, but honestly, I could write a novel about it… so, I’ll spare you.

3.) Reylo (aka Rey Palpatine/Skywalker and Kylo Ren)

I hate this one too… mainly because Kylo tells Rey that she’s “nothing” except to him in “The Last Jedi” and that bothers me. This is something a narcissist might say to someone they’re abusing and gaslighting in an attempt to make them stick around, and that is just gross.

If Rey had actually been a nobody, it may have been less offensive, but she’s a fucking Palpatine. She’s not a nobody. Her grandfather (who isn’t actually her “grandfather” as her father was just a Palpatine clone, and goddamn, I’m going to need a better explanation for all of that shit because it just makes me dizzy, but I digress) was an oppressive emperor that reigned in terror for decades. She’s far from a nobody. In fact, Kylo’s grandfather (actual grandfather, not a clone) was Palpatine’s bitch. He should at least show her a little respect.

He was also generically mean to her during the entire sequel trilogy.

This one ended in death too, but at least it was Kylo’s and not Rey’s death. Again, Rey exhibited this weird mental exercise where she sees Kylo Ren and Ben Solo as two different people instead of them being one-in-the-same (much like the mental gymnastics that everyone does with Vader), so she tries to validate the whole thing. But, he’s an asshole too. She should have faced it.

[randomguyonline71]

There is this one HP anidala idea I had for a while and wanted to see what you thought.

Anakin Skywalker and Rush Clovis are the nephews of Sheev Palpatine who is headmaster at hogwarts. Both pureblood and Slytherin. However, what Palpatine and Rush don't know, Anakin has been secretly dating muggleborn Gryffindor or Hufflepuff Padme. With a war brewing and anti muggleborn rhetorical rising, Anakin will do anything to keep her safe.

That is very interesting. Thank you for sharing it with me.

I like this idea very much. I have enjoyed quite a few stories with Uncle Palpy in the past, so I'm not opposed to that trope. I'm also a big lover of secret dating. And inter-house dating.

I'm not sure I will be able to do it, since I'm already working on a Hogwarts Anidala AU. But I will add it to my list of prompts, and maybe I will get around to it one day.

Thank you for the ask anon :D

[fandomlife-confessions]

[smallandangry24]

Characters you hated more than the actual villains

[knightotoc]

My sister just explained the history of "anti-shipping" as a movement of bullies who have, over the past 6-ish years, radicalized kids with their simplistic morality and effectively only hurt queer artists. I knew of it, but not the whole sorry timeline. It does feel pretty hopeless, since shipping began as a transformative repressed gay thing and it's changed into a consumer-based moral crusade; like, where do we go from here? Because we can't go back, and the future looks grim. How do we knock all these kids out of it, when Walt Disney's specific brand of crusty narrow-mindedness is taking over the world? It's fun to be violent and mean, I guess, when you think you're righteous. I can't relate, since I'm not here for morality; I'm here for Star Wars, and I've got a huge moral hangup with even the second word of that title.

I can understand criticizing ships, and getting riled up by trolls and bait, but I can't understand taking that anger out on other creators, making violent us-vs-them jokes, or obsessing over, stalking, or harrassing strangers. Or to put it in a morally simplistic way: Javert is the badguy.

[phoenixyfriend]

Star Wars Masterlist: Shipping (SFW)

Ships, Friendships, and Assorted Thoughts

Navigation Post

Fun fact, tumblr allows 250 links on the old editor and 100 in the new. So. Network of masterlists.

This post is organized as such:

Anidala

Aayla and Anakin (friendship)

Codakin

Rexsoka .

Quinobi

Jangobi

Obitine .

Rexwalker

Rexanidala

This does not include shitposts, meme fills, crossovers, or anything on the Wider AUs masterlist. Almost all nsfw posts that were previously on this list have been moved to the nsfw masterlist.

ANIDALA

GENERAL

They may be stupid

Red flags are semaphore

Do Padme’s friends know she’s kinda nuts? - Actually, Padme deserves to be just as Nuts

“You are so smart, babe.”

Imagine Will Ferrell screaming Santa. That’s Anakin about Padme.

Jealous Padme - Alternately: non-jealous Padme but self-recriminating Anakin

Anti-Anidala shippers are just Rush Clovis using a sock puppet account

Viewed through the lens of WWII marriages

I am underwhelmed by Anidala fics and their lack of Funky Fun AUs

Any AU where they aren't dating is one where they still need to be kind of insane, together, about love

Anakin getting ‘girly’ clothes with the excuse that it was a dare from The Wife .

AUs

Time Travel is “I Miss My Wife” time

Hidden Lockpick

Tasteful Sideboob

Sugar Baby Anakin

The Queen of “I Can Fix Her”

Anakin’s crush on Padme could have been comphet

Fake Married Obi/Padme (actual married Anidala)

Anakin donated to a sperm bank, and said sperm accidentally goes to Padme (somehow, this is Obi-Wan’s problem)

They were both influenced by Sith Magic to fall in love, and when Palpatine dies... well. They’re friends, but marriage counseling is on the table.

