#especially with other Star Wars fans who should know this
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inquisitor-apologist · 2 years ago
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All right guys, since apparently no one gets it: Star Wars has THREE continuities. Each continuity has different rules, interpretations, and canon, and you cannot, CANNOT use evidence from different continuities to support your argument, because those are different timelines. Let me explain:
Continuity 1: High Canon/Lucas Canon
The most Canon of the three Canon continuities, High Canon includes everything that George Lucas, creator of Star Wars, actually worked on. High Canon is absolutely tiny compared to the other two continuities, and it is a part of both of them, since it is foundational and central to the Star Wars universe. All High Canon is Canon, but not all Canon is High Canon. High Canon includes the Original trilogy, the Prequel trilogy, and the Clone Wars. Novelizations (except Revenge of the Sith, as Lucas worked closely with Stover on that one) are not really considered High Canon. Deleted scenes and storylines from TCW and the trilogies are not considered High Canon, since they didn’t make it to screen, but can generally be used to support, inform, and expand pieces of High Canon that did make it to screen.
TLDR: High Canon is everything George Lucas made. It includes TCW, the PT, and the OT, and is Canon to both other continuities.
Continuity 2: Legends Canon/The (old) EU (extended universe)
The largest of the continuities, Legends includes everything outside of High Canon written for the Star Wars universe from the creation of Star Wars to the Disney buyout of Lucasfilm. Everything (not High Canon) created from the 70s to April 25, 2014 is considered Legends. Legends has its own timeline for Star Wars, and has distinctly different interpretations of the characters, worldbuilding, and magic system (The Force) than either High Canon or Disney Canon. While some ideas from Legends might show up in or influence Disney Canon, but all of Legends is decanonized and exists in a separate timeline from Disney Canon. Legends includes the Knights of the Old Republic video games, the original Thrawn Trilogy, the Jedi Apprentice series and many, many others. No new content is being released in the Legends continuity, and I don’t think there are any plans to make more. No, you cannot support your argument about George Lucas’s intentions with the Jedi (or whatever) with Legends material, because Legends is not Canon to Lucas’s Star Wars.
TLDR: Legends is every piece of non-High Canon Star Wars media up to April 25, 2014. It wasn’t made by George Lucas and isn’t canon to Lucas’s Star Wars. Its timeline is distinct from both the Disney Canon and High Canon timelines.
Continuity 3: Disney Canon/Current Canon
The newest of the three continuities, Disney canon is the only one actively being created and added to. It contains all Star Wars material created since April 25, 2014. Disney Canon was created to reboot the Star Wars Extended Universe and create a new timeline. Disney Canon generally tends to stay closer to George Lucas’s intentions and interpretations of Star Wars, but it is no more canon to Lucas than Legends is. Disney Canon’s timeline, worldbuilding, and interpretations of High Canon all exist separately from Lucas’s Star Wars. Disney Canon often takes inspiration and ideas from Legends, but that does not recanonize Legends or anything from it. You cannot support your argument about Rebels (or any other part of Disney Canon) with evidence from Legends, as they exist in separate timelines, with separate characters. (Yes, even if they are the same character. Legends Obi-Wan is different from Disney Obi-Wan and Lucas Obi-Wan. Different timeline, different context, different interpretation.) Disney Canon includes the Sequel Trilogy, Star Wars: Rebels, The High Republic, and many others.
TLDR: Disney Canon is every piece of Star Wars media made under Disney. It wasn’t made by George Lucas and isn’t canon to Lucas’s Star Wars. Its timeline is distinct from both the Legends and High Canon timelines.
This rant is brought to you by someone supporting their analysis on the Jedi Order in Rebels with Knights of the Old Republic 2. Please don’t do that.
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coffee-fueled-cookie · 24 days ago
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The Eltingville Club as parents
Josh Levy
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Is a girl dad through and through (trust me guys, all fat guys should be girl dads)
Probably grows up to be a big fan of anime, but they'd both share a love for Star Wars. They watched the spin-off cartoons and movies, and she definitely dragged him to the new movies
He has tried to sit and watch through her animes, didn't like the cutesy magic girl ones until he actually sat down and watched Madoka Magica
Does enjoy Dragon Ball Z, so trust he put her on that
As for his collection, there are still important pieces that he keeps in cases, he probably has a space dedicated to them, maybe his office, but if something just simply won't gather value overtime then he for sure passes it off to her
This resulted in him crying over a chewed up Darth Vader doll (she was teething)
If his daughter grows up to wanna do cosplay he's definitely gonna have to straighten up about hus behavior, if he imagines guys like Bill talking about girls like his daughter??? Oh god, he'll have a heart attack
Took her to her first comic-con and basically hovered the whole time. Did, in fact, knock the mask off some pervy storm trooper
They've definitely had the problem about him being so stifling and protective, he feels a lot like his mom amd thinks about her a lot
Jerry Stokes
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Oh brother, like father like son, those two are absolute dorks through and through, his clone basically popped out of his wife
As soon as his son is old enough, Jerry is hopping on making him a character sheet. He's teaching him Magic the gathering, painting him little miniatures
Was the dad that made his kid pick a Pokémon starter on the 1st birthday
Jerry has since found his place and enjoys the friends he has, but having someone so close that he can understand him and vice-versa is refreshing, especially since it's his own kid
They go to ren-fair for sure, the costumes are suuuppperr dorky, but it's fun
Jerry definitely struggles with his kid growing up and going off and doing his own thing. He definitely worries about who his kid is making friends with
He just doesn't want his kid making the same mistakes he did, even if his kid has proved that he can make good choices and make good friends
Bill Dickey
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Oh god, everyone run, it's Bill, but a girl
Yeah, he has a daughter. No one knows how tf it happened, but it did
She's super bossy, super particular, and it's hell on earth, especially because he ends up wrapped around her pinky
Divorced dad core, definitely not married to the woman that had his girl
Surprisingly very present though
She's into Star Trek and mostly everything he's into, but on top of that, she's probably doing amazing academically
Raising a feminist, and he can't give credit to himself
Probably got it from mom
While she's terrible and has his nasty attitude, they actually get along too well
Bill, at some point, finally drops that femoid crap, it's hard to unlearn but it happens
Does that mean he's a feminist? No.... They still fight as much as they get along, especially because he can kinda put her down and doubt her a lot, doesn't help she's his kid
'I know better than you' mindset, it's not good
The fights don't even get resolved, they just choose to forget and next thing you know they're bonding over some old ass show Bill watched as a kid
It's exhausting but hey, they make it work somehow
Pete Dinunzio
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(If this shit went accurately, he probably pumped and dumped, so he wouldn't be raising his kid)
BUT LET'S IMAGINE OTHERWISE
The dad that picks up his son every other week/weekend. It's always awkward the first half hour, but usually, he lightens up
He has for sure fought with mom about the stuff he keeps in his house
It's mostly posters from rated r films and the occasional prop from Sick Mofo
Finally, he just throws all the shit in one room and calls it an office, as for keeping it locked? He doesn't think that far
"The fun parent" or rather the enabler. He kind of encourages bad behavior, the guy to be like, "You can drink/smoke as long as it's at the house."
If his kid ends up into the shit he's into, then awesome for him, if not? He's kinda indifferent
Fell asleep once while watching his boy as a toddler, woke up to the police at his door and holding his kid (he didn't lock the door and the toddler ran out)
If they all met up again as parents, the other kids would probably be advised not to hang around him
Not because he's like a predator, he's just a bad influence, and his boy probably grew up alongside those influences and wouldn't be very nice or sympathetic either
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thankskenpenders · 9 months ago
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After a recent interview where Iizuka said it was possible for IDW characters to show up in the games, I've seen some discussion about how the characters need to be introduced "the right way" for people who don't read the comics. And, like, this is obviously true to some extent. You want to convey why people unfamiliar with them should care about these characters, instead of just assuming everyone already knows who they are and their whole backstories and everything. (Anyone who's watched Disney+ Star Wars already has some easy examples of times where they were like "you guys already know this character from the cartoons, right?" and casual fans were completely lost.) But I think people are overestimating how much work this would actually take, especially people who argue that the characters need full-blown reintroductions in the games that depict their backstories all over again and treat them as characters Sonic doesn't already know
I think it's easy to forget that not everyone who plays Sonic games has played every Sonic game. Kids especially. Every single major recurring character in the games debuted before today's generation of Sonic kids was born, and as such every new game is someone's introduction to those characters. The games with the introductions for the Chaotix, Blaze, Silver, Omega, Cream, the Babylon Rogues, Fang, Mighty, Ray, etc. are straight up not available at all on modern hardware without resorting to emulation. To many people picking up Team Sonic Racing or Mania or whatever, those characters are already some random characters Sonic apparently already knows from some previous story. These are not things that every single person who picks up a new Sonic game is intimately familiar with. And yet the games don't feel the need to stop and recount their entire backstories every time they appear.
Also, like, even if you have played every single game, Sonic already has a long history of introducing new characters with little to no fanfare, often treating them as characters Sonic has already met. Core characters like Tails, Amy, and Metal Sonic were really just dropped into Genesis era sequels with no explanation for people who didn't read the manual (i.e.: most players). Sonic has a kid sidekick and a girl who has a crush on him and a robot duplicate now, just roll with it. The modern era would continue to do this with characters like the reimagined Team Chaotix, or Orbot and Cubot, who just appeared in the games one day with no setup. We got along just fine.
(This is to say nothing of the nature of the creative medium the IDW characters originate from, where every new comic arc is treated as somebody's first and supporting characters are periodically given reintroductions to get newer readers up to speed. We've been over Whisper's backstory multiple times now.)
Again, obviously I do want characters like Tangle, Whisper, and Surge to show up in the games with compelling introductions that do the characters justice, but I think people are overthinking how much effort that actually takes. You do not need a whole elaborate adaptation of Whisper and Surge's backstories in the games just for them to have a cameo. You can have Sonic already know them, and if the details are even relevant you can convey that stuff in other ways - brief exposition in the dialogue, context clues, in-game character bios, new stories that showcase their important character traits without 1:1 recreating the stories that have already been told, out-of-game promotional videos and animated shorts like the ones they did to get people up to speed on who the hell Fang is, etc. This is pretty basic stuff when writing for a long-running multimedia franchise.
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jweekgoji · 2 months ago
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hellooo, i love your work, especially the yan! d-16!! i wanted to ask, could you pleasee write something for starscream from tfone? i think he'd be such a good yandere and i'd love to read some for himm, thank youu!
Yandere!Starscream/Reader [TFO/hcs]
tw: yandere behavior, power dynamics, very brief mentions of violence, jealousy, slightly masochistic!Starscream at the end. word count: ~1250 additional tags: cybertronian!reader, high guard!reader, gender-neutral!reader. a/n: I tried to keep it neutral, so I didn't make reader only a part of High Guard or a part of the main 4. There are some discussions from both sides, so I divided it to not confuse you. Thank you for your request~
Starscream is such an interesting yandere to be honest; it's almost sad that he has got less screen time than it was intentionally planned.
Yandere!Starscream is living for praise. Basically, like the most if not all Starscream variants in different universes, he's a sucker for a compliment or two, especially if it's from the person he deeply admires.
↑ TFO!Star is a leader of the high guard, he was used to working closely with the 13 Primes, and it is no surprise how other bots like B-127, who had the chance to know about this time period, are absolutely devoted to him. He's probably been on par with Sentinel before the latter became the leader of Iacon.
>> Regular Cybertronian!Reader
↑ But there should be a good, clear line between being a fan and being an unbearable. If you get too close, too pushy or talkative with him, and he just barely knows about you, Starscream might as well just shut you up completely so you wouldn't bother him anymore. Yandere or not, he's not falling in love easily; even then, he's not shy to use force whenever he seems like it.
That is because Yandere!Starscream is very careful about who gets into proximity with him, and with an attitude of a wild cat, he's quick to snap at you the very first moment you try to do something, even remotely reminding him of suspicious.
↑ Yandere!Starscream is a paranoid leader, in some way. It doesn't matter if you're a part of the high guard or the newcomer that just received your cog only some hours ago. It's difficult to get his trust, and it's more difficult to even try to calm his mind.
>> High Guard!Reader
↑ I feel like, apart from praise, another way to get his spark is to actually listen to what he orders you to do. That is something they both share with Sentinel, but unlike the False Prime, Starscream is not as much of a control freak as Sentinel is.
↑ Yandere!Starscream has to know that everything goes well. Because he is actually concerned about the well-being of the group, but more importantly, he doesn't want anything to happen with his lover.
↑ He knows how dangerous exploring the surface is, and every time they're trying to sabotage the meetings between quintessons and the new ruler, the chances of getting caught, imprisoned, and even executed are incredibly high.
↑ Yandere!Starscream is especially protective towards his high guard!reader, but I do not see him overprotective to the point he doesn't let you leave their hiding place and force you stay inside instead.
↑ He's been leading the high guard for 50 or so cycles, and even though they had to resort to hiding most of the time, it's still impressive that they hold back for so long. Low on energon, far away from their home, and only themselves to rely on. Starscream might not be the perfect leader he wants to look like, but he's aware of how strong his comrades are, and you're no exception. 
↑ In my opinion, he's pretty bearable yandere if you know him long enough. Sure, he has his moments or two, where a wrong glance in your way from the others might scream 'right in front of ME? how dare you!' in his head, leading it all to more conflicts and unnecessary violence. But he's an old, war-torn mech, a veteran, with the biggest enemy which is his own tongue, sometimes.
↑ Yandere!Starscream with his high guard!reader is possessive. It starts with the small things first. From the time you first joined the high guard, you were his. His subordinate, first, his right hand. It's hard for him to let go of the fact that he warmed up to you. He's not entirely heartless or cold, as someone might think, but he's not the one to show any sort of affection.
↑ Another reason for him to get more agitated and annoyed once D-16 challenges his authority. Not only that will hurt his ego, but it will also shatter the image he worked so hard to build up. Such an embarrassing sight, watching your now ex-leader beaten up by a young, inexperienced bot who only left the mines for a day or two.
