#cal kestis and I have this in common

[the-bi-space-ace]

I understand Cal Kestis. I too would look at Merrin with adoration and love.

[antoniosvivaldi]

Neural Filters Tutorial for Gifmakers by @antoniosvivaldi

Hi everyone! In light of my blog’s 10th birthday, I’m delighted to reveal my highly anticipated gifmaking tutorial using Neural Filters - a very powerful collection of filters that really broadened my scope in gifmaking over the past 12 months.

Before I get into this tutorial, I want to thank @laurabenanti, @maines , @cobbbvanth, and @cal-kestis for their unconditional support over the course of my journey of investigating the Neural Filters & their valuable inputs on the rendering performance!

In this tutorial, I will outline what the Photoshop Neural Filters do and how I use them in my workflow - multiple examples will be provided for better clarity. Finally, I will talk about some known performance issues with the filters & some feasible workarounds.

Tutorial Structure:

Meet the Neural Filters: What they are and what they do

Why I use Neural Filters? How I use Neural Filters in my giffing workflow

Getting started: The giffing workflow in a nutshell and installing the Neural Filters

Applying Neural Filters onto your gif: Making use of the Neural Filters settings; with multiple examples

Testing your system: recommended if you’re using Neural Filters for the first time

Rendering performance: Common Neural Filters performance issues & workarounds

For quick reference, here are the examples that I will show in this tutorial:

Example 1: Image Enhancement | improving the image quality of gifs prepared from highly compressed video files

Example 2: Facial Enhancement | enhancing an individual's facial features

Example 3: Colour Manipulation | colourising B&W gifs for a colourful gifset

Example 4: Artistic effects | transforming landscapes & adding artistic effects onto your gifs

Example 5: Putting it all together | my usual giffing workflow using Neural Filters

What you need & need to know:

Software: Photoshop 2021 or later (recommended: 2023 or later)*

Hardware: 8GB of RAM; having a supported GPU is highly recommended*

Difficulty: Advanced (requires a lot of patience); knowledge in gifmaking and using video timeline assumed

Key concepts: Smart Layer / Smart Filters

Benchmarking your system: Neural Filters test files**

Supplementary materials: Tutorial Resources / Detailed findings on rendering gifs with Neural Filters + known issues***

*I primarily gif on an M2 Max MacBook Pro that's running Photoshop 2024, but I also have experiences gifmaking on few other Mac models from 2012 ~ 2023.

**Using Neural Filters can be resource intensive, so it’s helpful to run the test files yourself. I’ll outline some known performance issues with Neural Filters and workarounds later in the tutorial.

***This supplementary page contains additional Neural Filters benchmark tests and instructions, as well as more information on the rendering performance (for Apple Silicon-based devices) when subject to heavy Neural Filters gifmaking workflows

Tutorial under the cut. Like / Reblog this post if you find this tutorial helpful. Linking this post as an inspo link will also be greatly appreciated!

1. Meet the Neural Filters!

Neural Filters are powered by Adobe's machine learning engine known as Adobe Sensei. It is a non-destructive method to help streamline workflows that would've been difficult and/or tedious to do manually.

Here are the Neural Filters available in Photoshop 2024:

Skin Smoothing: Removes blemishes on the skin

Smart Portrait: This a cloud-based filter that allows you to change the mood, facial age, hair, etc using the sliders+

Makeup Transfer: Applies the makeup (from a reference image) to the eyes & mouth area of your image

Landscape Mixer: Transforms the landscape of your image (e.g. seasons & time of the day, etc), based on the landscape features of a reference image

Style Transfer: Applies artistic styles e.g. texturings (from a reference image) onto your image

Harmonisation: Applies the colour balance of your image based on the lighting of the background image+

Colour Transfer: Applies the colour scheme (of a reference image) onto your image

Colourise: Adds colours onto a B&W image

Super Zoom: Zoom / crop an image without losing resolution+

Depth Blur: Blurs the background of the image

JPEG Artefacts Removal: Removes artefacts caused by JPEG compression

Photo Restoration: Enhances image quality & facial details

+These three filters aren't used in my giffing workflow. The cloud-based nature of Smart Portrait leads to disjointed looking frames. For Harmonisation, applying this on a gif causes Neural Filter timeout error. Finally, Super Zoom does not currently support output as a Smart Filter

If you're running Photoshop 2021 or earlier version of Photoshop 2022, you will see a smaller selection of Neural Filters:

Things to be aware of:

You can apply up to six Neural Filters at the same time

Filters where you can use your own reference images: Makeup Transfer (portraits only), Landscape Mixer, Style Transfer (not available in Photoshop 2021), and Colour Transfer

Later iterations of Photoshop 2023 & newer: The first three default presets for Landscape Mixer and Colour Transfer are currently broken.

2. Why I use Neural Filters?

Here are my four main Neural Filters use cases in my gifmaking process. In each use case I'll list out the filters that I use:

Enhancing Image Quality:

Common wisdom is to find the highest quality video to gif from for a media release & avoid YouTube whenever possible. However for smaller / niche media (e.g. new & upcoming musical artists), prepping gifs from highly compressed YouTube videos is inevitable.

So how do I get around with this? I have found Neural Filters pretty handy when it comes to both correcting issues from video compression & enhancing details in gifs prepared from these highly compressed video files.

Filters used: JPEG Artefacts Removal / Photo Restoration

Facial Enhancement:

When I prepare gifs from highly compressed videos, something I like to do is to enhance the facial features. This is again useful when I make gifsets from compressed videos & want to fill up my final panel with a close-up shot.

Filters used: Skin Smoothing / Makeup Transfer / Photo Restoration (Facial Enhancement slider)

Colour Manipulation:

Neural Filters is a powerful way to do advanced colour manipulation - whether I want to quickly transform the colour scheme of a gif or transform a B&W clip into something colourful.

Filters used: Colourise / Colour Transfer

Artistic Effects:

This is one of my favourite things to do with Neural Filters! I enjoy using the filters to create artistic effects by feeding textures that I've downloaded as reference images. I also enjoy using these filters to transform the overall the atmosphere of my composite gifs. The gifsets where I've leveraged Neural Filters for artistic effects could be found under this tag on usergif.

Filters used: Landscape Mixer / Style Transfer / Depth Blur

How I use Neural Filters over different stages of my gifmaking workflow:

I want to outline how I use different Neural Filters throughout my gifmaking process. This can be roughly divided into two stages:

Stage I: Enhancement and/or Colourising | Takes place early in my gifmaking process. I process a large amount of component gifs by applying Neural Filters for enhancement purposes and adding some base colourings.++

Stage II: Artistic Effects & more Colour Manipulation | Takes place when I'm assembling my component gifs in the big PSD / PSB composition file that will be my final gif panel.

I will walk through this in more detail later in the tutorial.

++I personally like to keep the size of the component gifs in their original resolution (a mixture of 1080p & 4K), to get best possible results from the Neural Filters and have more flexibility later on in my workflow. I resize & sharpen these gifs after they're placed into my final PSD composition files in Tumblr dimensions.

3. Getting started

The essence is to output Neural Filters as a Smart Filter on the smart object when working with the Video Timeline interface. Your workflow will contain the following steps:

Prepare your gif

In the frame animation interface, set the frame delay to 0.03s and convert your gif to the Video Timeline

In the Video Timeline interface, go to Filter > Neural Filters and output to a Smart Filter

Flatten or render your gif (either approach is fine). To flatten your gif, play the "flatten" action from the gif prep action pack. To render your gif as a .mov file, go to File > Export > Render Video & use the following settings.

Setting up:

o.) To get started, prepare your gifs the usual way - whether you screencap or clip videos. You should see your prepared gif in the frame animation interface as follows:

Note: As mentioned earlier, I keep the gifs in their original resolution right now because working with a larger dimension document allows more flexibility later on in my workflow. I have also found that I get higher quality results working with more pixels. I eventually do my final sharpening & resizing when I fit all of my component gifs to a main PSD composition file (that's of Tumblr dimension).

i.) To use Smart Filters, convert your gif to a Smart Video Layer.

As an aside, I like to work with everything in 0.03s until I finish everything (then correct the frame delay to 0.05s when I upload my panels onto Tumblr).

For convenience, I use my own action pack to first set the frame delay to 0.03s (highlighted in yellow) and then convert to timeline (highlighted in red) to access the Video Timeline interface. To play an action, press the play button highlighted in green.

Once you've converted this gif to a Smart Video Layer, you'll see the Video Timeline interface as follows:

ii.) Select your gif (now as a Smart Layer) and go to Filter > Neural Filters

Installing Neural Filters:

Install the individual Neural Filters that you want to use. If the filter isn't installed, it will show a cloud symbol (highlighted in yellow). If the filter is already installed, it will show a toggle button (highlighted in green)

When you toggle this button, the Neural Filters preview window will look like this (where the toggle button next to the filter that you use turns blue)

4. Using Neural Filters

Once you have installed the Neural Filters that you want to use in your gif, you can toggle on a filter and play around with the sliders until you're satisfied. Here I'll walkthrough multiple concrete examples of how I use Neural Filters in my giffing process.

Example 1: Image enhancement | sample gifset

This is my typical Stage I Neural Filters gifmaking workflow. When giffing older or more niche media releases, my main concern is the video compression that leads to a lot of artefacts in the screencapped / video clipped gifs.

To fix the artefacts from compression, I go to Filter > Neural Filters, and toggle JPEG Artefacts Removal filter. Then I choose the strength of the filter (boxed in green), output this as a Smart Filter (boxed in yellow), and press OK (boxed in red).

Note: The filter has to be fully processed before you could press the OK button!