If you’re going to have Anakin Force-trick Padme into loving him, at least do it in an interesting way

Anakin’s Manic Episode - This AU is in the Wider AUs masterlist

Wii Brain Anakin - John Mulaney Skit

Fucked Up Fusion AU

Bribing Rex to secrecy with Cheetohs

Anidala and the Bimbofication Ray

Anidala as context for why I think Satine/Padme wouldn’t quite work

Anakin has a very specific section of his memory carved out by Ventress, and can no longer remember Padme or Palpatine; primary complication is that Padme is halfway through her pregnancy

Transmasc Anakin still treasuring his wedding photos where he was in a dress .

Modern AU

Anakin the Temp - Hospital Proposal

Journalist Padme

Anyway, Here’s Wonderwall

Obi-Wan is concerned about sugar baby Anakin

Anidala is weirdly perfect for a serial killer tag team

Not-quite-a-WandaVision AU (Anidala are trying so hard to be a Normal Suburban Couple)

Otherwise ‘normal’ girl falls for a hitman

Divorced but still sharing the dogs (Artoo and Threepio) or the kids (twins)

AAYLA & ANAKIN

Aayla Babysits Anakin, now with meme (This isn’t a single AU just all the same theme, so I’m not tossing it on the wider AUs list)

“Hey Aayla? They gave me a kid and I don’t know what to do.”

More of the same

The Pamphlet Game

Fake Dating

Please Like My Friends

* Ficlet: Same Pains, Different Chains

Aayla is to Anakin as Anakin is to Ahsoka

Briefcase Child - NOW WITH FANART by @bi-wan

I need an adult

CODAKIN

How the Codykin started

Codykin pet names

Anakin just wants Cody’s attention

People judge Cody but he’s winning, soooo

Not Cody’s Problem

Ficlet-ish (mostly about how the power dynamics even out and Anakin’s kind of into authority.

* Codykin&Rexsoka - Artoo the Emotional Support Dog

Catboy Ani

Anakin just really wants to impress Cody somehow

What I need out of a Codakin fic

Anakin does the 🥺 face when Cody is mean to him

‘Why I ship it’

Cody has to ask Obi-Wan permission to date Anakin, and prove himself

Modern AU Codakin: Violinist Anakin (Cody brought teenbopper Domino twins to one of his performances)

REXSOKA

Rexsoka matching formalwear by @mercurialvoid​

Ahsoka and Rex go to Tatooine

Rex and Ahsoka get accidentally married, decide to see what it does to bureaucracy if they file it instead of getting it annulled

QPP Tax Marriage: Rex and Ahsoka

“If Lost, Return To” T-shirts

Modern AU Age Difference

Speakeasy AU, mayhaps?

QUINOBI

Kiffu Selkie AU - The Trust

Omegaverse QuinObi with fic by @threebea​

Parks and Rec vibes

Why QuinObi?

Hallmark Christmas Movie AU (QuinObi/BailBreha foursome)

Ahsoka is the QuinObi Oops baby

Gimme a proper epic, I am begging

Arranged/Political marriage QuinObi, mostly by @epicmusic42

Canon!Quinlan/Never-a-Jedi!Senator!Obi-Wan

JANGOBI

Politically Charged Gay Chicken AU

All the clones are crushing on Obi-Wan... and he dates Jango

Jangobi, enabled by Anakin

Boba Ships Jangobi (and Clones taking care of Boba)

All about the kids

Jangobi: Obi-Wan brings his new boyfriend to Thanksgiving Dinner (it’s awful) - it’s about the antique auctions

Jangobi but it’s all about Anakin and Boba (also Bo-Katan and Ventress start dating)

Jango falls for an undercover Obi-Wan, later finds out this escort/trophy wife/sex worker was a Jedi, plus a bunch of recs for almost-matches

Arranged marriage Jangobitine?

OBITINE

Obitine but Make it Yakety Sax

Cobitine Bodyswap

Obitine as a T4T power couple send tweet

Obitine: It’s About the Yearning

Obitine in the context of Obi-Wan’s Legends backstory

Yotr, but Obi-Wan is raised Trad Mando

Arranged marriage AU, feat. Jango and Bo-Katan

In which the Obitine baby is mostly for politics, but at least a little to piss off Jango

Role Swap AU

Tatooine Marriage

Trans girl Obi-Wan

Jedi and Mandalorian sword dancing

Obitine+Jinn are joined by Jango. Now Jango and Qui-Gon are united in trying not to notice the teenagers Getting Horny.

Obitine on Tatooine: Satine is a lot more competent at Desert Living than Padme, and everyone is surprised (except Obi-Wan)

Is this actually a pattern or am I just seeing what I want to see? (Obi-Wan’s ships are usually white blonde women, or men of color.)

This is several ships, mostly with Obi-Wan (JangObi, BailObi, but also Jango/Mace), but primarily Obitine and QuinObi, as well as a Barrakin plot.

