#jedi theology

[celestial-sphere-press]

Fanbinding: Prajna Paramita by @catalpa-waltz

"What do you know of the Jedi?" she asks him.

"Nothing," he says. And it's true. All at once his mind is full of nothing, of an empty sky and empty sand, and on the horizon, the dark hulking shape of an empty house crouched like a sleeping beast.

"Nothing," he says again.

This bind has been sitting on my backburner for so long bc of other deadlines but it's one of those fics that drove me a little insane. @catalpa-waltz by their own words wrote in this fic a "thesis on the intersection of Mahayana Buddhism with Jedi and Mandalorian culture" and it is absolutely lovely. How could I not lean in equally hard? So we have here a number of motifs - a mandala I designed using architectural embellishments from jedi temple imagery, a lotus flower, the wheel of dharma, a geometric divider that looks like it has a bes'karta in it.

The lovely golden flower bookcloth I sourced locally here in Japan, and it is SO SILKLY SOFT I could never make a mark on it, so I did a printed obi-band instead. This paper is quite interesting - it's also a Japanese style, and I believe it's done by heavily polishing little spirals or flowers into the paper. The endpapers are a lovely geometric chiyogami, and I sewed the endbands in Japanese hand-sewing silk thread.

[vaguely-concerned]

since his ultimate fate is unknown to us for now, let's as a fandom get together and manifest that the watsonian explanation for rael averross being nowhere to be found in the clone wars era is that he quit being a jedi and is out there getting laid and going to therapy, rather than because he, y'know... died horrifically or eventually succumbed to the dark side after all or suffered similar jedi-related work hazards

[strawberriesinmoominvalley]

tatooine slave culture has ar-amu. the mortis gods are canon. this gives across the implication that most planets an idea of the force as a deity

anyway so this shows that within the star wars universe belief in the light (god, if you will) is inherent, as within all people the acceptance for god is inherent. in this essay i will

[margindoodles2407]

YES! THIS! THANK! YOU!

So one thing that has always struck me about Star Wars, and makes it feel more unique and real, is how it does religion.

In many, many fantasy works, if religion comes up at all, it won’t really mean much of anything. Religion is basically a throwaway line. It’s basically like “oh by the way, there’s a polytheistic religion and the gods are probably definitely real, now back to completely ignoring this”. That’s if it gets mentioned at all. Having once been religious myself, this does not feel like the characters are actually religious. The religion in these works doesn’t have meaning.

Star Wars does not do that. The heroes are religious. Instead of it basically just being a throwaway line, it affects a lot. It affects their behavior and their beliefs. The Jedi live in a Temple. They see all life as sacred, so they usually try to avoid killing. They also spend time trying to save as many lives as possible (see all the times Jedi saved clones’ lives as an example). Their religion values teaching, so they often are teaching to show that they care. Their religion matters.

The religion matters for those who have been in the religion for as long as they can remember (such as Obi-Wan) and it matters for converts (such as Anakin and Luke).

Anakin converts into the Jedi religion when he is a child. He goes a lot of the normal Jedi stuff such as growing up as a Padawan, being assigned missions by the Council, and having the entire Jedi community there for him. His whole dilemma is that he wants be a Jedi and married to Padme, even though Jedi aren’t supposed to be married. If being a Jedi wasn’t meaningful to him, he’d probably have just chosen Padme without there being a fuss.

Luke converts when he’s an adult (by our standards). He doesn’t have the same normal Jedi stuff Anakin did. The Jedi community has been wiped out, he doesn’t spend/get much time with his masters, and there isn’t a Council to assign him mission. He gets assigned on missions by the Rebellion (and one time himself). But being a Jedi is meaningful to him to. He told Palps to his face “I am a Jedi” in what was an amazing moment (until the lightning).

This all makes the Jedi feel like they are actually religious. Basically, I like that Star Wars understands that religion has meaning and an impact.

[gffa]

Jedi culture & community fics, my beloved! They're a bit of a rare breed for what you're specifically looking for, specifically focusing on positive Jedi worldbuilding, so if anyone has genfic recs outside of the ones I know, please feel free to add them! But these should help scratch that itch for you, each of them has at least some focus on Jedi philosophy or how Jedi interact with each other or the lessons they teach! It's been awhile since I've read some of them, so there might be some that aren't quite as in-line with how I see the Jedi these days, but they're all ones I felt portrayed them pretty positively and they're all genfic (except one that I made an exception for) and all really lovely fics I remember enjoying for the Jedi worldbuilding aspects! And there are some that will make you absolutely melt with how much you love these characters and their beautiful culture, because by god if canon's not going to give us as much detail as we want, fandom will step up. And fandom made sure to not just focus on the disaster lineage--we love Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Ahsoka, we always want more of them, please don't stop writing Jedi worldbuilding with them!--but also Mace and Yoda and Quinlan and Qui-Gon and even some Jedi OCs get some love in these fics, which makes me want to explode with joy to see! So, come cry about how much we love the Jedi with me, I WILL GIVE YOU A CRAPLOAD OF FIC TO READ. STAR WARS & JEDI CULTURE & WORLDBULDING RECS YOU'LL FIND HERE:

NOVEL AND NOVELLA LENGTH

MID-LENGTH

SHORT AND YET SO GOOD-LENGTH

NOVEL AND NOVELLA LENGTH: ✦ Remedial Jedi Theology by MarbleGlove, obi-wan & anakin & jedi & cast, 51.3k     Let us consider the fact that the Jedi Order is a monastic religious organization based out of a temple, with five basic tenets of faith. ✦ Festival of Light by dendral, obi-wan & anakin & ahsoka, 8.7k     During his first year at the Jedi Temple, Anakin learns that even the Jedi celebrate holidays. ✦ Out with Lanterns by SkyeBean, ahsoka & mace & jedi & clones & cast, 312.5k     In another universe, Jedi Masters Plo Koon and Depa Billaba decide a Padawan could do Mace some good. It takes a while, but he eventually agrees. When he takes Ahsoka Tano as his Padawan, Mace knows that he's broken through a Shatterpoint and changed the course of a life. How, he doesn't know. ✦ eat well; be well by gingerbeer, rainsoaked_benevolence (oceans_bluem), obi-wan & anakin & ahsoka & yoda & depa & shaak & quinlan & aayla & cast, 18.6k     Or, (almost) all of the Jedi High Councilors (plus Ahsoka) gather to eat dinner together. ✦ Supreme Chancellor Obi-Wan Kenobi by stonefreak, obi-wan & anakin & padme & ahsoka & palpatine & yoda & quinlan & cody & cast, 126.3k wip     By an old Republic law, all members of the Jedi High Council are senators in the Galactic Senate, and can thus be voted in as chancellor. A Senator from a less prominent planet has had enough of Chancellor Palpatine's incompetence and calls for a Vote of No-Confidence and the installation of Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi as Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic. This one action becomes the catalyst that changes the direction of the galaxy. ✦ Pragmatics of the Jedi by aroacejoot, ghostwriterofthemachine, loosingletters, obi-wan & anakin & ahsoka & jedi, 31.3k     A series of fanfiction exploring the consequences and results of the Jedi having their own language, and speaking it still. ✦ light by loosingletters, obi-wan & anakin & ahsoka & mace & jedi, 56.1k     Anakin Skywalker is a Jedi and being a part of their Order means that he is protected and accepted. The war is over and the Republic has to recover from the crimes of the Sith Lord, the Jedi have to figure out what it means to be peacekeepers again and the Clones have to learn how to be more than expendable soldiers. ✦ When Darkness Seems to Hide This Place by IllyanaA, obi-wan & anakin & ahsoka & kanan & ocs & cast, 94.9k wip     After killing three of the Jedi Order's best and brightest, Palpatine's fight with Jedi Master Mace Windu goes shorter than expected. Afraid he's lost his chance at recruiting a new apprentice, Sidious unleashes Order 66 across the galaxy, but, per their programming, the Clone Army is not to harm Anakin Skywalker. After witnessing the most painful loss he's ever experienced and injured at the hands of his captors, Anakin is ready to die like the rest of the Jedi, though not before getting his vengeance.