After applying the Neural Filters, you'll see "Neural Filters" under the Smart Filters property of the smart layer

Flatten / render your gif

Example 2: Facial enhancement | sample gifset

This is my routine use case during my Stage I Neural Filters gifmaking workflow. For musical artists (e.g. Maisie Peters), YouTube is often the only place where I'm able to find some videos to prepare gifs from. However even the highest resolution video available on YouTube is highly compressed.

Go to Filter > Neural Filters and toggle on Photo Restoration. If Photoshop recognises faces in the image, there will be a "Facial Enhancement" slider under the filter settings.

Play around with the Photo Enhancement & Facial Enhancement sliders. You can also expand the "Adjustment" menu make additional adjustments e.g. remove noises and reducing different types of artefacts.

Once you're happy with the results, press OK and then flatten / render your gif.

Example 3: Colour Manipulation | sample gifset

Want to make a colourful gifset but the source video is in B&W? This is where Colourise from Neural Filters comes in handy! This same colourising approach is also very helpful for colouring poor-lit scenes as detailed in this tutorial.

Here's a B&W gif that we want to colourise:

Highly recommended: add some adjustment layers onto the B&W gif to improve the contrast & depth. This will give you higher quality results when you colourise your gif.

Go to Filter > Neural Filters and toggle on Colourise.

Make sure "Auto colour image" is enabled.

Play around with further adjustments e.g. colour balance, until you're satisfied then press OK.

Important: When you colourise a gif, you need to double check that the resulting skin tone is accurate to real life. I personally go to Google Images and search up photoshoots of the individual / character that I'm giffing for quick reference.

Add additional adjustment layers until you're happy with the colouring of the skin tone.

Once you're happy with the additional adjustments, flatten / render your gif. And voila!

Note: For Colour Manipulation, I use Colourise in my Stage I workflow and Colour Transfer in my Stage II workflow to do other types of colour manipulations (e.g. transforming the colour scheme of the component gifs)

Example 4: Artistic Effects | sample gifset

This is where I use Neural Filters for the bulk of my Stage II workflow: the most enjoyable stage in my editing process!

Normally I would be working with my big composition files with multiple component gifs inside it. To begin the fun, drag a component gif (in PSD file) to the main PSD composition file.

Resize this gif in the composition file until you're happy with the placement

Duplicate this gif. Sharpen the bottom layer (highlighted in yellow), and then select the top layer (highlighted in green) & go to Filter > Neural Filters

I like to use Style Transfer and Landscape Mixer to create artistic effects from Neural Filters. In this particular example, I've chosen Landscape Mixer

Select a preset or feed a custom image to the filter (here I chose a texture that I've on my computer)

Play around with the different sliders e.g. time of the day / seasons

Important: uncheck "Harmonise Subject" & "Preserve Subject" - these two settings are known to cause performance issues when you render a multiframe smart object (e.g. for a gif)

Once you're happy with the artistic effect, press OK

To ensure you preserve the actual subject you want to gif (bc Preserve Subject is unchecked), add a layer mask onto the top layer (with Neural Filters) and mask out the facial region. You might need to play around with the Layer Mask Position keyframes or Rotoscope your subject in the process.

After you're happy with the masking, flatten / render this composition file and voila!

Example 5: Putting it all together | sample gifset

Let's recap on the Neural Filters gifmaking workflow and where Stage I and Stage II fit in my gifmaking process:

i. Preparing & enhancing the component gifs

Prepare all component gifs and convert them to smart layers

Stage I: Add base colourings & apply Photo Restoration / JPEG Artefacts Removal to enhance the gif's image quality

Flatten all of these component gifs and convert them back to Smart Video Layers (this process can take a lot of time)

Some of these enhanced gifs will be Rotoscoped so this is done before adding the gifs to the big PSD composition file

ii. Setting up the big PSD composition file

Make a separate PSD composition file (Ctrl / Cmmd + N) that's of Tumblr dimension (e.g. 540px in width)

Drag all of the component gifs used into this PSD composition file

Enable Video Timeline and trim the work area

In the composition file, resize / move the component gifs until you're happy with the placement & sharpen these gifs if you haven't already done so

Duplicate the layers that you want to use Neural Filters on

iii. Working with Neural Filters in the PSD composition file

Stage II: Neural Filters to create artistic effects / more colour manipulations!

Mask the smart layers with Neural Filters to both preserve the subject and avoid colouring issues from the filters

Flatten / render the PSD composition file: the more component gifs in your composition file, the longer the exporting will take. (I prefer to render the composition file into a .mov clip to prevent overriding a file that I've spent effort putting together.)

Note: In some of my layout gifsets (where I've heavily used Neural Filters in Stage II), the rendering time for the panel took more than 20 minutes. This is one of the rare instances where I was maxing out my computer's memory.

Useful things to take note of:

Important: If you're using Neural Filters for Colour Manipulation or Artistic Effects, you need to take a lot of care ensuring that the skin tone of nonwhite characters / individuals is accurately coloured

Use the Facial Enhancement slider from Photo Restoration in moderation, if you max out the slider value you risk oversharpening your gif later on in your gifmaking workflow

You will get higher quality results from Neural Filters by working with larger image dimensions: This gives Neural Filters more pixels to work with. You also get better quality results by feeding higher resolution reference images to the Neural Filters.

Makeup Transfer is more stable when the person / character has minimal motion in your gif

You might get unexpected results from Landscape Mixer if you feed a reference image that don't feature a distinctive landscape. This is not always a bad thing: for instance, I have used this texture as a reference image for Landscape Mixer, to create the shimmery effects as seen in this gifset

5. Testing your system

If this is the first time you're applying Neural Filters directly onto a gif, it will be helpful to test out your system yourself. This will help:

Gauge the expected rendering time that you'll need to wait for your gif to export, given specific Neural Filters that you've used

Identify potential performance issues when you render the gif: this is important and will determine whether you will need to fully playback your gif before flattening / rendering the file.

Understand how your system's resources are being utilised: Inputs from Windows PC users & Mac users alike are welcome!

About the Neural Filters test files:

Contains six distinct files, each using different Neural Filters

Two sizes of test files: one copy in full HD (1080p) and another copy downsized to 540px

One folder containing the flattened / rendered test files

How to use the Neural Filters test files:

What you need:

Photoshop 2022 or newer (recommended: 2023 or later)

Install the following Neural Filters: Landscape Mixer / Style Transfer / Colour Transfer / Colourise / Photo Restoration / Depth Blur

Recommended for some Apple Silicon-based MacBook Pro models: Enable High Power Mode

How to use the test files:

For optimal performance, close all background apps

Open a test file

Flatten the test file into frames (load this action pack & play the “flatten” action)

Take note of the time it takes until you’re directed to the frame animation interface 

Compare the rendered frames to the expected results in this folder: check that all of the frames look the same. If they don't, you will need to fully playback the test file in full before flattening the file.†

Re-run the test file without the Neural Filters and take note of how long it takes before you're directed to the frame animation interface

Recommended: Take note of how your system is utilised during the rendering process (more info here for MacOS users)

†This is a performance issue known as flickering that I will discuss in the next section. If you come across this, you'll have to playback a gif where you've used Neural Filters (on the video timeline) in full, prior to flattening / rendering it.

Factors that could affect the rendering performance / time (more info):

The number of frames, dimension, and colour bit depth of your gif

If you use Neural Filters with facial recognition features, the rendering time will be affected by the number of characters / individuals in your gif

Most resource intensive filters (powered by largest machine learning models): Landscape Mixer / Photo Restoration (with Facial Enhancement) / and JPEG Artefacts Removal

Least resource intensive filters (smallest machine learning models): Colour Transfer / Colourise

The number of Neural Filters that you apply at once / The number of component gifs with Neural Filters in your PSD file

Your system: system memory, the GPU, and the architecture of the system's CPU+++

+++ Rendering a gif with Neural Filters demands a lot of system memory & GPU horsepower. Rendering will be faster & more reliable on newer computers, as these systems have CPU & GPU with more modern instruction sets that are geared towards machine learning-based tasks.

Additionally, the unified memory architecture of Apple Silicon M-series chips are found to be quite efficient at processing Neural Filters.

6. Performance issues & workarounds

Common Performance issues:

I will discuss several common issues related to rendering or exporting a multi-frame smart object (e.g. your composite gif) that uses Neural Filters below. This is commonly caused by insufficient system memory and/or the GPU.

Flickering frames: in the flattened / rendered file, Neural Filters aren't applied to some of the frames+-+

Scrambled frames: the frames in the flattened / rendered file isn't in order

Neural Filters exceeded the timeout limit error: this is normally a software related issue

Long export / rendering time: long rendering time is expected in heavy workflows

Laggy Photoshop / system interface: having to wait quite a long time to preview the next frame on the timeline

Issues with Landscape Mixer: Using the filter gives ill-defined defined results (Common in older systems)--

Workarounds:

Workarounds that could reduce unreliable rendering performance & long rendering time:

Close other apps running in the background

Work with smaller colour bit depth (i.e. 8-bit rather than 16-bit)

Downsize your gif before converting to the video timeline-+-

Try to keep the number of frames as low as possible

Avoid stacking multiple Neural Filters at once. Try applying & rendering the filters that you want one by one

Specific workarounds for specific issues:

How to resolve flickering frames: If you come across flickering, you will need to playback your gif on the video timeline in full to find the frames where the filter isn't applied. You will need to select all of the frames to allow Photoshop to reprocess these, before you render your gif.+-+

What to do if you come across Neural Filters timeout error? This is caused by several incompatible Neural Filters e.g. Harmonisation (both the filter itself and as a setting in Landscape Mixer), Scratch Reduction in Photo Restoration, and trying to stack multiple Neural Filters with facial recognition features.

