#did in fact lead to some revelations about one of her father's parentage

[azaisya]

One of my players ran a heist oneshot! So I rolled up stats for a shadow sorcerer of mine. She's also from House Roselorre, so her whole family is full of wizards and sorcerers. The shadow magic was a complete surprise to her parents and caused multiple crises so she tries not to use it too publicly

[aboxofcereales]

I’m slowly working on a piece of paper about changes in Wyll’s character between early access and game release, but I don’t really know when I’m going to finish it, in the process I’m more and more fascinated by potential story of Wyll’s parentage and their own story. Although mostly this is purely headcanon, but may I suggest the following:

There are few things we learn about Wyll’s mother during the game.

After stumbling upon Arabella in Shadow-Cursed Lands, a following dialogue may happen: “You've talked about your father, but not your mother. Why's that?” “Because there's nothing to tell. She died when I was born. As a boy, my bond with father was too deep to miss the mother I never had. Now, well - I'd be lying if I said I'd never thought about my mother. What life would've been like if she'd lived.”

During romance scene in Act 3, Wyll says: “My mother always said the Wilden Oak's acorns held just a touch of wishing magic.”

There are two weapons, belonging to Ulder Ravengard, which describe some details about Wyll’s parents - Duke Ravengard's Longsword (can be found on Ravengard himself) and Ravengard's Scourger (can be found at High Security Vault 5 in The Counting House): Longsword: “Cradling his newborn son awkwardly, the Duke's face pulled into a rictus of misery. His love Francesca smiled at him, briefly, and died. He stared at her until the boy cried, and he told the boy it would be all right, though he himself did not believe it.” Scourger: “Duke Ravengard's father was the sort of man who works with his hands, and communicates in grunts. In his heart his son vowed to do better. But when Wyll was born, Ravengard felt a strange gravity that drew him away from his son.”

To sum up, what we learn in-game is that Wyll’s mother was named Francesca, she died giving birth to Wyll, Ulder loved her and their son, and tried his best to raise Wyll well.

Ulder’s parenting style deserve its own piece, but I think its obvious that he cares for Wyll deeply, though often failed to show it, acted to strictly, to righteously. Ultimately, it fall down on Ulder character, the “Murder in Baldur’s Gate” describes him as following: “Blaze (Major) Ulder Ravengard is the incarnation of militarism. The only beauty he appreciates is precision, and the only quality he values is utility. He believes that personal ornamentation other than military insignia is a waste. A meticulous man, he forgets nothing and forgives less. Ravengard has never married and has no interest in domestic matters. Someone might consider him handsome, if not for his constant scowl and many scars.

Blaze Ravengard is Marshal Abdel Adrian’s right hand man. He is both the second Highest ranking officer in the flaming fist and the warden of Wyrm’s rock. Ravengard’s soliders do not love him. They do respect his leadership, however, and pay for it with their obedience, which is exactly how Ravengard prefers things.

Naturally stolid and terse, Ravengard is slow to speak and make decisions in any arena expect the battlefield. Once he decides on a course of action, Ravengard is relentless in it’s pursuit. He believes the Flaming Fist is the Gate’s backbone and the key to the city’s strength.

With the Death of Marshal Abdel Adrian Ravengard has risen to the Rank of Marshal of the Flaming Fists.”

What’s interesting, its noted that Ulder Ravengard was never married, and the longsword description calls Francesca Ulder’s love, not bride or wife. This more then likely mean that Wyll was born out of wedlock, as Wyll is about 16-17 during  the death of Abdel Adrian.

When talking with Counseller Florrick, when Wyll is reveled to be Ravengard’s son, he says “The circumstance of my birth is no matter of pride for neither me nor my father.” This may refer to Wyll’s birth leading to his mother’s death or the fact that Wyll’s technically was born a bastard. In the latter case, Wyll’s mom might as well have been a worker at  Sharess' Caress, with whom Ulder could have had a one night stand, but its specifically stated that Francesca was loved by Ulder, and of what I read about the Grabd Duke he seems to be the man who would marry her out of duty and responsibility of getting her pregnant. So there should be another reason behind it.

 There’s this banter between Shadowheart and romanced-Wyll:

“Someone of your social stature, Wyll, are they typically allowed to pursue their heart whims as they like?” “I don't have to ask for permission if that's what you mean.” “Really? I'm surprised, I thought dowries, alliances and old blue blood feuds might have to be balanced against your desires.” “I'm my own man, Shadowheart, in this sense at least.”

Wyll’s a hopeless romantic, who wishes for a happily ever after with her one true love, and Ulder apparently never minded the potential social status, despite him and Wyll being a high-ranking member of society.

Of course, Ulder’s marital status and Wyll existing can be explained by the fact that Wyll being Grad Duke Ulder Ravengard’s  son was a part of the character rewrite. It was datamined before that originally was supposed to be a great-grandson of Duke Eltan, the founder of the Flaming Fist and a Grand Duke of the city of Baldur's Gate in the 1300s DR. And the bits of this storyline are still presented in the game: Fist Art Cullagh with his original writ of duty, signed by Eltan himself, pre-final part of Wyll quest taking place in the Iron Throne, where Eltan nearly assassinated.

Currently, House Eltan, the descendants of Duke Eltan, is one of the noble patriar families. The Forgotten Realms wiki states that: “The family held partial financial ownership of the Flaming Fist mercenary company. At one point however, they were forced to sell their interest to help pay significant debts they had incurred.”. Which I believe corelates with what EA!Wyll spoke of his father (the man saw any shining bauble he liked and took it, and my hand were ever so stinky or smt along those line).

So, what if Wyll is still Elatn’s great-grandson through hid mother? What if somewhere along 1460s DR Francesca Eltan, a granddaughter of a once Grand Duke of the city and a member of  patriar family, met Ulder Ravengard, a son of a poor blacksmith and a mercenary of The Flaming Fist, steadily ascending through its ranks? What if Franceesca taught the stern and disciplined Ulder to dance, read to him her favorite stories and poems under the Wilden Oak, made him on other things then duty and order? What is if their time together resulted in Francesca getting pregnant with Wyll? What her family did not approve of the union due to Ulder being merely a mercenary, who hailed from the Lower City, or they wished to marry her off to someone who could aid with the family’s financial problems? What if Francesca ran away, hoping that the birth of a grandchild could convince her family to attend their wedding afterwards? What if Wyll’s love of dancing and dreaming came from the mother he never knew?

[rise-my-angel]

Confessional essay from an anon: despite framing him as a cruel monster most of the time, there were a few moments where I was reminded that Joffrey was just a child, and I felt awful about such a fact, because he has so much power and responsibility on his hands that he was not raised for even though that really should have been his parents main priority.

It was most noticable in a scene I remember with Tywin in the throne room. I don't recall the details, it's been a while since I last watched the series, but it was such a calm moment that had Joffrey asking questions a genuine child his age would ask and I sort of had this revelation of "oh shit, this is a child, and everyone is egging on his death, what the fuck?"

Because he was never raised properly on how to handle such power and responsibility but he still had that promise of "you will be king some day" which of course plenty of children were going to be excited about regardless if they have mental illness, which I would not be surprised if he had because of his true parentage and how genetics work.

I am a firm believer in not holding children responsible in the same way you would any grown person, and I genuinely think he shouldn't have been blamed as much as he did for his behaviour. It's the neglect of his "father" and the selfish acts and lack of responsibility by his mother that put him in the spot to be killed in such a horrific way. If one person, did the right thing earlier on and put their foot down none of the horrors would have occurred. But nobody did anything, either because of the fear or craving for that damn spiky chair.

I'm not saying forgive and forget obviously, but I think there is a reason a lot of the Starks are viewed as more humane. Because at least the executions they provide are quick and done by their own hands. The death Joffrey had would have been torturous. He did unforgivable things, but it doesn't feel like justice.

But when I expressed this I got funny looks, so...yeah...

It's funny you say this, because I have a scene where I feel exactly the same way. During the battle of Blackwater when Stannis's troops land outside the gates and Lancel comes trying to subtly tell Joffery that his mother has requested he come inside. And Tyrion tries to reason with him to stay, but he doesn't.

It's that look on his face, conflicted and scared and ends up leaving beacuse he's not brave enough to handle this. But it only reminds me, he's just a kid. No one ever prepared him for something like this. No one ever gave Joffery the time to learn how to lead into a battle like a man, and so when it falls on his shoulders, the first out he gets, he takes beacuse he's just scared and has no idea what he's supposed to be doing.

Of course it doesn't excuse the way he lies and takes credit for what was Tyrions work and initial victory, but it's just a small moment where I'm like "Oh. He's still just a kid whose never truly been prepared to do anything like this in his life." Some might be brave enough to push through it, but neither Robert nor Cersei ever did anything to teach him how to be brave enough to push through it.

He aggressively attacks and threatens Arya, only to later stand in front of everyone in the Inn arguing with her about what happened so childishly that he pettily just tells her to shut up when he can't think of anything good to argue back with.

Obviously, something here was never right with him, considering that raised with the same parents and environment, Tommen and Myrcella turned out to be genuinely good, innocent children. But it's like Ramsay. Clearly Ramsay was born with something wrong in his head, but being raised with Roose Bolton as his father only enhanced and encouraged the worst parts of him, and the same is clear with Joffery.

He would've never been a good person and certainly not a competant King, but there is the wonder of those moments when he's clearly still just a boy who was never raised to be prepared for this.

He became an uncontrollable monster when he had the power to do so without punishment. But like Tyrion tells Cersei, "It's hard to put a leash on a dog, once you've put a crown on it's head."

They only tried to control and teach him AFTER giving him the ultimate power. When it's their fault for not even considering doing so way before then. And his death is very clearly designed to make you feel for him. It is horrific and never once does the show nor book act like it's a moment to celebrate. It is scary to watch and it's a horrific, torturous way to die that he didn't deserve. Because no one deserves that.

There's something that was always seriously wrong with Joffery and the world in the series is a better place without him, but at what point do we also hold the adults around him responsible, for allowing him to turn out the way he did?

[ladyandtheghost]

How “The Dany-Show” ruined GoT at the core: 3-point system

1. Sansa vs. Cersei: 

How is it possible that we had a million reunions - many of them involving secondary characters for fluff and fan service with zero impact on the plot - but these two women who had so much drama, so much unresolved business, never saw each other again? This is where you would have found the good story to tell and a major plot strand to resolve: the conflict between the Starks and the Lannisters. This is what started it all, this is where it should have ended. This is the story they should have focused on. 

So why didn’t they? 

Because Game of Thrones was already dead and gone and the series had become The Dany-Show and nothing but The Dany-Show. 

Every character, every story arc, everything had to be directed towards Dragon Barbie and her drama. So of course there was no time or space for anything that was not related to the The Dany-Show. Basically a black hole that sucked all the great storylines and characters into its dark void. 

Massive loose plot strands like the Stark-Lannister showdown were left to rot, because it was far more important to show off that CGI budget for gratuitous dragon shots and inane conversations between secondary character including sex jokes on the main. 

There was literally more screen time allotted to the dragons than to Cersei...

After four seasons of Sansa and Cersei constantly referring to each other and the day they would meet again (willingly or not), it’s scandalous that they shoved so many characters back together for pointless reunions that were more or less blatant fan service (Bronn and the Lannister boys, really?!) but the big conflict, the personal drama that was playing out between Sansa and Cersei - that had actually taken on political dimensions now - did not even get a single scene? 

Wrong choice. 

I mean can you even imagine how Lena and Sophie would have acted the shit out of their reunion, because I can and it makes me furious that we were robbed of it. When two characters have so much unfinished business, so much foreshadowing and so much history that still isn’t resolved, the least you can expect is to give them at least a half-assed resolution - but we did not even get that, because it had nothing to do with The Dany-Show. Because all the characters have to only think about Dany and relate to Dany and if there is to be a conflict between female characters, it has to involve Dany and no one else. 

Poor Lena deserved better than to be reduced to playing a two-dimensional shadow of Cersei Lannister who was little more than a prompt giver to The Euron Greyjoy Side-Show (because sex jokes!) 

Also Bonus fuck-up: the prophecy of the YMBQ? Cersei died in the arms of Jaime, if anything Dany’s attack had given her back the one person/thing she cares about. So how exactly did Dany rob her of “all you hold dear” when Dany’s attack caused Jaime to literally drop Brienne like a hot potato, declare his undying love for Cersei and run back into her arms for his final moment? 

Before that, Sansa had already “taken” Jaime into her services together with Brienne. He’d actually switched sides to serve “another queen” (just not Dany) and at least this prophecy made sense for two seconds but of course the YMBQ had to be Dany because it’s The Dany Show, whether it makes sense or not...

They just didn’t care anymore, did they? 

2. Little...who?: 

So we have half a dozen characters rolling up to Winterfell who knew Littlefinger and his dirty business, and Arya, Sansa and Bran are about to go: 

Only for some reason: NO ONE asks. 

There is not a single reference to the fact that the Stark kids found out that Littlefinger is the mastermind behind 90% of everything that has happened since S1 and that he was executed for this. It’s like it never happened and he never existed and neither did all the important plot points before S8. 

Did Jon ever find out that Littlefinger betrayed Ned and conspired with the Lannisters to bring down the Starks? 

Did Tyrion ever find out that Littlefinger framed him at the Purple Wedding?

Did Varys ever find out that his nemesis was outsmarted and defeated by three teenagers?

Nope. Nope. And nope.  

Ain’t we all?

A character who’s been hailed as MVP by a huge part of the fandom because he knew how to network and play the game™ that is advertised in the title like no other, isn’t even mentioned again. One of the most popular theories re: S8 was (ridiculous as I found it myself) “Littlefinger isn’t dead” because many people felt he was still important to the story and there was also a lot of unfinished business with other characters he was connected to...Jon, Varys, Tyrion, Cersei, Sansa...

Instead, Littlefinger himself, his death and every plot point he was ever involved in was simply erased -  because Littlefinger and his relation to these characters had nothing to do with, i.e. did not contribute to...you guessed it...The Dany-Show and therefore POUF, he never existed...

3. R+L = who gives a f***

But you know, these are minor grievances compared to the fact that Jon’s character was not only dumbled down and turned into a complicit in genocide...

Jon’s parentage story arc - you know, THE big revelation and PLOT TWIST  - was turned into a side note, a five-minute mini drama that was more about how this will affect poor little Dany and her feelings. 

They gave us scenes of Dany waxing on about how Jon’s being the one true king stresses her out because she wants the throne and what she expects him to do about it - but they ROBBED us of the moment Jon tells the Stark siblings that he is not truly their brother, but their cousin. 

Because who cares about how Jon feels about this and his “siblings” coming to terms with the fact that:

their father Ned Stark had kept Jon a secret from everyone 

that he had not fathered a bastard and betrayed their mother

but saved the one true heir, at cost of his honour, 

they lived with the Targaryen crown prince and raised him under everyone’s nose...

No, no, the important thing is how Dany feels about it all and how it affects her. 

After the huge build-up, the theories, the overt foreshadowing,  even more infuriating - after throwing poor Elia and her children under the bus and making Jon legitimate...

After literally EVERYTHING in this series leading up to the moment when everyone would know who Jon Snow truly is...it had no effect on the story whatsoever, besides contributing to Dany finally revealing the full extent of her insanity (which was only a matter of time anyways)

Heir to the Iron Throne? Targaryen Prince? Rhaegar’s son? PTWP?

The point is: Drama for poor little Dany because her nephew doesn’t want to fuck her anymore is the actual heir. 

You can’t even say that it led to her advisors finding out and betraying her because that is something they should have done ages ago, at the latest when she burned the Tarlys. It gave them a legitimate alternative option, yes, but it was not the first time they thought she needs to go...

At least R+L=J served one good purpose: it rubbed Dany’s nose in it that she is not special at all. She is NOT the last Targ, nor the “princess that was promised” - and it was never her destiny to rule, she was only ever the “aunt” of the prince. 

Sadly, this is again ALL about Dany and her feelings and how everyone else reacts to her in light of the news that Jon is Aegon. 

So R+L=J is not even about Jon in the end, it’s just another element of The Dany-Show. And once Dany is gone, it’s like R+L=J also got erased (just like Littlefinger and the Stark-Lannister-conflict) 

...because let’s just send the Head of House Targaryen and last of his line beyond the wall again just because the murderous army of the mad tyrant, whom he heroically freed us from, demands it...and of course we have to wrap up the last five minutes of this shitty episode. 

Conclusion: 

D&D just REALLY didn’t care anymore once The Dany-Show was over and it’s painfully obvious to see. The good news is that all of these plot points that got erased/dumbled down/ignored^^ are things that are important to GRRM, which gives me hope for the last books at least...

[jasontoddiefor]

Hello! Seeing your time travel Vader thing made me want to read some Vader centric fics, but I'm like a fringe fan at best and have no idea where to start? Do you have any fanfic recs? Thank you!