✦ Knightrise by Deviant_Accumulation, obi-wan & yoda & satine & ahsoka & asajj & cast, 89.4k wip     "Strong enough to fight the Sith Lord, you are not.“ And just like that the fight drained out of Obi-Wan, the barely scraped together agitation running out of him like water from a broken glass. He looked at Yoda, the other Master already hobbling towards one of the back exits, his presence burning with focus, obviously expecting Obi-Wan to follow. ✦ Make a Brand New End by Batsutousai, obi-wan & anakin & feemor & qui-gon & yoda & mace & dooku & jedi, 118.6k     Feemor, Qui-Gon Jinn's first padawan, did not survive Order 66, but the Force granted him a boon: A chance to go back to days before Qui-Gon's death. He doesn't know why the Force picked him to remember that terrible future, but he's going to do what he can to change it. And if he can heal the rift fallen between himself and Qui-Gon, and finally get the chance to know Obi-Wan, well, he's not about to turn that down. ✦ Unexpected Awakening (The Rewrite) by Rhiw, obi-wan & qui-gon & bruck & feemor & cast, time travel, 135.1k wip     The life of General Kenobi is cut short at the hands of his Padawan, but the sight that greets his eyes upon awakening is not that of blinding light of the Force, but the Jedi Temple he knew when he was still a youth. As he struggles to understand the path laid out before him, Obi-Wan unwittingly captures the attention of a singularly unusual Temple Guard, and that of a reluctant Qui-Gon Jinn. ✦ No Rest for the Weary by orphan_account, obi-wan & anakin & jedi, 61k     Needing a break from life at the Jedi Temple, Obi-Wan Kenobi and his apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, visit a Jedi AgriCorps settlement on the Midrim planet of Helia. There they encounter new friends, new enemies and have new adventures, all while attempting to navigate their sometimes turbulent relationship as Master and Padawan. ✦ The Moments That Time Remembered by CallToMuster, obi-wan & mace & vokara & bant & quinlan & garen & depa & jedi, 82.4k     Obi-Wan’s first memory was not his own. Rather, it was a vision steeped in darkness and flashes of red and choking heat and you were my brother and the harsh crash of lightsabers striking one another. He woke up sobbing in the arms of the crèchemaster, Master Kitaddik, who was hushing him and gently stroking the top of his head with her furry hands. Obi-Wan hid his face in the soft folds of her tunic and, still crying, fell back asleep. The first time Obi-Wan collapsed due to a vision was not long after that. [Or: in all the various iterations of Obi-Wan Kenobi’s life, the Force spoke to him. But in this one, it never stopped.] ✦ Starrunner by orpheus_under_starlight, obi-wan & jedi & oc, 80.2k wip     In what would have been the year 17 BBY, Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine is found slumped over his desk, dead to rights and emitting a foul odor. The coroners declare the body victim to a heart attack and the smell a result of a lack of a timely embalming—a bit of bowels humor, the head coroner says with a nervous laugh when interviewed by the Galactic Enquirer.

MID-LENGTH: ✦ 飽了嗎? | Have you eaten your fill? by virdant, obi-wan & anakin & ahsoka & qui-gon & quinlan & yoda & dooku & mace & bant & jedi, 13k     The Force is the first language that Obi-Wan learned to speak, the brush of one mind against another. But food is the second language that Obi-Wan learned to speak with, and he talks, he talks, he talks. A collection of fics about food and how food is an articulation of love. ✦ We Will Abide by naberiie, plo & shaak, 10.3k     Light. Dark. Balance. Beneath the Jedi Temple, far below the chaos of Coruscant's Galactic City, ancient halls and corridors sleep in silent darkness. Padawans Shaak Ti and Plo Koon are determined to explore them. ✦ What Is My Heritage? by Marnie, qui-gon & yoda, 7.7k     Qui-Gon, age 13, tries to find a place to belong. ✦ Coming Home by Marnie, qui-gon & yoda & dooku, 18.1k     A story telling how Qui-Gon comes to be Dooku's apprentice. ✦ Master by CJinn, obi-wan & anakin, 27.5k     Obi-Wan Kenobi had always wanted to become a Jedi Knight. What he didn't expect was to become a Master merely days after his own Master died. Adapting to his new role as the mentor and Master of the quite unusual Padawan Anakin Skywalker became a bumpy road.

✦ into the statue that breathes by spoonks, obi-wan & feemor & cin & cast, 8.5k     The night watch in the garden was supposed to be the calmest of them all. No mischievous Padawans “sneaking” in or out, or ne’er-do-well civilians conducting “business” around the lower-level entrances that they didn’t know existed. No the gardens was still, and it was like time was frozen in ice that slowly melted away with the rising of the sun. A slow drip, drip— Drip. Immediately Feemor turned towards the central waterfall. Someone was standing there. Whoever they were, they were small and moved through katas with their hands open like a greeting. ✦ The Cave by Ria Talla (ronia), anakin & ahsoka & cast, time travel, 10k     Ahsoka Tano, post-Star Wars Rebels/? And there was something else, more important, though Ahsoka found herself loath to do it. Her lightsabers drawn, deep in the labyrinth formed by the stone warriors and the crumbled temple. Yet the words broke certain into her mind. Your eyes can deceive you. Her heart pounded, as though warning her otherwise. But Ahsoka withdrew her sabers, and closed her eyes. Rather than her weapons, she let the Force be her light. ✦ A Candle in the Night by phoenixyfriend, anakin/luminara & obi-wan, time travel, 12k     In which Luminara finds a heavily injured Jedi, nurses him back to health, and falls in love. Then they get back to the real world, and she just can't figure him out... ✦ Found Clan by silvergryphon, boba & ocs & obi-wan & anakin & cast, 25.3k wip     After the Battle of Geonosis, a Jedi Healer discovers young Boba Fett mourning the loss of his father. Not about to leave a ten-year-old boy on his own, she promptly adopts him with the full collusion of her Padawan. ✦ the heart of kyber by outpastthemoat, obi-wan & anakin & qui-gon & depa & kanan & jedi, 32.7k     Tales of the Jedi: Stories about lightsabers, masters, and apprentices. ✦ Stars of Tatooine by Be_Right_Back, ahsoka & mace & kanan & obi-wan & rex & cast, 10.5k     After the end of the world, Ahsoka more or less kidnaps a child, has to air some old grievances, and tries to find whatever peace the universe can still offer. All paths in the Force lead home, eventually. ✦ The Uses of a Sandwich by Laura Kaye (laurakaye), obi-wan & qui-gon & yoda & cast, 17.6k     A few months after being taken as a Padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi faces a challenge: meeting his Master's first apprentice. ✦ Familes Found by fyrefly, obi-wan & anakin & ahsoka & padme & mace & plo, 8.2k     In a universe where "The Wrong Jedi" never happened, the war ends under different circumstances and perhaps everyone will get a chance at a happy ending after all.