If the timeout error is caused by stacking multiple filters, a feasible workaround is to apply the Neural Filters that you want to use one by one over multiple rendering sessions, rather all of them in one go.

+-+This is a very common issue for Apple Silicon-based Macs. Flickering happens when a gif with Neural Filters is rendered without being previously played back in the timeline.

This issue is likely related to the memory bandwidth & the GPU cores of the chips, because not all Apple Silicon-based Macs exhibit this behaviour (i.e. devices equipped with Max / Ultra M-series chips are mostly unaffected).

-- As mentioned in the supplementary page, Landscape Mixer requires a lot of GPU horsepower to be fully rendered. For older systems (pre-2017 builds), there are no workarounds other than to avoid using this filter.

-+- For smaller dimensions, the size of the machine learning models powering the filters play an outsized role in the rendering time (i.e. marginal reduction in rendering time when downsizing 1080p file to Tumblr dimensions). If you use filters powered by larger models e.g. Landscape Mixer and Photo Restoration, you will need to be very patient when exporting your gif.

7. More useful resources on using Neural Filters

Creating animations with Neural Filters effects | Max Novak

Using Neural Filters to colour correct by @edteachs

I hope this is helpful! If you have any questions or need any help related to the tutorial, feel free to send me an ask 💖

[gffa]

WHAT WE KNOW OF THE KIFFAR PEOPLE:

I was never sure (not having read all of Legends) but going through the High Republic Character Encyclopedia and Dark Disciple, it's (Disney) canon that Kiffar markings are definitely tattoos and they receive them in childhood. It seems they receive them at least before the age of four years old, as Vildar has his in a flashback he has to when he was that age, in his birth village:

There also seems to be some variety in them--Vildar's are white, Quinlan's are yellow--and possibly further tattoos, as Quinlan has a yellow one on his arm as well:

And it makes sense that these are probably clan-related, which the Star Wars Databank backs up:

"Kiffar seem human in appearance, but are identifiable from facial tattoos which indicates their clan affilation [sic] on their home planets of Kiffu and Kiffex."

And while psychometry was not limited to just the Kiffar (as there's no indication that Cal Kestis was Kiffar and Karr Nuq Sin from Force Collector definitely wasn't Kiffar, Rey and Ahsoka both seem to have some level of ability to do it), it seems like it's slightly more common in their population:

Which tracks with that Vildar and Quinlan both had the ability (though, Vildar only uses it rarely, possibly because he's not as gifted in it as Quinlan is):

[kitconnor]

recently, a lot of people have been losing their gifs to reposters, whether that be a whole set stolen or just one gif taken for a textpost. which leads to a lot of us turning towards watermarks to not lose our work. it's not everyone's first choice, particularly because of aesthetics, but it's the best way to keep what you own.

of course, it might seem silly to do a whole "tutorial" on watermarks, but there's a lot of different ways to watermark in a subtle way that still protects your work. i've also seen a lot of people incredibly hesitant to move to watermarks because they believe it marrs their work, which may be true, but there are definitely ways around that. anyway, let's begin !

WATERMARK 1: URL/TRACKED TAG

the most common watermark for people is usually 'thisismyurl.tumblr.com', 'thisismyurl | tumblr', 'thisismyurl' - at least, this is assumed for most people as the best way to watermark.

but if you're like me and constantly want to change your url, you know that there's a good chance a watermark on a gif 3 months ago could be completely different to one now. this is why people are turning to tracking tags.

tracked tags change less frequently, if at all. it's smaller, which makes it more subtle. if you want to go the extra mile like me, you can create a blog under your tracked tag (eg. i track tuserlucie) which means you can reblog anything with your watermark to the blog, showing that it is yours.

placement is key though ! here's 3 different ways you can place it.

NOTE: opacity has not been altered on any of these. depending on how it looks with your gif, opacity looks best at 10-30%.

Font settings: Momcake, thin, 10pt, #ededed.

each of these placements have different advantages.

the first placement (top left) is the one i personally use. it's centered right on the middle but not too high up.

the second placement (top right) is probably the most popular. corners mean people can kind of tuck the watermark away where it doesn't seem obvious. the fourth (bottom right) effectively does the same.

the third placement (bottom left) is 100% the most effective. it sits in a point exactly where it's noticeable, making it less desirable for reposters. on the right opacity too, you hardly notice it.

WATERMARK 2: ICONS/SIGILS

this is an idea that i've seen used mostly by nik @cal-kestis , but is a great and creative way to do it !

an icon or sigil makes your gif totally unique to you. and it's something cute on there which is different to having to put text on there.

(i've put it in orange for the purpose of seeing it)

but you can see here, it doesn't need to be anything special. i've just used an oval shape plus the initials of my url and that's it !

but a sigil can be anything. it doesn't need to have text; it could just be an image. it could just be your icon. either way, it's a cute little alternative to using text.

here's the different options that i preference in action.

SIGIL - bottom right corner

URL - bottom middle

TRACKED TAG - face/body

RESOURCES

here's some resources to use if you want to start watermarking !

FONTS:

Momcake (this one was used throughout all the text watermarks !) Cocogoose Lemon milk Bebas Quicksand PSD

you can access a psd of editable watermarks here.

[breakfastteatime]

Today's Fallen Order request is 'Small' for @foolinapril

Jaro would not say he forgets how small children are. It is simply that he so rarely encounters them that he has no need to recollect how tiny both they and their furnishings are. He has had apprentices before, certainly, but never one so young and therefore so small. Tiny, actually, would be more accurate. This youngling, Cal Kestis, is quite literally pocket-sized. Given what the Council has asked Jaro to take Cal into, he may very well place the child in a pocket to keep him safe.

The boy says goodbye to his clanmates, accepts a few clumsy hugs, waves one final time, and joins Jaro. His lightsaber swings on his hip, the hilt nearly as long as his leg. He has a tiny carryall that likely only carries a few changes of clothes. Jedi, after all, do not have possessions. That’s alright. They will need to stop by the quartermaster to pick up the necessary supplies a growing Padawan will require.

And Cal must grow. Fast.

The boy stares up (and up) at Jaro, gamely trying to mask the tears shimmering in his eyes. “I’m ready, Master Tapal.” His voice is so small it sounds like the squeak of the Temple mice.

Nodding, Jaro leads the way out of the youngling dorms. Cal’s footsteps pitter patter rapidly behind him, and Jaro remembers he must slow his pace for such a small pair of legs. He should review standard Human growth patterns. He knows enough to recognise Cal will be small for some time yet, and even fully grown, he will be significantly shorter than Jaro.

It is early morning and the Temple’s corridors are quieter than ever. So many Jedi are absent, called into service for the GAR. Jaro and Cal will only evade that fate for a few short months as they adjust to their new partnership.

They reach their shared quarters. Jaro opens the door and shows Cal in. They enter his chambers. Cal looks around wide-eyed. Jaro took care to requisition new furniture to avoid the likelihood of triggering Cal’s psychometry. A desk, a chair, and a rather tall cabin bed. Cal’s clan master, Petra Entola, told him Cal liked high places.

Yes, they have much to do in these few short months.

“Do you like it, Padawan?”

“Yes, Master,” Cal says, placing his bag upon the floor. “I’ve never had my own room before.” And then he shrugs. “Not that I remember anyway. I like it.”

There is, however, a slight buzz of confusion in the air.

“You are certain?”

“Uh huh!”

He sounds cheery enough. Jaro gives Cal a brief tour (there isn’t much to see beyond a common living space, a small kitchen, a refresher that must seem very large to Cal, and Jaro’s own room. They leave again shortly after the tour to gather supplies from the quartermaster, stop in the mess hall for breakfast, and then take a walk around the Room of a Thousand Fountains. After lunch, they meditate together and Jaro allows the boy to burn off some nervous energy in the dojo. As expected, Cal warms up as the day goes on and finds lots of questions to ask, all of which Jaro is happy to answer.

By the end of the long day, Cal yawns and drags his feet all the way back to their quarters. He is surprisingly efficient in the refresher, and is soon clad in pyjamas, rubbing his eyes, and off to bed.

Jaro has just made himself some tea when he hears a rather distinct crash. Rushing to his Padawan’s room, he finds Cal safely on his bed…

His desk, however, has tipped over and hit the floor face first.

“What happened?”

“Oh, I didn’t see a ladder so I figured this was a challenge!” Cal says brightly.

“A challenge?”

“Yeah – how to get into bed. So, I stood on the desk and jumped, except the desk kinda… fell.”

Suddenly, the morning’s brief hint of confusion makes perfect sense.

“Tomorrow, we will find a ladder,” Jaro says.

[fanfoolishness]

The Music of Jedi: Survivor

Last night I went to the Grammy Museum for an event celebrating the Jedi: Survivor score!  Sometimes living in Los Angeles has its benefits.  It was an evening with composers Stephen Barton and Gordy Haab, as well as their recording engineer Alan Meyerson, moderated by Jon Burlingame.  I took copious notes throughout so I could share them with you all :) All quotes are paraphrases, I’m not that quick a note taker.

My husband and I settled into our seats, me vibrating with excitement as the lights dimmd.  I was already hyped to hear the composers talk about my favorite game and their process for scoring it, but then my jaw fell out of my head because who strolled up on stage but fucking Cal Kestis himself, Cameron Monaghan, unexpected and uncredited on the event description.

I almost rolled out of my chair.  Then I frantically started smacking my husband (who’s never played the game, but loves music and production) and hissing “it’s him it’s him it’s the Jedi!!!”