↑ Megatron should be lucky because you might actually prevent a few murder attempts by talking Starscream out of it. Somehow. Yaay?
>> Regular Cybertronian!Reader
↑ But you cannot convince me Starscream doesn't have at least a tiny thing for bots who are able to put him down at his place.  You know, similar to how Rhinox scared off poor Dinobot when the latter got too high of himself, hehe.
↑ Yandere!Starscream doesn't even pay more than a few seconds of his attention towards regular Cybertronian!Reader. He already has enough of troubles on his shoulders, and now, he has to deal with some colorful bunch of gobots?? Primus, what a life.
↑ Yandere!Starscream might act all high and mighty in front of you, given his high position and connection to the Primes in the past. A walking legend right in front of you. It will be so amusing to see his face redden, a pair of wings bristling at the sight of some youngling being so ignorant and disrespectful.
↑In some sort of way, you're a challenge to him. An unexpected, bratty and with a clear lack of interest towards the older bot. It's totally not what he wanted, expecting at least some amount of fear for your and your friend's well-being after the high guards caught you.
↑ How surprised he was when you answered him with the same sharpness. The bright scarlet optics widen for a moment, then narrow. Oh, the audacity...! Your friends can only stare at you anxiously, glancing back and forth, when suddenly, your conflict only just flares up, and now a fight is all but inevitable.
↑All that counts is the strength of one bot over another, to quote his own words. As you pin the poor bot to the cold floor, feeling his digits desperately digging into your heated metal. You notice nothing more than surprise, a hint of fear perhaps, but this fleeting display of submission is simply impossible to ignore.
↑ Yandere!Starscream, after the breaking point, is especially attentive to you. He constantly looms somewhere behind your back, watching you closely like a hawk. It's hard to read his true motive behind the picture of indifference and skepticism, but some part of him really wants to help you.
↑ You are very careless in his opinion, naive in most decisions, and desperate for his guidance. Yandere! Starscream is the only bot in the old high guard who can criticize you. Otherwise...how dare they say anything in your direction!
↑ He can play nice in front of you if he wants to, only to try to attack you at the most unexpected moment, anticipating that finally this time he can repay you in kind for the shame you've made him feel. But at the end of the day, it's hard to know if he's doing it just to come crawling back to you on his knees begging for forgiveness or if he finds some kind of strange pleasure in it.
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Freak.
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lilac-5ky · 1 year ago
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always darkest before the dawn (Satoru x Fem!Reader)
plot: your boyfriend finds you waiting on his porch after a mission you warned him against going.
tags: hurt/comfort with a silly ending cause I'm silly for this man.
wc: 2.4k
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“Baby? What are you still doing up?”
The sound of his voice gets amplified with every step he takes toward the dim-lit engawa, a pleasant break from the incessant chirping of the cicadas slowly being traded for that of the first morning sparrows—midnight sky melting into the lightest shades of blue. Stars are sprinkled over the velvet canopy like powder sugar, a subtle bronze haze dividing the horizon from the heavens above, and you almost thank them for sending their most exalted angel your way.
He comes alive again—wings heavy from the blood that soaks them, its source hardly human.
The knitted blanket slides off your shoulders as you turn around to face Satoru, his otherwise sublime features wearier and more haggard than you remember seeing them this morning by your pillow. He carries a bag in each hand, his apology wrapped in layers upon layers of aluminum foil. You wonder what it tastes like. Last time was gyoza, and the time before that drunken noodles—always accompanied by some sort of dessert from some faraway corner of the map, which he (typically) promises to revisit with you.
“Welcome home.” You sigh, mustering a smile to distract him from the dried-up tears that stain the apples of your cheeks.
It was a long night, and his absence stretched it to eternity. You realized after he left for his mission that forever is a long time to be spent alone, especially when the last words you said to him echo harder than the cumbersome footsteps of his departure, scaring you into thinking that was the last you heard of each other.
No one ever told you that being with the strongest meant becoming stronger yourself.
It’s not fair.
He doesn’t miss the opportunity to call you weak, making a habit of teasing you when your puny arms fail to carry his excessive haul of grocery bags or when you can’t open a mere jar of jam without him loosening the cap beforehand. He doesn’t admit you are stronger than him, despite you being the one to carry his burden and your worries, the two brewing into a sickly cocktail of premonition you can barely stomach—one that initiated today’s fallout.
You feel wronged. Your roles were reversed against your will; the comfort of being the weak one viciously yanked from your grasp, feet forcefully put into a pair of shoes you were never meant to wear. You should be weak. He should be strong. You should be crying, and he should be comforting. You should be able to tell him, don’t go, and he should be able to stay.
But you didn’t. And he did not.
Unaffected by the war of contradictory motions in your head, Satoru plops down beside you, large palms emptying of the cheap plastic handles to fill up with you. The thrill of the fight still hasn’t worn out, muscles taut from the action, and eyes bright under their concealment. He feels warm, warmer than the blanket that’s now receded to your thighs, though not warm enough to appease the cold in your heart, goosebumps prickling your skin from the inside out like your body is trying to escape itself.
A lump forms in your throat from where his lips touch your neck, briefly and fleetingly, before they are replaced with the familiar fluff of hair. It’s ironic how he tries to fit in you. There isn’t a part of you that hasn’t been touched by him in one way or another, and if you could pull out your own guts to make more space for him, then you would. You’d let him consume you whole if that meant never spending a second without him.
You wonder if that’s how love is supposed to be. You aren’t sure. You don’t know if you’re just another person who foolishly let themselves worship Gojo Satoru—if, in your effort to get to know the real him, you became his biggest fan.
“You are abnormally quiet.” You point out, instantly hating how ragged your voice sounds. The only dissonance in the picturesque garden of his estate.
Satoru shifts in his position, heavy jaw rubbing sweetly against your bare shoulder, hot breath fanning your neck. “I’m just mimicking you.”
“Mimicking me?” A bit better this time.
“Mhm.”
You glance at him, following the curve of his nose down to the dip of his cupid’s bow, both highlighted under the waning moonlight. Even when the stars are slowly drained and those flattering shadows dispelled, his beauty remains a certain constant. He is so beautiful that your heart aches, a longing sigh caught at the far back of your palate, his soft smile begging for its release.
He won’t hear you say it. Not tonight.
You test out the waters with a teasing poke of your tongue. He does the same, mouths almost touching with how closely he leans forward. Then a pout. A scrunch of the nose. An unserious wiggle of his eyebrows that mirrors your own—an image far more perfect than the one you’re used to seeing in the mirror.
“Would you jump down a cliff if I did?” You taunt.
“Absolutely!” He breaks the loop, answering in less than a heartbeat. “You know I would. The world would be a horrible place without my sugarplum.”
“You know, you could save us both if you wanted.” You say with a level voice.
“The greatest love stories are sealed by tragedy.” Satoru argues back. “Romeo and Juliette. Jack and Rose. Orihime and Hikoboshi. Takeru and Hikari.”
You are quick to spot the odd one out. “First of all, stop sneaking in Digimon references thinking I won’t notice, and second of all, Takeru and Hikari didn’t die.”
“No, but they never got together.” He frowns.
You roll your eyes. “You are unbelievable.”
“And you’re soooo pretty. Did you do something to your face? Your dark circles look extra dark tonight.” Satoru tries to catch your cheek in his palm, fine sand slipping through his fingers as you pull away.
“Shut up!” Your mixed chuckles course through your body, reigning over the tremors that previously had you shriveling into a ball of tightly packed limps. Staying mad at him is impossible when he’s actually there; all mood for poignancy gone in an instant.
“You never answered my question.” A featherlight hum brushes against the shell of your ear, the pout easy on his tone. “What are you still doing up?”
With a knowing smile, you peer at the sky, feeling the press of his cheek on yours as he follows the movement of your eyes. “Whenever I miss you, the only thing that calms me is looking at the sky.”
“You know I’m not dead, right?”
“Say one more stupid thing, and that will change!” You warn with your pointer up. He kisses it. God.
You tap your finger against his forehead, urging some distance be put between the two of you. “Whenever I look at the sky,” you start again, “I see you.”
Breaking from his embrace, you shape two circles with your thumbs and forefingers, narrowing their size until they turn into a pair of minuscule goggles you lower over to where his eyes supposedly lie behind the blindfold. “See? Just like your eyes.”
“Oh, I’m not too sure about that.” Satoru gazes at the sky through your fingers, eventually tipping in your direction. He smirks, “I mean, the eyes of the Gojo Satoru are kinda hard to beat. See?”
Peeling the blindfold off, he lets your palms spread over his cheeks, azure eyes losing their vibrancy as your dainty fingers frame them better than any pair of sunglasses in his collection. He’s right. The original cannot compare. It’s not Satoru’s eyes that resemble the sky. It’s the sky that resembles his eyes, for in his 28 years, he’s managed to make something as ancient as time itself seem like a cheap rip-off.
“But I am flattered.” Warm palms cushion yours as he brings them to his mouth. You don’t realize how frigid they are until he starts blowing the cold away, smiling against them. “Means I’m always on your mind with how often your head’s in the clouds.”
“Can’t go one minute without bringing me down, huh?” Your voice frail once more.
“I can. But where’s the fun in that?”
You pull each other into a gentle kiss, Satoru’s arms snaking around your waist while your fingers cup his cheeks with urgency, fearing that by the time your eyes blink open, he’ll already have faded into stardust. He doesn’t share your concern, soft pecks interrupted by muffled chuckles, the taste on his lips giving you an idea of what he brought home with him.
“Pancakes?” Your tongue drags against his bottom lip. Foreheads pressed against one another.
“Mhm. Figured you’d be hungry for breakfast at this ungodly hour.” Satoru pecks your lips again and again, making it impossible to think straight, let alone answer, given how often your mouths are smashed together.
“How did you know I’d be up?” You breathe out.
“Hmm, a premonition?” He grins, playing with fire with how he mocks your previous words of concern. “My six eyes—”
“Do your six eyes tell you that you’ll be smacked in three, two, one!”
Limitless activates before your forehead can ram into his skull, the number of times you bob your head futile.
“One of these days, my anger will outdo your technique.” You promise.
“Can’t wait for that!” Satoru beams earnestly. “Maybe then I can teach you about domains too. Make my baby into the best—well, second-best sorcerer.”
Truly impossible.
The world quiets down as the final veil of the night is lifted from the sky and dawn begins its dance, everything it touches slowly coming into life. Light seeps between the yellowing grass blades, illuminating the morning dew that rests upon them. Water sparkles as it pours from the bamboo fountain, the constant thump setting the tempo for the birds’ song. Fragrance is drawn out of the towering pine trees, grounding the elegance of the showy blue hydrangeas. No room for despair in this imagery of hope, complete with Satoru’s presence, white lashes fluttering shut as he stretches like a cat in the sun.
You love him.
You know you do. You mean it every morning and every night when he makes you say it in between chuckles, slender fingers tickling the admission out of your ribs. You mean it when he moves heaven and earth to fulfill a stupid promise you made at 4 AM when you were drunk out of your mind and he tucked you into the comfort of your shared bed—somehow less sober without a drop of alcohol in his system.
You mean it when there’s sand in his eyes, when his breath doesn’t smell as peachy as one would expect of someone as ridiculously perfect as him, when his voice cracks during a sing-along. You mean it when his tongue licks the luscious coffee cream from your lips and when it greedily laps between the puffy lips down under.
There is so much you love about him that you’d run out of synonyms for words before you could jot them all down in a way that’s not dull to read, and still, you’d lose out on describing how exactly he makes you feel.
Because Satoru isn’t a person, so much as he is art. Sometimes he is just splash of colors across a canvas without the masterful strokes needed to hone him into a finished product. Other times, he is just the notes composing the wonderful lilt of his voice, too audacious to be deemed a symphony. He can be poetry too, spilling out of the ordinary 17-syllable arrangement of a haiku. But most of all, he is raw energy, an untamed torrent ripping through mountains and a whirlwind sweeping everything in its path.
It’s hard not to romanticize him in moments like this. They don’t come too often.
“You know, you don’t need tragedy to write a good love story.” Your tendency to break the silence festers into a bad habit. “We might be doomed by the narrative, but we are here to live. I’d rather live with you than die with you, or live a life without you.” You whisper, voice getting caught in your throat.
Sincerity always scared you, but if there’s one thing more regrettable than words you’ve said, then that’d be words that were never told.
Your focus shifts to your dangling feet, grass grazing your toes at the completion of each nervous sway. You are no longer touching. Not purposely at least, contact reduced to the slight nudge of your shoulders as Satoru leans against his to smile.
“Gotcha.” He says, not quite pressuring you to face him just yet. “It was easy-peasy, by the way. Yuji and Nobara did most of the work, while Megumi—he fell inside a curse’s stomach. It was hilarious! You should visit them soon; see how my kids have grown.”
Your lips pucker their way around your mouth, tongue poking at your cheek from the inside—prelude to a slow nod. Too uncertain to be directed at him. You regret bringing this up. You should’ve let yourself bask in his affections when they didn’t require a verbal answer.
“You worry too much.” Your uneasiness prompts Satoru to crane his neck and lay a tender kiss on the crown of your head. His voice serious when he says, “I won’t die.”
“That’s what everyone says right before they die.”
“But I’m not everyone. I’m Gojo Satoru, and I won’t die.”
You gulp, then huff a forced chuckle. “H-hey, that’s a pretty good catchphrase. You should use it in your fights when you’re about to deal the killing blow.”
“I have a better one. I’m Gojo Satoru, and I love youuuu~” He sings, seconds before his lips attack your neck, deft fingers mercilessly tickling your sides against the hard wood.
“God! You are so corny!” You blurt in between giggles.
“You love it!” He protests, a wild glint to his eyes. “C’mon, don’t be shy. Say it.”
“N-no way!”
