#in that instance he knew padme far better

[charlietheepicwriter7]

thinking about a star wars au where, when luke skywalker asks if obi-wan knew his father, obi-wan responded that he didn't, but he did know luke's mother.

[essayofthoughts]

So I know you study the PCs of C1 with great intent and care - but how do you handle the NPCs, which get far less screentime and are all filtered through Matt? With, say, Cass there are easy shortcuts - looking at Percy and finding what they might share - but less to use with Syldor, for instance (who the twins likely tried hard not to emulate).

I mean, even with Syldor I feel like it's kind of possible to reverse engineer him in how the twins behave? Like they refuse to act like him, but his shittery still impacted them and their behaviour. Vax's defensive attitude and protectiveness of Vex, how he hurls himself into harm's way. Vex's quiet observance, the way that she can fold into herself when made to feel uncomfortable, ashamed or guilty.

It suggests Syldor used shame to police them and that's why Vax refuses to feel ashamed at all - he knows Syldor's full of shit and aggressively refuses yo abide - but it worked on Vex and that's why she reacts so badly to that and why Vax can get so overtly protective and defensive then. It also seems very likely that Syldor tried to play them against each other to some degree - Vex's desire to fit in versus Vax's indifference - and while that might have caused some disputes I think ultimatelynit only pulled them closer together.

But. Well. Syldor alone isn't what you're asking about.

For minor characters - ones which appear only the once or only fleetingly - I don't worry too much. I go off general vibe and make use of what is seen in canon. For more significant characters like Gilmore, Allura, Kima, even Clarota or Victor who are there several times but aren't so significant I think about what we do see of them and what facts we know!

Clarota was exiled by his people - so he's lonely - but he's also a mindflayer and so believes in his own superiority. Even in his weakened position we see him take an aggressive stance at a few points and he very kuch isn't there to make friends. Why would he be? Some companionship is better than none but it isn't at all like the elder brain or his own people and again - they are beneath him.

Allura was once an adventurer. For all her status she's much more understanding of and patient with VM than they necessarily deserve - because she's been there too.

Gilmore is a theatre kid. I'm pretty sure Matt has mentioned that Gilmore is based a little on someone he knew - queer and in theatre iirc - and so I use that same vibe of like... gregarious charm and utter self-assurance.

As I've said already you can also do a lot with dialogue to figure things out. There's a great Star Wars post circulating that has a wonderful point of like... don't ask what kind of person willingly dates trashfire murderer Anakin Skywalker. Just acknowledge that Padme is that kind of person and go from there. See her characterisation and find a way to slot that in. She has blindspots or perhaps isn't so perfect in her beliefs or perhaps she's makinf excuses or has a case of the I Can Fix Hims. Regardless - if the character does the thing, use that to inform the characterisation.

So... yeah. I use what we see and use that to capture the... idk, general shape and idea of the character, and then I try to replicate enough of the quirks or accents Matt gives them to keep them recogniseable.

After all, how many fics feature Victor and, one way or another, keep him recogniseable just by maintaining his abrupt, bonkersness?

Ask me about my fic ideas!

[antianakin]

Ahsoka actually gets a whole YEAR to process that Anakin was Vader. She can feel Anakin right at the beginning of season two when she is intentionally reaching out to the Sith Lord she knows as Darth Vader in order to try to determine his identity. She just REFUSES to accept this as the truth the same way Padme REFUSES to accept Obi-Wan telling her Anakin killed younglings, and then Ahsoka spends the entire rest of the year digging into everything she can find out about Darth Vader to try to prove that it ISN'T ANAKIN. And then when she arrives on Malachor and Vader shows up, Ahsoka says "I was beginning to think I knew who you were under that mask, but my master could never be as cruel as you." So there's a clear admission there that Ahsoka is perfectly aware that Anakin is Vader, she's just refusing to believe it. She's TELLING HERSELF this entire year that Anakin couldn't and wouldn't do something like this even though she knows it's true. And of course once Anakin says "I destroyed Anakin Skywalker" or whatever, she decides to take that as confirmation that Vader IS NOT Anakin because she'd rather believe it, hence why she seems so shocked when she does finally get through the mask and has to hear his voice and can no longer deny it.

Ahsoka's got a YEAR to come to terms with this, she just chooses not to. Padme on the other hand, yes, has the benefit of knowing about the Tuskens, but ultimately gets about a couple of hours to try to accept this truth before she faces Anakin personally. Hours, compared to an entire year. Which does NOT exonerate Padme of how she chooses to react to it or her reaction to the Tuskens, of course, but if you look at it from the very first moment they hear Anakin's done something they'd consider unforgivable and gone full Sith, Ahsoka gets WAY more time to process this than Padme does.

Ahsoka wants to destroy the BATTLE STATION, she doesn't actually have any real desire to do anything about ANAKIN necessarily. There's no real indication she ever is aiming at killing Anakin once she can no longer deny that it's him. Once we see her in the World Between Worlds, she explicitly tells Ezra that he can't save her Master ANY MORE THAN SHE CAN SAVE HERS, which kind-of indicates to me that her actions in the battle station weren't intended to KILL Anakin, but an attempt to GET THROUGH to him and SAVE him from himself. Which isn't that far off from what we see Padme doing on Mustafar when she tries to tell him to run with her and her warning that she can't follow him down this path, etc. She's trying to save Anakin from himself and get through to him. Even Obi-Wan DOES attempt this during the Mustafar battle with logic, which obviously does not work, and then during the battle in OWK where he attempts apologizing to Anakin, which also very much does not work.

But in each instance, Obi-Wan chooses to DEFEAT Anakin and walk away from him. Padme decides to let her dying words be that there's still good in him, despite what he's done, and she's got a pattern of overlooking Anakin's horrors and atrocities so I'm not convinced she'd have actually left him after Order 66 despite her claim that she can't follow him on this path. Ahsoka refuses to leave him out of guilt and attachment. I don't think either Padme or Ahsoka would've ever had the ability to defeat Anakin, to leave him behind on that lava bank or even the moon, to let him go and accept that the person they loved was effectively dead and their efforts were better spent elsewhere. I don't think either Padme or Ahsoka could've told Luke that he might need to prepare himself for the possibility of needing to kill his own father because if he doesn't, his father will probably kill HIM.

Not to mention that Ahsoka literally has the warning from Maul about a Sith Lord getting Anakin to join him as well as the audio-only vision she got just moments before Order 66 where she hears Mace yelling "don't listen to him Anakin" and Anakin then saying "what have I done?" She knows about the chips, she knows their connection to Palpatine, she knows the Sith Lord wanted Anakin on his side, she hears Mace telling Anakin NOT to do something and Anakin clearly doing something he regrets, and then the chips go live. There are SO MANY PIECES you can put together to create an obvious picture there, and then she senses his presence WHILE INTENTIONALLY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO DARTH VADER is and she STILL spends a year like "nope can't be my super kind Master who DEFINITELY never did anything cruel and unusual to me or other people." She's 17 when she gets the warning and the vision, sure, but sensing Anakin is FIFTEEN YEARS LATER, she's now in her THIRTIES and we know she's perfectly capable of looking at the adults in her life more critically because she does it to Obi-Wan and the Jedi all over season 7 of TCW ("I'm not trying to be [fair]" for example), she just is incapable of doing it for ANAKIN. Because she isn't attached to Obi-Wan, or the other Jedi. But she IS attached to ANAKIN.