I do have a lot of Vader fanfic recs! Most of these are Luke & Vader because I am a sucker for the Sunshine Son and Nightmare Dad. And also canon-divergence because canon is so sad R2D2 play despacito. Otherwise... In general I’d avoid the stories that are heavy on the Imperial politics because those are confusing af. Luckily, there are plenty fanfics that just decide to deal with Vader (angst)! All these should be p easy to follow without in-depth canon knowledge. This list got longer than expected. Have fun :D

Title: Consequences Summary:  AU, one-shot, complete. After their confrontation at Bespin, father and son meet again at a formal gathering and try to reach an understanding—in front of a lot of people. (This story was written in 1997 it’s older than me RIP) Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24188299

Title: Dazed Summary: When captured by Imperials, Luke decides to try to reach out to his father, and accidentally hits on the one time Vader's mind is not at its most guarded state. He's not trying to control his father, but his call, and the trust placed in Vader, cause the Sith's mind to become a bit muddled. Link:https://archiveofourown.org/works/17698844

Title: Revenge leads to Karma, and Karma Bites Summary: Darth Vader created them for his revenge; the clones of Obi-Wan Kenobi were his to torture and kill. But when something goes wrong and one of them isn't grown before being released from the pod, he's met with a dilemma that could change the face of the Galaxy. Link:https://archiveofourown.org/works/9055873

Title: Ripples Series Summary: Vader decides that the creation of the Death Star is a step too far, and finally turns against Sidious. Link:https://archiveofourown.org/series/437479

Title: on the day... series Summary: Vader learns about Leia and intends to make her Empress. Link:https://archiveofourown.org/series/813801

Title:A (Not So) Typical Day at Skelos' Finest Ship Parts Summary: Luke and Vader meet shopping for ship parts. Link:https://archiveofourown.org/works/7570984

Title: Father and Son series Summary: What started out as simply answering a distress signal quickly spirals into something much greater for Luke Skywalker. When hit with a strange energy wave, Luke finds himself in the body of his eight year old self stuck with Darth Vader, who has also had a bit of de-aging himself. Now Luke and Vader must work together to find out who is responsible while trying to remain low key. Link:https://archiveofourown.org/series/448135

Title: Missing and Presumed Dead Summary: Three months after ESB, Luke Skywalker is still reeling from the revelation of his parentage. When he finally cracks and tells Leia, she comes up with a plot to get Darth Vader off his back: stage his death. However, neither of them know that Darth Vader actually cares for his son, so the news ends up creating a Sith Lord hell bent on destroying anyone even remotely involved in Luke's demise. But when Leia tries to contact an in-hiding Luke, she finds that something terrible has really happened, and now no one knows where he is. Meanwhile, Darth Vader starts getting a mysterious, unwilling visitor in his dreams... Link:https://archiveofourown.org/works/20799716

Title: Under the Stars Summary: A space battle goes wrong, Luke and Vader end up shooting each other down and crash land on an uninhabited planet. Vader reaches the crash site of the rebel snub before his adversary has regained consciousness. With Imperial search crews slowed down, Vader decides to interrogate the rebel pilot and then dispose of him. That is, until he realizes who exactly is in his hands. Or Luke and Vader have an (involuntary) father/son camping trip, well sort of. Link:https://archiveofourown.org/works/10099484

Title: Hostage Summary: AU in which Luke grows up as the Prince of Alderaan and Bail and Breha Organa’s son. When Luke is sixteen Bail becomes too outspoken against the Emperor, who sends Lord Vader to take the young prince as a hostage and cow his father into submission. Held captive aboard Vader’s ship, Luke is faced with the unpleasant reality of being the pawn in this power play under his captor’s watchful eyes; until they both realize a thing or two… Link:https://archiveofourown.org/series/1063433

Title: Into the Starlight Summary: The Empire has the Rebel base on Vrogas Vas surrounded, and Vader offers them an ultimatum: hand over Luke Skywalker and live, or refuse and he will raze the base to the ground.There's really only one option. Link:https://archiveofourown.org/works/24031285

Title: Falling apart Summary: Since Bespin, Vader has come to realize that his health will not hold out forever. After twenty years, his prosthetics are failing, and the botched surgeries aren't helping. Now, he's waiting for his son, and facing the fact that his only hope to survive is to use Luke as a shield, and pray that Luke wants him to survive. Link:https://archiveofourown.org/works/18111686

Title: The Family Tree Summary: In which Luke Skywalker is stranded in a tree waiting for a flash flood to recede. Too bad he's got company... Post-ESB oneshot, can be read as canon-compliant. Link:https://archiveofourown.org/works/18591151

Title: Interruption Summary: Lord Vader is the fearsome Commander of the Imperial Navy. When Captain Roderick is called before him, the last thing he expects is an interruption in the form of a five year old boy. Link:https://archiveofourown.org/works/23892787

Title: Darth Vader Goes to School Summary: Darth Vader gets bored with killing people and decides to get a degree in Engineering. He develops an interest in his classmate, Luke Lars. Poor Piett becomes the awkward middle man. Link:https://archiveofourown.org/works/23905714

Title: Cadet Summary: A young Luke Skywalker goes undercover as a Cadet to spy on the Empire for the Rebellion and meets someone everyone fears, Darth Vader. Link:https://archiveofourown.org/works/20558780

Title: Vader’s Folly Summary: An ancient site filled with ancient technologies, of course Dr Aphra can't resist playing around. The result, one Sith Lord with a lot of options. Link:https://archiveofourown.org/works/23360584

Title: When Darkness Shows The Stars Summary: Shmi’s new Master was strange. He was a large creature clothed in black with his every word masked by a terrifying vocoder. He didn’t refer to himself as her Master, and he didn’t behave like one either. All he did was tell her to stay in the plain rooms he’d provided her and to not ask too many questions.In which a sixteen year old slave named Shmi appears on The Executor. Link:https://archiveofourown.org/works/23246569

Title: Plain Sight Summary:  Luke is hiding from Darth Vader in the best place possible. Plain sight. Link:https://archiveofourown.org/works/10824996

Title: His Father’s Eyes, His Mother’s Nose Summary: Shortly after the Battle of Yavin, Luke is captured by the Empire and tortured for information. While Luke struggles to survive long enough to find a way out, Vader searches for answers as to why this rebel pilot was wielding Anakin Skywalker's lightsaber. Link:https://archiveofourown.org/works/14757731

Title: Bycatch Summary: It is a period of unrest for the Empire, the Rebellion has destroyed the Death Star. Vader's failure has put him in bad standing with the Emperor. There are people working to replace him and now there's rumors of Anakin Skywalker alive in the Outer Rim. Luke Skywalker has heard the same rumors and he cannot ignore them... Link:https://archiveofourown.org/works/22037440

Title: An Absence of Fear Summary: It started out with a visit to a grave. That day changed everything in his life, but some people, like his son, don't change. His son remained fearless, unlike him. Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5789386

Title: Truths and Deceptions Summary: A year and a half after he destroyed the Death Star, Luke Skywalker was trapped, and captured by Darth Vader. In a desperate attempt to save his life, Luke pretends not to remember anything after buying a certain pair of droids. Vader, on the other hand, hopes that he can use the probably temporary amnesia to show Luke how much he cares for his son. Luke just thinks Vader is taking advantage of the situation. Link:https://archiveofourown.org/works/18526573

Title: which grows higher than soul can hope series Summary: "If Vader captures you, if he threatens to torture or kill you, you tell him you're Padmé Amidala's daughter." Link: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1220462

[kurtty-drabbles]

Ocean au (Pool of Blood part 3)

N/A: Magneto makes his entrance. Lorna is confused. Kitty and Lorna are sis. And a new Heist is in the making. Ryder is on the case about Kitty and makes a connection about Columbina and Kitty.

@djinmer4 @dannybagpipesarecalling @bamfoftheundead

Jump City is a city who is too alike to New Gotham to the point people consider them to be sisters, and in any other situation that would be a nice compliment, however, be compared to New Gotham is not something Jump City takes well.

And the Young Blood can´t argue with the comparison, even less so as a monster made of clay is attacking the city, once again. How this creature arrived? Good question and so far, Jubilee does not want to ask the monster as the creature is rather focused on eating. The menu? Humans.

"Where that thing comes from?" Korandrir sneered as she shoots another laser at the creature. Strong enough to keep at bay, not strong enough to kill it.

By the sheer amount of dumb luck, Jubilee found out the weakness of the monster, water, and a plan was made to finally put into action and the monster is no more.

"Does anyone knows where those things are coming from?" a question without an answer.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Cosmo is playing with his toy as any normal dog should, however, Cosmo is using his powers to lift the toy with his mind and re-moulding as it pleases him.

Jupiter is doing the same if you ignore the tentacles and the screams of lost souls coming from the void in his mouth. And those are Kitty´s pets. And those are Columbina´s bosses.

"So...Tell me more about this Pool of Blood?!" Kitty has still some sanity to ask inwardly what´s her life lately. The tentacles are back to where they come from, and no Kitty does not want to know, as Cosmo stops using his powers, but, remains with the chewing toy on his mouth...is not like he really needs his mouth to speak.

"Is a manifestation of Mother´s desire for monsters. Our mother" Cosmo speak, again, no need of a mouth. Jupiter, deciding to be against his notions, speak again and this time no tentacle. "Your mother" and Cosmo is bemused.

"She´s our mother. You found her. Why are you denying that?" Cosmo asked exasperated as Jupiter is being his lovely chaotic self and Kitty watches such interaction silently pondering how long those two know each other, in fact, how old are those two? And this is a question that while seems innocent enough...is one of those questions you´re better left not knowing.

"Just to piss you off" and this makes Kitty chuckles as Cosmo is bemused at this response. "In all honesty, our mom loves to make monsters and well, her monsters tend to be benign or neutral...but our dad" and now Cosmo scoff.

"You mean your dad!" Cosmo states and Jupiter rolls his eyes and continues. "my dad loves to make monstrosities that.....are not very nice, let´s leave at that"

And indeed is the best outcome here and Columbina is not one to try to change it. As she looks at Cosmo´s eyes, glowing brightly and proudly, as a gem materialized in front of Cosmo and Kitty´s eyes. "Kitty, do you know what this gem is?"

"Shinning?"

"Well, yes, but, this is an infinity gem and I´ll lead to you for the heist" Cosmo explains and now Kitty is confused and could and did named the mage heroines of JLX who would know how to use the gem properly.

"Yes, they would and you have little aptitude in magic, however, this gem is a present and will help in your quest and to save Lorna" and now Kitty has her attention on the shinning stone. ______________________________________________________________________________________________

Jubilee and the other Young Blood plus Nightcreeper are discussing why the flow of monsters and all the possible sources, and even Nightcreeper gave some solid options, but, in the end, Jubilee has no visible lead.

"Birdie, ignore the monsters...we have a grampa problem now" Nightcreeper speaks as Magneto, out of his retirement as what seems, and is using his power and has no qualms in facing the Young Blood.

But, to their surprise, a young woman with green hair seems to be the one Magneto is completely focused. "You, Polaris!" and how the Young Blood didn´t notice her presence? Oh, she was with an invisibility cloak. A gift that no one seems to have the right mind to inquire. "Talia gave you this cloak...at my command and now you have finally got the chance of meeting the master of magnetism" Magneto states as if this is something to be proud.

Lorna blinks and has one response to such line. "Who the hell are you?" and Magneto chuckles in his trademark way and soon a fight begins. In his words, is a fight to see who is the true master of magnetism and well, Polaris is no position to say no.

The Young Blood watches the scene for a moment. Sparrow relates this fact to Dark Claw and they continue to watch, in their mind, they hope each magnetic user would tire the other enough to make possible to arrest one of them. (through Jubs would give more preference in arrest Magneto than Polaris)

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Polaris is experient in using magnetic fields and control metal, but, Magento is a new field for Polaris and Magneto then decides to treat Polaris as a battery charge and just as he´s about to do it so, someone, out of blue punched his face right on the nose.

Polaris´s right eye side to Columbina for a moment. A chill moment as Polaris asks. "Are you glowing?" she asks a bit amused. Columbina, still showing, goes to Polaris to help her as Magneto is a foe that even she, the amazing Polaris and great oracle, couldn´t have as an equal...yet.

"Sis, what the hell is going on?"

"Long version or short version?"

"Short version"

"My dog power me up temporarily"

"Long version, please"

Magneto recovers from the punch and is now furious. "How dare stay between me and my daughter" and would attack again, but, again, Columbina glowing did some trick with magic and Magneto is not in Jump City.

Young Blood missed some parts of the conversation. The part where Polaris calls Columbina her sister is lost for them, however, when Magneto shout Polaris´s parentage...that certainly did the trick.

"Wait, you´re his daughter?" Nightcreeper is insane, but, even a wacko as he can´t ignore such revelation. Polaris is not amused and neither is Columbina.

"Don´t be a Mr Noisy Reporter" and with that Columbina teleported leaving the young heroes plus Nightcreeper behind. Nightcreeper is insane, but, that nickname is very familiar. ________________________________________________________________________________________

Kurt Ryder is still reeling on the memories of Magneto showing up and claiming Polaris is his lost daughter. Dark Claw gives a summarize about Magneto´s obsession with prophecies and missing daughters. "So...you think Polaris is his long lost daughter?"

"Look, the main question we should all do here is: Does she want to be anything like her supposed father?" Dark Claw asked back and subtle look at Sparrow, who in turn, is avoiding the gaze.

And the day went on. Kurt worked on his TV Show and in his free time manages to continue to track information about Kitty Pryde. Another article, a private one that no one needs to know is missing, relates a curious case.

Columbina strikes the famous museum of Ruritania. No victims were made and one of the witness Kitty Pryde informed how Columbina teleport out of the place so easily.

"Teleport?" Ryder remembers the glowing Columbina, but, that if Ryder can bet, did appear to be a one-time thing than a regular power for her...."Mr Noisy Reporter? Ohhhh what´s the connection between Columbina, Kitty and Polaris?" and now Ryder feels as if he´s getting someplace.

Arriving at his house the man notices two women walking together. One if Kitty Pryde, with his chestnut hair and the other, has green hair and a Frozen merchandising. Is Kitty dating a new girl? Well, he can´t judge nor should he feel disappointed.

"Kurt, this is my sister. Lorna Dane Pryde" Kitty introduces and Kurt is savvy enough to not let a sigh of relief escape his lips. Greetings were exchanged and before Kurt could say what is obvious, the two women don´t look alike thanks to the hair.

Ryder noticed something different. "The hair makes you two seem different, but, you two have the same eyes...so I can see the resemblance here"

"Wow, usually people never believe we´re sisters" Lorna states and Kurt shrugs off saying he´s a good detective. Kitty seems to be impressed, but, for some reason, her impressed face change to something saying "I know what are doing" and this make Ryder even more intrigued.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

(A few moments before Ryder show up)

"So...let me get this straight" Lorna is speaking once Cosmo and Jupiter gave the longest explanation for the entire situation. "Magneto thinks I´m his long lost daughter because of a prophecy?"

Cosmo, Kitty and Jupiter nod.

"And this infinity gem will be used to steal a Pool of Blood?"

Cosmo, Kitty and Jupiter nod again.

"And the Outer Gods have a master plan for everyone here?"

Again, the trio only nod.

"...Are you really going to do this?"

"Lorna. I´ll steal that Pool...and now I have to ask you, do you want to join the heist?"

"....Sure, why not? Who else will be in the heist?"

"Me, you and the encore"

"I like your confide"

"Thank you" and Cosmo takes the infinity gem by swallowing it and now Columbina is out of any shinning gem.

[lendmyboyfriendahand]

Parentage

When Gil-Galad was twelve he decided it was time to find out about the facts of life.

“Who's really my father?”

Maedhros looked up from the map he was studying. “Why do you ask?”

“I know Fingon’s not my father, and you know it too. So who is?”

“Unimportant.”

“My father is some random nobody?”

“Most likely, but that’s not what I meant. Who really fathered you is far less important than who people believe did so.”

“Easy for you to say.”

"Perhaps. Let me ask you, who was my father?”

“Feanor. Everybody knows that.”

“They do. You never met Feanor, but you have met Curufin, yes?”

Gil-Galad nodded warily, wondering if this would turn out to be a revelation that he was Feanorian.

“Curufin is a mirror image of his father, different in stance but not in feature. Tell me, do I have a single feature in common with Curufin?”

Gil-Galad thought for a moment. “You have the same shaped eyes?”

“As do all the rest of the Noldor.”

“Then no, I can’t think of any.”

“Precisely. I do not resemble Feanor any more than a random elf on the streets of Tirion, and a good deal less than some of them.”

Gil-Galad was frustrated. “But it doesn’t matter if you resemble him, because he really is your father. It matters that my eyes are the wrong color and my nose is the wrong shape to be Fingon’s because I am not his son!”

“You are Fingon’s son. He took you in as an infant, he claimed you as his own, he loves you, and he is raising you to lead his people after him. By that same token, I am Feanor’s son.”

“But - everyone knows you’re Feanor’s son.”

“And everyone knows you’re Fingon’s.”

“Who’s son are you then?”

“Feanor named me for my heritage, both blood and adopted. You should be able to figure it out from that.”

“Nelyafinwe...” Gil-Galad hummed under his breath. “The finwe is obliviously for King Finwe of Tirion. But nelya, three, if it’s not just an insult to Grandpa... is it for the tribe from Cuiviénen? The Sindar - or they’re Teleri across the Sea, right?”

“That’s correct.”

“Who was he? Are you related to Thingol?”

“No one you would have heard of.” Maedhros looked at Gil-Galad’s eager expression, and sighed. “His name was Penmalaclar, he was a ropemaker who would also pose for artists. Nerdanel had him model for several sculptures. She joined with him while she was engaged to Feanor, but Feanor forgave her. He knew quite well how rumors around a child’s birth can hurt them, so he told no one else, and only told me when I was old enough to understand.”

“He really didn’t tell anyone? Not even King Finwe?”

“King Finwe knew he had a grandson, who would be smart and strong, and would be raised with all the dignity of a prince of the Noldor. He had no right to, and or interest in, details about his son’s marriage bed.”

“But that means you never really should have been king in the first place! Does Grandpa know?”

“He does not. And why shouldn’t I have been king? I was raised to it, I understood it, and the people trusted me.”

“But you aren’t Finwe’s line at all!”

“I spent my life as Finwe’s beloved grandson. I learned how to listen to his people’s concerns, and how to solve them, by watching him in court. I was Duke of Formenos, and spoke on Finwe’s behalf in the remote reaches of his realm. I am a far more accurate representative of Finwe than say, Findulias, who has never met him, and whose father did so only as an infant. Is she more Finwean than I am? Is Lady Anaire?”

Gil-Galad thought about this for a moment. “So you’re part of Finwe’s line because everyone thinks you are?”

“Because everyone thinks so, and because the rest of them want me. Blood is neither necessary or sufficient to make people family. Think of how Fingon speaks of Elenwe for the first case, and Galadriel speaking of my father for the second.”

“Really no one knows though?”

“My parents know, as presumably does Penmalaclar. I told Fingon before we married, as he was worried about a marriage of half-cousins. No one else knows - not even my brothers.”

“And you don’t worry that they would love you less if they found out?” Gil-Galad asked quietly.

“They might be more annoyed at me for yielding the crown, but they’d still love me. They know I love them for who they are, not just because we’re supposed to love each other, and I know they love me the same way. Besides, Father loved me and counted me as his son, and Feanor’s word is good enough for us.”

“Will Fingon’s word be enough?”

“For some people. Most of the rest will accept his actions, that he wouldn’t have raised you as his son if it wasn’t true. There will probably be a few who spread rumors, as they do about anyone who is different. People liked to speculate that Celegorm was illegitimate or adopted, because his hair is silver and he’s not as studious. Never mind his nose and cheeks are a perfect match for Feanor, as is his ability to inspire a crowd.”

Gil-Galad considered that for a minute. “Why did Dad take me in to start with? You said that Feanor was already engaged to Nerdanel when she got pregnant with you, so Feanor would have had to give up his love as well as the strange baby. But I don’t know my mom, and Dad certainly isn’t in love with her.”

“Fingon has always wanted to have a child. He and I obviously can’t make any. When he showed up with a baby, I asked him why as well, he said you needed somewhere to go. He had a point, and another layer to the succession is probably good anyway.”

“So you really don’t know who my father is? Or my mother?”

“You are Gil-Galad son of Fingon. Whoever sired you doesn’t matter.”

“But I want to know.”

“Then you should ask Fingon. I spent the year after your birth pretending I was mad at him. If there was any coordination with your blood parents, I didn’t see it.”

“Why would you be mad at him?”

“For having a baby with someone else even though we’re married.”

“But he didn’t.”

“He wanted to keep you from the moment he saw you. If that meant the two of us had to be apart for a little while, it was worth it, for both of us.”

“Oh. Who knows about me?”