“No?” The sadist stops his torture, finding new ways to torment you as he slyly moves toward the forgotten takeout. “Guess I’ll be enjoying these myself then. Thank me for the food!”
“Hey, Satoru! Wait!” You concede.
Maybe it’s fine to let him stand on the podium alone this once.
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a/n: my mood is all over the place nowadays, suffering writer's block, wrote this as a self-indulgent 5 AM craze, help satoru brainrot too strong
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butterr-bee · 3 months ago
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WL!Winner Imagery Thoughts
Since the Wild Life finale was yesterday I thought I would share my thoughts on what the winner’s celestial symbolism should be in the form of a very long tumblr post, because what else do I have to do with my time?
Spoilers for the Wild Life SMP finale and winner + long post
Firstly a big congrats to Joel for winning!!! It's very deserved and he worked so hard for it, so GG!!
Like I said above, I’ve got some thoughts about what celestial body we should use to represent him as a winner and so I’m going to share them with whoever stumbles upon this.
[NOTE: Anything I say here is not meant to attack anyone who has different opinions or belittle anyone. I’m doing this for fun and to share my thoughts, not to hurt anyone's feelings. I love you all, do whatever you want forever.]
So far for each of the winners we have;
Sun - Grian
Stars - Scott
Moon - Pearl
Mars - Martyn (some people say Comet/Meteor but Mars is the most popular)
Earth - Scar
Pluto - Cleo (this depends on your personal headcanons as well but I like it, and this post isn’t about the intricacies of mine)
Now as funny as all of the “he should be car” jokes are (seriously they’re hilarious to me), I don't want to take away from his win by making it a joke, especially since we already have someone who isn’t fully accepted as a serious winner. (IDC if it was April Fools, Cleo you will always be a winner in my heart)
I’ve also seen a few people say Mars or Meteor, but this becomes confusing with Martyn’s symbolism and takes away from Joel’s win as well. I want to avoid that as much as possible because he deserves the same respect as the other winners.
Other ones I’ve seen are; Chariot, Supernova, White Dwarf, Shooting Star, Neutron Star, Jupiter, Mercury, and I’m sure there are more. None of these really stick for me so I’m going to go ahead and add to the list.
Usually, I’ve stayed out of discussions about winner symbolism in the past and left it up to the more brainy fans, but I have thought about what different players could be from time to time since I absolutely love space. When my older sibling said Venus it got my mental hamster going on its wheel.
Venus has been a popular planet in history for an incredibly long time and in many different cultures. It’s the second brightest object in the night sky (second to the Moon) and has a fascinating synodic cycle (how it moves through the sky). This movement causes it to get to a certain distance from the Sun to make it look like it’s disappearing from the sky for several days and then reappearing on the other side of it. Because of this, Venus can appear before sunrise in the morning or after sunset in the evening, but it never seems to reach the top of the sky. This has led to it being known by two other names, Morning Star and Evening Star. It also has many other names in different cultures and it wasn’t until the 13th century that it was given the name Venus, but I won't go into all of that today.
Venus has lots and lots of history around it mythologically, having been portrayed as both feminine and masculine and even as two figures at once. It’s known for representing love, war, beauty, and relationships—and it just isn’t quite right for Joel.
So after doing my extra research on Venus, I found that it wasn’t really the best fit (sorry Kat, not enough talk about family for it to cut it /hj). Even with the interesting parallel of Grian and Joel’s dynamic and how Venus goes from one side of the Sun and ends up on the other, it was too much of a stretch. I was going to stop here but then I got thinking about other planets and my mind wandered to the seventh planet from the sun.
You all know and love to make jokes about his name, Uranus! (a little pet peeve of mine, it’s pronounced your-un-us NOT your-anus)
Uranus is one of two Ice Giants and has the coldest planetary atmosphere in the Solar System. It’s named after the ancient Greek deity of the sky, the father of Kronos, but it has been argued that it has more mythological relevance with my favorite boy Prometheus. You know, the Titan that ticked off the gods by stealing fire for mortals and now has to have his liver eaten by eagles for eternity? Yeah, my boy.
This planet is known for being the planet of freedom and revolutionary vision. It represents the urge for change, the ability to visualize new possibilities, and “breaking through”. Much like how Joel was trying a new tactic for winning this season, Uranus is known symbolically for defying tradition and embracing change and originality.
So, it’s known for breakthroughs, extremes, innovation, and rebellion. Sounds about right for Joel, but I didn’t want to stop there. Doing more digging I looked for other similarities between the two of them.
A lot of what I found fit Joel’s character pretty well, but mostly from past seasons; eccentric, strange, unique, unpredictable, and untamed (although Joel is always strange /lh) but I was looking for something more current, something that was all about family. I did find the word wild used and referred to a few times though which was great.
My search was getting repetitive, everyone had the same things to say about Uranus’s symbolism and I was looking for someone to go more in-depth. But eventually, I made a breakthrough (how fitting)—the word “reformation”, which Oxford defines as “the action or process of reforming an institution or practice”. Bingo baby!
I looked further into this side of Uranus, the sort of things that use the wild aspects of this sort of personality in meaningful and productive ways. Lots of people were saying that negative expressions of Uranus include irresponsibility and rebelliousness without a cause—things that kept Joel from winning in the past—but I found someone who said this;
“Uranus asks us to adopt a humanitarian spirit and global mindset, allowing us to live as one unified being.”
This implies that to reach the positive expressions of Uranus—things like progressiveness, ingenuity, and enlightenment—a person under this planet would need to start looking beyond themselves as a singular goal and to care for and support others. To “live as one unified being” the way one might say a family should work together as a unit for the benefit of everyone involved. In other words, to use their eccentric and wild personality to help others as well as themself.
And what was Joel’s entire Wild Life PoV about? Dom Toretto Flipping his previous tactic of being an insane loner /j on its head and making friends by helping everyone else as well as himself. He used his wild nature and ability to commit to the bit to his advantage and won the whole series as the last green name, last yellow name, and last man standing.
So that is why I propose that we start using the planet Uranus to symbolize Joel’s victory—an equally wild and unpredictable symbol that can step up and help others to help himself.
Now, I know it doesn't fit the rhyme that’s been going around, but I can’t think of anything else that fits better and there's always next season for more rhyming words. (Grian did say see you next season, if it doesn't happen IDK what to say about your rhyme, shrug)
Also, not important to characterization but a fun bit of trivia anyway, Uranus was the sixth planet discovered by the ancient Greeks and Romans and it’s the seventh planet from the Sun. So regardless of whether you consider Joel the sixth or seventh winner, there’s a fun number coincidence.
Sorry if this doesn't make sense or fit, I wrote it all on minimal sleep and without my glasses. Also, I haven't watched all of Joel’s life series PoV yet so maybe someone with better qualifications should do this. Anyway, if you made it this far I love you and I wish you well. Have a doodle that I also did without my glasses for your patience and to maybe sway you some more.
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echos-gal · 11 months ago
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ok i'm rapidly losing hope that Tech is still alive, and this sucks because it was basically the top thing i desperately wanted from this season. i wanted to see him survive. so here's my exhaustive and embarrassingly long list of reasons why he SHOULD still be alive, and if he isn't, why it was a missed opportunity. obviously no hate to the writers or anything, i love them dearly for creating this show!!!
(if you're a "Tech should stay dead for the stakes/so someone in SW stays dead for once/i hate delusional Tech stans" person, kindly keep scrolling, this ain't for you)
SEASON 2:
right from the start, Romar connects with Tech and calls himself "a survivor." HELLO???
in this same arc, Tech breaks his leg in a fall which he survives. he continues to walk on it, fighting off troopers to save Echo & Omega, showcasing his persistence and grit.
one of Phee's first lines is "better late than dead," and we know she shares a connection with Tech. she flirts with him later in this scene. it would be a shame not to reuse this line, i'm just saying....
Cid still owes Tech for racing for her in Faster. we see Cid looking miserable as she betrays the batch in Plan 99, so her playing a part in his rescue/comeback would be a nice way to show her growth. (i'm afraid there isn't enough time for this, though- as much as i thought a Cid redemption was on the horizon!)
Phee and Tech's departure is awkward, and although we have some context from season 3 (they talked more than we realized), the scene would do best if reconciled in person imo. it felt like it was setting up for something, and feels weird to leave hanging.
"don't go running off with any pirates or smugglers" could not have just been a throw away line. it set up for him to do exactly that. how fitting would it be if pirates or smugglers actually did manage to pick him up before the empire made it to the railcar crash site?
Hemlock's retrieval of the goggles shows that he sent a team to look through the wreckage. he thought there was a chance Tech survived, and may have him.
i won't go into the logistics, but big falls ARE survivable. in star wars especially. we have no idea what was below the layer of clouds/mist Tech fell through.
SEASON 3:
this is mostly CX-2 centric. their armor is very similar: the jaw/mouth shape, the hexagons over the ears, the rectangles on the chest, and the pouches/pockets.
"domicile." that is all.
CX-2 uses technology more than the other operatives we've seen, and he gets past the encryption on Phee's ship with ease.
"who are you?" was enunciated in the exact same way Tech says it to Trace and Rafa, which i definitely think was intentional.
CX-2 stops to use his rifle scope in the exact same spot where Tech and Phee stood to let down the ladders in the sea surge on Pabu.
he survives a waterfall plunge on Teth, which appears to have fooled Rex's group into thinking he'd died. the writers could have killed him off there and sent a new operative, but they chose to stick with CX-2 pursuing them to Pabu.
it's worth noting that while this CX is designated as "2," Tech's CT number is CT-9902. he is associated with the number even on a visual level: he's a dual-wielder, he wears goggles, he salutes with two fingers.
FROM A STORY PERSPECTIVE:
firstly, i am sorry and i LOVE the writers, but if you want people to accept a character's death, you've got to show his family and friends' grief. we saw no reaction from Crosshair or Phee, no tears from Hunter or Echo. it feels like fans were sadder about Tech's death than the characters in the story.
Tech seems to have been mentioned more in the second half of season 3 than the first half, which works if they want to bring him back in the finale.
the finale is called "The Cavalry Has Arrived." i really don't think you can have the cavalry (aka the bad batch) arrive without every member present. i also don't think it would feel right to play their theme without Tech there. idk, that feels incomplete!
we saw no body, and Hunter received Tech's goggles not from a trusted ally or friend, but from Hemlock. this calls into question the legitimacy of his claim that the goggles were "all he could salvage."
Tech alive and being held on Tantiss would provide a nice parallel to Echo in the first mission where we meet the batch, in TCW. and [ep 14 SPOILERS] we see that Echo is currently looking more like his TCW self, with his earpiece removed.
feels kinda sour that a character who a lot of people related to as neurodivergent representation would die just a few episodes after having a deep conversation with his sister about it.
likewise (and as a white woman i can't speak for WOC), from what i have seen, Black women are rarely the main love interest of a series! Phee is the ONLY love interest in this whole show, and it would suck to just cut off that romance before it could really become something. a lot of people wanted to see TechPhee become canon.
CX-2 is the one who destroys the marauder. it works well storywise for its pilot to have been the one to do that- the person who worked so hard modifying it, flying it, and teaching his sister to fly it. i'll be lowkey pissed if it turns out some random dude blew it up.
it's also CX-2 who invades and sets fire to Pabu. this is emotionally gripping on its own, but if he is Tech, it's even more so.
we have no idea what the operatives go through. Crosshair isn't telling, but it clearly put him in a really bad place. if Tech underwent this conditioning in his post-fall injured state, there's a chance he could come back from it. Emerie is probably the key to this, if they take the CX-2 route.
this show is all about a family trying to stay together as the Empire desperately tries to rip them apart. seeing the whole family together again - even if not everyone survives - in the finale is the satisfaction that the show ideally would go for. the last time they were all together was the season 1 finale. that was about 2 years ago in the show's timeline.
leaving Crosshair and Tech's final interactions be where they parted on the Kamino platform also feels off. Tech was the one who really vocalized the need to rescue Crosshair in season 2's finale. Crosshair, in the meantime, has changed significantly as a person. Tech's comment about Crosshair being "severe and unyielding," and unable to change this facet of his nature, is incorrect. leaving Tech dead would mean that he never gets to see this change in Crosshair, which makes me feel like a deflated balloon.
FROM MY SELFISH PERSPECTIVE!!!
give me Tech with cool scars and slightly disheveled longer hair. this is such a good opportunity for the creators to give him a sweet new look!
we never got to see Tech without his goggles on, despite Phee constantly referring to his eyes. he definitely doesn't have them right now (they're in the Archium), so we could get Mister Big Brown Eyes if he's alive. it's another missed opportunity if not, imo!
the goggles being placed in the Archium was a beautiful scene that makes me tear up whenever i think about it. it's symbolic, it's bittersweet, and it's exactly where the goggles belong. but was it closure for me? not really.
Tech is a character who became a LOT of people's favorite in season 2, including my own. why kill off a fan-favorite with an entire season to go?
yes, i desperately want a Rex and Echo series. yes, i want the batch to cameo in it, and yes... that includes Tech. making up for lost season 3 Tech content 😎
the finale will feature the zillo beast, and Tech loves the zillo beast. FREE HER! REUNITE THEM! he would love to witness her rampage.
FROM A "SURPRISE!!!!!" PERSPECTIVE
it seems like most people think Tech is either CX-2 or dead. it would be a great finale twist if we DID get CX-2's identity, it's NOT Tech, the audience loses hope, and then he shows up. i think this is actually plausible given the other assassin schematics Hemlock was looking at in Point of No Return. Tech might be in Hemlock's grasp, but not an active operative. having an enhanced clone to toy with is something Hemlock would want to keep under wraps. we see him step out of the assassin chamber at the start of that episode - if Tech is anywhere on Tantiss, i think it's here.
i think the writers have expected us to have all lost hope by now, so his finale reappearance would ideally come as a shock. the finale is almost guaranteed to be a very long episode, so we really might have quite a bit of time to explore his return, if it happens.
secret 16th episode: i know, i'm putting my clown makeup on as i type this. but the previous 2 seasons each had 16 episodes, with a two-parter finale. season 3 is just 15, with a single episode finale. TBB formally ends may 1st, so what if we get a may 4th surprise episode detailing how Tech survived? (that or an epilogue leading into a new series, which i think is more likely actually!)