Ahsoka has never once shown an inclination to want to STOP Anakin, just to SAVE him and to never leave him again. It's sympathetic, sure, but it doesn't make her relationship to him any more reasonable or healthy.

Padme: Yeah let's go hide away after you've committed double genocide and destroyed a democratic Republic so you never have to face consequences for anything you've ever done, you're obviously still a good person and I will believe that even if you tried to kill ME because I'm so blinded by my own lust and desire to escape the darkness in the galaxy that I'll protect you and have faith in you even after you have proven yourself violent and unstable!

Ahsoka: I would literally die to ensure you don't feel like I abandoned you even after you genocided my entire people, desecrated my home, and had the men I loved and trusted and who literally created an entire identity around loyalty to me be mind controlled into wanting me dead because I feel so guilty over leaving you behind and cannot fathom that you might ever do evil things despite making me go through a borderline abusive training regimen that involved me being knocked unconscious on a hard surface for over an hour.

Obi-Wan: I will walk away and leave you die when you show no remorse for committing double genocide, destroying a democratic Republic, and enslaving an entire galaxy because while I love you, I will never love you so much that I will pretend you aren't a danger to everyone around you, including myself, your wife, and your own children, and there is no life that is worth less than letting you live just because I used to love you.

Fandom: Obi-Wan is SO ATTACHED to Anakin, he's let his ENTIRE IDENTITY revolve around Anakin, and just CANNOT SEPARATE HIMSELF FROM ANAKIN, and would literally do ANYTHING for Anakin, even if it went against the Jedi code, obviously it's AHSOKA who would actually kill him without hesitation while Obi-Wan would hesitate, because Ahsoka's relationship is the most normal and has the least amount of unhealthy attachment and obsession in it on her end.

[radioactivepeasant]

Fic Prompts: Star Wars Wednesday

(This is an excerpt from my unfinished but fully outlined Reign of Vader fic, in which Darth Vader assassinates Palpatine and then finds out that unfortunately this means he actually has to rule. After Luke is captured by the Empire, Vader reveals both his heritage and a desire to fix things in the galaxy. Luke is wary, but it's not like he has anywhere to go)

Darth Vader was not a man of infinite patience, and the Ruling Council was growing ever nearer to discovering the limits of his tolerance. 

"Day-to-day procedures are a delicate matter, Majesty," Greejatus was saying, "It would be an unprecedented disaster to force change upon all offices all at once. May I recommend a gradual shift as your reign takes root?"

"Yes yes," Sate Pesage agreed. His eyes glittered out of his gaunt face with ambition. "This proposal to outlaw slavery, for instance-"

"-Is non-negotiable," Vader interrupted. "It was an idiot's decision to legalize it in the first place. My empire will have no need of slave labor."

"Of course!" Pesage bowed. He was beginning to sweat under that ridiculous hat of his. "We are eager to begin this journey into the future your reign promises, Majesty. But the galaxy is vast. Perhaps it is best to...phase the law in slowly? It takes time to bring new ordinances all the way to the Outer Rim."

Vader had heard quite enough for one day. 

"Enough. The decree goes into effect tonight." 

He stood, and all five members of the Council jumped a little. 

"You have until then to review the revised legal codes I have provided for you."

[[MORE]]

With a sardonic lilt to his voice, he added, "The rule of the Grand Vizier through the Moffs has ended, gentlemen. If you do not feel that you are adequately prepared for the task ahead, I will accept your resignation and begin the process of finding your successor."

He waved a hand. "In the next week, we begin hearings for the Alderaanian Massacre. You are dismissed."

There was a certain satisfaction in watching Palpatine's five advisers bowing and trembling on their way out. After decades of putting up with their snide comments and inane commands, it was nice to see the shoe on the other foot for a change.

Of course, they hadn't covered much. Just an overview of what the Imperial Ruling Council actually did. Once Vader mentioned that he intended to sell his secondary residence in the district and distribute the funds as reparations, the meeting had devolved into excuses and protests for the next two hours. Luckily, he was far too stubborn to pay any attention to their complaints.

While he had no strong feelings about most of his actions in the last nineteen years, neither hatred nor regret, he was willing to acknowledge that not all of his targets had been legitimate in a military sense. For Padme's sake, he would make amends if possible. 

Naturally, it was uncomfortable to try putting a price on life. But the sale of that ridiculous "castle" Palpatine insisted on him staying in would provide a good starting place.

It took about fifteen minutes of calculating, but ultimately Vader decided there was more than enough in Palpatine's personal accounts to cover about 17,000 wrongful death settlements, with additional funds in the cases of recurring medical bills. 

Arranging reparations for Alderaan would take more work. Vader quickly decided he was going to delegate that to the department of finances.

(They...did have a department of finances, didn't they? Surely Sidious hadn't done his own bookkeeping.)

With that settled, Vader's itinerary consisted primarily of a meeting with the Hands to make sure they knew their boundaries. After that, a remote consultation with a newly-renowned surgeon living in one of the lower districts. It would, unfortunately, take up the majority of the day. But for now, at least, he had two hours to himself.

The emperor closed his eyes and stretched out with his senses. It took several seconds before he was able to pinpoint his son's location. Luke's presence was dimmed, slightly. Muffled.

The reason for this became apparent the moment Vader found him.

Inside the library, on the lower level, Luke was sprawled across one of the ridiculous armchairs the nobles had favored. A book lay open on his chest, rising and falling gently. A small stack of texts encompassing everything from speeder repair to adventure novels sat on the floor, just next to where one of Luke's hands dangled off the edge of the arm rest. Clearly, he had been in the library for several hours before falling asleep. 

Sleep had softened the boy's features, painting him in a far more vulnerable light. The fear and caution of the previous night had been wiped away, leaving someone who seemed far too young, and far too small. How could he be twenty? How could Padme's baby already be twenty? 

It was tempting to leave him there. To let him sleep. But the chair was not the most supportive frame, nor was the library the most secure chamber of the palace. Reluctantly, Vader bent to touch Luke's cheek. 

"Luke," he said quietly, "This is hardly an appropriate place to sleep."

Luke's eyelids fluttered, but he did not fully awaken at once. Carefully, ever so carefully, Vader took hold of Luke's shoulders and guided him back into an upright position. 

"Your spine will thank me later," he said. 

Luke shifted, then opened his eyes with a groan. He didn’t seem to register Vader’s presence at first. One arm stretched up over his head, and the other came up to rub at his eyes.

“What time is it?” he yawned.

“Nearly noon,” answered Vader. The meeting with the Council had taken far longer than he would’ve liked. “Are you hungry?”

With a garbled sound, Luke waved a hand from side to side. “Don’t know yet?” he said in a still sleep-slurred voice.

After a few more seconds, he finally noticed just who had woken him. Instinctively, he straightened his spine, and looked a little bit nervous.

“Oh,” he said, very quietly. “H-hello, Father.”

“Hello, son.” Vader sounded amused. “Was your choice of reading that dull?”

After a moment, Luke nodded. He made a face. "I know there's supposed to be a famous musical made from this or something. But a whole chapter on how the sewer system of Ryloth's capital city works doesn't seem like good song material."

He jumped when Vader laughed. It was a warm, rich sound, utterly at odds with his austere appearance. 

"Poor boy!" He gently took the book from his son. "That was required reading for our literature studies when I was a boy. I loathed it. Very few of my peers sought it out voluntarily."

"I guess I can see why," Luke admitted. "But it seemed like it was going to be a good story."

"Then you are better served finding an abridged copy, I think," Vader chuckled. "Come. You should eat something."