REXWALKER

Boba’s Crush on Anakin ft. Rexwalker

Anakin needs Cody’s help to hit on Rex

Rexwalker Fake Dating

Fake Marriage (Again)

* Yet Another Rexwalker AU (Anakin never left Tatooine) - Obi-Wan will micromanage

Arm Candy

Rex has a crush on Anakin (and Cody’s judging his taste)

Imperial Consort Rex

Protection vibes

Rex seduces his General as a ploy to gain protection for himself and his brothers, and it works a little too well

Lovebug AU

College AU: Stripper Anakin is in Rex’s engineering class

It’s about the Forearms

REXANIDALA

The Rex/Padme side of Rexanidala

Rex deserves kisses too

Rexwalker/Anidala Soulmate AU stuff: nsfw, sfw

Rex is Obi-Wan’s platonic sugar baby (for societal reasons), is actually Anidala’s third

History AU: Trans Anidala, bodyguard Rex

Anakin is the princess in the tower, and has five (5) friends (four of them are employees)

Green Knight AU, anyone?

“Canon” age diff: 24yo Rex sugar babies for 34yo Ani and 39yo Padme - Also this person is Boba Fett-coded

Rexwalker are half-married because of raising Ahsoka together. Padme approves.

[the-chosen-anakin]

Tbh, that whole fight scene between Anakin and Clovis should’ve been about Anakin’s trauma and him trying to keep Padme safe. Remember, he was born a slave. He no doubt knew to some degree what usually happened to attractive slaves. As a result, seeing Padme being forcibly kissed should’ve triggered those traumatic memories and thus cause Anakin to overcompensate by pulverizing Clovis (who totally deserved it).

Here for Clovis hate!! It’s confirmed in Queens Shadow by EK Johnston that Clovis and Padmé never dated, she never had feelings for him, and she was distrustful of him since the first time they spoke to each other. After her first Senate bill was passed towards the end (that they worked on together) he forcibly kissed her for the first time. When she shoved him off she all but said what the hell is wrong with you. So not only did he try in TCW, the book confirms he did it twice. The fact that they had her direct all of her anger towards Anakin shows me that nobody on TCW understood Padmé or Anidala, and that’ll forever make me bitter.

I fucking hate Clovis so much. He's the worst character ever and a fucking creep. Like there's literally no other character I hate as much as him. There's no way Padme would have been interested romantically in Clovis given the movie canon. Like a big part of Padme's character in AOTC was that she never made time for herself and never pursued a romantic relationship since she became the Queen and then Senator. Padme deciding that she wants to be in a relationship with Anakin was a huge step for her character development because she learned that she shouldn't be scared to make "selfish" decisions or do things that would benefit her because life is short. So saying she already had someone else between TPM and AOTC not only doesn't fit with the established timeline but it also invalidates her character development in AOTC. TCW writers were clowns for bringing him in as a past love interest and they never cared about Padme or Anidala.

[thesummerstorms]

I still feel as if there’s a pretty large disconnect between Queen’s Shadow Padmé Amidala and the Padmé of other stories, in particular The Clone Wars.

Queen’s Shadow is closer to the Padmé I want, which is part of why I read the book so quickly and why I enjoyed it. But there were multiple points where I caught myself thinking this is “a little AU”.

You could probably argue (and I would probably accept the argument) that a large part in the difference in her characterization is what role the writers see her fulfilling in the story. In The Clone Wars in particular, Padmé I think you can make a strong argument that Padmé is very seldom written with her own characteristics and arcs in mind. She’s often reduced to Anakin’s wife and motivation for an eventual fall, or else to the Jedi’s convenient political ally or excuse to get involved in Senate business. 

By contrast, Queen’s Shadow is directly concerned with her characterizations and motivations. As a novel focused on Amidala as a character, it of course also frames her more positively by virtue of her being the protagonist. Rather than the primary concern being her use to facilitate a crisis or resolution for other characters, this is a story where her decisions and values by necessity drive the plot. That definitely makes a difference.

But even that aside, in many places Amidala just reads differently when you compare her to her most direct arcs in other prequel era materials.

The book tries to address the concern that Amidala failed to do anything for Shmi Skywalker by sending Sabé , a handmaiden, off screen to look for (and fail to find) Shmi. And it positions Amidala as someone who’s strongly concerned by slavery but who is purposefully kept from being able to legislatively address the issue by the manipulations of Palpatine (who I suppose is putting her off as keeping Shmi out of the picture keeps Anakin off balance? It’s implied, not addressed) and by her own lack of stature in the Senate. 

The closing scene also indicates that Amidala continued to draft “years” of anti-slavery legislation as well as a clone personhood bill for both during and after the war (which is topically related, as the clones are de facto Republic slaves.) It also spends a lot of time establishing Amidala as someone who had very strong morals in private, but spoke rhetorically in her politics, disguising her positions in order to work around to persuasion slowly. Someone who repeatedly worries about forgetting the effect of her policies on the common people because she remembers the invasion of Naboo and holds its effects as her touchstone.

