#han solo dies. and luke stayed on his island

[apesoformythoughts]

Part One/Two:

"Look, you and I may hate it, and you may not want to hear it, but what Rian Johnson did with Luke in Episode VIII did to a large extent make sense of what J.J. set up in VII, despite that it may not fit with the Luke from the Original Trilogy."

[starfanatic]

Luke Skywalker vs Rey... Nobody

I hate the argument that a lot of sequel trilogy stans use whenever anyone criticized Rey or labels her a Mary Sue. It’s probably the weakest argument a sequel stan can ever possibly say to me. (Besides the people hate Rey because she’s a women argument).

Lets compare them shall we?

Luke Skywalker in A New Hope is whiny, inexperienced, and very naive. There is multiple moments in a new hope that proves this. When he was whining about not wanting to stay on the moisture farm and wanting to join the Academy like his friend, Biggs. He constantly was slightly annoying throughout the film, especially to Han. When Han named his price and Luke was like “We can buy our own ship with that!” or when Han was flying the Milennium Falcon and Luke was practically yelling in his ear to go into hyperspace. Han and Luke did not get along at first because of Luke’s behavior. Luke went against Obi-Wan’s orders and saved Princess Leia, not thinking of the consequences. How he could possibly be killed or put in a cell with the Princess. He doesn’t think of a plan to get out AFTERWARDS only the spur of the moment. He was constantly shown to be inexperienced and needed his friends help or HE WOULD HAVE DIED THE FIRST MOVIE. While on the millennium falcon, Obi-Wan taught him things about the force. Maybe not a lot but he knew how to use the simple basics of it. Like sensing the force and letting it guide your actions (as Obi-Wan was trying to teach him before). For once Luke listened and trusted Obi-Wan and destroyed the death star.

Lets do Rey now WHOOP. So far the only personality flaw she seems to have is that she’s also naive? She had the same wide-eyed innocence as Luke had but it’s different and here’s why. Rey never suffers for any of her so-called almost non-existent flaws. Rey is experienced enough to hold her own in a fight against men WAY stronger then her (that’s realistic though but that’s one tool in her belt). She’s bilingual. She can fly the millennium falcon better then Han Solo even though she never flew one before. She is constantly saving people by herself, never the one being saved. (Before y’all bust my balls, Rey escaped that damn starkiller base by her damn self. Luke didn’t and couldn’t). She uses powers that takes years to learn and the excuse is the force dyad. So she downloads Kylo’s skills and training. Great. Magnificent. Rey is on a amazing start. And this is the first movie! She can only get stronger from here.

Luke is more mature and responsible in ESB. He’s a respected hero of the rebellion. Luke still struggles using the force. Even with the training Luke goes through with Obi-Wan he had to truly focus to pull the lightsaber to him. Plus as a common occurrence, he still needed help from his friends. He’s not invincible. He actually gets severely hurt (makes sense). He goes to Dagobah to get trained (because unlike Rey he doesn’t have the “learn force jedi shit that takes years to learn” cheatcode). And then he’s impatient. He wants to learn how to use the force so he can help his friends. Luke is again reckless, impatient, and he’s also insecure in his own belief. Him not believing he can lift the X-wing was why he couldn’t. Against his master’s and Obi-Wan’s orders he decides to save his friends. It’s a noble reason to but it still got him fucked up. He got his hand cut off, he was beaten and humiliated, and then he was told a horrifying revalation that twisted around everything he knew and believed. He was scared of Vader, you can see it on his face, but he did not succumb to fear.

Rey goes to the island to convince Luke to go help them fight the war. Why doesn’t Leia go instead? Who knows. Why does Luke act the way he does? Who knows. Luke dismissed her and was quite rude to her. Rey was having cute little talks with Kylie Renner in their little force dyad BS. She called him a monster and a murderous snake. I like the insults. It fills me with joy! But then she finds out the truth. Rey did do something reckless and stupid but as usual she doesn’t suffer the consequences to her actions. Technically she’s morally superior to Luke because she saw the good in him and felt like she could turn him to the light (after slicing his face open. Ok). Rey decides to give herself up to the First Order thinking Kylo would save her. And he does. So she wasn’t even wrong... Rey fight the very elite guards of the (bootleg emperor palpatine) Supreme Leader Snoke. Reminder, TFA and TLJ are like 3-4 days apart. She had zero training within these days. Luke refused to train her so don’t start that bullshit. Luke trained her for like 5 minutes and none of that training had anything to do with lightsaber dueling. Rey is then told she was a nobody. Now why did Rey cry about this? I truly don’t know. How the hell would Kylo accurately know that Rey’s parents were nobody? Didnt Rey been know this from the force awakens? Eh whatever. She tries to force pull the lightsaber from Kylo Ren and do a dumbass tug a war instead of walking up and grabbing it. It reminds me of JJ and Rian fighting over where the star wars sequels). Anakin must be screaming and yelling from above... or below... idk. The lightsaber then breaks. Rey then saves her friends by showing her once again superior piloting skills that rival or is possibly better then Anakin Skywalker himself. Hitting 3 in one shot? You go girl! She then uses the force to effortlessly move the big ass boulders out of the entrance to save the resistance. Last I remember... Luke struggled to do that with a few way smaller rocks and was also focusing hard to do.

Luke is finally at jedi status! Woohoo! Now Luke first saves Han from Jabba. It shows his very dark side tendencies by choking the guards (like father like son). Luke thinks of a actual plan before going in (CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT). Luke “Chanel Boots” Skywalker goes to Yoda on his death bed. All he wants is answers but Yoda wants to be cryptic as fuck. Luke has been lied to for years by his mentors and his family. Luke’s father isn’t hero Anakin Skywalker but actually a big, asthmatic, merciless, murderous asshole who has a choking kink. Luke then says he cannot kill his own father and Obi-Wan, who believes Vader isn’t a human but a machine, has no faith in Luke. He believes that Luke will fail and the Empire would win. Luke feels the conflict and good in him that nobody else does. He knows that Vader is unloyal to the emperor and he actually cares about his own son. When he is with Han and Leia he realizes he made a mistake and has a bad feeling about it. (*gasp* Luke is not being super reckless). He’s not arrogant (not in anyway) but he’s completely confident that Vader would turn. (He isn’t flawless there is still obvious problem with this plan he has. He fails, the empire wins. He dies, the emperor wins. Vader doesn’t turn, Luke fails. Luke almost succumbs to the dark side and it’s actually plausible he might fully turn. He wants to desperately save his friends and his father has done horrible things to Luke. Luke had every reason to kill Vader. But he doesn’t. He throws the lightsaber away and foolishly puts his life in Vader’s hand. Luke doesn’t save the galaxy because he can make things levitate with the force. He wins because he had the strength to resist the dark side and has so much love and pure good in his heart he saw the good in his father.

Rey starts off with a training session (no idc it’s too fucking late now. 3 movies in? Is she doing reverse character development?) and basically Poe gets mad at Rey for not accompanying them on missions. I still don’t know why she needs training, when she is at a decent strength to fight elite guards, fight kylo ren, and a variety of other things that typically takes a long time to learn. After finding out Palpatine returned, Rey goes on a mission to find the way finder almost like a shitty videogame. I don’t even want to talk about the force dyad anymore because it’s fucking dumb. Rey gets chased by the force order and hear this out, FORCE HEALS (i forgot what the animal was but idrc). Which means Rey had the power to stop the painful truth of death themself. Why am I not surprised? Rey did something that no other jedi nor sith or jedi have ever done this. Anakin went to the dark side to save the ones he love. This movie was just a slap in the face to Anakin. Rey then fights Kylo Ren and lost??? again it seems a little too late and it also didn’t make sense. Rey defeated those guards all by herself with Kylo needed help from her. She’s obviously the better lightsaber duelist but hey, at least JJ was trying to mellow her out a bit. Rey stabs him while our beloved Princess died. She then regrets her decision and as always, doesn’t have any consequence to her actions. By the force I forgot, the whole scene where she is revealed as a Palpatine? Completely invalidates the first two movies but eh whatever. She uses a power that only the elite sith does... something Kylo Ren himself could not do (and he’s on the dark side). Rey “killed” Chewie but actually no she didn’t because Chewie is perfectly fine. Rey is supposed to be all dark and edgy now, “you don’t know me” BS. Yeah I’m sorry I won’t tolerate this because my only allergy is the fish smelling coochie bullshit called the sequel trilogy. Rey got scared of her dark self. Well at least JJ tried? Rey then almost gives up but Luke was like “nah fam you cant”. Rey dies trying to fight Palpatine but then as usual, she gets zero consequence cuz Benny Simp saved her using the force. Then she kissed him... no. No. No. This made my eyes burn like they just threw bleach in my eyes. It made no sense. “A Kiss of Gratitude”? What the shit was that? GIRLS DO NOT INSPIRE TO BE REY.

[idjitlili]

I, I will be king.(II)

Din Djarin x reader.

Part 1. Masterlist.

Summary:Din Djarins feelings get in the way,  when you reach your master once again.Din finally drops you off with your master, before he leaves for what seems for months. Second part and last part.

Word count:4497

Warnings: confusing? Honestly comparing din to a fridge isn't the best thing I've wrote.

A/n: OH AND this is the finished request for anonymous and @elkhead-art sorry it too so long.

As the sound of nothingness caused your eyes to slowly awake along with your consciousness, dark surrounded you. A small orange light was only to be seen outside. You were warm, and comfortable laying in a bed.  You recognised the texture of the blankets, the outline of the room. This wasn't anyone's room, it was yours.

Almost felt like you had dreamt the past few months, you had never left Luke, and never met the Mandalorian. But that was false, it had all happened, you were now back on Ahch-To. You had made it, you wondered if Mando was still here. 

On Ahch-To you lived in a small hut thing, so did Luke and so would Grogu. The island surrounded by water, no sand not much anyways, thankfully. Blue milk? We do not speak of that.

Soon enough you were wide awake,your feet had carried you outside, the atmosphere pitch black except the glowing orange in the distance where two figures sat.

"Luke?" The outlines of the bodies began to clear, it was clearly Luke and Mando with Grogu sat in his lap. Their heads turned to you, Luke's lips twitching up , he had stood up quickly making his way to you. "Padawan, I have missed you." Pulling you into a tight hug, his arms around your shoulders, you head dug into his chest. "What about no attachments, master?"

Scoffing Luke had placed his hands on your shoulders to look you directly in the eye. "That was very unwise, I told you to stay here for a reason, now you have months worth of teaching to catch up on."

"Sorry? I have learnt many lessons with the Mandalorian, we even met some other Mandalorians and guess what? They had met Anakin Skywalker , Obi-wan, when he was so very handsome, and Ahsoka. Plus, Mando has met Ahsoka , recently as well." You sat beside Mando, in front of the fire, Luke on one side and him on the other.

"Sounds like you had a good time, I hope you didn't have a great time." You weren't sure what Luke was trying to imply but you didn't care, your eyes had caught the green creature in Mando's lap. His hand reaching for you, offering your figure for him , his tiny green hand clutching it, though he could talk to you through the force, you already knew his name and he knew yours. 

Grogu had stood up, shuffling back onto Mando's other thigh, bringing your hand with him. All three of you watched his movements. Mando's hand against his thigh, whilst the his other was behind Grogu in case he fell. His breath hitched when Grogu reached down and gripped his finger. You didn't dare pull your hand from Grogu, as he pulled your hands together. Yours and Mando's finger tips touching, well his gloved finger tips.

Grogu had let go of your hands, looking at each of you, before interlacing his hands together. You didn't even get a chance to think about it, Mando had slid his fingers in between yours, closing them together. The small creature smiled and sat back on Mando's leg. Your hand placed on Mando's leg still locked with his. Luke hadn't said anything, Grogu getting up a second later walking towards him, no doubt that was him.

For what was a couple of hours, your hand stayed against the warmth of the Mandalorians glove. All until the early hours of day, you had stayed up talking with them, assuming he wanted as much time with Grogu as he could.

In which that point he had exuded to leave, following him to his now repaired ship, thanks to the other Mandalorians.

Luke had made you look away, as the Mandalorian removed his helmet, to say goodbye to Grogu. That was their goodbye, Grogu knew that.  Not long after that, Grogu was handed back to Luke, who step away, enabling you somewhat of privacy.

"Goodbye, Mando."

"My name is Din Djarin,"

"Oh wow, so your name isn't Mando? That's actually great, I prefer Din." A nod of his head and he was gone, felt strange, like he didn't care anymore but why would he give you his name?

You hadn't seen him for months, yet your heart-ached for him, it was stupid you weren't supposed to feel like this. Nothing would happen anyways, he was a Mandalorian you a Jedi, it wasn't supposed to be. Figuring Din had moved down on, he knew he couldn't keep Grogu, so he was trying forget. But that was not what he was doing, he wasn't abandoning Grogu no, he was trying to reclaim Mandalore.

147 days since you had last seen Din Djarin, you were shipped off by Luke's request this time.  Alone. For how long you didn't know, an undercover mission that could be quick or could take a long time , just luck.  Where you were sent was all but unfamiliar to you, uncover as bounty Hunter. Made your stomach flip, you'd be working for Boba Fett, who now had complete control of The hurts palace.  Luke had sent you to recover a Jedi that was being hunted.

Instead of your dark pants, long sleeve that you'd wear under your robes. (Yeah, basically Luke got the better outfits, you were fitted into formal Jedi wear.)  Now wearing fitted armour that covered your whole body like Din's, a helmet upon your head, dressed in dark colours. The helmet was confining , making you sweat a lot. How did Din do that all day?

You weren't sure how Luke managed to get you employed by Boba, did he just write up what is the equivalent to a Cv? Wasn't that your job , literally, you aren't supposed to get someone else to do it. 'Oh yes, I y/n am certain excellent at slicing, killing, capturing Bounties.' No, not killing that was the last resort. But, you would be able to capture bounties, so you'd be fine.

As long as you got the first bounty back to him, you would've secured the job. Luke had given you a ship to use, it was small, pre empire. Previously some junk from Tatooine, that Luke had brought to Ahch-too, and eventually you both repaired it.

With a ship and blasters, no lightsaber, you easily caught your first bounty and were in the job. Blasters seemed unpredictable, why does everyone miss? Poor design. 

For the four months you had been with Boba, well working for him, sure he had something going on with Fennec. Not that you could blame her, if Rex or fives was there and young, I'd bone, and I am total virgin. Din had been back to Ahch, Luke making up some excuse about being on supply run. And you were Boba Fett's best bounty hunter.

You were sent to Mandalore, all you was given was the location, and that it was a huge bounty for this creature dead or alive. The location wasn't even pinpoint just a part of the planet.  You knew of this planet, well heard of it.  Oh yes, like you'd see Din there.  Not Surprising Boba wouldn't go himself.

"How will I know I've found them, then?"

"You'll know."  The nod of his helmet, as he held his leg swung over the side of the chair. Not like when other bounty hunters would go in, his posture was always rigid, his hand sat upon his thighs. Fennec was always present as well, but not when you'd arrive. Boba would send her out. A nod from your helmet as you turned on your feet to leave.

"Wait," stopping before you had even taken a step, turning back to Fett. Another glance over him made it clear, he was presenting himself to you, his legs spread like that wasn't for nothing.

"Can I see what you look like?" You didn't even know what Boba looked like, but you had heard of the clones, and Obi-wan had told you about them , and how he was one of the only ones to survive. Yeah, Luke had finally taken you to the place where completely the trials that allowed you to speak to the 'dead'.

Bringing up your gloved hands to your helmet, pulling it off your head slowly. Squinting your eyes slightly as they adjusted to the lighting. Your y/c eyes fluttering to Boba who just sat there nodding at you, your helmet hooked under your arm. 

"See you soon, l/n."

"Goodbye, Fett."

With that you were headed to Mandalore with barely any knowledge of the planet, only with hope that you'd be okay. 'I don't believe in luck we make our own luck." 

Worried that you'd land on the planet and be shot, oh yes just a pre empire ship landing on your planet. Not like Hera almost died for talking. Yet, you thought nothing about someone waiting when you landed on the hot planet with ease. Though, most of the planet was inhospitable there was still some life left. A doom over the city of Sundari, in the distance.

Stepping from your ship into the atmosphere, on the edge of the ramp. Closing your eyes briefly s your stretched your arms over your head, clenching your fists closed at the same time. Satisfaction washed of you for a long moment. Yeah, that didn't last long when the sound of multiple mechanical surrounded you quickly.

Sighing as you opened your eyes again, the shape light of the planet dimmed by the filter on your helmet. Just as Suspected 4 Mandalorians surrounding, upholstering your blaster tossing it into the dirt in front of you. Lifting your eye hands above your head. Could only hope, that they thought you were a man, but you had placed your lightsaber dangerously in the front of your pants. With the plate of armour placed over that to conceal it further.

You dared not speak, maybe you'd pretend you had your tongue cut out, no , that wouldn't work they would check. You heard of Ezra Bridger maybe you'd pretend to be a hutt, no, no you didn't have a tail.

"State your business." You didn't recognise the voice of the Mandalorian definitely wasn't Din's. Lowering your hands slowly to place them on your hips, changing your whole posture.

"Han solo, I'm here looking for my wookie."

"Solo? Where's your ship then?" Scoffing at the Mandalorian, turning around and pointing to your ship.

"No, the Falcon,"

"Oh, so what you're a fan? Ships don't last forever." You were supposed to be trying to conceal your voice, but clearly that wasn't working. Your hands now cuffed behind your back, pushed onto ship and off you went to an unknown destination. Just maybe that Han Solo thing hadn't worked? Two of the Mandalorians stayed in the back of the ship, what you'd describe as the back of a police van sort of thing. Their eyes glued to you , as you sat in front of them.Only the humming from the ship could be heard, you weren't leaving the planet but travelling towards Sundari.

Your helmet still upon your head as they pulled you out of the ship by your underarms , dragging you. The lightsaber slipping in your pants slightly, you hoped that it wouldn't fall into you leg, looking like you had shat yourself. Feet scraping against the stone path , looked as if you on a plaza, the area around built up. Large steps leading to watch you could describe as a palace, it was huge. Covered with cubist murals of Mandalorians.

No, this couldn't be what Luke sent you for? You thought you were in search of Jedi's not more Mandalorians.  You hoped that they weren't taking you to their leader, was that Darth Maul still? No, he's dead? Ugh. If they searched you you'd be dead,  if they took your helmet off you'd be dead. It was no surprise you had been seen with Luke by the empire causing trouble. Depending whether they were still a neutral system.  

One of the Mandalorians from the pair that walked behind you as you were held, had made their way to the front of the group. Speaking into the com link on their right arm, in a language that you could only guess was Mando'a. Stood at the bottom of the steps waiting for a brief moment, before the huge metal doors were opened agonisingly slow. Basically Aragorn walking through those doors at Helms deep without Aragorn or anyone walking through the door.

With that, no one came out of the doors but you were pulled in the stairs and through the doors. Lead into a room with a throne? Right, no more politicians since Satine. Surprising that the room wasn't just made out complete Beskar, more pretty windows carpets , paint, paintings, Chairs  , food. Wow, they must of killed a Pirate, wasn't Mandalore broke?

In the centre of the room, a man stood, in tight fitted clothes, furs, heavy boots, a weapon upon his belt, sorry two bone a blaster the other hidden from your sight. His face aged like wine, squishy, dark brown eyes locked onto yours. If his eyes were to be compared to something, it would be that chocolate river from Willy Wonka. No fat kid in it, but a a handsome man surrounded it. Soft brunette curls on his head, wrinkles at the edges of his eyes.

"This one claims to be 'Han Solo' "  The man only nodded at the Mandalorian dismissing them, the doors shut behind you loudly. Turning to face you completely the man sat upon his Throne . 

"So, you fought with the Rebel Alliance." That voice, it was familiar yet you didn't recognise his face. Maybe he was Luke's friend that he'd often talk to , or just someone who had made a fuss at a bar. Instead of responding verbally you had just nodded too.

"Right, what rank, Han."

"I'm sorry, I would prefer if you called me by my title." Straightening your posture , bulking yourself.

"Oh? And what would that be?"  The smirk upon that mans fave indicated be was having too much fun. You were glad your helmet had a modulator.

"Captain, commander or yours." The smirk had dropped from his face, lips slightly parted, clearly flustered, only for a moment before his face went back to smouldering.

"You clearly are not who you say are. Until you tell me your purpose here I cannot allow you to leave."

You were stuck in some sort of cell, hundreds of other cells surrounding you. It looked like they had put you into the one connected to the wall of the building. Nor had they searched you again. Why? All they did was take your blaster.  He didn't even try , he just shoved you into a cell, not him directly but he didn't like you or was going to sell you off to someone. Bounty hunters didn't sway the hearts of many.

So, what did you do? Grabbed your lightsaber from your pants cut through the wall, and ran for your life.  Why it wasn't made out of beskar you didn't Know. Calling R2 from your com link, oh yes Luke had sent him with you to watch over you. Your breath heavy as you ran through the city that was covered with metal, seemed like no end. But you could t just stop and wait for R2 you weren't even sure of he could get through.

The shooting at your feet as you ran for the doors out of the city, igniting your lightsaber and throwing it the doors switches. Quickly return your lightsaber to your hand before making it to the door. The sound of their jet packs and firing dying down as you turn to face them. Stood in a line face you as you exit slowly. Your light saver back in your belt , your arms up to your shoulders as you walked backwards.

"This is the day you will always remember as the day you almost caug-"  Okay, you had miscalculated you weren't planning on being grabbed from behind and pulled into a ship. The bright light of the inside of the side around you as the ramp was quickly slammed shit as you landed on the floor with a thump. This was your ship, but it wasn't R2 who you heard breathing heavily behind you.

Ahsoka Tano on your ship, Boba fett sent for her and she ended up capturing you instead. Not capturing but saving you , just said that for dramatic affect . You weren't sent to Boba for Mandalorians no of course not , if Luke wanted that he'd call Din. 

"Luke skywalker? Is your master?" Her hands on her hips as you sat in the pilots chair. She wasn't particularly fond on going with you but she did , why? That was unsure. The only reason she gave was her ship was destroyed on the planet and would not say why she was there either. Not that it was your business. 

"Yes, yes he is."

"Right."

With that you were heading back to Ahch-too but of course it's never that simple. Instead Boba Fett had taken himself out of Tatooine to personally come meet you with the bounty that he knew you had.  In fact it ended up like the Hobbit the battle of the five armies, all in space just floating. Mandalorians and Boba attached to your ship. 

Both Boba Fett, and the Mandalorians entering the cockpit at the same time, turning around in your chair with a squeak. Sighing.  A mandalorian stepping forward to look at Ahsoka who now stood , her fingers besides her lightsaber eyeing the company.

"Ahsoka?"  Though she did not reply just stood her ground, you didn't dare to move , this was a huge mess.  The mandalorian that you assumed was king now in armour that seemed familiar but all of them looked alike to be honest. At least the clones had more style, and they didn't look alike.

"What are doing with Han Solo?"

Fett scoffed looking at you briefly before turning to Mandalorian in blue. "That's not solo, I would know he tried to kill me."

"I would kill you too, Clone."  Glaring at the Mandalorian it seemed that their was something you were missing, their guns were all lowered, yet Ahsoka still stood her ground. Like she would trust anyone after what she had been through.

"As I was saying, that is not Solo. This my best bounty Hunter, l/n. She caught a Je- why is she  not in carbonite?"

"Uhm, about that Boba..." Though your explanation was cut short again, Boba's eyes did not leave yours, your cheeks felt hot under your helmet, this was R2 he allowed them to board.

"Did you not know? Your best bounty Hunter is a Jedi."   These Mandalorians we're really sucky, they just wouldn't piss off, maybe if Mando was here he'd kill them, no , he wouldn't kill his own kind. Ugh, if you had been alive when Ahsoka was young, she'd cut their heads of with no hesitation, oh but not clones.

"Yeah, that wasn't hard to see, my lightsaber was shoved down my pants, you Mandalorians suck, didn't know I was Jedi until you saw me waving around a lightsaber. Ironic."   It seemed like Ahsoka had enough, and began the engine again, on your way back to Ahch."Down your trousers, really?"

"No, my underwear." Did that sound sarcastic?

You hadn't meant to bring a party with you to Luke but here you were on the way ack home with some Mandalorians and Boba Fett. Everyone had calmed down, waiting to arrive somewhere, with no discussion about it. Was this a horrible choice endangering Grogu probably.  So, you had gotten Bobas attention bringing him out of the cockpit and into a room. Well, the only over rooms were the bathroom and your small sleeping area.