Luke pushed himself up out of the chair. “Do I...need to put the books back?”

Vader leaned back on his heels. He looked at the books, then at the shelves. “I...will leave that to your best judgement. I do not know where you got them from.”

It was such a normal sounding conversation! Why?! 

Why did you have to be like...like this?! Luke fought a surprising burst of frustration. I have no idea how to talk to you! 

Serious and formal one moment, then laughing the next? Vader? Laughing?! It was as if the man he’d met on Cymoon and the man idly examining his stack of books were two completely different people.

Luke set the books on the console with the Holonet terminal eventually. Vader had suggested that he learn the cataloguing system of the room at a later time. At least that seemed to mean that he would be allowed to go back to the library again. Luke thought about his conversation with Artoo. Perhaps his father was trying to be kind to him. Whether that kindness would extend to anyone else was a different matter.

“I thought you were still meeting with dignitaries or something,” Luke said.

He trailed along behind Vader up an ornate staircase with his hands in his pockets. He was still uncomfortable walking too closely to the man. For all that he acknowledged that the new emperor was, indeed, his father, he was still a force to be reckoned with. 

Luke took a moment to internally groan at his unintended pun. Han would probably have elbowed him in the ribs for saying something like that. Chewie would think it was hilarious. 

Luke’s attempt to stay safely out of range failed quite suddenly. Vader deliberately slowed his steps so that Luke couldn’t hang back without being extremely obvious about it. He didn’t want to offend the emperor, so he tried to ignore his fight or flight instincts shaking his insides and kept pace with his father.

“I have several more meetings to endure today,” Vader said casually. “But the most onerous of those has been dealt with.”

This was not quite true. The Ruling Council was too full of Palpatine loyalists. Just intimidating them into compliance would only work for so long. They had connections, and they had money, and that could prove to be a headache if not dealt with sooner. Vader needed to replace at least three of them.

He had almost considered appointing Luke as Vizier in Amedda’s place, but had quickly thought better of it. Such a position would almost guarantee that Luke would never have time to fly again. Cutting a Skywalker off from the stars for good seemed too cruel. 

His son had not had the childhood he could have had if his mother had lived. If Palpatine had died much sooner. Let him enjoy his youth while he could.

But the problem of finding a Ruling Council that Vader could trust would still be waiting.

“The stupid hat club, right?” Luke asked.

He was unsettled by Vader’s proximity. Vader could sense that. He understood: the armor had been made to terrify. Perhaps one day he would have the option of seeing his son with his own eyes, but for now the boy would have to acclimate himself to the sight.

It was not often that Vader found himself cursing the cold, impersonal nature of his mask. He would have liked to smile at his son.

“Yes. The...stupid hat club.” He settled for letting his amusement be clearly heard in his voice. “That is not an inaccurate description. They run the day-to-day matters of ruling an Empire. But as they were all close to the former ruler, I find that I’d rather not trust them in matters of delegating governance.”

Luke grimaced. “That doesn’t sound like a good idea,” he agreed.

[elionwriter]

STAR WARS TOP TEN CHARACTERS AND RELATIONSHIPS (PART 3)

7) PADME AMIDALA

Usually when characters are "TOO GOOD" they end up being unrealistic and unlikable. NOT HER! A queen by election, an uncompromising senator, a great speaker, a true defender of democracy, a politician that fights in the front lines if necessary and definitely the one true fashionista of the Galaxy. Padme, both in stile and principals, reflects all the good and opulence of the High Republic, an age of stability, greatness and awareness in which debate was a preferable weapon to actual weapons even though she had no problems handling a blaster. Even though we are presented with many great politicians throughout the series no one is quite as resourceful or capable as her. Not even the great Bail Organa. She manages to gain and hold the respect of most senators, even her rivals, despite her young age; she brokers seemingly impossible negotiations, at one point almost bringing the Clone Wars at an end via a peace treaty with the Separatist Alliance; with a single speech she stops the production of new clone batches saving the Republic from bankruptcy. And yet, despite all this wisdom and capacity her greatest asset is her pure and kind heart. It's truly heartbreaking that she of all people found herself in such a painful and controversial relationship. Her love for Anakin is ultimately her downfall as she realizes too late how far gone he is. If anyone ever died of heartbreak is her. It seems a contradiction that someone so strong could abandon herself to sadness in such a manner and yet this single weakness makes her all the more precious, pure and beautiful. With her death all the goodness of that age is burried too leaving the Galaxy colder, dimmer and scarier.

8) HERA SYNDULLA & SABINE WREN

While the entire Specter crew is worthy of the spot, I want to celebrate its queens. I already called Ashoka Togruta pride, but for a species whose females are usually objectified and reduced to cantina dancers, Hera really elevates Twi'leks to the next level. Daughter of a famous and respected leader, Hera inherits that leadership and creates her own rag-tag team to guide the Galaxy towards insurgency against the Empire. It's always a brave decision to stand up against power and tyranny but to do so when one doesn't even know if they're alone in that effort is a titanic feat. Hera leaded the Spectres before the rebel alliance was even formed and had a pivotal role in their operations both as a strategist and an A class pilot. Acting as the mother of the crew she is one of the main reasons the other characters of her team remained alive and bloomed to their full potential. If it wasn't for her, Ezra Bridger wouldn't have joined the fray. Also, she manages to make Han Solo admit that the Ghost is better than the Falcon. Can one blame Kanan for falling head over heels in love with her? And Sabine, well...she is proof that one can be level-headed and hot-headed at the same time. A sassy, trigger-happy, genius, teen Mandalorian with a talent for street art. If you don't love her for this alone then it's definitely all her colors and wicked style that are gonna knock it out of the park. Not only does she change hair-cut and dye each season of "Star Wars: Rebels" she gives her armour a different paint-job too! While Din Djarin's armour is probably the most beautiful and impressive structure and defence wise, Sabine turned hers into a proper masterpiece. Her artistic merits are so good that even art expert Grand Admiral Thrawn wants to collect some of her works. At one point, she wields the dark sabre and manages to unite Mandalorian clans against the Empire's puppet leader. The fact that she had been accepted as a leader by her people but still decided to take a step back and pass the power to older and wiser Bo-katan Kryze is truly a point in her favour. Unforgettable is her relationship with Ezra, built on camaraderie, mutual trust and frienship. Wherever Ezra has ended up Sabine will keep searching for him until he is safely back home.

9) CAPTAIN REX AND THE 501

The prequel trilogy doesn't really tell us much about the clones and what happened during the years of their faithful service to the Republic before the tragic events of order 66 unfold. Thank goodness a lot of additional material got that covered! (Anyone watching the Bad Batch?!) All clones should be celebrated and mourned but no clone captured the heart more that Cpt./Commander Rex along with all the 501st. legion. The faithful and elite group of soldiers led by Anakin Skywalker and Ashoka has proven itself both in and out of the battlefield. Not only did this squad survive the treacherous General Krell, they managed to win the battle he was actively trying to sabotage, get a full confession out of him and imprison him. Not only this, it was one of the squad members, Fives, that almost uncovered the full plot against the Jedi order designed by Chancellor Palpatine. While all clones regarded each other as brothers there was a special bond that tied the men of this group and its leaders. Rex went to extensive lengths to retrieve his lost companion Echo, a move that Anakin supported; Fives ran to Rex and Anakin to reveal his discoveries and had they all not been interrupted, even in his frenzied state, the two seemed willing to listen to his side of the story. There was a solid complicity and trust between Anakin and his men to the point that he revealed to Rex his secret relationship with Padme (Something he didn't openly speak of even with Obi-Wan and Ashoka) and told him of her pregnancy. In exchange, Rex always trusted his general even when he got them all in the most dangerous and unorthodox situations, looking up to him and regarding him as the best of the Jedi even years after the war had ended (when complimenting Kanan's skills he purposefully underlines that he's still not as good as Skywalker). But the most heartwarming instance of all is when Rex and the 501 greet Ashoka, banished from the Jedi order and the military, with painted helmets to remind of her markings still referring to her as Commander. Rex goes always above and beyond his duty, aiding Ashoka and the rebellion years after being dismissed from service. Even as an old timer, he proves that the new Stormtroopers have nothing on him and that he is truly the ultimate soldier and friend. I only wish he could have met Luke, considering he was one of the very few who knew Anakin was expecting a child and he never realised that Anakin hadn't died at the end of the war but had become Darth Vader.