SHORT AND YET SO GOOD-LENGTH: ✦ The Mathematics of Repair by panharmonium, obi-wan & anakin & cast, 4.6k     For raw teachers and rough-edged students building in the rubble: tiny steps are enough, provided they carry you in the right direction. Immediately post TPM, in short snippets. ✦ The Living Force; Parables for Padawans by glorious_clio, obi-wan & cast, 6.1k     Since infancy, younglings are taught the Jedi Code, “Emotion, yet peace. Ignorance, yet knowledge. Passion, yet serenity. Chaos, yet harmony. Death, yet the Force.” Obi-Wan Kenobi learns these tenets backwards and forwards again. But even as a child, he is interested in nuance. And so his teachers tell him parables. ✦ A Jedi's Cloak ImperialKatwala, obi-wan & anakin & qui-gon & cody & rex, 6.4k Jedi cloaks are made for children. Obi-Wan Kenobi is a year and a half old when he first sees this principle in action. He is fourteen, twenty-five, twenty-nine, and thirty-six when he gets a reminder.     Or: Jedi cloaks are weird. Here's a series of events showing why they're made that way. ✦ the master, the padawan, the Force by skatzaa, kanan & depa. 1.4k     Caleb expects things to be different after Master Depa takes him as her padawan, but really, it feels like nothing really changes. ✦ For the Future of the Order by thetorontokid, obi-wan & qui-gon & cast, 3.9k     There are important lessons to be found in the Jedi Temple creche.

✦ Memories of Peace by Margan, obi-wan & clones, 2k     It's not quite flash training, but the Clones are used to learning fast. It helps that this is something that they actually look forward to learning, to putting into practice. Obi-Wan teaches the Clones how to make dumplings in the middle of war. ✦ Liberosis by Be_Right_Back, anakin & mace & yoda & jedi, 2.2k     The war is over, the Sith are gone, and there is now Anakin Skywalker's secret marriage to deal with. While love is a wonderful thing, some truths are hard to face, and letting go is the destiny of all Jedi. Or: the Council and Anakin clash. It doesn't go as terribly as it could have. ✦ Accepting Emotion by LazarusII, obi-wan & ahsoka, 1.1k     Dealing with the stress and anxiety of being a prospective Padawan, Ahsoka Tano struggles to manage her emotions. Obi-Wan Kenobi finds her practicing in the dojo, confidence in tatters. His words make all the difference. ✦ A Long, Long Time Ago by ruth baulding, dooku & qui-gon + qui-gon & obi-wan + obi-wan & anakin + anakin & ahsoka, 5.8k     A wisdom tale handed passed down through the generations poses troublesome questions for a line of masters and Padawans, from Dooku to Ahsoka Tano.

✦ Duet by Silver Sky 1138, oc & cin, 2.3k     Asha Scarsi, the Jedi Padawan who feels the Force through music, isn't half as good at lightsaber combat as she is at singing and mindtricks. So she's a little nervous when Battlemaster Cin Drallig calls her to the training room after class. ✦ The One Where Anakin Tries to Be Serious by GirlwithCurls98, anakin & ahsoka, 1k     Even though they're fighting a war, Anakin finds the time to lead his apprentice through one of the Jedi's sacred ceremonies. ✦ Obi-Wan and the Force by AwayOHumanChild, obi-wan & cast, ~1k     One of the first things Jedi Initiates learn is that everyone experiences the Force differently.

✦ Night Shift at the Temple by ReneeoftheStars, oc jedi & cast, 1.8k     A Jedi Temple Guard sees all, speaks to few, and has attachments to no one. One must be prepared for any threats that may arise, especially at night, while most of the Temple sleeps. ✦ The Orchards by Raven_Knight, obi-wan & qui-gon & cast, 3.6k     When young Obi-Wan Kenobi is injured on a previous mission, Qui-Gon Jinn refuses to accept further off-planet missions until his Padawan's recovery. Yoda assigns the pair an in-Temple mission of utmost importance while Obi-Wan heals. Master and Padawan welcome the change of pace. ✦ Tipping Point by Ria Talla (ronia), adi gallia & finis valorum & eeth koth, 3.3k     "I believe that if what's happening on Naboo is allowed to continue, the other member systems will wonder what they owe to a Republic that can no longer protect them." ✦ A Personal Touch by DragonHoardsBooks, obi-wan & anakin, 6.2k     New jedi padawan Anakin Skywalker realizes that there is more to being a jedi then he tought. Discovering a completely new culture will take time and effort, but maybe he'll make some friends along the way.

✦ Jedi Parables by Peppermint_Shamrock, jedi, 5.8k     Values are often passed down generation to generation through stories, parables, and fables. What stories might the Jedi teach their children? ✦ Songs for Little Jedi by soft_but_gremlin, mace & jedi, ~1k     The initiates are having nightmares, so Mace sings a lullaby to comfort them. ✦ a thin thread of hope by wrennette, shaak & clones, ~1k     Shaak Ti introduces some cadets to one of her favourite crafts, under the guise of training. ✦ rah kat by js71, obi-wan & anakin & aayla, 1.6k     "Aay’shee," Obi-Wan murmurs into her ear, rocking her gently, like when jaieh was off on a mission she couldn’t go on, so her jaieh-raheniel would take turns having her over at their apartments. ✦ Lessons on Attachment by Siri_Kenobi12, obi-wan & anakin/padme & cast, 2.7k     "Anakin once told me that a Jedi is actually encouraged to love." She said after Obi-Wan had settled. ✦ Straw Dogs by Cymbidia, obi-wan & jedi & cast, 2.9k     An old Jedi Master imparts some wisdom concerning Mercy, Balance, and the Will of the Force to young Padawan Obi-wan Kenobi and a gaggle of other younglings. It is a lesson that haunts Obi-wan for the rest of his life. ✦ Refractions of Light by Independence1776, ezra & kanan, 1.3k     Kanan celebrates a Jedi holiday with Ezra.

✦ The grand outing by Ingata, dooku & sifo-dyas & obi-wan & bant & garen & reeft & yoda & cast, 4.5k     Eight younglings and two Jedi masters on a field trip. What could possibly go wrong? ✦ A Short Break by Peppermint_Shamrock, luke & yoda, ~1k     Luke complains about his training, and asks about Jedi training of old. ✦ we are made of our longest days by bereft_of_frogs, obi-wan & anakin & cast, 4.4k     Two years after the events of The Phantom Menace, Obi-Wan and his new apprentice are called to a remote moon to fetch a baby who’s showing signs of a rare, unique power. On their journey home, Obi-Wan reflects on the last child he brought to the Temple and catches a faint glimpse of three possibly entwining futures. ✦ yellow, you're a dreamer by nightdotlight, jocasta & anakin (& obi-wan), 2.6k     Normally, it wouldn’t be unusual, but— Jocasta did not earn her post without listening, and from where she stands in the aisle, gaze fixed upon the back of the young child’s shaking shoulders, she can hear a sniffle reverberate around the space. There’s a child curled up in the corner of the Archives— and they’re crying. ✦ once upon a time (a long, long time ago) by thebitterbeast, barriss & mace & shaak & ki-adi & bacara & trilla & cere, 2.3k     The Jedi love children. Children love stories. This changes some things. ✦ not the place that I was born in (doesn't mean it's not the place where I belong) by ghostwriterofthemachine, obi-wan & anakin, 5k     “What were you consulting Master Obi-Wan about?” “Tea!” says the other Padawan brightly. “I’m performing a tea ceremony for my Master, one that originates from her home world. It’ll be the first time I sit foveo with her!” She says that word— foveo— as if it should mean something to Anakin. It does not. ✦ A Friend Indeed by ExtraPenguin, plo & ahsoka, 3.3k     After their rescue of the colonists of Kiros, Ahsoka Tano's Master asks for her to be sent on a mission away from the front. She ends up being sent to the Deep Core with Master Plo Koon to investigate one of the first known locations of the Jedi Order, since abandoned. ✦ In which we burn bodies as bridges by GraceEliz, obi-wan & ahsoka & depa & kanan & ezra, 1.4k     Lineage mantras, and the processing of grief. ✦ Five Times Mace was There for Obi-Wan, and One Time Obi-Wan Returned the Favour by wrennette, obi-wan & mace, 4k     five of the many times Mace Windu offered Obi-Wan comfort over the years, and one of the many times Obi-Wan returned the favour

