#at this point he doesn't know about sidious yet

[gffa]

Was it really Anakin? Was it Seatos being heavy in the Force to give her a vision? Was it just Ahsoka's oxygen-deprived brain giving her hallucinations? I love that it doesn't matter, that whatever the source behind all of that, the result is the same, that it was about Ahsoka still not having put her feelings to rest about what happened to her. If it was the Force, trying again to get her to face her feelings, like it did on Lothal, it hurts like hell. If it was just her own brain giving her hallucinations because she hasn't faced her feelings yet, it hurts like hell. If it was really Anakin, using her half-dead state to come through and poke and prod at her through the Force, to really make her finally take a step forward instead of staying frozen in place, it hurts like hell. Ultimately, it was about Ahsoka feeling like she didn't have anything more to give to a Padawan than fighting, that even all these years later, she feels like she never moved on from the war and never had a chance to grow. We know she wanted to go back to the Jedi Order after the war, she was so hopeful after the Siege of Mandalore, when she heard the war was over, her face slowly dawning with hope that she could rejoin the Order and be something other than a soldier. And then Sidious and Anakin stole that chance from her--Vader stole that chance from her--and she could never go back. She was forever stuck feeling guilty about whether she could have helped Anakin, wondering what she could have been if the Jedi hadn't been genocided nearly out of existence. This doesn't solve everything, but it forced her to accept that sometimes you do have to fight or die. That she's not just a soldier, that's never been all of who she is--because that's not who all of Anakin was, either. If that had been all he was, she wouldn't still be stuck on him. She's part of a legacy, she is everything that Anakin was, just as Anakin was everything Obi-Wan was, just as Obi-Wan was everything Qui-Gon was, and back and back and back. That's who the Jedi are, they are everything their Master was and more. Ahsoka is everything they were and more, too. And she has to fight to accept it, she has to fight to find her balance again, she has to fight to survive. Whether it was Anakin or her own brain kicking her Jedi philosophy back into gear, it doesn't matter, the point remains the same--she's more than what happened in the war and what happened with Anakin, and sometime that means she has to get up and fight to keep moving forward.

[lady-evelin]

Imperial consort 🌸

I have another idea, but with my favorite guilty ship 😏

Order 66 doesn't occur here, and Sidious has been training Anakin since he was a child, turning him into a Sith.

As Anakin reaches adulthood, his master finally assigns him the role of his right-hand man, entrusting him with important political matters and battle plans.

Being the emperor, he is extremely busy, and Anakin is willing to help his master after making him strong in the Force.

But he did not anticipate falling deeply in love with the emperor's wife.

The imperial consort Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Anakin had heard rumors about the omega, and at first he hated him. Everyone whispered that the consort had married the emperor out of interest rather than love, merely to serve as a beautiful trophy that his master would proudly display at parties and in public.

That's why they didn't have children yet, because the omega refused to lose his beauty and his sterilized body to give birth to babies.

The alpha knew it was none of his business, but his master deserved better.

But all his resentment toward a faceless omega died when he was personally presented to the consort.

Obi-Wan barely smiled at him, but his peaceful face was evident; the sweet scent completely engulfed him, and Anakin knew he was in trouble.

In trouble for falling in love with an omega 12 years older than him.

In trouble for falling in love with his master's wife.

As much as he avoided thinking about how hot and beautiful Obi-Wan was, he couldn't help it; his inner alpha recognized that omega as his own.

Burning with rage every time he witnessed his master touch and kiss what was his.

Until one day, the Emperor tasked Anakin with safeguarding his most valuable jewel, Obi-Wan, during a trip to another planet.

The alpha did everything he could to stay away from the seductive omega, but once the ship took off, Obi-Wan approached him to ask why he hated him, why he always avoided him.

The conversation became heated, with them shouting at each other, and in a moment, they found themselves kissing passionately, giving free rein to their desires.

But to Anakin's chagrin, Obi-Wan only allowed wet kisses this time.

Their relationship escalated so much that they no longer cared about being seen, kissing in every dark corner of the palace. They even got to the point of kissing and touching each other a little in the bed where the omega slept with the emperor.

Anakin was frustrated. Was the omega playing with his feelings?

The alpha wanted more; he wanted to knot him and mark him as his own, no matter if his master wanted to kill him afterwards. Anakin was stronger than him, and he was no longer afraid of him.

“Kill the Emperor, and then I will be yours completely,” Obi-Wan said one day while sitting on the alpha’s lap, kissing passionately.

The rational part of Anakin wanted to refuse, but the other part agreed.

He could pass off his master’s death as an accident, and no one would question it.

Obi-Wan would finally be his, body and soul.

Fueling his anger, the omega confessed that he was a prisoner, having only recently been knighted when he was assigned to guard the emperor on a mission. Palpatine fell in love with Obi-Wan, and despite Obi-Wan's polite rejection, Palpatine became so obsessed that he went to great lengths to expel the omega from the Jedi and force him into marriage. Obi-Wan, of course, wanted none of it, but Sidious is so powerful that he left him no choice.

Anakin finally fulfills his promise.

He arrived at the palace and walked steadily through the corridors towards the imperial bedroom, where his omega was waiting for him.

He was sweaty; adrenaline and excitement from the battle were coursing through his veins. He still had his lit lightsaber in his hand. His pupils dilated completely in ecstasy, knowing that he was finally going to claim his prize and that no one could stop him.

[aspiringwarriorlibrarian]

That feeling when you feel like you have to keep an eye open around people who call themselves "leftist", yet a number of their media takes frankly sound dangerously like they'd be supportive of extremely authoritarian or outright genocidal mindsets just because the bad guy "had a point". Like, I understand that people's morality shouldn't be judged based on their takes of media, and that media doesn't inherently inform every aspect of a person's moral system, but good lord does some of these things just makes me feel...unsettled at times.

Takes like "The Jedi deserved to be genocided because Dooku/Sidious were right about how flawed and corrupt they actually are" (ignoring how much propaganda those two are spewing and the sheer amount of corruption from the REPUBLIC around them, and how much Jedi philosophy isn't based on Christianity and fundamentally opposes everything they just said, and no Anakin isn't a good indicator of that corruption because he's a terrible person, patsy, and propagator for the space fascists). Or how the genocide of Mantle was good because Ironwood was "thinking about the bigger picture". This speaks for itself.

Or people who favor Thanos' "kill half the universe because overpopulation", ignoring how Malthusian (I think that's his name?) philosophy ignored how much technology and means of gaining resources would change overtime to accommodate for increased numbers, and that overpopulation has rarely been an actual issue because the lack of resources almost always comes from rich billionaires and corporations hoarding resources at the expense of everyone else, not the poor people trying to make a living.

Or Senator Armstrong's "social darwinist utopia" being a good thing, never mind that social darwinism is a fucking stupid thing that's never worked, or only favors those who already have massive advantages (ie, the people Armstrong knows are part of the problem), while screwing over the little guy. Also his gall of acting like war makes people strong while having never served IN a war, and saying this to a FORMER CHILD SOLDIER who know how hellish and evil war actually is.

Like, maybe you need to take a harder look at your beliefs if you keep on siding with the villains just because they have one or two good points mired in openly fascistic rhetoric.

"Genocide is bad actually" should not be the fucking hot take you'd think it is, but for some people, the only purpose of social justice is figuring out who is acceptable to hurt and how to hurt them in the worst way possible while still feeling righteous about it.

[intermundia]

Sorry to bother you but I'm curious to know your thoughts on this.

I know it's not technically canon but the novelization does at point depict anakin wanting to leave the order to raise his kids and padme encouraging him to stay. I know he's his own person and all but having his wife pushing him to keep up the lies and secrets is kind a factor in his decisions I would say. Having someone you care for so deeply tell you to keep living a lie is definitely something that would mess with your brain and influence your perspective on things.

Idk. Just something that I feel is overlooked sometimes in the discussion of Anakin’s decision in not leaving. I would really love to know your thoughts on this.