“Fingolfin knows as much as I do. I don’t know if anyone else knows at all, besides Fingon and your blood parents.”

~~~~~~~~

'Penmalaclar’ translates to “man who loves gloriously” in Telerin. Inspired by my own post on my sideblog.

[irinapaleolog]

Revising Rey's origin story from The Last Jedi turned Disney’s Star Wars sequel trilogy into a mere rehash of George Lucas' original trilogy.

Today marks the three-month anniversary, counting Thursday previews, of the domestic debut of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Come what may, the film ended up with $516 million domestic and $1.074 billion worldwide. Walt Disney and Lucasfilm’s’ Star Wars sequel may be the last Hollywood blockbuster we’re going to see for a (very long?) while. With folks rewatching (or seeing for the first time) the J.J. Abrams and Chris Terrio film via electronic sell-through for the last week, I suppose it’s safe to really dig into the film’s most frustrating plot twist. The film’s biggest problem is that it’s not well-made (I’ll charitably blame a rushed production), but the big reveal about Rey’s infamous parentage does nothing less than render the entire new Star Wars sequel entirely redundant.

There are two key take ways from the key plot reveal, in relation to Rey’s past, that are dropped into the halfway point of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. First, contrary to what we were told in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, her parents weren’t explicitly nobodies. Her father was the son (be it via cloning or otherwise) of Emperor Sheev Palpatine, making her Palpatine’s granddaughter (or at least the granddaughter of Palpatine’s clone, if you go by the recently-released novelization). The second reveal was that her parents weren’t heartless drunks who sold her into slavery for drinking money. They in-fact “sold you to protect you” and gave their lives to hide Rey from those in the First Order who sought to bring the child to grandad.

These revelations, whether they were intended as such during The Force Awakens or were intentional walk backs after the online outcry (at least in some circles) over The Last Jedi, don’t just retcon the reveals from Rian Johnson’s Star Wars VIII. They also negate the overall story arcs being told in Disney’s new Star Wars trilogy while frankly failing to understand what made George Lucas’ infamous Empire Strikes Back twist so devastating in the first place. Moreover, by trading the “you’re nobody, you’re nothing” reveal in the second film for the “you have his power” retcon in the third flick, Rise of Skywalker trades genuine surprise for a plot turn that almost everyone predicated, relatively speaking, moments after seeing Force Awakens in December of 2015.

Pretty much everyone assumed that Rey had some kind of famous or infamous parentage way back in late 2015, because, for better or worse, the most famous plot twist in the Star Wars saga involved the lead hero being the long-lost (?) son of the main bad guy. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) had only heard stories about his heroic father, including eventually stories of his heroic death at the hands of Darth Vader. So the revelation at the conclusion of The Empire Strikes Back wasn’t just a “Oh, wow!” plot twist, it was one that specifically acted like a knife to the gut to Luke Skywalker specifically because of his hopes, dreams and ideas about his family and his destiny. His father was A) alive and B) actually the galaxy’s arch-villain.

While I’m assuming The Empire Strikes Back didn’t invent that plot twist, it certainly popularized the “you’re actually related to the bad guys” thing as a shock reveal. It has been used and re-used in everything from Spectre to Scream 3 to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 to The LEGO Ninjago Movie to The Mortal Instruments. It may have been shocking in The Empire Strikes Back, it couldn’t help but be repetitive in The Rise of Skywalker because it was essentially the exact same plot turn. This time, we find out that Rey (Daisy Ridley) is related to the ultimate force of evil in the galaxy… again. I’m no fan of the “Rey is a Kenobi or a Skywalker” theories, but at least those would have been different.

The reason the reveal in The Last Jedi worked as well as it did for that specific story (and specific trilogy) is because of how it impacted the character in question. Rey was someone who desperately wanted to believe that she had family who loved her and would eventually return to her, and that she would indeed have some grand role to play beyond mere existence. Alas, as Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) spells out, confirming her own deep-seated knowledge, she was a nobody, with no destiny and no famous parentage. Moreover, and this is key, her family didn’t even love her. Any destiny or heroic role that she might play would have to come from her own choices and decisions. Even her Force abilities were a combination of luck and skill.

Luke Skywalker’s “No, I am your father” reveal was the worst possible news Luke could get about who his father actually was. Ditto Rey, who wanted to be loved and wanted affirmation that she was on a path, discovered that she was a nobody loved by no one in the galaxy beyond perhaps a few acquaintances (Finn, Leia Organa, the late Han Solo, etc.) who she had met days earlier. The reveal that she was A) the granddaughter of a very important person and B) that her parents loved her negated the very thing that made her character stand out, while acting as a less devastating revelation. Like much of Rise of Skywalker, the “Rey is a Palpatine” reveal meant more to the audience than to the characters.

Without arguing that Rey has an obligation to be a (fictional/fantasy) role model, the character went from an absolute nobody who happened to have special skills and abilities to someone with famous lineage whose power came from a famous man. Moreover, it negates the idea that you can be a good/heroic person even with no famous lineage or even if you come from a broken, unloving and/or dysfunctional family unit. “Rey from nowhere” is now “Rey Palpatine whose parents totally loved her after all.” To the extent that she might have inspired kids from broken homes (or, relatively speaking, low economic status) to dream bigger and aspire to more, that’s out the window. She’s another female superhero whose power/heroism comes from her famous/important/gifted male patriarchal figure.

Moreover, if we compare the arcs of Rey and Kylo Ren, the Last Jedi reveal makes more yin-yang sense. Rey was an abandoned orphan, unloved by anyone, who nonetheless grew up to be a great hero. Meanwhile, Kylo was the child of royalty (the child of Han Solo and Leia Organa), surrounded by a loving family (including a weird uncle who might be a cult leader) who still became a force for great evil/a mass murderer. Kylo had all the advantages while Rey had nothing and nobody. The Rise of Skywalker reveal negates this, since we now know that both Rey and Kylo belonged to a famous family tree and had loving and/or famous parents who (eventually) gave their lives so that their kids could live.

Rey being an unloved nobody was meant to differentiate the core hero of this new trilogy from those who came before it, while providing a different kind of “you are still valuable if…” affirmation to those inclined to be inspired by fictional/fantastical heroes (and villains). Rey being revealed as a Palpatine was meant to make her similar to Luke Skywalker and (intentionally or not) affirm the notion that A) only people with important parents or innate talents can be important, B) you can only be special if your parents love you and C) a female hero can only be special if they got their power from a man. Again, it arguably means more to the stereotypical audience member than it does to the characters.

We now have one Star Wars trilogy which charts the fall of Anakin Skywalker (a nobody with special gifts who becomes evil) and another that charts the rise of Luke Skywalker (a young man of infamous lineage who becomes a hero). By not keeping Rey a “nobody,” The Rise of Skywalker both misses the chance to compare her story with Anakin’s (both were nobodies with strong Force powers) and renders her story merely a repeat of Luke’s (a young person of infamous lineage who becomes a hero). Chris Terrio and JJ Abrams retrofitted Rey’s backstory so as to make her almost identical to Luke Skywalker. It is less surprising, making Rey interesting as a role model and less engrossing compared to her villainous rival/love interest.

Batman Begins showed the “rise” of Batman while The Dark Knight saw him “fall.” The Dark Knight Rises saw him “rise” again since the franchise required a now-standard trilogy capper even as The Dark Knight essentially concluded the story. Ditto The Godfather, which had a first film chronicling the rise of Michael Corleone and the fall of Don Corleone and a sequel that (in different time periods) showed the practical rise of a young Don and the moral fall of Michael. Godfather Part III merely showed him “falling” yet again. The final status of Rey “Skywalker” turned the third Star Wars trilogy into an odd man/woman out in a two-part saga that already traces a rise/fall of core protagonists. Let’s hope Mamma Mia 3 avoids the same fate.

[aegor-bamfsteel]

I don't know if it's a stupid question but why do you think Aegon was so sure he was the father of Daemon? I heard he was supposed to be in Braavos when Daena was pregnant and she hide the parentage but did he just claimed Daemon because he disliked Daeron and didn't want Baelor as king? Is that why he started rumors about Daeron but not Daenerys?

That’s not a stupid question at all, allyria! In fact, it’s one I’ve thought a lot about and it’s led to some tinfoil. 

Was Aegon in Braavos when Daena was pregnant? According to the SSM on Daena written in 2006, Daena escaped once in disguise “with the contrivance of her cousin Aegon,” although of course this information is from a long time ago; perhaps GRRM hadn’t come up with the ‘Aegon goes to Braavos on a diplomatic mission for a few years to keep from raping Naerys to death in childbirth’ reason for Daeron II-Daenerys’ 19 year age gap. In the 2014 World of Ice and Fire, it’s revealed that Aegon went to Braavos in 161AC and started an affair with the sea captain Bellegere Otherys that went on for 10 years, during which time she gave birth to three children. If the affair happened in Braavos and only in Braavos, then of course Aegon could not have fathered Daemon, but due to Bellegere’s itinerant occupation there’s no reason to assume they didn’t resume the affair in King’s Landing; in fact, that must be the case, since in 171AC Aegon VI openly took Barba Bracken as his mistress, meaning he was in KL at the time he and Bellegere broke up. So it’s possible that the SSM of Aegon helping Daena escape is still canon, thus Aegon came back to King’s Landing (maybe in the late 160s) from Braavos and perhaps had an affair with her. Considering there were rumors about Aegon being Daemon’s father before he was even acknowledged, I suppose the timeline must’ve worked out for some members of his court.

Now here’s where the tinfoil comes in:

Why do you think Aegon was so sure he was Daemon’s father? I don’t think he was, and only acknowledged Daemon as a last resort. I mentioned in a previous meta that acknowledging Daemon meant acknowledging seducing a princess without intent to marry her (which would’ve brought the wrath of the court and her powerful family, as seen with Saera/the Stinger in F&B), and Aegon wanted to avoid a scandal that could trigger his removal from the Throne. He would not have acknowledged Daemon had his own non-Daeron sons proved so disappointing. 

Aegon IV is unique in Targaryen history for having mistresses as opposed to paramours. (Aegon II and Aerys II had illegitimate children with unnamed [nice one, GRRM -_-] and presumably not-noble paramours, but they did not take them openly as mistresses.) He is also an aberration in real life history, since most kings did not choose unwed teenaged (by which I mean: a 16, a 13, a 15, and a 14 year old), relatively highborn girls to be their mistress; it was considered sacrilegious to defile a virgin, especially a lady, so most kings chose married women with husbands who’d look the other way. Doing so also saved kings from having to care for illegitimate children, since their offspring by married women were legally her husband’s unless acknowledged by the king in writing. It would seem logical for Aegon IV to keep to the lowborn/unimportant in Westeros paramours he had before his ascension (ie, women like Megette and Bellegere), or shift to married women, but he chose 4 Westerosi ladies and an impoverished Essosi aristocrat. Now it could be he was just reveling in being king and bedding highborn girls without consequence, or it could be that he wanted illegitimate sons whose mothers’ were ladies, and giving these unwed girls the ‘mistress’ title essentially ensured that those sons were without a doubt his, (since they had no legal father to cast doubt on his paternity). I suppose Aegon IV took high-but-not-too-high-born mistresses to have sons (who would at least have their family’s support) who could oppose Daeron later on, while not creating too big of a scandal.

It’s bad luck for this supposed plan of Aegon’s that both of his acknowledged, without-a-doubt-his sons turned out to be unsuitable. According to the MUSH RPG Melissa Blackwood was the daughter of a war hero (Bloody Ben) and a Baratheon (the Storm Ellyn) and the granddaughter of a Lannister, and was a beloved mistress besides, but her only son was born with albinism and thus thought cursed; this likely caused Aegon to “lose interest” in her shortly after Brynden’s birth. Aegor also had high birth, but there was no way Aegon was going to show favor to the grandson and nephew of the people he executed out of spite. Instead, he sought suitable sons in Jeyne Lothston and later Serenei of Lys, but then Jeyne got the pox and Serenei died in childbirth with a daughte, so I guess the barely-mobile Aegon figured he’d never have anymore kids by that point, and had to make do with what he had (note: twoiaf is not at all clear when Serenei died and Shiera was born, but I’m putting it around 179-181 because I don’t want Aegor and Brynden potentially “”falling in love”” with an 11-14 year old). So between the son with albinism, the son with traitorous blood, or the son who might not be his son but was the son of a princess who didn’t remarry (so no legal father/husband to dispute the paternity) who was brought up in the Red Keep and was an accomplished fighter at age 12, he was going to bite the bullet and call Daemon his, giving him Blackfyre as a token of favor. Helping his cause was that Daena had probably died before the acknowledgment (again there is no record of when Daena died, although the SSM indicates she lived long enough to raise Daemon, although according to Bran Stark eight/nine is “nearly a man grown” so who knows when childrearing is apparently done), and thus was not around to continue to refuse to name her child’s father.

Is [Aegon IV’s hatred of Daeron] why he started rumors about [his dubious paternity] and not Daenerys’? While I believe Aemon was Daeron’s father after all due to circumstantial evidence (parallel what Viserys I did to Aegon’s lover Falena Stokeworth with what he could’ve done to Naerys’ lover Aemon; send them both away from his child in a position befitting their birth), I do think that Aegon’s dislike of his son (or rather, what he believed Naerys, Viserys, and possibly Aemon and Baelor “turned him into” while he was separated from his child in Braavos) first made him consider that Daeron wasn’t his. However, I also think that the circumstances around Daenerys’ conception must’ve proved without a doubt that she was Aegon’s. Remember that she was born very soon after Aegon became king. Perhaps Aemon could’ve been sent on a scouting expedition to the Dornish marches in preparation for erecting those siege engines, meaning he was separate from Naerys for a time. Another theory with canon precedent is that the High Septon ordered a public re-consummation of Aegon and Naerys’ marriage some time around Aegon’s ascension, similar to Maegor I and Ceryse Hightower’s second consummation; it’s a prince exiled to Essos for a few years who ignored his legitimate wife in favor of younger, “more fertile” women, leading to their estrangement, then coming back together upon his return and their ascension as rulers. If Daenerys was born nine moons after a public consummation while Aemon was away from King’s Landing, then that would explain why there were no rumors about her paternity. Of course, a female child would not have, under the recent court logic that disinherited Queen Daena and her sisters, been able to challenge Daeron in the way a son could’ve, so the rumor mill simply may not have thought she was worth gossiping over.

I hope my response was interesting and coherent, in spite of all the tinfoil :)

[thesffcorner]

The King’s Men

The King’s Men is the third book in the All for the Game written by Nora Sakavic. If you haven’t read the previous two books, then first off, why are you reading this, second, I will SPOIL EVERYTHING that happens in them. Got it? Good. Let’s start. 

I read the Raven King and started writing a review, that I just couldn’t finish. I was so shell-shocked, so absolutely floored by the way that book ends, that I couldn’t put any of the things I felt into words, and by the time I felt I could write something, I had forgotten some of the things that happened in the first half of the book. I had no desire to reread it; I had no desire to read anything really, that’s how deep the reading slump that book threw me in was. I wasn’t sure I would ever finish the series. Well, finish the series I did, and I’m happy to say that this was my favorite book. In most ways I liked it the same as book 2, but the ending really bumped it up a notch higher than The Raven King. We pick up right after the end of book 2; Neil Josten somehow managed to survive the brutality of Edgar Allen, and is back in Palmetto State, at the same time that Andrew is released from the hospital. Things aren’t looking great for the team: now that Andrew is back and off his meds, the team is back to antagonism and their 2 separate groups, something they can’t afford if they have any hopes of making to the Championship. Moreover, now that the Moriyamas know who Neil is, he can no longer hide behind his identity, and his past might finally be catching up to him. I think it’s best to go through the same points I had for the first book, so let’s start with The Plot: This is the longest book, and as such it’s the most involved plot. Not only do we follow the preliminary rounds leading up to the Spring Championship, but we also have to deal with all the revelations from the previous book: what Rico does to his teammates, his constant threats and psychological warfare over the Foxes, Kevin’s guilt for abandoning Jean to Rico’s whims, Kevin’s parentage, Neil knowing about Kevin’s parentage and Rico and Kevin knowing the truth about Neil. There is also the fact that due to Rico’s intervention Neil is now visible to the public, and of course, Andrew being sober after 2 full years of medication. It’s a lot to cover, and for the most part, I think the book handles all of these threads well. Like always with this series, I have a lot of questions that I’m sure will never be answered, so let’s start with the most obvious: the mafia plot. I was surprised to see the plot with Neil’s dad culminating around the book’s midpoint; it’s resolved before any of the Championship stuff is, which was an odd choice. The Championship, as important as it is to Neil, is still just a game; his father on the other hand is a murderer who has spent the last 8 years trying to kill Neil, and has successfully killed his mother. This section of the book was the hardest for me to read; I don’t know what it is about Sakavic wanting for Neil to suffer the most gruesome violence, but the amount of abuse this poor child has gone through is almost insane, considering he’s 19. Maybe because of what happened to him in Edgar Allen I was more prepared for the torture in this, maybe it was because I finally got desensetised to the amount of abuse in these books, but I found this slightly less emotionally taxing to read than the ending of book 2. It’s still incredibly gruesome and if you are at all triggered by this kind of stuff, stay far far away from this book (though really what are you doing reading book 3 in a series). I am not squeamish about violence or torture, but even I needed to take breaks. How Nathan’s men find Neil was something I wasn’t super clear on, but what I especially wasn’t clear on was the aftermath. I genuinely thought Nathan might maim Neil, since I had no idea what could possibly happen to get him out of that situation, and when Stuart appeared, I was shocked. His character is set up, all the way back in book 1, but I had genuinely forgotten about him in the midst of everything else, and he was welcome reveal I had not seen coming. The plot with the FBI was just bizarre to me. I have heard of people who can refuse being put under witness protection before, so that wasn’t off putting; what was, was the Feds agreeing to not only bring the Foxes to Neil, but also allow Andrew to stay with Neil the whole time he is telling them his story! I find that very hard to believe; no agency in their right mind would want an unrelated party knowing so much sensitive information about an ongoing case. In the end, we also never find out what happens to the Butcher’s Kingdom? Did they ever catch Jensen and his brother? Then there are the Moriyamas. I found the scene between Ichorou and Neil kind of funny, in how hard it tried to paint Ichorou as this dangerous, violent man who commands so much respect, while also being described as barely a 20 year old. I did appreciate that Neil was still as sharp and clever as ever, and the way he spins the events of the past two books to not only make Coach Moriyama and Rico as the villains, but also secure a future for himself, Kevin and Jean was amazing. The ending was… interesting. Look, here’s