That’s all super interesting, and honestly, it’s closer in line with the Senator Amidala I want to read.

But I also don’t know that reading of the character works with the arc we see of Padmé raising votes in the Senate to reject a funding bill to expand the Clone Army based not on the premise of sentient rights, but for funding. Yes, you can argue the politician card and I absolutely believe a rhetorical strategy based on humanizing the clones would have failed on the Senate floor- but in the entirety of The Clone Wars series, we never hear her express concern for the Clone’s personhood even once, even to close allies (and supposed like-minded reformers/humanists [for lack of a better term]) such as Bail Organa. The Senate arc would have been an opportune moment for Padmé to mention even in passing the untenable situation of purchasing men to fight a war they didn’t choose to fight and can’t refuse or escape... and it doesn’t happen.

 There’s also the fact she didn’t know that her aid, Teckla, had no water or electricity in the same arc, when Queen’s Shadow repeatedly emphasizes her deep closeness to her aides and hand-picked staff, and even explicitly discusses how she has to carefully examine her own desires and actions, deliberately not asking for specific things or changing how she approaches them to make sure she isn’t abusing the power she has in the relationship. The contrast is ... strange.

Even the establishment of her past with Clovis seems inconsistent. Again, what we get in Queen’s Shadow is what I want for the character, but it doesn’t always feel as if lines up with what we saw in The Clone Wars. Admittedly, I couldn’t finish the “Rise of Clovis”/”Crisis of the Heart” episodes because I found Anakin’s behavior uncomfortable, and I didn’t find “The Senate Spy”/”An Old Friend” particularly engaging. 

But Shadow establishes Rush Clovis as someone Padmé actively is trying to avoid being courted by and, frankly, doesn’t respect, either for his motivations or his competency. There’s a brief while where the two become unlikely allies attempting to serve a people on the brink of extinction with emergency Senate legislation, and Padmé begins to soften towards him. But then he kisses her without consent, and she’s furious enough that she not only loses all kindness towards him, but directly calls him out for disrespecting her agency. I dislike Clovis, and enjoyed that scene- but it also raised serious questions for me about her later Clone Wars era behavior, even if you accept that she was trying to earn his confidence in order to act as a spy.

Overall, I really did enjoy Queen’s Shadow. It’s very much a character-driven novel, and sometimes the plot is a little thin, but I’m drawn to stories for characterization anyway. But ultimately I’m left a little unsure about how to reconcile the protagonist we were given, as interesting as I found her, with her larger self in the rest of the universe. That leaves me a little uncertain how to place Queen’s Shadow as a novel in the larger GFFA as well.

[strrne]

Give Me a Signal, Ch.8

Chapters: 8/?

Word count (so far): 21220

AO3  Ch.1 Ch.2  Ch.3 Ch.4 Ch.5 Ch.6 Ch.7

Summary: When Padmé Amidala is unable to contact Coruscant while negotiating a loan on Scipio, the Senate suspects trouble, and sends Anakin Skywalker to go check on her. Of course, the resourceful senator isn’t really in any trouble – don’t flatter yourself, Rush Clovis – but there’s definitely some brewing.

(or; rewrite of the tcw S6 Clovis arc; anidala + gen)

”A little bird tells me you're planning to do something 'ill-advised'. Would this be a Geonosis, or rather a Vanqor kind of ill-advised?”

Anakin did not much enjoy being forced to guess which one of his consecutive mess-ups Obi-Wan meant by 'Geonosis', and why he seemed to think that his apprentice had at least made slightly better decisions on their plentiful misadventures on Vanqor. Should he take this as a compliment? Well, he didn't have time, and that was not the point anyway.

”I'm going back to Scipio,” Anakin answered truthfully, whirling around on the ramp to the Twilight. ”Right now.”

Obi-Wan nodded. ”So… the Scipio kind.”

”Very clever, Master,” Anakin sighed. ”Are you not going to ask why? Try to stop me… do what you do best.”

”Oh, I find that what I do best is give you advice.”

Anakin nodded slowly, drumming his fingers against the box of supplies he was holding, then gesturing with his other arm towards the ship.

”Can't you tell me on the way? The more the merrier. We can be arrest buddies again.”

Of course, the two of them had been arrest buddies plenty of times, but somehow, in the Scipio-gate, Obi-Wan's brief arrest had become a mere footnote, while Anakin's extended one had ended up the talk of the town. Curiously, Anakin no longer blamed his Master for the incident – having recently been made to face how his own boiling anger often contributed to situations escalating.

”I'll respectfully decline your kind invitation.”

Anakin narrowed his eyes at him. Obi-Wan appeared to be in a strange mood – he sounded almost jovial – as though he was, for once, feeling optimistic about something. Anakin was almost sorry he could only give him a tired look, preparing to sit through whatever wisdom the older Jedi had to provide today – and risk being found out before he could set off. But he could do this much for Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan's features suddenly grew tenser.

”I sense so much anger in you. You know what Master Yoda says about that.”