“Anakin, not here. It’s too risky.” “No, here! Exactly here.” He drew her against him again, effortlessly overpowering her halfhearted resistance. “I’m tired of the deception. Of the sneaking and the lying. We have nothing to be ashamed of! We love each other, and we are married. Just like trillions of beings across the galaxy. This is something we should shout, not whisper—” “No, Anakin. Not like all those others. They are not Jedi. We can’t let our love force you out of the Order—” “Force me out of the Order?” He smiled down at her fondly. “Was that a pun?” “Anakin—” He could still make her angry without even trying. “Listen to me. We have a duty to the Republic. Both of us—but yours is now so much more important. You are the face of the Jedi, Anakin. Even after these years of war, many people still love the Jedi, and it’s mostly because they love you, do you understand that? They love the story of you. You’re like something out of a bedtime tale, the secret prince, hidden among the peasants, growing up without ever a clue of his special destiny—except for you it’s all true. Sometimes I think that the only reason the people of the Republic still believe we can win the war is because you’re fighting it for them—” “And it always comes back to politics for you,” Anakin said. His smile had gone now. “I’m barely even home, and you’re already trying to talk me into going back to the war—”

yeah so i think that padmé's encouragement to live the lie is deeply unhelpful. if i recall correctly, there are two key times anakin thinks about leaving the order, both of which are in her presence, and yet she is the one who offers pressure back toward staying. the above passage is taken from right after they are reunited, and it is so telling to me. padmé loves him as her husband, yes, but she also sees him as larger than life, and says things that absolutely feed his ego. she encourages him to think the rules don't apply to him, because he is so important and special.

she doesn't take his commitment to the order seriously with respect to what it means to be a jedi, but she wants him to stay there anyway. i think that this kind of encouragement is rather similar to palpatine's manipulations, though she definitely has less sinister motives, the result is the same. her permission to break rules exacerbates the potential weaknesses in his character that lead to his fall. it compounds with sidious's maneuvering. her pressure makes him feel like not only a tool of the jedi but also the democratic opposition, unable to have what he wants because of politics and duty that he doesn't personally care about. all he cares about is getting what he wants.

i honestly don't know if he was ever genuinely serious about leaving the order. he clearly does not take his commitment seriously, but he also craves the power that having high status in the order brings, both in terms of access to force training and the glory of being the youngest council member. he thinks of leaving only when he's directly looking at padmé, not otherwise. so basically it's unclear to me whether or not he actually meant to leave, but what is not unclear is that padmé absolutely pressured him and flattered him, manipulating him and trying to use him (not with bad intentions! with the best of intentions!), and it encourages him to the edge of darkness. his perspective is absolutely shaped by her words.

i just believe that they make each other worse. that is the tragedy of their relationship imho. they love each other, and it harms them both.

[yukipri]

hi i hate to be a bother but i love your fic but i cant get more than a dozen or so chapters in bc i keep getting horrible anxiety about how the "present" time is ready to explode and i cant read longfic if it ends badly, could you say if the "present" time has a good resolution? no pressure at all, if you dont want to do that ill just wait for the return to the "present" and get the spoilers from my friends reading it

Thanks for liking my fic! Even if you're only able to get through part of it ^ ^;

So, hmm. I'm going to do my best to answer your question. I hope you understand that I don't feel comfortable (or frankly, capable) of telling you how the fic ends, as we are very very far away from that still (plus, I'm writing the fic for a reason!).

I can say that I personally do not consider the present "ready to explode" in any way. It is, in my opinion, the calmest time that the clones have ever experienced in the short, 13 years of their existence. Sure there's a lot going on, but for the very first time, they are in control of their own fate, and mostly have the upper hand. Is Sidious still out there? Yes. But Sidious is just as confused as, well, Obi-Wan right now, and he is actively on the run, which is more than can be said of any point we've seen of him in canon. Are there other threats too? Of course, but again, for once the clones are able to choose how to act without hiding. If anything, it's post-explosion, the explosion being the Override.

Why do the clones feel so in control? Well, that has to do a lot with the actual mechanics and process of the Override, which we are piecing together in the past.

It's true that Obi-Wan is a bit alarmed and very confused because he doesn't know what's going on. But he'll be alright, because the clones are, again, very calm and in control, and he'll take his cues from them. One of his purposes in the present is to be the audience lens through which new developments are revealed, but most of these things are not new or alarming to the clones, and they are the ones this all primarily affects. Will the clones tell Obi-Wan everything immediately? Of course not. But again, one of the purposes of writing this story non-chronologically and going into the past is so that you, the reader, can understand what's going on, and when the clones choose to share something with Obi-Wan, know the full context of that. Either way, Obi-Wan is a side character and not the primary focus in this story!

While there will be developments and action in the present eventually, right now it's far more a time of reflection, at least for the clones. There is going to be a lot of coming to terms with the past, personal reflection on identity, culture, freedom, the Republic, and the future of their new home. There is going to be more exploration of their life, and lots of politics and what it means to run a people that is no longer under subjugation. There is going to be following up on stuff from the war. There is going to be a significant amount of angst. However, nothing will "explode" for a very, very long time—we don't yet have enough context for that.

In comparison, I consider much of the "past" to be lighter, because sure it covers the war which is dark, but it's also familiar to us via canon media, except there's now the undercurrent of knowledge of all these networks and safety measures that exist, as well as new tools that Jango is actively working on. So it's bad, but we know it's not as bad. There's also just a lot more humor, since everybody (especially Jango) is still figuring things out! In the present, we kinda see the polished version after they become pros ^ ^;

We should be returning to the present in a few chapters (no clue how long those chapters will take), but a fair warning that it will be written with the assumption that you have read all previous chapters. Skipping all of the past will probably mean that a lot of it won't make sense, and I'm sorry, but I won't apologize for that, nor will I explain it when it's explained in the fic! The past bits do exist for a reason! And not just the events, but the thought processes that the characters had in the past will affect their present.

Likewise, we won't just stay in the present once we're back; after a while, we'll return to the past again, and probably eventually jump back to the present, etc. That's just how this story works.

Again, I'd rather not comment too much on the actual ending but, I do not consider this story a tragedy. It's not as simple as a fix-it either, and there's plenty of angst along the way, but I don't think you need to worry about it being a horrible conclusion.

I hope this answers your question! And I hope I didn't spoil myself too badly. Everything above that is not yet written is subject to change, because I do not want to limit my writing to what I said in an ask response, but I think this is a decent idea of what to expect.

I'm not here to tell you how (or even if!) to read my story, but yeah, the past is essential, because the present would not exist without it.

❀ ❀ Send YukiPri an Ask! ❀ ❀

[roguegona]

Let's talk about Morai.

The female convor who was first seen with the Daughter on Mortis, thought to be either the Daughter's servant or even a manifestation of the Daughter herself.

The same bird who, after the Daughter's life force was transferred to Ahsoka so she could live, was seen watching over and guiding Ahsoka throughout some of the most difficult moments of her life. (see: Malachor and the aftermath of Order 66)

The same bird who appeared in the World Between Worlds to guide Ezra to the portal in which he would be able to save Ahsoka. And he did.

And the same bird we see on Peridea, making a point to make herself known to Ahsoka once more. In an entirely different galaxy. (I also think this is why Ahsoka tells Sabine they're where they need to be...she knows Morai is there for a reason, even if she doesn't know why yet)

How is that even possible?

Well friends. Here's my theory:

The World Between Worlds.

According to Darth Sidious, the WBW is: "This mystical realm connects all of time and space, creating a conduit between the living and the dead. Those who control this plane would possess mastery over all of existence, but gaining access has proved an unexpected challenge."

A mystical realm that connects all of time and space. And whomever controls it would control all of existence. Something Sidious himself strived for and was ultimately thwarted thanks to Ezra and Ahsoka.