✦ as the dust settled around us by thebitterbeast, finn & jedi, 5.2k     Bravery has never been the absence of fear. Prompt: There is no emotion, there is peace. ✦ Adi Gallia, Master of the Order by Perspicacia, adi & jedi, 7.2k wip     Palpatine didn't expect it. It was too soon for that in his plans: which Jedi would have left the Temple under assault? But Adi had. Ashes in her heart, she had left the younglings and the elders and the wounded for her duty to the galaxy, choosing to stop the Sith instead of protecting her people. ✦ “The Padawan Chooses The Master” by lurkingcrow, obi-wan & anakin & cast, 3.6k     prompt: AU - The Jedi say “The Padawan Chooses The Master” Qui Gon lives, Obi Wan is very preoccupied, and Anakin is put into the creche as an Initiate to learn what he can until Qui Gon wakes up from his coma and gets yelled at by the Council. In the meantime, Anakin meets other Jedi Masters and when the Council asks him who he wants to be his teacher, his answer isn’t Qui Gon. Instead it’s *insert your fav Jedi here* ✦ The Only Home We Know by ReneeoftheStars, katooni & petro & ganodi & byph & gungi & zaft & cast, character death, child death, 2.4k     The Jedi Temple is under attack. Determined to fight for their home, younglings Katooni, Petro, Zatt, Ganodi, Byph, and Gungi make their way to aid the Jedi Masters in defense of the Temple. But the situation is far graver than they expected. ✦ Obi-Wan and the Force by AwayOHumanChild, obi-wan & cast, ~1k     One of the first things Jedi Initiates learn is that everyone experiences the Force differently. ✦ The One Where Anakin Tries to Be Serious by Mini_and_Might, anakin & ahsoka, 1k     Even though they're fighting a war, Anakin finds the time to lead his apprentice through one of the Jedi's sacred ceremonies. Might become part of a series of missing scenes from the Clone Wars. ✦ Markings by wabbajack, ahsoka & plo, 1.6k     In which it is revealed that Master Plo Koon has always had a difficult time putting his foot down when faced with his Little 'Soka. ✦ The First Trial by Raven_Knigh, obi-wan & qui-gon, 2k     Accompanied by his Master, Qui-Gon Jinn, young Obi-Wan Kenobi undergoes his first trial and rite as a Padawan Learner on the frozen planet of Ilum.

✦ Arrival by CJinn, obi-wan & yoda & jedi, 2.6k     Little Obi-Wan was only a few days old when he was brought to the Jedi Temple. His arrival caused some confusion among the Jedi. ✦ The Spire by skatzaa, obi-wan & jedi, 2.4k     The galaxy was on the brink of war, and Obi-Wan Kenobi had been assigned a new room. ✦ Room Arrangements by skatzaa, obi-wan & anakin, 2.2k     Anakin has some concerns about room arrangements at the Temple. Obi-Wan does his best to reassure him. ✦ Lineage by virdant, obi-wan & anakin & yoda & jedi, 1.5k     Anakin is new to the temple, and he does not yet understand that these are his brothers and sisters, his cousins, his uncles and aunts. He does not know yet, but he will learn, Obi-Wan thinks. ✦ A Discussion of Choices by Peppermint_Shamrock, luke & mace, 2k     Mace Windu has traveled the galaxy since the fall of the Republic, keeping out of the Empire's sight and teaching where he can. Upon the request of a ghost of an old friend, Mace finds himself instructing Luke Skywalker, who is still reeling from the truth of Vader's identity. ✦ Emotion is our Shared Tongue by virdant, obi-wan & anakin & qui-gon & quinlan & jedi, 2.1k     There are thousands of different species, with different languages and voices and hands, but what all Jedi have in common is the Force, and with the Force, they have language. ✦ To Know by Armin_05, obi-wan & anakin & shmi & kitster & fives & cast, 4.8k     Nearly all Jedi love learning. Anakin Skywalker is no different. Or, how Anakin found a love of learning and shared it with others. ✦ Shatterpoints and Students by soft_but_gremlin, mace & depa, ~1k     Depa always has shatterpoints hovering around her.

✦ Home-onym by virdant, jedi, 1.1k     Jedi younglings, like any other children, enjoy playing. Playing with lightsabers and playing with words. ✦ Threaded Lineage by Pandora151, obi-wan & anakin & ahsoka & kanan & ezra & luke & rey, 2.9k     The journey of a single river stone through many generations of Jedi, allowing the Jedi of the old and the Jedi of the future to be threaded together. ✦ the river and the rock by nightdotlight, anakin & luminara, 1.8k     Lightsabers clash, and Luminara Unduli holds her ground. She doesn’t move, doesn’t lock her muscles, just makes herself an immovable object and lets her opponent strain against the lock. ✦ Five Meditations of Jedi Depa Billaba by skatzaa, depa & mace & yoda & kanan & kit, 5.3k     What is says on the tin. (Plus one more, for good measure.)

[stephanythedramaqueen]

Hi! I love your Osha and Qimir posts sm! I am obsessed with them and really hope the show gets a S2. 😭

Sorry if this dumb a question, but why is Qimir so desperate for a pupil? I’m rewatching the season and the way he says that line to Sol just sounds so angry and frustrated.

Is it just because he’s lonely or because he’s following darth plagueis orders?

Hi! I’m obsessed with oshamir too, dw. The brainrot set in deep!

Okay so the simple answer here is that Qimir wants the Power of Two. And he was angry in that scene not bc he was super frustrated about not having one, but more likely bc he invested all that time and energy training Mae, which might have been years for all we know, and she ended up betraying him and thus ending her apprenticeship under him. That’s years and time and energy wasted. I would be angry too.

Going into depth about this, in Sith theology the Rule of Two is one who holds the power and one who craves it. A master and a pupil. A teacher and student. A paragon and acolyte. It’s a very power grabbing impersonal dysfunctional power dynamic.

However, I find it very important that the wording here in the show should be taken into account. Qimir doesn’t want the Rule of Two, which is what the Sith crave. What Qimir wants is the Power of Two. And the way the Power of Two is described in this show in particular sounds more like a Force Dyad, before this term was invented. The Rule of Two has always been about power imbalance. The master who holds all the power and the pupil who wants it. But the way the season ended between Osha and Qimir is that they’re equals. As per Leslye Headland’s own account:

Mind you, the Rule of Two never affords any equality whatsoever.

The witch coven describes the Power of One, the Power of Two, the Power of Many, a connection between each other through the Thread (aka The Force) which makes them stronger too. Now it’s interesting that the Jedi would call their power of the dark side. The same way Qimir is. But not all Darksiders are Sith, the way he never technically identifies as a Sith. The way its described, this unique bond through the Force/Thread is more aligned with a Force Dyad. And if we’ve seen anything what Rey and Ben over there has shown in the movies, it’s a strength and bond capable of great feats. And that is what Qimir wants. The strength, the power, the capability of greatness with another through the Force, so he could have the freedom to exercise his Force the way he wants without restriction from the Jedi or the Sith. And in order to get that, he would’ve needed someone who knows his craft and has the strength in the Force the way he does; someone who needs to learn this.

