#fandom musings: star wars

[artist-issues]

It isn’t all the filmmaker’s fault that all we’re getting is second-rate remakes and sequels to franchises that should’ve been left alone a long time ago.

We don’t have a clear idea of why we like the things we like. So we don’t clearly communicate why we like the things we like. So it’s no wonder Hollywood keeps getting your favorite movies and their characters wrong. The fans don’t even know why they like what they like.

When Genie is set free in the original Aladdin, that moment was impactful, and you remembered it all through childhood. When Luke tosses the lightsaber away and says “I am a Jedi, like my father before me,” it was impactful, and you remembered it.

But did you stop and analyze why? What made those moments, and those stories, impactful?

Did you say, “Genie wished to be free for the whole movie, and he was always trying to tell Aladdin about how freedom only comes from trusting, and he was learning to trust Al himself, and Aladdin finally DID trust Jasmine to still want him even if he wasn’t rich, so he set Genie free in the most satisfying way!”

Did you say, “Luke spent all previous movies rushing into fights, and trying to control everything to save the ones he loves, but when he finally has his enemy at his mercy and is at the height of his power, he realizes that being a Jedi isn’t rushing and fighting and controlling; it’s having faith in the good and throwing your opportunity for control away.”

Did you think through and appreciate that stuff? The values? The point of the whole story, and how the characters act as pillars holding that point up? The good and the bad things that they embody?

No. Not out loud. Because we don’t think critically anymore. We just go “what’s this? Entertain me. Oooh, I felt something! Good! Next!”

The why behind what you like is the only value in liking anything.

But we don’t look objectively at the “why.” We don’t dwell on the “why.” If we dwell on anything, it’s to superimpose ourselves or whatever we like onto the characters.

You think Barbie was hyping feminism because you like feminism, and because you felt things during Barbie. You write fanfiction about Eddie Munson that has nothing to do with what Eddie Munson actually is as a character—because you like love stories, and you felt some compelling emotions when you saw Eddie Munson onscreen, so you’ve decided that those things should go together. You take something that made you feel emotions while you watched the canon material, then you don’t bother to process those emotions or what made the canon material compelling. You just slap whatever you already think you like onto something that made you feel, whether it had anything to do with what you like or not.

You eat the apple and benefit from it without knowing, at all, what nutrients are inside. Then when someone offers you crap and tells you it’s apple-flavored, you wonder why you’re not feeling the same way afterward.

Then you misdiagnose. You say “no, I don’t wonder why I’m not feeling the same—it’s because the CGI in live-action remakes suck!” Okay, great, so they’ll get better CGI. And it’ll still suck. Because that was never the problem, just like the reasons you liked the movie were never the reasons it actually impacted you in the first place.

Figure out. WHY. You like what you like. Figure out if it’s because the stories said what their creators objectively intended for them to say—or if you like the story in spite of that, not because of that.

Then open your mouth about it. It is worth it.

[mwolf0epsilon]

Sometimes being in the SW Fandom is about diving into the annals of the internet researching the most obscure tidbit of batshit insane Canon or EU Lore imaginable to man (which is honestly my favorite thing to do because people have done some pretty insanely funny things with this universe and characters). But for the majority of the time, being in the SW Fandom is also watching people repeat a cycle of asinine arguments that make an absolute ass out of them for the worst possible reasons.

So here's a quick reminder of past arguments to be mindful of and always consider, when you see something in the tags that makes you wrinkle your nose at:

Everyone has something they like or dislike about the overall universe and story. Be it the Original Trilogy, the Prequels, the Sequels, the Animated series, the Live-Action series, EU stuff, Novels, etc. No one is above or below anyone else just because they don't love the entirety of the universe and/or the direction the current writers are taking it.

Canon can be a good baseline for your own creative purposes. You don't have to love it (because yes the whole thing can be inconsistent as hell), but don't get to a point in your fanfic/AU world-building where you vehemently deny that canon is an actual thing. This goes hand in hand with your personal depiction of characters vs someone else's depictions. Reading comprehension and the creative process depend on perspective and how you process the information you're given, so it's only normal that no two person's idea of a character is the same. But saying that your headcanons are how the characters should be written by everyone is not gonna do you any favors in the long run, because it's not up to you to decide on that. Don't forget Blorbo's actual roots and what it took to get him where you took him, but don't try to force someone else to accept the journey you orchestrated for them!

No one's OC should be put on a pedestal. It's good that people feel comfortable enough to play Barbies with each other's OCs in roleplay sessions, or even add a cameo in a fic to a character of a friend and/or artist/writer they admire from a distance. Hell, the fact many people are passionate about someone else's little fella/s is great! But the moment someone's OC becomes an object of obsession within a Fandom community, things can go a little wrong... It stops being fun to be in that kind of space that goes from welcoming OC discussions to suddenly shunning new people in favor of someone's Ultimate Blorbo who now has a Cult Following and should be written into every fanfic ever.