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hunters-vigil · 2 months ago
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Her Champion - Mavuika x Kinich's older sister!Reader - Part Three
First Part Previous Part Next Chapter
request: do you think maybe you can do another one which talks about how the reader is Kinich’s older sister and having an affair with Mavuika?
Warnings: pasts of domestic violence, childhood trauma, abandonment, child abuse, neglect, death, alcoholism, gambling. Present: sparring, violence kinda, implication of prostitution (does not happen), Ajaw being rude still trying to figure out how to write Kinich and Ajaw, so characters may be ooc - I read Kinich's lore a lot to write this… R is written to be not interested in men. R's fighting style is Jingliu inspired from Honkai Star Rail.
Fic under the cut, don't repost my stuff on other platforms, i have ao3 which my fics are also available on.
"Everyone I've spoken to about you either knows nothing or calls you cynical, so I thought I should learn for myself what type of person my champion is." Mavuika explained, her eyes dancing all over your body, from your boots, up your legs, your torso, your arms, your hands, how your fingers gripped your weapon... your face, the confused look in your eyes, and finally your scar.
"Especially after your performance in the Pilgrimmage, and the Night Warden Wars for multiple years now. You never hesitate, even when the Abyss took the form of those you love-"
"No." You cut her off quickly, not caring that you had technically interrupted an Archon. The Archon.
"No?" Mavuika raised an eyebrow, watching how your grip tightened on your weapon.
"No. The Abyss did not." You tried to relax your jaw, feeling the cryo energy churn under your feet, but you pushed it back. Your eyes flicked to the side for a moment, acknowledging something, before focussing back on Mavuika.
"I see. I apologise, I didn't realise I was encroaching on something so personal." Mavuika sighed, looking up at the sky as you huffed, flexing your wrist, and thus flexing your weapon.
"My reward."
"Excuse me?" Mavuika waited for you to elaborate, since apparently you weren't a fan of full sentences with people you didn't know.
"My reward for winning. Spar with me." You waited for a response, watching Mavuika carefully as she glanced at your weapon.
"I see. That's all you want? Nothing else will do? I spar with you or give you nothing at all?"
You grimaced at her wording, before letting out a sigh, "I have no need for pointless glory. I want to keep testing my skills. You're stronger than the Abyss, so..."
"Usually, if someone is brave enough, they issue the challenge at the stadium, but tonight, Kinich and Ajaw alone will be our audience. Kinich, may I borrow your claymore?" Mavuika's gaze remained on you as you stared at her, unbothered by her question as Kinich walked over with his weapon.
"You knew he was there the whole time, didn't you?" Mavuika quietly asked, only gaining a curt nod from you as you watched her hold the claymore like it weighted nothing.
The smirk on your lips was evident as a brief spark of excitement ran through you. This would be a challenge you could learn from, and you could see if what was so special about this version of Harborym that everyone worshipped so dutifully.
You nodded to her before charging forwards to make the first move, using your cryo vision to your advance as the ground iced over beneath you. For any regular person, one would lose their balance, but not Mavuika. Her pyro energy had no problem melting the frozen ground, but you didn't even blink.
"Boring! Kill her already!" Ajaw shouted before he was dismissed, Kinich giving him a look as he even wondered who the almighty headache was shouting at.
Mavuika could block most of your attacks, but playing pure defense wasn't her style, she wanted to see what you could do. How far you could push her. Your fighting style reminded her of multiple warriors from a generation ago, ones that had long since retired now. You even used some moves that reminded her of Atea... a coldness ran past her cheek, scratching it... impressive.
Mavuika was holding back. You could feel it behind each attack, each block, her flames could be hotter, brighter more intense, but they weren't. She blocked your attacks with the claymore too easily, even your most powerful attack, one that Kinich had seen you practice, but never use against him. Leaping into the air, you sent icicle after icicle of cryo energy crashing down at her. You didn't see that one icicle almost nick her ear, or how amused she looked after. Her claymore was at your throat, but your weapon was pressing into her chest over her heart, far too close for comfort. You left yourself exposed for that move...
Mavuika had won, but she disagreed, "you were pressing at my heart."
"You were holding back. The abyss would cut my throat open." You deadpanned, before shaking your head, drawing your attention to where the claymore had caught your arm earlier.
"It was a friendly spar." Mavuika stated, watching with intrigue as a icy fog-like gas escaped your wound, healing it immediately.
"Thank you for granting me such a reward."
"Maybe we could spar again sometime? This was fun, besides, your fighting style is quite interesting. I'd like to see it again." Mavuika smirked a little, but you completely missed it, distracted by the question she posed you.
"What would you want in exchange for granting me some of your time?" you asked, waving Kinich off as he gestured that he was leaving for a hunting job, reminding you to not wait up.
"Well, I'd like to get to know you more. So I don't need anything in return... but judging by the look on your face, that won't do. You you live by quid pro quo I take it?"
"Everyone always wants something in return. Some want gifts, favours, things to be done for them... some have tried to bargain for more than they deserve, some have asked for things I'm not comfortable giving, but-"
"Nobody has forced you, have they?" Mavuika's hands tightened into fists, a fire brewing inside of her at the implications of what you just said, but you shook your head, the fire going out instantly.
"I'm not comfortable with... that. Especially not with men, or drunkards." Your nose crinkled up, flickers of a memory of your drunken father in your mind, "plus, they can't even beat me in a fight, so if they tried anything, I'd just freeze them solid." Your eyes widening as you directed your gaze away, you were saying too much... to someone you shouldn't even be talking to.
Mavuika stared at you with an expression that made you keep your eyes averted from her, but you blinked a few times, taking a breath that caused the Archon to almost feel like she should shiver. She usually couldn't feel the cold, but the air felt cooler around you in that moment.
"People always expect things in return. Figure out what you want, then we'll spar again. Goodnight." Mavuika watched you walk away, her mind full of more questions than answers but you weren't giving them away easily, or for free...
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quantum27 · 7 months ago
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To whom it may concern - the mutuals, the fandom-in-laws and the average movie goer. I would like to explain the plight of the Tron fandom.
The sequel announcements Disney pulled this year (2024) are insults to anyone who enjoys movies. There's nothing wrong with sequels, don't get me wrong, but to have a catalogue that has only 1 original movie announced is truly saddening, especially to those who love animation.
Then there's also the fans of Tron.
Tron (1982) was the first major motion picture to use CGI extensively for it's settings, vehicles, and many more things. Many of it's animators would go on to work at Pixar and pioneer CGI there. It was so early that it was rejected at the Oscars for special effects because it was considered "cheating" essentially. This isn't a post about the history though I recommend learning about it if you're interested in the medium of animation.
Tron was an average boxoffice movie. It made back it's money and that was it. However it became a cult classic. It's a strange movie- a bit hard to get into- I only fully understood the plot the second watch, even though it's not that complex.
It would spawn a video game sequel, Tron 2.0 (2003). Years later, in 2010, another sequel would come out, setting the current canon timeline (think of a Star Wars legacy canon and disney canon or Star Trek alpha or beta timelines- that's how the fans treat it) Tron: Legacy.
There were also other supplements, the ever mourned, cancelled after one season cartoon midquel Tron: Uprising- tie in video games and comics and a complete ARG before the release of Legacy. Then there was the planned third movie. It languished in development hell, canceled and uncanceled. (There's more complexity there, involving even, Tommorowland (2015) and of course money.)
Now what we're getting is Tron: Ares. A movie that doesn't even feature the actor for the character Tron, Bruce Boxleitner. There's also the fact that Cindy Morgan who starred in the original movie and original video game sequel was always ready to come back has now passed away. Jeff Bridges is set to return in some capacity, the most well recognized actor from the franchise to the point people assume he is the actor who portrayed Tron.
The first short trailer shown for Tron: Ares shows fundamental flaws in misunderstanding the concepts in the prior works, watering it down to an aesthetic. Most fans I've spoken with have little hope for a good movie at this time. It even stars the controversial actor Jared L*to as it's main character! All of these are red flags.
So, to those who read, please know, after waiting for a decade, Disney has decided to shill out a product with less love than any prior element in the franchise. And I mean even less love than the tie-in movie games for Legacy, of which are of varying quality. This is likely due to the opening of the US version of the Tron rollercoaster. The rollercoaster has more love and attention in it than the trailer shown. And with complete love to it and what I've seen of it- the movie should be a higher quality than a rollercoaster in terms of story and lore.
Our only current hope is for more visual novels after Tron: Identity was released in 2023. And I suppose the NIN fans will get a soundtrack.
Disney does not care about it's audiences. But it especially does not care about Tron fans.
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ahsoka-in-a-hood · 8 months ago
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I don't. The thing is I am a Star Wars Prequels fan first and foremost, here. I like the original trilogy, it's fine, but that's not what keeps me awake at night.
I don't give a shit about the sith. I don't find them interesting. I was always here for the impossible situations the jedi and the protagonist senators and other kinds of heroes were finding themselves in. The ones without an obvious answer. The ones they could get wrong. The ones they would get wrong because it's a tragedy, and sometimes I like to cry my eyes out over made-up people.
And even after several years of fandom, that's still basically what I want. I want the jedi (and other characters) to be put in the situations. I want them be unsure what the right path is. I like watching them make mistakes.
Some call it nuance, some call it flaws. I'm tempted to just call it being people. That's the sweet spot I'm after: not saints, not devils, just people. People fuck up. People are very varied. They have a culture- does every aspect need to be dissected for faults? Can it not exist even in a state of imperfection?
It can get complicated, maybe. I've encountered plenty the attitude that the jedi are evil because they are humans but are meant to be more than that. I have blocked absolutely relentless commenters of this who would show up on every post with this exact philosophy
… But it can become a subtle distinction. For some time I was blissfully unaware of Filoni's views on the simple basis that the jedi in the clone wars were more real and human than the generic antagonists I tended to see in fanfic.
It is a distinction, though. Human (derogatory) and human (empathetically) are different approaches, which does show up here and there.
The thing about star wars, and the prequels, and the jedi, is that no matter how you try to slice it, the story of a genocide is inextricably woven into a story about jedi. Every one of your #shots fired about their eventual downfall is accompanied by…. a systemic extermination campaign by a nazi allegory……….. and even if that's not something you're willing to contemplate, that's just going to make people uncomfortable. Especially if you start adding talk about a shadowy cabal secretly controlling everything who also steal children etc. Listen, I know that the jedi are fictional. That's not what you should be considering when you say these things.
So you end up with these two fundamentally diametrically opposed stories:
Here's this religious minority who are literally in touch with their divine force. This does not make them gods, so they have flaws, weaknesses, and make mistakes. They are murdered. This is the beginning of an imperial age. (compassion is at the centre of their philosophy. anyone can be compassionate, with or without the force.)
Here's this bunch of corrupt overpowered secret police who hold their position by maintaining a mythology of super-humaness, but psyche! Wealthy elites are also degenerate humans, which is of course forgivable in US, but not THEM. They were supposed to be the model minority. KILL THEM
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alohaasaloevera · 7 months ago
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guys I’m honestly happy that klance didn’t become canon because I love how as a collective group of people we utilize our right to explore what could have been and create the most smoking hot scenarios ever and yes I obviously wanted more of their friendship growing into this bond stronger than anything else in the universe especially since Voltron has teamwork and family as one of their main lessons but that’s more of a development issue all around…ok besides that there’s something about klance where it provides this PERFECT environment for shippers to inhabit and FEAST upon. With klance, there’s a solid, engaging dynamic between the two set up, which is this weird one-sided rivalry that stems from Lance’s insecurity and his need to prove himself of his worth and Keith literally being one of the best pilots for his age but since they’re flung into space and chosen to become child soldiers in this 10,000 year old intergalactic war so they have to work as a team which surprise surprise forces them to put aside their differences and work as a team which is shown a bunch when Keith needs to become a leader and Lance steps up as his right hand and and they have some kinda tender moments that won’t definitely drive shippers into a shipping craze (or worse) SO YEAH you could see why people loved it with all the classic tropes and mutual growth all that schmooze (ALSO THEY KNEW EACHOTHER BEFORE THE MAIN PLOT??? Well maybe not like friends or even acquaintances probably BUT HELLO?????? EVEN MORE SHIT TO EXPAND ON????), and they share multiple scenes that could be interpreted as romantic but there’s no explicit romance. This environment is fucking dripping drenched flash flooded cornered by 1000ft tsunamis in all directions with potential for shipping, so when people saw this relationship between two bros with this sort of homoerotic (IM JOKING. Kinda.) unresolved tension towards each other and the POTENTIAL for a good slow burn rivals to friends to lovers, it was to no one’s surprise that they went APESHIT. Klancers made countless different ways where they get together whether it be pre-Kerberos, post-gettingthefuckoutofearth, the start of the show, the end of the show, after the end of the show, right smack in the middle, anywhere, anytime, for who the fuck knows why just ANY REASON DAMN IT it doesn’t really matter because people were pumping out fanfiction or fan art or any fan media of klance faster than I spit out a raw baby carrot after chewing it for one second and now we’re all wallowing about how it should have been KICK but the thing is that if VLD did KICK all the way to Altea, the production of these beautiful stories that so many people have and still are coming up with about klance kissing in midst of a battle, helping each other with their crippling nightmares, smiling for the stars or some other sad premise, and whatever is nestled in his pulse…just like uhhh the amount of fics like these that go into great detail about Keith and Lance in these random situations that end up with them getting together being produced would go down to some degree because of the fact that if the people’s beloved sharpshooter and samurai had ended up together like we had wanted, and the majority was satisfied with the ending the creators had given, people would have shifted from writing about “How could Lance and Keith get together?” to writing about “What could Lance and Keith do now that they’re together?” And like. There’s nothing wrong with that honestly I would be HYPED if klance was ever canon but there is profound beauty in the way the community is able to create more from less and turn a show that went to shit in the last few seasons shine even brighter than it did at its prime. Like I wouldn’t trade my favorite fics 4 anything.