Cameron’s intro was brief but lovely.  He introduced himself, then paused and said something like, “Do you hear that?  That’s the sound of silence. That is awful. I can hear my own thoughts!  No one wants to play a game like that.  Which is why we have these guys!”  He introduced the composers, Stephen and Gordy, as well as the sound engineer Alan and the moderator for the event, shook their hands and exchanged some hugs, then sat down in the audience.  Giddily I returned to my notes as Jon led the discussion.

Q: How did you get into scoring video games?

Stephen was a gamer and had always been interested in working with video games.  They were “enticing” and the schedule was much more appealing than for TV, where you might be handed a script and told to get the music back in a few days.

Gordy hadn’t worked particularly in games before.

Alan has been mixing and engineering video game soundtracks for the past 25 years, like Gears of War.

Q: What’s the difference between scoring a film and scoring a video game?

For film, it’s adding music onto what already exists; often the composer isn’t involved until the last 6 weeks or so of production.  (Fun fact I learned earlier this year, Ludwig Goransson was involved from the start on Oppenheimer because Christopher Nolan specifically wanted to subvert that.) 

The film is fairly static by the time the composers get their hands on it, so things are unlikely to change.

Video games are more like trying to put clothes on someone running a race, because drastic changes can happen at any time.  The timeline is also greatly extended — 2-3 years is common — so things may evolve and shift drastically in that time.

Film is also much less volume of music… they wrote an entire 8 hours!

Q: Is there a Star Wars music “house” style?

Initially Star Wars projects outside of the original trilogy were often scored as if they were B sides to the original soundtrack.  But the aesthetic is evolving.  There are a few standards though — there must always be that symphonic scale.

The score was performed at Abbey Road.  Alan mentioned that he was actually there on 9/11 working on a movie about a terrorist attack.  Stephen loves recording at Abbey Road so much he and his wife named his daughter Abbey.  All three of them agreed that Abbey Road is magical and the orchestra practically blends itself; for choral performances, all you have to do is stick a couple microphones in there and they sound fantastic.

They played a clip of “Dark Times,” with gameplay footage intercut with the symphony performing at Abbey Road.  They explained that they wanted to develop a new theme for the Empire.  At this time, the Empire just is.  You can’t use the Imperial March, because the Imperial March is how the Empire perceives itself.  But how does Cal see the Empire?  It’s dark and ominous. It’s everywhere.  It’s a fact of life.

Gordy explained that they literally shaped the melody like the sinus rhythm of a heartbeat to indicate that Cal’s on the run, his heart always pounding, never safe.  They used a full 12 tone chromatic scale to keep the track always uncomfortable and unsettled.

Stephen is such a Merrical shipper!  He talked about how one of the central conflicts of Survivor is Cal struggling with his feelings towards Merrin, and what do you do when you’ve utterly lost the fight?  He pointed out what the Senator tells Cal, and calls him a pretty reasonable guy.  Do you stop fighting when you’ve clearly lost?  “Maybe Cal should go shack up with Merrin somewhere and have a nice life.”

Q: What is it like having so much funding for the score on a game like this?

All you can really sell now is quality, and people expect it now.

Q: What is the process like?

They are brought into the game in the script phase, where they may see some concept art and get to read the script to help determine the story beats.  

The collaboration is joyful!  It seems like it could be really scary, to have game play testers, the game designers, and other music folks all weighing in on how the score is working or not working, but they actually really enjoyed it.  They’ll usually do about half the music, then have people test play it for a few months, come back with notes, and then work on the remainder after seeing what worked and what didn’t.

They played “Flight” in its entirety with gameplay of Cal and Merrin outrunning the Trident, and talked extensively about our girl Merrin!  Stephen talked about how in JFO, Merrin was important but not as big of a player.  Now in Jedi: Survivor, Merrin is vital,and we can see her story arc take shape.  Her small motif in JFO was expanded into an epic, heroic scale after we see her power with portals and moving on the wind.  They reached for all kinds of wind instruments, from Alpine horns, Tibetan horns, and even the “most tasteful vuvuzela ever.”

Note: it’s almost as heart-pounding to watch that sequence on the big screen as it is to play it!

They both said that some music flows onto the page and is easy to write; the escape from Jedha sequence was not one of those!  It wasn’t easy to write, mix or play!  A hundred people worked on this song, and it was hard as hell.  The orchestra musicians kept coming up to Alan and telling him they loved playing it because it was such a challenge.

They don’t always tell the studio who wrote what.  They work well together as they both love bourbon and coffee!  Stephen says he’s great at about ¾ of the tune but not the ending, whereas Gordy can fix that up in a jiffy.  They also sometimes divvied things up by planet or emotional beats.  

Q: I noticed in this last song (“Flight”) there was a choral element.  How do you decide when to incorporate choir instead of synth choir?

Choir is often the first casualty of budget cuts since it’s so many people involved.  Sometimes, synth choir is chosen for just a vibe or an extra layer.

However, there’s a rule that in musicals when the emotion is building to a point that words can no longer contain them, that’s when a character must burst into song.  For a score, when the emotion is swelling and can no longer be contained by mere instruments, that is when to pull out the choir.  So we see it in “Flight.”

Me: We also see it in “Rage,” muahahaha.

They used 120 singers for Flight and only needed 3 microphones because of how good Abbey Road sounds.

They prefer amateur choirs to session professionals since you can sometimes have too-professional singers trying to out-sing each other, and amateurs are usually more relaxed.

Q: There were a number of unusual or even invented instruments used for this score, tell us about them.

Gordy made bottle chimes.  He accidentally dropped a bottle of water while playing tennis and a ball pinged off it, making a lovely sound.  He ordered 20 metal water bottles and strung them in a wardrobe rack with different amounts of water in them.  Because it took ages to make, they used it in loads of places in the score.

Stephen went nuts and ordered 200 containers of BlueTack for the pianos for Koboh.  They wanted Koboh to sound like the old West, but not that spaghetti Western honkytonk piano sound.  If you make BlueTack into a sausage shape and roll it around a piano string you can make it make these strange broken sounds sort of like a gamelan.  This is called a prepared piano.  The low bumbumbum noises when first getting on Koboh and meeting the pit droid?  Freaking piano.  I would have never guessed!  They did this to 3 pianos.

They played a clip of Where the Nekkos Roam.  They used the prepared pianos, an orchestra, dulcimers, Basset horns, euphoniums, tubas.  They wanted Koboh to feel lived in and to have history expressed in the music.  The musicians were excited to have to rent out Basset horns since like nobody actually owns one.

Q: Tell us about the cantina music.

The original cantina brief from George Lucas to John Williams was apparently, “what if aliens came down in 1000 years and found sheet music from Benny Goodman, but didn’t have the same instruments?” And thus we got the Mos Eisley cantina theme which is almost unbeatable.  

They were thinking of scoring the cantina music themselves, but then thought, “what if we gave that brief to a bunch of really cool bands?”

They highly recommended Dan Mayo from Tantran.  They recommended taking a few hours to watch him kick ass on the drums on YouTube.

Tantran recorded "Fields of Dusk" for the cantina first, then Stig came back and said “what if we wove this into the score?  What if it was Cal and Merrin’s love theme?”  Then they created a symphonic version, also partially inspired by a Joni Mitchell song.

They played part of the cantina version of “Fields of Dusk,” then they played the symphonic version with Cal and Merrin riding the spamel to Cere’s base.  They gushed about being able to work with the story and the subtext.

Alan said that "Fields of Dusk” “is visceral.  It vibrates shit inside of you.  Mixing it was a highly emotional experience for me.  Even now sitting under the subwoofer — it’s right here, over my head — it’s very emotional.”

Q: How many motifs do you have?

“Seven thousand.” - Stephen

Gordy later amended that to about two dozen, but with tons of variations.

Q: What are the interactions like with the game developers?

They get to be in the building with them, working on the narrative team — making sure to serve the story first.  It also lets them practice gameplay or watch others playing to see how it flows.

Again, it’s a 2-3 year process.

They played the clip of Cal and Merrin making a campfire in the cave on Jedha.  Stephen is all about the Merrical ship (not that he used those words, alas, but still)!  He said this was such gorgeous writing, really allowing the technology to showcase the acting, and it’s his all time favorite scene in the game.

The whole theater clapped as he said that.  Yes!  A whole theater clapping while someone was talking about Merrical and calling it gorgeous. *sobbing forever*

Q: What has it been like to meet fans?

They’ve been delighted by the fans and how much they love the characters and the amazing performances of all the actors in the game.

Q: Are there plans for a sequel?

Stephen: “Are there Lucasfilm snipers out there?  Look for the red dot…”

Gordy: “There’s not NOT plans.”

Fan questions!

Alan mentioned he loves doing the hardest piece first!  Then it’s all skiing downhill.

A fan asked about more weird created instruments.  

They also used a bunch of bamboo smacking other pieces of bamboo, as well as using little drums from other purposes or sets.

Was there anything they messed up or wanted to do differently than they did in JFO?

They accidentally didn’t loop music in the hangar on Zeffo, so if you stick around there for more than 3 minutes, it just becomes wind sound and gets very lonely.  A live streamer was playing the game, talked to his audience for like 10 minutes, then wandered around almost in silence as his fans commented “why is this game so quiet?”

Gordy wanted to make JFO sound much darker and got his wish in Survivor.

I had so been hoping they would talk about “Rage” and the struggle with the dark side, but they were sort of avoiding spoilers.  So when they got to the Q&A I had to speak up.