”Fear… suffering… bad feelings. Bad things,” Anakin listed wearily, with somewhat loose vocabulary. He was suddenly starting to miss going to missions with Obi-Wan, and listen to his nagging about the immediate danger they were facing, instead of Anakin's character flaws. ”First thing he ever said to me.”

”And you remember what I usually tell you?”

”Harmony… control… I know the teachings, Master.”

”And you know what I'm telling you now?”

Anakin gave him a scowl, not greatly appreciating the structure of this conversation.

”What, Master?”

Obi-Wan pressed a thoughtful hand to his beard, casting Anakin a long gaze. There was something of a softness in his eyes.

”That perhaps… what you're feeling is not just anger.”

Anakin shifted. That was something new – and it seemed to strike something of a chord with him. His shoulders relaxed, and he inclined his head with cautious curiosity.

”Perhaps it is just what you said… a bad feeling.”

Anakin studied his master.

”Kinda like the one you had?”

”Yes…”

”And did that pass, Master?”

”Yes,” Obi-Wan said slowly. ”But only after it became reality.”

Anakin looked away. If Obi-Wan meant what he thought he meant, it wasn't something he had expected his Master to have sensed. The worst part was, Obi-Wan didn't know the details – Anakin didn't know the details. He must have only sensed his murderous rage, his darkness.

”The curious thing is,” Obi-Wan went on, ”I thought I felt something bigger – of greater consequence – than merely… whatever you did to that poor man.”

Anakin swallowed, as Obi-Wan mumbled something about Clovis still being alive, at least. Obi-Wan then hurried to clarify, as though it could help Anakin feel better, ”I only sensed your regret afterward. I was on my way to see you–” he momentarily stumbled upon his words. ”I know something happened. But I was not spying on you.”

But he had been on his way to see him on that day – apparently moments before Padmé had appeared and claimed first turn. Something of a bad feeling, indeed. Anakin tried to imagine how differently things would have played out if it had been Obi-Wan running into Clovis in the hangar and Obi-Wan staring at the busted control table.

”I'm getting sidetracked,” Obi-Wan said apologetically. ”What I'm saying is, I think this is something else. I can't seem to get a grasp on it… because, I think, it does not directly involve me. While you, the Chosen One,” he said the last words with an affectionate sneer, his tone strangely cheerful again, ”can feel the full impact of whatever will soon come to pass. But due to your… immaturity, you're mistaking it for anger at this person who has done very little to you.”

Anakin opened his mouth to speak, but Obi-Wan wouldn't let him.

”Yes, we all know he has caused plenty of trouble for your wife.”

For a second, Anakin started, before remembering he had risked everything in a throwaway joke not too long ago, and now Obi-Wan was at the very least in a position to give the two of them heart attacks for the rest of eternity. And again, he had no time for this.

Anakin rubbed his forehead, confused like never before.

”Let me get this straight. I am, once again, feeling too much for Jedi standards… but for once it's also good, because you think it's some kind of premonition?”

Obi-Wan paused. He seemed to be considering just how comfortably what he had said, and what Anakin was suggesting now, fit into the Jedi principles, and Master Yoda's views on premonitions and visions. Then he got on the ramp and walked over to Anakin, to place a gentle hand on his shoulder and look him in the eye.

”Search your feelings, Anakin. And if you can… do channel them into something good. Don't settle for just anger and fear. I know you're better than that.”

Anakin stared at him.

The Jedi Master then whirled around with one final look at his apprentice, and left without waiting for a response.

-

Padmé had often been accused of being a workaholic, but this time around she had thought she’d enjoy the bit of respite that her stepping down from the negotiations would bring. Instead she found herself quite uneasy after her call with Clovis, and not even 12 hours had passed before she contacted Bail again. The call barely got through, and she nearly had to press an ear to the speaker of her holo projector to be able to make out the familiar voice.

Bail spoke first, and with some rare, thinly veiled urgency.

“Padmé, I am so glad you called. I couldn’t get through to you from here. Padmé, something very odd is going on here. It has been two days, and we have yet to be presented with the new loan agreement. There is a very shady Separatist Representative staying at the–“

“What?” Padmé echoed. “The new Separatist contract is being negotiated at the same time?”

Bail nodded, almost drowning into the gray, rasping rain of interference.

“Yes... I was willing to let that – there is something – Representative Clovis does seem troubled – I wish I knew what it –“

With that, the signal was dead, and Padmé’s resurrection attempts proved futile.

Suddenly she felt guilty – she should have gone to Scipio. She would have gotten through to Clovis, whatever he was hiding. Hiding…

Padmé bit her lip. She had had enough of hiding. It was time for the truth to come out.

Teckla came in with some tea and imported Nabooian biscuits. Her expression indicated that she had overheard the conversation.

”My Lady…”

”I know, Teckla. Something very strange is going on.” The Senator gave her a trusting look. ”I know you're always up for another adventure, Teckla, but I'm sorry, I'm going to have to ask you to stay behind instead, and cancel all my appointments for the next few days. If it's urgent, please have Representative Binks cover for me.”