[ignobleknight2]

@solarsought plotted starter for Padme. 

Meeting her again, after ten painful years of separation, felt like a hot knife in his chest. She was the very picture of poise and elegance he remembered; more beautiful than any other being in the galaxy. Anakin had always imagined meeting Padme again would somehow be more… magical, but the sight of her, the electric energy of being near her, made his throat dry and his head empty. He stumbled over his words, quick to make his feeble efforts to hide the obvious flirting that came so easily when she was near. It left him feeling muddled and far too tense.

When both the Council and the Chancellor insisted on the Senator’s leaving, Anakin was deeply relieved, but similarly nervous. It was his first assignment on his own, and in spite of his long standing readiness for more responsibility, they could not have picked a more difficult task. It wasn’t in protecting her life that he had doubts, not at all. In his abilities with a saber, he had no such insecurities, but when it came to matters of the heart, his certainty crumbled. 

Fear and doubt hung in heavy clouds over his head, but his hopeful heart refused to give up on its fantastic delusions. He thought of all the time they would have together- alone. The possibilities spilled over in a wellspring of both meaningful and lustful. He swallowed a lump in his throat, doubtful of his imagination, but unable to completely cast aside these dubious thoughts. He did try to keep a level head, and entertained such fantasies as little as possible, but it was hard when all other paths seemed to lead only to pain. 

The nightmares, which plagued him for the better part of the month, were somehow getting worse. Each felt as real as anything in his waking hours, and took much time and meditation to convince himself they weren’t real, that his mother was alright, but part of him always doubted. This was his own error, his inability to trust Obi-Wan’s judgment unconditionally. It was arrogant that he should think he knew better than his master, but there were plenty of instances to prove he’d been right, at times. The Jedi way was a constant illusory presence in his life. It was rife with ideas that felt contradictory, or at times arbitrary, but he was devoted to learning. Forming his own understanding of the code was essential to his growth, but so was listening to the masters, who presumably knew best. 

All of it gave him a headache, and he much preferred to think about Padme. Even if some of these thoughts might lead him to places not suited to a Jedi, he couldn’t help himself. Being with her, he was both emboldened and empowered. When she laughed, his world was brighter. Once they reached her home on Naboo, things got easier. She was in her natural element and all the more radiant for it. She shone brighter than twin suns over a scorching desert. When she smiled at him, his heart leapt. How could she not know what she was doing to him?

“Let me help you with that,” Anakin offered, taking her heavy suitcase without waiting for an answer. His smile was warm, albeit arrogant. In his effort to appear normal, he projected far more self assurance than what he truly felt. He followed at her heels, equally nervous and excited to see her bedroom for the first time. There was a level of intimacy in the simple sharing of space, of letting someone else into your own world, that made him giddy and warm all over. It would almost be like their first meeting on Tatooine, except now he was not a child, nor enslaved. They were free to meet on more equal ground.

[laciefuyu]

I completely agree with all of your takes on Anakin! I’m curious, given how present Anakin’s faults are, what do you think Padme saw in him? I saw your post about Obi Wan and Satine (which I thought had amazing points, by the way) and I think their relationship mirrors Padme’s and Anakin’s relationship. You stated that Anakin wanted it both ways, as in to live as a Jedi and continue his relationship to Padme, thus being torn between the demands of both. I’m curious about what your take on Padme is in this.

What do Padme see in him? Temptation.

Here the thing about Padme Amidala, she is already a queen of Naboo by the age of 14. She knows what duty is and when set her mind right, she could do better. As shown in in TPM when she is initially naive, but forced to examined her own bias toward the Gungans and toward the Galaxy at large.

But by AOTC, she is swept away by Anakin Skywalker. I think it's because at very core, she was a hopeless romantic. She fell in love with him despite herself and agreed to marry him knowing it would place a strain on her own duty to her planet and the republic. She allows her relationship with Anakin to compromise her impartiality and obligations to her constituents and the republic. (For instance: trading Grievous for Anakin without consult to her fellow Senators of Galaxy Republic)

It’s built on her own desire to both have a relationship and wield the same level of responsibility, causing her to not disclose said conflict of interest. This is selfish, but understandable. It makes her an interesting character because she has a responsibility at young age and she wants things for herself and that isn't necessarily bad. In the process of trying to have both however, she doesn’t give either her relationship or the republic the attention they deserve. I think in this regards, Padme is white feminist that want to do good but has blinders.

And just like Anakin, she doesn’t make a choice. She want to do good, she really do but when she decided that reassuring Anakin after massacre of the sand people and rationalized it with ‘to be angry is to be human’, when she let herself being swayed away but Anakin’s ‘ to me, there's nothing more important than the way I feel about you. nothing.’, when she traded Grievous for Anakin without consult, that’s when things really shows how she willing to compromise her conscience and duty for the sake of their love, their selfish love.

I think that’s the thing about Anidala too, they let themselves see the idealized version of the other, not what they truly are. She tiptoed the fact Anakin killed children, she tiptoed the fact Anakin have fascist belief and they become an enabler of their worst impulse. They don’t actually manages to set a boundary in relationship. People who in relationship supposed to be bring the best of each other but theirs end up bring like feedback loop of negative cycle. 

And it’s not like the love is not real, I believe it’s real, but its foundation is a mutual blindness to each other's faults. Good couples in a healthy relationship help each other face their issues, they call each other out and communicate well, they make each other better people. Anakin and Padme ignored each other’s faults, and made each other into worse people

Also as you mentioned Anon, Obitine is their foil because unlike Anidala, they are someone who instead make the others compromise who they are, they choose to let each other go. They have a clear understanding of each other’s priorities, communicate effectively, and don’t lose themselves in the relationship.  They understand that they have to put duty first. They don’t let their romantic love defined their entire being. 

So I think in the end, Padme somewhat enables the situation by wanting to have the cake and eat it too because she knows her job would make her able to do good but in the same time, she was consumed by their loves, obsession with each other and that I think actually weighed on her conscience, especially by the time of ROTS, and yet she was still willing to take him even after she was told that Anakin murdered the younglings, even after she knew that he is more that capable to do that after his confession of massacre the entire village of sand people. She established boundaries and priorities with respect to their relationship far too late.

Unwillingness to make choice is one of the cause (a big one) why everything fall apart. 

[tigereyes45]

Melancholy

(Summary: Obi-wan and Ahsoka have one last conversation before they go their separate ways forever. Kenobi wrestles with his own emotions, such as anger over her actions as they talk.)