Ok another little thing I’m going to put here: With Klance, all I wanted was for them to be great friends 😭😭😭. I tend to prefer klance becoming canon in later seasons or at the end or even an open ending with no confirmed romantic relationships because I am a sucker for character development and the idea of Keith and Lance both harboring these feelings that at first are just admiration and respect but then escalate to yearning for one another or becoming close friends at the end of the show and getting to imagine anything I want post canon is EVERYTHING if you give me S7 Garrison klance I’ll keel over and thank you like I was a second away from dying of thirst and your gift was a truck load of water
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nobody-zero3000 · 1 year ago
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Yandere Batfamily x Amidala! Reader
Inspired by the Yandere Damian Wayne x Alien Leader reader by your-regular-toast-enjoyer. But also because I like Padme Amidala and Star Wars. I want to use the Gotham Knights video game version of the Batboys, Batgirl, and Batman. Since Damian Wayne is not in there, I was thinking about Damian Wayne from the Injustice 2 video game but older. I'm going to change and add a few things from the Star Wars Universe and add a few new things to Amidala's character.
Warning: yandere, age-gap.
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Earth heroes have encountered a different galactic system not far from Earth's solar system. The Justice League has made contact with a planet that's part of the galactic government system, also known as the Intergalactic United Republic, and has agreed to send someone to the planet to at least show that Earth and the Justice League offer peace.
In the watch tower, the heroes are having a meeting about who should go on this diplomatic mission. Some voted for Green Lantern, Martin Manhunter, or Superman, but the results show that the best candidate for this mission would be Batman.
Martian Manhunter was a bit disappointed because he had heard about her reputation through some holo-nets and was eager to meet her. As well as introduce her to his niece, Miss Martian since she is a fan of her work.
"Then it is settled: Batman shall be the one to go on this diplomatic mission and talk with the queen." Wonder Woman had declared.
The meeting is adjourned. Batman boomtubes back to Earth to discuss details with the rest of the Batfamily.
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In the Batcave, Bruce calls in Robin, Red Robin, Nightwing, Batgirl, and Red Hood.
"As you all know, I summoned you here for an important reason. I have been chosen to lead a diplomatic mission for a planet called Naboo. But I'm not planning on going alone." Bruce pulls up pictures of the planet.
"This mission has to be taken seriously and delicately. Any hostile behavior will endanger Earth along with millions of civilians. Do not show any violent or hostile behavior, and do not engage or cause any conflict that may lead to dangerous consequences. Do I make myself clear?" Giving them a stern, firm glare to each of them, especially Damian and Jason.
Jason shrugged. "Got it. No violence unless they start it first, then we consider violence."
Bruce narrows his eyes at him.
Jason puts his hands up in mocking surrender. "What? I'm kidding. No violence, don't cause trouble got it."
Tim looks at the Bat computer screen, looking through the information. He looks over to Bruce and asks, "Question. Do you have any information on the ruler of this planet? Any photos of what they look like."
Bruce pulls up photos, "These photos were taken at the Watchtower when we made contact with the planet. We are still looking into other information from J'onn and Hal's research."
It shows a female, (Y/H/C), (Y/E/C), and the areas where white makeup is not covering are your hands, which are (Y/S/C). She was sitting on a throne, dressed in royal clothes and wearing white makeup with red dots on both cheeks. She stood straight and had a blank look. But her eyes showed kindness, patience, and seriousness.
The boys and girl are taken aback by how young the female is. They were expecting someone much older. Not just that, but how beautiful you were. It was like looking at an angel. If someone were to ask about the definition of an angel, they would show them a photo of you. But for some reason, if they had a photo of you, they would not want to share it with someone else; they want to keep you to themselves.
For Bruce, it took a lot of strength and restraint to not laugh at their expression and keep a straight face. He couldn't blame them. When he first saw you, he was shocked not only to find out that someone as young as you would be ruling a planet but also by your beauty. He has seen a lot of beautiful women (Selena, Talia, Diana, Lois, etc.), but you pretty much outmatched them all as well as caught his attention and kept a hold on it.
Snapping out of it, he puts away the photo, much to the family's displeasure.
"So that's who we're all going to meet. If I had known that, I would've been more 'ready to go' for this mission." Dick grins and crosses his arms.
"She's really beautiful, and she must be very smart to rule the planet by herself," Tim said, blushing and smiling.
"Is there any more information on her?" Barbara is very curious about this young woman.
Damian finally asks, "When do we leave for this mission? Most of all, who will be watching the city while we are gone?" At this moment, he doesn't care if they leave the city unguarded, as long as they leave soon. He is curious about this alien leader.
"While we're gone, I managed to get some League members to watch the city, as well as other independent heroes to keep an eye on the crime rate. Now that is settled, all of you pack your bags. We'll be leaving in 2 hours.
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The Batfamily boomtubes to the Watch Tower, and from there, they enter the Javelin spacecraft (which upgraded to travel at a speed of light thanks to Hal, other Green Lanterns, and Cyborg). Once they are settled in the ship, Batman sets the coordinates for the planet Naboo, and on they go.
"Coordinates for Naboo are locked. Prepare yourselves for light speed." Everyone is strapped in. Soon the ship takes off.
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After the ship comes to a stop, everyone, besides Batman who is used to space travel by now, groans from the lightspeed, some felt either really tired or sick.
Red Hood groans and hunches over. "I'm starting to regret eating that Bacon Ultra-belly combo."
"You should wait afterward, Todd. We were going to travel through space at a fast rate. What did you expect, imbecile?"
"Shut it, demon-spawn."
"Alright, that's enough, you two. We're here that's all that matters." Nightwing lightly scolded them.
Batgirl decides to get into the conversation. "Besides, what did Batman say about bad behavior."
Red Robin includes, "What part of no hostile or violent behavior are you two not getting here?"
They all start to bicker until Bruce switches to autopilot. Turns the seat around to face them. "Enough" in a firm and stern voice. Narrowing his eyes gives them his famous Batman glare.
The bickering stops, and they turn their attention to him.
"Let me make myself clear, be on your best behavior and do not start trouble. Once we land, stay close by my side. Do you understand?"
Red Robin, Nightwing, and Batgirl nod their heads. After a few moments, Red Hood and Robin show they understand by nodding their heads, too.
Batman turns back to the front window and starts to move the ship toward the planet.
Realization starts to overcome the bat family members, and they all look to the front to see the planet.
Tim and Barbara had excited expressions since they were about to visit a different planet and would meet the ruler soon. While Dick, Jason, and Damian were shocked to see the planet and about the possibility that they were about to go to a different planet.
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A guard's com beeps, he answers, and a few words are exchanged. He nods and turns to the queen.
"Your Highness, the Earth's ambassador, has arrived and is now entering our planet."
"Very well, prepare refreshments and send starfighters to guide the ship to one of the land platforms."
"Yes, Your Highness." The guard leaves.
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As the Javelin enters Naboo, they are encountered by starfighters.
Batman presses a button that allows him to speak to the Starfighters. "This is Batman, Ambassador of Earth."
"Batman, this is Captain Olie; we are ordered by Queen Amidala to escort you to Theed Royal Palace. You can just follow us."
The starfighters fly ahead but not far from the Javelin. Batman starts to follow them.
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As they fly to the palace, all of them look out their windows to look at the new environment. Tim and Barbara show excited and awe expressions. Jason and Dick are in awe too. And Damian, even though he tried not to show it, thought the planet was beautiful too and a bit excited to experience a new environment, a new planet!
Bruce had to admit it was beautiful, and it looked peaceful.
Once landing in a near landing platform, they exit the ship wearing their superhero suits. As they exit the Javelin, a handmaiden and two guards walk toward them.
"Sir Batman, Ambassador of Earth, I am here to escort you to the throne room to meet with Queen Amidala." She gestures for them to follow her.
The other bat members give each other glances. Batman just starts to walk with her as the others follow him.
They reach the throne room, and the guards open the doors for the guests. (Pretend there are more chairs.)
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On the throne sat the queen of Naboo. On both sides beside her are two handmaidens in their own seats. On her left is Captain Typho.
The batboys and batgirl look at the queen in complete awe. Batman just gives a neutral expression, but on the inside, he feels different.
'She is even more beautiful in person.'
"Batman, Welcome to Naboo. I hope you managed to travel here safely with no complications."
"Queen Amidala. Thank you for inviting us to your planet and agree to meet with us."
"The Council of Naboo, Chancellor Valorum, and I have discussed and created a peace treat, but I would like to discuss it more with you."
A servant brings in a tray of refreshments. (Y/N) notices the other masked heroes.
"I see that you have brought company with you. Would all care to introduce yourselves, please?"
The others glance at each other, finally, Robin decides to introduce himself.
"Robin, I aide Batman on his missions and patrols around Gotham City. It's a great pleasure to meet you, Queen Amidala."
She nods in his direction before looking at the person next to him.
"Nightwing, protector of Bludhaven, former leader of the Teen Titans. It's very nice to meet you." He offers her a kind smile.
She nods her head and gives a small smile back, but gives a curious look. "What is a Teen Titan?"
Then shifts her gaze to the female hero.
"Batgirl, formerly known as Oracle. Thank you for inviting us here. You have a beautiful home planet!"
She gave Batgirl a grateful smile, "Thank you." Then she looked at the other male hero; he looked a bit younger than her, maybe around her age.
He shyly waves to her, "Hi, Red Robin. I also help Batman, as well as the other bat family members. Y-you have a really lovely home, you're beautiful, I-I-I mean your home is beautiful. Not saying that you're not beautiful because you are." He continues to stutter.
Robin rolls his eyes. "Smooth, Drake. Very subtle."
Queen Amidala just looks a little amused and tries not to laugh. She offers a smile and raises her hand to him, which gets to him stop. "It's alright, Red Robin. I understand, and thank you. You flattered me."
Red Robin opens his mouth but closes it and blushes.
She then looks to the last hero. He's physically well-built and has his arms crossed. She notices the blasters strapped to both sides of his legs.
"Name's Red Hood, vigilante of Gotham. And I got to say, you are way more hot in person compared to the photo that was sent to us." He complimented with a hidden smirk and gave a noticeable wink in your direction.
The handmaidens give a soft offend gasp and Captain Typho stiffens and clenches his fists.
Queen Amidala, however, is thankful the makeup covers her blush. She gave a confused look, but there was a fluttering feeling in her chest. She snaps back to reality and fixes her face into a neutral expression.
"Thank you, Red Hood. As much as I am flattered by your...compliment, we should probably go into the discussion about the treaty."
Batman, after sending a scolding glare to Red Hood (who does not show any regret about what happened but instead smugly looks to the other bat heroes who are glaring at him), looks to the queen.
"I agree; I do have a few questions and concerns."
"Of course, let us begin."
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After discussing and reviewing the treaty, it was dusk. The Queen had adjourned the meeting and would talk with the Council of Naboo and Senator of Naboo tomorrow about the treat.
"I'll have some servants show you to your rooms that you will be staying in for a while. Once you have settled in, I'll have a couple of my handmaidens come to escort you to the dining room for dinner."
"Thank you, Queen Amidala." Batman gives a small bow.
Six servants show up in the throne room. Each of them escorts the heroes to the royal guest rooms. Bruce, Tim, and Barbara are neighbors; across from them are Dick, Damian, and Jason. All get comfortable with their room.
Near evening, two handmaidens come to each of their rooms to take them to the dining room, where the Queen is sitting at the end of the table waiting for them.
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On the table are plates of food that seem questionable to the Batboys and Batgirls since this is their first time trying alien food. Bruce doesn't show it but even he seems to question the food but is curious to at least try some.
"Welcome, come every one, sit down. Enjoy the food."
Thinking for a moment, (Y/N) wonders if she should help them with which food is the best. After all, it is probably their first time trying food that was outside their planet.
"I would recommend the Shaak pot roast or the tip-yip but if any of you do not eat meat then I would try the Xizor salad or Aquaris Broth. Please let us know if you have any questions on the other food items."
The Batfamily sends appreciative looks toward her and starts to dish out. The servants that were about to dish out plates for them stop as they see this. They look to the queen, their expression partially asking, "What do we do?"
The queen just smiles and waves a hand to them. "It's alright. Let them dish out by themselves. It's getting late; why don't you all grab a plate and then retire for tonight or head back home to your families."
The servants smile at the queen and bow to her while both say. "Thank you, your highness."
The servants sit down and start to dish out as well.
There are different emotions running through the bat family. For all of them, there's admiration. For a few, there's surprise, confusion, and approval.
One who was most confused was Damian. It wasn't normal for the young adult to see a royal figure treating their servants like they were their equals.
His taught by his grandfather and mother that as royal figures, they are superior and therefore do not see non-royal figures, servants to be exact, as their equals.
But the more he thought of it, the more he started to admire the young ruler. This action showed that she was kind, generous, and fair. It made her even more beautiful.
They just eat their food for a while until one of the heroes decides to ask a couple of questions.
"So, what is it like being a queen? And how did you get the throne early? It just...you seem rather young...not that is a bad thing, but wouldn't your parents still be the ones running the throne?" Red Robin had asked.
Red Hood was about to scold him for asking those questions in the middle of dinner but stopped because he was curious, too. He wanted to know more about his sweetheart, about her.
The other masked vigilantes were curious as well.
(Y/N) stop mid-bite and set her spoon down in the bowl.
"Being queen can have hardships, but it can also be rewarding. I serve my people, and I do what is best for them. I've got to meet many different people and make connections and friendships with a few of them. As for how I got the throne, I wasn't born of royalty blood but rather I was elected by the people of Naboo. As for my parents, my father is an excellent builder, educator, and relief worker, while my mother voluntarily works in a variety of social services roles helping the underprivileged. I would sometimes go with my father to his relief missions to aid other people on different planets. It's what encouraged me to pursue this role."