"Well, what is it?"

"Uhm, just that I am no longer working for you, sorry and yeah I don't think you should stay."

"Oh,  just lovely you are. Though, I am not sure you ar- were my best bounty hunt, you'll have to take the helmet off." What was with this guy and wanting to see your facc. Sighing you pulled your helmet from your face slowly, the cold air slapping you as your hair fell from the helmet messy. (If you have no hair then your head was looking polished and hot like Dwayne Johnson.)

Though yet again, you could not see his face, well until he pulled his off too. A deep laugh erupted from his lips as he smiled at you, placing a hand on your shoulder.

"It is you."

Neither of you had notice Bo-Katan walking by after doing her business, seriously in your ship? Not that you'd notice it was her without seeing she got new armour. Oh, you know she went straight to tell her king.

So, after your short interaction with Boba, who decided he'd leave but not yet to much of your dislike. Soon as you stepped into the cockpit , the bigger framed Mandalorian was in front you, he wanted something. Looking passed him for Ahsoka who was busy with the control panel. Everyone talking to each other. Your throat itchy, this was not pleasant.

"You know you remind me of a fridge."

His visor stuck upon your face no, the silence from him, even his breathing did not stop you you. You were uncomfortable but when he wasn't speaking what were you supposed to do?

"Well, maybe a broken one because you hold yogurt but it's warm."  Again, he did not respond just stared you down.

"Beca-"

"Yes, I understand." The same modified voice as you remembered, yet you still felt intimidated still.

"Oh, not funny not then?"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"That I'm not Han Solo?" Grabbing your upper arm as he scoffed pulling you towards his empty ship connected to yours. You'd only hope that if you were murdered right now, that Luke would have this surge of anger like his father and kill this man. 'Kenobi!' Okay, it just felt like it needed to be Maul rage not a 'oh no, I strangled my wife pretty much and wondered how she died and now I am mad.' Too bad Mail didn't run Anakin over when he had the chance.

"Take the helmet off."

"No."

"Take it off." His feet travelling closer to you as his voice got sterner and slower. Wishing Din was here to tell this man about boundaries.

"Get lost, why are you even here? Chasing someone that didn't do anything wrong. You're a dick for king , go home and fix your ugly planet , sperm bank." You bad went to push passed him, his frame was sturdy, and before you could he had your wrists  in his hands.  Not fighting him, even though you could easily break free his hold was gentle. Looking up to the t of his visor.

"Do you not recognise me?"  You wanted to say yeah you kidnapped me. But it was clear from the soft tone in his voice that wasn't it. You had be oblivious, how could you over look everything.  The voice, the Mandalorians, a king , was this a joke from Ahsoka?  Maybe she was more like than Anakin than you had been lead to think.  His hands dropped from your wrists,  your hands rested on the sides of his helmet. A soft click of his helmet, pulling it up slowly.

But as you had began to lift it up, he had grabbed it from you quickly throwing it behind him with a thud.His cinnamon caramel sand, shiny coconut , beach waved, auburn oven baked curls softly placed upon his head. Stubble littering his jaw like grass, his Willy wonka chocolate fountain eyes glazing on you softly. T-this was the king of Mandalore, b-but no this couldn't be , no he wouldn't take his helmet off in front you? Would he?

Your hands now resting on the sides of your helmet, click , pulling up the helmet just as you had done previously without interruption. A sigh from his mouth as caught a glimpse of your face. Before your helmet dropped the floor , he had pulled you into a tight embrace.

"Don't tell me this whole time , I've been like these Mandalorians suck, I wish Din was here."

Pulling from Din to look at him,  through you shouldn't have , your palm was pressed against his stubbles cheek.

“Oh,”

“Yeah, I had lightsaber as dick how did you not notice? Plus that pick up line, seriously?” Your hand was no longer one Din’s face, partly because it had became sweaty too quick and your arm was aching.

“Hm, if I knew it was you then I would’ve accepted.” Accepted what? The pick up line.. your face was hot, why couldn’t he say he heard Han Solo was a player and didn’t want his heart broken? Instead his hands were interwoven with yours. I feel like this a David Bowie as Jareth moment.

“P-pardon?” Your hands were dropped, Din had turned to pick up his helmet.

“You’re with him.”

“I’m with you?”

“No you are involved with Fett.”

“Sorry? I worked for him as bounty Hunter not a personal hustler.” But Din continued to put his helmet on unamused, walking out the door, but you had decided the best idea . Doesn’t matter if your weight , Din was strong. If he had to he’d be able to carry a ship. Okay maybe.

So, you had jumped on his back, your arms around his neck, legs around his Weiss, he did not budge, not at all.”Tell me what you meant or I-ill be... very annoying and pretend I am this really cool person that gets men and women but I am not but I will pretend I’ll trick them into thinking my lightsaber is big shlong -gosh why did you not stop me. And you should because I am a huge virgin.” Huge nerd more like.

“...I’d accept your offer of you being mine.” Maybe, Din felt better because he didn’t have to directly look at you, you were on his back what were you going to do, jump off and fall over? No, once again you pulled his helmet from his head, pressing a kiss to his stubbled cheek.

“We could be lovers.”

“I , I will be king

and you, you will be queen.”

What you didn’t see was Ahsoka with her com link talking to Luke , basically had a spy camera. 100% accidentally, but Luke knew you’d be safe.

[justmyimagination92]

Why Kylo Ren/Ben Solo and Theon Greyjoy are similar, beautifully grey and real characters that represent overcoming abuse and manipulation and it makes no sense to love one but hate the other, a thread:

*Disclaimer* I have only watched the GoT series & SW movies, I have not read the books or comics for either series but I have done research into both so anything I’m pulling that’s not from the movies or show has been taken from research/information I have gathered from others who have used these sources for their own opinions/arguments/statements as well as from a GoT class I took my senior year of college

Life of Mental/Physical Abuse:

They both had mentally abusive upbringings which is obvious to say has a huge effect on your development and how you perceive the world around you. Theon was the youngest of 4, known to cling more to his mother and not care as much about the ironborn mentality of piracy and raiding as his older brothers did. He was constantly tormented and bullied by them for it as well as feeling neglected by his father for “showing weakness” which made him feel like he didn’t belong and wasn’t accepted in his home. He was then sent off to be Ned Stark’s ward (prisoner) and would be executed if Balon tried to rebel against the throne again. This knowledge is constantly hanging over his head and threatening him even though he makes the best of the situation, especially by finding a brother in Robb. The North and most of the Stark family don’t accept him despite his best efforts in trying to do his best while also missing the Iron Islands and not being able to fulfill his right as the heir to the salt throne

Ben has been mentally abused since he was in his mother’s womb. Palpatine has been in his head since he was conceived, trying to seduce him to the dark because he knew the power Ben would possess from his family. Now were his parents abusive towards him like Balon, Maron, and Rodrik were to Theon? No. But they were afraid of who he could become which definitely drove him towards becoming what they were afraid of to begin with. He felt isolated and alone. Aside from questioning why his parents were afraid of him with no explanation (making him feel like he was some sort of monster), Han was gone the majority of his upbringing and Leia was building the New Republic. He was often left with droids to watch him, further developing his isolation. There’s also apparently an instance where a droid fantasized about killing him and how they’d be able to cover it up? Eventually, L&H sent him off to be trained by Luke due to their growing fear of him becoming like Vader, but he didn’t know because they never told him Vader was his grandfather. He ended up finding out later on when it was announced at a senate meeting that was broadcasted on the holonet. (Keep in mind he’s consistently being mentally tormented and tempted by the dark but fighting it off)

Loss of Identity:

I think you can argue that Theon and Ben have struggled with their identity their entire lives. Before Theon was taken to Winterfell he already felt like he didn’t belong. Then he does his duty as Ned’s ward, placing him in the midst of the rest of the Starks and trying to figure out his place without stepping out of line but also wanting to fit in as best as he can. After Ned dies and he’s at war with Robb he is able to return home to persuade Balon in lending his fleet to help Robb. Balon refuses and now Theon is stuck in deciding if he should help Robb or win over his father and take back his place as a Greyjoy. He leads an attack at Winterfell, betraying his loyalty to Robb, killing two farm boys that all of Westeros believes is Brand and Rickon, which leads to him getting overthrown by the Boltons taking Winterfell back, putting him in the hands of Ramsay who tortures him mentally, physically, and spiritually to the point where he takes on the persona of Reek and truly believes that’s who he is, who he was meant to be and who he deserves to be

Ben has also had this lifelong struggle. He’s tried to follow what his parents have taught him while fighting everything going on in his head. He looked up to his dad and wanted to be a pilot like him despite Han being gone a majority of the time. Not to mention just the pressure he faced with being Han & Leia’s son as well as Luke Skywalker’s nephew. But he could sense and sometimes hear his parents discuss their fear of who he is/who he will be. He was under the impression that they thought he was or could become some sort of monster and gave him no explanation on why they would think that and then was sent off to train with Luke (when there’s no real indication that he wanted that, he just voiced how he wanted to be a pilot) Luke could sense the same darkness in him as H&L but instead of helping him and having a conversation about it he decided to sneak into Ben’s tent one night and kill him before his fears came true. Ben awoke to his own uncle standing over him with an ignited lightsaber about to strike him down. Yes, Luke regretted it the minute he ignited it but it was too late, Ben was awake and betrayed. What he didn’t do (but the galaxy thought he did) was destroy the Jedi temple and the rest of the padawans, a higher power (most likely Palpatine) did and Ben was upset about it and he didn’t want them all to die. He felt like he had nowhere else to go and succumbed to the voice that had been tormenting him for 23 years (but in a way was the only consistent thing in his life) and went to Snoke. He felt unwanted, untrusted, and doomed to become this awful being everyone around him thought he would. He took on the persona Kylo Ren and allowed Snoke to continue to torture him mentally and now physically and spiritually to ultimately turn him into Snoke's chess piece to take over the galaxy

Path of bad decisions driven by the need to please their abuser who gives false hope of a home:

Parts of this are redundant but they both have made some terrible decisions that were heavily influenced by the manipulation of their abusers and a need for a sense of acceptance and belonging. Theon wanted to please Balon and later Ramsay, Kylo wanted to please Snoke and his grandfather (who we later find out was all Palpatine). The majority of deaths that Kylo is blamed for were under Snoke’s orders and Kylo was either unaware they were happening or tried to prevent them and resort to other solutions to get whatever it is they wanted. He killed his father because he was convinced it would make him stronger and reach his potential on “who he’s destined to be” when really it tore him apart and destroyed him, 

similarly to how Theon felt after he killed those farm boys and saw what his actions had created for Winterfell and Westeros 

Acceptance of “who they truly are” through self-hatred and regret:

Through this they come to terms with their actions and the destruction that has followed from those actions. They believe they deserve the pain and suffering they’ve had their whole lives. Theon is constantly saying how Theon is dead, he’s Reek and he deserves to be. Ben states how Ben is dead, he’s only Kylo now and that he deserves to be seen as a monster.  

Needing help to be pulled back to their true selves:

Their inner conflict is clear through both of their journeys and it’s clear that others can see that. They need help to be pulled in the right direction and reminded that they’re not the person they think they are. Yara comes for Theon when everyone else has given up on him. He’s her brother and regardless of what he’s done she still cares for him and believes in him. However, even the love of his sister can’t persuade him or break the abusive turmoil he’s been suffering and he stays with Ramsay as Reek. 

Then Sansa comes, someone he has grown up with and cares for. She learns the truth that he didn’t kill Bran and Rickon. She knows who Theon really is and she brings him back, she needs him back and gives him the strength to do it. 

Similarly, we see Han trying to bring Ben back in TFA, and like with Yara and Theon, it doesn’t work. He believes Ben is dead, that his family gave up on him and he did too so he can only be Kylo now. And as we see later on, the act of killing Han only made it worse and caused a deeper pain and regret to Ben as well as the conflict on where he lies in the force. In TLJ we see this and how Kylo seems to be chipping away from coming to terms with everything he’s done. 

(I would also like to point out that in TLJ Ben couldn’t kill his mother and it’s stated that had he noticed quick enough he would’ve stopped the blasters from hitting the bridge) He gets a connection with Rey, who at first wants nothing to do with him and sees him as the monster he thinks he is. But similarly to Sansa, she finds out the story Luke told her about him destroying the Jedi Temple was a lie and from then on they’re able to console in one another and understand the pain and isolation they’ve both felt their whole lives. 

When Luke refuses to go back and help Rey and the resistance she takes it upon herself to go and fight to bring Ben back to the light because she can see that he’s still there.

Taking a stand against their abusers, specifically to help save someone they love:

They both go against their abusers and take a huge leap towards taking back their true selves. Theon wants to help Sansa and she gives him a few chances too, for example with the candle but he ends up telling Ramsay. However when Ramsay is gone Sansa is crossed by Miranda and even though he’s still filled with fear and conflict, he throws Miranda off the ledge to save Sansa and finally defies his tormentor and everything that he’s done.

Kylo retrieves Rey when she lands on the capital ship and takes her to see Snoke. In the elevator they both state how they’ve had a vision of seeing them by each other’s sides. Kylo takes it as Rey joining him in the dark but Rey sees it as him reclaiming who he was supposed to be and even refers to him as Ben which he responds to. 

(for the majority of knowing him she called him Kylo, monster, etc but since they touched hands and she saw the conflict she now sees him as a real person and more importantly Ben) Snoke wants Kylo to kill her in order to reach is full potential since killing Han only made him question the path he was going down even more. However, he tricks Snoke and instead kills him instead of Rey, destroying his abuser and saving Rey who is the only one he’s ever been able to connect to.

Reclaiming their identity:

Even though they have someone in their corner, believing in them and helping them to come back to who they are, it takes time. Theon stays with Sansa until they cross paths with Brienne and Podrick and knows she’ll be safe with them. He then heads back to the Iron Islands to join Yara and help her however he can. He still feels as though he’s Reek and doesn’t deserve any redemption or to be trusted/loved. 

Overtime those who still believe in him and given time to heal he reclaims himself as Theon Greyjoy, not even the one from before, but a better and stronger man because it’s who he chooses and wants to be. He saves Yara from Euron and goes back to Winterfell to help fight against the dead. He protects Bran at the Weirwood tree bringing it back and trying to rewrite his wrong when he took Winterfell from Bran and caused him to abandon his home. Even though Arya is the one to ultimately save Bran by killing the Night King, she wouldn’t have been able to without Theon and his sacrifice.

Now Kylo’s is a little different and his journey back to Ben takes a few more steps. Killing Snoke was supposed to be him reclaiming himself and finally getting rid of the demons that have been haunting him his entire life. But now we’re aware that Palpatine created Snoke and was the one who has been in his head the whole time so really those voices are still there, abusing and tormenting him to do what they want. Except now he has something more to fight for. He knows Rey believes in him and they have a bond, a force dyad, that hasn’t been seen for centuries. We don’t get to see much of how Supreme Leader Kylo Ren deals with First Order affairs but I would assume it would be different from how Snoke handled it considering (as stated earlier) Kylo tried to get what they needed in the easiest way, preventing as much unnecessary harm or death. (I also would like to point out that at the beginning of TROS we see Kylo in Mustafar and all of the people he’s killing are Vader cultists so they were bad beings) He then travels to Palpatine who reveals it’s been him all along in his head and Kylo threatens to kill him, but then palp shows his army he’s been creating, how it could be Kylo’s, and reveals who Rey truly is. Palp wants him to kill her and he tricks him into thinking he will when really he chases her around to tell her this information as well as see if it’s true and to prevent her from getting killed. They fight a lot but it’s always Rey initiating it and Ben defending himself when he needs to. He gets distracted during one of their fights because Leia is reaching out to him and in the process, Rey stabs him with his own lightsaber (death of Kylo Ren) but ends up healing him and tells him that she did want him, the real him

He then has a vision of Han and basically reenacts what happened in TFA but has it play out how he wished it did the first time. He is now truly Ben Solo and goes to Exogal to help Rey and defeat Palpatine. After Rey kills Palpatine she dies and Ben comes back (he was thrown down deep pit) and transfers his life force to her to save her. Like the situation with Theon, if Ben wasn’t there Rey wouldn’t have been able to defeat Palpatine and save the galaxy.

Only got to live in peace with themselves for like 2 minutes:

They both get complex, intriguing, and beautiful arcs of redemption that represent realistic struggles of life and grey morality that people face throughout their lives. But they both end with a terrible message that the only way to fully redeem yourself from past mistakes, bad decisions (even if it was influenced by a life of mental/physical abuse) is to sacrifice yourself.

Theon sacrificed himself to save Bran and the fate of Westeros and was only able to be at peace with himself for about the last 20 seconds of his life because Bran forgave him, told him he was a good man and confirmed the type of person Theon really is and always wanted to be.

he deserved to feel this way for a MUCH longer time and continue to heal and grow and live a life that gave him much more peace and happiness (preferably with Sansa 😏) but instead he only gets to feel good about himself for the first time in his life and have it only last for a moment.

Once Rey defeated Palpatine it’s safe to say that the voices stopped in Ben’s head. There’s no more tormenting, persuading, or taunting. He climbs out of the pit to find Rey dead (his literal other half) and channels the rest of his energy to bring her back and it works. Similar to Bran, Rey confirms her joy and acceptance of Ben being back 

and he would’ve been fully content with that, but Rey kisses him and he smiles for the first fucking time we’ve ever seen. His mind is at peace, Rey is alive in his arms and for the first time he is truly happy. And then he DIES. 

Who knows what would’ve happened to him and how the resistance would’ve reacted, but he deserved the opportunity to atone for the mistakes he made, live life with a clear mind, as well as continue to be the other half of Rey that brought balance to the force and galaxy.

Bonus:

They both deserve to be with the only person that fully understands them and their pain and can grow, heal, and live in peace together.

[treenahasthaal]

Do you have any headcanons about Luke skywalker? (Just him in general, how he was affected by the OT events, and whatever else you want to share?) I love your take on Luke in all your writings!

Hi, and thanks for the ask and my apologies for not answering earlier. 

Firstly, thank you very much for your kind words and I’m thrilled that you like my take on Luke. It means a lot when people like my scribbles. 

Do I have any headcanons on Luke? 

I’ve been pondering this since this ask appeared and I did actually have to look up what exactly headcanon was - yes, I know it, and yes I understood it, but I never really considered that I had headcanon. That seems a little daft, doesn’t it? Of course I have headcanon.

In no particular order - (and I do believe that some of these are also canon-Luke)

Luke is loyal to a fault. He absolutely will not betray his friends or family or want to let them down. He would prefer to die himself than see them hurt. It’s why he went back to the farm on Tatooine when he and Kenobi found the burned out Sand Crawler despite the danger, it’s also why he left Dagobah and one of the reasons he left the strike squad on Endor (to distract Vader and Palpatine - or so he thought, bless him).

(Therefore, I cannot, ever, accept Rian Johnson’s bitter-Luke, although there are similarities his Luke and my Luke share. However…)

Luke is not a coward. Ever.

Luke would NOT confront (that was the word used by Luke in The Last Jedi) a young Ben Solo in the middle of the night while the boy slept (which to me is cowardly). Luke would go to Ben in daylight and TALK with him. If Ben turned on him, Luke would defend himself, but he would NOT try to kill the boy. That is Han and Leia’s child!  (I have a half written scene of this…)

Luke would not run away from issues – no, Luke always runs TO issues. “I can fix this! I can save him!”

I have no issue with Luke being on the Island – not just to hide and die. Luke would have a PURPOSE for being there. A reason, and when his sister called Luke absolutely would respond.

Anyway…

Luke’s good with his hands - like his father. He has an affinity with machines and can fix the unfixable. 

He is generally a humble person - although he knows he’s a good pilot. He knows he’s a bloody good pilot and will brag of his exploits when he gets the chance. (I used to bullseye womprats in my T-16 back home…).

He doubts his own skills and abilities – apart from the above. Again a product of a childhood on Tatooine and with an uncle who dampened any aspirations he may have and who gave little praise. (Owen did not mean to be mean – he wanted to protect Luke). Owen loved Luke.

Luke and Beru were close. She let him away with things his Uncle would not have been pleased about.

He didn’t excel at school, although he is very intelligent. He’s a dreamer – remember.

He’s a killer. He knows he’s a killer. He was raised on a ruthless desert planet that takes no prisoners and Luke will not hesitate to kill to defend. He will also kill to eat. (Take note of the shooting of the detention centre guards - Luke seems to be the one to kill first.) I’m not saying he’s blood thirsty – but he can be ruthless.

He vomited after the Battle of Yavin. The enormity of what he did on the Death Star, and too the Death Star, hit and he was as sick as pig. He partied hard and pretended he was fine, but the enormity of what he did and the number he killed hit him hard. It stayed with him his entire life.

Luke is not a virgin by ANH. There was a brief dalliance with a friend of friend in his landspeeder not long after his 18th birthday.

Luke is straight - (although I agree with Mark Hamill that Luke can be whatever fans want him to be. This fan sees him as straight). Luke is a young, hot blooded, male who knows nothing of the Jedi’s tenants of “no attachments.” He attaches a lot after Yavin. (Often to forget what he did and how many died). My head canon also has him having child(ren) from his sowing of wild oats when he was younger. Although it’s not something I’ve ever really written about in my fanfic.

There is a darkness in Luke. A deep darkness. He knows it himself. It’s always been there; when he killed womprats, when he beat Fixer to thread the stone needle in beggars canyon, when he callously grabbed the body of the dead Imperial off the console (ANH) to allow Han in. It was there in ESB (the cave – he being his own worst enemy), it was definitely there in Return of the Jedi and look how glad he was, how satisfied he was, that Jabba didn’t bargain. The Dark side of the Force really, really wants Luke.

If he was to turn, he would be insatiable in ways that Vader is not.

He’s quick to anger, has little patience, and wants everything done yesterday. 

Luke mopes. Is prone to thinking too much in quiet moments. He will take responsibility for things that were not his fault. He is prone to depressive feelings – although not enough that it would overcome his sense of loyalty and duty.

Luke doesn’t like to be idle – although his uncle would disagree! Luke needs to be doing something.

He takes on too much. Says “yes,” too often and this is a throwback to having too few friends on Tatooine, to being bullied. He wants to be liked.

Luke likes a good drink – hence the “partied hard,” after Yavin. But he is not predisposed to a dependency.

He grieves hard for his family, for his friends who were killed. 

He has his mother’s heart and her sense of justice.

Luke is contradiction – after all he is a Skywalker!

He has an absolutely filthy sense of humour.

He blushes easily.

He loves food…. I mean, OMG LOOK AT THAT STEAK! He eats quickly, stuffs his mouth, and his aunt used to despair at his manners.

He almost died when he was younger after being bitten by a viper.

Joining the Rebellion, climbing the ranks, did give him disciple and helped temper many of his impulses – especially when he had to command men under him and make decisions that would result in deaths – that’s why, like Anakin, he lead from the front. He gained the loyalty of many.

Luke would like (would have liked) a family of his own.

Luke did not stick to the beliefs of the Jedi (or their dress sense – another thing I didn’t like about the ST. Coming from a place where clothing had to be practical I could not understand why Luke would chose to dress in the long robes of the Jedi, and was happy he ditched them when going about his day).

 I have probably not covered everything and may come back and add to this list. It’s really funny that in all my years of writing that I have never considered what my own headcanon for Luke is. I just write him. If I can see him, I mean if I can literally see him and hear him in my head, then I can write him. If I don’t see it or hear it then it’s not Luke and I have to re-think things. Does that make sense? I am a visual writer. I describe what I see and sometimes I get a surprise when Luke flips things on me.

I hope I have answered the question.

[tootiepatoot]

I have this little idea or scene to draw of a 'what if' after TROS but its get a little out of hand so here it is.

Ben didn't go straight for Rey but instead he help the resistance first. Poe almost shot him but then somehow tell him to help Finn with the canon thing. The main ship blew up yada yada he goes to safe Rey

Poopatine die, Rey die. Ben save, Rey alive, but his connection to the Force is fucked up. So his connection is gone with force.

Rey hug him, cause you know it's too fast for them. Ben hug her back because his last hug was probably when he was a child.

Rey asked him to go with her back to the resistance base, but he said no and said it's not his place. Rey goes back to the base, Ben goes to Luke hobo island.