I asked, “What was it like working with darker themes later in the game, like with Rage?  You see a real shift in the motifs and there’s also more amazing choral work.”  Their faces seriously lit up XD

Stephen said this was one he handed to Gordy because it was very difficult.

Gordy said that this is Cal at his worst, so it had to be so over the top.  Think of consonant sounds crashing through the melody, Cal trying to keep control of his thoughts but they’re twisting away, he’s trying to think straight and can’t.  It’s discordant.  It’s also scored to evoke a heartbeat throughout, like breathing.  

It was so hard for the choir to do, going back and forth — you can’t do that with choral samples or synth!

They ended with a video they played from their Hollywood Bowl show in June, and said we were only the second group of people to see it.  They played a clip where they do use the classic Imperial March, but contoured so you only get the silhouette of its shape, instead of the full sound.  It ended with a clip of the Tantran band playing a wicked awesome set out in the desert.  The last image they showed was a list of the 287 people who worked on the score!

We let out and I did get to meet them!  Stephen was lovely  and I told him it was just such a beautiful, haunting score.  I actually had a sketch of the campfire scene with me and he signed it!  His daughter Abbey is an artist too and she was really impressed by my sketchbook (she looked to be about 11).  Gordy also got to see a bit of my sketchbook and signed Cal in Nova Garon!  What an awesome night!  We didn’t see Cameron again but I was so astounded to see him the first time I didn’t mind at all.  

SO COOL!  Sometimes, kids, living in Los Angeles isn’t so bad!!

[antianakin]

It doesn't happen as much, but some people said that Taron Malicos (that crazy ex-Jedi from Fallen Order) was right about the Jedi's decline, forgetting that Malicos is mentally-deranged and fallen to the Dark Side. Not exactly the most reliable authority on Jedi history and culture, if you ask me.

Yeah, the Cal Kestis games sit in that sort-of "soft anti-Jedi"/"Jedi critical" space where they have moments that are absolutely telling the audience that the Jedi were weak, or at fault for what happened or old-fashioned/behind the times, but that they were still GOOD PEOPLE and Cal is absolutely still identifying as a Jedi whole-heartedly and doing Jedi stuff etc etc. The entire storyline of Fallen Order is that Cal and Cere are trying to find the list of Force sensitive kids so they can try to rebuild the Jedi Order and it's sad when they have to make the choice to let that dream go in order to protect the kids from the Empire. Cal getting Knighted by Cere is a happy, triumphant moment. The whole flashback to Order 66 being included and being SO SO SAD is a major element of the game. Cal and Merrin literally bond over being survivors of the devastating tragedy that is the total loss of their people. (It comes up even less in Survivor, the one place it shows up is within his romance with Merrin.)

So the message getting sent is that sure, MAYBE the Jedi weren't always perfect, but it also DOESN'T MATTER because nothing they did warranted what happened to them and it's still a good thing to be a Jedi. So Taron Malicos might be "right" in the sense that the narrative doesn't really specify one way or another (but sort-of implies that he might be), but being "right" doesn't justify being a selfish asshole and hurting other people. So it stops mattering at all if he's "right" or not anyway.

Rebels does similar stuff, quite honestly. This idea that the Jedi might've made mistakes in places, but that ultimately their loss is still SAD and Kanan is fucked up by it and both he and Ezra learn to be better people as they learn to commit to being true Jedi. It's a GOOD thing for both of them to become Jedi.

They both sit in this middle ground of saying that being a Jedi is a good thing and the loss of the Jedi is still a tragedy, but the current Jedi are going to learn from the mistakes of their predecessors who fucked up enough that it might've led them to their own doom. It's kinda sad that some of the better Jedi centric content we've gotten recently comes with this need to criticize the Jedi for shit they didn't even do, but it's VERY common. Even High Republic has elements of this in it from the few of the novels I've read.

But I will say that, as much as it's annoying to me personally to have to deal with that, it's better than something like, say, I don't know, the Ahsoka show which has the darksider characters NOT come across as evil selfish assholes and none of the main "Jedi" characters ever seem to actually identify (or even WANT to identify) as Jedi and implies that being a Jedi might be a lesser or inferior way to identify just in general and that there's nothing truly sad about the loss of the Jedi themselves. At least there's a lot of other generally positive Jedi stuff in Rebels and the Cal Kestis games to enjoy. Ahsoka didn't give a single Jedi positive moment in the entire fucking show.

[froggibus]

A Piece of Home - Cal Kestis

Pairing: Cal Kestis x reader

Genre: fluff!! v domestic and cute vibes

Word Count: 700

Summary: after making it to Pyloon’s Saloon, you and Cal are beyond excited to actually get some rest without worrying about the dangers of the galaxy

CW: mentions to the lore, mostly spoiler free?? (but if you haven’t played Jedi: Survivor & don’t want any spoilers, keep out) very domestic, Cal has nightmares, very hurt/comfort of me tbh

this man has been living in my head fucking rent free for days, and im about half way done the new game? honestly expect a bit more Star Wars/Cal content from me in the next few days. i love this man sm tho he’s my babygirl

————

You stretch your arms over your head, happy to finally be in a bed that wasn’t on a ship or a sleeping bag on the ground. You unstrap the holster where you kept your blaster and toss it to the side, snuggling further into the scratchy sheets below you. 

You can hear Cal talking to Greez just outside of the door, their voices low and serious. Usually you’d be more inclined to listen in and jump in to protect him, but you’re so tired tonight you can’t bring yourself to care. 

He’s a Jedi, he can take care of himself. 

It’s been a long day and all you want is to fall asleep, your head starting to drift away. You’re interrupted when the door slides open with a clang and the frame of the bunk bed rattles. 

You can hear Cal groaning below you, sprawling out on the lower half of the bunk beds. BD-1 hums in agreement, probably making himself busy scanning all of the stuff in the room. 

You fall into an uneasy sleep, tossing and turning within the small bed frame. It doesn’t last very long though, because you hear a small yelp that has you sitting up so fast the world spins. 

You can hear Cal whimpering below you, feeling the movement of him on the bed beneath you. He must be having a nightmare—an all too common occurrence over the past few years. You slide out of your bed as quietly as possible, wool socks sliding against the floor. 

You sit on the edge of his bed and run a hand across his forehead, smoothing his red hair back. After travelling together for so long, you’ve learned to read him in a way no one else can. 

You wrap your other hand around his, thumb stroking the back of his hand. “Shh, it’s okay Cal. You’re safe here. I’m with you, it’s okay.”

The crease in his eyebrows eases and his lip stops quivering. You sigh in relief, leaning in to press a soft kiss to his forehead. You’re not sure when this started, this uneasy relationship between the two of you. 

It wasn’t one born out of want, but out of necessity. You needed to keep each other around to survive, and the amount of times you’ve cling to each other in the dead of night were immeasurable. The amount of times you’ve fallen asleep in his arms, on his chest, bodies pressed so close together you’re not sure where he ends and you begin. 

You go to stand up, ready to head back to your own bed, but his hand catches your wrist. “Where are you going?” He mumbles. 

“Just back to bed. I’ll be right above you, Cal.”

His green eyes soften, “lay with me?”

You sigh. You can never resist his boyish charm and he knows it. That’s how you end up climbing into bed with him, laying on your side so you can face him. “Did you have a bad dream?”

“Just the usual,” he admits. “Thank you for being here.”

“For you? Always.”

He wraps an arm around you, tugging you until your chests are pressed together and all you can smell and feel is him. His hand runs up and down your hip, tracing patterns on the fabric of your shirt. 

He rolls onto his back so that both of you can be more comfortable and your head falls naturally into the crook of his arm like it always does. You can feel the muscles beneath his shirt, feel the rise and fall of his chest. It’s all so familiar to you. 

He kisses the top of your head. “I love you, y/n.”

Your heart flutters at the words, and you tap the syllables onto his thigh as you repeat them back to him. “I love you,” you whisper. “I love you.”

For the past few years, you’ve travelled the galaxy. You haven’t had a home, nowhere to settle down. But laying in bed with him right now, all you can think is that your home is wherever Cal Kestis is. 

[scrapratsoldier]

IT'S THE FIRST DRINK they have together.

The second they have as friends. By the fourth, Cal isn’t so sure. He hasn’t had a lot of close friends or hard liquor. The way their eyes seem to hold longer with every refill could be as common as sand on Tattooine.

Greez glances at them from time to time as he polishes glasses, countertops, and bottles. He throws one or even two elbows into Monk's side vent to encourage the droid to do what you were made for, huh with a gesture. Cal and Bode are never empty, even with Monk, and Zee, too, steering themselves and their conversation clear of the two men sitting at the end of the bar closest to the back access.

None of that is inherently strange. Neither is the way they lean towards each other to hear over the three songs on replay (gotta get on Greez about that) or how the trust between them, between two survivors, makes it easier to talk about the past— they’ve already saved each other's lives and shared grief in the short time they’ve been acquainted. The first time Bode looks at Cal's mouth when Cal smiles isn’t all that exceptional. It’s by the fourth that Cal isn’t so sure.

Cal is more than a lightsaber, Greez said, but Cal isn't so sure about that either. All he knows is war. He knows how to survive. When you let loose, how loose? He has to be ready for anything. Just not this type of anything. He doesn't know what he's supposed to do with a look or even four. He doesn't know what to do about the hand on his thigh when they laugh so hard he almost chokes on his Slippery Monk (which was part of the joke, what an awful name for a cocktail). He doesn't know what it means when Bode, with something encrypted behind his stare, casually asks, "Show me your workbench?"