AO3 link here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24049534

Obi-wan finds himself once again alone watching out the hanger bay window. The admiral and many of their forces were already on the ship. Soon, Ahsoka would be leaving with Commander Rex and what was practically her new force. If it was anyone else he would have stepped in and stopped this whole fiasco before it happened, but despite her leaving the order, and the complete lack of respect she had displayed earlier this was Ahsoka. Reckless as she may be, she wasn’t a fool. Not any longer. Obi-wan takes solace in her change, even though he can not bring himself to respect all of them.

The door opens with a quiet hum, and it’s clear why his thoughts were still on her despite the great many other issues he had to consider.

“Ahsoka.”

“Oh Obi-wan, I didn’t expect to see you in here. I was looking for,”

“Rex or Anakin I presume. They are currently busy hiding yet another call.”

“Padme?”

He tries not to look back at her as she comes closer. He was so on edge lately. The drop of clarity and his connection to the force was coupled with the warning signs of many dangers. More than he had felt coming during the entirety of the war. Ahsoka wasn’t a danger to him. Her being here had actually helped calm the clones from the 501st and 212th not to mention it grounded Anakin who had still been reeling from her poor departure, and Padme.

“You know my master once said that I had to focus on the here instead of letting my mind wander.”

“Your master sounds wise.” Was this the first time he spoke of Qui-gon to Ahsoka? He can’t recall another time, and yet he can’t really imagine why he wouldn’t have.

“He was, but he was wrong in that instance. I was right to warn him of the dangers I sensed because that allowed us to escape with our lives. I was going to laud that over his head once we got back to the temple from Naboo but,” Obi-wan’s eyes collapse from the weight of the memories. His body tries to follow but the Jedi master was fast enough to press his hand against the window, holding himself up. He hopes it looked casual. As if he was trying to support his weight during another one of his headaches.

“What happened to him?”

There was so much curiosity in her voice. Once upon a time, he would have taken pride in that trait, but it was the same thing that sent her away from the order. Curiosity, and resentment. “He didn’t heed his own advice. He stopped focusing on the moment for a chance to fulfill a prophecy. That brought about his death.”

A pregnant silence fills the few feet between them. There she stood. Anakin’s padawan. The girl that had been more of a lesson to him than anything Obi-wan himself could offer his former student. Anakin had given him a lot of trouble. He was hasty, and violent, and threw caution to the wind for any chance at recognition of his abilities. Ahsoka had shared so few of those traits with Anakin, and the ones she did were never to the same degree. So how did he get so lucky that Anakin stayed when he had so many reasons not to, while Ahsoka walked away? Why does she feel so comfortable talking to him, yet he can barely bring himself to meet her eye?

“Why are you telling me?”

“Because Ahsoka there are different times for wise words to carry their truths. Adaptability is the strongest skill for any Jedi to have, and it is the one thing Anakin has in spades. However, what helps him in battle holds him back in life. He does not adapt to changes in his personal reality the way he can on the battlefield. If he did, then it is possible that not even the Jedi council could stop him from what he dreams.” Can you be there for him Ahsoka? He wants to ask for this one last favor. This one last chance he may ever have to confide in her. Can she stay and watch out for her old master the way she always had? Last-minute he purses his lips and keeps his silence. It isn’t her job to be there for Anakin. That had always been his.

“What are you talking about Obi wan? Not even the council? I-why would he-”

“Because he is in love with the senator.” And there it was.

“Padme.”

“Yes.” The truth.

“I thought Anakin had hidden that from you.” Of course she already knew. Everyone but the high council knew, and even then Mace Windu appeared to have taken notice of it.

“He’s tried Ahsoka, but let’s be honest. It’s a known secret. The whole 501st, and 212th squads know. I’ve known, and you knew it too.”

“Anakin has never been great at discretion.”

“Padme is better but she’s reckless when he’s around.”

“From what they’ve told me she gets her most reckless ideas when it comes to protecting her people, and that it appeared to have worn off on Anakin.”

So the senator had shared far more with Ahsoka then him. Another reason she would have been useful during this time. Perhaps he could better understand the chaotic emotions in Anakin if she was. There’s no changing the past though and Ahsoka made her decision long ago. It feels so distant now, that time where he and the others were forced to judge her. She lost all trust in them, and maybe that was fair, but she also abandoned Anakin. Is that the sin he can not forgive? Is that why he feels the claws of anger constantly tugging at the edges of his mind whenever he sees her walking around as if she never left. Ahsoka won’t even acknowledge the change in their dynamic, even now, but he knows better. They will never be the same, because he betrayed her, and then she abandoned Anakin. There could never be peace until this war is over. Perhaps then there will be enough time to meditate on these feelings further. If they are lucky.

“I should go now Ahsoka. May the force be with you.” He blinks open his eyes. Giving her one more polite smile, Obi-wan takes his leave. The hanger bay feels warmer as he steps outside it.

[gffa]

(1/2) Hey GFFA question for you... I haven't read "Master and Apprentice" yet, but I've been following your metas avidly. I agree that Qui-Gon's half-baked desire to just start running around unilaterally fixing every injustice in the galaxy by force is CLEARLY not the way to go. Obviously there was lots of interesting discussion in "Queen's Shadow" as well about the ethics of working within a flawed system and accomplishing less vs. the dangers of going rogue as Padme grappled with her choices.

(2/2) In one of your metas you said something interesting about how the New Republic’s failure to thrive and fix the galaxy’s pervasive problems also showed the pitfalls of radically trashing the old system instead of affecting change from within. My question is: DO you think the Republic could have been saved/successfully reformed through internal activism (given the sheer scale of corruption, greed, and impotence near the end of the Clone Wars) and if so, HOW?