The trio do the hug scene. They tell each other adventures. And finally Finn tell her about his force sensitive

Rey and Finn training to be a jedi. Making lightsaber, Rey dual yellow lightsaber, Finn blue lightsaber with blaster on his other hand.

Rey and Finn make the new jedi school. It's in some place with tress and mountain, kinda look like Luke island. There's skywalker family statue in somewhere, with anakin, padme, luke and leia.

Rose live there cause she got nowhere to go and Rey took her and became fast friends. Finn live with Poe somewhere near the academy, cause they want more privacy.

Ben somehow goes to the academy. Everyone not happy, but Rey tries to tell them about how he saves her. Everyone still not happy.

Ben re-learns everything about the force. How to use it, how to connect with it.

Finn likes to laugh and scoff at him when he fail at his training. But then it just not fun anymore and start to really teach him.

Turns out it sparing with Ben is fun. Finn and Ben always sparing after meditation time. Sometimes Ben teach Finn some tricks and move with blaster and lightsaber.

Sometimes Rey join their sparing session.

Ben always hear his mother's voice at night, calling him. He tries to answer her, but he always alone. He never saw her ghost.

Rey always saw the ghost. Asking for guidance.

Ben ask about this to her. Asking if her mother there, asking can she hear him at night. Rey says yes.

At night Ben asks for forgiveness, to his mother, to Luke, to everyone that can hear. No one answer.

The first time Ben join the group was after they officially open the academy. They have a small celebration, they ask him to joining with them. They talk, and Ben listen.

Poe ask him about the blaster tricks. Ben told him he learns it from Han. Poe ask what else he learns fron Han. Ben tells him about the ships. They bonded over it.

Chewie met Ben, at first he was afraid that Chewie going to kill him. The wookie gave Ben a tight hug. Ben cries.

In the statue of Padme, there's always fresh flower on it. It's tucks in her hair or she's holding it.

The new padawan came. Finn and Rey teach but not Ben. He said the kids might scared of him.

Sometimes Rey found Ben talking to his mother statue at night. Leia ghost sat next to him, holding his hand.

Rey tries to convince Ben to teach to do advance lightsaber, cause he actually a great teacher. After some small classes, he finally teach the class.

Rey and Rose not just bonded after mechanics stuff. Rose told her about holodramas, it became a nightly routine to watch before going to bed.

Rose still didn't trust Ben. But sometimes when she pass him in the corridor, she gave him just a simple nod.

Rey sometimes have nightmares about poopatine. She found Ben have the same nightmare, after finding him in the meditation hall, waiting for her.

They talk about it. They always meditate together after that.

As they grew closer, their force bond became stronger. Ben connection with the force finally healed

The first thing he do after he feels the force was calling his mother. She didn't come.

She later came at night, in one of Ben visit to the statue. He cries when he see her. They talk and talk until morning. Later Ben talks to the whole skywalker family

People try to bring Ben for trials. Saying he need to pay for everything. Everyone in the academy keep saying that Ben Solo is dead, Kylo Ren is dead, this is just my long lost cousin friends from Naboo.

Ben talks to the group about this, says that he didn't need help, he deserve to be lock in some asteroid jail. Finn says he is one of them and so he should stay. Later he said, his punishment now is teaching in the academy until he died.

Everyone in the group agrees to the idea

The skywalker lightsabers was hidden in a box under their statue

[iainwrites]

A Samhain Brouhaha

Harry Dresden, trick-or-treating with Maggie, Karrin and Mouse.  And a tie to the earliest stories I posted on here.

“Charity, you can trust me.”

“Harry, I know you’re trying to be a good man and do right, but you’re also Harry Dresden and that name doesn’t inspire a lot of trust, especially for what you’re asking for.”

“What I’m... All I’m asking for is that I can take her out for one night.  That’s all.”

“I’ve heard that request before, and we both know what came of it.”

“It was an accident!  How was I to know...”

“Yes, Harry.  How were you to know?  Something like this means you need to know, and to be prepared for whatever might happen.”

“... Mouse will be with us.  Do you trust Mouse?”

“I trust Mouse with her life.  But Mouse is just one dog and...

“Murphy will be there, too.”

“... I suppose I can trust Mouse and Karrin to keep an eye on her.  And you too.”

“Great!  Thanks, Charity.  You won’t regret this.”

       My name is Harry... Well, you know the rest.  Wizard and Warden of the White Council, Knight of Winter, Warden of Demonreach, yadda yadda yadda.  It feels like I have more titles than the Cubs at this point, and they all mean something different to someone.  After a while, it just gets tiring repeating them all, and they seem to lose their importance.

      A few years ago, none of this would have meant much for my personal life.  I lived alone, with nothing else in my life but my work and a few people kept at arm’s length that I could call my friends.  It’s funny how the years can change things.  As the world turned, my life kept getting more and more... complete, I guess.  Filled, maybe.  I found out that there are people who look up to me, then that I had a brother, got a dog, found out I had a daughter, then a sort-of-girlfriend-I-think.  Oh, and I died once, became possibly irreversibly connected to one of the greatest powers in the magical community, might possibly be losing my morality, and am currently the master of a jail that makes Area 51 look like an amusement park.  But those things aren’t as important as the family side.

      All of my history, those titles and that backstory doesn’t mean much tonight.  Everything else is pushed to the side, and tonight I’m wearing only one of those mantles.  Maybe the most valued one.  Tonight, I am Harry Dresden: Dad.  And with that mantle comes a responsibility like no other I have shouldered before.

      “Alright, Maggie.  We’ll go whenever you want to.  Charity made sure I know the list of houses that we can go to, and Mouse-bacca will make sure that anyone who's acting too spooky won’t bother us, okay?”

      “Okay...”

      “What?  You don’t believe in the Great Mouse-bacca?  I mean, he might not look like much, but he’s got it where it counts, right?”

      The walking carpet that is my dog actually manages something that sounds closer to a Chewbacca warble than his usual chuffing sound.  Matched with the belt slung around his middle and a little bit of brown dye, it’s hard to mistake him for anything other than a Wookie.  The rest of us are dressed in a way that makes it impossible to see us as anything but nerds.

      Maggie, with the help of a mother who has spent more years making costumes than anyone else I can begin to think of, is dressed up in a Rey costume, complete with a little lightsaber.  Karrin and I nearly came to blows over what we were going to wear.  I’m... well, ME, so of course I’d be the dashing and roguish Han Solo, right?  And my partner is a giant, furry thing.  It practically writes itself!  Karrin argued that I’m the dork and should be Luke Skywalker, while she’s the cool guy with the gun.  She may have also mentioned something about being able to kick my ass.  And so here she stands in her black vest and over-sized pistol at her side and looking (damn me for saying this) appropriately Han Solo-y.

      I wasn’t content with being Luke, and am not nearly old enough to be rocking the Sir Alec Guinness look, so I settled on something a little more my style.  Thanks to a mop of hair as a result of living out on a deserted island for way too long, a scar across an eye thanks to a past encounter and a penchant for flirting with the dark side of magic, I gussy myself up as an over-sized Anakin, pre-lava bath.  With a little help from Andy, we managed to make up a casing for my blasting rod that looks like the hilt of a lightsaber.  A little focus and the blade lights up with a nice shade of blue, thanks to a little help from Winter.  We couldn’t figure out how to get it to sound right, so I end up making the sounds myself.  All in all, we look like a nice, nerdy family out for some trick-or-treating.  And that’s how it all began: a nice, nerdy sort-of family trick-or-treating together.

      I was worried when we started out that all of the costumes, noise and excitement might be too much for Maggie.  I mean, there’s a lot that usually goes on during Halloween night.  For the normal people, at least.  There’s the noises, the lights, the people running around costumes that go from home-made to movie quality.  And while she starts off close to Mouse, Murphy and me at any particular time, she eventually starts to look the way she should: a little girl out on Halloween, hitting up houses for a sugar fix.  She might not be running around Hell and Creation like some of the other munchkins out there, but there is a smile on her face, and a little bounce in her step.

      Mouse, Murphy and I take turns going up to doors with her, each of us to varying degrees of success.  Mouse always seemed to be a lock for more candy, because whenever she comes back the bag feels a lot heavier.  When she goes up with Murphy, Karrin comes back with a smile on her face, with just a hint of conflict hidden underneath.  A part of me wants to ask; the intelligent part knows to stay quiet.  The detective part of me has suspicions.  When she was married to Rich, there was tension around them having kids and her staying home to take care of them.  Going up to a door with a kid for Halloween and being told that your “daughter” is cute is probably playing around in head each time.

      When I take her up, I get to experience my own brand of head and heartache.  I keep hearing them ooh and ahh over her costume, and how sweet or cute or cool she looks, then there’s the looks up to me.  And I hear them say again how sweet she looks.  And it tears a piece out of my heart each time.  Susan and I should be taking her out for this.  Susan should be here with our daughter.  Our daughter should never have had to go through everything she’s gone through.  She should be living a normal life, spooked of the costumes at Halloween because she has an overactive imagination, not because of what she’s lived through.  And I smile, try not to loom so much, thank them and squeeze my little girl’s hand when we walk back to the street.  I steel myself for the next time that I’ll hear those words, and try to make the most out of this first father/daughter Halloween.

      On my side of the magical divide, Halloween has this recent habit of being more exciting each year.  The wearing down the divide between the living and the dead, necromantic rituals, changing of mantles, and the killing of immortals seem like they’re only the tip of the iceberg these days, and there’s always the little whisper in my ear that there’s going to be more.  Somehow, I manage to trick myself for a fair portion of the night that this one will be different.  That the creepy crawlies from the other side will take the night off and give me a chance to have a well-deserved break.

      Yeah, right.  The author of my life isn’t ever going to be that nice to me.

      The first indication is the sudden jerk of Mouse’s leash.  He’s usually happy to trot along at his own pace, with the leash there to show everyone he’s a well-behaved dog.  It’s not uncommon for him to stop and smell the proverbial roses; but for him to stop because there’s something he wants to stop, that’s enough to get my attention.  The only thing that stands out around us is a small pack of costumed clowns hanging a little ways back.  They all have the shabby zombie costume that seems to keep its firm grip from year to year, combined with some cheap masks.  The clothes portion of the costumes are pretty good, comparatively; they look distressed, like there was some actual damage to them.  I know those kinds of rips and tears intimately.  They even got the blood patterns around the tears right.

      The night gets cold when I realize that some of the rips and the stains look fresh.  And have that quality that costumes either exaggerate or downplay.  I look from the costumes to the people (no, things) wearing them.  They move in sync, coordinated.  My brain goes back to my throw-away description of them and revises is: a little ways back behind us is a small Pack of costumed wolves.

      The Pack.  A holdover from an old fight some Hunters and I should have finished and buried.  They’re a roaming group of monsters who hunt together, and have been the death of innocents and those that have tried to stop them.  The legendary Hunter John Winchester worked with the fledgling Black Cats to kick their asses up around their mouths decades back.  After a misunderstanding, Karrin and I teamed up with his sons, Sam and Dean, to ring the bell on Round 2.  We didn’t finish them off, but I thought we left them with a nose that was so bloody that they’d never want to try hunting together again.  Apparently, the lesson wasn’t definitive enough for them, because here they stand, lesser in number but still a threat to everyone walking this street.

      Karrin must have realized that we’ve been left behind, because she calls back to us.  “You okay, Harry?”

      Mouse clues in that I’m clued in and goes from alert growl to “stay way the hell away” growl.  “Yeah,” I reply.  “Mouse just has to use the little doggy’s tree.  We’ll catch up with you in a little bit.”

      “You sure?  We can wait.”

      My gut starts to get wrenched around.  I want my daughter to be safe, and safe is away from these things.  But if she’s sent away, that means I can’t be there to protect her.

      But Murphy will be there, and short of Michael, she’s the one person I know I can trust to keep my daughter safe.  “We’ll be there in a bit.  I’m going to take Mouse away from the street so nobody has to get caught up in it.  Have you been feeding him table scraps again, Maggie?  Because you’ll have to clean up you’ve been sneaking taco’s to Mouse.”

      My daughter gives off a little giggle and Mouse lets off the subsonic growl long enough to give a happy little chuff.  I pat his head, wave to Karrin and Maggie and start to lead him to an alley, digging out one of the plastic bags we’ve been using for Maggie’s haul.  I see Karrin look from me to Mouse, to the Pack and unlatch her blaster.  Just like I put a case around my blasting rod, she has a plastic shell around her service pistol.  It might not be much, but it’ll sure as hell slow down anything that I let get past me.

      The Pack seem to size up Karrin and Maggie as they leave.  Their gaze stays on them for a very uncomfortable time, before slowing coming back to me.  The message is loud and clear: “We saw them, we’ll remember them and we’ll find them.”  Yeah?  I have my own message.

      “Okay, assholes.  You were dumb enough to sign up for Round 3, so let’s find a nice quiet corner so I can beat on you like I’m Rocky.”

      As they follow me, one makes its way out of the main body, to stand in front of them like a spokesperson.  I can tell even underneath the costume what it is, and a fire starts to burn through my veins.  Human sized, but not human like. Extra-long arms that end in claws.  An unhealthy color that some could pass off as make-up but I recognize as naturally disgusting.  And behind the mask, eyes that are weighing and measuring you up for its plate.  A ghoul.  A ghoul who has seen my daughter.  Ever since the Red Court was dealt with, the whole race of ghouls have been moved up to the top of my “Things That World Will Never Miss” list.  This one just reserved extra special placement.

      I take my hand off of Mouse’s lead as he and I turn in sync to stare at the Pack.  The lead ghoul stops only a few feet away from me.  The alley is barely wide enough for Mouse and I to stand side-by-side, but that also means that they’re limited by how many can come forward at a time.  It’s not my favorite ring to fight in, but there’s been worse.  “Okay.  Say your piece, then let’s get started.”

      “You assume too much, wizard,” the ghoul says to me.  I’m not sure if it’s actually speaking English or if I still understand Ancient Sumerian as a parting gift from Lash.  Whatever the case, it sounds like a snake slithering over broken bottles.  “What stops the hunters at the mouth of the alley from going back out to the street?  You?  The dog?”  Damn it.  “No.  You will hear what we have to say, you and the beast will die, then we will go out and continue our hunt.”

      “Alright, Smiley.  Let’s hear it, then.”

      “You are known, Wizard.  You are remembered.  The Pack knows your scent.  You went to ground, but have decided to appear again.”  There’s a murmur behind the ghoul that could politely described as “agreement”, if agreement was made up of growls and rumbles.  “You may have bested us in the past, but that is when you hunted with others.  The Winchesters.  They are known to us.  They are remembered.  They will be found.”

      For a ghoul, this guy is practically Shakespeare.  This is the most I’ve ever heard from one before and it all comes across as understandable.  “Alright.  So what’s your point here?  Are you just going to keep talking until I go into a coma so you don’t have to strain yourself?”  I keep my attention off of it and on the ones in the back in case they decide to amscray back onto the street like they were threatening to do.  “Because there’s actually stuff that I want to do tonight.  If that means I have to walk through all of you to get there, and this sounds weird coming from me, let’s stop talking and get it done.”

      “No, Wizard.  You do not decide the Hunt.  The Pack hunts its prey, and when it is cornered, their lives are ours.  You, a human, have no say in what happens.  Should we decide to kill you, you will die.  Should we decide to eat your beast, it will be eaten.  If we decide to hunt your mate and your whelp, they are ours for as long as we wish and for what we wish.”

      “You don’t want to do this,” I mutter, while Mouse begins to growl behind me.  The only mercy I can think of is that Karrin is away from us, and that Maggie will be safe with her.  I might even be able to take a few of them with me.  I might be able to protect my daughter from what’s to come.

      The ghoul doesn't break eye contact with me, but I’m willing to be to bet that it knows what’s going on and what’s going to happen.  The cocky bastard doesn’t even seem to care.  “Oh, I think I do, wizard.  I think I will.”  The Pack behind him shifts, the sounds of claws scraping ground, of bones snapping and reforming into monstrous forms.  I get a death grip on the lightsaber case and start to will my power into it.

      Why?  Why does this always have to happen?  I try to take my daughter out for something nice, like a trip to the zoo or out for Halloween, only for things to go sideways on us.  This life, this job, this responsibility... I’m okay with it.  But I want to be a father once in a while.  I want to try and give Maggie a normal life whenever possible, but something seems so damn set in ruining that for us.  There is always something that shows up and ruins things and keeps me from connecting with my own daughter.  Susan should be here.  Our lives shouldn’t be so... wrong.  She should be allowed to grow up with a mother and a father and never have to worry about all of these things.  All of this is happening and I’m just about ready to...

      Something around us changes.  I’m not even aware of it until I hear something shift in Mouse’s voice.  It still carries a sound of warning, but there’s something else.  Anticipation?  Excitement?  A certain reckless happiness that his human sometimes shows?  He’s ready for a fight, but there’s something that’s allowing him to relax, even in the smallest ways.  He’s not worried about the fight.  From what I hear, he might even be looking forward to it.  I do a quick scope around me to see what could flip the switch in him.  Turns out it’s a lot closer than I’d ever expect.

      It’s my blasting-saber.  A firey shade of orange is starting to appear in the core nearest the hilt.

      Its old color.  Something from years ago that has since been covered in Winter ice.

      MY old color.  A color of will, and excitement, and barely controlled power, all of it coming from me.  Not a mantle.  Not a mostly immortal Faerie Queen.  

                                                      Me.

      I bring my eyes back up to the ghoul, and I smile.  It’s not a nice smile, but it’s one with a promise.  “Let me rephrase that.  You’re NOT going to do this.”

      The remnants of the Pack shift, the faces under their costume masks shifting.  Most of them change their posture and flex their hands, getting ready for the fight they’ve been working themselves up for all night.  What they don’t understand is that the moment they looked at my daughter, they didn’t have a chance in Hades.

      “Here’s why you’re not going to do that.  In fact, here’s why after tonight, you’re never going to see each other every again.”  A few give off growling laughs.  “I am Harry Dresden.  I am a wizard and Warden of the White Council.”  “Warden” makes a few of them twitch.  “I am chosen by Mab, Queen of Winter, Air and Darkness to be her Knight.  I wear the mantle of Winter, and I wear it very damn well.”  Mouse has stopped growling by now, as though he doesn’t want to take any attention off of me.  “I am Warden of Demonreach, jailer to nastier bastards than you’ll all ever be.  Combined.”  The blue of my blasting-saber exists only on the outside of the blade; fire is making up the core and it’s becoming a brighter shade of red with my every word.  “I am Bane of the Red Court.  The one who has outplayed and overcome Death.  My ride is one of the greatest predators to ever roam this earth, and I brought it back from millennia of rest. I am Ally to Hunters and Slayers.  I know and will invoke the names Winchester and Summers.  I have been tempted by and refused a coin of the Blackened Denarius.  I have led the Wild Hunt.”  THAT gets their attention like I know it would.

      The air around us suddenly gets warmer.  Almost spring-like, like the nights you sit outside near a fire.  There might be a chill in the air, but there’s also the promise of warmth and comfort.  The snow starts to melt and the grass can be seen again, and there might even be the faint sign of flowers starting to bloom.

      Life and warmth after a snow that never seemed like it would leave.

      The various creatures in front of me start to look around, probably trying to figure out what all this means.  The quicker ones figure it out and look at me, the hostility they had been showing before beginning to melt away, revealing something almost like fear.  But right now?  Fear is not enough.  Fear can be conquered or forgotten.  They need to feel something much more permanent.

      “I am Harry Dresden.  This is MY city.  And this is MY night.  I claim it by birth and by my strength.”  The tension that’s been building in this little alleyway just... pops around me.  If there’s a pressure, I don’t feel it anymore.

      “You have threatened my daughter, and I will protect her.  Ask the Red Court what that promise means.”  I let those words hang in the air, full of meaning and threats.  “This is my city, and I will protect it.  Ask anyone how far I’ve gone to keep it safe, and what happens to the people that threaten it.”  I let my blasting-saber dip until it nearly touches the pavement, which starts to send up wisps of smoke.  “The people who live here are my people, and I.  Will.  Protect.  Them.  Ask the Heirs of Kemmler and the Black Court what that oath means.”

      I don’t make any of this a challenge, or a brag, or something to piss them off.  These are all things that simply are.  They’re all true, like that the sun rises or that water is wet.  You can argue and try to ignore it all you want, but these things are, have been and always will be.  I am who I am, and I do what I do, no matter the mantle I wear, or what tries to change me.

      “So here’s what you’re going to do.  Tonight, I curse the name ‘Pack.’”  There’s another subtle pop in the air as those words gain meaning and permanence.  Words have power, and I invest a portion of my own self into those words.  “All those who live under it do so under pain of... Well, death is too nice.  Non-existence.  Erasure from history.  I will call in every favor, from the crater of Sunnydale to the Isle of Manhattan and every road of that cuts across this country.  You will cease to exist.  You will never be spoken of and you will never be remembered.  And you will all die bloody.”  I draw my gaze from one face to another, never letting off until they look away first.  They wouldn’t need to Soul Gaze me to know what is on my mind; it’s pretty damn apparent to any of them with half a clue.  “You will never run together again.  You will not do it under the name Pack, or any other name.  Because if I hear so much as a rumor that a group of creatures attacked an innocent person, you’re done.  You will be found, then you will be gone.  This right here is your only warning.  Any questions?”

      “And you,” I say to the ghoul.  I start walking forward, the cape billowing behind me, my blasting-saber burning a line in the ground.  I get right up to its face, and lean down towards its ear.  “I really, really hate fucking ghouls,” I whisper.  “And I know how hard your kind is to kill.  I have experience with that.  But you want to know something?”  

      I whip the blasting-saber down and take its hand off at the wrist.  We both look down at it in surprise.  I was expecting some burning, maybe a little cut, but not full blown lightsaber action.  I doubt it was expecting anything at all.  We both bring our eyes back up and I stare it down one more time.  “I have one more title for you: I was the Fire of Camp Kaboom. There was a message that was sent back with a survivor.  I told it ‘Never Again.’”  And I bring the blade flashing up in an arc and sear through its head with barely any resistance.  The head drops with a stunned look on its face as the body falls back into the hastily made space its friends make.

      “Never again.  Never again in my presence, in my city or to my people.”  I bring my gaze to each of them once again, but this time, nobody is too excited to look me in the eye.  “Do I need to repeat that to any of you?”  None of them reply. I snake out the blasting-saber again and take a chunk out of a rawhead and take out what looks to be a rugaru at the waist. That’s the sign they needed to break away and run, but not before I take a couple of slashes at their retreating asses.  I manage to down some; Mouse manages to run down another before it makes it to the mouth of the alley.  The ones I see escape split up.  When I step back onto the street, they’re long gone.

      Mouse and I take some time getting rid of the bodies, thanks to some creative uses of Ways and a few convenient garbage cans. The ghoul got some extra-special treatment, just like I promised.  I only realized how much time had actually passed when we finally caught up to Murphy and Maggie.  They’re less than a block away from the Carpenter’s home, with Karrin carrying an impressive haul of sugar filled goodness.  Even with all the best intentions, I still missed my first night of trick-or-treating with my daughter.  I try not to let my disappointment show as I lope up to them and ruffle Maggie’s hair.

      “Ha... Dad?  Are you okay?”

      “Yeah, I’m okay.  Just had to help Mouse clean up a mess.”

      “Your lightsaber is red.  Um... Isn’t red the color bad guys use in Star Wars?”

      “A lot of them do.  But remember the end of Return of the Jedi?”

      “We never finished it.  The Emperor... I don’t like what he says to Luke.”

      “He’s a pretty scary guy, and his threats are pretty serious.  But when he threatens Luke, Vader decides that his son is more important than his master.  He decides to fight against the Dark Side.”

      “So... Vader... becomes a good guy?”

      “It’s... complicated.  He did bad things, but family helped him so he could try to be good again.  He decided what to do, and that he didn’t want to follow the Emperor’s orders anymore.”

      “So, you’re like Darth Vader.”

      “... Yeah.  And the people I care about are helping me come back to the Light Side of the Force.  There’s going to be... bad things in my past, and there are going to be people who tell me what I have to be, but I decide whether that’s who I am.”

      “That’s... you’re kind of a cool guy.”

“Cooler than Han Solo?”

      “Well Mouse is cooler than Chewbacca, and he’s your partner.  So I guess that means you’re cooler than Han.”

I admit, it kills some of the cool vibes, but I squeeze Karrin on the shoulder and as she looks up at me, I stick out my tongue like I’m a kid.  I get an elbow in my hip in return, but it’s worth it.   I’ve never gone out trick-or-treating before tonight, so my expectations were pretty low.  But this was actually pretty fun.  And my daughter thinks I’m a cool dad.  Yeah.  That’s never going to go to my head.