the thing: Rico absolutely was a piece of shit. He was abusive, sadistic, arrogant, unhinged and violent, and he was never shown to have any kind of redeeming qualities or even the possibility of change. But he was also still a victim; Exy was all he had, all he would ever have, and his relentless desire to get noticed by his father was humanizing. He shared that one trait with Neil and seeing him being shown a single act of kindness by Ichorou and then immediately getting shot in the head before Neil was horrifying. The fact that Neil has no morsel of remorse for him too? That was cold. Like father like son. Also does this mean that Edgar Allen won’t be a prison anymore? Evermore is no longer the Moriyama domain? Is Ichorou washing his hands off of exy? Speaking of exy, all of my criticisms still stand. However, I will say that I got used to it enough to where I honestly didn’t care or notice how out of place it was anymore. With everything happening in this book, worrying about the intricacies of how exy tied into this world became irelevant. This didn’t make the games bad or irrelevant though; I enjoyed all of the matches, especially the last 3, where some strategies and positions were changed around. Having Neil play defense against Rico was sweet revenge; I also liked that the final goal was almost a non-presence, because Neil doesn’t even know it’s happening. He’s so tired and so lost in his head that he doesn’t even realize they’d won. Honestly, having people positioned as they were at the end of the book, I almost wanted to find out more of how the world of exy looked. With Jean going to UTC, the Ravens under new management, Renee, Alison, and Dan leaving Palmetto, and Neil as captain, it would have been fun to see how the sport and the game changed. Look at me, praising a fake sport that I hated so much in book 1. Characters: I don’t think anyone reads this series for exy though, let’s be real. No, the real draw are the characters, and the relationships between them. The bulk of the character development came down in book 2; book 2 was where we found out what Andrew’s backstory was, why he and Aaron hate each-other, Nicky’s family situation, Renee’s backstory, the fallout of Seth’s murder, everything to do with Rico, Kevin and Jean, and Wymack. This book builds on all of that; Neil takes front and center role, and I really liked that. He has finally accepted that he is the glue that holds the team together; even when he’s faced with his imminent death, his first priority is protecting Andrew and the rest of the Foxes, even if that means leaving them again, knowing full well his absence would destroy them. Neil constantly thinks of himself as selfish, because he’s been taught that wanting anything other than survival is selfish, but he’s nothing but selfless. Andrew puts it best, he has a martyr complex, and he genuinely wants to do right by everyone, even if that means having little to no regard for his physical safety. He risks abuse and injuries to get people to come together, and honestly, anyone who spends time trying to crack Andrew’s shell is a saint. I didn’t much care for the Foxes when I met them, but in this book, I had fallen in love with all of them. Dan was always great, though she takes a back seat here, mostly so we can have more time to get to know the rest of the cast. Renee was always the character I struggled with the most, but I liked her a lot here. I liked that she knew exactly when to push and when to leave things be, both with Andrew and Neil. I honestly wish we could have been in her perspective when she got Jean out of Evermore, that was such a badass scene. I liked Alison least in book 1, but I loved her here. She was an amazing character; I loved that she and Neil finally got a chance to talk and come to terms with Neil being responsible for Seth’s death, that she was allowed to be angry with Neil for the entirety for book 2. She is unapologetic about everything, from how hot, rich and done up she is, to how devoted and aggressive at exy she is too. I also loved that she was the one who got the trophy shelf. Matt was always my favorite character, and he was just a gem here. I always loved him the most out of the boys, and nothing has changed; he is as funny and kind, as ever, and he was always there for Neil, even when Neil wouldn’t admit he needed help. Also his reaction to the Maserati was priceless. Nicky was the one character who I was never sold on. He is the emotional core of the group in the sense that he gives Neil the push he needs to finally recontextualize his life and his priorities. He’s a man who just wants very badly to be liked and loved, and he’s constantly put in situations where he isn’t able to do that. Nicky was more prominent in book 2, though, so this book didn’t develop him any further. Kevin too was someone who got the bulk of his character development in book 2, but seeing him finally step into his own, stand up to Rico, take control over his life and get the 2 tattoo of his face was amazing. I loved that he got there gradually, but he still got there, and though he never became any more likable, it was so gratifying to see his growth. Aaron was the character I never liked, and I absolutely didn’t like him here either. That fight he has with Neil pissed me off so much, and I loved that Andrew picked Neil over Aaron, which at least showed me that he was a little more observant than he looked. Finally Andrew. Almost more than Neil, this series revolves around Andrew. Everything Neil does is to protect Andrew, which was a complete 180 from book 1, where Neil was willing to risk Andrew’s life just for a chance to play exy. Like Kevin, Andrew never becomes more likable, and his development is rather subtle and slight, but it’s still such a different place from where he started in book 1. He never truly becomes a good person, but he learns to accept people for the decisions that they make, and to let at least one other person in. His relationship with Neil was so well developed, that authors should learn how to write a good slowburn from it. The slow build of first begrudging trust, then friendship and finally romance was excellent, and for one I really didn’t mind the whole ‘I don’t care about gender, because I’m only attracted to you’ trope. I loved the revelation of Andrew’s photographic memory, because it tied so well with both his character and the scene where Neil asks him how Andrew can let anyone touch or kiss him after everything he’s been through. That he trusts Neil because he knows Neil would never do anything Andrew would say no to was really great. I also fucking called the whole he’s taking drugs for being a psychopath; it feels so good to be vindicated. Overall, I really enjoyed this final book. The series as a whole does have a lot of flaws, and it’s definitely an acquired taste, but I’m glad I read it. Each book kept getting better, and I feel like Sakavic really hit her stride with the second and this book in terms of her characters and plot. It’s a classic YA series for a reason, and I do recommend it if you can stomach the abuse/violence; I’d be curious to read anything else this author has in store.

[iturbide]

I still believe that Grima could get along with the Corrins because (putting aside the fact that they didn't raise their child themselves) they are dragons as well. Even more important : how would Grima react to discovering they were basically lied to their whole youth by all their family members, and that it puts them in a position where they don't really know who they are, even after Revelations ?

I think you’re oversimplifying both Grima’s relationships and the full issue at hand here. 

First, the fact that the Corrins are dragons has nothing to do with his ability to get along with them.  Remember: Naga’s a dragon and there are very few things Grima hates more than her.  So much of why he gets along with the dragons in general is because they’re either young and open to viewing him without prejudice (Fae, little Tiki, Myrrh, Nowi) or have suffered at the hands of humans themselves (the Corrins and Ninian – adult Tiki falls into this broadly and has also suffered at Naga’s hands, so he’s very sympathetic to her plight).  But there are humans who have gone through the same: Raigh (young, obsessed with dark magic, and lost virtually everyone he’d cared about when invaders burned down the orphanage where he’d been raised), the Robins (hunted by Grimleal, reviled by Ylisseans for being Plegian), Henry (dumped in an abusive orphanage where he lost most of his ability to even feel pain or express emotion), the Nohrian royal family (Concubine Wars combined with Garon’s abuse and neglect), Julia (lost her whole family – witnessed her twin brother murder her mother and then had to assist in her brother’s death)…there are a lot of Heroes that Grima can either sympathize or empathize with, and every day he’s learning more, making new connections, and becoming the Hero Kiran has always known he could be. 

Also, I never said that Grima and the Corrins couldn’t get along – in fact, prior to the Kanas’ arrivals they got along quite well (again, I have another ask, I just keep getting things in my inbox that will take less time to answer so I’ve been doing them first so I can devote my attention to the big headcanon dump once I’m in the clear).  I said they had a falling out – and nothing in the definition of that term requires that the relationship end.  Is Grima upset?  Yes.  Would he consider cutting all contact?  Probably, because when he gets angry his thinking gets rigid.  But lucky for him, there are other forces that help to rein him in and force him to re-evaluate things – namely Kiran and Robin. 

So as furious as he would have been in the moment (especially after finding F!Kana alone and in such distress), raging that the Kanas need better, need more, need to be kept away from the ones who did this to them, the tactician and the Summoner would have challenged him at every step.  Look how much the Kanas admire their parents.  Think of how distressed they’ll be if they can’t see them ever again.  You’d be making things worse for them rather than better if you cut off all contact (again, Robin would stress, because clearly they’ve been separated by their parents’ presence in Askr for quite some time).  And Grima doesn’t want to hurt them – that’s the last thing he wants to do.  So he softens, giving the Corrins every opportunity to step up and take responsibility and prove themselves capable of doing better.  And as they do that, their relationships can and will mend.  But it will take time and effort. 

And last, it’s not the fact that they didn’t raise the Kanas themselves.  If they had given the Kanas up to be adopted, seen them placed in loving homes, Grima would have had absolutely no problem with that – in fact, he would have empathized with the pain of that loss and respected the fact that they did it with the Kanas in mind.  His issue is the fact that they dropped their infants in the Deeprealms, said they’d visit, and then went back to war.  They left their children waiting and yearning for parental affection at an age where they needed it most.  The damage has clearly been done: F!Kana gets so distressed that she cries when she’s alone, and M!Kana is pushing himself to grow up well before his time for the sole purpose of winning his mother’s attention.  And it’s upsetting to see that. 

So now with all of that out of the way, let’s talk about the lying. 

Grima is no stranger to having people lie to him.  He’s spent the vast majority of his life being told half-truths or manipulated by pretty words and sob stories.  And he loathes it.  He finds it manipulative, selfish, even cruel, to knowingly mislead someone, especially if it’s for personal gain and at another’s expense, like what happened so often during his stint as the ‘divine’ watching over Plegia.  With that said, while he does take a dim view of how Hoshido handled the issue, ultimately he will admit that it was done with good intentions, to ensure that Corrin was protected and provided for.  Nohr he takes a harsher view on, considering that they kidnapped Corrin and effectively wiped their memories; however, he doesn’t lay that blame on the Nohrian heirs, just on Garon and those who controlled the situation.  The princes and princesses clearly did their best for the new sibling they adopted as one of their own, and he respects and frankly admires that they chose to take Corrin in without hesitation, making them an integral part of their family in spite of the fact that they were in truth a foreign prisoner.

Grima does not believe that anyone, human or dragon, is defined by their birth.  He feels that he, himself, is a product of humanity’s cruelty: his level 40 dialogue spells it out directly (”Humans are selfish.  And the ugliness of mankind has turned me repulsive.  It’s the world that wants me to be evil.”).  So to his mind, where Corrin was born and who their blood relations are isn’t important.  The family they choose, the friends they make, the life they decide to lead, are what define who they are.  And he would tell them as much when they express their confusion, citing the example of the tactician whose body is his vessel and whose soul accompanies him even still: if Robin’s identity were defined by his birthplace, his parentage, then he would be a zealous cultist like his father willingly giving up his body for the purpose of reviving the fell dragon.  But he wasn’t.  He chose instead to fight against his father by seeking peace for all he could, and defined the Ylissean Shepherds as his family – something they responded with in like kind, such that their children knew him as ‘Uncle Robin’ through their upbringings. 

So when they fret that they don’t know who they are because of all the lies they’ve been told, his response would be a question: who do you want to be?  

[liesandarbor]

A Falling Star in Westeros Pt II: Analyzing Ashara Dayne

A Falling Star in Westeros

Part II of V in a collection of writings regarding the mysterious and ‘late’ Ashara Dayne, her potential effect on narrative, and compelling arguments for and against her fate. Part II deconstructs popular -  yet unlikely - theories surrounding Ashara's fate, and, while not as thorough as Part I, lays groundwork for future parts of the series.

Ashara Dayne by Bellabergolts

Tower of Joy: a Conspiracy

Ned's wraiths moved up beside him, with shadow swords in hand. They were seven against three.

"And now it begins," said Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning. He unsheathed Dawn and held it with both hands. The blade was pale as milkglass, alive with light.

"No," Ned said with sadness in his voice. "Now it ends." As they came together in a rush of steel and shadow, he could hear Lyanna screaming. "Eddard!" she called. A storm of rose petals blew across a blood-streaked sky, as blue as the eyes of death.

-Eddard X, AGOT

Readers are left puzzled by George RR Martin’s remarkably vague accounts of Robert’s Rebellion. Whether the fever dream retelling of the Tower of Joy in Eddard X, or missing birth timestamps, everything has been left deliberately unfinished, leaving room for major speculation. Martin’s tight-lipped nature on the Rebellion even transcends into what HBO adapts:

We're not doing Robert's Rebellion either. I know thousands of you want that, I know there's a petition... but by the time I finish writing A SONG OF ICE & FIRE, you will know every important thing that happened in Robert's Rebellion. There would be no surprises or revelations left in such a show, just the acting out of conflicts whose resolutions you already know. That's not a story I want to tell just now; it would feel too much like a twice-told tale.

(Notablog, 5/14/17)

The Rebellion changed how war was waged in Westeros, destroyed relationships, and scarred our main characters in the process - both physically and emotionally  (promise me/the tolling of the bells/Jaime, my name’s Jaime). While Martin’s exposition throws us in the shoes of main characters (a brother and a girl dying in a bed of blood, a melancholy but noble prince, the ever-paranoid king, a man at war to bring his betrothed home to him, independence from the crown), we are reminded of what the ‘Game of Thrones’ is about: power, money, land, and control. Smallfolk fought for their homes against rebels (Gulltown, Summerhall, the Reach), many dragged into war for lords they had no reason to respect.  The suffering was on a different plane than ever before, and not just for the high lords.

The Rebellion wasn’t necessarily about Rhaegar leaving his wife to get his rocks off with a Northern girl.  In fact, the Northern girl was merely a blip - whether prophecy, lust, romance, or fate - in the middle of a bigger plan.  With Tywin Lannister financially backing Rhaegar at every turn (The Fall of the Dragons: the Year of the False Spring, TWOIAF), and Rhaegar ready to depose his paranoid, cruel father from the throne, tensions were at an all time high throughout the kingdom.  Add insulting the North, Dorne, and someone with an influential social network - and big ‘ol warhammer - and you have a mess on your hands.

Other essayists have more than explored pre-ASOIAF plots and politics in depth. Whether you’re reading the so-gripping-it’s-almost-dubious Harrenhal Conspiracies by Reddit user U/KingLittleFinger, the impeccably thorough Southron Ambitions by Stefan Sasse, or the illustrious Rescue at the Crossroads by Lady Gwynhyfvar, these compelling pieces highlight one similar train of thought: there’s information about this Rebellion that we, as readers, are missing.

Martyn Cassel had perished with the rest. Ned had pulled the tower down afterward, and used its bloody stones to build eight cairns upon the ridge. It was said that Rhaegar had named that place the tower of joy, but for Ned it was a bitter memory. They had been seven against three, yet only two had lived to ride away; Eddard Stark himself and the little crannogman, Howland Reed. He did not think it omened well that he should dream that dream again after so many years. -Eddard X, AGOT

Ned remembered the way she had smiled then, how tightly her fingers had clutched his as she gave up her hold on life, the rose petals spilling from her palm, dead and black. After that he remembered nothing. They had found him still holding her body, silent with grief. The little crannogman, Howland Reed, had taken her hand from his. Ned could recall none of it. "I bring her flowers when I can," he said. "Lyanna was … fond of flowers."

-Eddard I, AGOT   

Eight cairns stand in the blazing heat of Dornish mountains.  A small crannogman and a silent, grief-stricken man built them, after defeating three Kingsguard members, emerging the final surviving combatants out of the eight “dead”.  How long would it take a semi-catatonic, grieving man to pull down that tower?  Days? Weeks?  Did Ned Stark suddenly snag a +3 in Masonry while we weren’t paying attention? These two men - and whoever ‘they’ were - lugged the body of a dead sister, a newborn baby, a wet nurse , and an ancestral sword southwest to Starfall, following their weary hearts out of the mountains to return north; to return home. Not a single body’s bones returned to their families: not Arthur Dayne, Oswell Whent, Gerold Hightower, Willam Dustin, Ethan Glover, Theo Wull, Martyn Cassel, or Mark Ryswell.  

Rejoining the current narrative, the state of Westeros reads mostly as ‘everything has been swept under the rug, and everyone is pretending nothing happened.’ Ned hasn’t seen Robert Baratheon in nine years, or Howland Reed in fifteen; he hides in his winter fortress, safe within PTSD encrusted walls.  Every loose end from the Rebellion tucked behind Winterfell’s gates, threatening to spill out at any moment.

Why did Benjen join the Night's Watch? Good question. One day you will get an answer. But it will not be today.

-SSM

If the only other Tower of Joy survivor was Howland Reed - and no one has seen him in years - the weight of hiding Lyanna’s dragonspawn becomes far easier to manage. But we know that’s not the case. They weren’t the only ones carrying the knowledge of Jon Snow’s parentage - they couldn’t be.  

With indefinite language like “they found him still holding her body”, and conflicting stories, like Edric Dayne’s Dornish milk-brother story ("Brother?" Arya did not understand. "But you're from Dorne. How could you and Jon be blood?" "Milk brothers. Not blood. My lady mother had no milk when I was little, so Wylla had to nurse me." Arya VIII, ASOS), we’re sideswiped with waves of mystery.

Stark returns home with a baby on his hip, quite obviously carrying the family genes, and his younger brother immediately signs up for a life of celibacy in a freezing tundra (SSM).  Three kingsguard are placed in the mountains of Dorne, with the knowledge that what they are guarding is worth more than their lives. House Dayne sends their own serving woman, Wylla, to the tend the tower. Ashara plunges from the Palestone Sword Tower as the Rebellion ends, her body conveniently never found (SSM).   Martin has even hinted the Reed children “might know something about it” (SSM), something backed up by Bran II, ASOS.  The question is no longer ‘what happened in that tower?’ - it’s what created that tower? What actions put our leading lady in this tower, and why?

Compelling Arguments against Ashara Dayne as other “Popular Theories”

Because I could not stop for Death – He kindly stopped for me –   The Carriage held but just Ourselves –   And Immortality. - Emily Dickinson

The shadow cast by Lyanna and Rhaegar’s romance found many agency-deprived Rebellion ladies meeting their doom.  Often called “The Dead Ladies Club” by members of the fandom (commonly coined by JoannaLannister), we rifle through pages of women led to slaughter by the same societal standards that they’re told will nourish them.  While not the leading, love interest, Ashara Dayne encompasses the “lady-in-purple” idea; a sexualized enigma.  Ashara’s reintroduction furthers her importance, the reader glimpsing her through Catelyn, Arya and Barristan chapters.

As far as dead ladies go, Lyanna Stark clocks in at a whopping twenty-six mentions by name in AGOT, while Ashara Dayne bottoms a lowly ten for the entire series.  Does that ten look small? Of course. But the consistent spacing of that ten serves as an important reminder: Ashara Dayne’s mystery still lies in the ocean, unresolved.