I HAVE BEEN TURNING THIS OVER AND OVER IN MY HEAD because it’s a really fascinating question to ask and, at the end of the day, I’m not sure there’s really an answer, partly because it’s complicated and we’re missing so many huge pieces of Star Wars and also, if there were easy answers, god knows we’d be doing them IRL already.I’ve been turning over the question, “How do you effect and keep actual social change?” and I keep coming back to one thing at the heart of it–you have to have a general public that has a majority of people onboard with it.  Without that, if the majority of the public doesn’t care or disagrees with a social change, eventually it’s going to fall through and revert back to the way it was before.  You can leeroy jenkins it all you want, but if there’s no system in place to support those changes, if there’s no public widespread demand for it, it’s going to revert within years, if not months.That’s the big problem with the Republic, that the general public was apathetic about holding senators to responsible law-making and law-enforcement.  There were pockets of people who were protesting things like the clones being a slave army (as the Propaganda book showed us) but they were not the majority, the majority of people seemed apathetic on it, so long as they didn’t have to fight.  I mean, even with Padme’s big speech to the Senate, slavery wasn’t a part of the conversation (despite that it was the perfect place to bring it up and she says nothing about this, show how little a part of the conversation this was), but instead about how “buying people is making us poor”.As important as Palpatine was to this whole process, he didn’t invent the corruption that was in the system.  I do tend to believe that the Republic could have been saved if he hadn’t been there, that the war polarized everything and took the good-hearted politician’s jobs from difficult to basically impossible, that the sheer scale of the war kept everyone from having the time or resources to do more than put out immediate tire fires and never getting time to address deeper roots of problems.  But, had the general public reached a consensus on an issue and been willing to hold the government to it, not even Palpatine’s manipulation of the system could have held up against the uniting of quadrillions of beings.This isn’t to say that individual action had no place, because people like Bail and Mon and Padme and the Jedi are working with the system, bettering it or helping people when they can, which is important to do.  Queen’s Shadow was fascinating because it did bring up the idea of going rogue politically (which was a much gentler version of what Qui-Gon seems to be suggesting), that she did basically do exactly that during TPM, she went around the Senate after they didn’t immediately act, and Padme pays for it for years, which stymies her ability to actually get anything done or help anyone, because she’s put on the outs for it.  It sets her back and she has to work really hard to gain trusted allies--and this is her full time job, to work on this kind of influence and policy-making.  And it’s difficult, but she does make some progress, she does make the galaxy a little better, through using the system so that their can actually stand.Without Palpatine’s influence, I think more instances of this could have helped steer the Republic back from the brink.  It would be harder towards the end of the war, once everything was so fucked up, but the whole point of the war was that everyone was pouring their energy in the wrong directions and becoming increasingly unwilling to listen to anyone else, so the Separatists just kept digging in their heels as much as the Republic did.  And that wouldn’t be easy to change.  For example, you know it was his influence that had the Senate voting for making negotiations with the Separatists illegal, which meant that both sides got further entrenched in their arguments.  You take Palpatine out of the equation and it doesn’t magically get fixed, but Padme and Bail and Mon’s efforts suddenly have a chance of reopening negotations, which has a chance of settling things with the Separatists.It does make things further complicated by some of the things happening in the war, though, like, a lot of people joined the Separatists because of disenfranchisement with the Republic, but they’re also part of a group that’s literally enslaving entire planets and murdering rulers.  They try to murder King Katuunko, they try to enslave Mon Cala, they funnel support to the Zygerrians who start up their slavery again, etc.  The Separatists don’t want to just be left alone, they planned to have war from the beginning, that’s how they were found out on Geonosis in the first place.Basically, once the war started, it got a hell of a lot harder to clean this mess up because the corruption got so much worse.  But I do think it was possible to have reformed the Republic through internal activism and working within the system, had Palpatine not been there.  We see glimpses of how people start to make a real difference through it (like Padme in QS, as a most recent example, or how the Jedi help free the people that the Separatists want to enslave), but the problem is that nobody knew Palpatine was evil.  We, the audience, through hindsight, foresight, and omniscient point of view know it, and sometimes it’s easy to forget that it’s not super obvious in-world, that the vast majority of people were entirely fooled by him, so their point of view looks like they have a chance to reform it through internal workings, they have a chance to make real, lasting help to people through crawling forward in progress, but they have no idea that Palpatine is roadblocking them and making it impossible.So, ultimately, the answer is yes and no.  The Republic was worth saving from the point of view of those who were in it, because the alternatives were far worse, there was no feasible alternative, the Separatists were oppressing more people, the Empire was the ultimate in oppressing people, even burning it all down and starting over DOESN’T FIX ALL THE PROBLEMS.You have to get widespread public sentiment (and willingness to actually enforce) onboard, you have to make sure the entire thing isn’t falling apart around you, you have to get the politicians to actually do their fucking jobs, and all of those are different roles done by different people and all of them need to be in place.  And, like, radical activism does sometimes have its place, but that’s when democratic options are off the table, which can be complicated to figure out when that is, but widespread public sentiment still has to be on your side for that to actually hold--like the worlds that don’t elect a senator and get a corrupt one, then, yes, radical activism might be your only option, to rebel against the non-elected government, but if the public of that world doesn’t really care, then all the leeroy jenkinsing it in the galaxy isn’t going to hold it in place and it’ll just revert right back to where you started.Without public sentiment being onboard, you’re doomed to fail.  And I think that was ultimately the far more difficult problem that never got fixed, because there’s no easy answer to it.  If there were, we’d already be living in a utopia, we wouldn’t have gone through the shit we went through in 2016 onward.  And who the public listens to, who they should listen to, who they’re willing to listen to, who has the experience to avoid a full on smear campaign, who has the experience to speak of these things and who should be governing the people, is a hell of a complicated thing.

[mysterious-prophetess]

Anakin vs Danaerys: Why one Fall isn’t as hated as the other.

Though it has been weeks since that finale aired, I think we can all agree that this is a topic people are not going to just stop talking about anytime soon. Game of Thrones was a cultural phenomenon and then it fizzled out like a firework that plunged into water too soon. In watching others’ reactions, I saw that some people compared Danaerys Targaryen’s rapid fall to Anakin Skywalker’s Fall in Star Wars and even I’d thought “even Anakin had more time to go nuts than her.” That got me to thinking whenever it was brought up that Anakin had a nonsensical Fall too but it made more sense in context as to why that was.

The prequel trilogy was not as bad as some might say it is. At least, I don’t think it’s bad 100%. I was a kid/teen whenever they came out and I enjoyed them. Looking back I like them in this ranking: 3, 1, and 2. It’s funny that I like the third film, the one with the aforementioned Fall more than the others but to me it was the one that finally had its stuff together as far as the prequels were concerned. Yet, the reason Anakin’s fall is more believable in three versus Danerys’s 3-4 episode “fall” is we already knew he was going to become Darth Vader. To those who say “you should show it 1,2,3,4,5,6” this is why you shouldn’t. Otherwise the Fall is more abrupt, but still there. Because it starts with the former black sheep of the franchise Episode 2. So, with all that considered, Danerys and Anakin have the same amount of screen time to fall, but why is his more acceptable even without know he was always doomed? Let’s look at what Anakin did in these two movies.

Anakin Skywalker is both not a complex character and yet very much a complex of a character.  We start Episode 2 with Anakin as a padawn and he was your typical whiny teen who thinks he’s more grown up than he is (nineteen is still a teenager). He also has an almost obsessive love for Padme whom he hasn’t seen in ten years.  He then explores this love despite the fact the religion/group he is a member of strictly prohibits forming major attachments like this. He is granted visions of his mother dying and when he finds her dead after being tortured by the local aliens who hate/torment the human settlers, he slaughters their whole village and not just their able bodied warriors who would be mostly responsible for this act of cruelty. He admits this to Padme. They go rescue Obi-Wan, they end up captured. He nearly derails a pursuit to save Padme when she doesn’t need saving. He acts like a teenager and gets dismembered for it. He then ends the movie getting secretly married. Basically, Anakin is a walking talking cluster of red-flags. It’s an instance where foreshadowing and character development are walking side-by-side for the most part. When Anakin Falls in Episode 3, he’s been through a war for the past three years. War changes people and not for the better. He’s also buddy-buddy with a Sith Lord who may or may not be screwing with his head using the Dark Side as well as encouraging Anakin’s worst aspects of himself: pride, impulsiveness, obsession. Palpatine also used other tactics to make himself seem like a safe stable support when he was a trap. In short, Palpatine master manipulator was setting Anakin’s Fall up. When Anakin goes full Vader and marches on the Jedi Temple, it’s shocking but not because we’ve already seen him go and massacre a Tuscan Raider village a movie prior. We know he’s capable of it already, therefore now that he’s murdering those who look to him for security, is horrifying but it’s actually well within his character. Even his force-choke of the woman he’s ostensibly done all this for isn’t too far beyond what we know he’s capable of now that Anakin is Vader. It doesn’t feel too rushed, and it doesn’t feel like it’s out of nowhere for shock value because everyone knew it was coming. Even without having seen the Original Trilogy first, Anakin murdering those Sand People is still enough of a moment to know he’s not going to stay good.