      “Hey, Dad?”

      “Yeah, kiddo?”

      “Do you want to stay after we get back and watch Return of the Jedi?  If you’re there, I think I can make it past the Emperor this time.”

      “I’d love to, Maggie.”

      Murphy gives my hand a tug, and gives a nod of her head to let me know she wants to whisper something to me.  

      “I don’t know everything that happened, but you were pretty amazing tonight, Dresden.  And it’s your birthday.  There’s a Slave Leia costume I think we should break in later.”

      I love Halloween.

      “But you’re wearing it.”

      … Happy birthday to me.

[linearao3]

Dark Water, Ch. 1-16, summarized.

I’ll be publishing the last chapter soon (as in, in the next few hours), but in the meantime, something I said I’d do earlier and forgot to: a flavorless but thorough (read: long) summary of 16 chapters of Dark Water.  Below the cut, for content and for lennnnngth.

Francisco "Poe" de Marino, Finn Askari, and Reina Jaffa have a detective agency in Los Angeles.  Two clients come from Santa Teresa, a rich town up the coast.  One, Armand Huxley, hires Finn to find his missing maid, Rose, and the blueprints she stole.  The other, Leila Solo, hires Rey to find her husband, Hans "Han" Solo, who has run away, and also hires Poe to investigate the disappearance of her son, Ben.  She tells Poe that Ben was expelled from college for fighting off-campus, stole his father's gun, and disappeared.  He was presumed a suicide after his car was found abandoned at the beach.  She has just learned that the bar where Ben got in trouble for fighting was a gay bar, and she thinks there might be more to the story -- that's why she hired Poe.   Poe discovers that the man Ben got in trouble for beating up in the bar was an old, rich man from Santa Teresa.  He is reluctant to go there, because he grew up there and feels guilt about his mother, who died while he was fighting in WWII, but he drives there with Mrs. Solo.  She acts strangely while going through Camarillo. Finn discovers that Rose (Vietnamese name Thai Co Hoa) has a sister, Thai Co Be, who rides horses at the track at Santa Anita Park under the name Paige Tico.  Rey meets a mysterious man on a motorcycle who tells her that Han will be at the Santa Anita racetrack.  Finn and Rey arrive separately, but converge when it turns out that Paige rides horses owned by Han.  Since Han is drunk, Rey drives him and Paige to Santa Teresa.  Finn tails them, because he believes Paige has the blueprints in her big suitcase.  Han also acts strangely while driving through Camarillo. Local male sex workers reveal that the man Ben fought with was Orson Krennick, a local honcho.  Krennick has recently died.  When Han comes home to the ranch with Rey and Paige, Poe overhears him fighting with Leila, and hears Paige moving around late at night. Rey, who is staying a motel, goes to a bar, where she meets the man on the motorcycle again.  He introduces himself as Ren.  Rey expresses interest in his bike, but he is reluctant to let her drive it until she tells him to call her by her nickname, implying that she's willing to be his friend.  Rey drives it, with him sitting on the back, extremely fast on extremely winding back roads, until Ren directs her to a spot on the bluffs overlooking the sea.  He tells her the story of an indigenous woman who was left behind and lived alone on one of the Channel Islands, and when she came to shore, discovered that her entire tribe had died.  Ren is moved when Rey weeps at the story.  He kisses her, and asks to take her home.  She agrees, and they go back to her motel room.  After sex, she tells him he can stay the night. Finn, seeing lights on late in the Solos' barn, suspects that Paige is meeting someone to sell or hand off the stolen plans. He sneaks onto the property and is heading towards the barn when he hears a gunshot.  He finds Paige dying on the floor and calls for help.  The police question him, but the Solos, prompted by Poe, vouch for him. Rey wakes up early to make a call, which Ren overhears, where she identifies herself as Malka Szmacziarz and asks if her parents have been found.  He thinks she lied about her name to him because she doesn't trust him, and she reproves him, saying she wants to trust him.  Poe comes to pick her up, telling her about the murder, and Ren meets with a yakuza group, for whom he has transported and marked a large amount of money.  Ren has been introduced to the group through his Japanese-American friend, Donny Mitaka, and he dreams of become a feared and respected leader of the group. At the Solos' ranch, as Han is speculating that Paige may have been killed by the jockeys' union, which is violently racist, Leila's brother, Luke Skywalker, a war hero with a missing hand and a mystical, self-made religion, arrives with a threatening letter he has received.  The letter contains a typo which Leila remembers from old letters of Ben's, but the typewriter matches one used by Beckett, a shady real estate agent who has been pressuring Luke to sell his land. Han takes Poe and Rey to see his prize horse, Blue Hammer, the descendant of the champion he trained, Falcon.  They're visited by a greasy horse dealer, Donato "D.J." Jimenez, who goads Han and expresses insincere regret and morbid curiosity with regard to Paige's murder.  Han orders him off his property, and asks Poe to ride Blue Hammer in the upcoming race. Finn, investigating the site of Paige's murder, is attacked by a knife-wielding girl who turns out to be Rose.  After he convinces her that he didn't kill her sister, she reveals that she only handed the plans off to Paige last night, and that Paige was carrying a lot of cash.  Whoever killed her has taken both.  Rose tells him about her history as the Huxley family's servant under the French colonial government, and challenges him about his origins, which he carefully conceals with assumed accents.  They find a discarded butt of a French cigarette, and speak to Bibiana, the niece of horse-trainer Arturo, who tells them she saw someone tall. Poe comes up with a plan: Rey will pose as an English heiress and ask Beckett for a property like the one Beckett may be trying to extort from Luke, offering an outrageously high price.  Beckett is suspicious of the details of Rey's story; while he's making a call, she raids his files and finds a map of Luke's property, Olive Tree School, with an oil line marked on it.  Beckett catches her and physically threatens her, but Ren comes to her rescue with a knife he took from her the night before.  He asks her to go out dancing with him and his friend that night, and she agrees. The Solos, on finding out that Rose is Paige's sister, welcome her to stay for the night.  Rey tells the Solos what she learned at Beckett's office.  Mrs. Solo says that the oil line used to belong to her, but that she sold it to Huxley; he pays Luke an easement fee for the passage of the oil through the property.  Mr. Solo is alarmed to hear Poe talking privately  about the death of Orson Krennick with Leila, and becomes more upset when Poe won't tell him what he's learned. Finn, distraught over the murder, his treatment by the police, and being forced to cut off his hair in the absence of care options for black hair, accepts tequila and gets very drunk.  He argues with Rose, who tells him she is a soldier.  Finn tells her how he was taken from his parents by British colonial forces and trained to be a soldier from a young age.  When parents in his community, including Finn's own father, protested, they were gunned down by British soldiers.  He deserted afterwards.  Rose tells him how Vietnam has been serially occupied by the French and the Japanese, and the atrocities they've committed.  But she's a soldier because she has hope for the future. Rey has dinner with Ren, Donny Mitaka, and Mitaka's girlfriend, Bess Ine.  She dances with Ren and he asks where she was during the war.  She confesses that she's a Jew from Poland; her parents sent her alone as a child to the British Mandate of Palestine during the German invasion, but she hopes to be reunited with them.  She takes him back to her room, where they have sex and sleep together.  She wakes up to him having a nightmare, and recognizes him from Mrs. Solo's photograph as Ben Solo.  He responds by telling her that Ben Solo is dead, and was a monster from a family of monsters.  When she pushes him, he tells her her parents are dead, and flees on his motorcycle. Rey goes back to the Solo's ranch to tell them that she's seen Ben, and what he said to her.  Han and Leila fight, with each one claiming that the other represents the "monstrous family" Ben mentioned.  But separately, they admit they believe the opposite.  During the war, being disqualified from service by his age, Han smuggled drugs and alcohol from Mexico, doing business with Beckett and Krennick, and lied to Leila and Ben, telling him that he was spying for the allies.  Leila's biological father was Lorde Varder, aka Anderson Skywalker, a poor firefighter who married a wealthy opera singer, Paz Mayberry, and went into politics after she was committed to the Camarillo mental hospital, crafting policies which deprived Japanese Americans of rights and allowed him to buy valuable land cheaply.  He left Luke an olive orchard which used to belong to the Mitaka family, and he left Leila the oil holdings she sold to Huxley, so much of the family's wealth is derived from his immoral actions.  Both Han and Leila believe that it was Ben's discovery of the skeletons in their closets which drove him to a mental breakdown, for which they had him involuntarily committed. Ben drives his motorcycle aimlessly through the city, and ends up getting drunk at Maisie's after hours, admitting that he stole Rey's stockings, and that he told her Ben Solo was dead because he had once planned to kill himself.  Rey, sharing a bed with Rose, admits to herself that her parents are likely dead, and grieves together with Rose. In the morning, Finn discovers that Huxley has left a message saying that he doesn't need to look for the blueprints anymore.  He and Rose agree that that seems to mean that he's gotten them back himself.  Rose decides to go back to Huxley.  When he takes her to the Huxleys' house, Huxley embraces her inappropriately, while his wife insults and belittles her.  Finn sneaks back to the house after seeming to leave, and hears Mrs. Huxley hitting Rose.  He finds Rose and offers to work for her for the change she has in her pockets, offering his skills as a detective and client confidentiality.  Rose tells him that the blueprints are for a guided missile, which Huxley is trying to sell to the French for use in Vietnam.  She is trying to steal the plans and the offer letter that goes with them, so that the Vietnamese government can deprive France of the weapon and undermine American support for the French. Rey thinks that the Solos' stories don't quite make sense and center too much on their individual guilt.  Pio, the librarian, tells her that Ben exhibited symptoms of mental disturbance for a long time prior to his "breakdown."  On a hunch, she goes to the beach where Ben's car was discovered the first time he disappeared.  She tells Ben that she's deduced that he meant to murder someone when he left his parents' house.  He admits it: he meant to kill Stephen Pallatine.  But he was already dead.  He tells her that, while Luke was away as a POW in the Pacific, Pallatine took over the school and caught him kissing Donny Mitaka.  Under the guise of aversion therapy, he sexually abused Ben for a long time, keeping him late after school, which his parents never seemed to notice.  When Luke returned, he tried to tell him, but Luke was dismissive, and when he tried to tell his parents, Luke encouraged them to believe that Ben was mentally ill.  At the mental hospital, he was frightened by the apparently arbitrary shock treatments administered to patients, and falsely confessed to making up the story of his abuse.  Rey vows never to let anyone hurt him again, and he carries her into the sea, offering to take her wherever she wants. At Huxley's house, Finn discovers that D.J. is Mrs. Huxley's lover, and smokes the kind of cigarette they found at the crime scene.  He tails him to a house in the hills, where Rey has just arrived with Ben.  Ben tells her to wait outside, but she and Finn follow him in.  Spying, they discover the D.J. has the exact amount of money that Paige was carrying when she was killed, and that he and Beckett are both working with the Japanese mob to take the Mitaka orchard land and turn it into a horse ranch so that they can launder money through the buying and selling of horses.  When the mob boss, Oka-san, discovers that Ben concealed that he intervened between Rey and Beckett, he's threatened with having a finger cut off.  Rey charges in to save him, and Finn charges in after her.  Ben kills Oka-san to save Rey while Rey wounds one of his lieutenants badly and Finn overpowers another.  When Rey realizes that Ben intends to take over the gang, not leave it, she tells Finn to go and begs Ben to stop.  Ben kills the wounded lieutenant for threatening her and him, and, feeling that Rey has abandoned him, uses her knife to cut the marks of her fingernails permanently into his face. Finn drops Rey off at Luke's school and goes back to see Rose, who has discovered a quantity of cash, also exactly equal to what Paige was carrying, behind Mrs. Huxley's bureau.  She can't find the plans anywhere in the house, and she believes Mrs. Huxley murdered Paige, took the money, and disposed of the plans.  Finn isn't sure, but he promises her he'll find her sister's killer.  Rose kisses him, and they have sex in her room.  She tells him to leave, but on his way out, he overhears Huxley arguing with his father, and figures out that D.J. killed Paige and is asking Huxley for money for the plans.  He goes back to Rose to tell her what he's learned and that he knows where the plans are. Rey sees a memorial to Stephen Pallatine at the school and tries unsuccessfully to destroy it with her knife.  She warns Luke that he isn't safe, because the gang is going to try to drive him off his land, but she ends up shouting at him, confronting Luke over his betrayal of Ben.  Luke reveals that Pallatine played on his own fear of insanity, as well as his desire to believe the best of his birth father and his hometown.  Ben, overhearing Rey's reproaches and overwhelmed by seeing the memorial and the marks of her knife in it, impulsively uses turpentine from the art room to light the memorial on fire.  The other buildings quickly catch. Poe, coming to pick up Rey, finds the fire, and Luke trying to save the school.  A fire truck arrives, driven by Capt. Aimee Linn, not in response to Luke's call for help, but to warn them to evacuate because of the risk of flash flood in the long-dry Salsipuedes River.  Poe refuses to leave, trying to stay to fight the fire, until Capt. Linn takes over the firefighting and tells him to evacuate Rey and Luke, which he does.  They watch from the foothills as the river floods. Rey makes Luke tell Leila the truth about what happened to Ben.  With the fire still burning and the flood still raging, she despairs of ever finding a place that isn't weighed down by the sins of the past, since every place she has ever lived has been consumed by conflict.  Ben goes to his grandmother's abandoned mansion, despairing of ever succeeding with the gang or seeing Rey again.  He is startled when Rose arrives; she saw the candles he lit from Huxley's house, which used to be a sign from Paige that she was dealing with a representative of his gang.  She offers him the money she stole from Mrs. Huxley to take her to Hanoi once she finds the plans.  Ben, disoriented by the flood and hoping that the money will placate Oka-san's lieutenants, agrees.  There's a problem, though -- Rose's money is dirty; it's the marked bills the gang gave D.J. to launder through trading horses. In the morning, Rey is watching Poe ride his old favorite horse, Blackbird, who never got to race because of the track closure during WWII.  Poe sees Ben going towards the barn and thinks he's going to burn it, and the horses, the way he burned the school.  He pursues him on Blackbird, but Rey jumps onto the horse with him, and then, when Ben runs to his bike, off the horse and onto the bike.  When he finally stops driving, he admits that he feels like he's doomed; he had a vague plan to steal horses, but completely messed it.  Rey promises he isn't doomed, and that she'll help him get out of the mess he's in.  He doesn't feel worthy of help, but Rey tells him he doesn't have to deserve help; he just has to need it.  He recognizes that she needs him to help her, too.  They have sex and promise not to leave each other. Finn follows Huxley to a meeting with D.J., where Huxley says he doesn't have the cash D.J. wants for the plans.  D.J. offers to take land deeds instead, or Rose as a hostage.  Huxley threatens to shoot D.J., but D.J. calls his bluff.  Finn follows D.J.'s car, but loses him when D.J. goes to the sheriff's office.  Finn decides to go back to Huxley's house and try to convince Rose to run away so that Huxley doesn't offer her up as a hostage. Poe visits Aimee Linn in the hospital; she's been badly hurt fighting the fire.  She asks him to investigate the condition of the oil line in the Salsipuedes River, and he promises to, but allows Han to convince him to make a call about it to the fire department instead.  He and Han go down to Santa Anita to practice on the track.  On the way back, Poe is struck with a bad feeling, and discovers that the oil pipeline has blown, leaking crude oil into the sea. Rey wants Ben to run away, but Ben feels obligated to Rose and to Mitaka, since it was his family that stole the orchard from Mitaka's family.  Rose suggests that they bet the marked money on Poe and Blue Hammer in the race the next day, which will also earn enough money both to pay the gang for Rose's trip and to buy back Mitaka's land.  Finn, discovering that Rose has left the Huxleys, remembers that she talked to Mrs. Solo about Paz Mayberry's estate, and finds her there with Ben, Mitaka, and Rey, who tell him about their plans.  Finn and Rose have sex, and she confesses that she wants to have a family; Finn realizes he wants a family with her.  Ben and Rey have sex, and Rey confesses her fear that her parents sent her away because she was too weak, and that she didn't deserve to survive.  Ben reminds her what she told him: she didn't have to deserve it, she just had to need it. Poe volunteers to help clean the spill, and spends the day riding Blackbird up and down the coast, running messages between park rangers, volunteers, and sailors.  In the evening he returns to the Solo's ranch, where Beckett comes calling and tries to blackmail Han.  His intention is to blackmail him over Ben's murder of Oka-san, but Han misunderstands him, and thinks, because he has himself mistakenly come to believe that Leila murdered Krennick in revenge for Ben's supposed death, that Beckett is trying to blackmail him over that.  As it happens, Beckett murdered Krennick himself, and panics at the idea that he's been discovered; he threatens to shoot Han, but Leila kills him with a poker.  Poe is planning to cover up the murder when Ben arrives with Finn, Rose, and Rey, asking for his parents' help.

[the-lady-of-stars]

Sides of the Force

Poe Dameron x Skywalker!Reader

Requested by @moose-on-the-l00se

Summary: A world in which Kylo Ren doesn't turn to the dark side, remaining as Ben solo. It is, however, the reader’s - Luke Skywalker’s daughter- brother who turns, upsetting the reader greatly. Y/N disappears in search of her brother in an attempt to bring him back to the light, forcing her cousin Ben, boyfriend Poe and father Luke to team up to find her. Unfortunately, they give the wrong idea to the reader’s brother before she can help him, making Y/N have to go to extremes in return for their safety. 

A/N: I named the reader’s brother Rasmus - Ras for short.  (I got this name from a series called “The Rain” I’ve been watching on Netflix. It’s totally worth a watch if you feel like it.)   3.3k Words

 It had been ten years since your brother Rasmus had turned. You were both training at the Jedi temple when he felt his call to the dark side, leaving dead padawans in his path. During the ten years he had been gone, he’d risen in the First Order, gaining the title of Commander. Alongside that, he’d been personally recruited by Snoke, being trained in the dark side of the force. 

You, however, had stayed with your father Luke and cousin Ben, all moving to the island of Ahch-To and completing your Jedi training. Then one day your father told you both that you needed to go to Crait to help the Resistance fight against the First Order. This was where you first met Poe, best pilot in the Resistance and now your boyfriend.

- Back to the Present -

It was late in the night, and the stars shone brightly above. You sat on a rock outside the base on Crait. It was your home now, having been  redesigned and modernised by the Resistance. 

The cold winds whipped through your hair, blowing it back behind your face. You sighed, drawing shapes into the ground with your feet, leaving red trails in your wake. You didn't know what to do. You missed your brother, of course you did. The last time you saw him was during the battle of Crait, and even then it was only from a distance as he tried to kill your father.

 A tear slipped down your cheek, getting brushed away almost as soon as it had fallen by a hand that wasn’t yours. You jumped as you thought you were alone, turning only to see Poe.

“You scared me,” you sniffled. Poe wiped your cheek again, sitting down on the rock next to you. He pulled off his leather jacket and placed it over your shoulders to keep you warm.

“What’s wrong, darling?” he soothed.

“It’s just- I’m lost, Poe. I don't know what to do. I just want Ras back. We all miss him- me, Ben, Dad, Leia. We grew up together, Poe.” you began to sob. 

He shushed you, pulling you into his arms and allowing you to bury your face into his neck. He waited patiently until your sobs had died down, rubbing your back softly and keeping you tight against his chest. 

“C’mon, sweetheart. Let's get you to bed, shall we?” he cooed, standing up and pulling you with him. Poe took your hand and lead you all the way back to your shared room on the base. 

When you got there you both lay down under the covers, Poe keeping you safe and warm on his chest while he slept. You, however, just couldn’t seem to get to sleep, your eyes remaining wide open and focused on the wall. You couldn't think about anything other than Rasmus. You knew you needed him back, but you also knew that none of your family would let you go and get him, as they always said it would be too dangerous to try and bring him back. Considering your options, you came to the conclusion that it would be best to leave in the middle of the night so no one would know you were gone until morning. 

Beginning your plan, you delicately got off of Poe, tucking him back in so he wouldn't wake up once you were off. You pulled on your Jedi robes, placing your lightsaber in it’s sheath on your belt. You also shoved a few necessities into a small rucksack, strapping that over your shoulder. With one last glance in the mirror, you sighed, looking at your reflection all prepared to go out on a mission, then back at the reflection of Poe who was sound asleep, curled up in the duvet. 

You left your room and headed straight for the hangar where you knew you could take the Falcon. After Han’s death, the Falcon had been left to you and Ben, a memory of your childhood.  So you boarded the Falcon, securing your bag before setting yourself down in the pilots seat, and with a few levers, buttons and switches you were off, flying into the atmosphere. As you entered hyperspace, you decided it would be best to send a message to Poe through your datapad. You pulled it out of your rucksack, scrolling through your contacts until you saw Poe’s name. You stared blankly at the screen, not knowing what you could possibly say while watching the text cursor blink. After a good five minutes of contemplation, you began to type:

“My Dearest Poe,

I’m so sorry I’ve had to do this, my love.  I need to find my brother and there’s no other choice in the matter. I know neither you, Ben, Leia or Dad would even think about letting me do this for a moment, but you must know that I have to. I’m not in any danger, believe me when I tell you he'd never hurt me. I love you all so much. I will return to you- I promise. Hopefully with Rasmus by my side. There's still light in him. I can feel it. But as for now, I have to say goodbye. I don't know when I’ll be back or if I can be in contact until I return, but I will definitely come back at some point. 

Until then, my sincerest love,

Y/N.”

Your finger hovered over the send button for a while before you finally pressed it, turning your datapad completely off and throwing it into your bag, not waiting for a response. With that, you set out towards the Finalizer, as it wasn't exactly hard to find at its size. 

- Back on Crait in the Morning -

Poe sprinted as fast as he could through the hallways, datapad in hand. When he finally reached General Organa’s room, he slammed his fist into the door, crying out repeated calls of “Leia!” until the door finally slid open. 

“Poe? What’s wrong?” she asked, rubbing her tired eyes then trying to smooth down her bed hair. 

“It’s Y/N, she’s gone. She must have left during the night. Her lightsabers gone too. She left a note.” Poe passed his datapad over to Leia, letting her read the message. Her eyes widened and she told him “Quick- tell Luke and Ben. I’ll meet you in Hangar 3.” 

Poe ran off in search of your cousin and father, showing each of them your message then telling them to come to Hangar 3. 

When Poe finally got to the hangar, he saw Leia standing next to a freighter. She beckoned him over and he ran, closely followed by Ben and Luke, both adorned in Jedi garb. 

“Take this ship and follow after her,” began Leia. “It’s dangerous for her to go all alone. Rasmus has changed since he was at the temple, he's a different person now. I’ve stocked the ship with enough necessities for months. Good luck.” She turned to Luke and patted his shoulder, feeling remorseful for her brother who had lost not only his son but now possibly his daughter. 

- Your Arrival at the Finalizer -

You slowed down the Falcon, seeing the Finalizer in front of you. Your brother was on this ship- you could feel his presence in the force. This also meant that he might sense yours too, possibly something you'd like to avoid at this stage. You waited until the coast was clear of any TIE-Fighters patrolling the base then landed in an empty bay on the side of the ship. It seemed to be abandoned from what you could tell, making the perfect landing zone for you. 

You walked down the ramp, feeling the chill of the metal walls of the ship seep through you. No wonder the First Order were always so miserable, you thought. 

You had devised a plan during your journey to the base. Enter the ship, locate a lone stormtrooper, knock them out, steal their datapad, locate your brother’s room. Not the worst plan, you supposed. 

After a short while of sneaking around, you saw a stormtrooper headed over to a supply closet. Seeing it as your chance, you leapt towards him, dragging him into the closet with you before rendering him unconscious with a swift knock to the head. You pried the datapad off his belt, pressing the map icon. There it was, a full map of the ship, right down to who stayed in each room. Moving over to the bigger looking rooms which you presumed would belong to higher ranked personnel, you saw your brother’s name. Commander Rasmus Y/L/N. 

Peeking out of the closet door, you saw no one there you catch you, so you headed out in the direction of Ras’ room. Room 1436, there it was. Your brother was definitely in there, you could feel his force signature stronger than ever. The only problem was the lock which needed the correct code for the door to open. After a few seconds of thought, you punched in “19BBY”, your father's birth year. The door opened instantly, making you laugh under your breath. Birthdays- how predictable. He never was the smartest. 