The game of Telephone surrounding Ashara’s fate warrants questioning.  Characters hiding post-Rebellion are constantly being introduced to the story, and each page begs: what reveal comes next?  

It’s not enough to ask “why” Ashara would be in hiding to justify some of the crazier theories.  Isolating her arc helps us closely examine the mystery at hand, balancing theories by what adds depth to her story.

If Ashara fakes her death, as popular theories tend to offer, there are many interesting ideas about her fate - but many tend to fail under a microscope.

Justice for Elia

Yet sometimes Dany would picture the way it had been, so often had her brother told her the stories. The midnight flight to Dragonstone, moonlight shimmering on the ship's black sails. Her brother Rhaegar battling the Usurper in the bloody waters of the Trident and dying for the woman he loved. The sack of King's Landing by the ones Viserys called the Usurper's dogs, the lords Lannister and Stark. Princess Elia of Dorne pleading for mercy as Rhaegar's heir was ripped from her breast and murdered before her eyes. The polished skulls of the last dragons staring down sightlessly from the walls of the throne room while the Kingslayer opened Father's throat with a golden sword. -Daenerys I, AGOT

One dark day in 283 AC, Elia Martell of Dorne learned that monsters were real. As family and life were ripped from her arms, one thing was certain: Dorne would not forgive the parties involved until Justice was served.  From ASOS on, we are introduced to the Justice For Elia plot, and as we travel along, the plot thickens - as it tends to.  A long-thought dead exiled Lord and a ragtag crew of Rebellion Nobodies turns up, advocating for what seems to be the lost son of Rhaegar and Elia, Aegon Targaryen.

The Soiled Septa

There was something wonderfully wicked about the thought of peeling the septa out of those chaste white robes and spreading her legs. Innocence despoiled, he thought … though Lemore was not near as innocent as she appeared. She had stretch marks on her belly that could only have come from childbirth.

-Tyrion IV, ADWD

At the surface, Ashara Dayne as Septa Lemore is an easy fit.  A group of B-List Rebellion members emerge from the depths of the story, embarking on a journey to enthrone Rhaegar Targaryen’s suddenly-alive-son. A mysterious septa with long, dark hair and tactfully placed stretch marks ignite a spark in the reader.  “Wait! You said everyone is in hiding from the rebellion! This is the perfect place to find Ashara!” Readers wait with baited breath for a reveal in (fake!)Aegon’s camp, and they’re waiting for something that will never come.

Afterward, Nurse had Ser Jorah's chains fastened to a stake near the cookfire whilst he escorted the two dwarfs inside the master's pavilion and showed them where they would sleep, in a carpeted alcove separated from the main tent by walls of yellow silk. They would share this space with Yezzan's other treasures: a boy with twisted, hairy "goat legs," a two-headed girl out of Mantarys, a bearded woman, and a willowy creature called Sweets who dressed in moonstones and Myrish lace. "You are trying to decide if I'm a man or woman," Sweets said, when she was brought before the dwarfs. Then she lifted her skirts and showed them what was underneath. "I'm both, and master loves me best."A grotesquerie, Tyrion realized. Somewhere some god is laughing. "Lovely," he said to Sweets, who had purple hair and violet eyes, "but we were hoping to be the pretty ones for once."

-Tyrion X ADWD

Lemore is introduced through both Tyrion and Jon Connington. Tyrion spends a solid half of ADWD gushing about Valyrian Lore in his brain, and the other half feeling sorry for himself (and being a general drunken sack of crap). Given what we know about Tyrion’s obsession with old Valyria, and what we know about Ashara’s physique: why didn’t Tyrion mention Septa Lemore’s eyes?  ‘He’s distracted by her body,’ arguments arise, ‘he was already overwhelmed by the stretchmarks.’ Well, friends, those arguments are ridiculous.

When Lemore climbed back onto the deck, Tyrion savored the sight of water trickling between her breasts, her smooth skin glowing golden in the morning light. She was past forty, more handsome than pretty, but still easy on the eye. Being randy is the next best thing to being drunk, he decided. It made him feel as if he was still alive. "Did you see the turtle, Hugor?" the septa asked him, wringing water from her hair. "The big ridgeback?"

-Tyrion IV, ADWD

The most defining description of Ashara in eleven on-page mentions are her haunting (or laughing) violet eyes.  In Tyrion IV, Tyrion sees Young Griff’s eyes are a dark blue or purple in the dusk.  In Tyrion X, a few chapters after Lemore’s stretch marks appear, Tyrion makes note of a slave’s purple eyes.  Too easy to miss, and completely out of character for Tyrion to ignore.

The prince arrived to join them four days later, riding at the head of a column of a hundred horse, with three elephants lumbering in his rear. Lady Lemore was with him, garbed once more in the white robes of a septa. Before them went Ser Rolly Duckfield, a snow-white cloak streaming from his shoulders.

-The Lost Lord, ADWD

Prince Aegon Targaryen was not near as biddable as the boy Young Griff had been, however. The better part of an hour had passed before he finally turned up in the solar, with Duck at his side. "Lord Connington," he said, "I like your castle."

-The Griffin Reborn, ADWD

Tyrion isn’t the only POV with an affinity for purple eyes, either.  Connington turns attention to Young Griff’s eyes, reminiscing on Rhaegar’s deep purple set.

"Your father's lands are beautiful," he said. His silvery hair was blowing in the wind, and his eyes were a deep purple, darker than this boy's.

-The Griffin Reborn, ADWD

Yet Connington - one of Ashara’s famed tourney dance partners (Bran II, ASOS) - fails to mention that Lemore catches his eye in the same way. In fact, there is no mention of Lemore’s eye color in any of the chapters she appears in.

Were eye color not enough to dispel the Lemore/Ashara theory, age throws it where it belongs: in a trash can.  Tyrion guesses Lemore past forty - where Tyrion has misjudged age in ASOIAF before (“Tyrion sighed. "You are remarkably polite for a bastard, Snow. What you see is a dwarf. You are what, twelve?" "Fourteen," the boy said.” - Tyrion II, AGOT), one to two years is not a very drastic difference. Martin has stated Ashara would be in her thirties if alive (SSM) - to be in her forties, she would have been born between 250 and 260 AC, which puts Ashara 22 to 32 years old during the Tourney at Harrenhal.  While 22 isn’t unbelievable, anything older just doesn’t fit Martin’s thematic and harrowing depictions of young, tragic Rebellion ladies. (see Ashara Dayne Age Calculation in Pt.I reddit/tumblr)

Aegon’s crew unfolds in ADWD, revealing these nameless survivors of the Rebellion - and countless questions.  An exiled lord, a rogue almost-maester, an apprentice smith with a shady past, and a soiled septa; all with reasons to hide, implementing the “rightful king” on the iron throne. But where does Ashara fit?  Besides Connington, the group seems to be comprised of… well, nobodies. In fact, the whole plot is pretty dead end, whether the real Aegon or not - Aunt Dany and her Dragons loom just ahead, surrounding Young Griff’s political campaign with fire, blood, and ultimately death.  

"Prince Aegon was Rhaegar's heir by Elia of Dorne," Ser Jorah said. "But if he was this prince that was promised, the promise was broken along with his skull when the Lannisters dashed his head against a wall."

-Daenerys V, ACOK

Many find themselves desperately wanting to fulfill the Lemore connection, to find closure for the mystery behind Ashara Dayne.  But when readers tug at the plot to make their theories fit, there are parts that don’t flow.

So be it. He had grown fond of Lemore, but that did not mean he required her approval. Her task had been to instruct the prince in the doctrines of the Faith, and she had done that. No amount of prayer would put him on the Iron Throne, however. That was Griff's task. He had failed Prince Rhaegar once. He would not fail his son, not whilst life remained in his body.

-The Lost Lord, ADWD

Ashara Dayne, after losing friends and family, goes into hiding, only to emerge, championing Elia Martell’s born-again child and teach him about the Faith.  Heck, let’s take it deeper, like most fans tend to: Ashara Dayne, who had a stillborn child, mad with grief after Ned Stark returned her family’s ancestral sword home, ‘slaying her brother’, emerges from committing suicide, championing Elia Martell’s born-again child and teaching him about the faith.  Ashara once more is turned into the sexy woman getting watched by seven guys on a boat, much like her place in the Tourney at Harrenhal, and much like her place in the fandom: stuck on a pedestal.

The months Ashara spent attending Elia of Dorne - yes, months, and definitely no more than a year - weren’t months of Ashara skipping down hallways, giggling and singing songs with fellow bedmaids and the Princess. Rhaenys’ birth was extremely traumatic, leaving Elia bedridden half a year (The Griffin Reborn, ADWD).  It is doubtful the Daynes and Martells were distant, per se, but besides Ashara’s dancing with Oberyn at Harrenhal, Arthur being a sworn brother to Lewyn, and House Dayne’s fealty to House Martell… we don’t have textual basis for a strong relationship between the Dayne and Martell family. In fact, the strongest friendship Arthur is referenced having throughout TWOIAF and ASOIAF (besides Connington and sworn brothers) happens to be with Rhaegar Targaryen.

Comparing it to present-day ASOIAF, Alys Karstark hadn’t seen the Stark brothers since she was six years old (ADWD, Jon IX). Northmen are loyal (to a fault, as we know the Dornish vassals can be), but there is nothing that suggests that House Martell and Dayne’s children were more than casual friends, just as House Karstark and Stark: it is more likely they merely met whenever their parents convened/arranged.

The Rebellion Dayne gang aren’t brought up in a single Dornish chapter, barring Gerold’s introduction (The Queensmaker, AFFC).  The first mention of Ashara through someone related to her, Ned Dayne, informs Arya her dad was in love with her; with not a single Martell name-drop. Beneath the theory’s already fragile surface, there is weaker motivation: Ashara Dayne showing up with a group of B/C-list Rebellion characters to help a son she never met, of a friend she barely knew, relies closely on House allegiancy.

And what about the eventual demise of “Aegon” “Targaryen”? With Young Griff’s heritage speculated (and arguably accepted as fandom-wide canon at this point) to be from the Blackfyre line or faked, the laid seeds of “Aegon Targaryen” are lost in Ashara Dayne’s narrative. Jon Connington spends years in exile raising the “perfect Prince”, only to fail once more, never avenging his silver Prince.  Ashara once more finds herself enveloped in tragedy for someone else’s story.  This ending does nothing but cheapen her original demise.

Fan theories often outline outlandish ideas, too complicated to be solved in the last two ASOIAF books: Ashara was in love with Rhaegar and couldn’t be with him, Ashara was dishonored by Aerys II and had his baby; there’s even a rather unsavory “Brandon Stark and Ashara Dayne” theory I’ll tear apart later.

So where are the textual ties to the stillborn/baby alive theories?

Daenerys has the same eyes. Sometimes when the queen looked at him, he felt as if he were looking at Ashara's daughter …

But Ashara's daughter had been stillborn, and his fair lady had thrown herself from a tower soon after, mad with grief for the child she had lost, and perhaps for the man who had dishonored her at Harrenhal as well. She died never knowing that Ser Barristan had loved her. How could she? He was a knight of the Kingsguard, sworn to celibacy. No good could have come from telling her his feelings. No good came from silence either. If I had unhorsed Rhaegar and crowned Ashara queen of love and beauty, might she have looked to me instead of Stark?

-The Kingbreaker, ADWD

Not a single character factually knows of Ashara’s stillbirth; Barristan, an established unreliable narrator, thinks of how he might have done things differently to avoid the war, and the memory of Ashara’s “child” come rushing to the front. Martin time and time again wants the reader to remember that characters don’t always see things through a “20/20” lens, as seen in Barristan’s thoughts regarding Quentyn Martell.

Prince Quentyn was listening intently, at least. That one is his father’s son. Short and stocky, plain-faced, he seemed a decent lad, sober, sensible, dutiful … but not the sort to make a young girl’s heart beat faster. And Daenerys Targaryen, whatever else she might be, was still a young girl, as she herself would claim when it pleased her to play the innocent. Like all good queens she put her people first—else she would never have wed Hizdahr zo Loraq—but the girl in her still yearned for poetry, passion, and laughter. She wants fire, and Dorne sent her mud.

-The Discarded Knight, ADWD

Dany unrolled the parchment and examined it again. Braavos. This was done in Braavos, while we were living in the house with the red door. Why did that make her feel so strange?

She found herself remembering her nightmare. Sometimes there is truth in dreams. Could Hizdahr zo Loraq be working for the warlocks, was that what the dream had meant? Could the dream have been a sending? Were the gods telling her to put Hizdahr aside and wed this Dornish prince instead?

-Daenerys VII, ADWD

It becomes easy to accept Barristan’s thoughts on Daenerys’ suitors at face value, until we remember Daenerys’ thoughts on Quentyn.  We know that, had he come to the Dragon Queen earlier, it would have been an easy alliance.  Barristan finds Daenerys’ behavior rash when it comes to Daario Naharis, the studly sellsword with nothing to offer her but his weapon and member. But at this point in the story, Daenerys has ceased sleeping with Naharis, and sacrificed personal and political ambitions to keep peace in Meereen.  

Where Barristan sees a young girl choosing fire, he does not know every conflict that plagues her mind, each internal thought she grapples with. The idea that Barristan projected what happened to Ashara isn’t farfetched.  Once more, the reader is given more information than Barristan seems to know - we know that there is more at play in the story than the idea that Daenerys is a silly little girl with silly little girl dreams.  Barristan’s projections on Quentyn sound a lot like “might she have looked to me instead of Stark” come again.

The Baby Swap

“Or was it the grieving sister, the Lady Ashara? She threw herself into the sea, I'm told. Why was that? For the brother you slew, or the child you stole?” -Eddard XII, AGOT

The idea of the Tower of Joy being part of a bigger conspiracy allows  ideas and answers that, while eccentric, are open minded approaches in sifting through text. With the amount of information that we aren’t given, credit where credit is due: some crazy stuff could have gone down surrounding the Tower of Joy.  We just don’t know.  What we can use to reel us in is how the reveal would come to be - and how it affects the overall story.

Some theories go too far.  When the phrases “Ashara + Aerys = Aegon”, “Ashara + Brandon = Jon/Aegon”, “Ashara + Ned = Jon/Aegon” pop up in any which order, I can’t help but cringe.  I say this at the risk of crucifixion, but if you’re with me thus far, some of these ideas are too outlandish to work. Whether you accept the canon of the show, or have actually read the same books we have been reading, Jon’s parentage has been more than hinted at. However this mess pans out,  I feel we’ve come to the point in our adult lives where we can and should accept that Rhaegar and Lyanna are the parents of Jon Snow/Stark/Garyen/Sand.  Ned’s fever dreams, his trauma, sheltering his family and daughters, and his entire AGOT investigative arc loses all emotional resonance when Jon’s parentage is assigned to someone not Lyanna and Rhaegar.  Daenerys’ House of the Undying visions,  Ned’s ferocious love for ‘whoever Jon’s mother must have been’ (Catelyn II, AGOT); they become hollow thoughts on a piece of paper, and not at all how Martin plants and harvests his writings.  

“Prince Rhaegar's friend might have been on hand when my father sacked King's Landing, to save Prince Rhaegar's precious little son from getting his royal brains dashed out against a wall."

The lad flushed. "That was not me. I told you. That was some tanner's son from Pisswater Bend whose mother died birthing him. His father sold him to Lord Varys for a jug of Arbor gold. He had other sons but had never tasted Arbor gold. Varys gave the Pisswater boy to my lady mother and carried me away."

"Aye." Tyrion moved his elephants. "And when the pisswater prince was safely dead, the eunuch smuggled you across the narrow sea to his fat friend the cheesemonger, who hid you on a poleboat and found an exile lord willing to call himself your father. It does make for a splendid story, and the singers will make much of your escape once you take the Iron Throne… “

-Tyrion VI, ADWD

The younger sister of Arthur Dayne gets knocked up in King’s Landing by someone of extremely convenient genetics, and has the child taken away from her - possibly as “the Pisswater Prince”.  Varys, being the one who stole a child from Ashara, switches the babies, and she raises Elia’s son as her own until the time is right.

When the lad emerged from the cabin with Lemore by his side, Griff looked him over carefully from head to heel. The prince wore sword and dagger, black boots polished to a high sheen, a black cloak lined with blood-red silk. With his hair washed and cut and freshly dyed a deep, dark blue, his eyes looked blue as well. At his throat he wore three huge square-cut rubies on a chain of black iron, a gift from Magister Illyrio. Red and black. Dragon colors. That was good. "You look a proper prince," he told the boy. "Your father would be proud if he could see you."

-The Lost Lord, ADWD

Martin highlights Aegon and Rhaegar’s difference in eye color through Connington’s chapters. As PoorQuentyn mentions on Tumblr, Martin drops a Doylist hint for the reader in these chapters: the son’s eyes are not like the father’s - something Connington clings to, refusing to actually confront (“his eyes were a deep purple, darker than this boy's.”-The Griffin Reborn, ADWD).  If one of Ashara’s purposes in the story is to serve as a red herring for Jon Snow’s parentage to the public eye, she can’t possibly fulfill that and some sort of pseudo-mother for F!Aegon.  The truth of the matter: that’s sloppy, and there isn’t enough page-time for it.

Clear pathways lead from the stories of the Rebellion, and unite in current narrative. Elia Martell’s plot lives on through relatives as they seek revenge for the injustice done to their family, but ends in fire and blood through miscalculations along the way.  Lyanna Stark’s tragedy fronts us the savior, and allows us to follow Jon Snow as he transforms into the front line of battle against the Others and the Long Night to come.  Is Ashara Dayne left with no real end to her plot, solely serving purpose as a sacrificial lamb?  Where do her lines lead, and what results because of her story?

The Wild Wolf

"Someone has been down here stealing swords. Brandon's is gone as well."

"He would hate that." She pulled off her glove and touched his knee, pale flesh against dark stone. "Brandon loved his sword. He loved to hone it. 'I want it sharp enough to shave the hair from a woman's cunt,' he used to say. And how he loved to use it. 'A bloody sword is a beautiful thing,' he told me once."

"You knew him," Theon said.

The lantern light in her eyes made them seem as if they were afire. "Brandon was fostered at Barrowton with old Lord Dustin, the father of the one I'd later wed, but he spent most of his time riding the Rills. He loved to ride. His little sister took after him in that. A pair of centaurs, those two. And my lord father was always pleased to play host to the heir to Winterfell. My father had great ambitions for House Ryswell. He would have served up my maidenhead to any Stark who happened by, but there was no need. Brandon was never shy about taking what he wanted. I am old now, a dried-up thing, too long a widow, but I still remember the look of my maiden's blood on his cock the night he claimed me. I think Brandon liked the sight as well. A bloody sword is a beautiful thing, yes. It hurt, but it was a sweet pain.

-The Turncloak, ADWD

If the Rebellion and main text revolve around Lyanna and Rhaegar’s Tower of Joy lovefest - and the bouncing, bundled product of it - there are silly theories we can knock off from the start.  Ashara Dayne and basically anyone producing Jon Snow, for instance.

Passion is a driving force where this Ashara theory is concerned, and hinges on little to no textual evidence, but rather, once more, an easy means to ending Ashara’s plot.  Brandon Stark, the older wolf brother: sexy, arrogant, wooing the tantalizingly ‘hot’ Dornish girl.  First requesting her favor to dance with the solemn younger brother, and later ‘dishonoring’ her in the heat of the night.  Where this theory works as an easy fit (‘had she turned to me instead of Stark, losing a child, killing herself out of grief’)  the finer details fail under examination.

Look.  We get it.  Brandon Stark was a Northern Stud. He hooked up with highborn girls, had long hair, dared to ride to the red keep - with an army - to call out the problematic silver-haired prophecy abiding hipster, Rhaegar Targaryen.  He was “badass”.  Cat knew it, Ned knew it, Barbrey knew it.  But did he really have time to throw one more highborn Lady into his juggling act?