Now, let’s take a look at Danaerys Targaryen. Mother of Dragons, Breaker of Chains, yadda-yadda. Since this is the show we’re looking at the books will not be included in this discussion. So, why does her heel turn make no sense but Anakin’s does, you might ask. Let’s go back to the fact Anakin was a pile of red flags whereas Danaerys, until this season, was not. She might have had a flag here or there but she wasn’t on the whole a pile of them. She still pursued an idealists vision of things, but could be selfish. Her descent into madness because “no one wuved her as much as Jon and then Jon wouldn’t act on their love because incest and she felt isolated” is both sexist and stupid. Her lack of foresight to scout ahead because she somehow ���forgot” about enemies is illogical and plot convenient that her dragon gets killed to drive her mad. Cersei beheading Missandei is within Cersei’s character but beyond that it was a waste of a character’s death and let’s not even go into the other issues surrounding the only major WoC character being treated as fuel to a “madness” fire. Finally, her decision to burn down the whole city was so poorly defended and so much of a heel turn that no amount of “foreshadowing” can excuse her sudden desire for wanton murder. She burnt enemies last season—in battle. She executed people via dragon—when they wouldn’t submit and she’d given them a chance and it was war. She was distressed when the dragons killed people and locked them up in Mereen. She risked everything to fight the Night King and his undead horde. Yet, all that was so easily undone because a lack of love? No. Doesn’t work. If Danaerys was so unstable then she’d have immediately attacked Kingslanding the moment she got everyone ready to go after resting on Dragonstone. She’d have told Jon to bend the knee or else go away and not helped him if she was Mad Queen material the whole time. Basically, you can’t have an idealist character go in that time from slightly problematic to full blown Mad Queen. Danaerys had the elements to become like that but her actions on the show never fully went far enough to make her out of nowhere decision to burn it all. Which is why it’s not as accepted a heel turn as Anakin’s. Because the work wasn’t done properly for her to turn like that in a show like Game of Thrones where the characters used to be fully fleshed out creations. I actually don’t care if that’s what Martin intends to do with Danaerys in the books, because he takes time to get characters to where they will eventually go and it makes sense every step of the way. This was a rushed chop job of a character angle versus the nice curve of an arc and no amount of “well, actually, it was foreshadowed” will excuse the sloppy execution.

Say what you will about the Prequel trilogy but their whole purpose was to set up the Empire and Darth Vader and they accomplished that. Game of Thrones on the other hand lost sight of anything and everything it was possibly moving towards and became War Bad. Power Mad People Bad. Oligarchy Good Enough. Stories Good.  It all ends up being empty when it’s rushed. Here’s hoping Benioff and Weiss don’t fuck up any character arcs with their new cash cow Star Wars like they did with Game of Thrones but since the most recent Star Wars film-to me- was a meh, the bar for not screwing things up is low.

[gaealynn]

TT/AU half-fic continuation

So Yoda explains that back on Coruscant he’d come to (from meditation? sleep? unconsciousness? death?) at the very same time that Obi-Wan had inexplicably come back to life on Naboo, and immediately packed up several members of the Council and a handful of healers and headed for Theed.  He seems to remember/know everything that Ben remembers, and yet….

It’s not quite clear is what, exactly, all of this is.  Have they shared a powerful Force Vision?  Is it time travel?  An alternate universe?  

Yoda’s holding out for Force Vision, but Ben is honestly – pretty sure it’s not.  At least not for him.  Even just the time they spend talking together before Ben is too exhausted to continue makes Ben suspect – well, that he and Yoda have not had quite the same experience.  

Yoda just seems… too whole, to be the same Yoda that had lived through the destruction of the Jedi order.  Grieved, and concerned over what he’d seen, to be sure, but – not hollowed out and unmoored, the way that Ben still feels.  The way the Yoda on Degobah had been.  Yoda is a grand master of the Living Force, true, and the Force is indeed a powerful ally, but there are some things….

They’re not able to come to agreement on what has happened.

“Matter, it does not,” Yoda finally says, when Ben can no longer hide his mounting exhaustion, this young body still far too drained for an extended philosophical debate.  “Knowledge, we have gained.  Act on it, we will.  But rest, you require.”

So Yoda leaves Obi-Wan to rest, and….

***

“…. Master Obi-Wan?”  The high voice from the door, sometime later, was not a surprise.  The surge of pure gratitude, verging on happiness, that swept through him at the once-familiar voice, however, was.  Ben embraced it, the feeling uncomplicated and pure in a way he had nearly forgotten, and allowed a smile to bloom on his face.

“I’m not your Master, Anakin,” he corrected gently, and gestured the young boy into the room.  “You should just call me – Obi-Wan.”  And, ah, what a strange thing to say!

Anakin, impossibly young and wide eyed and Light, darted into the room quickly, casting a look over at Qui-Gon’s still form on his way to Ben’s bedside.

“Are you alright?”  Anakin asked immediately, pressing himself anxiously against the high side of the medical bed.  “Is – is Master Qui-Gon alright?”

“I’m quite fine, Anakin, and I believe that Master Qui-Gon will be, as well.” Ben answered, and chuckled at the wave of relief that immediately poured off the boy.  He’d forgotten how much, and how strongly, Anakin had projected before he’d learned to hold basic shields.

“Master Yoda said that you would be, but I – I came every day,” this was offered somewhat shyly, and quickly followed up with an earnestly concerned, “and it seemed like you were dead!  You’ve been asleep forever.”

“Six days is quite a long time,” Ben agreed gravely, and Anakin nodded fervently, still darting looks in Qui-Gon’s direction, hands twisting anxiously in the sheets at Ben’s side.  Ben knew what he should do, according to the teachings of the Temple, and what he would have done – what he had done – when he’d come to know Anakin for the first time.  But he was too old and tired, now, to chide Anakin over this heartfelt worry.  Besides which, he had to admit to himself, he simply… did not want to.

“Why don’t you come up here?” He offered instead, shifting himself slightly to make room on the bed and patting the empty spot.  Anakin stared up in surprise for only a second, then scrambled up, not even hesitating before tucking himself under the arm that Ben held up.

He looked so much like Luke at this age, Ben thought in astonishment.  Who had been looking after him while he and Qui-Gon had laid asleep?  Padme – or rather, now, Queen Amidala – surely would have seen that his needs were met, but the Queen couldn’t possibly have much time to spend with a little boy after Naboo’s recent crisis.  And Anakin had just left his mother, whom he had never before been without, and was now on a strange planet…

Ben could not recall if he had found those circumstances so alarming his first time around, but he could not, in fact, recall much from those days other than the pressing grief.  He suspected, now, that he’d been a very poor comfort to his young padawan.

“How have you been, Anakin?” He asked, when his study of the young boy had stretched on too long.  Anakin, warm and bright beside him, did not seem to mind.

“I’m wizard,” The young boy declared immediately.  Obi-Wan chuckled; perhaps his concern was misplaced.   “I destroyed the droid ship and Padme says I’m a hero and I got to be in a parade!  Uh, not that – I didn’t mean to leave the hanger, I swear!”

“Oh?”  Ben asked, to cover his confusion.  What? – ah, yes, Qui-Gon had told him to stay put.

“It started to fly on its own!”  Anakin explained earnestly, “I didn’t mean to, but I just– I couldn’t not help!  I knew I had to….”

“Your instincts do you credit, young one; the battle could not have been won had the droid ship remained functional.”  Anakin brightened again, and beamed up.  Ben hid his amusement; this was something that his padawan had never managed to shake, the desire for praise, and this honest reception of it was more charming than the somewhat arrogant preening that Anakin had taken to in his later teenage years.  That thought, however, threatened to turn dark, so he shook it off quickly.