Now, we all know that Baylan is after what he calls "the beginning", where he can erase the constant cycle of sith/jedi, good/evil for good. What better way to do that than by accessing the WBW and gaining control of it? Doing so would grant him the ability to bend existence to his will and shape it in anyway he deems fit.

How's he gonna get there, you ask. Well, that one is easy. There's another portal on Peridea. The fact that he was standing on the Father's outstretched arm that was pointing to a towering beacon in the distance, seems to prove this. Just like on Lothal, the Mortis Gods are the key to entering (good thing Sabine has seen this trick before).

That, coupled with Morai's sudden appearance seems to indicate that Baylan is after the WBW. I cannot think of another way that a creature from the GFFA would be able to access a completely new galaxy without having gone through the WBW. Especially since we already know she's able to access it on her own, at will.

Morai is there to warn Ahsoka of the coming danger. To watch over her, yet again, and guide her on her journey to stop yet another mad man from destorying life as they know it.

We can only hope that she and Sabine can get there in time.

[dankovskaya]

Compassionately read moreing this yet unnamed twi'lek oc ramble I am using to avoid screaming in my house rn literally don't click on it unless you love words so so much

Anyway basically it's turning out way easier than I actually expected it to be to have this character I am conceptualizing and Maul manage to associate with each other frequently and closely during the clone wars and without it even being purely strategic and otherwise reluctant I mean. "They" definitely would have severe reservations with working together with a Sith especially when up to this point their philosophy in that regard has been "we need to cut their fucking heads off" but the clone wars overall is sort of an enworsening period for them and a "I don't actually give a fuck what the order says that much and they do not have the final say on what is and isn't morally acceptable" perspective shift era so like. If allying themselves with a FORMERRR Sith is what it takes to arrange for much needed aid on Ryloth they're going to be willing to go that far even if it requires having some part in his dumbass power plays and revenge fantasies in order for him to agree to it AND even if it ends up with them getting branded as 5x the traitor for being rumored or known to be working with Maul.

And Maul obviously has been shown to straight up not actually give a single shit about any of the actual resources that he has and what is done with them he's very practical about it and knows that it's necessary to maintain his position without feeling any sort of material greed over it all so he'd absolutely be willing to give their beloved Ryloth the support they are so desperate to find for it IN EXCHANGE for Become my apprentice. No. Become my apprentice. No. Become my apprentice. I said no. You will. No I won't kill yourself. All in due time...take part in my evil schemes. Fucking fine. But like really he so clearly believes if he finds someone else willing to Embrace the Dark and can train them up to his level he will be able to beat Sidious and take his place and overcome his humiliations once and for all that I feel like it really would not take much for him to entertain their demands and he is so borderline delusionally self assured that I just know he'd be certain that his male manipulator tactics will wear them down eventually (especially since it's not like they're outright trying to kill him or foil his plans otherwise.) Which they literally won't but like good luck telling him that.

Anyway I also not even necessarily intentionally gave them enough shit in common (and Maul is very clearly willing to at least broadly recount his tragic backstory) that even with their natural severe distrust and dislike for him I can also rationalize them having SOME sympathy in their too even if it doesn't materially change how they interact with him or anything lmao. Like not insignificant to their interactions would be the fact that they both come from a people that have been historically enslaved and were both I guess deprived of their own cultural identities by virtue of being taken away from their families as tiny babies and having no living relatives anymore (well savage might still be around at first but still) and I guess. Recent invasion of home planets? NOT that I think Maul would particularly care abt how that affects them or even like give a fraction of a shit about the nightsisters getting massacred Lmfao but I do definitely think he would lean into anything they happen to have in common with like. "Look how similar we are. Become evil NOW." intentions.

And also literally from the second they're caught even breathing in his direction its over for them there's no going back to "Jedihood" and they'd be essentially stuck with him (I mean look how crazy they went over Ahsoka without any real evidence) lmao BUT I feel like the inevitable appeals from any fellow Jedi they would happen to encounter asking them How They Could've Possibly Betrayed The Order And Fallen To The Dark Side (they didn't) And Become Maul's New Apprentice (ABSOLUTELY fucking didnt) would piss them off so bad that they wouldn't even care like Fuck you guys y'all have no idea what the fuck I got going on and you know what Maul actually makes sense sometimes . WHO said that.

[maulfucker]

ask game. 🤡🌞👀💔 and i was tossing up between 🤡 and 😈, because i find i laugh a lot at the play-mean jokes I write but i don't remember you writing all that many targeted at the likes of me

🤡 - what's a line/scene you've written that made you laugh?/😈 - has there been a point in a story where you did something just to be playfully mean to your readers?: I am Not a mean person in my writing, no. but I DO think myself very very funny :3

I've posted this one before but it's always funny to me. old men bickering <3

The closest to "playfully mean" I ever do is in character thoughts like this. they are mean to each other. the readers and I are just watching from a corner with a bucket of popcorn.

🌞- do you have a preferred time of day to write? well I would prefer to write during the day. but me brain has decided that actually midnight is the ideal time to be creative and full of words. so late night I guess

👀 - tell me about an upcoming wip please! WITH PLEASURE!!!!!

ok so you did see the post I assume. But basically: I was listening to some music. and this song made me think about obimaul running away from order 66 together. and the words to this one are coming more easily than any of the other wips I've started, so I of course started to write it <3

Maul's plan in the cartoon is WAY too complicated (which I admit is rather in character for him) and WAY too dependent on luck (which he obviously doesn't have enough), so like. imagine. what if instead he decides to stalk Obi-Wan, to tell him in person about his vision. he tells him about Sidious, about how the war will end, how Anakin will fall, but Obi-Wan obviously doesn't believe him (or doesn't admit he believes him). so Maul keeps following him, from the sieges on the Outer Rim to Coruscant to Utapau, and saves him when Order 66 happens. so now they're on the run together. aaaand that's all I have planned so far. maybe it'll end there.

maybe it'll continue.

I like the idea of Maul being there too on Mustafar, I think he could save Padmé. Fake her death Romeo and Juliet style. I don't want him to fight Anakin though, if he did one of them would definitely die (he would NOT let Obi-Wan make the same mistake twice. he would "mercy" kill Anakin).

I also mentioned this in the original tags of the post but I would LOVE for Padmé to raise Luke on Tatooine, both of them hiding from Vader and the Empire. Yes she would be a great rebel leader she'd be like Leia before Leia, but who knows what would happen if Vader found out she's alive and a rebel. He would probably strangle Palpatine for lying to him. and start his own rebellion if Palpatine survives. three way civil war (empire vs rebels vs vader). too complicated for me. so I'm putting Padmé in the sand. she can leave to join the rebellion with Luke when he's old enough.

💔 - is there a fic of yours that broke your heart? hmmm not yet I think. but hopefully someday yes <3

[thetreestumptherapist]

Before you feed me to the Rancor, hear me out please.

I actually prefer to call her Rey Solo because I refuse to accept Ben's death and have rewritten the end of that movie in my head so that they eventually get together. I might post my version of it at some point. I don't have all the details yet, I just know he doesn't die and they marry at some point.

2. I am gonna get killed for this. But, I think the youngling slayer 9000 chooses who the next Skywalker is. Like Mjolnir chose Thor. In the force awakens Maz says "the lightsaber chose you". It was made by Anakin, chose Obi-wan to hold it until Luke was worthy, chose Luke, luke lost it, (along with his hand) and then it chose Maz to hold it while it waited for Rey, and then it chose her to bring back Luke (or debatably Ben), chose her to defeat Palpatine (HOLD YOUR FATHIERS! We'll get to that in a minute), chose her to be the next Skywalker. ALTERNATIVELY, she was the second choice because Luke rejected it when it was handed to him. And so it was like, "Okaaaaay then. Hey Rey, you think you could do something for me?" And then chose her to be the next hero.