Following Brandon’s timeline, his betrothal to Cat took place somewhere between 276 and 277 AC (Catelyn VI, ACOK).  In 281 AC, Brandon would have been posing as next-in-command for House Stark at the Tourney at Harrenhal, as Rickard didn’t attend - possibly keeping an eye out for an advantageous betrothal for Ned, the middle brother.  With Hoster Tully’s lack of attendance (speculated via the insult of Jaime Lannister’s Kingsguard induction - and not marrying Lysa) there’s no chance Brandon would risk further spectacle.  Brandon, the born leader, was still seeing Barbrey (tourney was pre-wedding date announcement to Catelyn) and betrothed to Catelyn Tully; someone would tell.  Someone always tells.

Some theorists latch on to forbidden love in the dungeons of the Red Keep, and the dates just don’t line up. The only opportunity for Ashara Dayne to get pregnant by Brandon Stark would have been during the Tourney at Harrenhal in 281 AC.  Following the tourney, Elia Martell returned home to Dragonstone, giving birth to Aegon in early 282 AC. Ashara, ‘not long at court’ (The Kingbreaker, ADWD) would make for Dorne; and if rumors were true, pregnant.  Brandon Stark’s famous death at the hands of Aerys II Targaryen took place in early 282 AC in the throne room of King’s Landing.

Ashara’s ‘death’ - and Brandon’s more certain one - is used as a convenient device in these theories.  Without either to give their living word, how can we possibly disprove it?  But at the same time, how can we possibly prove it?  Brandon’s story is over; the songs have been written, the wild wolf has been put to sleep. But Ashara’s mentions don’t fade, like her story has. What would Ashara Dayne’s romance with a very officially dead man, many years ago, add to the narrative?  With Jon Snow’s parentage being of the Dragon and the She-Wolf, and both Ned and Brandon long gone, there would be zero point in any Ashara and Brandon reveal: dead or alive.

Wrapped in Starlight

"If you have some warning for me, speak plainly. What do you want of me, Quaithe?"

Moonlight shone in the woman's eyes. "To show you the way." -Daenerys II, ADWD

Quaithe of the Shadow appears in Daenerys’ POV’s across ASOIAF (ACOK I, II, III, ASOS III, ADWD II, X).   A Shadowbinder from Asshai maintaining a certain amount of mystery, she appears periodically to deliver cryptic messages and prophecies to Daenerys - she even projects herself through the stars.  Where Quaithe is bathed in starlight and enigmas, many speculate the imagery and mystique matches Ashara Dayne, leaving hints to help the Dragon’s daughter.  

Once more, an easy fit from outside - a woman with a hidden identity and lacquered mask, speaking in riddles, never revealing herself to reader or POV character.

Dany had not noticed Quaithe in the crowd, yet there she stood, eyes wet and shiny behind the implacable red lacquer mask. "What mean you, my lady?"

-Daenerys III, ACOK

Much like the Lemore theory, diving skin-deep into the Quaithe as Ashara theory is enough to break it.  Dany mentions Quaithe’s eyes twice - once in ACOK, another in ADWD.  Wouldn’t Daenerys be surprised by and eager to explore Quaithe’s purple eyes, something that would signify some sort of Valyrian connection to her; Daenerys, who yearns for home, constantly craving the company of the family she never knew?

Two direct mentions of Quaithe’s eyes make the page, with zero descriptions of color.  In ADWD alone, Daenerys focuses specifically on Ser Barristan and Missandei’s eye colors.  if Quaithe had anything majorly important about her eyes, the audience would be aware.

Most sinister of all the sorcerers of Asshai are the shadowbinders, who's lacquered masks hide their faces from the eyes of gods and men. They alone dare to go up river past the walls of Asshai, into the heart of darkness.

-TWOIAF

"All sorcery comes at a cost, child. Years of prayer and sacrifice and study are required to work a proper glamor."

"Years?" she said, dismayed.

-Arya II, AFFC

And so the theory goes.  Ashara Dayne, in hiding from the Rebellion, begins training to become a shadowbinder, with 15-20 years under her belt to suddenly become heckin’ mystical, wearing a mask, communicating to Daenerys with a glass candle, haunting her dreams, meeting her in Qarth.

"What feeds a dragon's fire?" Marwyn seated himself upon a stool. "All Valyrian sorcery was rooted in blood or fire. The sorcerers of the Freehold could see across mountains, seas, and deserts with one of these glass candles. They could enter a man's dreams and give him visions, and speak to one another half a world apart, seated before their candles. Do you think that might be useful, Slayer?"

-Samwell V, AFFC

Last of the three seekers to depart was Quaithe the shadowbinder. From her Dany received only a warning. "Beware," the woman in the red lacquer mask said.

"Of whom?"

"Of all. They shall come day and night to see the wonder that has been born again into the world, and when they see they shall lust. For dragons are fire made flesh, and fire is power."

When Quaithe too was gone, Ser Jorah said, "She speaks truly, my queen . . . though I like her no more than the others."

-Daenerys II, ACOK

While House Dayne’s mystical qualities seem to be important, Shadowbinders are of the night.  They work their art in darkness, where Ashara and her immediate family seem to be of the light, Arthur as the Sword of the Morning.  With so little text about Quaithe and House Dayne, this is a theory that’s as  hard to rebuff as to prove.

If Quaithe is using a glass candle to communicate with Daenerys, or at least is aware of the burning glass candles, she is using/seeing a Valyrian method of magical contact; which ...isn’t very Dayne.  Descending originally from First Men, and commonly theorized from the Great Empire of the Dawn, Valyrian sorcery and Shadowbinding both hold one similar trait: House Dayne doesn’t seem to have a history with it.

The woman took a step backward. "You must leave this city soon, Daenerys Targaryen, or you will never be permitted to leave it at all."

Dany's wrist still tingled where Quaithe had touched her. "Where would you have me go?" she asked.

"To go north, you must journey south. To reach the west, you must go east. To go forward you must go back, and to touch the light you must pass beneath the shadow."

-Daenerys III, ASOS

So where does the Daenerys connection come into play?  Did Ashara Dayne hold so much regard for Rhaegar Targaryen - and whatever prophecy may or may not have come into play - that she threw herself off of a tower, faked her death, and dedicated the next decade and a half to becoming a magical sorceress for his sister?  Doubtful - that doesn’t seem to be where her loyalty lie.

The biggest truth of any of these theories? We don’t have enough page time for them.  Whatever Ashara’s fate becomes in the books, the nature of its reveal won’t take up more than a handful of pages - at best.  With eleven mentions (ten by name) in the story, and 155+ plot threads to be wrapped up, Ashara currently has about 850 words surrounding her plot - out of 1.77 million words in the entire story.  That’s far less than 1% of the plot. This story is huge, and while Ashara Dayne played an integral part in the Rebellion - whatever it was - a chapter long reveal of these theories is not in the cards at this point.

[unfolded73]

It’s Chaos, Be Kind (1/1)

Summary: Post 7x08, Wish Hook and Henry (Captain Cobra v.2) have an evening out. 2700 words, Rated G. 

The title of this fic is from Patton Oswalt’s Annihilation, and was apparently the motto of his late first wife. I don’t know how the concept ended up in this fic, but it did.

This fic is for @justanotherwannabeclassic , who wrote a prompt on her blog for something involving Henry getting to know this other version of Killian, and struggling with the fact that he’s a different man.

Taking a deep breath, Henry shifted the entrance flap aside and stepped into the tent. Hook was sitting up on the bed, looking a little less terrible than the last time Henry had seen him.

“Hey,” he said, consciously keeping his distance from the other man. It was still a strange experience, looking at Hook’s familiar face and having to remind himself that this wasn’t the man he knew. Maybe his experience with Regina dividing into two people should have prepared him for this, but that was different. Both versions of his mother had been exactly that: his mother. This man was still essentially a stranger. “How are you feeling?” Henry asked, clasping his hands behind his back to give them something to do.

“I’m all right, lad. Thank you.” With a visible effort, he pulled himself to his feet. “What can I do for you?”

“I was wondering if you wanted to… I mean, I know you don’t drink, but… I don’t know, go into town and… do something?” He shrugged, feeling all kinds of awkward.

Hook raised an eyebrow. “Do something?”

“Yeah. Find a tavern, get some decent food for a change.”

“Seems risky for you to show your face in town, Henry. Lady Tremaine’s soldiers are still looking for you.”

Henry pulled the hood of his cloak up to hide his face. “It’ll be fine. I’m sure you can find a place down by the docks frequented by people who’ll mind their own business, right?”

Hook chuckled. “Aye, I suppose I can.” He seemed to reach an internal conclusion and nodded. “All right, then. Let’s go.”

The ride to the shore via well-hidden forest trails was quiet, as the two men focused on their horses’ footing in the dim light of evening. Hook seemed to know exactly where to go once they arrived at the docks, not hesitating as he dismounted at the hitching post of what appeared to be the Platonic ideal of a seedy, dockside tavern. Henry followed his lead, hitching his horse to the post and tipping a few coppers to the boy who was charged with watching the patrons’ horses.

Keeping his hood up and head down as they walked in, Henry got the impression of a crowded, dank room that stank of stale beer and sweat and tallow candles. The wood under his feet was well worn, and he trained his eyes on the pointy-toed boots of the pirate in his company as he followed Hook to a table in a poorly lit corner of the room. Once seated, Henry took the chance to lower his hood, figuring that keeping his head covered would be more suspicious than just revealing his face. He’d have to hope that no one here was working for Lady Tremaine. By the looks of the dirty sailors who made up the clientele, that was a fairly safe bet.

A bored barmaid worked her way over to their table. Henry ordered an ale and a meat pie, hoping that the meat in it would be marginally edible. Hook ordered the same meat pie but asked for a cup of tea instead of ale. The barmaid gave him a confused look, but she sauntered off without a comment.

Henry suddenly felt guilty for bringing him here. “I’m sorry, Hook,” he said. “I probably should have come up with a better idea than bringing you to a booze-soaked tavern.”

Hook gave him a tight smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Don’t worry, lad, I won’t fall off the wagon just because another man is drinking in my line of sight.”

Not reassured, Henry shrugged. “Still. It’s too bad coffee shops and juice bars haven’t caught on here yet.” The confused frown that appeared on Hook’s face was terribly familiar, a look that his stepfather must’ve given him a thousand times over pop culture references that Killian didn’t understand. It made Henry’s heart constrict to see it. “Never mind,” he said quietly. “Anyway, thanks for coming with me, Hook. I felt like I needed some time away from the camp to think.”

“You can call me Killian,” Hook said. “If you prefer.”

Henry’s heart sank a little. “I… don’t know if I can, actually,” he replied with a wince. “After mom and… the other you got married, I mostly called him Killian. It’s just easier to call you something different. I hope that’s okay. If ‘Hook’ bothers you, I can--”

“No, it’s fine. I understand. I’m a poor substitute for your stepfather, I’m sure.”

“It’s not that,” Henry said, guilt making him want to sink into the floor.

Silence settled, and eventually, the barmaid appeared with their meat pies and drinks. Henry took a grateful pull from his ale, which was better than anything they had to drink back at the rebel camp. The meat pie, on the other hand…

“This is awful,” Hook said, appearing to struggle to swallow the bite he had taken.

“Yeah. Sorry. Wow, I’m just batting a thousand today.”

There was that confused look again. “Batting what?”

Henry again wished for the floor to open up underneath him. “Sorry. It doesn’t matter.”

“All right.”

“You probably regret coming on this adventure with me,” Henry said, grimacing. “I’m aware that Emma put you in a position where you couldn’t really say no.”

The confusion only deepened. “Are you joking? I got to see my daughter again. Even if it was only for a moment, I know now that she’s all right. I couldn’t be more grateful for that.”

Henry’s curiosity about Alice’s origins resurfaced. He settled back against the wall, keeping his face out of the lantern light. “So, you raised Alice alone?”

“Aye. Her mother… abandoned her. If I hadn’t been there for her, no one would have.” He took a sip of his tea. “Giving up my ship to stay behind with Alice when she was an infant was the only choice I could have made. I’ve never regretted it.”

Henry had pieced some of the story together, mostly from what Regina had told him when he and Ella returned from Wonderland. “And she couldn’t leave that tower? How did you manage it? How did you feed her and get clothes for her?”

Wiping his hand over his face, Hook hesitated before answering, and Henry wondered if his questions were too personal. “I made quick trips into town when I had to, although I was loathe to leave her alone. I paid some of the merchants to make deliveries when I could.” He shrugged. “I just… made do.”

Henry’s thoughts went to his stepfather, and how much he valued his relationships with so many people in Storybrooke, from Snow and David to Granny to their own version of Cinderella, and how he seemed to collect allies across the realms who found excuses to visit him or in Ariel’s case, call him on that ridiculous seashell. “That must have been very lonely.”

“It was, but what choice did I have? She’s my daughter,” he said as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

Henry gave him an affectionate smile. “Every version of you is a good father, I guess.”

Hook seemed surprised at that. “Do you think of him that way? As your father?”

Shrugging, Henry shifting in his seat. “I only knew my real dad for a short time before he died, while Killian was in my life from the time I was around twelve. And he was married to my mom -- my other mom, Emma,” he added unnecessarily, “for most of my teen years. So yeah, I guess I think of him as my dad more than I do my biological father by this point.” A thought struck him, and Henry set his ale down with a thunk. “You don’t know who my father was, do you?”

He got an impassive look from Hook in response. “Should I?”

“It was Baelfire. Milah’s son. Milah was my grandmother.”

The shock on the other man’s face was palpable. “My Milah?”

“Yeah. My mom met Baelfire -- he went by Neal at that time -- in the world without magic, which she ended up in because of Regina’s curse. She didn’t know who he was… well, she didn’t know who she was either since she’d been separated from her parents as a baby. It was only much later that she learned he was Rumpelstiltskin’s son.” Hook still looked shocked, and so Henry continued to ramble to fill the silence. “So, yeah, the other you ended up helping to raise Milah’s grandson, which is sort of poetic when you think about it.”

Hook cleared his throat. “Your family tree is complex.” His words were impassive, but Henry could still hear the emotion in his voice at the revelation of Henry’s parentage.

Laughing, he picked up his ale. “Yeah, no kidding.”

“And the other me… was a good father? Or, stepfather?”

“Oh yeah. I mean, we had some tough times, and I wasn’t always easy on him.” Henry grimaced. “Come to think of it, I could be a real asshole when I wanted to be.”

“That is the purview of teenagers, oftentimes,” Hook said.

“Yeah. But in spite of my attitude, he was… he was great. I was lucky to have him in my life. I’m not sure I appreciated it enough when I was growing up, but… now I miss him.” He looked down at his unappetizing dinner, pushing it away. “He was a good person to talk to, particularly when I was having romantic problems.”

Hook narrowed his eyes knowingly. “Is that the reason for this little outing tonight? Are you having romantic problems?”

“Not problems, just… there’s a lot happening, and I thought…” He sighed. “Killian used to know just what to say, and I thought maybe you…”

“Would prove to be an adequate substitute?”

“Okay, well, that makes it sound like I’m using you as some kind of surrogate father figure.” He put his head in his hands. “I’m still the same asshole kid, apparently.”

“You say that like I wouldn’t be honored to listen, Henry.”

Henry closed his eyes. He could almost imagine that it really was his stepfather he was talking to, even though their mannerisms and even their voices were not entirely identical. But this man wasn’t his stepfather, and he’d do well to remember that. They didn’t have the shared history that he had with his mother’s husband. Not only that, but this man’s timeline had diverged decades ago, and different experiences meant he was a different man. Just because they shared the same face and a lot of the same backstory didn’t mean the two Killian Joneses would have the same outlook on the world.

“Come on, lad, tell me what’s troubling you,” Hook said, tapping the table with a finger.

Henry took a deep breath and let it out. “It’s Ella.”

“Ah. Trouble in paradise?”

“No, that’s just it, things are good. Really good. I think… I think I’m falling in love with her.”

Hook raised an eyebrow at him. “So what’s the problem?”

“I grew up with all of these people around me who had these huge, epic love stories. My grandparents -- the other ones, Snow White and Prince Charming -- overcame multiple curses to be together. Emma and the other Killian… I mean, he literally died for her more than once! It’s a lot to live up to.”

“Aye, I imagine it would be.”

“So I left Storybrooke to find that. To find that kind of amazing, life-shattering true love. Sure, I told myself it was to have other kinds of adventures, to see the world and write about it: to find my story. But when I imagined my story, I always imagined myself with a partner. Someone I could maybe have a family with.”

“And perhaps now you’ve found her.”

“Yeah, but have I?” The strong ale on an empty stomach was making him feel a little bit drunk already. “There are so many realms, so many people.” He waved a hand in the air vaguely. “Could I really have found my soulmate, if there is such a thing?”

The exhale that Hook gave him in response was full of exasperation. “What exactly do you think is going to happen when you meet this person, Henry? Is a choir of angels going to come down and proclaim your true love from on high?”

“No, but--”

“I’ve spent a lot of time over the last few years thinking about fate. Apparently, a significant portion of my fate was in the hands of Regina and her bloody dark curse. She doesn’t cast the curse, and I wind up with my wonderful Alice. She does cast the curse, and I wind up in a strange realm married to the Savior.”

Henry blinked at him. “What’s your point?”

“My point is, all it took was one change in something that I had absolutely no control over, and I ended up living a completely different life. I fell in love -- true love, apparently -- with a woman who in the realm of the Wish, I barely crossed paths with. And my beloved Alice never even existed. My point is, it’s chaos. All of it.”

“Great,” Henry said sarcastically.

Hook leaned in, stabbing at the table with his index finger. “It’s chaos, so if you’ve met a woman you love, who makes you feel like if only you could kiss her you’d be able to conquer the world, then for fuck’s sake, don’t waste your life looking for something better. If she’ll allow it, hold onto her and don’t let go.” He leaned back on his seat again. “I only ever knew that kind of love with one woman. The fate of your stepfather tells me that perhaps someday I can know it again. But it’s beautiful and terrible and rare, and if you waste your bloody chance with Ella, then I’ll see you walk the plank.”

Henry gaped at him, and then he felt a laugh bubble up inappropriately. “What plank would that be?”

Hook rolled his eyes. “It’s a metaphorical plank.”

“Ah. I see. A metaphorical plank.”

“Were you this much of a pain the arse of your stepfather?” Hook asked, the pitch of his voice rising in indignation.

“Almost daily.” Henry scratched at the soft wood of the table next to where someone had carved their initials. Beautiful and terrible and rare, he thought, remembering the way Ella’s lips had felt against his. The way his heart tried to trip over itself anytime she passed in front of his field of vision.  “Thank you. For listening, and… for being my friend.”

“Well, clearly you need someone to talk some sense into you occasionally.”

Henry grinned widely. “Clearly.”

Hook sighed and stood up, putting some coins on the table. “Shall we go back to the camp and see if we can scrounge up some decent food?”

“Yeah, we probably should.”

“Perhaps you should seek out your lady love and fall upon her mercy for a hot meal,” Hook said as they exited the tavern.

“Or perhaps I should do the opposite of that and invite her back to my tent for a late-evening meal,” Henry replied.

“Ah, you’re right, that is a better scheme,” Hook said.

Henry made his way over to his horse, patting its neck in greeting. “It’s not a scheme. I’m trying to be nice.”

Mounting his horse, Hook looked over at him. “Thank you for inviting me out, lad.”

“For inviting you to a place where you can’t drink the alcohol and the food is terrible? Yeah, real nice of me,” he muttered as he settled into the saddle of his own horse.

“For sharing a conversation with me, and for caring what I think. It was very kind of you.”

“Well,” Henry said, “someone tells me it’s all chaos. Is there anything else we can do but be kind to each other?”

Hook smiled. “No, I suppose there isn’t.”

[littlealiengrl09]

TLJ Reylo Review/Analysis