No one is evil for lacking knowledge or self-awareness of certain grievances that people rightfully have with the source material. The SW Fandom has always had a long-standing issue with racial stereotyping, whitewashing, cultural appropriation, sexism and many other equally serious topics that have been more eloquently explained in posts made by people much more eloquent and qualified than I am or ever will be. However, one must recognize that not everyone who joins the Fandom is immediately aware of these things. Especially the younger generations that have either not been exposed to these concepts due to one reason or another (upbringing, biased educational curriculum, etc), or because they were simply never in a position where they could delve into these topics with someone knowledgeable on them (some experiences simply aren't universal, especially if you come from a more privileged family). For the most part, SW is just a silly sci-fi universe that is nothing more than a simple means of escapism or dumb fun. Not everyone is going to study it under a microscope or go through it with a fine comb. That said, another important thing to remember is to listen to those who know their stuff and that have had personal grievances with any of the topics above. You can be excused for lack of knowledge, but you cannot be excused for purposefully ignoring the voices of those who provide you said knowledge for free if you go searching.

This is kinda returning to the second and previous topics, but I really need to put emphasis on this: If you're going to cling to certain design choices with an iron first and incorporate them into your personal ideas/headcanons, please always consider how it SOUNDS when you say characters that are written with basis on real POC people/communities are much better/superior if they have phenotypical trait expressions that are not present (or considered rare/atypical) in their real world basis. This is a CONSISTENT problem I have seen crop up specifically within the Clone Wars and Bad Batch sides of the fandom, especially when talking about Rex (who is a blond) and Clone Force 99 (who do not look like standard clones). Always remember: The problem isn't that Rex can't be naturally blond (genetics can be unpredictable and we really don't have an extensive look into the cloning process), the problem is the way some people think he'd be inferior in some way if he were a bottle blond who chose to distinguish himself (almost as if having darker skin, darker hair and darker eyes is somehow worse than having lighter skin, lighter hair or lighter eyes.. How curious isn't it?). Needless to say, I don't think I need to elaborate further on why CF99's "desirable mutations" giving them considerably lighter skin and less ethnic features, while also making their most POC presenting member look and sometimes act like a moronic brute (something which this Fandom pushes further by infantilizing him relentlessly), is a bit of a red flag...

Star Wars has always been political. It is literally in the name and in the meat of the writing. The entire thing is basically a political and social critique presented in a sci-fi/fantasy wrapper, with colorful plasma swords, cool spaceships, and kickass explosion bow on top. You cannot separate the political conversation from the universe's overall lore, and trying to do so makes you look foolish. Disney may have taken creative liberties with some of its shows, but at the end of the day they can't ever eliminate what the Original Trilogies and even the Prequels tried to tell us about. With that said, complaining about how some of the new shows are "too Woke" or PC is the equivalent of saying you read Romeo and Juliet and that the story is relationship goals. You might need to revisit the original material.

For the love of god if you don't like something, don't go after someone who does, it's not worth it. Sometimes the best thing you can do is either filter something you actively dislike/that makes you feel uncomfortable, or simply unfollow/block whoever is repeatedly bringing it onto your doorstep. And you also have no real obligation to explain your decision to block someone, especially if they hound you for questions. Rule of thumb: Don't like something? That's perfectly fine and valid. Take the steps to make yourself comfortable then, but don't go out of your way to be a royal asshole to someone else just because they themselves enjoy it. This encompasses things from anti-jedi demonization, actual ethnic cleansing in canon, siding with personifications of alt-right extremists, proshipping apologism, etc. The block button was added to this hellsite for a reason. Use it.

Sometimes you can't change someone else's opinions on a matter and that is perfectly fine. Just don't start a feud. People come and go, and their opinions vary (we're all individuals with out own perspectives and unique experiences after all), but getting up in arms every time someone either refuses to yield in a long-winded argument, or continuously tries to shove their unsolicited opinions/advice onto you, or even makes incredibly uncomfortable/forward/gross comments that they definitely shouldn't be saying to a complete stranger on the internet, is kind of pointless and will drain you of energy faster than you can say Death Star. You're not the lesser person for walking away from a lost cause. It's ultimately not your job or responsibility to fix/better someone else. Especially if they don't want to change.

[fawnnfiction]

I think literally every fandom, and I mean EVERY fandom, should have a Star Wars AU where at least one character (OC or canon) is a Jedi Knight who survived Order 66 and is trying to adapt to their new life in the world of their respective series.