Tim listens closely and pays full attention to her. He's actually surprised but amazed about her being elected for this role.
"Wow!...you must be very intelligent to have gotten such a role. It's amazing, and from the sound of it, you like to serve. Where did you go to school? Is there a specific school you have to go to? Different programs? It's amazing some your age could do this! I mean of course, I'm around you as well,...possibly. I mean I not old..not that I'm saying your old! Because you're not. You are young. Look young. B-beautiful, k-kind, and generous, and fair, amazing.
"Calm down there, Red Robin. I think she gets the point." Nightwing said.
"Stop. You're embarrassing yourself and us, for that matter." Robin said to him in a blank and annoyed tone.
(Y/N) just looks on in amusement and covers her mouth a little with her right hand but cannot control the small giggle that escapes past her lips. Even her servants find this amusing but manage to keep themselves from laughing at this event happening before them.
The Batmembers stop talking and freeze as they listen to her laugh. They thought it was a very nice laugh and couldn't help but smile. (Bruce and Damian gave small smiles, of course. But it is still a smile.)
Once (Y/N) got control of herself, she stopped giggling but still had a content smile on her face. She actually felt grateful for the young hero, it's been a while since she had even laughed.
"Thank you, Red Robin. You still continue to flatter me, and it's been a while since I laughed. You are one of a kind."
Red Robin couldn't stop the large grin growing on his face. He ducked his head and looked away, trying to hide his blushed face.
Unnoticed by the young queen, Nightwing, Red Hood, and Robin try but fail to hide their envious expressions. While both Batgirl and Batman look a bit amused but also a bit jealous.
"Who does he think he is, making my beloved her laugh like that?"
"I could have found a way to make her laugh. I have great charm, too."
"I compliment her and get a negative reaction. But when he does it, they find it amusing and harmless. Back off, Tim."
"She has an adorable laugh. But, ugh!...serious, how does Tim do it?"
Bruce felt amused, but he felt something else that made him frown at the same time. He can't help but stiffen a bit. Now, he feels disgusted with himself and scolds himself.
"I should not feel this way. It's wrong. Disgusting. She is around Jason's age.
Bruce lightly shakes his head a bit.
" It's nothing. It will go away. Right?"
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randomfandomblabdom · 2 years ago
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I really need to vent about how much I like Cal and Merrin's dynamic in Jedi: Survivor cause they've quickly become probably my favorite canon pairing in the franchise.
I absolutely love that this relationship is built on the basis of friendship, respect, and a genuine mutual understanding of each other. From gameplay comments and conversations, Cal is very clearly so enamored with Merrin and literally everything about her. I know it's become a bit of a joke how clearly into her he is but he just thinks she's the most incredible being in the entire galaxy and it's honestly the sweetest thing. The writers could have very easily made his connection to Merrin a weakness or had it where it made his struggle with the darkness harder but I adore that they allowed him to be completely smitten with her and presented it as a strength. It's refreshing not only in Star Wars but in media in general, at least in my opinion. Love being presented as a positive asset is something so deeply missing in media nowadays - especially romantic love. Far too often in this day and age, love is presented as a weakness or something that will only bring you down, so I respect the fuck out of this writing.
Oops, this got really, really long so I'm putting the rest under a cut. It's kind of spitfire, so I apologize if it feels random.
I love how their first kiss is Merrin basically making a split-second decision where she realizes she doesn't want to die without kissing him at least once even if it runs the risk of making things awkward should they survive. Is it cliche as fuck? Absolutely, but it works so well in this instance. Cal being so dumbfounded, gawking at her like a fish, trying to process what the hell just happened that BD has to remind him they're literally about to die is the best thing too.
I appreciate that Cal is so obviously hesitant about giving into any sort of romantic feelings for Merrin because, of course, he would be due to his upbringing. He's pushing so hard against it to the point that he's even completely reluctant to so much as discuss it with Bode when they're on the Lucrehulk. Personally, I don't think Cal is oblivious to their potential feelings for each other. I've never been a huge fan of treating Cal as completely naive. He still might be a bit emotionally stunted, sure but he's lived 10 years outside of the Jedi Order at this point. I think he's hesitant to talk about it because first of all, it's really none of Bode's business but also, if he talks about it, he has to admit it, and if he admits it, that makes it real, and if it's real... well fuck, now he has to do something about it either way which is exactly what he's trying to avoid. I think he's trying to stay as neutral about it as he can until he gets to a point in the story/his arc where he decides he actually wants or feels ready to make a decision. Bode almost gets it out of him too before they're interrupted. The progression of Bode's questioning during that mission is something I actually find really interesting but that's a different topic.
Many people have pointed this out but Cal smiling so brightly while Merrin is clearly freaking the fuck out of Bode is just the cutest thing. Not only because he finds such humor in her scaring the shit out of people for fun when he of all people knows it's a running joke but he also goes along with the joke any chance he gets. He does this even when she's not around. People will be freaked out by her and he still plays along and it's not even like, "Yeah, I know, she's fucking scary bro," it's more like, "Yeah, I know, she can wake the dead, isn't it amazing how scary she is!" Someone else already pointed this out in another post but that feels almost more intimate than any kiss they share. His attraction to her encompasses all sides of her including those that many people find incredibly terrifying and I find that so endearing, he wouldn't ask her to change for anything. He's the only person who genuinely isn't freaked out by her in the slightest but not only that, he finds that side of her to be so incredible. Also, Cal being so blase with Bode about his obvious attraction to Merrin a mission prior and then having the most blatant sexual tension with her in front of Bode in the next scene is peak comedy, I don't care what anybody says. Like, Cal, honey, you just spent the entire previous mission trying to convince Bode (and yourself) there's nothing there and/or you're not pursuing it, so you're not doing yourself any favors by looking at her like that, standing that close to her, and speaking to her with the cadence of a lover bro.
I love that the second Cal walks onto the Mantis after killing Rayvis, she instantaneously picks up on the fact that something's wrong. Literally instantaneously. You can see her face drop the moment she sees him. She just knows something happened. Her ability to read him insanely well is something that is introduced very early on in the game, most noticeably in the campfire scene, and it stays consistent over the course of the story. The following conversation they have is honestly one of the best moments between them in the entire game. It's this type of conversation I've been wanting to see with a Jedi and their potential lover since Revenge of the Sith. He is so open with her even in a somewhat roundabout way about his genuine fear of losing himself and while the conversation is not explicitly about their relationship, the implication is still there and she 100% picks up on it, especially since he wonders aloud why Santari didn't see the change in Dagan before it was too late. Instead of shaming him for his reservations or calling it ridiculous or anything else she could have said at this moment, she instead decides to possibly help curb those fears and give him some comfort regarding it. She goes on to basically tell him in so few words she knows what she's signing up for and is willing to cross those bridges with him if they come. It's a great difference between Cal and Dagan. Though it's never outright stated that Dagan and Santari were in love, I feel like it's... pretty heavily implied, or at least he was definitely in love with her (was I the only one who read it that way??) but whereas Dagan demands that Santari talk him away from the darkness and seems to almost expect her to, Merrin herself plainly offers to do it with no prodding on Cal's part. It doesn't seem to be a burden Cal wanted to put on her, not something he was inherently expecting of her but she willingly offers, it is her choice, she wants to carry that burden with him. While she does seem maybe slightly annoyed by his hesitancy regarding their relationship to each other, she is also so incredibly patient with him while he's stewing over what he wants to do. It's beautiful. As a side note, "A shared dream is not so easy to wake from," is such an amazing line. Seriously, I want merch with that quote on it.
I liked that going through with the relationship was Cal's choice in the end. Merrin didn't push it, she didn't pressure it. She let him bring it up and come to her when he was ready and if that meant potentially being rejected by a man she very clearly adores, so be it, and I have no doubt she would've respected that choice if that's what he'd wanted. I know a lot of people seem to think he only makes this decision due to Bode's questions earlier but it really seems to be a combination of multiple things that lead to this. Bode picking his brain definitely got him thinking about it, maybe more than he wanted to, but I do think the other big part of Cal being willing to go forward with it at this moment is his confrontation with Dagan that, while an illusion, did cause him to come to grips with his own mortality in a way. "How does it feel knowing you're about to die. That your life meant nothing." As Cal says, Dagan uses an extremely powerful force hallucination based on fear here, so while losing himself to the darkness might scare him, his life being completely meaningless is what he seems to fear the most. Cal's journey throughout Survivor encompasses many things but one of them revolves around feeling aimless and finding a purpose, preferably outside of being a hired weapon that will surely and slowly consume him. It's what everyone consistently tells him: find a home, settle down, embrace happiness because it's fleeting, the path you're on is not healthy and will consume you otherwise...etc. His decision here to give in to his romantic attraction to Merrin is a culmination of all of these interactions and conversations he's had throughout the story, how they've influenced his line of thinking, and him coming to his own conclusions regarding what he personally wants and at this moment, when things are finally, calm and everyone is in a good place with a plan going forward, he personally decides there's no point in living up to the expectations of the Jedi when the Order doesn't exist anymore and wants to see where this could go.
I love the fact that when Merrin witnesses Cal's darkness in the ISB, it's made abundantly clear that she's just as afraid of losing him as he most likely is of losing her. I do think a major reason why she was able to talk him down at the moment is that he fundamentally understands what it feels like to lose everything and everyone, your entire livelihood. That is what they first bonded over and it's something that keeps them bonded in the saddest, yet most profound way and he would never want to add himself to the list of people she's lost. She's also doing exactly what she said she would. In an instance where again, she reads him like a fucking book, she can tell just from his responses on the intercom that he's losing himself and is guiding him back. She immediately went to rescue him as she says. No question, no argument, nothing, she simply does it. She made him a promise and she kept it and in that moment, he promises that she won't lose him, he won't allow it. This is a fundamental difference between Anakin and Padme's dynamic and Cal and Merrin's. While Anakin's love for Padme quite famously ends up extremely selfish in an "I would lose myself to ensure you're not ripped away from me" type of way, Cal and Merrin's dynamic is leaning towards a more selfless, "I won't allow myself to be lost because I can't let that happen for your sake," type of way and god damn it, I love it.
There are several interactions they have in gameplay that I'm lowkey peeved weren't included in cutscenes and one of them is when Cal returns to the Mantis after all but demolishing the ISB, they have this really short but great interaction where Merrin says that if he ever feels that way again, he needs to tell her. She doesn't even ask him to do it, she all but demands it, "If you feel that way again, you will tell me." She's demanding communication from him regarding the darkness and he doesn't fight this demand at all. He agrees to respect this request and I fucking love that from both of them. I will genuinely be kinda upset if we don't get a moment like that in the next game.
I like how their kiss after they've successfully navigated the abyss is kind of their first kiss inverted but instead of "omg we might die, I need to kiss you" it's more "holy shit, we survived, I need to kiss you," but instead of Merrin initiating, now it's Cal. I'm probably reading too much into that but whatever, it's cute.
This isn't about any one part in particular but I do love that it looks like the headcanon so many people had regarding Merrin most likely being quite physically affectionate is turning out to be true.
...I think that's enough for now lol I might add on some things later
Apologies for any typos and thanks for indulging my rambling if you got this far.
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alovelywaytospendanevening · 7 months ago
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Lit Hub: How Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon Forged a Literary and Romantic Bond
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Wilfred Owen first mentioned the presence of a new star on his horizon on August 15, 1917. He had been busy acting, editing the hospital magazine, arguing with his mother by letter about whether Christianity and the war were compatible (he thought not, and he had hard words to say about the Archbishop of Canterbury, who did). So he may not have noticed at first the presence of Siegfried Sassoon. At their first meeting, Sassoon treated Wilfred with a certain lordly condescension. Wilfred persisted, however, and their next meeting was warmer. They talked about poetry, and Sassoon asked Wilfred to help him decipher a handwritten fan letter from H.G. Wells, written in pale pink ink. Wilfred was in the full throes of hero worship, while Sassoon, although he may have been better at concealing his emotions, was beginning to feel a powerful attraction for his handsome young admirer, critiquing and rewriting Wilfred’s poems, who had sent home to his mother and sister for every scrap he had written. It should not be imagined that the relationship between the two men was all one way. Sassoon recognized in Wilfred a greater poet than himself, but his own poetry also improved as the two men worked together. Still, it was Sassoon who remained in Wilfred’s eyes “the great man,” an impression no doubt influenced by class. [Wilfred's] brother Harold scoured his letters so thoroughly after his death that it is impossible to tell whether Owen had a physical relationship with Sassoon, but in every other respect it was the closest he would ever come to a love affair. “Spent all day [with Sassoon] yesterday,” he wrote his mother ecstatically. “Breakfast, Lunch, Tea & Dinner.” Wilfred and Sassoon spent their last evening together at the Scottish Conservative Club in Edinburgh, eating a good dinner, drinking “a noble bottle of Burgundy” and laughing uproariously over a volume of especially bad poetry. Sassoon had given Wilfred, as a parting gift, a thick envelope, which he opened in the club while waiting to take the midnight train. It contained a ten-­pound note and a letter of introduction to Robert Ross in London, the friend, editor, and devoted defender of Oscar Wilde and a literary luminary almost as well connected and admired as Edward Marsh. Ross was a friend of H.G. Wells, Arnold Bennett, and Osbert Sitwell, as well as a central figure in the homosexual literary and social world. Sassoon must have hesitated before including the ten-­pound note for fear it might be taken as an insult, but Wilfred responded with genuine gratitude. "Know that since mid-­September, when you still regarded me as a tiresome little knocker on your door I held you as Keats + Christ + Elijah + my Colonel + my father-­confessor + Amenophis IV in profile…. I love you, dispassionately, so much, so very much, dear Fellow, that the blasting little smile you wear on reading this can’t hurt me in the least….And you have fixed my life—­however short. I was always a mad comet; but you have fixed me. I spun around you a satellite for a month, but I shall swing out soon, a dark star in the orbit where you will blaze." He ended his letter with a phrase he had used earlier to his mother to describe his relationship with Sassoon: “[We] knew we loved each other as no men love for long.” (Full article)
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milliekenobi99 · 10 days ago
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The Obi-Wan Kenobi Problem
More specifically, the Fanon Obi-Wan problem.