First Force Bond Scene- It's interesting how when the moment starts to build up, Kylo is the first one to sense Rey first. He was being tended to by the medical droids so I think he was definitely thinking of Rey in that moment. It's hard to tell if Rey was actually thinking of Kylo in that moment but it's interesting that Snoke chose this moment to "bridge" them. They're both up early in the day but it's like the "force bond" itself was waiting for Rey to wake up in order to activate. Notice how the sun is peeking in again through the wall when it had previously disappeared all together when Kylo was with Han. So much symbolism.

Kylo is visibly spooked and shaken as he can't seem to stop staring at Rey. That little slide he did when he chased after Rey was adorable. While Rey is freaked about the whole thing, Kylo is deeply fascinated by the force bond. I like how he was like, "Can you see me? I just see you." Feels almost like there's a double meaning behind that. And then when he says, "Don't force project yourself, the effort will kill you.", you can tell how concerned he is for her.

The Rain Force Bond Scene- I feel like this scene was very important because Kylo gets to feel Rey's first time touching the rain. Despite the antagonism going on in Rey's dialogue, this feels like such a pure moment because once again, they're experiencing something completely new TOGETHER. Even when Kylo brings up the previous time that Rey had called him a monster, he speaks to her in a calm, hushed tone as if the rain is centering him.

And you can tell that while it hurts him to hear her call him a monster again, he doesn't deny it. Now that they've experienced the force bond a second time, it's becoming clear to Kylo that it's not just going to go away and that they can't ignore each other and that's why he doesn't lie to her about who he is.

The Shirtless Force Bond Scene- Beneath the light of the moon, Rey is just completely flustered to see Kylo is such a state of undress- she literally prefers not to continue the conversation until he puts something on. lol. Kylo just ignores her request and some people like to think that he's just trying to show off but I think it stems from him wanting her to see the physical and emotional mark she has left on him- to face the truth. Which is why Kylo is so open with her in this scene- bluntly telling her her parents threw her away like garbage and that she searches for parental figures in Han and Luke and then reveals his past to her. He wants her to trust him which is why I think he steps closer to her- he wants to close the distance between them- both physically and emotionally.

Hand Touch Force Bond Scene- There was one article that described this scene very well- the closest to a sex scene Star Wars will ever have. It's all there and it's not even trying to be subtle. Rey is completely soaked but the flesh of her shoulders is peaking out from the blanket in an almost sensual way and there's a fire literally sitting between her and Kylo.

Rey is the first one to reach out and Kylo slowly removes his glove as if hes undressing. And in a way he is- it's probably the first time in a long time he's let anyone see his vulnerable. Both he and Rey are touch starved and they can't help but be drawn to one another in this scene.

Rey may have been the first one to reach out to touch Ben but when it zooms in on their hands, they touch fingers at the exact same time. When the camera pulls back, we see that they are both just so into the moment and each other that they've closed their eyes, shut out the world and are entirely just focused on the fire blazing between them.

Lol Then Luke Cockblocker arrives in a way one of the Capulets/Montagues would've reacted to seeing Romeo and Juliet in such a state. I feel like if TFA was Beauty and the Beast then The Last Jedi is Romeo and Juliet.

Rey Delivers Herself to Ben Scene- Rey doesn't even hesitate to literally launch herself at Kylo. lol I love the Snow White reference and we can tell that when Rey arrives, Kylo was already expecting her. He actually takes a few moments to simply gaze down at her and probably reveling at the fact that he finally has her in person.

Elevator Scene- Rey is clearly stunned that Kylo had the Stormtroopers put handcuffs on her but that doesn't deter her faith in him. The way he looks at her when she calls him Ben. And take note that the elevator they're in is quite big but Rey still invades his space the way Kylo did in the shirtless scene. There's just so much romantic and sexual tension in this scene. They both look at each other with such longing. Just as Rey is certain will return to the light, Kylo knows she will eventually turn and stand at his side. And I think this is the moment Kylo decides he's going to Kill Snoke- the one he believes stand in their way of being together. So we know Kylo and Rey want to be together- they just disagree on how they'll be together. Notice How they're both enveloped by light in this scene.

Throne Room Scene- Kylo looked pissed when Snoke suggested he was the one that created the force bond because I really do believe that Kylo thought that it was something special just between him and Rey. Kylo is noticeably quite stoic in this scene and that's because of the "resolve" Snoke saw in his heart. He was careful to focus his mind on something that would please Snoke and was just waiting for the right moment. Rey's torture definitely pushed Kylo to the edge but when Snoke makes Rey kneel before Kylo, he rejects that she is inferior to him in a sense and it's clear that there is no choice to make because he always going to choose Rey.

When Kylo and Rey fight together, it's so incredible. The way Rey stares at Kylo when he kills Snoke and then when they fight back to back. That thigh grab! First Kylo got all touchy with Rey when he put his hand on her back to lead her out of the elevator now Rey goes in for a thigh grab/brush! I love how Kylo is still watching over Rey closely despite fighting off three guards at once. And I just loved the moment Rey tossed her lightsaber as Kylo was being choked. The way he looks at her right then and there as if she's his queen.

Kylo goes on to propose to Rey with fire falling all around the dark room and makes Rey finally face the truth- he parents were nobody who sold her drinking money. She was nothing to her parents and she comes from parentage of nobodies...she's nothing....but not to Kylo. He practically said he loves her and Rey's astonishment is beautiful and heartbreaking. Finally someone wants her and chooses her. And while I'm sure she was tempted by Kylo's offer, I'm glad she turned him down. When they fight for the lightsaber and it breaks, I feel like that was the force acting once again to intervene. The Force doesn't want them to fight but to stand together.

Crait Scenes- Right after Kylo goes completely nuts and orders every gun to be fired at Luke, he actually has to take a moment to sit down. He's operating under so much stress at the moment- he just killed his dad, he's in danger of being caught committing treason and had his heart rejected by his soulmate. Then later on, we find out the force bond is still very much alive between them, offering hope that Kylo and Rey are not going to be able to shake each other off so easily. The dice disappear from his hand the moment Rey shuts Kylo out- the last thing he had of his father and the last piece of Rey (seeing as she takes the Falcon).

For people that think Reylo is over, it's just beginning. Kylo finally got a taste of someone just as lonely as him and he's going to fight to keep his connection with Rey. He has a lot of shit to make up for but I have hope that Ben Solo will return.

[pangolinheart]

Here it is! My long-awaited submission to the @santa-age Dragon Age Secret Santa! This gift is for @errantgoat! She asked for something fluffy or bittersweet from the past of her Warden, Harvey Cousland! I hope this fits the bill! Hopefully I wasn’t too off on the characterization! (Also it’s a bit lengthy so most of it is under the cut!)

Title: Frida Rating: General Warnings: None

Harvey was a born wanderer. That was what Fergus thought, anyways. He had always been a solitary soul. Ever since he was a young boy, he was never happier than when he was alone on the coast. Their father called it “strange” and “irresponsible,” but their mother insisted he just had an adventurous spirit.           

 When he wasn’t roaming the teyrnier, he could usually be found pouring over maps in the castle library, making notations or just envisioning faraway places. That was where Fergus found him now. 

He cleared his throat, as not to startle his brother. Harvey still jumped, wheeling to face him. He relaxed considerably when he saw Fergus.

 It was easy to see where the rumors about his parentage came from. While Fergus looked like a younger copy of their father, Harvey looked nothing like the Teyrn; he had a long face, hawkish nose, and wild dark hair. The only thing that marked him as a Cousland was his eyes – verdant green, just like Eleanor’s.      

 “I apologize. I didn’t mean to disturb you,” Fergus said. “I was just on my way to look at Lorna’s pups. I thought you might like to join me.”                 

Harvey’s face fell. He looked downright miserable. While a litter of mabari pups was always cause for good cheer, these pups served as a painful reminder to Harvey. He had loved Lorna, their father’s faithful hound, as if she was his own. He had known the stately dog all his life. She had practically been his nursemaid. She had doted on Harvey almost as much as his own mother had.    

 She wasn’t supposed to breed – she was too old. But one night she had escaped, and had returned pregnant. Their father had been furious, and that fury turned to grief when the strain of the birth had been more than the aging mabari could take. She had taken her last breath as her pups had taken their first.         

 Harvey had been even more devastated than their father. His anguish was compounded by guilt – he couldn’t remember if he had securely latched her crate the night she escaped. Their mother had assured Harvey that Bryce didn’t blame him, but the icy looks the Teyrn had directed at his younger son made that difficult to believe. The youngest Cousland had tried to take responsibility by vowing to care for the pups, but Bryce was having none of it. He refused to entrust such valuable commodities to his wayward son. Instead, the puppies had been handed off to the kennel master. 

Still, it was clear that Harvey felt some duty to the pups. Despite his obvious discomfort, he nodded. “Alright.” 

The puppies were so young they could barely be classified as dogs. They looked more like exceptionally fuzzy potatoes. Their eyes were barely open, and they were capable of little more than toddling about.

The kennel master insisted that the pair make themselves useful. He handed each a bottle and shoved them towards the whining balls of fur. Hesitantly, Harvey picked up a mewling pup. It was surprisingly warm, and squirmed in his arm. He offered the bottle and the pup was quick to latch on. It fed eagerly, and Harvey marveled at the tiny creature in his grasp. It was hard to imagine that this small lump of fluff would eventually grow into a fearsome war dog. Certainly, the puppies were too small to fill the gaping hole Lorna had left in his heart, but perhaps they could soothe the ache a bit. 

After feeding for a few more minutes, the pup in his arms yawned and shifted. Soon, it was fast asleep. Though Fergus had already moved on to the next puppy, Harvey couldn’t bring himself to put the snoozing dog down. He cradled it and stroked its head while Fergus attended to the other two pups. He only relinquished his burden when the kennel master came to shoo them away. 

After that day, Harvey became a fixture of the kennels. He materialized on the daily to attend to the needs of the litter. At first there was little for him to do other than bottle-feed the pups, sweep out their pen, and the entertain them with bits of string and sticks. The labor was menial, but Harvey took it seriously. While he still mourned the loss of their mother, he carried a certain fondness for the young mabari, and it came as a huge blow when one of the females succumbed to an illness that winter. He hid any tears he may have shed, but everyone could tell how deeply the death affected him. For the first time in more than a month, he disappeared on one of his solo journeys to the coast. Fergus had worried after him, but within days Harvey had returned and resumed his duties at the kennel, as resolute as ever.

As the remaining three pups grew, Harvey spent more and more time with them. He brushed their fur, bathed them, and helped to teach them rudimentary commands. They were quick learners, and were soon ready to move beyond simple tasks like “sit” and “stay”. From there the kennel master took over. He insisted that the training of such noble beasts was too important to be left in the hands of some snot-nosed son-of-a-noble, but allowed Harvey to watch their sessions. After all, the stern-looking boy was nothing if not dedicated.

Harvey was diligent about attending training. He would watch from the sidelines as the pups chased clay pigeons or practiced charging at armored dummies. They had grown to more than half their full size, but still retained their puppy-ish clumsiness. As often as not, exercises ended with one or another toppling head over heels and landing in a heap. Harvey did his best not to snicker while the kennel master threw up his hands in exasperation.Under the tutelage of the kennel master, though, the pups slowly learned the arts of hunting, tracking, guarding, and battling. Harvey with sometimes charged with shouting orders, giving rewards, or even acting as bait. By that point the dogs recognized him and would crowd around him, vying for treats or head scratches.

 The older the puppies got, the more distinct they became. None yet had a name – those would be for their eventual masters to choose – and all were the same mottled brown color, but their unique personalities shone through, making them easily distinguishable. To Harvey’s disappointment, none were much like their matronly mother, who had been wise and dignified. But they were young yet, the kennel master assured him, and may come around.

One of the males was a cautious, watchful dog, always the last to join in games and play fights. He frequently balked at the sound of clashing steel, and was cursed for it by the kennel master. His wariness of strangers, however, made him an excellent guard dog. The other was something of a showboat. He reveled in displaying his talents and the praise he garnered for it. After completing an exercise, he would prance around the field, giving them a chance to admire him. He was a skilled hunter and tracker, but his constant quest was approval was tiresome.

The female was the most vexing of the three. She was mischievous, rambunctious, and particularly slobbery (or so Harvey thought). While she was fiercely protective of her siblings, she would also lead them into trouble. Unfortunately, Harvey noted, she also seemed quite fond of him. Every day she greeted him by jumping up and licking his face until she was shoved off. Whenever he was near the kennel, she would follow him around like a particularly noisy shadow, shoving her wet nose into whatever he happened to be doing. Sometimes, during hunting lessons, she would bring her catch to Harvey rather than the kennel master. She would be scolded by both men, but it never seemed to curb the behavior.

Bryce Cousland disapproved of the time his son spent with the dogs. The fact that Harvey would neglect classes or important meetings to attend to the puppies was a source of endless frustration, and he often complained when Harvey showed up to dinner smelling of mabari. The term “dog-lord,” he mused, had never been so appropriate. Eleanor, ever the buffer between the two, defended Harvey. It was good for the boy to take on such responsibilities. Besides, he was spending more time within the castle walls rather than traipsing about in the wilderness. Bryce begrudgingly agreed, but never missed an opportunity to lecture Harvey about spending more time on his studies and less time playing with the hounds. Harvey was unfazed. His father had never approved of anything he did, and he didn’t expect him to start now. Especially with the loss of his own companion still festering.

 Harvey wasn’t sure when the trouble started, but it came to a head while he lay curled up in his bed late one night. He had been sleeping soundly when he was awakened by a scratching at his door. At first, he thought the sound was the remnant of a dream, but then it came again, this time louder and more demanding. Harvey sat up, torn between fear and annoyance. This was how men died in all the old ghost stories, he lamented.

He lay completely still, barely breathing, for several minutes, hoping that whatever ghoul was lurking at his door would give up and move on. But it was insistent, and the scratching was joined by soft, plaintive cries. It was clear that he would get no peace that night. What was worse, he was growing concerned that the racket would wake his parents. He decided he feared his father’s admonishments more than ghosts.

Rallying his courage, he slid out of bed and grabbed a sword from the corner of the room. Slowly, quietly, he crept towards the door. Taking a deep breath and steeling himself, he swung it open.

He didn’t have time to register what was happening before he was hit with a hundred pounds of smelly, slobbery, mabari. He stumbled back and threw up his arms to shield himself, but it was too late. The dog had its tongue all over his face, stubby little tail wagging at record speed.

 “Gah!” he gasped, pushing the beast away from him. Undeterred, the mabari continued wagging its tail and gazed at him affectionately as he wiped the drool from his face. He instantly recognized the soft, brown eyes and expressive features.

“What are you doing here?” He hissed. “How did you get out of the kennel?!”

The young female just panted at him. He thought she looked pleased.

“You can’t be here!” He insisted, “We’ll both be in trouble if someone finds you here!”

She yawned, unimpressed by the prospect.

Harvey groaned. “Why are you even here?”

At this, the mabari yipped excitedly and pushed past him to jump up on his bed. She circled several times before settling at the foot of the bed and resting her head in her paws.

Harvey stood there mutely, mouth agape. “Oh no!” He spluttered when his mind finally caught up with him. “You are not staying here. No way. This is my room, not yours. You have a perfectly nice kennel to sleep in.”

The mabari whined upon hearing this, but Harvey would not be swayed by the dog’s hurt expression.“Don’t give me that look! Come on, I’m taking you back to where you belong.”

The dog whimpered again and lingered on the bed. Agitated, Harvey affected his most authoritative tone and commanded, “Come!”

Finally, the dog slunk off the bed, head and tail drooping. Harvey couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty, but he stood his ground. “Maybe your master will let you sleep on their bed, but you can’t sleep on mine,” He tried to explain, until he realized he was reasoning with a dog. “Ugh. Let’s just get you back to the kennel.”

The dog dragged her feet the whole way, but Harvey was eventually able to coax her back into the dog kennel and into her enclosure. She cried sadly as he turned to leave, and attempted to follow.“No! Stay!” He instructed. She complied, but continued to whine. When he closed the door behind him she let out a mournful howl. Not wanting to be discovered, Harvey sprinted out of the kennel and all the way back to his bedroom.

The next day he told the kennel master to double check the latches on all the dogs’ pens. 

He hoped that would be the end of it, but Harvey had never been that lucky. The next night the mabari was back for a repeat performance. Once again, he escorted the dog back to the kennels. Undaunted, she returned the next night. And the next. And the next. Soon it was a nightly ritual. For more than two weeks he would wake in the small hours of the morning to the dog pawing at his door. And every night he would drag her back to her own pen.

He was at his wits end. The kennel master, baffled by the young noble’s sudden intense interest in the security of the enclosures, assured him that all the locks and latches were in good working order. She shouldn’t have been able to escape at all! Ignoring or berating the offending mongrel only made her more determined to curry favor with him – a struggle he could sympathize with. He even stopped visiting the hounds altogether, hoping she might redirect her attention. Nothing seemed to work. He had done everything he could think of short of telling someone or leaving her until morning to be discovered. He couldn’t help but think that he had somehow brought this on himself. He didn’t want this father to know that he had somehow psychologically damaged one of Highever’s prized war hounds. As silly as it was, he also didn’t want the dog to be punished.

The midnight disturbances were taking a toll on him, though. He was tired and irritable during the day, and was repeatedly caught nodding off during meals and lectures. The dark circles under his eyes were becoming more and more pronounced. When someone, usually his mother or Fergus, asked him what was wrong, he would simply say he hadn’t slept well. It wasn’t exactly a lie.

 That night had started like any other: with a scratching at his door. Harvey groaned into his pillow, cursing anyone he could think of – himself, the dog, the Maker. His body felt like lead, but he dragged himself to the door and yanked it open to glower at the mabari. She merely wagged her tail in greeting and dropped something at his feet. A gift. He sighed and knelt to pick it up, only realizing what he was doing when his hand wrapped around damp, matted fur.

“Ack!” He spat in surprise, dropping the item – a dead rat. A large one. Lips curled in distaste, Harvey picked the mangled creature up by the tail and held it at a distance. The dog wagged her tail.

“I don’t want this,” He told her, sternly. “This is disgusting. I’m not impressed.”

The mabari’s tail slowed to a stop, and she made a dejected sound.