And this character feels the need to hide their Force sensitivity and alien past from their friends, lest they be branded as a freak or, worse, found by the Empire.

But, uh oh, someone from the greater galaxy gets involved and messes everything up! Time to dust off the old lightsaber (bonus points if it belonged to their now-deceased Jedi Master)!

Or maybe don't introduce more Star Wars characters and elements: just sit back and watch the unfolding chaos caused by plopping a Jedi in a completely foreign universe.

Who cares if they end up OP? They literally just got out of a full-scale war only to watch their entire family gunned down by their supposedly loyal soldiers. The tension can come from the PTSD-driven angst.

In conclusion, I'm very normal about the way I engage with fandoms. Crossover shenanigans tickle my brain.

[aripithecus]

I absolutely love how the mainstream Star Wars fandom was so completely blindsided by WolfWren that they never really talked about or got into arguments about it. The ones who did cover the phenomenon immediately outed themselves as queerphobes and the rest were left scratching their heads.

[vix8n]

Apologies on not posting very often I’m working on something for Halloween soo look forward to that! Anyways here’s something a little fun used @oakwolves template they made!

[ladyanidala]

So, Conundrum Time...

Helloooo, all my lovelies! Who knows how many of my followers this is going to reach, but I feel like it's time I sit down and have a little chat with y'all.

(poll below)

So, I would wager that a plurality of you follow me here bc of my AO3. If you're here solely for the memes, please know that I love you dearly.

ANYWAYS, before I get super distracted and go down rabbit holes, I find myself in a bit of a conundrum. I used to adore writing ficlets, but I find myself shifting toward more long-form fics. I find that I'm not able to tell stories without character building, world building, and all that fun writing stuff (you can blame my Jesse fic for that :))))) ).

Not only the above, but I also find myself in a bit of a writing burnout stage. I know it won't last forever, and for that, I'm grateful, bc I so look forward to writing for you guys! Right now, though, I need a break to consume and replenish my writing meter. That, and the fact that I'm planning a wedding and getting married also puts a damper on my writing, hahaha.

All this to say - I do not see myself publishing anything in the near future (minus my clone fic gift exchange that I wrote last month), but I know that I still have prompts to fulfill and post from my 150 follower celebration that I posted about way back when (I HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN YOU, MY LOVELIES!!)

So the question I have for you dearies that choose to follow me -

All of this will help me determine how much bandwidth I can spare to writing and publishing and having a good time, lol

Enjoy your day, my loves!!! <3

[mayxthexforce]

I know I reblogged that "I'm older now than my father ever was" post and it shows Leia and Bail but I will hurt y'all even more by reminding you all of the fact that Leia died at 54, Bail Organa died at 67. Leia didn't get to live as long nor as happily as Bail did. Bail had his wife and his child. Leia lost Han and didn't really get to watch Ben grow up because he was at Luke's Jedi school, then he fell to the dark side.

[mornings-ofgold]

@luminescenc1e

Niima Outpost was a place where few, other than junk traders, would come to willingly. The sight of an off-world ship shouldn't have caught her attention the late afternoon that she rode into the outpost, but the insignia of the First Order certainly did. Rey couldn't imagine what they would be doing in the outpost other than getting a refuel or emergency repair. No one on Jakku, other than perhaps the offshoot of the Church of the Force, could be of any importance to the First Order.

Her finds of the day, secured to the side of her speeder, jingled and clanged as she shut off the vehicle. The hunk of junk that she'd assembled and pieced together on her own was on the verge of breaking down. Rey's plan that afternoon was to haggle with one of the Teedos that she knew had the part she needed before exchanging her findings for a few portions. Years ago she might have been intimidated by the fast talking and stubborn haggling, yet now she held her own against stubborn traders.

A chill ran down her back as she secured her sack and began to drag it in the direction of the Teedo's stall. The chill accompanied the odd sensation that oftentimes kept her from stepping onto an unsteady foothold in the starship wrecks or helped her avoid unexpected patches of sinking sand. Rey always listened to this sort of extra sense of self preservation, yet this time the thought of having to walk all the way back home without her speeder kept her from acknowledging it.

She flipped up her goggles as she approached the stall and the irate Teedo stationed behind it, leaving the business of the First Order behind.

[lightasthesun]

I don't just have brainrot...I am rotten to the core!

[ariel-seagull-wings]

@the-blue-fairie @thealmightyemprex @makingboneboy @themousefromfantasyland

When you watch on the same day Jessie Gender and Aranock's video essay calling out the staticness of Star Wars, George Lucas control in the name of being an autheur and campbellian Hero's Journey in Hollywood pop culture, and Classic Doctor Who story The Mind Robbers where a group of friends unite to not become static fiction by an all controlling author.