On Palpatine being back: Do you guys really think and I mean REALLY believe the same guy who orchestrated an entire war, pulling strings on both sides, personally investing tons of resources into both sides, all for his gain, would not have some sort of plan to come back and rule again after his inevitable death? Especially with access to cloning technologies? Come on guys. I will agree, it could have had a better introduction, and definitely needed more details in the movie, but I believe it's a reasonable thing to happen because Sidious was ridiculously determined to live forever. And let's not forget he was the apprentice of and MANAGED TO KILL Darth freaking Plagueis!

Back to Rey Skywalker Solo.

She was basically adopted by two blood Skywalkers, and they were the closest thing she had to a family. So, it's reasonable to think she took their name as a way of saying thank you. Also, would you want to keep your last name if it was linked to the guy who caused decades of strife for an entire galaxy? I don't think so. Now, she could have tried to reclaim the Palpatine name, but that would be a LOT of work. Also, with Luke and Leia showing up at the end like that, like Obi-wan, Yoda, and Anakin did for Luke, I think they were kind of saying, "Good job kid" "Thank you for what you've done for us" and "We approve." And she was returning to where everything began, the Lars homestead. (I agree, it was kind of rude to bury Anakin's lightsaber in sand, but I "undersand" why she did it {I'm sorry}) All of their stories started with sand. She didn't really know anything about Anakin, but she did know about Luke. And since there wasn't really anything to Anakin's home, the Lars homestead makes the most sense. The Lars homestead has the most significance. Shmi married Cliegg Lars, and Anakin started truly descending to the darkside there because that's where he went after he slaughtered the tuskens. It's where R2 and 3PO met Luke and went to find Obi-wan. And many more reasons.

With the Skywalkers is the only place she actually felt at home, and like she belonged with a group. I think it makes perfect sense that she would consider herself part of their family and take their last name, carry on their legacy (a questionable decision if you actually think about it, although I think the galaxy still hailed them as heroes), and continue fighting the forces of evil with their blessing.

I guess you can feed me to the Rancor now. I can't think of anything else to say.

i don’t trust anyone who seriously calls rey skywalker

[holocron-inthe-restrictedsection]

A Parting of the Ways

An on-time Writing Wednesday for @finish-the-clone-wars‘ prompt, “Let Me Convince You”

Words: 2975 (this became a lot longer than I meant it to be)

Those who are disillusioned want no part in the systems they break from. Nevertheless, Sifo-Dyas tries to keep his old friend, Dooku, from leaving the Jedi Order.

.

Sifo-Dyas’s boots fell hard against the floor as he hurried towards the temporary living quarters in the Temple’s southern side. He ignored the stares of his fellow Jedi as he passed them, not caring if they gossiped about him now, not when one of his closest friends was about to make a terrible mistake…

His breath came in short gasps as he slowed to round a corner. Once again, Sifo-Dyas made a note that he needed to refocus on his physical training; his endurance seemed to be failing him more frequently. He had become lax in his training since his dismissal from the Council; that had to end now. But perhaps the shortness of breath was tied to the tight feeling in his chest, the worry clenched in his heart.  

He reached the door he sought and came to a stop, breathing heavily, raising a hand to activate the control panel –

The door slid open. On the other side of the threshold, Dooku stared back at him. The bags under his eyes were more pronounced than ever, his normally well-groomed white hair disheveled. His worn traveling cloak draped around him, and a satchel – looking rather light – was clutched in his hand.

“Don’t.” It was all Sifo-Dyas could say.

(Read more below, or continue reading on AO3)

Dooku’s eyebrows drew together in a frown. “Who told you?”

“Yoda. You would have left without saying anything to me?”

Dooku gave an irritated shake of his head. “It would have been easier. You should not have come,” he said shortly, brushing past Sifo-Dyas. His robes rippled around him as he strode away from the room, his back straight and eyes forward.

Sifo-Dyas matched his pace. “Dooku, you mustn’t do this.”

His old friend didn’t look at him. “I have made my decision.”

“It’s an unwise one,” Sifo-Dyas admonished. “I understand your frustrations with the Council, and with the Republic as a whole – you know I understand. But to leave the Order –”

“I cannot abide by it anymore,” Dooku interrupted. “The corruption in the Senate has led to the deaths of too many good people.” Contempt colored his deep voice as his words became clipped. “Conflicts that should be resolved within a matter of days or weeks are lengthened by years so that individuals may profit at the expense of millions. And the Council refuses to take the necessary actions to bring about a single cohesive government – we’ve become so negligent that we are at the Senate’s beck and call, rather than focusing on the roots of the evils we encounter on almost every mission. We –” He broke off with a scoff. “I’m repeating myself. You know my thoughts. You agree with many of them.”

Sifo-Dyas glanced at him uneasily as they walked, uncomfortably aware of the Jedi passing by. Anger radiated from Dooku like a reactor core, causing some of their more sensitive peers to turn and appraise them.

The smaller corridor they’d traveled down opened up into the central hall that ran through the heart of the Temple. The distant curved ceiling rose so far above their heads that it felt as though they’d stepped outside, sleek pillars rising on either side of them as tall as trees. Sculptures flanked various doorways, smooth stone capturing the essence of ancient Jedi Masters. Bright sunlight shone through the numerous windows, bathing them in warmth. The entrance courtyard lay honeycombed in pylons at the far end of the hall, and it was for that entrance that Dooku marched.

“I agree in principle, yes, my friend,” Sifo-Dyas admitted, his voice low and rushed, “but when it comes to the reality of the matter… the sort of revival that you and I want for the Republic is one that will take time to create. We cannot just raze the current system. Palpatine seems like a good man. He may be able to reign in the Senators, instill a new expectation of what the Senate should be – ”

“Or he may end up being just another politician, and everything he has said to me about rebuilding the Republic is nothing more than empty words. And even if he isn’t, there is no guarantee he will be able to overhaul the current practices. And beings will continue to suffer.”

“Which is where our duty lies.” The’d arrived at the courtyard pylons, the capital sprawling beyond them. Sifo-Dyas halted and seized Dooku’s arm. The move was sudden enough that the older man was caught off guard and spun around to face him.

“As Jedi, we serve the Republic as a whole.” Sifo-Dyas met the stern man’s gaze and realized he was losing him. “I understand the appeal of leaving as a statement of disapproval of the politics of it all – but think of the people you have helped. Would you turn your back on them? On all the people you could help by continuing to serve? Countless missions, hundreds, thousands of beings across the galaxy who are alive and prospering because of you.”

Dooku wrenched his arm away. “And how many more are dead because of my actions?”

Sifo-Dyas hesitated, hearing something strange in Dooku’s voice. The other man’s dark eyes seemed distant, haunted, remembering something…

“Galidraan?”

The flinch was almost imperceptible, but Sifo-Dyas saw it.

Dooku said, mostly to himself, “It was a massacre.”

“You were deceived,” Sifo-Dyas responded gently. He remembered when Dooku had returned from the battle on Galidraan twelve years ago. Gaunt and silent, horror etched on his face, Dooku had retreated for weeks as he took leave to a secluded Temple in the outer rim to mediate. Sifo-Dyas had learned the details from Yoda when he joined the Council few years later. “It is in the past.”

“The Council took the governor at his word. We did not investigate the validity of his claims. And we killed more than three hundred True Mandalorians because of it.” The haunted look was replaced by something hard. “The Council did not learn from it,” Dooku said harshly. “They continue to take governments and leaders at their word, congratulating themselves on maintaining order without ever acknowledging their shortcomings.” Dooku’s expression softened fractionally. “It was their greatest mistake to remove you from their ranks, my old friend. You, at least, attempted to bring sense to their sessions.”

“Many of the younger members –”

“Will inevitably fall into the same false sense of security that has plagued us for decades.” Dooku’s tone was dismissive.

Sifo-Dyas shook his head insistently. “You don’t know that.”

“And you don’t know they won’t. Even now, they won’t admit that the Order has grown arrogant, and that in their arrogance, new threats have risen from the darkness.”