”Right away, My Lady.” She gave a bow and a warm smile. ”Good luck.”

-

”Anakin!” Padmé sprinted into the hangar, looking around for her husband’s freighter. She was surprised to find Anakin on his way to meet her. “Oh, I'm so glad you're still here,” she sighed, clasping both his hands in hers.

”I was about to take flight,” Anakin explained, “but then I sensed you… like really sensed you. Your urgency…”

”To come with you,” Padmé announced. “No, scratch that, to kidnap you.”

”Kidnap me?” Anakin echoed with sudden curiosity, smirking as though he had never heard of an idea more wonderful.

”Yeah, come on,” Padmé hurried, grabbing his wrist like a proper crook should, still panting. ”To my star skiff.”

”Wait, wait, wait –”

”I don't care what kind of lousy plan you've come up with. Mine is better. And frankly,” she gestured towards whatever barely functional scraps were left of the Twilight this week, ”so is my ship.”

”You'll… smuggle me to Scipio? Why? I thought you disapproved,” Anakin reminded her, following her outside and to her skyspeeder.

”I changed my mind,” she explained. ”I'll explain it when we reach hyperspace. And smuggling is the right word, yes.”

”What do you mean?”

”Well,” Padmé said, shoving him onto the speeder and grabbing the yoke, ”have I mentioned there is an anti-thermal-scanner compartment in the back of my ship?”

”What?” Anakin uttered. ”Why haven't you?”

”Now that I think of it, you specifically told me never to introduce you to any more of my ship's special features… after – ” She turned towards him momentarily, flushing and chuckling, ”ahem, do you remem–”

”Oh, that.” He gave a laughter, his nose scrunching up with either disgust or delight. ”No, that's not what I said.”

-

In hyperspace, Anakin listened to Padmé’s recount of the situation, her concerns, Bail’s messages and Clovis’ odd behavior - without interrupting, still a little incredulous that he was actually taking this risky and nonsensical trip with Obi-Wan’s blessing and his wife for company. But once she’d finished, he found himself only vaguely worried about the bigger picture - there was only so much room in his brain for politics and finances - and left with that one name he so despised.

“So… you’ll probably cross paths with Clovis again.”

Padmé did not look happy with his response.

“Anakin, it is my intention to ‘cross paths’ with Clovis – and demand answers."

Anakin gave a vague nod.

“And I need your help,” she then added, to Anakin’s surprise. Padmé momentarily took her eyes off the display screen and focused on her words. “Something for your own little excursion. Look, I don’t know much about these things, but since you are breaking into their holo tower… would you maybe be able to… spy on any covert networks?”

Anakin gave a nod again, an enthusiastic one. If there were any covert networks to be found, he had doubt in his ability to hack into them.

“Again, I thought you disapproved.”

Padmé shook her head.  

“I’ve been a major hypocrite, Anakin. You said it yourself. I do this all the time – unauthorized missions, breaking less than useful laws in the name of justice. And since it doesn’t look like there is going to be any new contract for you to ruin–“

“Hey!”

They gave a hearty laughter in unison, and Padmé playfully struck him on the arm, rather more forcefully than needed.

A long silence followed, and the air between them tightened again. But Anakin knew it was mostly the Force radiating off him and his darkened thoughts. Darkened – but no longer dark.

”Padmé,” Anakin said in a quiet voice, ”You know what I was going to ask of you?”

”What, Anakin?”

He shifted in his seat.

”To…” He looked away. “If I… If I'm ever about to snap again, and you happen to be there, to… give me a signal. To make me stop.”

Padmé was silent. Engine sounds filled the cockpit.

“But now I understand…” he drew a deep breath, feeling like he had already forgotten whatever Obi-Wan had said to him this morning. “I can’t ask that of you. You might not be there. And a Jedi is supposed to be able to control his emotions."

Keeping her eyes on the screen, but gently stealing a glance at her husband, Padmé softly laid her hand on his shoulder, gliding it along the side of his arm.

”Let me teach you an alternative to that Jedi philosophy of 'controlling your emotions'. You see, the emotions are always going to be there. But you can control your impulses. Your actions are never an inevitability."

She smiled at him.

"Too lecture-y?"

"It's a nice change of pace from Obi-Wan."

-

This time, it was Anakin's turn to that fall asleep on the journey. Padmé was reminded of Obi-Wan’s extended nap on their first fateful adventure on the banking planet. Before she had married Anakin, she had actually been under the impression that the Jedi did not sleep. Even now - it was a strange thing to witness. Chest moving up and down on his seat, Anakin looked almost too tranquil and innocent to be a General of the Grand Army of the Republic.

Nearing the end of the hyperspace journey, Padmé’s holo projector activated. Bail appeared as a bare wavering outline to inform her that the signal was currently so unstable, he’d have to keep this brief. He had just notified the Supreme Chancellor that the new loan agreement was a complete disaster – with increased interest rates for the Republic, as well as completely unreasonable terms and conditions. Meanwhile, the Separatists were to be given a contract with decreased loan interest, and complete forgiveness for their past transgressions, and – something that Padmé could no longer make out, as the connection shut down with a scratch.