[ussenterpeen]

why you should join denouement

do you have brainrot for obscure or niche characters? or maybe your tastes are a little more mainstream? in either case, getting the opportunity to write your favorite muse(s) in group settings can be difficult. maybe your fandom isn't big enough to warrant its own forum or server, or maybe it's so big that you can never find a place where your muse is available to write.

enter: multi/panfandom rp. imagine a world where all of the muses you want to write can co-exist in the same world, interacting with characters from all variety of fandoms. on denouement, we have characters from movies, tv shows, anime, manga, novels, podcasts, video games, musicals, and more!

some of our newest characters include:

al haitham (genshin impact) cordelia goode (american horror story) vi (arcane/lol) remy lebeau (marvel) paul atreides (dune) kakashi hatake (naruto) eddie munson (stranger things) morgana (persona 5) ken (barbie) talia al ghul (dc) harold zidler (moulin rouge!) lee harker (longlegs) charles rowland (dead boy detectives)

and that's just a small sample of the hundreds of characters all being written together and interacting within the confines of a unique and diverse setting. denouement welcomes canon characters from most types of media, fandom canons based on existing properties, original characters of your own creation, and native Denouement residents who have to contend with an influx of strange characters appearing in their homeworld.

the world of denouement contains both towering skyscrapers with futuristic technology and rustic, backwater swamps where magic washes up on the muddy shore. there are world-changing site-wide plots as well as smaller member-run plots run monthly, and the world changes and rearranges itself based on the season, meaning the roleplay itself is constantly changing and shifting. you never have the same experience one season to another! but if you want your slice-of-life character to keep to themselves and go about their daily lives, you can do that as well!

our member base is 18+, with the majority being between 20-30 years old, resulting in a mature and laidback environment in which to both roleplay and chat. the rp itself is largely pg-13, but offers optional, hideable nsfw spaces as well, giving its members the freedom to write intense and challenging stories with one another.

roleplay is done on discord in rapid-fire, real time rp channels, longform and private threads, comm threads, in-character cboxes, and even forum (if that's your fancy). it's totally up to you!

all in all -- if you are looking for a specific vibe in which to write your favorite muses, you can create the vibe you want at denouement. come swing by our discord and meet the gang! we're super friendly and always ready to gas you up about your favorite muses, blorbos, and brainrot.

[rocinantescoffeestop]

I just saw some Star Wars fanfic come across my dash and now my brain is just repeating “anakin fanfiction” over and over again bc it likes the almost rhyme

[youre-late]

What does one do on Tumblr when they realize their fandoms have all come to an end? No new content in sight, and nothing to keep me company but old content that now collects dust?

[bylightofdawn]

I have safely made it home from Kyle and watching RoTJ. It was of course, the 'updated' version which just...I hate it. I dislike the unnecessary early aughts special effects but I think my biggest grip is George Lucas has deprived an entire generation of the Yub Nub song.

It makes me sad there are people out there who have never seen the OG trilogy. I will forever treasure my box set that has the original and the updated versions because NGL I tend to default the the originals just because that's what I grew up with. And because it has the Yub Nub song.

Also? Watching this makes me want to re-read the X-wing novels again and maybe actually pick up Squadrons and finish it. I was thinking about trying to complete my latest playthrough of Fallen Order and realized I never actually finished the Squadrons campaign which...I mean what campaign really?

I also got hit with a couple of forgotten fic ideas I'd had like...years ago that I might try and work on. One is a smutty Boba/Luke and the other would be a softer Wedge/Luke piece. The second I need t percolate the idea a little bit more but I feel like the Boba and Luke idea shouldn't be THAT hard to do? Right? ahahahahaha she says right before regretting every life choice she ever made.

blech okay it's 1am I am wiped so I'm headed to bed. I will edit and post the bonus chapter of Seeds in the morning/afternoon whenever I wake up.

omg no alarms to bother me? Not having to wake up at 6am?

[twilightofthe]

Ok so in like 3-4(ish) months I’m gonna be taking like 5+ fics off anon and onto my pseud account that are from a fandom that is not Star Wars

I promise tho I’ll try and publish two SW fics tho to make up for any alerts in your email that turn out to be false alarms cuz they’re for something you might not be interested in

[direwolfrules]

Just casually obsessing over Captain Patrok Ru-Saxon’s last name. Like, that’s a canon name.

In Mando’a “ru” is the past tense participial. His name basically means “was a Saxon”. I just find the usage of “ru” instead of “dar” to be so interesting considering Mandalorian culture. Did Dar-Saxon feel too close to dar’manda? Is this a common thing amongst New Mandalorians whose original clan was mostly aligned with Death Watch? How is he related to Gar and Tiber – if they are actually related at all?

It just interests me from a world building point of view