You cautiously stepped in, looking around for any signs of where your brother could be. The room was massive, clearly a result of his high ranking. A cabinet with framed photographs on top took your interest. You went over and looked, examining each one. The first one was a picture of a young you, Ben and Rasmus on the Falcon, Han standing behind you all. The next was a picture of you on Chewie’s shoulders, laughing while Leia chuckled at you from the background. Finally was a picture of you, Rasmus and Poe, aged what looked to be five, all huddled together around a pile of toys on the Falcon. Poe had a look of complete wonder on his face while you and Rasmus made toy X-Wings float above his head. You smiled at the picture, remembering it like it was yesterday. 

All of a sudden you felt your limbs freeze. Someone was holding you still with the force. Rasmus. 

You couldn’t see him, but you heard him say-

“well, well, well. Look who's finally come to visit. I presumed you wouldn't take too long to do it. Pathetic, you're so emotional. That's why you should have come with me after the temple. I’ve learned to suppress every emotion except anger, its the Sith way. I’m so much stronger than any Jedi has ever been. You could be this strong too, Y/N. I know your strength with the force, I can sense it just from being near you, but you need a teacher. I can teach you. Come with me now. Come, sister. Join me. We’ll rebuild the fearsome name of our lineage.”

“Stop it, Rasmus. Don't you hear yourself? I know Snoke’s twisted your mind but there’s still good in you. I can feel it. Come back, Ras. We all miss you! You're my brother, not this monster Snoke is trying to force you to be.” you cried out. Rasmus suddenly turned you around to face him, allowing you to see him properly for the first time in years. He had the same nose as you, but your father's lips and eyes. He looked so much older than before. So different. He had inherited Luke’s blonde hair too. 

“Don’t you see, Y/N! You see who we are yet you are blind! Imagine the power we could hold. Brother and sister ruling the galaxy. Together. Doesn't that sound like a dream?”

“Not like this, Rasmus. Not like this. I know we’re so much stronger together, but that’s why you should join us. Join me. Our power focused towards the good of the galaxy could be so strong. The dark side only leaves room for greed and ignorance. We need to build hope in the galaxy, Ras. Don't you have any?”

“Y/N, you know I can't- Snoke will-” Rasmus sighed, releasing his hold on you with the force. Slowly, you walked over to him, reaching your hand out and leaving it there for him to take. He just looked at it, an image of conflicting and pain showing in his eyes.

“Snoke is doing nothing but manipulating you, Ras. I know you can't completely see that but thats because he's doing it well. I’m your sister, you know I’d never hurt you. Come home, Rasmus. You’re loved there. Everyone wants you back.”

Rasmus looked into your eyes, shakily moving his hand out towards yours. Your fingertips touched and you felt the force bond all force-sensitive families shared. Just as he was about to take your hand, the door flew open and in came your father, Poe and Ben. Before you knew what was happening, your father threw Rasmus against the wall with a shout of “get away from her!”

Rasmus cried out in pain, tears of betrayal welling up in his eyes. You could feel the pain in his heart surging at how he had trusted you. 

“Stop it! Don’t hurt him, don't you dare!” you screamed, running over to Rasmus and cupping his chin to bring his eyes to meet yours. At first he looked scared but that quickly turned into pure anger. 

He gritted his teeth and yelled “traitor” at you, thinking you had told them to hurt him.

“No, no, Rasmus listen. They didn't know, they didn’t realise you weren't going to hurt me. Dad just got protective, you know how he is.” you tried to reassure him to no avail. 

“Liar! You planned to hurt me all along, didn't you? And to think I was such a fool as to believe you when you said you wanted me back. I never should have even let you live once you entered my chambers!”

Rasmus used the force to bring his lightsaber to him, igniting it and pushing you  back. The red saber crackled as he looked at the four of you wildly. Luke and Ben ignited their sabers too, getting into a stance ready to fight while Poe raised his blaster. 

“Stop it, all of you!” you shouted. “He only thought we wanted to kill him because you came bursting in without thinking, Dad!” 

Rasmus howled “Liar!” before lunging in the direction of Poe, Ben and your Dad. He angled his saber so as to slice all three of them in half in one movement. Just before he could reach them you acted out of instinct, using the force to push the three of them back. The saber tore through you, cutting half of your waist open in the form of a deep gash. You wailed, falling to the floor and clutching your stomach, tears burning in your eyes. 

You heard the cries of Poe and Ben shouting “No!”. They fell to their knees next to you, removing any outer clothing they could to press against your wound. Your father stood still, frozen in the fact that he had allowed his daughter to sacrifice herself for him. The most broken of all, however, was Rasmus. He turned of his saber with wildly quaking hands, dropping it to the floor and making it roll to the other side of the room. He didn't want to hurt you. Not ever. He trusted you. He’d felt your pure intentions through the force, how desperately you wanted to have your big brother home. He whimpered, legs giving out. 

“Y/N I- I- oh stars I didn't mean for this to happen. Y/N, please-” he gasped out.

“Hey, hey.” you called out weakly. “I know, Ras. You’d never hurt me intentionally. This isn't your fault, Rasmus. I love you.”

“I love you too.” he began to sob, taking your hand in his. 

Then you heard Poe whispering comfort to you, begging you. 

“Stay awake, baby. C’mon Princess. I kinda need you ya know.” Poe choked out, crying uncontrollably. 

Ben was also crying, trying his hardest to stop the blood loss. 

“Stay with us, Y/N. I need you too. Who else’s ass am I supposed to kick at sparring, huh?” Ben joked through the tears. 

You laughed lightly, which turned into a full on coughing fit with blood coming out of your mouth. Your father suddenly launched into action, seemingly having devised a plan for your survival. 

“Okay, listen up everyone. We’re gonna need a clear route back to the Falcon. Y/N landed in an abandoned bay on the west side. Rasmus, get us their without being stopped as quickly as possible. Ben, you carry her and Poe keep pressure on the wound. We need to get her to the med pack on the Falcon right now.” he directed. 

Everyone listened, Ben shushing your whimpers as he picked you up. Rasmus lead the way to the bay, clearing anyone watching away with one fiery glance. Finally you reached the Falcon, Luke opening up the door. Once you reached the beds, Ben gently placed you down, comforting you through the sharp twinges of pain you felt. He placed a kiss against your forehead then left to consult Luke. Poe stood leaning over you, preparing the medical kit he’d found.

“Ok, baby. This is gonna hurt but I need you to trust me, alright? I’m gonna have to stitch you up, sweetheart and we don't have enough time to give you any anaesthetics. Be brave, baby. I know you can be.” he leaned down and pecked your lips quickly before pulling on some latex gloves and getting to work. You groaned, turning your head to the side and biting down on the pillow. 

“Atta girl, you're doing so well. I’m almost there, sweetheart.” Poe didn't stop reassuring you throughout the whole process. After another ten minutes, the torture was finally over. Poe sighed in relief, grabbing a cool damp cloth to clean your skin with. 

“It’s all over Y/N. All done. You were so brave, sweetheart. I’m so proud of you.” he started tearing up again.

“Hey, Poe. What’s wrong? Don't cry over me.” you reached a hand up and stroked it over his cheek. 

“You tried to sacrifice yourself. For me.” he looked distraught and tired, eyes clearly pained.

“Of course I did, Poe. I love you. More than anything.”

“I don’t want you dying for me, love. I want you to live for me. Ya hear me? Promise me you won't ever do that for me again. Promise.”

“I’m sorry, Baby but you know I can’t promise that.” you smiled, meeting his eyes. 

“So stubborn,” he laughed softly, making you laugh too. You reached up, cupping the back of his head and pulling him down into a kiss. He held you tighter than he ever had before. That night he never left you. Even when Luke, Ben and Rasmus came in to check up on you he stayed and held you. You finally fell asleep content, having your brother, boyfriend, cousin and father with you all together. Your family was complete.

- One Week Later -

You were once again on that one particular rock outside the base, gazing up at the stars. Although this time you weren't alone. On your right was Poe, arm thrown over your shoulders and head against yours. On your left was Ben, hand on yours. Sitting at your feet was Rasmus, now a fully fledged member of the Resistance, leaning with his head on your legs. Watching from a distance were Luke and Leia, reminiscing in the fact that the whole family was together again. 

it may have been a tough ride to get to where you were now, but all of you knew that every second was worth it. You had everyone you needed and you were never letting go. Not ever.

[the-blue-fairie]

Skyclad

Inspired by @nudistrachelberry

Overwhelmed by her situation after finding Luke, Rey seeks peace through meditation and introspection.

On Jakku, the elements were her enemy and so Rey armored herself against them.

She learned from a young age how the sun could sear the flesh, how the winds could tear it, how the sands could sting.

She saw scavengers with backs of mottled purple, their skin stripped away as though by a tyrant’s bloody scourge.

Yet, the tyrant was not some overlord. It was the planet itself. Stories of the emperor, his rise and fall, of the Republic’s spires, of any masters from on high were fairy tales.

Not even Unkar Plutt was as fearsome as Jakku. Unkar Plutt was a creature of meat and bone. You knew what was within his power, you didn’t want to cross him or incur his anger, but he was not the heat of the day. He was not the ice of the night. He was not the shifting sands that could suck you down and leave you half-buried like the hulks you sought to scavenge.

The wrath of Unkar Plutt was terrible, but Rey felt more terror the first time she saw a sandstorm swallow an encampment whole.

She was tiny then. She did not see much. An old woman shielded her eyes. Still, she remembered flashes. The sand like a great wave, towering to heaven, on the horizon. The sounds of fumbling, scrambling. No screams. She did not remember screams. The sand engulfed everything too fast for screams, it must have. She remembered the sting of sand tumbling from the cowl the old woman wrapped around her. Remembered the feeling of keeping her eyes clenched shut, lest the grains of sand burrow in their corners…

Unkar Plutt did not like to be argued with, but it was possible to argue with him. Even if the consequences were brutal, it was possible.

You could not argue with Jakku.

Jakku had no mind to reason with, no beating heart to move. It simply was, in all its sightless, lifeless barbarity.

That was what Rey taught herself. And so, she fitted herself to fight against an implacable enemy.

She bound her body tightly with wrappings to keep out the sun and sand. She swathed herself like an already mummified husk. One tear in the wrappings and Rey knew the result. Her eyes took in the livid scars and blotches on other scavengers’ skin, the bleeding welts and blisters. She saw the way Jakku ate you to the bone if you let it.

Rey would not let it.

She shrouded herself, hooded herself, gloved herself.

Her goggles, she fashioned from an old stormtrooper helmet.

These garments were her weapons against the elements, weapons as formidable as her quarterstaff.

On Jakku, she could never conceive of nature as anything but hostile.

Leaving that planet opened her eyes.

The stars sprawled before her, celestial marvels.

The lush green of Takodana flooded her view. It was almost beyond her imagining, a world you did not need to arm yourself against.

It was there Rey heard the call first, felt the vision wheeling around her – but she resisted then. She threw down Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber and fled. She had built walls around herself on Jakku. She had bound herself tight so that she might let nothing in.

Strength had always come from masks, from shields, from armor of cloth that always kept the world at bay.

Yet, another form of strength presented itself to her, a Force beyond her comprehension. It sought to break down her defenses, to flow through her, but it was not like the forces with which she had so long waged war.

It was cool and placid as the surface of a lake, soothing as the shade of green trees.

When she opened her heart to it for the first time, she felt that.

The snow was cold, the earth shattering around her when Rey drew Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber to her hands.

Yet, when she shut her eyes and felt, she felt as she never had before.

“The belonging you seek is not behind you… It is ahead…” Maz Kanata had said.

The past clung to her like her clothing. She cocooned herself in the past for the same reason she wrapped gauze around her face in the desert. For protection. Memories wound around her like cloth over her body, like the wrappings over her mouth, her head. Memories of a small child gazing up at the blue, screaming, “Come back!” Memories as coarse and rough as the feeling of the mask against her face when she scavenged through the broken monstrosities on Jakku. Like the mask, the memories were uncomfortable. But like the mask, they shielded her.  

You already know the truth… Whomever you’re waiting for on Jakku, they’re never coming back…

The memories gave her a reason to stay.

Hope for her family…

They would come back for her…

She had to wait…

Years of waiting…

Like the mask, the memories shielded her from what she dared not face.

Or did they suffocate her?

All those years…

(Barely able to breathe…)

Waiting…

(The heat of her breath against the cloth of a mask…)

Immobile…

(The mask protects you from the sand, but there is so much more than the sand…)

Unable to rise from the dust…

(What good is protection if…)

Never coming back…

(…it protects you from all that you can be?)

Breathe. Just breathe. Reach out with your feelings. What do you see?

Now she was here, on this island, the birthplace of the Jedi Order. Its trees were as green as the trees she had seen on Takodana. Its rocks were as old as any. The rocks and trees were far older than the ruins scattered amongst them. The Jedi must have known this when they built their first temple. Nevertheless, it was the temple that made the air there seem heavy with history, the ruins that entangled with the green and became one with it, the ruins that the Caretakers sought to guard for they carried a sense of sacredness.

She felt the Force within her, burning and persistent, like the flow of lava over a volcano’s black slopes.

Yet, she could not partake in the sacredness. Though something stirred inside her, she could do little more than give it name. Skywalker refused to teach her more. She had come so far only to be met at the end by the stubbornness of an old man.

Now she was alone in darkness, in the midst of a storm. Somewhere, Skywalker was holed up in his hovel. She did not know where. She had stormed away in frustration and, looking back, she realized she had lost sight of the flicker of fire at his window.

She almost wanted to scream.

The island was screaming around her already. The rain roared as it pelted her ceaselessly. The sea bellowed as its grey waves crashed upon the rocks. The wind shrieked in her ears and kept on shrieking. Porgs squawked from their nests. From elsewhere, the cries of other beasts of the isle rang in chorus.

She trampled through the grass, over rocks. Where was she going?

Was she wandering blind?

No, not blind, but…

Exhausted.

(She had seen so much.)

She pushed on through the rain.

(Seen families wither and die on Jakku.)

Upward, she felt herself moving upward.

(Seen Han Solo’s body tumbling, lifeless, into the abyss. Lifeless. Bereft of all that made him who he was…)

Her clothes hung heavy about her, soaked by the deluge.

(Seen Finn struck down.)

Heavy like her gear on Jakku. Weighing her down.

(We will see each other again. I promise.)

Heavy like memories. Heavy like responsibility. Heavy like disappointment. Like the shock of seeing a hero fallen from grace.

(Luke Skywalker. She had grown up hearing stories of his adventures.)

All this… weight…

(Her family, gone. Han Solo, gone. Luke Skywalker…)

She found herself tearing off the sopping rags clinging to her.

Tearing them off as she staggered upward, a great cliff rising before her.

Casting them behind her, casting them to the ground.

It felt surreal at first, standing nude on the edge of a cliff.  She was used to having some covering, some protection.

But this was not Jakku.

And, even on Jakku, some forms of protection merely shadowed her eyes, stifled her, kept her in place…

Nude, she stood upon the brink, gazing down at the whirling waves bristling with foam. The waves cascaded upon the rock of the cliffside below her, the rock that seemed indomitable but that let itself be worn away as it had always been worn away, as it always would be worn away…

Here was a place to scream, to cry out to the heavens.

But Rey did not scream.

Rey shut her eyes.

Water droplets splashed upon her body by the hundreds, but unencumbered by her garb, Rey did not feel a weight. She felt as smooth as sheer stone… as though she, like the rock face beneath her, might dissolve away…

Yet, this dissolution was not an annihilation.

Rey thought of something Luke had told her: “And this is the lesson. That Force does not belong to the Jedi. To say that if the Jedi die, the light dies, is vanity. Can you feel that?”  

He had spoken in bitterness, to discourage another generation of Jedi, but there was something beautiful that she now felt in his words, whether he realized that beauty or not – something that shone like rays of sunlight through the cracks in the walls of a darkened temple. She did not need Luke’s teaching simply to partake in the sacredness. She did not need the training to feel the exultation of the Light. The training was meant to hone one’s skills, to shape the unmolded clay… but there were so many ways to shape unmolded clay, each more wondrous and unique than the last.

What did it mean to be a Jedi? Did it mean the dogma, the rules and regulations, the strictures? No. It meant accepting the embrace of the Light.

The way of the Jedi could grow and change, change like the island rock reshaped by the waves. The dogma could be chipped away and washed out to sea. The structures set in place eons ago by those long dead could be worn down to the finest powder. As long as the Light remained, the Jedi remained.

The rock of the island had been reshaped for millennia. Worn down. Swept away. Built up. New rock took its place alongside the old. Caverns collapsed inward or were sculpted by the water. The coastline was always transforming and yet always was itself. The island did not die with change. It did not fall into disorder. Change was its natural order. It could be so with the Jedi, for it was vanity to think a change in the structure of a thing could dilute the essence of the Light. The Light was ever-guiding…

At the same time, the Light was ever-changing – like the island, like nature itself. She felt the Force within her, the Force that before had burbled in her chest like magma deep beneath the earth, that had burned like the spout of lava. It had cooled, but not congealed like lava into rock. No, it flowed through her still. Now its flow was like the river, rich with new-melted snow. The Force was like one of the raindrops sliding down her back. In the sky, it took one form. It was a droplet. But the instant it struck her shoulder it took a new form, gliding down her body in a shimmer of silver whilst remaining itself. Other raindrops took other forms, some clinging to her skin and slipping, some splintering like distant stars and glistening in their multiplicity. They were individual. They were a multitude. The Force, like them, was ever-shifting and transformative. It could not be circumscribed.

Trying to bind the Force to dogma was a fool’s errand. Even the temple on this island, the hallowed ruin, seemed a monument to hubris behind Rey’s closed eyes. It held wisdom, yes, but Rey felt a greater wisdom in the wind that beat down its walls, in the ooze that trickled into its cracks, in the moss that flourished on its broken remnants…

Through the darkness of her eyelids, Rey felt a flash of light. Sightless, she saw the pale lightning fork across the sky more clearly than with her eyes open. Then she heard the roll of thunder from afar, but there was no trembling in her heart. These things were like the sandstorms of Jakku, mighty and unyielding, but in meditation she understood they all had their place within the Force. Even the sandstorms of Jakku. The sandstorms swallowed up souls, but they were not evil. They were not the Darkness. Shadows grew in hearts and minds. Beings who sought to oppress the galaxy, they were evil. The First Order was evil. But the sands… were the sands. The Light shone over them the same way it did bodies rotting in the earth. Death and decay, in themselves, were not cruel. They were part of the great cycle…

(All things fall away, but nothing falls away.)

The island no longer screamed at her. Its myriad voices flowed together and yet it was not as if they all became one voice. Each voice retained its individuality, its uniqueness. From the howl of the wind to the reverberating thunder, from the groans of the thalla sirens on the rocks to the rumble of the serpents in the sea, from the cries of the birds to the weeping of the rain – no voice drowned out another. And yet they all came together in unity, in a haunting and harmonious song…

From her place on the edge of the precipice, Rey kept her eyes closed and listened.

***

When she awoke, the storm had passed.

The dawn was painting the clouds with rosy fingers. The suns had not yet crested the waves on the horizon. Still, their dim glow spread art across the firmament, art that met Rey’s eyes as they fluttered open.

She rose, taking in the pastel warmth surrounding her. The sea shone a pale crimson, its foam the softest pink. Rich plumes of red billowed above the surface of the waters. Turning her head, she saw her clothes strewn behind her like debris that had been tossed ashore.

She might have gathered up her garments, but she did not.

Instead, she kept on walking.

The suns rose higher, bathing the world in orange and gold. Their rays felt gentle on her skin.

There was a tranquility in being nude. Nude, she could feel things better. She felt the way the warmth of the suns mingled with the cool morning air. It felt pleasant. She felt the blades of grass bending beneath her feet. She felt the drizzle of water that dripped from arches of stone as she wandered under them. Stretching out her arm, she felt cold stone against her palm, felt its texture. There were so many small things, sensations, that she missed while wearing clothes. There were so many things too that she took for granted. She had felt the warmth of the suns every day since landing here, but now their warmth felt different as she let it wash all over her body. More special somehow. Transcendent. She felt blessed to have such lights in the sky. It was like she was coming to understand the world anew.

She found a green place in the valley and sat down. The grass tickled her buttocks. A few porgs waddled by. She smiled at them. They cooed in return. Some Caretakers passed her and wagged disapproving fingers at her, but she paid them no mind. The smile that spread across her face upon seeing the porgs spread into her heart. She fixed her gaze ahead, where the mountains glistened in a halo of gold.

She knew that in time she would have to pick up her clothes like clumps of brown seaweed and put them on again. But here and now, she focused on the serenity of things.

The Force was all around her.

[clairen45]

Crait and Symbolism: blood, wounds, salt, foxes, the mother and the nest.

The imagery at the end of TLJ is obviously a study in scarlet and white, something so iconic that they even used it for all the official posters for the movie.

Besides the striking visual quality of the color pattern, it does not take much imagination to figure out that these red streaks on a pristine white surface come to represent a bleeding of sorts. I read some critiques that were pointing out that this was visually representing the bleeding of the Rebellion, on the verge of utter extinction, and sending its last fighters and pilots to martyrdom. There is nothing wrong with this reading, it is after all the most obvious. The last rebels standing are indeed laying out their lives for the cause, ready to sacrifice themselves.

But when it comes to blood, you are always dealing with ambivalent meanings, for blood means pain and death but it also means birth, life, and creation. So this bleeding of the Resistance is also truly, as Luke blatantly expresses, the rebirth of the Resistance. Besides the obvious “Luke said it” (the Rebellion is reborn today), two elements emphasize rebirth: the womb imagery that is prominent in the scene AND the vulptex. It is hard to miss the womb imagery: the entrance of the cave, the necessity to go through the inside of the cave before finally emerging into the light, but it is important to note that the ones who show the way out to the handful of rebels are the foxes.

As symbols, foxes usually stand in everyone’s mind for cleverness, but it is not their only function. They are considered as messengers, and more specifically they are psychopomp figures, which means that they are supposed to lead the souls of the dead through their journey to an afterlife or another life. And in TLJ, they conveniently do just that. By following the foxes, the bleeding and desperate Rebellion finds the way out of what was supposed to be their grave onto another life, so literally the tomb becomes a womb: they are reborn. These little foxes are not just there to look pretty (which they do, they are exquisite), they are there to highlight the concept of rebirth. And it doesn’t harm to know that foxes usually embody good parenting. So before anyone starts arguing that I am reading too much into that let’s pause and wonder why they had to be foxes then. Of the million other possibilities they had they went with this particular symbol, coincidence? I think not.

Of course Rey is there at the end of the tunnel, and she actively plays a part in this rebirth by letting the rebels out. She is the midwife and she is the mother, her warm, soft, welcoming face being what the rebels first see coming out.When Finn rushes to her to hug her, he is not just a friend rushing to the friend he has not seen in a while, he is also the child rushing to his mother’s embrace and comfort.

And what does she do next? She packs everyone in the MF, a place that Han Solo called a “home” in TFA, and has visually become a home and nest to the porgs, proving again that there is sometimes more to these little weird creatures that people the screen. Rey, “the girl” from TFA, longing for a family of her own, is playing mum. And it is fitting that it happens right after Leia, the symbolic queen mother of the ST, is seen stepping aside at the end of the movie. She has given up on being a mother when she tells Luke that her son is lost forever, and she is symbolically giving up on her role as leader/mum of the Rebellion by asking the Rebels to stop looking at her for guidance and to follow Poe.

Rey as the new figurative mother is actually carefully crafted throughout the whole movie. TLJ is heavily packed with yonic symbols and symbols of female sexuality which makes Rey’s time on the island an initiation of womanhood and her function as a mother, from letting herself fall into dangerously attractive slippery caves to the very awkward milking scene.

Rey confronts elements of womanhood and female sexuality that she finds repulsive or scary, before embracing it in the end in her new function of symbolic mum. So it is not incidental that this initiation is constantly bringing her forth in contact with Kylo/Ben. Just like she is first scared and grossed out by elements of womanhood, she is first repulsed by him, trying to kill him, verbally insulting him. But she is eventually accepting him, and learning more about him, and obviously accepting her attraction to him, just as she is accepting her inner self and womanhood.