Sifo-Dyas hesitated, sensing the grief welling within his friend as his gaze swept the vast expanse of the central south hall. The sunlight was beginning to fade, even though dusk was still several hours away. In the distance, he heard the low rumble of thunder.

“Qui-Gon consulted with me before he returned to Naboo,” Dooku said slowly. “He knew that his attacker was a Sith lord. But when he brought the evidence before the Council, they dismissed the idea. They said the Sith could not have returned without alerting the Order. But he knew. Qui-Gon was never wrong about such things. And still they sent him away with no support. They sent him to his death.” Ire coated his words. “And still they do not announce the return of the Sith.”

Sifo-Dyas tried to speak, but words failed him. Yes, the Council had not informed the Order, had not made public the knowledge that it had been a Sith that murdered the good-humored Jedi. But even as excuses and reasons came to mind, he knew that uttering them would mean nothing. Dooku needed a reason to stay…

“They’ve knighted his apprentice, Kenobi.”

“Qui-Gon spoke highly of him. I’m sure he will be a great Jedi.”

“He is young, and has much to learn. He could use your guidance.” From a pocket in his robes, Sifo-Dyas pulled out a curved lightsaber hilt and extended it. ‘Leave this life behind, he wants to,’ Yoda had said. ‘But a part of him, his lightsaber is. Leave behind a part of himself, he cannot.’

Dooku’s expression darkened as he gazed at his weapon. “My old Master does not want to let me go. But he fails to realize that he is one of the primary reasons I cannot stay.” His eyes refocused on Sifo-Dyas. “I have faith that Qui-Gon completed Obi-Wan’s training. There is nothing now that I could impart to the boy.” The finality in his voice left no room for argument.

They stood in silence as massive dark clouds continued to roll across the sky, streaks of lightning beginning to flash over the Senate building in the distance. As Sifo-Dyas studied the venerated Jedi Master, he realized that there was no changing his mind. He supposed that he should have expected this; after their innumerable conversations over the years, both men had grown disheartened by the continued corruption in the Senate and the Council’s response to it. It had only been a matter of time before this happened.

“Is there nothing I can say?” Sifo-Dyas asked softly.

Dooku exhaled sharply, and suddenly the anger was gone, replaced by a weariness so deep-set that it seemed to be all that was left in him.

“I wish it hadn’t come to this, my friend.” His eyes closed briefly. “But I cannot bear it any longer.”

For a moment, Sifo-Dyas said nothing, then pressed the lightsaber into Dooku’s hands. “Then you must at least take this with you. Not to entice you to use it, or to return to us. But to remember what you have dedicated your life to. For those whose lives you have impacted. It is not something to forget, but you must not dwell on the past if you are to move forward.”

Dooku’s fingers closed around the hilt, gazing down at it pensively. Then, carefully, he clipped it back onto his belt. “Would you consider leaving as well? You share my feelings on many of these matters.”

Sifo-Dyas’s heart skipped a beat at the thought of leaving. What would he be, if not a Jedi? What would he do, if not providing what aid he could?

Together, they closed the distance of the courtyard and stepped out onto the entrance. The vast expanse of stone jutted out before them, leading towards the broad steps leading down to the rest of the Temple Court, the edge of the Temple District. Massive statues of the Four Warriors and Two Sages lined the steps, seeming to beckon to the Jedi. Sifo-Dyas turned his head to gaze at the engravings on the frontmost pylons; the Four Masters, the founders of the Temple, stood guard.

“I can’t,” he said finally. “Especially with what is coming. I must prepare, even if the Council does not see the necessity of it yet.”

Dooku shook his head. “Even after everything, you remain loyal to them.” Some strange note entered his voice as he said, “I hope to never see your army, Sifo-Dyas.”

Sifo-Dyas forced a weak smile. His recent conversation with Lama Su playing in the back of his mind. “You may get your wish. I’ve been informed that I am expected to provide a – ah, template –  to serve as the basis for the army. I have to decide on an individual who is not only fit to be a formidable soldier, but is willing to have themselves cloned a million times over.”

Dooku’s eyes wandered over the descending steps of the Temple as he thought. “Should I think of such an individual, I will be sure to inform you. Have you told anyone else?”

“You are the only other soul who knows of the army, Dooku. I will not bring it up to the Council again…until there is more tangible evidence for its creation.”

“And in that, I wish you well. Should you ever need me, you will find me on Serreno.”

“You’re reclaiming your family’s estate,” Sifo-Dyas guessed.

The other man nodded. “With the wealth and prestige that it entails, I hope to do more than I ever could as a servant of the Republic.”

Sifo-Dyas paused, a heavy feeling settling into his heart. “I suppose, if we are to meet again, I’ll be expected to use your family’s title, won’t I? Count Dooku.”

Dooku mulled it over a moment, then laid a hand on Sifo-Dyas’s shoulder. “Never you, my friend.”

They lapsed back into silence. Sifo-Dyas thought of a hundred things he could say, should say, but none of the words wanted to form. So he distracted himself, wondering if he should accompany his friend to the nearest spaceport, or return inside. Likewise, Dooku was hesitating, contemplating the statues and spires of the Temple, his hand unconsciously brushing against his lightsaber.

Finally, he seemed ready; his gaze refocused. Sifo-Dyas brought his own hands up to clasp Dooku’s shoulders.

“Goodbye, my old friend,” Dooku said solemnly.

“May the Force be with you always, brother.” Sifo-Dyas couldn’t bring himself to say goodbye.

With a final nod, Dooku broke away, his eyes fixated on the city. He descended the steps without a backwards glance.

Rain began to trickle down from the clouds above, splotching the ground until soon it was impossible to tell one raindrop from the next. Dooku did not stop walking, did not return to the Temple for shelter; he merely raised the hood of his dark cloak and continued forward.

And Sifo-Dyas did not go back inside. Instead, he sat on the top step, watching the dark figure growing smaller and smaller.

Sifo-Dyas watched him go, something twinging in his gut, telling him that this was wrong. But what could he do? It was Dooku’s choice; Sifo-Dyas could not prevent his friend from leaving, no matter how much he disagreed with the decision.

And for a moment, just a moment, as he sat there looking out over the Temple grounds, the world before him shifted.

Instead of a dark-cloaked figure walking away, one walks towards the Temple, and they are not alone.

Behind the figure marches row upon row of white-armored soldiers, almost Mandalorian in design, long blaster rifles cradled against their shoulders. They reach the bottom of the long flight of steps and begin to ascend; they are going to enter the Temple. The Dark Side creeps around them, fueled by the cloaked figure with a lightsaber clenched in his hand –

Sifo-Dyas jerked violently, falling back and catching himself on his elbows, breathing heavily. He blinked rapidly and peered through the downpour. No soldiers, and the only cloaked figure with a lightsaber was now no more than a speck far off in the darkness.

He was shaking, the cold rain drenching his clothes. He had no context for what he had seen – was this history, or yet to come? Was there some conflict in Mandalore space he was unaware of, some clash between the ancient warriors and the Order? Or was there no connection? What was an army doing approaching the Temple? Were they part of the larger enemy against the Republic in the approaching war? Or had he seen something so far in the future that it would not come to pass for hundreds of years?

And what of the man with the lightsaber? His face had been shadowed – was he Jedi, or Sith?

Disquieted, Sifo-Dyas remained seated on the steps outside the Temple, soaked to the bone, rubbing his hands uneasily together as he searched the falling rain for shapes and shadows and answers.

*                                     *                                              *

Dooku felt a great weight lift from his heart as he continued putting distance between himself and the Temple. Now, he would no longer feel accountable for the incompetence of his Masters, or the Senate. He was free to participate in the inevitable reformation of the Republic as he wanted. And if Sifo-Dyas’s visions were true – as Dooku believed them to be – the best opportunity was rapidly approaching.