“And Master Yoda and Master Billaba are teaching me to meditate!” Anakin continued brightly, before wilting slightly and confessing, “But, uh, it isn’t going so well,” before hurriedly moving on, “and this morning, Master Yoda let me take apart his lightsaber!”

Oh, stars.

“That’s – extremely kind of him.”  Ben managed, swallowing a laugh.  How desperate had the old troll had been, to allow such a thing?  Anakin was a far cry from the orderly children that Yoda liked to visit in the creche.  

“Yeah, it was wizard!  And, uh.  I wanted… to ask…” For the first time, Anakin seemed unsure, twisting away, slightly, from where he’d been lying against Obi-Wan’s side, eyes downcast.

“You can ask me anything you like, Anakin,” Ben reassured, and Anakin bit his lip, but continued.

“I thought – this morning?  It seemed like you were in the room, but you weren’t there!  But I felt you!”  Anakin insisted, eyes wide again.  Ben frowned, and then realized.

“You mean this?”  He asked, and reached out again; even though he was still exhausted, it was easier this time, with Anakin so close, to brush the happy content glad to see you against the boy’s mind.  Anakin’s eyes went even wider.

“Wizard,” He breathed, and Ben didn’t even try to hide the smile as Anakin pressed back again, happy excited happy – although there was still that faint hint of confused.

“What is it, Anakin?”

“I thought – youdidn’tlikeme?” It was a quick mumble, Anakin’s mind pulling back from his own even as the boy cast his eyes back down to the floor.

Oh, Force.  He’d been such an arrogant, young fool.  And why was Anakin always so perceptive exactly when Ben wanted him to be oblivious?

“That’s not true,” Ben reassured hastily, heart twisting – had his own Anakin believed the same thing?  Had their problems started even here?

“But you said–”

“I know,”  Ben cut him off, “I know, Anakin.  And I can only ask  you to forgive me, for being very unkind.  I was – I was afraid,” He admitted, “And I allowed my fear to control me.  It is not the Jedi way.”

“So you do think I’m dangerous?” Anakin asked, voice wobbling, and Ben pulled him closer, tight against his side, and shut his eyes against a future that had already – and not yet – happened.  

Did he believe Anakin was dangerous?  All beings had the potential for darkness; he knew that now better than most.  But to say that the bright, warm being in his arms was destined for the Dark?  To throw away this Light, over the fear that Anakin might someday turn?  

No.  Ben wouldn’t do it.  Even if Anakin were tempted, even if Anakin did Fall again – there would still be hope.  Ben knew that now.

“No,” He breathed his denial into the soft blond hair.  To himself, to Anakin, to the Force?  He didn’t know.  “No, Anakin.  You’re not dangerous.”  Not any more than any other Jedi.  “I’m so sorry…”

He wouldn’t fail Anakin again.

***

Later, when Anakin had exhausted himself (describing the palace and the victory celebration and his new studies with Yoda and Billaba and, of course, Padme – oh, so very much about Padme) and fallen asleep against Ben’s shoulder, Ben let himself drift.

The Force was comforting, here, in the busy city of Theed; millions of sentient lives overlapping, a gentle, contented hum that smoothed out thousands of tiny, petty instances of disagreement and discord.  So much more life than there had ever been on Tatooine.  

Anakin, against his shoulder, so star-bright that it almost hurt to look at him in the Force, though it was only a fraction of the strength that Ben knew he would someday achieve.  And across the room, Qui-Gon, his Master, that cool-warm presence, reminiscent of the deep forest…

Not his, Ben carefully avoided thinking, adrift in the Force, untethered among the great currents of a changing future.

Not his, but beloved, and precious.  He certainly wouldn’t fail them again.

[senator-mon-mothma]

Long rambling thoughts from my pre-TLJ ROTS rewatch below the cut (and my thoughts about the deleted scenes, which I basically consider part of this movie)

Not being an official master/padawan has done wonders for Anakin and Obi-Wan’s relationship

“Sith Lords are our speciality” ooh the second-hand embarrassment. But Palpatine, isn’t it fun tricking everyone like this? What would you really gain by killing the Jedi?

It’d be interesting if Dooku was still trying to recruit Obi-Wan during this fight but I guess he kind of burned that bridge

I wonder why Dooku didn’t try to throw Palpatine under the bus when it became clear Palpatine was betraying him.

I love how Anakin and Obi-Wan don’t bat an eye at this old man doing all these acrobatics he really shouldn’t be able to when they’re in the elevator shaft.

Anakin’s dream is another instance of Padme brushing off behavior from Anakin that she should worry more about. She knows his last dream ended with him committing mass murder...

Honestly, this whole movie is full of people being on the right track about what’s going on but not realizing how bad it is. Padme and Obi-Wan know Anakin’s struggling, the Jedi know there’s something off about Palpatine, the Senators (in the deleted scenes) know the Republic’s in trouble, but no one realizes how dire the situation is.

(in the opera scene) okay I understand why Palpatine isn’t content to just toy with the Jedi forever. It must be really satisfying to finally put this plan into motion.

Plus I love his smirk when he talks about Plagueis dying

“The Chancellor has requested that I lead this campaign” no that didn’t actually happen, Anakin. He said he quested the wisdom of Jedi if they didn’t choose Anakin, but made no requests.

I wonder if things would’ve gone differently if Mace had brought Anakin along from the start. I think it was probably too late.

I think Palpatine is trying harder than he has to post-fall to convince Anakin to kill the Jedi. I think Anakin woudl go along with just about anything he says at that point.

Order 66 is sad :( and the youngling scene is really a moral event horizon and why I really have zero sympathy for Anakin past this point. Like, imagine what happens right after the scene cuts. 

I wonder what Palpatine’s secretary thinks is going on?

In case someone isn’t already aware, Bail Organa is a hero. He’s a Senator, it would be so easy to convince himself that investigating the temple is someone else’s job, or send someone in his place, but he goes himself to investigate (and seems to be the only person who does). And then, when that doesn’t go well, it would be so easy to convince himself that he’d done his duty and it was out of his hands, but he immediately takes his ship to find any Jedi survivors. Like, he has follow through. He backs up his beliefs with words and his words with actions and it makes so much sense that this is the sort of person who raised Leia.

When Obi-Wan and Yoda arrive on Coruscant, do they even know Palpatine is the Sith? Is the Anakin=Vader discovery in the temple also the Palpatine=Sith discovery? Imagine Obi-Wan learning both of those things at the same time and realizing that he knew this relationship was bad news and still didn’t stop it.

in the “thunderous applause” scene, Bail and Padme are really working from a very different set of facts. Bail’s been hanging out with the Jedi and Padme still ostensibly believes Anakin when he said the Jedi had turned against Palpatine. What is going through her head?

“leave everything else behind while we still can” way too late for that, Padme

Oh Obi-Wan, checking Padme’s pulse.

I know it wouldn’t make sense but I always wish the Senate were in session for the Palpatine/Yoda duel when they come through the floor.

I can’t help judging Obi-Wan and Yoda for going into hiding. I get that they’re having a rough week, but they’re not the only ones. Bail just watched his friend die and the government he’s devoted his life to completely disintegrate and his reaction is “guess I’m going to be spending the rest of my life fighting tyranny”. But the Jedi are just like, “we tried once and failed, better let these newborn children handle it when they grow up”.

Breha is a saint. Bail literally just adopted a baby without telling her first? And as far as we can tell she’s perfectly happy about it.