Now is Qimir lonely and suffering? Yes. Does he recognize this pain and despair in Osha? Yes. Is he eager in his connection for someone to understand him the way he understands her, like no one else ever would? Also yes. Did Darth Plaguis sent him to do it? Unclear. Unlike what the internet has been spreading as per yesterday, it is not confirmed that Plaguis is Qimir’s master. Leslye Headland, the showrunner, has been vague about Plaguis role in this. In one interview she seems to imply Qimir doesn’t know Plaguis is there at all and Plaguis is just spying on them. In another, there’s a hint that there’s more going on between Plaguis and Qimir.

Either way, that’s an answer that can only be answered in season 2. Leslye isn’t so foolish as to spoil that.

[jedimandalorian]

The Path to Peridea.

Baylan Skoll says that Peridea is from a fairy tale known to Jedi younglings, a children’s story, but in reality Baylan says this to remind us that Star Wars is exactly just that, a fairy tale, a children’s story.

What does “Peridea” mean?

peri: (in Persian mythology) a mythical superhuman being, originally represented as evil but subsequently as a good or graceful genie or fairy.

ASTRONOMY

peri: denoting the point nearest to a specified celestial body.

from Greek peri ‘about, around’.

dea: Latin for “goddess”

The descent into the underworld is one stage of the hero’s and the heroine’s journey.

As @better-call-mau1 pointed out, the Path to Peridea sounds a lot like the “path to perdition.”

perdition: (in Christian theology) a state of eternal punishment and damnation into which a sinful and unpenitent person passes after death.

Perhaps this is where Thrawn is, in a kind of hell.

But as in the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, a brave lover is willing to descend into Hades to rescue the beloved. This is Sabine Wren’s mission to find Ezra Bridger.

There’s another meaning to “Peridea” though.

It is a genus of moths from the family Notodontidae.

The moth in The Lord of the Rings films brought Gandalf the Grey hope when he was imprisoned in the Tower of Orthanc. When the moth appeared, it was a sign that Gandalf would soon be rescued by the giant eagles, which are used as symbols of divine intervention in Tolkien’s fiction.

Please note that the letters on the star-map to Peridea resemble the Viking runes Tolkien used in The Hobbit. Both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings are stories of a hero’s journey filled with danger and wonder. The brave protagonists have to go “there and back again” just as Sabine will in the Ahsoka series.

I think that Baylan Skoll reminding us that Star Wars is a children’s story is significant. Consider this quote from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling.

“Of house-elves and children’s tales, of love, loyalty, and innocence, Voldemort knows and understands nothing. Nothing. That they all have a power beyond his own, a power beyond the reach of any magic, is a truth he has never grasped.”

In all the great fairy tales, the love and loyalty of the protagonist is the key to the triumph of good over evil.

Although she isn’t strong in the Force, Sabine Wren’s love for and loyalty to Ezra Bridger will strengthen her resolve on her road of trials along the Path to Peridea. With Ahsoka the Grey by her side, Sabine is ready to leave the comfort of Lothal (her Shire) and go to Peridea to save the man she loves.

Update, post Ahsoka Episode 6:

Here’s Huyang reminding us that this is indeed a fairy tale, a children’s story.

And here’s Thrawn, showing us how the villain “knows and understands nothing.”

“You wouldn't understand,” says Sabine.

“Perhaps not,” Thrawn responds.

What he doesn’t understand is love. The love and devotion that Sabine and Ezra have for each other is the power the dark lord knows not, and it will be his undoing.

I have spoken.

[phoenixyfriend]

Was watching a ContraPoints video (popular trans lady YouTuber) on some gender philosophy and got to thinking about trans girl Ani nuances.

OKAY SO: Contrapoints makes a comment in the video (transcript here) that she views herself as a boy who became a woman, not a girl who didn't realize it yet, which is a relatively uncommon approach among trans people, and that's in the middle of a longer discussion on the flaws in radfem theology (which I watched right after this PhilosophyTube video, and accidentally conflated the two since the former talked a lot about systems/structures of gender).

Anyway, I'm rotating that in my mind with regards to Anakin, who grew up in a setting that could easily be interpreted as having a much foggier distinction between Man and Woman than between Slave and Maste,r or human and twilek, etc.

It's entirely feasible that, on Tatooine in particular, the social elements of gender came down to very practical concerns (reproduction) and very superficial signs (e.g. hairstyle could maybe broadcast intended gender, and who wears skirts) outside of the specific situation of highly gendered and sexual forms of slavery (Jabba's dancing girls), which was relatively rare compared to more standard forms, like shop work or janitorial or what have you.

So you have an Anakin who grew up in a setting where "am I a girl?" isn't necessarily a question that would have the same answer as in another setting with more defined gender distinctions, in terms of both expression and role, and of the matter of identity at that confluence.

Then he--still he, at that time--meets Padmé and the handmaidens (very feminine, very girl, but not in a way that's at all like the way women on Tatooine willingly engage with), and encounters Coruscant culture (lots of gender dynamics due to the culture mash, but a low-key Western Misogyny vibe in the Senate and other non-Jedi settings Anakin's liable to encounter), as well as the Jedi classes on gender and sexuality and respecting/navigating those parts of culture on other planets.

As a result, Anakin starts developing a new, more nuanced and expansive understanding of gender, where it's more than just a few small differences, and the people around are mostly Jedi, who are also pretty dang open to nontraditional gender approaches etc And Anakin sort of… grows into wanting to be woman? In a way that isn't the usual "I always knew I was a girl" and more of an "I've learned what people consider a girl, and I'd like to be one."

And like. Ani COULD go back to thinking of gender in Tatooine terms, but why bother? Being a girl makes her happy. She wasn't unhappy as a boy in that gender framework, but she's happy as a girl now.

But because she didn't mind being raised a boy, she might say things a "when I was a boy" or "back when I was still living as a boy"

Me every time I hear a new, interesting take on gender: How can I apply this to a fictional character?

Also tbf this settles pretty well with my general thoughts on nb Anakin as well, where gender is like… It Sure Is A Thing That Exists. Anyway, Where's The Blasterfire?

[bread-tab]

okay random 4am rant time, don't take it too seriously, but: people need to recognize there's a difference between "bad worldbuilding" and "worldbuilding styles you personally don't like."

bad worldbuilding is, for example: internally inconsistent, bigoted, or something else that messes up the plot or characterization of the story itself. sloppy. careless.

things that are *not* bad worldbuilding:

minimalism.

i've been thinking about this in the first place because i saw a post about the Murderbot Diaries a while back (don't know who made it, don't care; this ain't personal) saying the worldbuilding in those books is bad and lazy. to me, as an avid sci-fi reader and writer, that is clearly not true. but i understood why they thought this. the series uses extremely minimalist worldbuilding which intentionally withholds a lot of detail, in a way that is consistent with the (nonhuman, robot, depressed robot) first-person POV. this could also be a feature of the author's writing style in general—i haven't read her other works—but i wouldn't bet too much on it.

the signature of intentional minimalism is that there *are* details about the speculative setting—they're just doled out very thoughtfully and sparingly. the intent is to leave you a little hungry for more. it's to make you think very carefully about the details you do have. this is best suited to stories that already have elements of psychological and/or mystery plot types. the worldbuilding you do see should still be believable, internally consistent, and have interesting implications if you think about it a bit. but you are for sure going to have to think harder to get it.