Coming to a bustling intersection of foot traffic, his cloak soaked through, he paused to consider his next course of action. He would be returning to his homeworld, of course, to take control of his inheritance. But before he did…

Intrigue got the best of him. Shielding his handheld holoprojector from the rain – one of the few personal possessions that he retained – he keyed in a connection.

For a moment, there was no response. Then a wavering blue form sprang to life in his palm. A benign-looking man offered him a smile.

“Master Dooku, what an unexpected pleasure,” Chancellor-elect Palpatine greeted.

“I do hope I’m not interrupting your afternoon, Chancellor,” Dooku responded smoothly.

“Not at all. How could I be of service to you?”

“I merely sought to find out if your offer to discuss our individual goals for the Republic was still standing.”

“Of course, Master Jedi.” The soon-to-be-former Senator from Naboo raised an eyebrow. “Though – you’ll forgive me for inquiring – I was under the impression that as long as you answered to the Jedi High Council, you were not comfortable delving so deep into the political arena.”

“I have left the Jedi Order.”

“Have you, now?” Palpatine’s interest seemed quite keen now. “Well, my friend, that certainly is news. If you are available now, I would be honored if you would join me at my office. If you are willing to indulge me, I am very curious as to the motivations of your decision. Of course,” he said quickly, holding up a hand, “I am sure you have other matters that must be attended to first, being a free man and all.”

A free man. Yes, that was one way to put it. “I will make my way to the Senate Chambers now, Chancellor.”

Palpatine smiled again, but it seemed fiercer than Dooku was accustomed to. “I shall be expecting you.”

[phoenixyfriend]

Okay so, originally, I pitched this on discord:

Ahsoka… but distressed dapper. She's still a tog and all, but she's otherwise right out of a film noir setting. Rugged Detective. If Anakin were still around he'd be freaking out over the cigarette.

@jebiknights responded with:

this is a great image for post-jedi Ahsoka but also ngl part of my brain went straight to padawan Ahsoka trying to solve a mystery in the temple pretending to be a noir detective, sucking on a lollipop with a fake mustache like Nino did in s4 of Miraculous Ladybug fdijirdgjs She hasn't received shadow or spy training yet shes got a long way to go 😂 she hums her own theme music whenever she can get away with it

And we were off to the races!

I met us in the middle: after she leaves but before RotS.

Her sleuthing leads to Sidious through the most ludicrously indirect route possible.

She's not even a PI. She's a mechanic on the lower levels. She just stumbled into a thing and put on a costume to hide her identity through judicious use of Hat.

She's got an apartment across the hall from some girls who work in the red light district and one time some guys were harassing them and Ahsoka kicked them out through judicious use of Armbars And Catching Punches, which was impressive without being actively violent or revealing her Force abilities, and it was... fine? They're friends now, have pizza once in a while. Ahsoka likes hearing about their lives.

But then they decided to come to her for advice on a whole Thing at work, where they overheard some stuff about a drug deal that's taking place worryingly close, and maybe she could just keep an eye out when the deal goes down in case things go south? Please?

Ahsoka does so. She overhears things about the war in the deal (which is about information, not drugs), and. Well. She doesn't want to call home for help when she's making a whole point about needing to find herself away from them, so maybe she can just do a little digging of her own?

The red light girls insist she needs a cool outfit for her PI work (they do not care that it's not PI work). They are very excited about this.

At some point she runs into a junior Corrie Guard and steals him for a bit. He is officially "missing" and unofficially Fox was just like "fuck it, sure, help the shiny not-Jedi, I don't care." Now Ahsoka has a clone roommate/sidekick/backup who is, in fact, much more experienced in this than she is, but also has far fewer contacts and resources since they can't use CG databases while they're running this op. Meanwhile, Ahsoka has Friends, and some of her friends know a guy who knows a guy.

Fox doesn't tell the Jedi because technically this doesn't involve them (Ahsoka didn't mention the war stuff), and he has an Outside Contractor and a Coruscant Guard working on it.

He'll let them know if it goes anywhere, but for now he's assuming it's grandstanding lowlifes, and will leave it to the baby Jedi and babier Guard.

jebiknights:

a probably way too young cg helping Ahsoka while Fox aggressively pretends it isn't happening has such good- ohmygod this has psych vibes just a lil bit I've been on a psych comparison kick lately tho so

Ahsoka is trying so hard to be cool

listen psych is my favorite framework for the consulting detective schtick lmaooo AND SHES TRYING SO HARD but shes like what 16? just not there and living in the non-jedi/non-battlefront world for the first time sidgier

Her hypercompetent psychic is a babyfaced 9yo

i was thinking that she would be the psychic bc jedi but honestly convincing everyone that its the shiny corrie is so much funnier also just imagining all the stupid names they call each other as aliases

Sidekick I meant hypercomptetent sidekick

that… makes more sense ngl i was ready to yes and you all the way tho turn it into a gods whats the Jude Law movie where "Watson" is the genius who hires an actor to play "Sherlock" and has him pretend to be the genius or st?

I am, however, open to a Detective Conan situation, which has a lot more context so I'll actually use a different reference and say she pulls a Cyrano de Bergerac.

Ahsoka is stage-whispering instructions to her Corrie Guard, feeding him lines so he can pretend to be psychic while she sneaks around with significantly less eyes on her.

Also the red light girls stay involved they are so excited to Help even though Ahsoka keeps trying to keep them uninvolved for Safety. The girls love teasing her shiny friend. Please remember that all of this nonsense is happening while Ahsoka tries to dress like a prototypical film noir detective.

wait wait wait but if we go back to the original gag of, lowkey being a lil Psych/chaotic Sherlock inspired… shiny being a baby medic?? he tries to be a voice of reason but also enjoys the chaos too much, gets wayyyy too into the play acting and bad covers, but also knows how to patch up the reckless former jedi lol. Ahsoka sometimes just showing up in the Corrie medbay not for a check up but to drag the shiny into shenanigans

Fuck yeah, baby shiny Guard is now a baby shiny medic (Guard). Ahsoka regularly sneaks in through the vents to kidnap him.

Quinlan figures out she's doing Things through psychometry by accident but decides to let sleeping dogs lie until she finally shows up a the Jedi's door like "hey I need help."

The Jedi and various commanders all think it's a standard "the world is bigger and harsher than I thought and as a teen I want to come back to stability," but instead... it's "Chancellor's a Sith Lord."

Though tbh the shiny might just suggest she go to Quinlan first.

REAJGRIGJAERI Quinlan was not prepared for this at all I'm just imagining him as the airplane gag where every new thing Ahsoka reveals is just "I picked a bad day to stop [addiction]"

tbh I initially pitched the AU for Gay Reasons and that's why I was thinking post-RotS but I am now in love with mostly-competent-fumbling teen Ahsoka and her shiny friend.

[gffa]

maybe im being dumb but im starting to wonder why obi-wan ever needed to watch over luke? we're seeing that he honestly couldnt do much to stop the empire if luke did end up on their radar, he certainly wouldnt be able to stop inquisitors or vader with how rusty and cut off from the force he is, so aside from taking out or warning of a few troopers or tusken raiders...what can he do for the boy? and why? wouldnt the best roll of the dice be to stay far away since jedi = danger? or have luke and leia both be adopted by bail and breha? ik at the end of the day its all retroactive justification for the lineup of the OT but as a writer im starting to feel it doesnt make the best sense, or maybe im missing smthn idk