Cal almost doesn't want to show him his workbench. He knows how to say no, yes, and maybe, but Cal is a survivor. His instincts are sharp. He knows when he's being backed into a corner, and that's why he almost doesn't lead him down the stairs, past the storage and the kitchen, to the little room Greez had set up for him over five years ago with the hope that, someday, the Jedi would rest in it. He could take the stairs back up to the bar; he could dive down the smuggler's tunnel; or burst out the last door into the street; even with all of these exits, Cal does not have an exit strategy.

Cal is a survivor, and letting Bode back him into the corner of the room feels like it goes against everything he's ever learned.

"I'm not twice shy once bitten, Kestis," Bode's thick arms pen him, his head lulled nonthreateningly, his dark, glossy hair dusting the shoulder pad of his armor; eyes lazily closed; smile rosy from drink and anticipation. "Either way you wanna take that." He does not touch Cal, but his breath does, tickling Cal's crop of violent red hair; and his intent does. "You just let me know."

"I," Cal breathes, his eyes at half mast, the buckles tinking on his vest as his chest quietly heaves, and he fights, he fights the fight in himself. His arms are rigid at his sides, tied up as tightly as they've ever been.

"I don't know. What I'm supposed to say."

"What do you want to say?" Bode prompts. He smells like sweat, oil, and alcohol, and if any of that should be a deterrent, it is not. He smells like hot metal and hard work.

"I don't know," Cal says stiffly.

"The only wrong answer," Bode says, lifting his head and examining Cal's pink, freckled face up close. "Is the one you'll hate yourself for. Or me. I'm your friend, Cal. That can extend past the battlefield."

Cal's jaw knots. He looks down. His Adam's apple bobs when he swallows. "The type of friend you're talking about. I've mixed the two before," Cal says. Merrin. Never again. "It…complicates things."

Bode chuckles. Shakes his head.

Cal looks up at him quizzically.

"It's already complicated," Bode says. His eyes shine bittersweetly. "It's always complicated. I'm just trying to survive. War…"

Bode lifts his hand from the wall, and after a short stall of hesitation, he slides it against the side of Cal's neck. A warm, heavy weight. Encouraged, when Cal's lashes flutter and his mouth parts.

"War," Bode says again, his thumb stroking the deep scar on Cal's cheek. "Hardens you. I want to stay soft. For my daughter. For Tayala's memory of me."

Cal leans in with a shiver like Bode's is the first hand that has ever touched him, his own hands reaching up to cusp the sides of Bode's face. Bode presses their foreheads together and steps closer. He turns his face in and, in a husky whisper, murmurs, "Let me soften you, Cal."

Cal is a survivor.

Bode is too.

Cal knows he's not alone, but when Bode lifts him off the floor, wraps Cal's legs around his slim waist, and carries him. When they both tuck into the tiny bed cubby and laugh because Bode bumps his head. When they shed their armor and clothes. When their hands and mouths cannot still, and Bode moves in him, and, after, they take turns talking about their scars… He really feels it.

Not alone.

And he wants to be soft, too.

[phoenixyfriend]

THIS IS ABOUT FICS AND AUS, NOT WHAT YOU THINK IS REALISTIC FOR CANON

CANON HAS NO PLACE HERE

* It's more complicated than that, but basically it's met with suspicion unless the author has built up to it really well, or you already trust them to do interesting things with common fanon.

[mymblesbuir]

Genuine question for Cal Kestis/Boba Fett shippers: Where did this ship come from?

This is not meant to be negative in any way, I just wanna know! They don't meet in canon, and I'm not sure what they have in common (other than being kids during the clone wars?), yet it seems such a popular ship for Cal and I'm... wondering what I missed lol is there some fandom history behind it?

[aphantpoet]

Today I want to talk about this piece of shit and his most memed line "Who knew clones were so paternal."

At this point the "Anyone who watched Star Wars" jokes have been done to death so I'm gonna overthink because that's what a creative writing degree taught me to do.

Before we begin, I have a family in Palestine's go fund me pinned on my blog. if you can I invite you to either donate or spread it around, every little bit helps. Thank you and back to my bullshit.

Viewer Omniscience occurs when an audience is given multiple perspectives at once, it is both a tool and a downfall to character nuance. While it can have many positives such as providing multiple perspectives from large casts of characters or characters who get separated, i want to focus on the negatives. Aside from it being funny, why does Royce Hemlock's line give us that reaction?.

Simply put, we have seen Star Wars, hemlock has not. We've played the Cal Kestis Saga and watched old men Rex, Gregor and Wolfe interact with Ezra Bridger. We were there for the Innocents of Ryloth and the whole of bad batch and the clone who was kind to Boba before he was betrayed. Hemlock was not, he was off on his mad scientist shit. He doesn't know about any of these events. The only clones he interacts with are his experiments and Emerie. there's not exactly a lot of opportunities to see the Mandalorian adoption instinct in action. Frankly, it would be weird if he did know that clones are prone to picking up any kid they see alone for more than five seconds.

It's not exclusive to this meme either. let's take Azula for an example. There are some in the fandom who expect her to intrinsically understand that everything she has been taught is wrong. Zuko was able to understand that colonisation and child abuse is bad so why couldn't she?. What they forget is that Zuko had three years away and tons of chances and his mother carefully contradicting some of his lessons as a child before he even started to realise it was wrong. Even then he has moments where he falls back, resorts to the same toxic patters of thinking he was raised with. Azula never had any of those chances, she never had anyone to point out that Ozai was in the wrong. She didn't have any independent sources to tell her that so why would a teenage girl be able to break the cycle when she doesn't even know she's in one to begin with?

It's common for people in fandoms to get bogged down by the details they already know, even when the character's don't. This lead to some of the very common debated in the SPOP fandom. We get both Catra and Adora's situations handed to us on a silver platter, served with a side of popcorn for our viewing pleasure. Catra and Adora do not. They are in their situations and can only know what has been revealed to them and what they believe. In the first episode, Adora didn't even realise that Catra and herself were both being abused (or at least she didn't classify it from that perspective because she was in it not an observer.) When she leaves she doesn't know that Hordak and Shadow Weaver continue to abuse Catra. how could she? Even if we say she would believe it if she found out she's not seeing it, none of her Rebellion friend are willing to consider that that might be a possibility and any avenue for her to be told is cut off.

In that same vein, when the two are reunited and in a position to learn what the other is going through they don't. They don't communicate and they don't have all of each other's information so they're out of sync. Adora falls back into her old patterns of being the protector or expecting Catra to tell her everything because that's what she knows. Catra slips into her pattern of pushing people away because, it's what she believes will protect her, that makes her mean. Adora isn't aware that, while she was away, any times Catra tried to reach out and forge new bonds massively backfired and that she's feeling incredible guilt as well as realising that her attempt at sacrificing herself failed but she still saved Glimmer and trying to work out what that means.

When they get to removing the chip, they're so out of sync that Adora doesn't realise that Catra is truly afraid for her life and ends up treating her like a brat. Catra doesn't realise that bringing Entrapta in to remove the chip isn't a holier than thou punishment from Adora. it's her being pragmatic and making sure that Catra's sacrifice of trying to save Glimmer and keep them out of Horde primes clutches isn't in vain because they decided to save her. It's only when Adora admits her helplessness and agrees to let Catra go and Catra forces herself open despite everything she's learnt since Adora left the Horde that they even begin to learn the other's story.

In the Clone Wars, a clone named Fives discovers the inhibitor chips in all the clones. When he tries to reveal this information he is not believed by anyone because he is the only one who experienced everything that he experienced. Anakin and Rex did not, Shaak Ti did not so when he comes out claiming things that seem impossible they believe he's crazy. it doesn't help that any evidence he could show them is in the hands of people with a vested interest in keeping it hidden. Any other way he could prove it would require a level of trust that Anakin and Rex are not primed to give him based solely on how the incident was reported to them. We know he's right but from Anakin's perspective; another one of his men just went insane, is acting erratic and paranoid and tried to kill his long time mentor. He may have compassion for him and want to help him but he doesn't believe him. We know where this goes but, to Anakin, Revenge of the Sith is months away.

I bring all this up to say, audiences can get cocky when it comes to information we already know, to the point where we assume character's not knowing something is bad writing or a sign that they're abusive or stupid or incapable of changing but all it is, is realistic world building. People keep things hidden, people aren't always placed in the exact position to learn everything all the time and they're never free from biases and emotional judgements.

So, yes, everyone who's watched Star Wars knows that the clones are building found families on main but Hemlock is not someone who's watched Star Wars, he's just a character in it.

[weevil-wallflower]

The Empire's Most Wanted

Cal Kestis & the Mantis Crew

Summary: From fugitive to celebrity.

Warnings/Tags: SFW, crack fic (kinda lol), humour, canon-typical violence, during Jedi: Survivor, no spoilers for Jedi: Survivor.

A.N.: So a discussion began when I shared a screenshot of Cal in the outfit as shown below. The discussion ended with him having so many admiring fans in the Galaxy due to being an infamous ‘Jedi terrorist’. From that discussion, spawned this fic ^_^ Gif by me!

Also on AO3!

Word Count: ~2700

Cal Kestis lounged in the Mantis’s common area, flicking through various channels on the holo-TV. BD-1 sat perched on his shoulder, beeping curiously as the channels zipped by. Suddenly, a flashy advertisement caught Cal’s attention, causing him to pause.

“The Empire’s Most Wanted!” boomed a dramatic voice. “The Galaxy’s hottest new talk show featuring exclusive interviews with the most notorious outlaws. Tonight, we delve into the life of the Jedi terrorist himself; Cal Kestis!”

Cal’s eyes widened in surprise. “BeeDee, did you hear that? They’re talking about me!”