(Alright, my tiktok buddies convinced me to get tumblr just to share this here. I caved, because I do think this is much more fit for tumblr. So, hello everyone).
It goes without saying (if you know me) that I am a fan of Obi-Wan Kenobi. I could sit here and talk about how much he’s influenced who I am, and how my experience is just one of many lives that Obi-Wan has touched, but unfortunately that is not my purpose in this rant. Despite occasional exceptions, Obi-Wan is generally beloved in the Star Wars fandom, to such a scale that he is known for being beloved.
Among this, of which will be found in every fandom, one contrived of millions of people no less, issues and mischaracterizations will arise. Even in all my years of loving and studying this character, I am still trying to wrap my head around how deeply these fallacies run when it comes to Obi-Wan Kenobi, still trying to untangle the fabrication from canon.
I will make a few things abundantly clear before I lay my discussion. In no way do I claim to understand or love Obi-Wan Kenobi “the most”. Such a claim cannot be made by anyone, nor does it matter, when millions of voices so frequently join to celebrate this character. I am not here with a possessive mindset, nor am I trying to exert moral superiority. However, animosity for the fanon version of a character who has captured my heart so fiercely has been building for as long as I’ve been a Star Wars fan, and I am finally making an effort to properly give my voice and hopefully debunk popular fanons of Obi-Wan built on false foundations.
The Perfect Jedi, The Unfortunate Candidate
Many Star Wars fans are familiar with the glaring issues in the dynamic between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, no matter how much love the two characters had for each other. Obi-Wan concluded that the best way to guide Anakin in the Jedi way was to emulate a so called “perfect Jedi”, while Anakin took this as Obi-Wan being such a model Jedi, that he could never relate to Anakin’s struggles, thus Anakin tried to hide his true emotions from Obi-Wan. This misunderstanding is the eventual downfall of their relationship after years of harboring resentment. None of this is new to us as fans.
Even while knowing this, several in the fandom, whether consciously or subconsciously, have fallen for Anakin’s misjudgment of his master. It is laced in the language they use for Obi-Wan, in their view of Anakin’s fall to the Dark Side. How can this be?
As Far As Your Wisdom Goes, You’re No Qui-Gon Jinn.
Obi-Wan Kenobi is a vessel utilized by the Force directly many times. Obi-Wan’s entire life is dictated by the will of the Force. Even if he is not the Chosen One, he directly mentors both Chosen Ones. He was responsible for Anakin Skywalker for a decade. Playing such a crucial role in the fate of the galaxy, so integral that some of been moved to say “there is no Star Wars without Obi-Wan Kenobi,” criticism of his behavior will arise, as of course it should. The beauty of fiction can often be highlighted most in character flaws.
Natural, too, is the comparison to Qui-Gon Jinn. Especially when considering the individual role’s Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan play in the will of the Force.
“After all, if Obi-Wan had been the one to die on Naboo, wouldn’t the rise of Darth Vader and the downfall of the Republic never happened? Isn’t that why it’s called Duel of the Fates? Obi-Wan was overly critical, and held Anakin back from being a master, which harbored Anakin’s resentment for the Order, ergo Vader.”
I will give flowers where flowers are due, there are true elements to such a viewpoint. And in simple terms, yes, Obi-Wan needed to live for Darth Vader to be born. But he is not the origin of Darth Vader, nor is Darth Vader a direct design of Obi-Wan Kenobi, as some fans like to claim.
Am I in any way going to imply that Obi-Wan was a perfect teacher? Not at all. Is he above criticism? Of course he isn’t. However, I do believe such popular fan conclusions do not depict an accurate image of Obi-Wan’s role in creation of Darth Vader.
In the claim that Obi-Wan was presenting as the perfect Jedi, many take this to believe that he was harsh, dismissive, and unfeeling. In such assumptions, it is obvious that they do not understand the Jedi Order at all. Nor do they understand Obi-Wan’s failure in his perfect Jedi mask.
There is a recurring impression that Obi-Wan left Anakin alone to flail in a sea of unfamiliar Jedi tenets, and expected Anakin to fall in line with a foreign Order without exceptional difficulty. This couldn’t be farther from the truth, and is a basis that relies on a weak foundation of if it wasn’t shown on screen, it didn’t happen.
Obi-Wan is shown both critiquing and praising Anakin throughout Attack of the Clones. In The Clone Wars Season 4 Episode 11, Kidnapped, Obi-Wan talks with Ahsoka about making sure to look out for Anakin, considering his past as a slave, as they had been sent on a mission to free Togruta colonists from the Zygerrian Slave Empire (the argument that Anakin should not have been on such a mission in the first place will undoubtedly arise, which of course is true, although not something Obi-Wan can control. And if Anakin himself is being brazen and headstrong about the mission, restless to barge in “guns o’blazing”—how much less can Obi-Wan dictate where he goes and what he does? He is no longer responsible for Anakin.)
In Season 6, Episode 5 of The Clone Wars, The Rise of Clovis, Obi-Wan takes the initiative and privately talks with Anakin, to offer a listening ear and hopefully some comfort to Anakin after Obi-Wan noticed Anakin’s troubled state. In the scene, he approaches Anakin not as a Master, but as a friend, eager to ease Anakin’s discomfort. Obi-Wan encourages Anakin to open up about the true nature of his feelings for Padmé, gently promoted Anakin to reason aloud that it was jealousy that had him perturbed. This scene has always struck me, because Obi-Wan himself goes as far as to open up about his feelings for Satine Kryze, even though this couldn’t have been more than a few months after her death, very likely less than that. Obi-Wan’s demeanor and voice are gentle, non-threatening, not accusatory, not judgmental. He talks to Anakin with a perspective of understanding. It is Anakin who brushes him off and refuses to confront his feelings for Padmé out loud to Obi-Wan.
In fact, Anakin is shown lashing out far more than he opens up. In most cases, while Obi-Wan tries to level with him, Anakin is far more inclined to point fingers. Again, this is not to say all the time. In Revenge of the Sith, Anakin sincerely apologizes to Obi-Wan for his bad attitude, and Obi-Wan reinforces his admiration of Anakin. I am not trying to paint Anakin as the root of every issue, but I am saying he was responsible for his own decisions.
The creation of Darth Vader should not be attributed to a single moment. But I am of the firm belief that fans give Anakin too much credit on this front. It is shown as well as stated in The Phantom Menace that Anakin always had the Dark Side of the Force in him, in a way that would result as an unbalanced, unstable Jedi. This is not something I am trying to blame Anakin for, at the time he was a child. In fact, having Anakin trained at all doomed both him and his Master. I believe making sweeping claims of finality about either’s attitude completely misunderstands the point of Star Wars. The situation was greatly complicated, and I have no intention to oversimplify it. Both master and apprentice had their strong moments and their incredibly low ones, but I also believe that Darth Vader will always boil down to Anakin’s inability to accept his own failure, Anakin’s arrogance, and Palpatine’s years of manipulation, not Obi-Wan’s conduct as a master.
You’ll forgive me, I have scoured the internet, but I cannot find the source of this comic panel. If anyone does know, please inform me. However, there is a lovely post by @thesecondbatgirl that I think drives my point home.
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The suggestion that Obi-Wan is insensitive, harsh, cold, or anything of the sort, are all ideas given to us from Anakin’s point of view—Anakin, who is known to be arrogant, and unable to face criticism.
Knowing all of this, it is logical to conclude that Anakin’s judgement of Obi-Wan’s performance as a master cannot be a fair one, with this hubris and tendency to blame Obi-Wan for things that are not Obi-Wan’s fault so painfully obvious. Even so, many fans have adopted his attitude towards Obi-Wan, whether consciously or subconsciously.
I am not saying Obi-Wan never misjudged Anakin, or that he always reacted well when Anakin made an understandable, youthful blunder—but that’s exactly my point, sometimes is incredibly different from always. Just because it exists doesn’t mean it exists all the time. Obi-Wan is the farthest from perfect, he is shown making terrible mistakes, especially in The Clone Wars, like in the Deception arc, where Obi-Wan did not take into account just how deeply his actions would hurt his loved ones and severely broke trust
However, the notion that Obi-Wan was an unfair master who expected too much of Anakin is one that must be stopped. In reality, Obi-Wan was just as desperate to please Anakin as Anakin was to please him, if not more so. After feeling cast aside by Qui-Gon, then bearing the undeserved responsibility of training the Chosen One, it is ridiculous to assume that Obi-Wan could fit well into the ideal Jedi mold. Or at least, what people perceive to be the “ideal Jedi mold”.
Does the Prequel Trilogy clearly explain the causes of Darth Vader in a way that is sound and cohesive? In my opinion, no. There is vital context added in The Clone Wars, such as Anakin’s Padawan leaving the Order. So too, are his actions explained more soundly in the Revenge of the Sith novelization by Matthew Stover. Therefore, I cannot completely blame those who attribute more blame to Obi-Wan than is necessary, especially if they are a more casual fan, given the poor framing of the movies.
My point is, Obi-Wan (and by extension, the Jedi Order) is commonly used as a scapegoat, discounting any and all good he does especially towards Anakin, typically to bolster Anakin if they favor his character. Therein lies a refusal to see things from Obi-Wan’s point of view, and in doing this strip Anakin’s agency from him by blaming Anakin’s actions on others. This also suggests a muddled view of Anakin’s intentions. At the very least, there has been a failure to offer a little more grace to Obi-Wan, who always gave his all to everything he did.
Now that I have laid my case about Obi-Wan and the creation of Vader , the rest of my discussion will delve into a far more widespread fanon. And one that in my opinion, paints Obi-Wan in a far more detrimental light than any unfair ridicule he might face.
Fandom’s Chosen One
If you consider yourself in a Fandom, then you very likely have some experience with fanfiction—whether having occasionally skimmed websites, to your fic being the main project in your life. From fanfiction, essentially anything can blossom. Many times, perceived versions of characters stem from fanfiction, and bleed into our perceptions of canon. This can be great fun, and a great tool. Sadly, it is all too easy for such perceptions to be misguided, to an extent that does a disservice to the original story rather than showing honor and appreciation for it.
Before we get into the fanfic contents, we should at least consider what these fanfiction writers are basing their works off of.
George Lucas has never been subtle in his storytelling. Much of his writing in the Prequel Trilogy relies heavily on exposition. Lucas has also been very transparent about taking inspiration from real-world events, which is evident especially when considering the timing of writing. Despite this, unfortunately, a large number of fans have missed the clear messaging from Lucas, and Obi-Wan is by no means an exception.
George Lucas wrote Obi-Wan Kenobi with heavy East Asian coding, as he did with the Jedi Order as a whole. In the Original Trilogy, Obi-Wan was meant to be Lucas’ version of the wise, Samurai mentor stereotype. Lucas’ initial idea in writing Obi-Wan was for Toshiro Mifune, a Japanese actor, to portray him. Mifune turned down the role, however, and Alec Guinness was cast. Asian influence is perhaps most obvious in Obi-Wan’s name, which follows similar consonant-vowel patterns found in Chinese and Japanese.
But what does any of this mean for Fandom, our perception (or misperception) of Obi-Wan, and our patterns in portraying him?
“Space Scotland”
The name Stewjon is the only specific thing we know about Obi-Wan’s home planet, because the Jedi Order are meant to be perceived as his culture and family—his adopted heritage.
Ewan Mcgregor is a Scottish actor. Because of this, many fans have decided that Obi-Wan’s home planet should be based off of Scotland, and this has turned into relatively popular fanon. Fans quickly latched onto the playful remark made by Lucas as an homage to Jon Stewart in calling Obi-Wan’s home planet Stewjon, and such, a relatively consistent culture of Stewjon has remained prevalent in fanfic. This is hardly questioned by those interested in exploring what has been written of Stewjon. I was in a similar boat, I had seen jokes of Obi-Wan being Scottish by birth, never thought about it one way or another, because I knew what little information we had about his origins. As far as my personal projects as of yet, Stewjon was not relevant to me or my portrayal of Obi-Wan
Mcgregor brings none of his Scottish heritage into his portrayal of Obi-Wan, not even using his natural accent. So then, why? Why must Obi-Wan be Scottish? It seemed random to me, the more I thought about it. There is no inspiration taken from Alec Guinness’ background to comprise Obi-Wan’s birth culture. Moreover, the concept of “Space Scotland” goes against what we do know about Obi-Wan’s culture in canon. That being his name.
Below, I have linked two essays from Archive of Our Own that expertly provide answers to such questions of Obi-Wan Kenobi’s heritage and the fanon that has been built around it. The first linked is written by tellinowritesmeta (tellino), a Scottish Star Wars fan, giving a full explanation of why Obi-Wan Kenobi is quite clearly not Scottish, and never has been.
Stewjon Isn't Gaelic: Obi-Wan Kenobi and the Problem with "Space Scotland"
The second, an essay that came before tellino’s and inspired it, is by an Asian American Star Wars fanfiction writer, detailing the East Asian influence in Star Wars, and the coding around Obi-Wan specifically.
Obi-Wan, Ben, and the AU
I cannot fit every essential point surrounding Stewjon specifically here, my intention is to connect such issues to a larger misinterpretation of Obi-Wan, which is why I implore you to read both essays linked if you can. They both give far more in-depth, relevant information regarding how Fandom treats Obi-Wan’s mysterious Stewjoni heritage, and lead to points of my larger critiques of how fans choose to view Obi-Wan himself. If you are a Star Wars fan who loves Obi-Wan, both are worth your time.
But what is the issue here? Isn’t “Space Scotland” still technically treated as a Fandom inside joke? Or, relatively harmless fan-speculation utilized by fancreators?