Harvey sighed and dragged his free hand over his face. This couldn’t be happening. “Where did you even get this?” He grumbled. “Alright, come on. You know what comes next.” The mabari’s ears dropped, but she followed Harvey reluctantly out of the room.

Castle Cousland was eerie at night, with its ancient stone walls and creaky wooden fittings. Fergus had always delighted in spinning ghastly ghost stories set within the castle’s walls. Harvey was well past being scared, though. He was tired, annoyed, and could by now navigate the path between his room and the kennels on even the blackest night.

He paid no mind to the scuttling when it started, either because he was too tired to notice or too tired to care. The sound did not escape his keen-eared companion, however. She halted and sniffed the air.

“Oh, stop stalling,” Harvey said when he noticed she had stopped. He had grown used to her theatrics. He made to keep walking, an unspoken threat to leave her behind, when something scrabbled over his bare feet.

From there, the gates of the Black City burst open. Harvey gasped and stumbled backwards, flinging the dead rat he was carrying into the darkness in his surprise. The mabari took off after the offending critter – an even larger rat – barking wildly. The rat snarled and hissed in return. The ruckus was more than enough to rouse those sleeping in adjacent rooms. Torchlight flooded from cracks under doors to other suites. Harvey bolted after the dog to hush her, but it was too late. A door swung open, and the color drained from Harvey’s face.

It was his father.

“What in the Maker’s name is going on out here?” Bryce Cousland demanded.

Everyone froze. Harvey had a hand on the scruff of the dog’s neck, and what remained of an enormous rat dangled from her jaws. For a moment, nobody knew what to say.

Finally, Bryce broke the silence. “Is that a mabari?” He asked harshly. “Is this the racket I’ve been hearing every night? Is this why you’ve been practically falling asleep with your face in your breakfast?”

“It’s not my fault! I can explain!” Harvey exclaimed.

“Then by all means! Explain why you felt it necessary to sneak a mabari out of the kennels and gallivant about doing Maker-knows-what with it before the crack of dawn!”

“I didn’t!” Harvey’s heart sank. How did he explain this? He knew the truth hardly sounded believable. “She just keeps showing up! I don’t know how, but she gets out of her pen and comes to my door! I can’t get her to stop!”

Bryce scoffed. “Do you really expect me to believe that, boy? Don’t lie to me, Harvey!”

With Bryce’s voice rising, the dog chose that moment to interject, pulling back her lips and growling at the Teyrn. She stepped protectively in front of Harvey as she did so.

The older man’s eyes snapped to the dog.

“She didn’t mean it!” Harvey said quickly, trying to shove the mabari back behind him. She could be a nuisance, to be sure, but he didn’t want her to be treated harshly. He was sure threatening the Teyrn would not be received well.

Bryce looked from the dog, to Harvey, then back to the dog. “Come with me,” He said finally. His tone was calm, but that did little to put Harvey at ease. “And bring the dog,” He added.

Harvey exchanged glances with the mabari. They had little choice but to follow.

Bryce led them to his study, where he lit a few torches and took a seat behind his desk. “Sit,” He instructed, indicating a chair across the table from him.

Harvey sat. The dog came to stand next to him, still eyeing Bryce suspiciously. “Sit,” Harvey parroted the command at the dog. She sat.

Bryce studied his son, and Harvey shifted uncomfortably. “Tell me Harvey,” he started, “What do you remember from Aldous’ lectures about mabari?”

“Mabari are the pride of Ferelden,” Harvey answered automatically. “They were bred by the Formari to be smarter than other dogs. They’re said to be able to understand human speech, though they’re incapable of speaking themselves. They’re powerful, intelligent, and loyal. Fereldens keep them as hunters, guard dogs, companions, and war hounds. Mabari charges are an essential part of Ferelden military strategy.”

“Very good,” Bryce said, taking Harvey by surprise – praise from his father came about as often as the Blights! “Now, do you remember the part about imprinting?”

Harvey faltered, suddenly aware of where this was going and not wanting to believe it. “Mabari choose their masters. Most mabari will bond with one person and serve them for the rest of their life. The process is called imprinting. But I hardly see how that applies –”

“Precisely,” Bryce interrupted. He fixed Harvey with a serious stare. Harvey stared back, swallowing hard.

“Understand, I don’t say this lightly, Harvey. This dog,” He gestured to the mabari waiting attentively at Harvey’s side, “Is yours.”

“Father, you don’t have to –” Harvey started, but was cut off again.

“This is not my decision,” Bryce reminded him. “Nor is it yours. A man doesn’t choose his mabari – his mabari chooses him. This dog chose you.” Harvey opened his mouth to protest, but his father continued, “This is not a gift. At least, not from me. Mabari only bond with the worthy. A mabari’s respect is a mark of honor. Clearly, this dog sees something special in you. That is not something to be taken lightly. Do you understand?”

“Yes sir,” Harvey responded. In truth, he was conflicted. Of course, every Ferelden child dreamed of being partnered with a faithful mabari, but this was not at all how he imagined it happening. What was more, he had difficulty imagining himself partnered with this particular mabari for life. She was nothing like Lorna, and nothing like him. But it seemed he had no choice.

The mabari in question, on the other hand, looked as happy as she ever had. While she remained seated where Harvey had ordered, she wagged her tail and shoved her face into Harvey’s lap. From there she gazed up at him affectionately. Harvey reluctantly patted her head.

“Owning a mabari is also a large responsibility,” Bryce continued. “From now on the care of this dog will fall to you alone. It is your duty to feed her, clean up after her, and teach her. She still has much to learn. You are her master and she will look to you in all things. But more than that, the two of you are partners. You will care for each other. You will rely on each other. This, too, should not be taken lightly.”

Harvey nodded, considering the face in his lap. While it wasn’t ideal, he was determined to make it work, he decided. He would show his father, and the entire castle, that he was deserving of such an honor. He wouldn’t fail this dog as he had failed Lorna. “I understand,” He said resolutely. “I won’t let you down. Either of you.”

“Good,” Bryce said, then paused. He looked awkward. “Look, son, I know I can be hard on you at times but tonight, well… I’m proud of you.”

Harvey was at a loss. He wasn’t sure if he was more shocked that his father was proud of him, or that he had actually called him “son”. He was unsure how to respond to either. All he could manage was a quiet “Thank you.” He hoped his father couldn’t hear the lump forming in the back of his throat.

Bryce seemed equally uncomfortable with the display of affection. They sat in awkward silence for a long moment, before the Teyrn cleared his throat. “Yes, well…. You’re dismissed. Go back to bed. And take care of those maker-damned rats on your way.”

“Thank you,” Harvey repeated. He pushed the dog’s head off his lap and got to his feet. She looked at him expectantly. “Come on then,” he said, stifling a sigh. “Looks like you got what you wanted all along.”

The mabari barked happily and leapt up to bounce after Harvey.

 “One more thing,” Bryce called after the pair. “A mabari needs a proper name.” 

Harvey stopped and considered his dog thoughtfully. He considered her spunk, her mischievousness, her stubbornness. She could be a pest, but she made her dedication and unflagging optimism known. He placed a hand on the mabari’s head and peered into her eyes, willing her to understand him. “Frida,” he declared. “Her name is Frida.” 

[atrophiedcompassion]

the last jedi review

spoiler free: it was overall good, but not as good as it could’ve been. it had about 30 mins of filler and some of the plots execution was less than desirable. certainly needs at least one more viewing for a proper opinion

spoiler full review under the cut

what they did well was near perfection: Luke, Leia, Kylo and Rey were beautifully characterized, their arcs clear, well done, exceptionally emotional and powerful.

First of all, they finally gave Leia the standing she deserved in the new trilogy. it was like Rian Johnson heard my criticism of TFA Leia (no force sensitive mentions, just an old hag they had no clue how to use. it was and remains one of the most disappointing things about TFA) and finally gave her a meaty role, in a way, the perfect way to end Carrie’s work with Star Wars. sure, the travel through space scene was a bit cartoonish, but finally, FINALLY, we were given, shown, FORCE SENSITIVE LEIA. it was emotional, especially that it came after the very clear moment between her and Kylo, when he hesitated in shooting at her ship. it was very clear that they were sensing each other and Kylo’s reaction when the ship was shot after all was also amazing.

her whole role was great, finally the General i had always expected from post ROTJ Leia to be. and even if they didn’t kill her on screen, and it’ll have to be an offscreen death (or who knows...who knows), i think they did conclude her arc remarkably and whatever happens in episode IX it can only finish her participation in a great way. 

the final meeting with Luke, the forgiveness, the closeness, i am so glad they gave us that. the space twins live on, and we were given true closure.

second of all, Luke. LUKE WAS PERFECT. the guilt, the wisdom, the cranky old master behaviour a la yoda in ESB, it was miraculous. every time he was on screen it was emotional and powerful. the awe and fright at Rey’s abilities. his disappointment that she went straight to the dark, that she didn’t fight temptation at all, when it was clear that he had done that all his life and it had cost him so much! i mean, it’s clear that Luke’s resolve in ROTJ is strong, and that he will certainly not cave in to the Emperor’s requests. but now, with his anger at Rey’s easy temptation, it becomes clear to me how much it had cost him to say no to Vader in ESB. at his lowest moment, having just been mutilated, having just learned that his great mentor Obi Wan had lied to him, at the very revelation that the long sought after father was finally before him offering him the world, he still found the courage, the strength and maybe even the weakness to say no. to allow himself to die rather than to fall to the dark side. and then this kid, with enormous grasp of the Force, dives right into the darkness on the first occasion!! the fact that they gave us that on screen was immense.

and then, the final battle, when he displays the most stupendous command of the Force, when he shows Kylo off in a spectacular fashion, that was amazing, it was one of the best moments in the whole SW saga.

the death moment was perhaps a little sudden, because it clearly stemmed from the fight with Kylo, and not later, but it still comes peacefully, and not at the actual, real hand of his nephew.

Now, Rey, her journey was not as spectacular as it was in TFA, but she was the emotional core of the film and in many ways, the only true pure Force sensitive person in the saga. sure, Leia was as pure and free of temptation as possible, but there is something murky about the relationship between her, Ben/Kylo and Han. something happened to Ben to have all that great darkness inside him, and as a comic panel once said, it surely came from her side of the family. Rey can and did dive into the darkness and came out unscathed. she not for one second yields to Snoke nor is she willing to accept Kylo’s offer of joining him to rule the galaxy (at some point in these movies, this has to stop tho. it’s the worst offer in the galaxy ffs! no-one seems to take up on it). she is the voice of reason and the hope the galaxy needs.

the big family reveal is underwhelming for a reason. it’s something Kylo says, it’s her biggest fears that he’s voicing, trying to play with her mind. it may be a misdirection, my dad says, and he’s been right about this (after snape’s “treason” in HP6, he was the first to point out that it may play out differently in the end. plus, should her true, actual, shocking parentage be revealed in the middle film, it’d be too much on the nose copying of ESB. we already had the offer scene and the moment between the dark and the light characters.

Finally, Kylo Ren. first of all, what a pleasure it is to watch Adam Driver perform!! he is magnetic in every scene and you can literally see the conflict in his face. his weirdly beautiful face. i love the guy (i mean, i went to see Silence in the theater, a religious film! starring Andrew Garfield!). i think his arc is tremendous and if my gut feeling is right, they might actually make him the big bad. no redemption. he just follows the darkness through and through. at the start of the movie, he has that moment with Leia, he hesitates, he takes the finger off the button. at the end, he barges full on, take no prisoners kinda way, totally willing to kill every single person in the mine/bunker, his mother included. it’s interesting, because so far it seems that killing Snoke (and not his father or Rey) finally completed his apprenticeship in the dark side, killing the puppet master finally allowed him to go completely dark.

@winteredfall believes there’s the parallel with Anakin, who also made the offer to Padme, to kill the emperor & take over, and in the end he was still redeemed.  but....that was the third movie. this is just the second movie. i think it’d be much more interesting if this guy didn’t get redemption and if he was simply the bad guy. it’d make the character richer, it’d be a departure from the classic SW and it’d show that some people cannot be redeemed. it’d finally take Nu SW into a new direction and the following trilogy wouldn’t have the baggage. (side note: for me, after learning in the prequels what Vader did to access the dark side, aka kill 30 kids, Vader’s redemption in ROTJ is meaningless and unacceptable. for me, Vader cannot be redeemed after we know what he did. he can be forgiven by his son, who doesn’t exactly know the details. but me as the viewer, i cannot forgive him anymore. his son saving is nearly an empty gesture given his actual really heinous crimes. and this is why i hate the prequels, because they ruined Vader for me, arguably the most interesting character of the OT)

the offer to Rey immediately after offing Snoke shows that he never really wanted to be good. he just wanted to stop being manipulated and used. his rage after she rebukes him and takes off is not brattisness, but simply the dark side finally taking over. rage fuels the dark side, anger is the prime motivator, so it all works. and Kylo is a better character for it. and the movie could take the SW saga into a whole new direction. but we shall see.

The Force was finally restored to its original meaning, fuck the midicloridians. Sure, luke’s explanation seems a rehash of Obi Wan’s but it had to be done. also perfect was Luke’s put down of the Jedi and their hubris, it was amazing to see the concerns people had with the prequels, namely the sith emerging during the Jedi’s highest power, addressed and put to bed.

the Kylo - Rey relationship was intense, and heightened, but unlike in TFA, where it did have some dark sexual undertones (Kylo does mind rape Rey and the sexual overtones of that scene cannot be overlooked), this time it had a very sibling vibe. Rian Johnson took note of the unholy Reylo shippers and of the effects of that scene in TFA and turned it around. sure, it was weird that Rey was bashful to see Kylo shirtless (but thank you for the scene nonetheless), but all that malefic sexual energy from TFA was gone here and it felt great.

all their scenes together, be it in the Force, or actually side by side fighting were superb. they have immense chemistry and made it all seem very palpable. also, at the end, where Rey’s leaving in the Falcon and they communicate once more, that was not Snoke’s doing, so their connection IS real, and not “forced” by a higher power.

now, what they did wrong may actually be not that bad on a second viewing, perhaps it needs a little more attention to detail. but so far, the whole Casino plot, get them on the FO ship, Benicio del Toro char, all of that was awful. i understand the political aspect of the plot, of showing the war profiteering and the real reason why the galaxy is still at war, which is highlighted by the fact that at the end, no-one comes to the aid of the Resistance. but the tone of those scenes was all wrong. it was choc full of species, of way too much slapstick humour, cutting away from Resistance cannot get a moment’s respite really awful situation, to Rose & Finn riding blissfully, almost forgetting their mission, on those animals?! it was worth it now that they saved those animals, even if they were about to die and leave their Resistance with no actual hope?! WHAT THE FUCK!! i get why it was liberating for characters like Rose & Finn, who had lost everything and had always been downtrodden, to finally do something rebellious and for themselves, but in the bigger picture of what was happening with the remaining Resistance crew, it was very offputting.

i liked Rose a lot, because she had heart and seemed sharply focused, but then..they gave her some really weird choices. it was almost like let’s give the POC characters something meaningless to do (because they eventually not only fail their mission, but they bring into Resistance secrets a third party who betrays them, leading to a near disaster for the Resistance), while the white characters were given the actual plot, and actual plot resolution. remember, Poe is also mistaken in his plans, and eventually, the white woman Holdo was right all along.

now, let’s get into the open misogyny of Poe Dameron’s character. undercutting even Leia, and causing massive loss (all the bombers!!!) in the opening battle and acting like he was right. disbelief that the heroic Vice Admiral Holdo is a woman (that was such a jarring moment, wtf!!) and not trusting her, and her cautious ways. of course, the plot is awfully trying to make us think Holdo is a bad guy, simply by having her not relay her every decision to an underling, which she should do why!??! (because he is the man right?) the reveal is just awful and even if i read somewhere that some folk like how the second in command is bad trope was subverted, Holdo was highly mistreated by her inferior and we can only understand that it was because she was a woman.

why they chose to portray Poe this way, i don’t know. but the whole plot was very very poor and even if the end is quite satisfying, as Holdo’s cautious, womanly plan actually works, she saves the day, and Poe’s manly action plan fails, it still begs the question why was this whole plot necessary!?

what was also filler was the minute rivalry between Phasma and Finn, absolutely pointless. also, i know Finn / John Boyega is a main character, but after giving him a horrible plot, him sacrificing himself would’ve been a little more satisfying than him being “saved” by Rose out of love. that whole romance came out of nowhere! of course, with Finn sacrificing himself we wouldn’t have the epic Kylo - Luke confrontation, still the resolution of Finn’s sacrifice could’ve been better. Also, this romance feels made up just so they wouldn’t have to “ship” Finn with Rey, even if for sure, they have far better chemistry, an actual story together and real feelings for each other. maybe i am just looking into this from an inappropriate angle, but it did somehow bothered me that they aren’t willing to let Finn/Rey happen. while i certainly don’t ship anyone in the new movies, some chars have obvious chemistry together while some don’t!

finally, who is Snoke!? his death probably robs us of any possibility of finding out who he was. i mean, this guy seems far more powerful than the Emperor even, so where did he come from? was he another hidden apprentice!? was he the emperor in a new disguise!? was he just some random dude who happened to be exceptionally good with the Force? how could he come to power when Luke/Vader ended the sith in ROTJ!?! all these questions might never receive an answer. i mean, the whole Casino scene proves why an organization like the First Order can prosper and exist in the first place, as war is profitable as fuck. but there’s no explanation for this Force sensitive ultimate bad guy. ugh!

now what was truly atrocious: all the animals, the 4 tittieded animal Luke milks (blue milk! but are they telling me this is where Beru also got the milk? because for sure those creatures didn’t look like desert dwellers. and if it was imported, no wonder they were poor LOL), the island caretakers, the porgs, the animals Rose & Finn ride, all the Casino creatures. filler filler filler. this is pure disnification and it sucks

BB8 was also just awful. he was given R2D2 in ROTS powers, remember how bad it was when R2 started flying?!? BB8 showing up in the Imperial pacer was worse!! a true great reveal would’ve been if it was the BDT char coming to an unlikely rescue minutes after selling Rose & Finn out, but no. it had to be the wonder robot! how did he get up there in the first place!? that was horrendous. and i will finally say it. i hate BB8. i didn’t like it in TFA, but here i hated it. god!

and finally, the marvel type jokes seconds away from a highly emotional/intense moment. i understand the technique and even in marvel movies it is sometimes hit and miss, but in the tonally dark TLJ, where the resistance cannot catch a break, are taking loss after loss, with less and less hope and more and more deaths, these cute moments don’t fit at all. SW needs humour, even in its darkest movies, but not this type of humour. give us something else. or at least, give us the joke after the tears have started flowing, and not when they’re just still brimming in the eyes, that is not too much to ask!

overall, this is a 8.5 i would say, even if i have a lot of criticisms, the action scenes are brilliant and it has some real, amazing, SW-like moments.