BD-1 beeped excitedly, his optics flashing as he absorbed the information. Cal couldn’t help but smirk at the thought of being discussed so openly on a talk show. He quickly called out to the rest of the crew.

“Merrin, Greez, Bode! Get over here, you’ve got to see this!”

Merrin and Greez emerged from their respective quarters, while Bode appeared from the cockpit. The three of them gathered around as Cal rewound the broadcast and played it again.

“Cal Kestis, the Galaxy’s most elusive Jedi, will be featured on the next episode of ‘Empire’s Most Wanted’!” the show host repeated, the holo-screen flashing with dramatic images of Cal in action.

Greez’s jaw dropped. “Kid, when did you become so popular? And how’d they get those photos of you?!”

“The Galaxy is a strange place,” Merrin mused with a raised eyebrow, a smirk playing on her lips. “You go from fugitive to celebrity overnight.”

Bode chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief. “I guess all those close calls with the Empire finally paid off in the fame department.”

Cal shrugged, a playful glint in his emerald eyes. “Hey, I can’t help it if I’m a big deal now.”

BD-1 beeped in agreement, clearly excited about the possibility of seeing his favourite Jedi on a galaxy-wide holo-show.

Over the next few days, the buzz surrounding the talk show became impossible to ignore. Every corner of the Galaxy seemed to be talking about the ‘Empire’s Most Wanted’ and its upcoming episode on Cal Kestis. Then, one evening, Cal actually received an official invitation to appear on the show.

Greez read the invitation aloud, his voice tinged with disbelief, as the rest huddled around him. “Dear Cal Kestis, we cordially invite you to be a guest on ‘The Empire’s Most Wanted’. Your presence would undoubtedly make for an unforgettable episode.”

Merrin sighed, exasperated. “Cal, this is not a good idea. If you attend, the Empire will know your location. It is too risky.”

"It's a trap, kid. You know it's a trap.” Greez added, sounding sure of himself.

“Wait, how did they know where to send the invite…?” Bode mumbled to himself, his question going unnoticed due to Cal’s excitement. The redhead seemed undeterred as he glanced at the invitation and then back at his friends, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. “Come on, guys. It could be fun. Besides, I could use a little excitement.”

“Excitement?” Merrin repeated, her eyes narrowing. “Cal, this is not some adventure you should just dive into without consequences.”

Bode placed a hand on Cal’s shoulder, his expression just as serious. “Look, scrapper, I get it. You want to face them head-on, but this is too reckless—even for you. You’ll be giving the Empire a clear shot at you by flaunting yourself like that.”

Cal simply shrugged off the warnings with a casual wave of his hand. “I appreciate the concern, but I’ve got a good feeling about this. Trust me.”

Greez threw all four of his hands up in the air, grumbling, “Why do I even bother? You’re gonna get us all killed one day, kid.”

BD-1 beeped reassuringly, seemingly siding with Cal on this one as his little heart seemed set on enjoying the limelight as well. The little droid’s optimism was contagious, and despite their reservations, the crew reluctantly prepared for the trip to the talk show’s studio.

When the day finally arrived, the Mantis landed discreetly on the on the planet which housed the talk show studio. For this occasion, Cal had dressed in the only formal attire he owned; a dark grey high collared shirt paired with high-waisted and well-pressed black trousers.

The jedi, ever confident, strolled into the opulent studio, taking in the grandiose exterior with neon lights and towering banners displaying past episodes.

The interior was a bustling hive of activity. Camera crews rushed about, adjusting microphones and lights, while makeup artists fussed over guests and hosts. The studio audience, a mix of curious civilians and die-hard fans, buzzed with anticipation. The air was filled with excited whispers about the infamous red haired Jedi. It all created an almost surreal atmosphere.

As Cal was led onto the stage, the bright lights momentarily blinded him. The host, a charismatic man by the name of Xenn Garroz, greeted him with a wide smile.

“Welcome, Cal Kestis! Or should I say, the Galaxy’s most elusive Jedi?” Xenn’s voice boomed, echoing through the studio.

“Happy to be here, Xenn,” Cal returned the smile, trying to keep his cool. Having never been in front of such a large audience before this moment, he was finding out for the first time what stage fright felt like.

The interview began with standard questions about Cal’s adventures, the Mantis crew and his status as a Jedi. Everything appeared normal until Xenn’s expression suddenly shifted, taking on a sinister appearance.

“Cal, we have a special surprise for you,” Xenn announced, his tone dripping with malice. “But first, let’s met our real guest of honour.”

Suddenly, the studio’s backdrop transformed to display the Imperial insignia. Hidden doors burst open and stormtroopers poured onto the set, blasters at the ready. Much to the camera crew’s surprise, Xenn Garroz revealed himself as an undercover Imperial agent, his triumphant grin gleaming under the stage lights.

The audience present at the studio gasped, a mixture of shock and confusion spreading through the crowd. Cal ignited his lightsaber, the blade humming with energy and ready for the impending battle.

In the middle of the commotion, BD-1, who had sneakily found his way onto the set, scuttled to the guest chair meant for Cal and enjoyed the front-row seat to the action.

Back on the Mantis, the crew watched the live broadcast, their faces a mix of exasperation and disbelief. Greez sighed, shaking his head. "Why am I not surprised?"

Merrin rolled her eyes. "Cal and his flair for theatrics."

Bode, unable to stand idly by, decided to join the fight. With his blasters drawn, he dashed out of the Mantis, determined to help Cal.

But before Merrin and Greez could follow, a squad of stormtroopers had surrounded the ship, blasters pointed menacingly at them.

“Merrin, we’ve got company!” Greez shouted, his voice tinged with panic.

Merrin glanced out the cockpit, assessing the situation. “We need to defend the Mantis. Cal and Bode can handle themselves.”

The Latero nodded, gripping his blasters tightly. “I hope you’re right. Let’s make sure they have a ship to come back to!”

As Merrin and Greez prepared to defend the Mantis, back on the set, Cal fought off the stormtroopers with grace and efficiency, his lightsaber a blur of intense light. The studio audience watched in stunned silence, unable to tear their eyes away from the live battle.

Just as the number of stormtroopers threatened to overwhelm Cal, Bode burst onto the scene with his blasters at the ready. "Need a hand?"

Cal grinned. "Took you long enough!"

“Time for a real show now!” The mercenary shouted, taking aim at the closest stormtroopers.

Further chaos erupted as Cal and Bode fought side by side, their movements a blur of deadly lightsaber strikes and blaster shots. BD-1, perched peacefully on the guest chair, watched the action with a beep of delight, his lenses recording every moment.

The camera crew, despite the obvious danger, avidly recorded the entire fight. Blaster bolts zipped past them, narrowly missing the staff and equipment. One cameraman ducked behind his rig, shouting, “Keep rolling, keep rolling!” Meanwhile, the studio audience, initially frozen in shock, began cheering for the Jedi and his ally.

Cal deflected blaster bolts with fluid precision, his lightsaber dancing through the air. He vaulted over a group of stormtroopers, landing gracefully to deliver a sweeping strike. Bode, covering Cal’s back, fired shot after shot, each one finding its mark with flawless accuracy.

“Nice shot, Bode!” Cal shouted over the din.

“Right back at you, scrapper!” Bode replied with a grin.

The entire brawl was broadcast live to the entire Galaxy, turning what was meant to be an Imperial trap into an unforgettable spectacle. The audience who watched in their homes were in awe, their holo-screens filled with the dramatic and exciting scenes.

Finally, the last of the stormtroopers were defeated, and Xenn Garroz lay subdued at Cal’s feet. Cal deactivated his lightsaber, breathing heavily but triumphant. Bode holstered his blasters as well, shaking his head in amusement.

“Well, that was something,” the mercenary said.

The redhead glanced around the studio, noticing the camera crew was still filming. He grinned and walked back to the guest chair, where BD-1 was perched.

“Looks like our little droid is enjoying the spotlight,” Bode remarked, joining Cal.

The Jedi chuckled, before noticing a pile of fan mail on Xenn’s desk. In a moment of whimsy, he decided to read a few letters on live holo-TV. “Why not?” He said, flipping open the first envelope. “Might as well see what the fans have to say.”

The ratings for the show skyrocketed as viewers tuned in, eager to see what would happen next. Cal read the first few letters, which were innocent enough—praises for his bravery, admiration for his lightsaber skills, and heartfelt gratitude for his efforts against the Empire. But as he continued to read through the letters out loud against his better judgement, his face turned various shades of red. Because while many were simply messages of admiration, a few bordered on the overly affectionate, if not outright steamy.

"Dear Cal," he read one aloud, hesitating slightly as he scanned the rest of the letter. "Your... intense... lightsaber skills aren't the only thing I'd like to see in action. If you ever find yourself on Coruscant, I'd love to show you a few moves of my own."

Cal felt his face burn, and he quickly moved on to the next letter, only to find it even steamier. "Hey, Cal," he read, his voice cracking a bit. "Ever thought about using the Force for something... other than fighting? Let's just say I'd be more than happy to be your padawan for a night."

By now, Cal's face was a deep shade of crimson, almost matching his hair. He could hear the live studio audience snickering, and the holo-camera zoomed in to capture every embarrassed expression. Bode, who had been catching his breath from the fight, burst into laughter.

"Well, well, well, Cal," He teased, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "Looks like you've got quite the fan club. Never knew you had such... admirers."

Cal shot him a glare. "You're not helping, Bode."

Bode just chuckled, clearly enjoying Cal's discomfort. "Oh, this is too good."

The Galaxy watched in rapt attention as Cal, blushing furiously, continued to read the fan mail live on holo-TV. BD-1 beeped happily, capturing every moment on holo-video for posterity.