Padmé took her hand off the yoke and plunged it into the ornate composition on her head, scratching at her scalp. This was worth ruining a perfect hairstyle for.

What in the world was Rush Clovis doing?

[narkinafive]

There are a lot of reasons why I don't like the rush clovis arc in s6

First of all, rush is a bitch

Anidala break up :(

The anti semitic Jewish coded bankers

Ooc abounds

Etc

But I love watching anakin beat up Clovis bc kin

[jediscourse]

ok but do you ship anidala or not? bc that's an anti anidala post but you've mentioned anidala on here before

alright! so my feelings on this ship are…complicated, basically?? they did absolutely love each other and their dynamic in tcw (minus the whole rush clovis debacle) is really compelling. battle couples and secret relationships are two of my favorite romance tropes. without anidala, luke and leia would not exist, and i’m solidly against any reality wherein the skytwins don’t exist. i like the pairing, to the point that most tcw-era fic i write is anidala-compliant.

however, anidala falls into the infuriating and misogynistic trope of a woman dying for the sake of a man’s character arc. i do acknowledge that they’re bad for each other, and that the relationship is toxic. george lucas was famously misogynistic, and seemed to have no idea how to write real-life, human, non-creepy romantic dialogue. (i’m of the opinion that the anidala diaogue in aotc/rots isn’t nearly as bad as the fandom makes it out to be, but it’s still pretty damn bad.)

by the time rots rolls around, anakin is aware that he has no agency; he is, internally, a complete wreck. neither of them are really coping with the imminent reality of their unborn child(ren), how having a baby from a secret marriage will affect their lives and careers and friendships, and the eventuality of giving their child(ren) up to the jedi order. and then, of course, anakin falls to the dark side and assaults padmé, his pregnant wife, in the throes of rage. all of these things add up to an onscreen dynamic that comes across as borderline abusive at best. i absolutely understand why some people consider it abusive and are anti-anidala.

honestly? in my Ideal Star Wars Universe, padmé is a lesbian who falls in love with satine.

[johnnyrobish]

Trump Reportedly Considering Pardoning Himself

Trump Reportedly Considering Pardoning Himself:  News that Donald Trump and his lawyers are musing about the possibility of the President pardoning his family and himself to insulate them from any potential charges of wrongdoing related to the 2016 election has worked up many into a fury.  I beg your pardon - they’re considering what?  Frankly, sometimes I wish this family of grifters would just grab all the silverware and free souvenir pens and run away to Russia in the middle of the night.

http://www.johnnyrobish.com

Trump Names Anti-Science Radio Host as Chief Scientist:  President Trump has just nominated climate change skeptic and right-wing talk radio host Sam Clovis to serve as the Department of Agriculture’s chief scientist - a slap in the face to the scientific community and those responsible for the integrity of the USDA’s research.  Great, now about the only thing Mr Trump has left to do is appoint Judge Judy to the Supreme Court and Rush Limbaugh to head up the FDA Opioids Action Plan.  That should pretty much keep us all moving right along up that proverbial creek.

http://www.johnnyrobish.com

Catholic Church Bans Gluten-Free Communion Wafers:  A recent letter from the Vatican reminded the world’s Catholic bishops of a rule mandating wheat gluten be in the communion wafers used in the celebration of Mass by Catholics.  Wait a minute, the church is insisting communion wafers have gluten in them?  I thought “gluteny" was a sin.

[padme-amitabha]

Hello since you mentioned you are anti Disney are you anti Reylo too? What are your thoughts on other ships

Hmm I wouldn’t exactly call myself an anti Reylo. To be an anti you need to have strong feelings against something and I feel nothing about these two characters and the entire sequel trilogy. Kylo and Rey are so poorly written and underdeveloped characters to the point they feel like blank slates in my mind. So I don’t really care about them getting together. But I’ll acknowledge some parts of their relationship seemed abusive (especially their interaction in TFA) and them getting together after TFA is by no means healthy. Still I’m just not passionate enough to argue against this ship. The only ST ship I like is Finn/Poe because they are cute together have been through a lot together and their relationship could develop over the course of the films.

I’m okay with Jyn/Cassian though they lack solid character traits as well but it’s fine because I think Rogue One was a plot driven movie anyway so fanon works on them are cool. Not sure if it’s an actual ship but I do like C3PO and R2D2 together. With Luke and Obi-Wan, I don’t necessarily think romance is necessary but I’m open to most ships involving them. I do occasionally enjoy Obitine, Codywan and Siriwan. I have a soft spot for Siriwan because of the legends novel ‘Secrets of the Jedi’. If anyone hasn’t read or heard of it, I highly recommend y’all to check it out. I’m fine with Han/Leia though I’m not a big fan of their dynamic (especially in ESB) but I still think it’s great.