if you're not in the mood, i will concede, a minimalist style definitely comes off as a bit dry. if you are in the mood, it's relaxing.

whimsy.

this is a big one for sci-fi fans in particular. see: the constant debate about whether any particular story is "hard" or "soft" sci-fi, and whether soft sci-fi is bad, etc etc. but worldbuilding doesn't have to be realistic to be good. you're allowed to have Jedi and humanoid aliens and time travel in your sci-fi. you're allowed to have historical anachronisms and astrology and po-ta-toes in your fantasy. whether or not they're silly isn't the deciding factor on how "good" these worldbuilding elements really are.

the key thing is tonal consistency. you've got a serious high-fantasy setting with its own strict, un-Earth-like theology and magic system, and you throw Santa Claus in there? yeah, that's not gonna land well. but C.S. Lewis can get away with that in Narnia just fine. why? because the Chronicles of Narnia are whimsical children's stories with a strong Christian/Western mythological influence already, and their central conceit is a crossover between the mundane world and the magical world. of course Santa can cross over too. it's whimsical, but it's not actually random. (and if you ventured into straight-up comedy, you could get away with random too. as long as it's funny.)

the unreliable narrator.

i don't have a good example for this off the top of my head (maybe Murderbot again? idk, i'm sleepy, fill in your own) but i'll tell you how to recognize when this is done well.

by definition, an unreliable narrator has some key misconceptions about their own world. so how do you tell what's going on as a reader? how do you know the writer isn't equally confused?

you connect the dots. solve the puzzle. in practice this is similar to reading a minimalist setting—but instead of just sparse clues, you also have a boatload of red herrings. you can catch some of these misleading details by comparing them to your real-world knowledge and saying "wait, this doesn't add up." other times, the false clues intentionally trick you by subverting those real world expectations.

the trick is in the consequences. regardless of what the narrator says, their actions should still have logical consequences. there should be things going on that the POV character doesn't know about. the character will be forced to learn and adapt their narrative because of these shifting circumstances. you can catch them in a lie. the inconsistencies themselves tell a story.

...

i'm gonna stop myself there because this post is long and i oughtta be sleeping. just. this is a distinction worth making. is it really bad worldbuilding, or is it simply not the genre you're craving today? learn the difference for your own sake. you'll have an easier time realizing if a story is something you'll find enjoyable to read, regardless of its actual quality.

[celestial-sphere-press]

Fanbinding: Remedial Jedi Theology by @marbleglove

Remedial Jedi Theology is a lovely story that focuses on Obi-Wan teaching Anakin about the tenets of their faith, and I really enjoyed this focus. From the summary of the fic:

Let us consider the fact that the Jedi Order is a monastic religious organization based out of a temple, with five basic tenets of faith.

With that as part of my guiding design principles, I decided to work on a concept I'd been toying with and prepping for a while: incorporating architectural design elements from various media representations of Jedi Temples into the cover design of the book.

The corners of this border framing are drawn from screenshots of a temple from one of the SW's video games (helpfully taken for by by @thearchitectlens!)

I drew the filigree pattern, scanned it into Affinity Designer, and cleaned it up for use. I made a connecting border then within the program based on some of the columns seen here and elsewhere. I'm very happy with how it turned out!

Endpapers are sage marbled lokta, and cover cloth is green apple Colibri.

@aetherseer did a lovely typeset for this fic as part of @renegadepublishing's annual exchange, which I was lucky to use!

[autistic-ben-tennyson]

Clearing the Air

Recently there was discourse over The Prince of Egypt that I take responsibility for starting. I went onto someone’s post that was praising the film and didn’t understand that they were joking when asking why people made more animated movies after it. I had gotten heated that day after arguing with Jumblr liberals regarding Gaza gofundmes and decided to fuck with the OP by calling the movie they love “Zionist propaganda”. The otaku in me saw it as overrated compared to stuff like Shinkai. Anyway, it was my fault for starting discourse over the movie and since it was kind of antisemitic, I’ll apologize for what I said especially since the person in question, Smhalltheurlsaretaken, had nothing to with said discourse.

I’ll clarify my beliefs here, even if the people reblogging the OP’s original response won’t listen or hear this. I do not hate Jewish people. There’s no reason to hate someone because of their religion. What I hate is the actions I’ve seen, especially those of blogs like emperorsfoot, and spot-the-antisemitism, especially their concern trolling over scams. Checking the blogs of those reblogging that post exposes them as either ultra transphobic conservatives like Beginnerblueglass or vote blue racist liberals like Prismatic Bell. So while I was in the wrong and take responsibility for my first comment, I’m not sorry about offending everyone else in the reply chain.

I don’t actually hate the movie and think it’s a good piece of filmmaking. Contrary to what this person believes, I can think for myself. I was just asking someone who was more educated than me on theology that had a dislike of the movie on why they criticized it. I have beef with the above user for personal reasons regarding their ableist view of Ben Tennyson as a character.

Ever since I made a post criticizing hardcore Jedi apologists and how they use Asian beliefs and people as shields, this blogger has been calling me discount Lily Orchard, as if she’s the only one who criticized the Jedi order. I don’t even watch her or Lindsay Ellis’s videos ffs. Maybe grow TF up and realize people have valid reasons to dislike your favorite characters that aren’t fascist or genocide apologism.

Anyway, that’s all I have to say. Decided to write it out instead of adding more to the OP’s post. I’m done with this discourse, but I’m going to leave this here for those who see the post and assume the worst without knowing my side.

[finalfrontierpublishing]

Happy Star Wars day!

MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU! bound this little sneaky cheeky bind just in time for Star Wars day.

Yet another blind bind - leftover from Binderary. This bind is Remedial Jedi Theology by MarbleGlove.

Beautiful typeset was made by Aether from Renegade for the Bind Renegade Exchange last year.

Statistics:

51,336 words || 155 pages

Cover titling font: Tw Cen MT Condensed

I still haven't read this fic, though I kind of skimmed it enough to get a sense of the point of view. Exasperated Obi-Wan Kenobi seemed to be a prime feature, so despite not knowing very much about lightsaber designs in general, I decided to find the closest image vector I could find to Obi-Wan's lightsaber, which i wanted to use as a focal point of this bind.

This which i absolutely fucked within 5 minutes of applying HTV because I IRONED IT ON THE WRONG WAY AROUND - contemplated leaving it but I could not do it (I know enough hardcore Star Wars fans and they would definitely notice). Fast forward to 3 hours later where me and a tweezer had an intensely hot date where I flipped my book a million times while trying to get a grip on the last dastardly bits of HTV that were really hard to get off. I mostly succeeded, and here we are.

LESSON LEARNT - DO NOT IRON ON HTV WHEN TIRED.

I loved the half-title page designed by Aether, and I wanted a strong counterpoint to it for the cover titling, with a bold dramatic (but relatively simple) font and hence decided in the end to stick with something sans serif. I love this particular holographic HTV, it is absolutely one of my favourites, other than the metallics.

Endbands are yet again, me trying my best to practice my french double core with silk. They are getting better, slowly. I frequently never remember but I think this bookcloth is Hollanders Japanese bookcloth in wine. Lastly endpapers are from my stash from Renato Crepaldi.

Noun project icons from Vectors Market and Joe Wisneski.

Now that we are in May proper, my plan is to finally target all the author binds I've been meaning to do, as well as finish a couple of important projects I need to get done by end July. Am very excited for an event that's coming up soon!

[communistkenobi]

Could you elaborate on the different ways that Qui Gon, Obi Wan, Anakin, Ahsoka and Luke defined Jedi or what it means to be a Jedi? I love to read your thoughts on stuff like this!