At the end of TLJ, she may be embracing her new role as symbolic mum for the Rebellion, but the last moments show you something is amiss. She seems sad and curiously lonely for someone who has successfully brought all of her fledglings back into the safety of the nest. And what do we get to see? A look she has on Finn being sweet and tender with Rose, and another look on what she preciously cradles between her hands and on her lap: her lightsaber, and not just her lightsaber, but Kylo’s legacy lightsaber, the one from his family, that broke when they were unable to stay together.

So something is missing in her life. She is playing mum to the Resistance but the longing has not been filled. There is between her hands the ghost of what she really wanted. She left one of the fledgling behind, the one that would have allowed her not just to play mum but becoming a mum.

So back to Kylo and the visuals of red and white. It is easy to also read the surface of Crait as a metaphor for his soul. Red is HIS color after all, the color of his saber, the color fitting his bouts of wrath, his moments of violence.

This is a planet with its salty crust, that seems barren, exposed, laid bare, with speeders scarring the surface like so many wounds, just like his face and body have been covered with scars and gashes. If you think about it, it actually echoes the ending of TFA: Kylo’s blood on the snow, the glow of his lightsaber in the snowstorm, the blaring light of the explosion as contrasting with the snowy forest. The imagery was just more subtle and subdued but it was present. One of the girls from Star Wars Connections also highlighted the parallel between the planet and Kylo himself, the sun and the son fused in the same imagery, Snoke exploiting both the power of the sun (Starkiller base) and the son (Kylo Ren) as massive weapons of destruction. The planet’s explosion at the end of TFA echoes Kylo’s meltdown in a way, his splitting “to the bone”. So at the end of TLJ, we have yet another planet that can stand for Kylo himself: the litteral bleeding at the end of TFA has become a symbolic bleeding of massive proportion at the end of TLJ, because he has probably been cut deeper than he was at the end of TFA. This is not a flesh wound, this is his very core. And if you look at Rey flying her way through the tunnels deep inside the cave of Crait to finally emerge in an explosion at the surface of the planet, this is pretty much her working her ways through the arteries of Kylo’s heart and making him bleed when she ran away from him. She has pierced through his heart.

This planet which is visually just a massive open wound is covered with salt, so it emphasizes that the wound is probably hurting like hell. To add to Kylo’s injury, he has to confront his uncle, which is literally rubbing more salt into the wound. @sw-daydreamer did a very nice post on this confrontation and the idea of pain and salt. The moment when Kylo first steps in in front of Luke you can see how raw his pain is, not just through his sarcasms and body language or facial expressions, but visually on the ground with a giant wound on the ground. It looks as if they are standing in a pool of blood. It represents both the state of their strained relations (bad blood between them) and the state of Kylo’s emotions (he’s a mess!). Luke’s function here is not just to figuratively rub his wound with salt but on the contrary to help with the healing process. Salt is supposed to have purifying powers, it is also used to exorcise evil. And if you look carefully later at their confrontation, the massive wound on the ground has disappeared, covered with salt again.

It does not mean this has worked for now, but I think this is a good sign that the healing process has started, that the confrontation may help Kylo eventually.

Can he be reborn then? It is not just the Rebellion being reborn. Luke’s death is a rebirth in itself. When Rey says that he cut himself from the Force before, and she can’t see him, it means that in a way, he was pretty much dead before, the ghost of himself. But when he dies, he not only revives his legend but he also becomes one with the Force. He may be dead in real life but he is reborn again, as it is attested by the last image of him through a yonic opening.

Kylo’s move at the end is to go to the cave, which was the place where his mother was, so in a way he goes back to mother, except that he is not looking for his mother, it is Rey he finds there, through their Force bond. So Rey as healer and symbolic mother and provider for the reborn Rebellion is also what he needs for his own rebirth. Except that this is a tale about becoming an adult and a man (remember he was called “a child in a mask” at the very beginning). So it means not looking for a mother but a mother for his children (again, remember the speech on the seed of the Jedi, gee, Snoke was the best, see how much info he packed in that scene!).

Salt is also interesting that way, because it is often associated with sexuality. Aphrodite, goddess of love, was born out of salty foam. And since Plutarch and Aristotles, salt has always been believed to have something to do with sexual maturity, desire, copulation, and also gestation, something that is backed up by some scientific studies. So, heavy with the sexual imagery, the romantic imagery of the heart being pierced, and the need to look for some replacement for the mother, everything points again to Kylo finding a possible rebirth through his relationship with Rey. In a reverse Anidala touch, the visual of Kylo entering the cave followed by the storm troopers is reminiscent of Anakin entering the Jedi temple in ROTS in his first steps as Lord Vader.

What grandpa does there is emptying the nest, by killing the young Padawans. Kylo, in TLJ, finds an already empty nest, because the mother has already rescued the “children”, something Padme was unable to do. Instead of storming the nest, Kylo shows through his whole attitude his deep longing to be with Rey and become part of the nest. The contrast with their faces after the deed speaks volumes. Not even after killing his own father did Kylo ever get the evil eyes (true he is not a Sith, but still...).

I think this is again a very nice touch in the way the saga unfolds, and possibly precious clues about what might come next in episode ix.

To conclude, and with special thanks to @xxmasterandmargaritaxx who quoted this excerpt from Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson to me (so grateful!)

Imagine a Carthage sown with salt, and all the sowers gone, and the seeds lain however long in the earth, till there rose finally in vegetable profusion leaves and trees of rime and brine. What flowering would there be in such a garden? Light would force each salt calyx to open in prisms, and to fruit heavily with bright globes of water–-peaches and grapes are little more than that, and where the world was salt there would be greater need of slaking. For need can blossom into all the compensations it requires. To crave and to have are as like as a thing and its shadow. For when does a berry break upon the tongue as sweetly as when one longs to taste it, and when is the taste refracted into so many hues and savors of ripeness and earth, and when do our senses know any thing so utterly as when we lack it? And here again is a foreshadowing–-the world will be made whole. For to wish for a hand on one’s hair is all but to feel it. So whatever we may lose, the very craving gives it back to us again

[c-bulletaftermidnight]

Ok I said I wouldn’t ask but your TFA answer was so awesome I’m curious - things you liked/disliked about TLJ?

Oh boy, oh boy

Liked:

_ Uuuh. Kylo becoming Supreme Leader and cementing himself as the true villain I guess since it’s interesting to work on it’s gonna the political & military landscape of the FO??

_ Kylo being shown off again as a good tactician when fucking up the Raddus.

_I’m glad Phasma’s gone. 

-Finn & Rey hugging at the end of the movie that’s it.

That’s it. 

Dislikes:

_ The worldbuilding has been fucked up just to respond to Rian’s whims when he have barely any explications about the context.

_ Fucking bad designs everywhere. 

_Boring cinematography except a few times. 

_ The fucking zooms-in and Kylo looking like he’s stuck in a washing machines when he barrels rolls around the TIE Silencer. 

_ The FO is suddendly overpowered with money and personnal. The loss of SKB has like no impact on the organization. This episode should have explored to their backstory but Rian simply didn’t care.

_ Everybody in this movie shut off their brains. 

_ Hux went from “officer didn’t had not much battle experience” to a total joke. His traumas due to his upbringing are ignored and his sufferings are reduced into supposed moments of comedy .And it’s not like Rian didn’t knows his past, he even gave him a first name. Hell he didn’ even bother explain Hux’s past to Domhnall and he discovered that his character had a first name when an interviewer asked him about it (Domnhall seemed pretty angry about it since he invest himself a lot in reserches and stuff for the characters he plays.) Knowing how Domhnall had to improvise the blaster scene, i’m sure he would have objected even more of Rian’s decisions.  His purpose half of the movie is to do Huxposition on the bridge, being totally incompetent and thrown around. It’s gonna be hard for JJ to repair this and have the audience take him seriously as a villain. 

 _ Poe, well, I never cared much about his character. I even tried to read the comics but I felt barely nothing about him. But I was hoping TLJ would help but instead they managed to makes me hate his character. The Poe/Holdo arc was badly written. There was many ways to make an arc like that make sense but also more emotionnal for these two characters. I hate how one second they makes him this macho man who keeps understimating lady officers but a second after, the female characters are “haha, I like him ;)”   Yeah sure. 

_Finn’s arc who is reduced as total coward and a joke and where war has to be explained to him (a fucking child-soldier) by a woman that constantly think about hurting him when he mentions Rey, the person he is close to the most and then is forced as a potential love-interest to him for some reasons. The DJ explanations are just bad (of course, the Resistance has to buy weapons. We knows that Rian, thx) The suicide run was also pretty stupid. Also the fact that him and Rey didn’t reuniting on the Supremacy screams so much Rian wanting them to interact as less as possible in the movie. Finn deserves better.

_ Rey’s arc. Can we even talk about an arc? Her character regressed. As if she didn’t dealt with years of abuse and survival on Jakku and as if Kylo never tortured her and hurt her closed ones. Hell she even get tortured twice in the space of two days because of Kylo. The Force-skype stuff feels so forced. Adam & Daisy only have good chemistry when their characters are set against each other. Rey talks about how she is scared of the Force within her but we see her then has no problem to deal with it and master everything in one second (rendering the existence of jedi school pretty useless like you just have to download the Force-powers of a master jedi and that’s it. The Force.exe is installed. ) The small training scene where she cut the rock looks pretty stupid, her sword fighting position is pretty bad during it. Going to the dark side has no consequences on her. She has no agency. Replace the word “Force” by the plot and you’ll see what I mean. 

_ Luke. Has someone who has to deal with depression, I think showing Luke as irritated and stuff can makes sense. I kinda relate since my temper changed a lot. I had a lot of patience & kindness but now, everything irritate me (from a member of my family intruding in my space to hearing the ringing of the phone) I’m scared to see my friends, I feel like a walking failure that I will never be satisfied about myself or will satisfy my parents, I just want to be left alone & if this lead me to die that way, then so be it. The problem is how wonky the writing leading-up to this Luke is bad. Everything is about to make us feels sad for Kylo (I don’t). Kylo’s turning against his family upon learning that he is the grandson of one of the most dangerous war criminal would makes senses. Luke blaming himself because he felt he failed to help his nephew after years of work instead of randomly popping his lightsaber would have made more sense. Luke’s grieving all his others students would make more sense. Luke attempting to reason Kylo after the massacre but still failing would make sense. Luke looking for a solution on the island and then failing to find one, thus made him feel unable to see his sister face to face would makes more sense. There’s is barely any emotionnal moments for Luke and the Final holographic showdown feels like they absolutely wanted to avoid Kylo to kill Luke directly (like c’mon, he’s been committing war crimes since the first minutes of TFA)

_ Kylo. TLJ is a bad attempt at Kylo’s pity fest.It’s interesting that his traumas are acknowledged while the other character’s are pretty ignored despite having a tragic’s past that should impact them as well. Everything is about him. Most of his actions are pretty villainous, he’s no grey character like people are trying to force us to believe because he looks sad. This is an humanized villain arc (which he didn’t need after seeing TFA), not a redemption one. At least he is now the main villain too, so there’s tha (But the “Uwu save ben solo” stuff going around spoil my liking of him as a villain. I’m not here to see whether Kylo is gonna turn LS for a third time in ep9. It would be too repetitive at this point) I just hate the “ You are truely Han solo’s son”line because it is obvious he is more like his mother. Only father figures are important to the characters in SW, it seems. Also the goddamn scar being moved on his eyes but it doesn’t impair his vision despite being cut by a freaking lightsaber. Like Rian could have gave us a legit explanation why Kylo was weakened & needed Rey to fight the preoatarians guards: Losing an eye would be an huge handicap tha het is not used to yet so he needed help to take the throne. 

_ Leïa is only here to looks sad and for Kylo’s momentarily manpain (and Marry Poppying around space). Like really, you reduce Leïa fucking Organa too that?? The woman ready to move time and space just for the sake of saving freedom? the princess of Alderaan who saw her planet being destroyed but kept up on? the woman who was mainly in charge of the strategizing of Hoth’s evacuation? The woman who was willing to stay on Bespin just for the sake of massacring stormtroopers because Vader gave Han away to Boba Fett & would have stayed if Lando didn’t pulled her off to the Falcon? The woman who had to face the galactic backlash of her being Vader’s daughter but still kept on? A woman full of anger but also sense of duty?

_ Rose, rose, rose… I was excited to meet her so imagine my disappointment upon discovering she was just here to lecture & push around Finn & being forced as another love interest that doesn’t even work. It’s like she forgot that her sister died the same day and that she should still be grieving. We don’t even get to see her use her mechanic’s skills in the whole story. The message about her character makes no sense between her last line in tlj and all the destructions she is willing to provoke (not all the ppl working at Canto bight are rich, has it show in the Canto Bight book) or let happens. KMT doesn’t deserve that. 

_ Yoda’s appearing bcos I hate this hypocrite of a gremlin and was expecting for Luke to dunk him in the sea. 

_ Chewie, the glorified cab driver.

_ The battles are a huge clusterfuck & the most badly written space battle I have ever seen. 

_The way Poe’s piloting skills feels to OP when you compare to other pilots, in particular in recently RO. 

_D’qar’s battle is a fucking tactical mess. Everyone has been conviniently dumb down. Same during the slow-mo chase. What’s even the point of bringing the whole fleet of star destroyers if they are just useless.

_ Bad infiltration scene on the Supremacy on the same level as RO’s one. I’m just tired of infiltration scenes in SW. Please stop that shit. 

_ The preotarian guard fight is a choregraphic mess that has no stakes for the characters. Everyone is just waiting for their cue and twirling around. It’s like it was shooted in one go. And there is a difference between Luke in ROTJ kicking a blaster out of the hand of a foe looking bad due to technical problems of the time. And a knife suddendly being edited out at the last minute because the mc would have die then

_ Crait. A good example on how not taking in account the worldbuilding that could be used in battle. So you’re gonna tell me that the Resistance decided to hide away in a base with no issue other than big metallic door in the front? Sounds like a good plan.

_ Leïa never taking command of the battle and strategizing and letting Poe deal with all that despite that she is the general that Poe is a demoted member of the Navy who caused a shit-ton of mess among the Resistance like 30 minutes ago

_ Hux is still depicted in a idiotic way & using bad tactics again. If this is supposed to be a movie about the characters learning about their mistakes,well it didn’t do its job.

_ What is even the use of the third cannon of the gorrilla walkers??

_ What was even the point to use these old speeders besides for being destroyed?

_ Rey shooting down 3 TIES in one shot seems to break a lot of SW physics. Her disappearing of the whole fight shows how much Rian didn’t care abt her character beyond having her interact with Kylo.

_ Y’know, I have Battlefront 2 and in the game there is mining tunnels on the battlefield that you can use to hide. In the movie they are not present, the whole Resistance sit dumbly in trench and just wait to be massacred. I was hoping those tunnels would re-appear in the movies & would be used to sink the walkers by bringing them down with bomb used for mining but nope. The image of walkers falling in a sinkhole, provoking a storm of red dust, coloring the outfits,armors and vehicles in red would have been pretty badass to see.

_ The ramming canon trained on like 10 kilometers instead of using the gorrilla walkers designs and adding to them the mini death-stars canons. They can’t use it all the time tho bcos it would need to cool down before shooting again. Aren’t these supposed to be artillery vehicles ffs???

_ The Resistance not even rigging their escape ships with bombs so if the FO penetrated their base, they can at least cripple them by exploding them. So much for a group that is supposed to be specialized in guerrilla warfare.

_ Talking about guerrilla warfare, i was expecting at least a pursuit and firefight in the mines. No use of the worldbuilding during battle scenarios once again. 

_ Leïa should have been the one to confront Kylo, not Luke. Showing her willing to fight her own son and dies during it for the freedom of the galaxy would have been a good way to send her off and building her as this strong, resilient, legendary leader willing to fight her own family for the good cause. It would have been a good middle finger to people who slandered her upon learning she was Vader’s daughter.

_ Rey effortlessly levitating these rocks. Showing her struggle would have made the ending scene more rewarding.

_ The news of the Battle of Crait spreading super fast despite that the Resistance official journalist, Suralinda Javos wasn’t even present during it for documenting or something.

_ Broom boy & the way it is implied that he might join the Resistance or something because of his Force-powers. A fucking child.Involved in a war. I thought Finn being a child-soldier was bad thing?

And I’ll stop there for now, because there is so many problems with this movie, i’m never gonna be finished with it. 

[arrcgantboy-blog]

                              chris pratt. cis male. bisexual. — HAN SOLO from                             ( star wars ) is streaming live ! they’re thirty six y/o                  & a mechanic ; they arrived ( one year ) ago, & they ( do )      remember their old life. fans say they’re [ LOYAL + CONFIDENT ]            but [ IRRESPONSIBLE + VAIN ] & associate them w/ blasters,             muddy boots, grease stains, stargazing, tattoos, flight, leather                                                                                           jackets, dice. 

01. when the virtual reality shut down, what was your muse’s reaction ? how did they handle the dark period ? ( if your muse died in canon: how would they have reacted ? )

when the virtual reality shut down, han was dead. if he hadn’t been dead, he probably would’ve lost his mind, or close to it; he doesn’t take well to silence or darkness. he is, by nature, a person who feels the constant need to be moving, to have a purpose, and in the dark period, he was deprived of that.

02. what was their reaction to finding out they were fiction ? how did they feel about the idea of becoming real ? ( if your muse died in canon: how will or did they react to finding out they were fiction ? )

yeah, han solo wasn’t a fan. he’s stubborn as an ox and uncowed by anything; when it was suggested that he was fictional, he lost his fucking mind. does my whole entire life sound fictional to you? every single thing he experienced had felt real enough, been real enough to him, so who the fuck were they to say it was all make believe? call it hard denial. he knows, on some level, that it’s true, but he’ll die before admitting it out loud. he thinks the whole thing is bullshit.

03. before the island, where did they live ? what was their reset life like ? what drew them to the island ?

han grew up to the poorest family in a rural iowa town, an only child with a deadbeat dad who didn’t work but didn’t mind beating his wife and child. his mom started as a teacher, but lost her job when han was six years old. things got worse and worse after that; han had to steal food for them to survive. both of his parents knew what he was doing, and his mom often told him that stealing was bad, but they never stepped in, because if han stopped, they would surely starve to death. he got a job at fourteen in a mechanic’s garage the next town over with a larger, slightly wealthier population. his position was illegal but the garage owner took pity on him and his familial situation. they called it an ‘internship’, but the boss paid han under the table.

when han was fifteen, his parents were driving their junkyard car to pick him up from his work at the garage. his father was behind the wheel and was drunk; they swerved off the road and drove right into the side of a sixteen wheeler. both of his parents died instantly. he went along with the legal proceedings at first in a daze, trying to wrap his head around what just happened – but they suddenly made it clear that he would end up in ‘the system’, up for adoption until he was 18 and legally allowed to leave. three years was a long time to have to follow a certain set of rules in a government sanctioned system, and han was not a fan. so he ran away.

han got caught up in a group that considered themselves the ‘robin hood’ type, and it was there he found the first group of people he considered home. they lived as a found family in an abandoned warehouse that they made home, and committed crimes during the day. they robbed, mostly, specifically targeting the inexcusably wealthy. they were mostly based in chicago, but moved throughout the midwest, with the ultimate goal of making it to california or new york, whichever promised the best opportunities in the future. han started a relationship with a woman in the group. she was his first love.

and they did eventually make it to new york when han was 26 – but their first hit in the big city went way, way wrong, ending deadly. they were all scattered, some dead because of the disaster hit, some captured by police. han was one of the ones who made it out, and he found the group leader and the woman he loved – but they turned on him, let the police catch him and believe that he was the only survivor of the group responsible. the police didn’t believe his story that there had been others involved and they were still on the loose, thinking he was just trying to diffuse blame and lighten his punishment. han, of course, ended up in prison.

but that didn’t last long either. a few twists of fate and somehow, someway, he managed to escape when he was 30. he knew a guy who knew a guy, one last connection from his con-days, who helped him re-invent his identity. he could keep his first name han, but they changed his last name to solo. he moved to the desert in california, and started his life over as a mechanic with a chocolate labradoodle he rescued as a stray (named chewbacca). he kept his nose clean, mostly – a few legal missteps here and there, but nothing serious, nothing that got him caught.

it was through his job that he met a pair of siblings seeking his help to overthrow a corrupt company in the hands of their father. while han was skeptical of helping them, he needed the money, so agreed. they, of course, grew close throughout the course of their scheme, and despite his wariness because of past betrayal, he fell in love. again. too bad he kept fucking it up. they stayed together even after they succeeded in their plans against her father. he even found it within himself to propose, but… that didn’t last any longer than anything else in his life. he was called to meet her and her lawyer on the island to finalize their divorce – and instead of meeting her, his memories came back, and he met the creator.

04. what are some of the events, twists, or turns that the fans voted on ?

he actually knew his parents

mechanic hiring han and paying him even though it wasn’t legal

his parents dying tragically in a car crash when he was a teenager

his arrest

his subsequent escape

not continuing a life of crime when he first moved to california

stray dog named chewbacca

the divorce

05. does your character have any secrets ( big or small ) that they think are private when in reality they were broadcasted live to the whole world ?

han did not have anything particularly that he would be horrified to know the whole world knew – beyond the obvious fact that the whole world now knows his entire life. the only thing that would really, truly upset him is the fact that everyone knows the details of his family. his relationship with leia and all the ways he fucked it up, as well as his shortcomings with his own children. 

06. what are the major similarities between the character’s canon life & their reset life ? what about the differences ?

han’s story is mostly point-for-point to his canon story, with minor differences, such as the manner in which he was betrayed and the fact that he didn’t actually kill his betrayer. he also got caught and sent to jail when he was young, and escaped. after escaping he did not continue his life and become the infamous smuggler; he became a mechanic. he just happened to be at the right place at the right time when the reboot versions of luke and leia found him and asked him for this help.

07. what were they bribed or blackmailed with ? why was this chosen for them?

the bribe was a joke. it was the dice that he hung in the falcon, and he threw them in the creator’s face. nothing, especially not a trinket would prevent him from wanting to find his family again. he should’ve known it wouldn’t be that simple. the blackmail came next, and han was surprised to find that it was an expansive list – leia, luke, chewie, ben, jacen, jaina, anakin. of course han broke.

[andromedaceline]

Episode X111 & IX Thoughts

SPOILERS Star Wars episodes 7 & 8…..

.....potentially 9 too (if i’m right, lol)!

Here we go. Here are my thoughts on ep. XIII: The Last Jedi, and expectations/speculations for Star Wars ep. IX. 

Sorry in advance for the extremely long post, but it’s how I roll, lol.

I had A LOT on my mind from this film, and this is my way of releasing all my thoughts from my brain. But I hope you read and enjoy. (Or fight me on some stuff, it’s cool, I like a good debate and I don’t bite.) 

Also, please know this is ALL just opinion/speculation. I could totally be wrong, and I’m willing to accept that when ep IX rolls around next year. But it’s fun to just guess at this point, because I really love where these films have gone and potentially where they could go. 

So without further ado.....

Luke: I loved Luke’s character arc. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Just my opinion, but I do. It was wonderful to see this character have some nuance.  I never understood the “He’s not my Luke” criticisms. Rian “O Captain, My Captain!” Johnson is getting a lot of unnecessary heat for this Luke plot, and it’s ridiculous. I mean, if you’re gonna do the blame game, don’t blame Rian for Luke, blame JJ Abrams. JJ was the one who had the “Luke vanished to an island” scene of The Force Awakens. In fact the ENTIRE plot driving the Force Awakens was just to find Luke Skywalker, who had been in exile and out of contact with his loved ones for many years. What the hell was Rian supposed to do with that? Have Luke on Ahch-To on a 10 year vacation? Sipping green titty milk Mah Tai’s and catching a tan with the frog folk? C’mon. He had to give him a valid reason to disappear and not be there for Leia or Han the way he did. A reason that helped serve the plot and characters overall, otherwise, nothing in TFA would make sense.

Two main reasons fans were upset with Luke’s character arc was because he thought about killing Ben Solo and he just gave up hope in general, deserting Han & Leia. They believe that dear old saint Luke would never do such things. Well, I got news for you, Luke is just as messed up as we are. Perhaps even more so, considering his lineage. He’s not perfect, and despite what people CHOOSE to believe, he’s never had a track record proving so.

First, his weak moment with Ben was NOT out of character. Let’s take the end of Return of the Jedi for example. Yes, he helped redeem his father, Darth Vader, by showing mercy; Yes, he did not give in to the emperor’s temptations; Yes, he resisted the dark side. BUT that was only 2 seconds AFTER he was in a complete rage, giving in to the emperor’s temptations, turning to the dark side and wailing on dear old Daddy Darkness with his lightsaber. 