Back on the Mantis, after having dispatched of all the stormtroopers, Greez and Merrin watched the broadcast with mixed emotions. Greez shook his head, muttering, "I can't believe he's doing this. He's reading fan mail. On live holo-TV. That kid is gonna be the death of me."

Merrin sighed, a small smile playing on her lips. “Of all the things Cal could be doing, this is certainly not what I expected. Well, at least he keeps things interesting.”

As Cal continued to read, the letters only grew more explicit. He stumbled over suggestive language, each one making him blush harder. The viewers couldn't get enough of it, and the ratings continued to soar.

Cal finally put down the last letter, wiping sweat from his brow. "Okay, I think that's enough fan mail for today," he said, his voice shaky. "Thank you all for your... support. Really."

Meanwhile, BD-1, perched proudly on the set, beeped cheerfully as he continued to record every moment. The little droid even made several backups, ensuring that even if the Empire managed to take down the episode, he could put it right back up.

Cal sighed, knowing that BD-1 would never let him live this down. As the broadcast ended, he glanced at the little droid. "You really enjoyed that, didn't you?"

BD-1 beeped enthusiastically, displaying a holo-image of Cal's reddened face during one of the steamier letters. The droid's optics seemed to twinkle with mischief.

After they returned to the Mantis, they were greeted by Merrin and Greez's exasperated faces. Greez shook his head, his eyes filled with a mix of concern and amusement.

"Kid, you never cease to amaze me. Or worry me. Next time, just stick to fighting stormtroopers, okay?" The Latero said, crossing his arms.

Merrin smirked. "You managed to turn an obvious trap into a galaxy-wide spectacle. Impressive, but utterly foolish. Also, you do realise that BeeDee will be sharing that footage for the rest of your life, don't you?"

Bode, still chuckling, slapped Cal on the back. "And I'll make sure to remind you of it every chance I get."

Cal groaned, rubbing his temples. "Yeah, I figured as much."

BD-1 beeped proudly, displaying snippets of the most embarrassing moments on his holo-projector. Cal couldn't help but smile at the little droid's enthusiasm.

"You really know how to put on a show, though.” Bode said. “Looks like you've got more admirers than just the Rebellion."

The Empire, of course, was not amused. The show became a viral sensation, and the footage of Cal and Bode's battle, along with Cal's fan mail reading session, spread like wildfire across the holo-net. Desperate to quell the growing admiration for the ‘Jedi terrorist’, the Empire ordered the episode to be taken down. But each time it was removed, BD-1, with his usual determination and tech-savvy skills, managed to put it right back up.

Imperial officers were left baffled and infuriated as the footage reappeared time and time again. BD-1's persistence turned the episode into a symbol of defiance, and it became a rallying cry for the Rebellion. More and more recruits flocked to join the fight, inspired by the Jedi who had not only fought bravely but had also become a symbol of hope and resistance.

The popularity of the episode even spilled over to Bode, who found himself with a growing fanbase of his own. Admirers sent letters and holo-messages praising his sharpshooting skills and his unwavering support for Cal. Bode took it all in stride, often teasing Cal about their newfound celebrity status.

"Looks like you're not the only one with fans, Cal," Bode said with a wink, showing off a particularly flattering fan mail addressed to him.

Cal rolled his eyes, though he couldn't help but laugh. "Great, just what we needed. Two galactic heartthrobs on the run from the Empire."

The days turned into weeks, and the holo-show episode continued to circulate. Despite the Empire’s continued efforts to take down the episode, BD-1 ensured it stayed on the holo-net. Each time it was removed, the clever little droid re-uploaded it, much to the Empire’s confusion and frustration. Cal Kestis had become the galaxy's most notorious—and unexpectedly, the most popular—Jedi, all thanks to one very memorable holo-show appearance.

On a distant desert planet, a young blonde boy sat glued to a holo-TV, his blue eyes wide with awe as he watched the red haired Jedi valiantly fight the stormtroopers. The boy’s small frame was perched on the edge of his seat, his expression one of pure fascination.

“Cal Kestis is so cool,” he whispered to himself, captivated by the action unfolding on the holo-screen.

Just as the battle reached its peak, a woman’s voice called out from the other room. “Luke, it’s time for dinner!”

The boy groaned, not wanting to tear himself away from the holo-TV. “Aww, Aunt Beru, the show’s just getting good!”

“Now, Luke!” Beru’s voice was firm but loving.

Luke Skywalker reluctantly stood up, casting one last glance at the holo-screen where Cal Kestis and Bode Akuna were fighting side by side. He sighed and headed towards the door, mumbling to himself about how he couldn’t wait to be a hero like Cal someday.

As he left the room, the holo-TV continued to play, showing the fearless Jedi and his resilience, inspiring a new generation even in the most remote corners of the Galaxy.

A.N.: The reason why Cere isn't here is because she's busy on Jedha. And also because if she was present, it wouldn't be much of a fic as I believe she's the only one who can and will stop Cal from doing something stupid and/or ground him for like a week for doing something stupid x3

[orion-lake]

Hello April 2024!! I present you with my favourite creations for March 2024. If there is any content that is not public or work safe, it will have an *asterix next to it (and tagged in the comments appropriately). Please, take a look and remember to like and reblog any content that you enjoy.

queen charlotte maisie peters lyrics gifset by @danburys

midnights gifset by @antoniosvivaldi

bridgerton sci-fi gifset by@jakeyp

kanthony gifset by @fawad-khan

kanthony giset by @cal-kestis

slytherin common room by @shirewalker

lydia martin edit by @shoutbee

merlin bbc gifset by @thebookluvrr1816

good omens gifset by @moramabel

prue halliwell edit by @withered-rose-with-thorns

weyler gifset by @weylersource

kanthony gifset by @padme-amidala

doctor and donna gifset by @renrapp

[kefalion]

Things I want in the Third Game about Cal Kestis

Set it in 4 BBY

Let another 5 years pass between the games. Felt appropriate last time. It makes it credible that things have properly changed between the games and ages everyone so that a new chapter can take place.

Force Sensitive Kata

While I’m all about the Force not following bloodlines (unless you’re a Skywalker) and instead appearing in anyone, the complicated relationship Kata would have with the Jedi because of her dad and because of Cal has the potential for such a good story

Cal as Kata’s Jedi Master

Following in the previous point. Kata would be learning from the man who killed her dad, and he would be teaching the daughter of the man who betrayed him. So much potential angst. 

Also wonderful gameplay potential. She could be a temporary companion who can help you, but she would also be someone you’d have to worry about. She’d be an itty bitty 12-14 year old. Perfect for a Padawan (I can’t tell how old she is in Survivor. Can’t be over ten because of the timeline. Feels older than 6 with how she talks)

Cal Struggling to be Kata’s Master

Again continuing. Cal would see Bode in Kata and no matter how he would try to not let it happen, I think it would make him unfair to her at times. He’d struggle with being a master regardless of who is the apprentice, remembering his worries from before he found the holocron with the list of Force Sensitive younglings, worrying about how teaching anyone about the Force puts a target on their back. He’d worry about knowing enough to teach. He never formally completed his own training. How can he be anyone’s master? 

Quinlan Vos

Need I say more? The Kenobi series put Quinlan with the Hidden Path in 9 BBY which is when Survivor takes place. Obviously he needs to meet Cal. And he should mentor Cal. They have so much in common! They share the rare ability of psychometry. They have an affinity for Dathomiri Night Sisters. They’ve both touched the dark side. It obviously needs to happen!

The Hidden Path on Tanalorr 

The Hidden Path should be established on Tanalorr. It should be bustling with people living their best lives. There should be plenty of untrained Force Sensitive people. There should be a handful of Jedi too. Precious survivors.

The Nihil Attacking

The Nihil attacked Tanalorr in the time of the High Republic. They should do it again and ruin everything. 

The Empire as the Main Antagonist 

While I want the Nihil to be a problem, I would prefer it as an inciting incident rather than as something that takes up a significant part of the game. The Empire is the true enemy and should be treated as such. It could be that Tanalorr is attacked early in the game and the rest of the objective is to keep everyone who now has to go on the run, safe from the Empire.

Consequences Because of Cal’s Relationship with Merrin

Cal deciding to get together with Merrin in Survivor is treated as a good thing (so romantic!) and she is obviously so good for him (sarcasm) because she pulled him back from the Dark Side, but that’s not the Jedi Way, and (I’d argue) not how the Force Works. A strong romantic relationship requires putting your partner first. A Jedi can’t do that. You can’t have both, and I want Cal to be a Jedi. So, he gets consequences. 

We’ve already seen him struggling with his attachments. He was attached to Cere. He was attached to Bode. He was attached to Tanalorr and the future he wanted to build there. Losing it all, made him angry.

If he builds a stronger relationship with Merrin, I’m saying it would lead to an attachment and then if something threatens her, he’d get afraid. If something happens to her, he’d get angry. And after, he could turn to hate.

If we need another Jedi romance, let Cal follow in Anakin and Bode’s footsteps. I wanna see the consequences!

Rematch with Darth Vader

Cal got to bat his saber once against Vader’s in Fallen Order and defiantly refuse him the Holocron.

Cere got a full duel with the Sith Lord in Survivor. 

It’s Cal’s turn now. He should be fighting to save someone or something. Perhaps stalling. Perhaps becoming overconfident and thinking he can end the Dark Lord.

I’m not sure if I think Cal should die by Vader’s hand or not. I’d love for him to stay alive, to make it past the end of the Empire and possibly make it to live-action. Realistically though he should be killed, and he deserves to go out against the worst of the worst.