Yeah of course! I’m a bit rusty on Star Wars canon so this will be a bit more vague, but my general opinion is basically some version of the following:

imo Qui-Gon is billed in the canon as being a skeptic of the Jedi Order. He questions rules and determinations made by the Council, seems to dabble in conspiratorial or esoteric interpretations of Jedi theology or rules (iirc this is from Master & Apprentice), and seems to generally hold himself out as a contrarian. I don’t know if this manifests as a comprehensive critique of the Order, or if he just believes that pushback against institutional orthodoxy is inherently good. And you can probably critique his skepticism (he’s still an agent of the Order and by extension, the Republic), but like from what I remember in canon he is a guy who likes debating and questions his orders from the Council. My instinct is that he’s one of those anti-institution libertarian types, it’s not like a comprehensive critique of the Order but a more surface level desire to question authority (which, hey, no complaints in that regard lol). Now this is a separate question from how he views being a Jedi, but clearly some element of that is a moral obligation to “find a better way” to be a good person as a Jedi, to pushback on norms. He wants to be the minority opinion in the room, keeping the Council honest and all that jazz.

Which Obi-Wan fucking hated lol. Again pulling from M&A (mostly because it’s the most recent SW novel I’ve read with them in it), but Obi-Wan seems to be like this beleaguered bright-eyed student who has to put up with his Master’s bullshit antics. My personal view of Obi-Wan is a guy who fully buys into the Jedi Order as an institution that facilitates justice - he may critique the methods the Order uses or bend rules to get a better outcome (thinking of the 2016 Obi-Wan & Anakin comic here), but I think at the end of the day Obi-Wan believes the Order is a net-good for the world, believes in the mission of the Jedi to engage in diplomacy on the Republic’s behalf (I believe this is in conflict with his Legends characterisation, but iirc in the new canon he’s much more of a keener and I tend to like that interpretation more), and in his pursuit to be an ideal archetype of Jedi, he craves the legitimacy and prestige the Order confers onto his status as a Jedi Knight, especially as a Knight training The Chosen One. I think this is also why his death is integral to Luke’s story, as Luke had very different ideas about what a Jedi Order would look like and had Obi-Wan survived ANH, they likely would have fought bitterly about it.

Anakin I haven’t thought as much about, I think in general he was becoming a Jedi because that’s what everyone wanted him to be, and maybe he did have that dream at some point, but I think Anakin is mostly resigned to training and being knighted because that’s just how his life is going. He doesn’t seem to have a great deal of respect for the Order or Jedi customs (this informs a lot of his conflict with Obi-Wan), and he seems disinterested in furthering the Order’s political and social role in the Republic. He was actively hostile to taking Ahsoka on as a student, and I think his eventual fall from grace and turn towards the Sith marked this like, ultimate form of indulgence for him - a total rejection of his destiny, of all the expectations put on him, and a way to perform the perceived inadequacy that he was burdened with as a child. Like look dad, I’m the bad guy asshole everyone was so afraid I’d become! I’m not a Jedi and never could be! Fuck you!

Ahsoka I think has a much more developed version of the skepticism that we see from Qui-Gon, because she was confronted with the entire might of the Order and was cast out for a crime she didn’t commit. For her, being a Jedi is synonymous with institutional acceptance, and so if the Council doesn’t consider her to be a Jedi, then fuck that noise she’s not a Jedi. I think in terms of outlook you could say she’s still very Jedi-like, in the same vein as Luke, idealistic and self-sacrificing, but with Ahsoka it’s tinged with more cynicism and pragmatism than I think we see with Luke (at least in terms of the OT - I’m not familiar with the ST at all and don’t have a desire to engage with it so maybe later in life that’s a different story for him, idk). I think the loss of Anakin in particular also affects her a lot, and probably informs her non-attachment to a lot of people. She’s a drifter for personal safety reasons, but I also think she wouldn’t do well in a group long term (compared to someone like Kanan, who very much eschews the attachment rule and finds community with the Ghost crew). In that sense I think you could argue she’s a Jedi in practice but not in writing.

And Luke like. Idk where to even begin lol. He’s the only one of this group who was not brought up in the Order and has no formal training. Even Yoda and Obi-Wan’s training can’t substitute for growing up around other Jedi and being taught that kind of discipline and culture from a young age. He doesn’t have access to Jedi written teachings or Jedi history, he doesn’t place them in the same political context as the rest of his lineage does, experiencing the Jedi only as a bygone era, mysterious and ultimately fundamentally unknowable. Which means that his vision of Jedi-hood is probably “heretical” but also sort of a necessary new way forward, responding to what he perceives to be the failures of old Jedi teachings and ways of life. So for him Jedi-hood is a much more provisional affair, it is what he makes of it because he’s the guy who is literally making it. Which is ironic given that he’s literally THE original Jedi in the canon, like he’s how audiences are introduced to Jedi, but so much of that lore has been built up around him that he kind of becomes the odd one out. Which makes Filoni’s comment that he’s not really a Jedi sort of correct? Almost? Like I don’t actually really agree with it and his reasoning is idiotic, but Luke is not the traditional Jedi, he’s the origin point for an entirely new tradition. So he is a Jedi, very much so, but there is a break in tradition that can’t really be squared with the previous historical circumstances that created the Order. He has to forge a new way forward and reshape how Jedi exist and practice in a totally new context. Which is very cool!

[104th-plo-koon]

It was not often that Plo practiced the katas of the Baran Do, although he did indeed practice them. As the war went on he found himself leaning more and more upon the theology of his master as a Sage than as a master as a Jedi.

Perhaps that simply was evidence of how time changed all beings.

Or perhaps the stress of the war had changed him.

Either way as he stepped into an empty sparring room he pulled his robes off. Then his tunic and belts. He tied his loose pants to his ankles after he removed his boots and grabbed a long wooden bo staff.

Standing shirtless it was easy to see the way the thick leathery skin of the Kel Dor master moved and pulled over thick cords of muscle. Even easier to see was the fractal like pattern that traveled down his left arm, across his chest and back and then disappeared into the simple rope ties of his pants.

Lichtenburg scars.

Signs of lightning that once struck Plo Koon but did not take his life. A badge of surviving the worst Doran's fierce storms could give. A sign of his mastery over a nearly forbidden technique to Jedi; and a nearly impossible one to Baran Do Sages.

Force lightning.

Although Plo, after meditation upon the force, and consulting the energy of Doran settled upon a term for the Golden energy he could call upon as Judgement. For it was not the twisted energy the sith would use to cause punishment or pain on anyone; but one that would pass through and judge a person in a split second, before either taking their life, or passing nearly harmlessly through them and into the ground.

Doran and the Force had judged Plo, and found him worthy of the ability. Although the natural lightning that caused his scars was the flow of nature, and still caused him pain, but also revitalized his passion for both of his studies.

He moved with smooth strokes to the staff and slowly allowed the Force to move through him. The tinkling of bells near the window on the other side was the only evidence of his use of his ability to control the faintest bit of wind and weather in the otherwise still room.

[queer-starwars-bracket]

Queer Star Wars Characters (Round 2): General Bracket Match 30

Matthea “Matty” Cathley | Identity: wlw | Media: The High Republic Phase II

Matty Cathley was the talkative (and ADHD-coded) padawan of Master Leebon, the Jedi Order’s representative to Jedha’s convocation of the Force. Matty was assigned to introduce Vildar Mac to Jedha, causing her to spend the lead up to and the Battle of Jedha by his side. She ended up defending the bar Enlightenment from rioters and enforcer droids. During the battle, her master was consumed by the Leveler. Vildar became her new master. After the battle, she was assigned to investigate the Path of the Open Hand with Oliviah Zeveron. She had a crush on Oliviah, and the mission reignited that. However, she was eventually able to process her star-struckness. Their investigation put them right in the middle of the Night of Sorrow. During the battle, when being attacked by the Leveler, Matty was able to push through its fear effect.