He’s had plenty “trips” to the dark side like that in the OG films.  How is it unbelievable that he would have yet another moment of weakness with Ben? 

And honestly, who could blame him? His family’s all fucked up by the dark side, again! I’m sure when he saw the amount of darkness in Ben, he was probably sick and tired of this shit. Who want’s to deal with Darth Vader 2.0? You think that shit was easy the first time? I think not. Now, I’m not saying he was RIGHT, at all, but I can understand one baby moment of weakness under the circumstances. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Besides, it was just a MOMENT, and he regretted it instantly. 

Nevertheless,  in that moment he wrongly assumed how far gone Ben was, and also in that lapse of judgement, forgot that he’s his nephew. Even though it was for a second, even though he stopped himself, it was too late, and that moment had severe and lasting consequences.

Unfortunately, Luke became too pre-occupied with his failure with Ben and the Jedi’s failure as a whole with keeping the balance, which eventually lead to his crisis of faith. What Luke never realized is that these “moments” or “dark trips” happen to the best of us and will KEEP happening no matter what. It’s not just about resisting the dark side once, passing the test, then the Force saying “Welp, you passed! You’re off the hook forever.” NO. He will ALWAYS be tempted and tested by the dark side, because it’s apart of every living being. That’s something the Jedi never fully understood. Their MO was to resist and defeat the dark side at all costs. But there’s no “defeating” it and there is no training to “resist” it, at least not permanently. It will aways come back and manifest itself in ways we can never expect. No matter how hard we try we will not always win the fight against it, whether it be an external entity or darkness within ourselves. And that’s life. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  These are the breaks. But it’s what you do AFTER that failure that defines you. It’s how you pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and what you learn from those “moments” that count. 

Likewise,  it wasn’t just that he gave up hope, and ran for the hills, deserting those he loved most. He was ASHAMED of what he had done. He was ashamed to face Leia and Han. Think about it. They entrusted him with their son, and he, for a split moment, thought about KILLING him, thus resulting in this kid joining the dark side to wreak havoc across the galaxy. How do you explain that to your family? How can you justify your ROLE in that without disappointing and letting them down? You a great Jedi Master. You can’t. In ROTJ, he was able to face Vader immediately, because there was no shame with Vader, he didn’t CREATE Vader. But he created Kylo Ren. He created the very thing they were all trying to prevent. He betrayed his family, and Luke just couldn’t face them after that.

So instead, what did he do? He isolated himself on the island. He probably didn't know what happened to Han and Leia, because he didn't WANT to know,  one reason he may have cut himself off from the Force. To free himself of any additional guilt by witnessing the pain his actions caused them. I don't think he saw it as "abandoning" them, more like he was doing them a favor. He thought since he caused it, he should just stay out of it before things got worse. It’s all a symptom of his self-shame and self-hatred. They’re better off without me. Something people who struggle with suicide and depression tend to think (And there’s theories that he was on the cliff, on the verge of suicide, the exact moment Rey showed up with the saber). Self-shame is extremely difficult to get over. Especially when you have your failures on a loop in your brain, with no one there to help you through it. It can be very debilitating.  It's not so simple to bounce back from, even for a great, all powerful Jedi Master like Luke (He's human too, remember?).

Nevertheless, Luke’s greatest accomplishment in the OT was that no matter how gone he was, he could always pull himself back to the light. TLJ was just a continuation of that very same thing. Luke showed that no matter who you are, old/young, master/student, you are never above making mistakes, never above learning from them, and it’s never too late to make things right. 

Crait: The scenes on Crait were so heartfelt and redeeming, and some of my most favorite Star Wars moments to date. I had tears the second Luke and Leia were reunited. That was such a beautiful moment to see the beloved twins back together, especially knowing that it will be for the last time. Just slightly off topic, but there’s a reason Rian Johnson and the team decided NOT to kill off Leia earlier in the film (Per complaints that he should have, since the great Carrie Fisher died IRL). He said in an interview with Slashfilm, it was because doing so would not only be disrespectful to Carrie’s final performance, but it would also mean doing away with her scenes on Crait and her last moment with Luke. It just wasn’t worth it. They had already shot TLJ before she died, and so they decided to keep her complete performance in it as a testament to Leia/Carrie’s legacy and her final performance in a Star Wars film. I thought it was a brilliant decision, and all those who though they should have just “killed her off” because it would be more convenient are horrible and can suck it. Anyway.....

The finale with Luke confronting Ben out in the Crait “parking” lot (IMO) was nothing short of stellar. Not just because of the visuals (which were amazing, btw), but because of the act itself and what it meant to Ben and Luke’s overall character development.  Forgiving yourself is very difficult, but going to face the one you hurt the most to ask for forgiveness is just as hard, if not MORE. To admit you’re wrong, and that you made a mistake. Setting aside your ego and fear, and doing what’s right by that person you hurt. It’s very VERY brave. Even more brave then storming in, saber in hand, ready to duel. I think many will underestimate just how powerful that scene on Crait really was between them.

It was about closure, not winning. 

Let’s make one thing perfectly clear, Luke was NOT there to have a showdown with the First Order, and he was NOT there to have a epic lightsaber battle with Kylo Ren. Sorry (not sorry) if you were expecting that, but as cool and flashy as those battles are, in the long run it would have undermined everything meant to happen between these two characters. Besides, Luke couldn’t even if he tried (he’s an old man who hasn’t touched a lightsaber in many years, remember?). He was there to say his peace to Ben (while buying time for the Resistance to escape). He was finally confronting he’s demons (or Demon) and letting go of the guilt he carried for all those years so he could find peace. 

He also knew he needed to help Ben find his peace as well by releasing the anger and aggression that’s been festering in him since that fateful night. He needed to help rid him of his motivation to be angry, which was fueling most of his power in the dark side. Hence why he did the Force projection, and was not physically there (the projection which was just as deadly for him as him being there in person). Allowing Ben to vent, while absolving him any guilt of actually killing him. Luke knew this was his cross to bear, his mess to clean up, so he sacrificed himself to save not only what was left of the Resistance and his beloved sister, but also his nephew, Ben Solo (who’s still in there people!).

When someone is repentant and acknowledges your pain, it’s very hard to stay mad at them. It’s damn near impossible. You may still feel upset, but you can’t really HATE that person in the same way. It’s the MOST disarming thing he could have done to Kylo in that moment. Not a Jedi lightsaber beat down. Not a stern master to student lecture. Not even a plea for him to stop being an asshole. Simply… I’m sorry. (”I failed you, Ben.”)  It’s a very effective weapon. One that is too often underused. After that, Kylo Ren will have nothing to fuel his rage. No more anger. No more hate. He has NO ONE left from his past to “kill”, and therefore, has no reason to stay on the dark side. It will (hopefully) lead him to his path of redemption.

With that, the legacy of Luke Skywalker will live on. (”Peace and purpose”)  

So, what? His character got a little muddy, and they decided to emphasizes that Luke Skywalker is a human freaking being, instead of a Jedi God. Does it really effect who he is as a character? As the protagonist for the story as a whole? Or is it just your OWN personal view on who and what Luke Skywalker SHOULD be that got damaged. Believe me when I say, JJ and the gang could give two fucks about your personal feelings on who Luke should be. They’re in it to tell a meaningful story. They are NOT in it to keep your precious fantasizes of Luke Skywalker pristine and perfect.  This is not our parents Star Wars anymore, it’s for a new generation, with a completely new direction for it’s characters. Not all change is for the worst. 

In episode IX, I think Luke will end up “haunting” Ben as a Force Ghost (“See ya around, kid”). I’m thinking he will be to Ben, what Rafiki was to Simba, giving him guidance, but not hand holding, out of the darkness.  I think he will also visit with Rey, and help her on her journey as a Jedi (or non Jedi). I’m sure her path will not be without bumps either, and she could use his wisdom as well. He can help point them both in the right direction (like… toward each other...)

Long story short, he’ll be back for sure (yayyyy!). So all the nay sayers complaining that they wasted Luke and killed him off unceremoniously need to just hold their wad. Story’s not over yet! He still has a vital role to play in episode IX.

Snoke:  Seriously, who the fuck cares about Snoke!  Matter fact, good riddance. I don’t care how powerful he is, why the hell do we need yet ANOTHER old, decrepit, dark side emperor? WHY? That’s boooooooring and done already. All you Snoke lovers need to make like Elsa and.....

Seriously, rewatch The Force Awakens (TFA), this time with zero expectations about Snoke. He’s in it for like 7 minutes tops, and he’s just a hologram, A HOLOGRAM, nothing else! There’s no grand gesture of his “great” power or interesting Dark Side philosophy to set him apart. All he’s doing is sitting on the thrown telling the FO what to do. He was all smoke and mirrors, he was never meant to be anything more that that.  Evidence by the fact that they didn’t say ANYTHING more about him, his past or power.  This introduction was similarly done like the Emperor in the OT (no backstory), because it was NEVER about him. But low and behold, to my pleasant surprise, Snoke was just a ruse. THANK GOD!

 I thought the throne room scene was phenomenal! A brilliant way to progress Kylo’s plot, get him OUT of Snoke’s shadow, and turn him into the sexy, mind-fucking badass we all knew he could be!! 

Seriously! Did you guys NOT see what happened? That big, bad, all-powerful emperor you all are whining about was just beaten at his OWN game by the most powerful Skywalker in the Galaxy! If that’s not epic, I don’t know what is. Plus, the scene that followed (Praetorian Guard fight) was one of the best lightsaber battles in the entire history of Star Wars! 

I MEAN, C’MON! Ya’ll worried about Snoke?? Seriously?? Some even trying to say he’s still ALIVE?? How Sway? HOW? The MF’s dead! Fuck him! 

LOOK AT THESE TWO BADASSES RIGHT HERE! They OWNED that shit! 

Ughhhhh, (*banging fists on laptop in frustration) just crazy! Crazy it’s not getting the credit it deserves, smh. *sigh..... But…I digress….

Main Villain: Now, we are all supposed to assume that Kylo Ren is the new Big Daddy Supreme of the Galaxy and the main villain for the entirety of episode IX. And he may very well be (in fact, some are certain of it). 

But...C’MON ya’ll ……

We all know Ben is not, I repeat, NOT going to stay on the dark side. Let that marinate. 

I know, this is still theory/speculation. I’m willing to accept that the story can take a different turn in ep IX, but honestly at this point, it’s pretty (fucking) obvious the direction they are going. Besides, the dude is literally coming apart at the seams....

Behold your Supreme Leader! 

LOOK AT HIS FACE WHEN HE LOOKS UP AT REY AT THE END OF TLJ!! 

Those are the saddest puppy dog eyes if I’ve ever seen!  I’m sorry, but that does not an evil Supreme Leader make. No way. He’s gonna crack, but more on that later.

So, for speculation sake, who’s left if Kylo Ren is, say, redeemed half way through ep IX? I agree there needs to be a back up “big and bad”,  someone or something to rise as the main antagonist. If that’s the case, then I suspect that someone was right under our nose the whole time: 

General Armie “Red Headed Step Child”  Hux

WARNING: DO NOT SLEEP ON THIS MF! 

Just...don’t. He’s got something up his sleeve and could have the potential to be a force to be reckoned with in ep IX. In his backstory, it’s already confirmed he’s a conniving, backstabbing little bastard and his facial expression at the end of TLJ speaks VOLUMES to the treachery he has in store for Kylo Ren (especially since it’s already established in TFA that they hate each other’s guts). And let’s not forget he was about to SHOOT him while he was laying unconscious in the Throne Room! (Like I said, DO NOT sleep on the dude). 

All of that shows this is not the demeanor of a man who plans follow suite and bow down to pissy little Kylo Ren for very long. Nor be subject to anymore abuse and humiliation at the hands of another Force user. He may have been the butt of many jokes in TLJ, but I think that was on purpose. So we, the audience, don’t see it coming either. However, I think he would make for a very different and interesting Star Wars villain. A non-force user who is a cunning and intelligent military strategist; looking to rule the galaxy with an iron fist without all the “Force” religious spectacle. For Kylo, this is personal. But for Hux this is business, and he could give zero fucks about the Force, the Resistance, Rey, or Kylo’s bullshit drama. He has cause to be way more ruthless and terrifying than Kylo could ever be at this point, because he has NO conflict within him about what he’s supposed to be doing or who he is.

Of course in Ep IX, I don’t know how he would get the best of Kylo (given his Force powers), but honestly, I don’t think it would be very hard. Especially if Kylo’s too busy broken and dancing with his own demons to notice a coup. For one thing, if Hux did wanna try it he would have the full support of the FO, hands down. The First Order gots no love for Kylo Ren. None.  And lets not forget, Hux pretty much ran the show their anyway. Who gave all the tyrannical speeches, who came up with all the strategies, who “oversaw preparations”, and did all the leg work?  What the hell did Kylo do for the FO except walk around menacingly and throw temper tantrums? Now that Snoke is gone, he has no real backing or reason to be there.

Besides, you seriously think they’re all gonna sit around taking turns getting choked out by this asshole? 

Hell no! Let’s face it, Kylo’s days as Supreme Leader are numbered. Hux is coming for that shit. Perhaps Hux will also get backing/form an alliance with the Knights of Ren (who could turn against Kylo if it’s found out that he killed Snoke). They could be crucial in helping Hux with his coup  (since Phasma’s gone). That could put Kylo in peril, forcing Rey to come to his aid, resulting in an epic battle together against the Knights. Like the Praetorian Guard on steroids with much higher stakes! YAS! YASS! YASSSS!!! If done right, and it could be totally EPIC!!! Again, I know, just a theory, but Hux could very well be the much needed “wild card” villain for the final episode.

Ooor …..OR 🙄…..Kylo will have no more light in him, he will remain the Supreme Leader, the FO will follow suite, and Rey and the gang will need to figure out a way to take them out….. *shrug,....*yarn,.... and……

My money’s on Armie Hux! ;)

Resistance: All of the Resistance characters (Especially Poe/Finn) learned a valuable lesson in TLJ: Nobody wins when the family feuds. 

The Resistance main conflict was that it was impatient, faithless, and  reckless. None of the young rebels were not thinking of any long, efficient  goals (*cough *Poe). As soon as Leia was gone, shit fell apart. But… that ended up being a blessing in disguise, a much needed wake up call for all. (*cough *especially Poe! *cough *cough) 

With regards to the Resistance, IMO, Rian was basically asking ALL of us:

Why should we even CARE about them? 

Everyone’s running to be a Jedi, because Jedi are cool, but no one’s running to be a Resistance X-Wing Pilot, or a military strategist, or a mechanic, or even a General, who has to carry the awful burden of sending people off to die in what seems like a pointless war.  

Who is willing to do the necessary, and at times, unceremonious work of a real Resistance leader? Who could make the sacrifices that Leia made over the years for the Rebels and now, the Resistance? Who could make the tough decisions she made? Who will eventually carry on the “spark” when she’s gone?

Flashy heroics look nice and occasionally save the day, but more often than not, they have consequences. 

That’s why Leia was so upset with Poe in the beginning of TLJ. 

“Dead heroes, no leaders”

She was thinking of the future of the Resistance and how dim it was looking at that moment. There won’t BE a Resistance left if their entire bombing fleet is destroyed trying to take down just ONE Dreadnaught, especially when the First Order have many others at their disposal. The Resistance does not have those resources. They’re a small group of rag tag individuals with very little political or financial backing. They simply cannot afford that type of reckless heroism. 

In TLJ, heroism does not equal leadership.  Especially if heroism is out of stroking your ego, and not thinking of what’s best for the team in the long run. Poe defied orders and did what HE thought was best, not just out of saving the Resistance, but also because he wanted to one-up Holdo, who hurt his precious manhood when she kicked him out.  He wasn’t willing to trust that there was someone anyone else in the Resistance who had the same devotion like him and Leia. How could he be expected to lead, if he thinks that way about his own team?

A lot, and I mean, A LOT of people died because of their half-baked codebreaker plan. They fucked up big time, Poe more than anyone. One of my gripes with the film (despite my love, I do have a few gripes, it’s not perfect), is that I wish they would have lingered on Poe’s arc a little more, and really hit home just how badly he fucked up. I wish they showed just a moment of realization wash over his face that through this Finn/Rose stunt, he’s indirectly responsible for killing over half the Resistance (actual people!). All because he wanted to take matters in his own hands and show Holdo who’s boss.  Bone-fucking-head (I love him, but he’s a bonehead). Poe had to learn there’s a difference between reckless heroism and patient leadership. In ep IX, with Leia gone, the events in ep XIII were important so his character could mature and become the LEADER (and not just the pilot) the Resistance needs in the end. A leader who trusts and looks out for the best interest of the entire team.

I think if you look at the male Resistance character plots in TLJ (Finn//Rose, Poe/Holdo/Leia), they all learned valuable lessons from their female counter parts regarding how to effectively lead a team and how to find the will to fight.  They needed to make mistakes, learn valuable lessons from them, and discover what it truly means to be in the Resistance. We all did for that matter. We needed to be reminded that it’s not just the Jedi who are responsible for the well being of the galaxy. Episode XIII showed that despite best efforts or intentions, things don’t always work out for our heroes, and half-baked plans may sometimes win the battle, but they do not win the war.

Also, they needed to understand that in war there’s a level of commitment that goes beyond: We’re fighting for the “good” guys just because they’re “good”. TLJ showed that “good vs evil” view of the society is severely outdated, and doesn’t work in modern times of war. Especially in this war, where good and evil are subjective, and both sides can get down and dirty. What then should the Resistance stand for? What separates them from the First Order?

TLJ’s answer to this is simple: F A M I L Y.  This is not some robotic group of soldiers blindly following orders. They are not out to divide and conquer. They are a family. And family looks out for each other, family cares, family trusts each other, family will never leave someone behind or sell out. Family LOVES. 

“I saved you…you big dummy. That’s how we’re going to win. Not by fighting what we hate, but saving what we love!“

TLJ helped this new generation of Resistance fighters to find their purpose to carry on the “spark” and fight together for a cause greater than their own: To save the Galaxy and all the people they love in it.

I think by ep IX, some time will have past since XIII. Giving time for them to lick their wounds and help their numbers strengthen and grow. I think they will come back at the FO stronger than ever (hopefully the allies will pick up the damn phone this time and help), and there will be a battle, an epic battle, the FINAL battle. AND they’ll be ready. Poe, Finn, Rose, Chewy, everyone will take Leia’s wisdom, her legacy, her “spark” and lead this group to victory. They will be the new “Rebels” with a cause fighting to keep hope alive in the galaxy! Hoo-rah!

Kylo and Rey: Ahhhh, yes. FINALLY. The infamous Reylo. Their scenes were my absolute favorite part of this movie (TLJ). In fact my third viewing was just so I could see Reylo again. They’re two halves of the same coin. Two halves of the same PROTAGONIST (per the All Mighty Rian). “Darkness rises and Light to met it.” I’m down. Here for it. 

For those who think this union is unrealistic or came out of nowhere, you are sadly mistaken and were not paying attention in TFA (I would know, because I was that same person at one point ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ). There were clues EVERY. DAMN. WHERE. It’s been going on since their very first meeting and has been building ever since.

I know a lot of hate over Reylo is because people see their relationship as “abusive”. He kidnapped her, he violated her mind, he fought her in the forest, he put her down and said hurtful things, etc. True, but when it comes down to it, really, it’s just a difference in opinion and subjective viewing of their scenes. Nevertheless, though, for the most part, it’s pretty clear in all of those scenes  (through specific non-verbal cues) that the creators did not intend their interactions to be harmful or abusive at all.

First, most of those negative interactions were due to protocol Kylo was  obligated to follow within the FO, so of course initially he does horrible things to her, because, he’s apart of a shitty organization that treats their prisoners like crap. Kylo is their master interrogator because all he has to do is look in their mind to find the answers he wants. This is what he’s use too. However he treats Rey differently from the jump. I can go on forever listing all the ways he’s does this in TFA, so for now if you’re still clueless, I suggest re-watching the scenes where he interrogates Poe and compare it to the way he interrogates Rey. Pay attention to�� lighting, dialogue, acting/facial expressions, music, etc.  Like I said, the clues are all there, you just have to be openminded and look beyond the surface. They’re showing, NOT telling.

Also, one thing to remember regarding Rey, is that she’s not this feeble minded, weak Pollyanna character for him to kick around and dominate. She’s his equal, in every sense of the word. From the very beginning, she’s had him shook ("...WHAT girl?). As his power grows in the Force, so does hers. Going back to abusive relationship troves, normally there’s an imbalance of power between the said abusive couple.  It’s one or the other who has more, and the abuser will use that power to manipulate and control the other for their own personal gain, whether it’s physically or mentally, and they’re able to maintain that control. But that’s not the case for Rey and Kylo. In the interrogation scene, Rey blocks him and invades his mind right back, Rey bests him in the forest, Rey says some nasty things back to him, and he just takes it. His infatuation with Rey grew because he was fascinated by the connection they shared in the beginning, and the fact that she was his EQUAL in the Force. You can’t dominate someone who’s on the same level as you. That’s ultimately why he ASKED, and not demanded, her to JOIN him (“...Please?”). He knew couldn’t or dominate her or force her in to joining him, and besides, he doesn’t want to. He wants her to rule with him as equals. He respects her more than anyone, because she’s the only person in the galaxy who knows in some capacity what he’s going through. Just the way he LOOKS at her, it’s clear this is not someone he’s looking to manipulate or control.

Their interactions are not meant to be taken as abusive, simple. There’s no ulterior motive here. Ben’s not putting one over her.  They are both learning about each other and themselves, and that sort of development takes time. Clearly they still have a ways to go, but at this point, they are at least starting to meet each other half way and see each other as more than just enemies. 

Now whether you want to ship them (I do! I do!) or not, you can’t deny there’s a very special and unique connection between them. Their Force Connection scenes were phenomenal; dripping with tension, honesty, emotion, and intimacy. Those scenes went way deeper than the cheesy one dimensional “boy likes girl” romances that we’ve seen in the previous films. They shared parts of themselves you only share with an intimate lover or, at the very least, a very, very close friend. That builds a way more meaningful relationship than any sex or kiss scene ever could. Not to mention the fact that they are supposed to be enemies makes them all the more interesting to watch.

What I love most about how they are handling this connection is that they’re not loading on the sap (IMO). They’re not overly selling this as a love story, which is important fan base wise (I’m sure they don’t want another Attack of the Clones backlash).  I think that’s why most people missed it (I did) on the first viewing of both films. Plus, and sorry, playing devil’s advocate for a moment Reylos, there is a small possibility that there is NO love story, just a very strong, platonic “connection”(I believe there’s an obvious romance, but I’m keeping an open mind). 

Either way, they’re letting the audience figure it out for themselves with subtle, but meaningful moments. Like I said, they’re showing, not telling. Way more fun to watch and decipher, then being spoon fed that this is “love” via exposition or cheesy dialogue. And NO it’s not over between them. Not by a long shot.  They wouldn’t have spent all of TFA and TLJ setting this “connection” between them for them to not at least work together some way in the final film. 

Honestly, I think Antis, and some Reylos for that matter, get too hung up on the  romance part of their relationship, and fail see the bigger picture. The bigger picture (or endgame) here is NOT their romance (no matter how good or bad depending on how you see it). The bigger picture is bringing balance to the Force. That’s it! That’s the goal of the new series. Hell, that’s the goal of the entire Star Wars Saga. Bring balance to the Force. So if you are having trouble with the idea of a romance between them, just remember, ship or not, this is why their connection is so important. This is why there spending time fleshing out these characters and their relationship with each other. Otherwise, if you’re like me, already chilling at the Reylo finish line waiting for the rest of these slow pokes to catch up to the obvious, then you know the agony of having to wait TWO years for ep IX, to see officially how Reylo plays out. But honestly, I think we’re in good hands. They have not disappointed thus far. (In JJ We Trust)

Ben’s Redemption: I understand Ben/Kylo’s story can go either way at this point, but I feel, and have ALWAYS felt (even before I shipped Reylo), that this whole trilogy has been setting up a Ben Solo redemption. It’s crystal, and it’s ultimately what won his character over for me in the beginning.