Now about the ships I actually don’t like: You can say I’m anti all master/student relationships because I personally just find it really icky. All of the masters and students have big age differences and the masters knew the latter as children/preteens and in some cases raised/groomed them so no. All master/student bonds are meant to be platonic and anything else just feels wrong.

I’m not a big fan of crackships in general neither do I like Anakin/Vader and Padmé being paired with other people. They seem like the only couple who actually matter to the story because without them there would be no Luke and Leia. I love that George based them on Romeo and Juliet while adding bits of Othello/Desdemona to complete the tragedy. I think they only loved each other and just like Anakin’s fate it was destined to happen. I just can’t imagine them loving anyone else. I’m only basing this on the movies; I am not a big fan of TCW nor do I like they created Rush Clovis, a stereotypical clingy ex, just for unnecessary drama and made Anidala unhealthy just because the writers fail to grasp what George intended. I don’t think Anidala is by any means unhealthy or Vaderdala for that matter. I honestly don’t like the distinction because Anakin is Vader at a different point in his life. He made a mistake of choking Padmé on Mustafar because he was unhinged. For the record, he has never been fully mentally stable unlike Kylo Ren as shown in AOTC so you have to keep that in mind. Plus he still regrets doing that to her very much and she’s the first thing he asks about after his surgery. But his actions still break her heart and she loses the will to live. So Vader remains alone with his regrets and in a way this is very fitting because abuse (even if it’s unintentional or accidental) should not be tolerated. Or murder for that matter so even though Anakin’s fall is understandable, karma gets him and he loses everything. I have seen a lot of Anidala fans say Vader and Padmé is toxic but I think it’s only toxic if you make it out to be. I have seen some suitless Vader fics where Padmé is forced to marry him or be with him against her will which is very much abusive. But if Vader still has Anakin’s personality he wouldn’t be abusive at all. Ambitious and power hungry? Definitely but Anakin’s past as a child slave and his mother impacted him deeply. I think he would have respected women even more because of it and definitely wouldn’t force someone to be with him against their will. I dislike how people view Anakin as a saint or like “the good side” of him because it’s the same Anakin who slaughtered the sand people. Viewing him as different from Vader is glossing over his flaws and crimes while undermining his redemption. Vader isn’t a demon possessing Anakin; Vader is Anakin who has no one left and he’s alone and depressed. AOTC Anakin even after his dark moment acted normally with people he cared about (he didn’t exactly lash at Padmé when he returned, did he?) so I don’t think he would have been abusive to Padmé had she lived and I think Padmé would rather die than be abused. If anything Vader would have killed Palpatine much sooner if Padmé was alive.

Anyways there’s only one ship I absolutely despise and it’s a popular dark ship. I don’t think I hate any other ship with such a burning passion and it involves Anakin/Vader and a certain shitty OC from the marvel comics - an unoriginal and trashy character who exists because Disney has given certain writers far too much freedom to write their fanboyish fantasies. So they write a sort of dark Padmé who’s into women but that doesn’t stop them from shamelessly dropping sexual innuendos in every interaction with Vader. The worst thing is the writer pretends it was unintentional while pretending to “discover this ship” and I find it direspectful to the lgbt community that they wrote a character who even though she’s gay is shipped with every male character she interacts with (including Luke), because clearly her preference is not that important. She’s conveniently morally gray too because that way she can team up with both sides. I don’t like any ships where characters have a big age difference and this “dark ship” has about twenty years of it and this OC Smelly Lunatic A*hra is closer to Luke and Leia’s age. She is a mixture of Han Solo, Indiana Jones, Lara Croft, Padmé and even Anakin himself and fangirls over him with plenty of forced and obvious parallels. She even has plot armor and I can’t believe Vader - who kills his own officers for failure - tolerates her when she double crosses him multiple times because Disney is too afraid to kill women especially ones they created to push their own propaganda. Hell she even survives after being thrown into outer space and when she’s alive Vader is a petty villain obsessed with hunting her down and killing her and all these supposedly take place before ESB when I’m sure he had other things on his mind than this one insufferable brat. Even while she’s working for him, he doesn’t hesitate to choke her or use the force to hurt her. He only keeps her around for her skills and it’s not like he cares about hurting her so it’s absolutely toxic but people who ship them seem to think otherwise. She is also allowed to pry on his past and joke around with him which sounds so unrealistic and terrible. To top it off their last interaction involves her, a non force sensitive, trapping him and leaving him to die and giving him some much-needed life advice because she’s clearly very wise and knows better and Vader is an incompetent fool who walked into a trap. Not only does it butcher his character, it makes him a typical and petty villain. I truly can’t express how much I hate this ship and this character. It’s just laughable and insulting to Padmé to think Vader will be with someone else after he believes he killed Padmé or was at least responsible for her death in some way.

(If you happen to like her character or support this ship, feel free to unfollow because all you will ever find in this blog is rants on how terrible the character and the ship is.)

Anyways, there you go that’s my opinion on the SW ships. I’m neutral about the ships I didn’t mention above.