Hi!  I think it's a combination of factors and part of it is that we're seeing Obi-Wan at his lowest, where he isn't an asset to Luke's protection at this point, but that ultimately it doesn't matter because it's about character motivations. When they set up the situation, Obi-Wan was still in tune with the Force, at that point he could have helped fight off the Empire, at the very least long enough that it would allow Luke and Owen and Beru to get away. Or he could have been watchful enough that a fully grown, adult Jedi would be able to curb certain abilities away from being displayed in public (and thus put on Sidious' radar), or could have saved Luke from the things he wanders into because the Force is calling him--we see some of that in the Star Wars comics, where Luke gets in trouble and Obi-Wan is there to help him because he can feel when Luke is in danger. The twins absolutely had to be split up because even one of them being found by the Empire would have been a disaster, but if both of them were found, they'd all be turbo-fucked, and with two children together, it's very possible that their Force abilities would have been bouncing off of and feeding each other, to the point that they would have been impossible to keep hidden. Obi-Wan is there because he made a promise and he's trying to train to reach Qui-Gon's spirit, and eventually he plans to train Luke when he's old enough that he can hide his developing abilities from the Empire. There's an interesting thing that seems to happen in a lot of the stories we see of Padawans in the middle of their apprenticeships, like look at Ezra: He has just enough abilities to really do some damage, but not yet the discipline of years of self-mastery to fully control it, it's a vulnerable time for Jedi learners. Luke doesn't have the advantage of doing so in a community full of other Jedi in a Temple where he's safe, he has to be taught at a point in time where he can fully grasp the severity of the situation, even if that means sacrificing the incredibly important, necessary discipline that comes with starting them when they're young. Between that and Obi-Wan's respect for Owen's decisions, it makes sense that he’s still there watching over Luke even when he’s not allowed to train him yet.  He’s waiting for a time when he can.  Even if he’s cut off from the Force, he still knows what a Jedi Master knows, he still plans to be able to teach Luke what he needs and then possibly send him on to Yoda on Dagobah at the right time. So, Obi-Wan watching over him is because he should have been able to sense when there was danger on the planet, he should have been able to sense when the Inquisitors were coming or been allowed to help teach Luke what his abilities meant and how to keep them quiet, instead of potentially displaying them for everyone to see, like Anakin did when he was that age and racing in podraces. But also it's just... I think of it this way: Each of these characters is making decisions on their own. When they set up the plan at the end of ROTS, it was with the idea that Obi-Wan could protect Luke and he had no idea how far he would stumble. But now that he has stumbled, it's still his own choice to stay there and watch over Luke because he made a promise, it's not like Yoda's there to say, hey, come join me on Dagobah or even just to tell him to leave, it's Obi-Wan who decides to stay because this is his last responsibility to his life as a Jedi, his last connection to Anakin. It doesn't have to make sense from a strategic standpoint, it just has to make sense from a character motivation standpoint, even if the characters aren't making decisions based on logic, but on trauma that they've chosen not to deal with. These are all characters who are making choices in the moment without the foreknowledge that we have of how the galaxy will turn out, they're sometimes making choices based on their emotions rather than on logic, they're making choices because they're hurt and have nothing else to support them or they just don't know better options because the galaxy is a big, dangerous, looming question mark and they can only do what they can do. Obi-Wan stays on Tatooine because he feels its the last tie he has to the life he used to have and he feels responsible for it, it doesn't matter how good he would be at fighting off stormtroopers or Inquisitors, it's that Obi-Wan feels it's the only thing he has left and the only thing he can do for anyone anymore, so he stays.

[the-far-bright-center]

So glad you agree! SW fandom can be really bizarre about Qui-Gon's character. They fixate on the weirdest things, make bad faith interpretations, and completely miss the point of his role in the story. Yes, absolutely, it is implied Qui-Gon would have gone back for Shmi. He was in a very difficult position in TPM....he was pressed for time to get back to Coruscant and then to Naboo (a war zone). When he said he hadn't come to free slaves, he didn't mean that he personally didn't WANT to free the slaves (on the contrary, he goes out of his way to try to free both Shmi and Ani). In my opinion, that statement is NOT supposed to be an indictment of Qui-Gon as an individual; it is more of a commentary on the priorities of the Jedi Order and the Republic that the Order serves. (See also Padme’s surprise and dismay that slavery still exists in the galaxy.) What Qui-Gon is saying is that his official *mission* is to help Naboo and to get back to Coruscant—that's what he was sent to do. It’s just a fact. He wants to be HONEST with Shmi so she doesn't have false hopes or expectations, especially since he's not yet sure if he can intervene with her and Ani at that point. All his interactions with Shmi are very warm and affectionate, to the point that 13 year old me shipped Qui-Gon x Shmi really hard! They had amazing chemistry. All their scenes are portrayed as though they are a adoptive family (sitting around a table, his hand on her shoulder, him being fatherly toward Ani, etc). There's no way Qui-Gon would just forget about Shmi and never come back to free her. But he had to get back to Coruscant and I'm sure he knew it would already be quite fraught to bring Ani back to the Temple as it was, let alone with his mother in tow. Qui-Gon asks Shmi if she will be alright, and she says yes. Shmi wants Ani to go with him, she trusts him completely to care for her son, based on how she's seen him be with Anakin during his time on Tatooine. (And don't forget Padme is there too, Shmi sees how kind Padme is. In the TPM novelization, Padme even feels that Shmi wants her to look out for Ani.) And Shmi is not wrong to trust Qui-Gon, if we base things simply on a judgment of his character and actions. He DOES stand up for little Ani in those cold Council chambers. He puts Ani's needs first. It's just the twist of fate and the fact Qui-Gon doomed by the narrative that removes him from that much-needed protective position in Ani’s life. But if Qui-Gon had lived, I have no doubt he'd have gone back for Shmi. How would he have continued caring for Ani so warmly and NOT at least made sure Ani knew she was ok, you know? My headcanon has always been that if he survived the Duel of the Fates, he'd have taken Ani and trained him elsewhere, outside of the Jedi Order. This would have kept Ani from Sidious’ grasp. And this would have also allowed them to go back for Shmi, free her, and even have her live with them or near them while Ani trained. And then, yes, everything you say above is certainly how things would pan out in that Happy (or at least, Happier) AU scenario. :')

Qui-Gon Jinn: the ideal teacher of Anakin Skywalker

an excerpt from TPM novelization

Keep reading

[legobiwan]

I don't know if anyone asked this before, but I'm interested in your thoughts. Let's say Qui-Gon ended up in a coma after TPM. Everything else happens until Clone Wars (before the slave arc, deception, etc.) He wakes up & meets Dooku, Yoda, Obi, Ani, Soka. Does he stick w/the Jedi or join Dooku? If he leaves does everyone else help Obi through this trying period? Does Dooku still want to bring Obi in? What about Qui-Gon? Will he spill the beans on Palpatine if he learns the truth?

Oh gods, so if I ever finish writing "Hung," that story explores exactly this topic!!!

Qui-gon, being Qui-gon, I think tries to have the best of everything. I see him as being completely disgusted with the Jedi's role in the war effort and yet not being able to reconcile Dooku's turn to the Sith. He would, I think, try to understand why Dooku turned, because it wouldn't have been without reason. He would also, I believe, come barging into Obi-wan's life like a bossy protocol droid and just start trying to rearrange things his way. Which would include getting Obi-wan to "see" why the Council is wrong and why the Jedi need to pull away from the war.

The thing is...Qui-gon is going to straddle that line until someone else gives in and inevitably gets hurt due to it. My bet would be on Obi-wan. I don't see Qui-gon joining Dooku as much as chasing after him and trying to get him to see the truth, and then Obi-wan chasing after Qui-gon to save his scrawny, long-haired ass yet again.

And Dooku? Hell, he'll take either of them, both of them, although I have this nibbling in the back of my brain that Dooku would feel 1000% more guilty turning Qui-gon than Obi-wan. Qui-gon isn't meant to be a Sith, in his mind, just someone who is a non-political actor. Qui-gon, for all of his faults, isn't actually angry, not to the point of purposeful destruction. Obi-wan, on the other hand...well, Dooku could not turn down that consolation prize, by any means.

Now in terms of Sidious...no doubt Qui-gon would spill, that's just who he is. Now, would Obi-wan immediately spill is a whole other question, considering the political pitfalls of the situation, not to mention Anakin.