As tellinowritesmeta’s essay throughly explains, “Stewjon” is commonly presented as a lazy mockery of what non-Scottish, people unwilling to do research perceive Scottish culture to be. In everything I have read detailing Stewjon, it has been a mock-up of Gaelic cultures, mixed and matched, based off of stereotypes, with some aspects of Scottish culture being completely thrown out, presumably because it didn’t fit the “aesthetic”. But beyond the ignorance prevalent in such fanon, “Space Scotland” tosses the culture Obi-Wan was written around aside completely.
George Lucas wrote the Jedi with heavy East Asian coding, basing their tenets off of Buddhism, basing their style off of samurai warriors. With the Force, he echoes Chinese concepts such as Qi.
So, we have his adopted culture, the inspiration for his character, and the name Obi-Wan Kenobi.
All of which have been almost completely disregarded by Fandom.
In a refusal to embrace what we are given from canon, in a refusal to understand the Jedi, they do not understand Obi-Wan. They cannot reflect him accurately in their portrayals. They look at him, how loyal and devoted he is to an Order that seems so mystical and foreign. Perhaps this stems from a misguided view of the Jedi, because of Anakin, or some internal bias. And they refuse to acknowledge how these ideals, this culture, these beliefs influence, Obi-Wan. It’s not comfortable. So, they strip all of that away, they don’t take into account the heavy coding around East Asian culture Obi-Wan was written with.
“Space Scotland” is a concept just foreign enough to still intrigue them, to make Obi-Wan “exotic” while still fitting him into their mold, making him more palatable. There is even a trend to rename him Ben—as a given name—not to acknowledge someone who has been torn from their home and is now isolated (as is what Ben means to him in canon, the whole point being that it’s not the true him) as reflects the lives of many diaspora—they use it because it’s familiar in western culture. And then, they make a ridiculous pastiche of Scotland, one full of stereotypes and a blatant lack of research. There is absolutely no basis for it whatsoever. It’s for the aesthetic, it’s convenient for them. It’s nothing short of erasure.
There are headcanons, patterns, memes, that I have seen from fans that have for years led me to the realization (though I had not truly comprehended how large the scope of it was until recently).
So many fans do not want Obi-Wan Kenobi. They want an attractive white man who they shape to become more relatable, more familiar, so they can mold him into something that never aligned with his character, while keeping just enough of the “exoticism” by having him based off a foreign culture. Because how could they possibly relate to him without all those pesky Jedi teachings in the way! Well maybe, just maybe, he doesn’t live a lifestyle like yours.
(Note: this is not me saying that exploring Obi-Wan as a non-Jedi or bringing him into a modern AU is at all wrong in itself, but it is all about how it’s presented and the attitude towards him and his coding as a whole.)
Now that we’ve identified the all-too-common Obi-Wan caricature, we will consider another area in which he has been completely divorced from his canon portrayal.
The Negotiator
Obi-Wan Kenobi is portrayed by Ewan Mcgregor in the the prequel trilogy. Ewan Mcgregor is a conventionally attractive man. Obi-Wan is canonically described as charismatic, and dubbed “The Negotiator” for his diplomatic skills. Obi-Wan is appealing to Fandom. Of course, how could he not be? He’s kind, his sarcasm and wit entertains us for hours, and he never loses his integrity, no matter what he faces. Fandom has been enchanted by him for years, and will certainly continue to be.
He’s a stylish man, flashy to an extent, obviously gives a damn about looking neat, and isn’t afraid to utilize his charms.
However, aspects of him have been cherry-picked, and specific traits have snowballed. Specifically, the idea of Obi-Wan using his body, for business and for pleasure, is taken as canon. Frankly, I would be surprised if you had not heard the term “Slut Obi-Wan. It’s played for memes, it’s expressed in fanfiction, in casual mentions of his character. Frankly, it is everywhere.
What aspects of his personality allude to this? Well, the first and foremost thing has nothing to do with his personality at all, because it’s simply: people are physically attracted to him. In itself, there is nothing wrong with this. However, this, paired with his charisma, projection onto the character himself has been blown ridiculously out of proportion. But what does the text say? What would happen if we really looked at these interactions? But, of course, most of Fandom will not do this, and I do not expect them to. Why examine any further, after all, when it’s so easy and comfortable here?
But don’t take my word for it. Let’s examine Obi-Wan’s mindset from the canon.
I’m sure no one is surprised that the first interactions we are going to examine are those between Obi-Wan and Asajj Ventress. In almost every duel they have, playful banter that often crosses into flirtatiousness is played for comedy.
In the canon (as of now) novel Dark Disciple by Christie Golden, this is addressed directly.
However, it is stated to be purely tactical in nature. (Note: this discussion will not be me dictating who you can and cannot ship him with. merely, when we refer to canon Obi-Wan, and how he has processed romance and intimacy).
Nothing about this is for physical pleasure, merely a mental challenge, a way to hopefully catch the other off guard. It’s not difficult to understand that Obi-Wan Kenobi and Asajj Ventress have no genuine interest in each other, aside from the possibility of an amusing challenge from an intellectual equal, hence the mind games. Adding to this, too, they both have different canon love interests, and both characters are shown to be devoted only to their canon love interests, as far as romance goes.
In The Clone Wars season 2 episode 17, Bounty Hunters, Obi-Wan and a bounty hunter named Sugi are somewhat depicted to be fraternizing, with playful banter that wouldn’t be a stretch to label as flirting. However, if you’ll notice, the second she turns away, Obi-Wan’s demeanor completely changes, with his face immediately hardening into something devoid of playfulness or anything resembling desire. It is clear his only purpose in entertaining such a dynamic with the bounty hunter is to keep her as an ally and soften her view towards the Jedi’s involvement.
In The Clone Wars episode Innocnets of Ryloth, a droid states that General Kenobi is “known for his deceptive maneuvers.”
Obi-Wan is also shown using his charisma in ways that don’t involve anything flirtatious or remotely romantic. He is simply charming, puts people at ease, a balance of non-threatening calm with the confidence of a leader. He is shown staging fake surrenders, and speaks calmly to his enemies far more than he raises his voice.
So, in the canon, is Obi-Wan seeking physical pleasure, or does he merely act out of tactical necessity?
The Real Voyage of Temptation
Among the many things Fandom will happily graze over to stuff Obi-Wan into their caricatured version of him, how he processes sex and romance is one of the most prevalent misinterpretations. In the novel Padawan by Kirseten White, Obi-Wan explains that sexual intercourse always seemed “more like an obstacle, rather than a temptation.”
Because of what is in canon, I will now mention his relationship with Satine Kryze through his eyes. However, I will reference his EU love interest, Siri Tachi from the Jedi Apprentice series, because the same points apply.
We don’t have much about Obi-Wan and Satine during the blossom of their romance. We know that they were between the ages 15 to 18, that they had a year’s worth of time in proximity, and that they were constantly in life-or-death circumstances. Mirroring his relationship with Siri, he and Satine would often bicker. The root of the tumultuous bickering with Satine is typically their differing political views, but as with Siri, it is meant to depict their begrudging romantic attraction. However, both overcome their difference with Obi-Wan. The basis for romance had a foundation of trust and compromise. And in both cases, Obi-Wan chooses duty over love.
Despite fanon speculation (such as the theory that Korkie Kryze is the illegitimate son of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Satine Kryze, one Obi-Wan does not know about) in Obi-Wan’s relationship with Satine, it is implied that they do not acknowledge their feelings aloud until long into after they have built lives in which the other had no involvement. The first time they confess to each other’s faces is during a famous confrontation in The Clone Wars episode, Voyage of Temptation.
When Obi-Wan says his famous line “had you said the word, I would have left the Jedi Order,” what struck me upon first hearing the line is his use of past tense. He is admitting to Satine that he loved her enough to leave the Order as a teenager, but now he has so much more responsibility and such a different life, it is obvious that he would not leave the Order for her now. This is proven when later this same episode we see the two sharing a bittersweet goodbye. This situation mirrors Obi-Wan’s Legends romance with Siri Tachi. The two Padawans planned to leave the Jedi Order to be together whilst forced into proximity on a mission. However, upon their return to the Temple, they cancelled this plan and vowed to never speak of their feelings for each other again.
Siri Tachi and Satine Kryze both die in Obi-Wan’s arms during the Clone Wars, and they both reaffirm their love for him as they do so. Obi-Wan lets them both go.
Obi-Wan Kenobi is only ever shown having romantic interest for someone he trusts deeply, and has a strong emotional bond and sense of camaraderie with. And in both cases, he chose to stay in the Jedi Order.
In Padawan, after being away from the Temple for some time Obi-Wan identifies a desire for attachment—but not necessarily a romantic one. He describes having a best friend, a true one, a confidant, an equal, someone he can share emotional intimacy with.
“Obi-Wan was hit with a sudden pang of longing. Not for any of them, specifically, but for that intimacy with anyone, generally. To clasp fingers, sneak off into the dark, have the weight of secrets, and affection and… connection. Attachment.”
However, immediately after identifying this, he rebukes himself, saying it bordered too close to attachment. This is obviously sometime he had to fight all his life. And, of course, the fight was hard-won, but won nonetheless.
Obi-Wan Kenobi was loyal to the Jedi Order, whether he wanted it or not. In both timelines where he has romantic feelings for someone, he never forgets them, nor does he let his attachment overcome his life.
On another extreme, there is a tendency to undermine Obi-Wan’s love for such characters in a way that infantilizes him (again, this is not to say not shipping him with these canon love interests, I do not ship him with these characters. This is something else entirely). Among his choosing to stay in the Jedi Order, I have picked up a mild trend among fanfiction, that show characters such as Satine Kryze, or perhaps whomever the author would prefer to pair Obi-Wan with, emotionally or even physically “preying” on Obi-Wan. There is a delicate balance between how much he desires romance, how much he desires sex, and his dedication to the Jedi Order, all of which are blown far out of proportion by fanon. Once again—the issue lies when such things are taken as canon. His sexual desires are extremely low, as is obvious in many Star Wars novels, and yet he is objectified heavily. He can recognize his romantic feelings for both of the love interests he has had through Star Wars, while also deciding the Order is where he belongs.
These are his desires, and his priorities. Obi-Wan Kenobi’s actions speak of someone who is fiercely loyal, who loves deeply, and who is certainly not self-indulgent. Nothing about him says that he would share himself in such a way with a stranger, especially not if he harbored romantic feelings for someone else. Especially not when it took so much for him to fall in love in the first place.
Obi-Wan Kenobi (Why This Matters)
“Millie, why does any of this matter? Fandoms have been mischaracterizing & embellishing canon since the dawn of time. Why do you care so much?”
Well, I could state the obvious that anyone who loves storytelling in some capacity will have to be familiar with, fiction reflects reality. So, yes, it does and always will matter how we chose to portray our world and the people in it.
Years ago, I finally made the decision that I would stop kicking around what little information I had with the core nine movies and finally watch The Clone Wars. And since then, I have loved Obi-Wan so deeply it has uprooted and changed my life. I have studied him as best I can. I’ve made wrong assumptions, I’ve concluded things about him that were false. But every single time, I have done all I could to research what was given to me from canon. There are trials in this, Obi-Wan has been portrayed by a myriad of different authors and writers over the years, and I have identified discrepancies between portrayals, especially if one considers canon vs. the EU. But beyond that, I just want to try and know him. And because of that, I am angry at what this Fandom does to him, and will no doubt continue to do to appease their idea of what he should be.
If you genuinely don’t care about him—if you enjoy your, fetishized, simplified, empty version of him after reading everything just covered, then there is likely nothing I can say to give canon Obi-Wan a modicum of merit in your eyes.
But if you do claim to love this character—not an idea of him, not a watered down version, stripped of nuance, and cultural coding, and subtext—but him, and you still refuse to acknowledge what has been given to you from the canon of Obi-Wan Kenobi, if nothing else, pause to consider: is that love?
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inafieldofstarflowers · 1 year ago
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Top five reasons you (yes, you) should watch Star Wars Rebels:
Immaculate found family energy—these characters have a home together. They know each other’s strengths and weaknesses and support one another in achieving the things that are important to them, and their relationships drive the show in a way that feels incredibly genuine.
Character depth—Rebels genuinely has some of the best character development of any Star Wars property I’m familiar with. Each of the characters gets a chance to grow in some way, whether that’s gaining perspective of the world or understanding something new about themselves. They are well fleshed out and consistent. It’s also such a cool look into both what it meant to be a Jedi in the rebellion era, between iterations of the Jedi order, and what it meant to not be a Jedi but still fight in the rebellion. I love that Rebels tells both stories and doesn’t favor one or the other.
Quality Lore—Rebels has a clear trajectory: you get to watch the cast progress from being one of many isolated rebel cells to helping create a unified rebellion. And yet, the show never loses sight of its roots, and the heart of the show stays grounded on Lothal, the planet where it began, and Lothal becomes something of a symbol throughout the show. Also, in terms of broader Star Wars lore, SO many important items or people have their stories told—you get lots of nods to or arcs centered around the darksaber, the mortis gods, the rebellion, darth maul, and more, all of which enrich the experience of watching a lot of the other movies and shows.
Cool visuals—I know a lot of people are turned off by the animation style, especially the saber size, and wish it was like Clone Wars. But Rebels honestly has really beautiful art, and you see a variety of cool planets along the way (Lothal is especially pretty imo).
Compelling villains—This is big for me personally, because to me, Star Wars thrives most when it has a good villain—think Vader and Palpatine; think Maul and Pong Krell. And Rebels has multiple villains who are believably threatening and also work incredibly well in terms of adding to the plot.
Give Rebels a chance; it’s truly incredible, and also just so genuinely fun. Whether you’re a fan of TCW who was thrown by the animation or a fan who just watched Ahsoka and wants to learn more about these characters or a fan who hasn’t dipped into the tv shows, you should ABSOLUTELY watch it. I promise you get used to the sabers being animated differently, and that the characters continue to gain depth throughout.
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