Cohmac Vitus | Identity: mlm | Media: The High Republic Phase I

Cohmac Vitus was a Jedi scholar with an interest in folklore and cultural studies. Due to the Great Disaster, his trip to Starlight Beacon was disrupted and he, with his friend Orla Jareni, the two Jedi padawans, and the crew of the ship they were traveling with were left stranded on an ancient Drengir infested space station. Mistaking the Sith alchemy keeping the Drengir dormant for a disturbance in the Force, he was part of removing the statues sealing the beasts and then putting them back, at least slowing the spread of the Drengir across the galaxy. During that adventure, he grew close with the padawan Reath Silas, and took him as his padawan after Reath’s master’s death. They spent their time traveling the galaxy, securing cultural artifacts from planets experiencing conflict and doing comparative folklore studies- a good way to get the studious Reath out into the field. Together they investigated a Nihil plan to build a mass shadow generator and the raiders’ infiltration of Corellia. 

Ever since the death of his master when he was a padawan, the Jedi’s pro-death theology never felt right with him. He spent over a decade pushing down his grief (the one emotion the Jedi actually aren’t allowed to feel), and while his adventures on the Amaxine Statione allowed him to come to work through his feelings, it left him even more uncertain of his path as a Jedi. He also doubted the idea that the Dark Side wasn’t to be studied. He also didn’t think the Jedi Order was suitable in a galaxy consumed by the Nihil. After hearing Kantam’s story about leaving the Order and feeling Orla’s death during the destruction of Starlight Beacon, he decided to leave the Order. He knighted his padawan and then gave Reath his lightsaber before hitting the bricks.

[gffa]

Hiiiiiiiiiiiiii

Do you take rec requests? If so, can I ask for your recs for Obi Wan centric fics where Obi Wan is just absolutely adored by everyone around him? Like people love him, think he's great, beautiful, talented, etc. you could also include fics where Anakin isn't one of his adoring fans but he comes around eventually. If you've ever read the Shoulder The Sky series by @kcrabb88 ? Where Anakin is kind of weird about Obi Wan in the beginning but he'd die for him at the end? Yeah like that.

Preferably no Obitine please, and also no order 66, if you would. They can be fix its or maybe they just don't get to order 66 in canon. Long and short is fine. I just want to read fic to justify my absolute rabidity over Obi Wan Kenobi.

Yknow if you're going to answer the ask? Might as well include every fic that you know that portrays Obi Wan very well. Whether everyone thinks so or not, I just want an excuse to fangirl over Obi Wan. Whether it's cute adorable initiate obi wan; smart skilled Padawan Kenobi, best master in the galaxy Kenobi, best general in the gar Kenobi, unfuckwithable Kenobi that everyone knows not to piss off, the Jedi's best member, whatever. Just fics of obi wan being great, whether people acknowledge it and love him, or acknowledge it and go still like prey animals when he looks at them

Hi! Oh, this is going to be a bit of a difficult set, mostly because avoiding Order 66 is a tough one, and I'm not sure how you are with various Obi-Wan pairings (which tend to have some good Obi-Wan fic), but I can at least start you out with a few recs sets I've done that have a lot of Obi-Wan fic and hopefully the Order 66 fic will be pretty avoidable.

My Star Wars fic recs tag (pretty much anything that mentions Obi-Wan in the subject will treat him well)

Obi-Wan Kenobi epic fic

Post-OBW's first two episodes-centric set

It's hard because some of my favorites:

Reprise by Elfpen (absolutely epic time travel fic that does the really good, hard work of showing us the timeline shifting and why it has to be done in baby steps)

Fire and Ice by Yesac (set in an AU where Order 66 happened, but Anakin won the fight and took both Obi-Wan and Padme hostage, and it's about the incredibly long road to recovery from there, which does have some love = attachment minor, minor notes, but has an Obi-Wan characterization that was fundamental to how I see the character)

Aren't necessarily about Order 66, but it does happen in both those fics, as something that's either being avoided or fixing the aftermath of them, and I'm not sure where you stand on such things, since you don't want Order 66. Same for

The Desert Storm by Blue_Sunshine (time travel AU where Order 66 happened in Ben's timeline, but not in the one the fic is set during)

Knightrise by deviantaccumulation (this one includes Order 66 happening on-screen, but it's an AU where more Jedi survive and they go into hiding together to rebuild)

where it's time travel to fix things, is that still over your line? Is it about the other characters that love Obi-Wan or the narrative of the story that loves Obi-Wan, because that would change a lot of the recs I make! Not that he's unloved in them, but Cataclasm by dendral is one of my favorites, but it has Obi-Wan off on his own a lot of the time, so the narrative loves him, but the people around him aren't in the room with him, etc. I also have a Jedi culture set of recs, which you can scroll through to find Obi-Wan mentioned in the summary, it's probably going to be about how much everyone loves him. But some good places to start for you would be:

ruth baulding's Lineage series and then her Legacy series. The first series is an epic length run of adventures when Obi-Wan was a padawan with Qui-Gon, and then the second series is his time teaching Anakin, with more adventures

Remedial Jedi Theology by MarbleGlove, a fantastic look at Jedi theology, philosophy, and interaction, with Obi-Wan in a prominent role.

Supreme Chancellor Obi-Wan Kenobi stonefreeak, which is crack treated seriously, very Jedi-positive, and while it's an ensemble piece overall, Obi-Wan is very much at the heart of the story and the focus will always come back to him. Just so much fun and very soft on the heart, this is a universe where everything goes right.

Tano and Kenobi by FireflyFish, which is a time travel fic where Ahsoka goes back into the past and becomes Padawan Obi-Wan's Master instead of Qui-Gon. The fic is kind of harsh on Qui-Gon, but if you love the disaster lineage or if you just want more Obi-Wan & Ahsoka, this fic will scratch the itch so good.

Unexpected Awakening (The Rewrite) Rhiw, another time travel fic where Order 66 did happen, but the fic is about Legends!Obi-Wan taking a different path from what happened in the first Jedi Apprentice book, instead of becoming Qui-Gon's Padawan the way he did in canon, he and Bruck go to Bandomeer and then get wrapped up in an epic story about Obi-Wan slowly changing the galaxy's course.

walk by faith/tell no one what you've seen by Killbothtwins, which is time travel with Obi-Wan after the end of the galactic civil war (the one against the Empire) going back to his 12 year old self and diverting the timeline, with a really great voice for Obi-Wan's character in this fic.

The Uses of a Sandwich by Laura Kaye (laurakaye) is a fun young Padawan Obi-Wan fic where he meets Qui-Gon's first apprentice and has a great sense of comedy.

Uncle Ben and Little Luke by phoenixyfriend which is de-aged!Luke and suddenly alive again!Obi-Wan and is just so much fun for a dynamic that doesn't get enough fic. (NEVER ENOUGH.)

Well Met by avocadomoon is one if you don't mind Obi-Wan/Padme fic, where they develop a friendship and later in life just slowly fall into a relationship, where it's about discussions and politics and philosophy and worldbuilding, it's such a subtle dynamic between them in a way that felt so natural to me. I also enjoyed the author's other fic Anamorphosis just as much, too.