At first I thought Kylo was just this whiny little bitch, who they were trying so hard to make scary. I was like THIS guy? THIS is our new villain?? Seriously. I was appalled. But then after, I realized what his character could mean for the story.  That yes, YES, he IS a whiny little bitch, but for a reason. He’s a spoiled brat. He’s no different than the Beast in Act I of Beauty and the Beast. He’s trying to be big and bad, but he can’t. He’s failing, horribly, at being pure evil because he’s simply…. not. He’s fighting his inner light, going against his true nature, and it’s KILLING him. He’s a flawed, conflicted, hurt individual who’s just lonely and looking for a place to belong.  If he could only see the error of his ways and sincerely atone for this crimes, that would be an amazing character arc and breathe fresh life into the franchise. From that moment on I was sold on Kylo Ren, and rooting for his redemption. 

However, redemption is not easy and cannot be given. It’s something entirely up to the redeemed to acquire. No one can save Ben from the dark side, but himself. I think the Rey door close scene symbolizes that. She realized he still has a long way to go. And that’s fine, what’s the purpose of a having a trilogy if not to give time to develop the characters, give them obstacles, make mistakes, skid their knee, etc. Makes for a better story and we learn along with them. Plus, this gives us more to look forward too in the next episode. But rest assured (if in the cards), Ben’s redemption is coming. His roosters will come home to roost BIG TIME in ep IX. This will be what we’ve all been waiting for. The much deserved, long overdue, knee buckling, ugly cry reckoning of Mr. Ben “Chewbacca” Solo. 

Ben’s greatest enemy in ep IX, will (likely) not be Rey, the Resistance, or Hux, it will be himself. Without the anger fueling him anymore, he will have nothing left to deal with but the pain. At which point, he will need to stop running, confront his past, and accept responsibility for what he’s done.   In ep IX, I think we will see him struggle with his conflict more. than. EVER.   When the full weight of his actions hits, when he realizes he’s committed acts that he can never take back, he will suffer, and suffer greatly. But he needs to go through it. Every. Agonizing. Step. It’s the only way to heal. Tough love, baby. He may get some help/emotional support, from those who still love and care for him (Rey, Ghost Luke, maybe Leia, some how), but they can only do so much. He will need to suck it up, pull himself out of the darkness and face the consequences of his actions.

Now I’m not saying he deserves to die. No, I want Ben alive and well by the end of this, in fact that’s all I want, even more than a romance with Rey. However, I do feel he should pay back some debt to society. I know most Reylos like to avoid this subject, because it’s too painful to think of Ben going through any more suffering than he already has. But the fact of the matter is, Ben didn’t just steal,  kidnap,  torture, or hurt people’s feelings. He didn’t kill out of self-defense, on accident, and they weren’t just soldiers or “casualties of war”. 

He straight up MURDERED people. 

He may have been messed up by the dark side and Snoke, but he still knowingly killed innocent, unarmed people. The Jedi students, Lor San Tekka, the villagers on Jakku, and of course, Han Solo. We as the audience (and Rey) know why Ben is what he is or why he did what he did, but the other characters/the galaxy as a whole don’t, and they only know him as Kylo Ren. To me it would be a cheap and unrealistic ending if they just gloss over that, and have everyone just pat him on the back and say “Oh don’t worry about it, Kylo, all is forgiven”. 

Again, not saying death is the answer, maybe they can find a non lethal way to resolve it, but he needs to atone for those deaths somehow. In fact I think it’s a vital part of the redemption process. It’s called taking responsibility for your actions. Some actions have consequences, whether we want them to or not. Ben should not be exempt from that just because we want him to have a happy ending with Rey. He fucked up and he needs to own that. Plus, there’s nothing to say he won’t still have a happy ending even if he is punished/atones. I just don’t think he should come out of this completely scott free. Now If and how this happens, like I said, I don’t know.  And, hey, if you disagree, that’s fine.

If he is successfully redeemed, though, I am looking forward to (possible) scenes where he will have to awkwardly face those he once called his enemy. Those he hurt and tortured. Like Finn, Poe, and Chewy. (ESPECIALLY CHEWY)  I’m very interested to see how Chewbacca handles Ben. I’m assuming he’s like an uncle to him given he was Han’s BFF. I think that would be a huge moment. Especially since Leia will not be in ep IX (at least not physically) for Ben to face. Chewy’s the only one of the old gang left to atone to for Han, Luke, and Leia. (Unless they bring back Billie D, but I doubt that at this point. May be too distracting)

Still in the end, the main burning question is left for Ben: Will he live to tell the tale? 

Redeemed or not, they could very well kill him off just to make all the fans butt hurt about Han and Luke happy. Like I said before, I would hate if he’s killed but honestly I don’t think they will. I mean this is Disney after all. I doubt they’ll end the Skywalker saga on a sour note. Plus, how will his death really benefit the story? What lesson could we learn from that? Like Vader’s death, it seems like an easy way out to me. He didn’t have to physically atone for all the crimes he committed or face the people he hurt. I want Ben to LIVE so he can be there to teach the next generation about his experiences. To pay it forward and lead by example. To help stop the cycle of light vs dark. I like the theory that this new trilogy is a reversal of how the prequels ended up.  Anakin’s journey from Light to Dark, will now finish with his grandson’s journey from Dark to Light. To restore Balance. Now, in order for that to happen and for all this to come full circle: Ben Solo must LIVE, and Kylo Ren must DIE. 

If and how that plays out, again, we’ll have to see.

Rey: Rey, on the other hand, his EQUAL half. His missing half. The half he’s been longing for and searching for in the darkness.  She will be on her own path of self-discovery in ep IX. 

What I loved most about Rey’s story in TLJ was that this was her coming-of-age story. Our girl Rey had a lot of growing up to do, and boy did she grow. I mean look at her from TFA to the TLJ:

She went from a scruffy, fearful little scavenger to a mature, determined Jedi Warrior. AND our girl looked straight GORGEOUS when she rolled up to Snoke’s ship, ok? Her hair was down, she had some makeup on, she came in her Jedi best. She was ready to rock! AGAIN, our boy Kylo, didn’t know what hit him…

(Look at allll that conflict. Do I take her to Snoke or fuck the shit out of her in this elevator? Decisions…decisions…LOL j/k)

Rey looked like a warrior princess coming to save her prince from the evil sorcerer. Which in a way, she DID. Kylo would’ve never had the balls to kill  Snoke on his own. She gave him that motivation. Gave him hope that there’s still hope.  Unfortunately, they had very different perspectives on where that hope could lead. I think when Kylo asked her to join him and “let the past die”, she realized then that she would need to stand on her own two feet. These so-called “heroes” are all preoccupied with their own selfish bullshit, and no one’s focusing on helping those truly in need. She realized then that she can’t depend on Luke, her parents, or even Ben now for answers. It’s all up to her. She’s the last hope. It was a very important development for her. She like everyone else in this story needed to make a CHOICE for what path they wanted to go on. And she made hers in that moment. The path of love and compassion for OTHERS.

Now, the path she chose is a difficult path, an uncertain path.  A path guaranteed to be filled with disappointment and heart ache, because people can and will be shitty more often than not. But the fact that she chose it regardless, speaks volumes to her character. (Wonder Woman, anyone?) However,  Ben can’t quite understand why she would choose it. She doesn’t owe the Resistance anything, and yes, her parents threw her away like garbage. Why wouldn’t she want the easy way out like him? Why wouldn’t she want the path that would lead her (in his eyes) to the only person in the whole galaxy who gives a damn about her and would never abandon her? (”You’re nobody. But not to me.”)

Simple: She’s not a sell out, dude. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ He underestimated her loyalty to the Resistance, a group that, yes, she just met, but who are nonetheless her family. No matter how much others have “wronged her”, she is not willing take her anger out on those who are innocent. Even if it means ending all of the fighting and ruling the galaxy with sexy Kylo. 

Rey has feelings for Ben, for sure, (otherwise she wouldn’t have traveled across the galaxy, gift wrapping herself to the enemy, to try and save him, just... no.), but she could see in that moment he’s still set in his selfish ways, and still set on a path she cannot follow. (”Please don’t go this way, Ben.”) She can’t force him, beg him, or fight him to change now; but she can SHOW him change through her actions.  Her brave defiance shows that having a soft heart in a cruel world is NOT weakness.  By choosing this path, her conscious is clear and there is NO conflict with in her.  Her moral compass is strong and her convictions are uncompromising. 

As I said in ep. IX, Rey will be on her own path to self discovery. I think she will study the Jedi text, remember all her conversations with Luke about how the Jedi must “end”, and figure out for herself what that means. Understand that neither the Jedi nor the Sith got it right. No one entity can own all of the Light or all of the Dark. Per Luke, no one owns the Force, but also realize what he didn’t, which is not one side can balance it without the other either.  Being the last living “Jedi”, she will need to decide how she wants to carry on their legacy or even if she should carry it on at all.

The End:  I think in the end, Rey, together (hopefully) with Ben, will find some middle ground to great battle of light and dark. But it HAS to be both her and Ben who do it together. The Light and the Dark personified. Together, to fight off Hux, the FO, Knights of Ren, or whoever else tries to fuck up the balance.

If the Praetorian Guard scene taught us anything, it’s that these two are fucking MAGIC when working together. We have to see more scenes like that!  (Please OH PLEASSSE have more scenes like that, JJ!!) Together they will achieve balance, because they ARE the balance (whether you ship them or not). 

They are what was intended.

When it’s all said and done, though, I don’t think there will be the same old “Jedi Order” we knew from the previous movies. I think if Yoda’s scene in TLJ taught us anything it’s that it’s the Jedi are the ones who need to clean house first. The Jedi were great and noble, but very, very flawed (especially in the prequels). They let politics and their own self-righteousness get in the way of bringing true balance to the Force. Likewise, it goes without saying, that the Sith’s evil, deadly, and tyrannical ways didn’t do anyone any good either.  I think through Rey and Ben the Jedi and Sith will evolve into something else, something more up-to-date and more evened out. Maybe drop the whole “order” part and have something for ALL who wish to learn the ways of the Force, both Light and Dark. Balance comes from understanding both sides, and not fearing them. Understand that both sides are in us all, and learning the fundamentals of how to keep that balance within one self. No matter if you have zero midichlorians or were conceived by the Force its self. Everyone can learn about it. It’s not exclusive to just Jedi or Sith. I think that’s a great way to end it all on a high note. 

Let old things “die”, as Ben said, but honor it with love, peace, appreciation, and understanding (per Rey). Take the lessons, the good with the bad, and grow beyond. 

That’s the Skywalker Legacy. 

Peace and Purpose.

[omghealthdrink]

A Casual Fan Watches Star Wars

Part 2

Last time, on Love Doomed Boat....

—

Finn: [CASUALLY ABANDONS SHIP]

Me: Well.That killed off FinnxPoe before it even launched.

[BECAUSE SERIOUSLY, IF FINN DOES LIKE POE, HE KEPT THE JACKET TOO HOW WOULD HE CASUALLY LEAVE HIM BEHIND WITHOUT TELLING HIM A WORD? FINN KNOWS THE REBEL’S FLEETS ARE POTENTIALLY DOOMED, THAT’S WHY HE LEAVES IN THE FIRST PLACE. EVEN IF FOR REI’S SAKE, THAT’S STILL A DICK MOVE. BAD FINN, BAD-]

Me: MEI?! I had no idea you were in this movie! 8D

Mei: Neither did I!

[CASUALLY SHOWS OFF STUNNING TOOL]

Mei: You weren’t trying to… escape, were you?

Finn: [FAILS AT SMOULDERING] Es-ca-pe? Is that Spanish?

Mei: [WAS NOT BORN YESTERDAY] MY SISTER IS DEAD-!!

Finn: [WAS TRAINED TO KILL SINCE BIRTH]

Finn: [GETS STUNNED EASILY]

Me: Movie wtf.

---

General Leia: [ADOPTS POE THROUGH MORSE CODE BREATHING]

Poe: This is fine-

[FIRST ORDER KEEPS HOUNDING RESISTANCE FORCES]

[GET USED TO THIS, IT LITERALLY NEVER STOPS]

[YOU WILL BEG FOR THE MOVIE TO STOP BY THE END OF IT]

Rian Johnson: The past can hurt.

---

Poe: -shit! We need Plan B! BB8, have you seen Finn?

Finn: Diiiiiid someone say subplot?

Mei: You are not es-cap-ing the consequences so easily-

Poe: --Finn! My man! We need a Plan B asap! Can you help?

Finn: OF COURSE I WILL-! I’m with ya till the very end! 8D

Mei: [RUBS TEMPLE] I can’t believe I’m gonna kiss him in the third act.

Finn: What was that?

Mei: Nothing, nothing.

Poe: You! Go with him.

Mei: To keep an eye on him? Rebel hero or not, he tried desert-

Poe: No, to give him moral support of course! Now go, chop chop!

Mei: [SIGHS] 18 hours, huh...

---

Lady from Hunger Games: I’m going to act suspiciously like a spy.

Lady from Hunger Games: But I’m not.

Lady from Hunger Games: I’m also a MASSIVE Princess Leia fan.

Lady from Hunger Games: ... This is very confusing.

---

Luke: [PICKS UP HAN’S LUCKY DICE]

Rian Johnson: The past can hurt.

Luke: I will not train Rei.

R2-D2: [PLAYS LEIA’S DESPERATE PLEA THROUGH YOUTUBE]

Rian Johnson: The past can hurt.

Luke: Okay. Fine. Geez.

---

Rei: Yees, time for my much hyped Jedi training lessons!

[UNNECESSARY FUNNY SCENE HAPPENS]

SW Fans: This is a serious scene... right?

Luke: Lesson number one. Concentrate.

Rei: [CONCENTRATES]

Luke: Lesson number two: forget you know how to tap the Force.

Rei: [MENTALLY ERASES FIGHT SCENE FROM TFA]

Luke: Lesson number three: mitochondrials.

Rei: [SCRUNCHES EYEBROWS]

[UNINTENTIONALLY SEES CTHULU’S BUTTHOLE]

Rei: What the hell was that-??

Luke: And that’s the end of the session.

Rei: We’ll have more right?

Luke: You will trade your staff for my old lightsaber. And you’ll lift rocks.

Rei: We’ll have more right?

Luke: [LEAVES]

Rei: Master?

Yoda: More Kylo Ren, as audience demands. Mmm-MMM.

Audience: What the-

---

Kylo Ren: Hello.

Rei: ?

Rei: Hi...?

Luke: Oh fuck no, not on MY island.

[DISCONNECTS FORCE SKYPE]

Rei: Master Skywalker, what was that?

Luke: Force buffering. It happens from time to time. Come, it was probably a one time thing.

[IT’S NOT]

[I’M SO SORRY LUKE]

Luke: ... Did you see his surroundings at least?

Rei: I did. He didn’t.

Luke: Atta girl. [HIGH FIVES STUDENT]

---

Kylo Ren: The night I destroyed his temple. Did Luke tell you why?

Rei: What the- how did you get this number??

Kylo Ren: Did he tell you I’m a whiny bitch? He loves doing that.

Rei: He won’t even tell me how the Force Kick(tm) works, how should I know?

Kylo Ren: I even killed a handful of his students, just like grandpa.

Rei: What.

Kylo Ren: [SCOWLS] Vader would have been proud of me.

Rei: How. How can you say that and I still try to save you later.

[SHE DOES. SHE DOES. WHAT THE HELL, SHE -DOES-]

Kylo Ren: Perhaps... you are the Padme to my Anakin.

Rei: Haha, nice try. JJ Abrams would NEVER-

Rian Johnson: The past can hurt.

Rei: [FREEZES] Oh no. NO. No no no. No NO-

Kylo Ren: [DEEPENS VOICE] Do you like sand?

Rian Johnson: The past can hurt.

Kylo Ren: [DEEPENS VOICE] I am a monster. GRRR-oooowl.

Yoda: Deep shit, you are in. MMMMM-mmm.

Rei: NOOOOOO--!!

---

Meanwhile, in a casino...

Finn: YEEEEEES--!!

Mei: You... you do know people are dying like flies at this very minute, right?

Alien: That’s them! That’s the guys who parked on a beach!

Finn and Mei: [GET ARRESTED]

Me: Finn, I underatand, but Mei? Why didn’t she know better?

Mei: Because I had flashbacks okay? This is my home planet.

Finn: Did you love it here?

Mei: No.

Garret: Hello. I will get, get you outta here. B-but for a p--p-price.

Mei: [HANDS OVER PRECIOUS MEMENTO]

Mei: That’s not suspicious behaviour at all. Welcome on board.

Finn: You really should know better than me, what the hell.

---

Luke: [IN A HUT]

Rei: Finally, some peace and quiet-

Kylo Ren: [CARELESS WHISPERS IN THE BACKGROUND]

Rei: Can we really not do this right now.

Me: Can we really not do this right now.

Kylo Ren: No. I’m so close now. So close to showing you the truth.

Rei: [SLIGHTLY BOTHERED] Can you put a shirt on?

Kylo Ren: If I will, will you stay on feed? I’m... I’m a little lonely.

Rei: I can’t imagine why but... okay. Why not.

---

Kylo Ren: [SHOWS BIASED VERSION OF LUKE’S ATTACK]

[PLAYS SIMPLE PLAN’S EMO SONG COMPLETE WITH AMV]

Kylo Ren: Did I mention I slaughtered innocent children?

Kylo Ren: It’s what Vader would’ve wanted.

Kylo Ren: Luke saw evil within me. So he tried to kill me.

Kylo Ren: This is totally consistent with Luke’s character 110%.

Ben Solo: Woe is me. Boo hoo.

---

Rei: ...

Me: There is no way Rei is gonna fall for that trick...

Rei: ...

Me: Rei?

Rei: ...

Me: Rei?

Rei: [ACTUALLY 100% FEELS SORRY FOR KYLO REN]

Kylo Ren: [HAPPY] Come with me, I’ll take you to the dark side...

Me: Fuck no you’re not. Come on Re-

Rei: [GOES WHEREVER WITH BEN]

Me: Rei! You useless scavenger! I’M CALLING LUKE-!!

—

Tune in next time for Part 3: I can’t believe it’s not fanfiction!

More awkward transitions! More Kylo Ren! Lando? Who dis

Sponsored by - Kylo Ren’s infamous moobs scene. Now Anakin approved.

[purelysalty]

SW: The Last Jedi Full Spoiler Review

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is a visual masterpiece. From the jaw-dropping setpieces to the minute details, TLJ goes full throttle and knocks it out of the park. Unfortunately, when viewed as the middle film of the new trilogy, a bridge between the setup and the finale, TLJ falls short in a few areas. These few shortcomings (along with a few personal grievances) is what holds TLJ back from being a fantastic movie.

I know plot holes and handwaving are extremely common in movies, and Star War films at that, but The Last Jedi has some of the biggest holes and handwaves I have seen. The murder of Supreme Leader Snoke was something that felt completely out of left field and when it first happened, I honestly wondered who the main antagonist was going to be for the last film, as one just died and the other apparently became a good guy. But when Kylo did his immediate heel-turn I felt even more unfulfilled as I felt Snoke’s death was for basically nothing and we never learned about the guy at all. Another major problem I had was with the hacker character. After Finn and Rose failed to contact their original target who wore the flower pin, they find this drunk guy who apparently is an expert cracker. My initial thoughts were that HE was the original target but lost the pin in a betting match or something, but that question is never answered or even hinted at. Then near the end of the film, when DJ betrayed them, he just… vanished. Gone, without a trace. It was so weird to having disappear so quickly right before the ship starts to explode, that I know we are going to see him again. But it felt like his purpose was just to advance the plot two separate times instead of being an actual interesting character.

Character Development in this film was a mix bag for me. Clear winners were Poe and Rey, and what seemed like losers were Kylo, Phasma (who I will talk at length about later), and unfortunately Rose Tico. Rose Tico I felt was such a strong and invigorating character through basically all of the film; her drive was relatable and her thoughts and actions were a fresh addition to the already stellar leading stars. My only gripe with her was her last second kiss with Finn, moments before she fell unconscious (I actually believed that they killed her off the first time I saw the scene and was confused and angry at it). While Rose did spend a lot of time with Finn in the movie and did regard him as a hero, I never saw before that any hinting or pinning for a relationship during any of their interactions together. My surprised mirrored that of Finn’s and I heavily believe that the kiss was a last minute addition to the script. It almost felt like something along the lines of “I don’t want to die without kissing a booooyyyyy” and felt extremely weak (Nothing against the actors however, this is 100% a writer gripe). Kylo was another loser in this department because I have no idea what path the development was headed. His interactions in the mindscape with Rey were interesting and provided character building for both of them, but at the climax where Kylo killed Snoke I saw the messiest transition of character. Kylo, who over the past two films have been shown to be a heel most of the time, with only showing signs of good in front of loved ones (Mom/Dad) and during the later conversations with Rey, finally took the apparent leap and killed the main big bad and had a face-turn. But not even 5 minutes of fighting off other baddies and having each other’s back, Kylo immediately heel-turns and decides to stay evil, even begging Rey to “join him”. This was such a messy exchange that I don’t even know what to think about him anymore. After murdering Han Solo in the first film, I was sure that Kylo Ren was going to be an interesting antagonist, but now I mainly feel confused about his character.

This movie is goddamn gorgeous and innovative. Even the Porgs, who I originally thought were just a cutesy addition for no reason, became impressive to me once I learned that they were created as a CG coverup because the cameramen could not shoot any scenes on Luke’s hermit planet without puffins, who were native to the island, being in the shot (I still don’t like how much screen time Porgs get). The inside of the different ships. Crait, Canto Bight, and Ahch-To were all so beautiful and detail oriented. The set pieces themselves were works of art: The self-sacrifice jump to lightspeed made by the Vice Admiral was something that made me audibly gasp, and the apparent death of General Leia was something that got me so emotional (seeing her drowned in light as a nod to her own obituary joke was truly something). It was apparent to me that the Star Wars universe was something extremely important to the artists and director, and is something that makes this movie truly special.

The biggest problem for me wasn’t the plot holes or the handwaved scenes that ultimately felt unfulfilling. The biggest problem with The Last Jedi was how the movie handled itself. There was almost an oversaturation of comedy where it wasn’t needed that I almost felt like I was watching an Avengers movie (Another Disney property). There were a few times where the joke or gag really nailed what it was trying to do, but most of the time felt forced and ultimately lowered the importance of the scene. Luke brushing off his shoulder at the end, Kylo and his pants-only talk with Rey, most of the scenes with the Porgs, Luke milking some strange creature for a gross-out sight gag, the entirety of Yoda’s appearance : All of these don’t really do much for the plot and only exist (in my opinion) to go for the quirky jokes and gags that now the Avengers movies are infamous for. It makes the film feel disingenuous during those moments, especially when the overarching conflict is the seemingly futile escape from the First Order. That doesn’t mean that I don’t want any sort of comedy or relief in these films: Poe’s call with Hux in the beginning of the film and C3PO and BB8 interactions were all golden and I really enjoyed them.

And now as I reach the end of this review, I can finally talk about some personal gripes about the film. While I only have one to talk extensively about, it is a big one for me, yet I do not feel others would care so strongly about it as I do. Rian Johnson… Buddy, Pal, Amigo…. You wasted CAPTAIN PHASMA’S POTIENTIAL! IT WAS WASTED IN THE FORCE AWAKENS AND I BELIEVED THAT SHE WOULD FINALLY HAVE A MAJOR ROLE IN THIS ONE, BUT NO SHE IS BARELY SEEN AT ALL THROUGH THE WHOLE DAMN FILM AND THEN GETS A LITTLE FIGHT WITH FINN (I did like her damaged helmet at the end though). But then YOU JUST THREW HER AWAY AGAIN BY HAVING HER FALL INTO A PIT. WASTED CHARACTER WASTED DESIGN WASTED ACTRESS WASTED!!!! I am going stand by what I said to my friends right after the film and I will stand by it until the last movie releases.  PHASMA IS NOT DEAD SHE WILL BE BACK I SWEAR SHE WILL AND THEN SHE WILL FINALLY HAVE SOME CHARACTER SOME PLOT RELATED TO HER SHE WONT DISAPEAR UNTIL SHE DIES A WARRIOR’S DEATH!!

All in all, I really enjoyed The Last Jedi. I’ve seen it twice, and if one of my friends invites me to see it again, I will probably agree. But TLJ is definitely the weakest film out of the new movies that have come out, and perhaps it only feels so mediocre because it came right after Rogue One, my personal favorite one (out of the new films). To me, Star War films are kinda like pizza. And while this pizza might not be as good as my favorite pizzas, it is still a pizza and is generally enjoyable to eat. It is just with the higher standards that Star Wars is usually put to, I can’t help but feel a little disappointed.

7/10