And in terms of the "gang" supporting Obi-wan if Qui-gon did leave? I have to think Anakin would 100% blame Obi-wan for pushing Qui-gon away, considering Anakin's hero-worship of Qui-gon. Ahsoka just doesn't know Qui-gon well enough to make a judgment, and would likely feel stuck in the middle of a very bizarre family feud that she only can catch the surface of.

All this is to say, I should get my ass in gear and finish "Hung." (Otherwise known as, let's win the lottery so I can quit my jobs and write full-time hahahahahaha).

[levitatingbiscuits]

📘

sorry i'm late! this one is related to my barash vow au oneshot, but an idea i had for a longer story with the same premise

basically, obi-wan nearly fell during his fight with maul on naboo, and killed him quickly enough to save qui-gon's life. in his rage, he cut him into so many pieces that it's kind of hard to tell what species he even was.

qui-gon, naturally, repudiates him for using the dark side (and so he can take anakin as a padawan). if yoda hadn't decided to knight him, he would have been kicked out of the jedi order entirely. instead, he takes the barash vow and leaves until he feels he's atoned/his relationship with the Force is fully healed.

the planet he chooses for his exile is pretty out of the way... until the advent of the clone wars. obi-wan, who still feels absurdly racked with guilt (and kind of doesn't want to go back to the order and risk running into qui-gon and anakin), decides that he can continue to atone by going into the thick of the fighting and helping whoever he can. besides, the force is very insistent that his role lies elsewhere, and that he can't return yet. so because he's still not in contact with the order, he's not a general and he's not constrained by the orders of the senate.

obi-wan quickly realizes, with an outsider's perspective, that there's something seriously strange going on with this war. no one's acting like they would in a normal conflict, and these two armies came out of nowhere overnight. he starts investigating further into the shadowy figure called darth sidious; after all, he took his vow for killing a sith, so what's one more? so whenever he comes across dooku or ventress he goes nuts trying to kill them, because he figures that he can just do some more atoning later. (like me in catholic school when i'd save my mischief for right before we were scheduled for the rite of reconciliation with the priest lol)

meanwhile, general qui-gon jinn is NOT happy that his repudiated former padawan is back and running wild across the galaxy. the council, who almost all liked obi-wan and didn't want him to leave, are full of schadenfreude that the loose cannon is mad about the dude he trained becoming a loose cannon. and the barash vow is held sacrosanct, so they can't order him to end it until he's ready for it to end.

newly knighted anakin is also feeling some type of way about it, because he always felt like an inadequate replacement compared to obi-wan in the eyes of the order, and because qui-gon was almost as shitty to him as he was to obi-wan in jedi apprentice. he very much viewed him as the chosen one rather than a person and expected him to always act in ways befitting that title. anakin convinces himself that it's obi-wan's fault for pissing him off and leaving instead of qui-gon's for acting that way to begin with. but he's also funny, and skilled, and they work really well together whenever they're on the same battlefield, so anakin has a weird case of "i want to be friends and i kind of hero worship you like all the other jedi my age for being a sith slayer but i also deeply resent you for things you can't help."

and for the longest time, obi-wan has no idea that the GAR is full of clones. he's been living as a hermit for over a decade, and whenever he sees them, they're all in full armor. the clones are all very puzzled by this jedi who isn't a general but who keeps popping up and fighting alongside them on various battlefields, but many of them like him--except the 501st and the 212th, who are headed by anakin and qui-gon. they pretty much consider him one step above a traitor, because of what they hear from their jedi. ahsoka actually likes him a lot, once she gets to know him, but her masters get so agitated whenever she brings him up that she just decides to leave it alone.

at some point, cody, rex, and a few other clones from the 212th and the 501st get conveniently captured/trapped somewhere with obi-wan, and that's when he discovers that they're all identical. they get pissed at his astonishment, convinced he's making fun of them, until they realize that he's actually telling the truth. he interrogates them about how/why/when they were cloned, who commissioned them, etc. the answers they give him click with the info he's gathered about sidious and tyrannus and he realizes that something VERY SINISTER is afoot.

so after they break out of wherever they're being held/trapped inside, obi-wan declares that his vow is at its end and returns to the temple with the open circle fleet, qui-gon, anakin, and ahsoka. it's a very tense few days in hyperspace, not least because anakin and the clones are observing all his interactions with qui-gon and starting to get a nasty feeling that maybe qui-gon was more of a problem in that relationship than obi-wan ever was.

then he speaks to the council, puts all his cards on the table, and echoes dooku's claim that there's a sith lord very high up in the senate. qui-gon, who heard this exact claim from his old master on geonosis, LOSES HIS SHIT and decides that obi-wan must be a sith spy. the council, thankfully, aren't that biased, but they're pretty conflicted about it and not very sure what to do. they order obi-wan to keep working with anakin and qui-gon while they deliberate about what to do with the information he's given them...

...aaaaaaaaaaand that's about as far as i've gotten with the daydreaming. i have no idea how this would end, which is why i haven't started writing it yet lol

[space-blue]

Ooh I'm so curious about your Anakin and obi wan time travel fic!

WELP!! Thank you for the ask! I got so into cleaning up what I had in order to answer you, I actually went ahead and got the first chapter clean enough to publish!

Ended up calling it "A New Path", I had to save my originality! xD

Anyway, it started as an idea from baby-fandom me. I had just blazed through Elfpen's Reprise series, as well as some delicious Hannibal time travel fics, and I was determined to do my own take. All I was reading was single travelers. Obi-Wan goes back in the past, or Anakin goes back (Or Will, or Hannibal...) And the dynamic is with one-sided knowledge of the future. So I figured it would be fun to have them both go back instead, and not from the same time, but from the moment of their death.

Lots of whump follows, since I love writing dialogue and these two have a lot of catching up to do, but ultimately I built things up to these two youthful grandpas going to bully Yan Dooku. The joy was in the sheer gap moe of a reforming Vader in a 10 yo body, an Obi-Wan who's fully over it, and their insane team tactics on their way to take Sidious down.

---

Here's a bit of said Dooku bullying, though it's not as polished as the published bit. Yan is making Obi-Wan and Anakin wait and observes them via security feed :

His grandpadawan's attitude had been peculiar enough in his first message. Something is going on with him beyond the grief of Qui-Gon's recent passing, something Yan can't put a finger on. He has never met Obi-Wan Kenobi in person however, and is left guessing. Kenobi's own padawan, a ten-year-old boy if the Order's records can be trusted, is far beyond "peculiar".

'I still doubt this will work,' he says, brushing back his bangs. 'And I do not believe we're in a position to waste our time so frivolously.'

He paces by the windows of the lounge Yan's servant led them to, stopping now and then to stare outside before turning sharply on his heels and scanning the room with the bored air of someone who has played the waiting game too many times.

'Patience, Anakin,' Kenobi counters mildly. 'Our actions are what gains us time.'

'I still think we should have gone to Tatooine first.'

'We did.'

'But we did not stay,' the child snaps, pointing an accusatory finger at his master. 'We could have achieved a lot more there. Do not deny it.'

No child should speak this way, let alone to their master. Yet Kenobi reclines on his couch, fingers crossed over his chest, following the vagaries of his padawan from hooded eyes, a soft smile on his lips. He seems entirely unbothered by the haughty tone and formal speech patterns.

'Shmi is safe and the rest of Tatooine can wait. Dooku cannot.'

'He's already lost to us already. Look!'

The child encompasses the view from the window with a sweep of his arm, then extends the other to take in the residence itself. It's old and lavish, his family's seat of power. Yan knows exactly what the boy is trying to say, and it stings.

'My friend, I think you are misguided in this,' Obi-Wan says. 'I have faith that we will find my grandmaster reasonable, whenever he's ready to come and greet us.'

With these words the young man turns his head and looks squarely at Yan. So, he spotted the camera. Yan wouldn't expect any less from Qui-Gon's prized pupil. Yet he doesn't feel ready to greet the strange duo.

From this ask game