#luke: i already sent this out to be published!! | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

ribbonsncherries · 2 days ago

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I have a request if you are interested? :)

A teen!dad jess. He has a best friend from New York (she can have a name or it can be Y/N, you can choose) (they are endgame, jess never had feelings for Rory but she has feelings for Jess, it won't go anywhere) Jess and his best friend have a kid, they co-parent (whether they are dating already or in the future is up to you) Jess gets sent to Stars Hallow, she ends up moving to stars Hallow to, to be close to Jess and so their kid can be with him too (she is emancipated, plus Jess knows she's coming because they keep in contact) if anyone reading this would like to turn this into an actual story, I'm totally down for reading it :) if you choose this request, I look forward to reading it. Thank you!!

ᡣ𐭩ྀིྀི₊ ⊹𝓗𝓮𝓵𝓵𝓸 𝓢𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓼 𝓗𝓸𝓵𝓵𝓸𝔀!˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥

A/N: Of course! I’ve had the biggest crush on Jess since I was little. He really opened my eyes to bad boys lol. But this is my first story request, so I was super excited I literally made a whole timeline of what happened which would've taken way too much time to publish so I hope you enjoy this mini one shot!

Summary: Jess Mariano became a teen dad at 16 and a year later is now struggling to find a place in Stars Hollow to keep his son and girlfriend safe and close. Eventually, the Gilmores come to the rescue!

Warnings: Nothing but fluff :)

Divider credits:

@anitalenia @cafekitsune

GIF Credits:

@luke-danes

REBLOGS AND LIKES ARE ALWAYS APPRECIATED!

It started as a game. Just a stupid game of 7 minutes in heaven at a house party. It turned into a friends-with-benefits deal cause Y/N and Jess were too stupidly shy to express their feelings yet the sex was enough for both of them. They were dumb hormonal teenagers. But when Y/N needed to go to the bathroom more, her craving for lemonade increased, and her period was late. The two faint lines appeared boldly. When she told Jess his heart sank. They both didn’t know how to feel, but when talk of abortion came for the both of them from a flyer they didn’t have the heart to do it. So they chose to have the baby even though both were scared shitless. When Y/N’s parents found out it was even worse, they told her they would not take over anything. Everything was up to Y/N and Jess, They would not keep or take care of the baby unless she went to school or got a job. Jess’ mother however was displeased. She was a bit afraid her son would follow the path his father did, to abandon Y/N and start something new with another woman and never hear from him again. But as Jess began working more and more to help financially his mother’s worries lessened, Y/N however continued her studies at home getting money from Jess every day to prepare for the arrival of their baby. So when their baby boy Liam finally came after 9 months it was like hot potato. Liam was passed back and forth between the both of them, although both Jess and Y/N liked each other it was hard to see each other so often from work and school. But after a year Jess was shipped off to Stars Hollow, Connecticut to be with his uncle because of his lack of effort in school. So Y/N and Jess decided it would be best for the both of them to make this work and go together. But there were some problems with Luke.

“No,” Luke said as he began making coffee. Jess had his arms in the air and shrugged with a scoff. “Luke, it’s my girlfriend and my kid. I can’t be away from my kid.” Luke looked him up and down “You shouldn’t have been doing that tango kid, 'cause I'm not having a puking and crying kid in my already cramped-up apartment. Jess, I'm sorry but we don’t have space and even if we did your school is one of the priorities along with taking care of both of them.” Lorelai came into the diner like always and sat in the barstool. “Hey! Mr Lukey Danes, Coffee for your very special and loyal customer pretty please with a little cherry on top,” she said snapping her fingers in a joking manner. “Lorelai not now.” Luke scoffed. “What’s going on? What's with the attitude between you men? Did he steal your super secret Krabby patty formula or something?” she asked. Jess rolled his eyes as he went upstairs. Luke grabbed a mug and poured coffee in it “Jess wants to bring his girlfriend and kid to Stars Hollow. But we can’t.” he said simply. Lorelai’s smile faded, “He has a kid..” she asked softly. “Yeah, with some girl named Y/N. She graduated early to take care of their kid and Jess wants both her and his son here but I told him there's no space and I can’t help cause of the diner and-”

“I’ll bring her in.”

Luke looked at Lorelai. Her face wasn’t her joking face or smiling banter like always. But a serious one, her look of almost desperation. Lorelai looked back on when she was pregnant with Rory. How no one helped her and Christopher not even being there. But she saw how disappointed Jess’ face was when she came in. “Lorelai I can’t ask you for that, it’s too much your house is already cramped up,” Luke said. “No, tell Jess to tell Y/N to come, and I'll take her in, besides, it’s only me and a smarty pants who's always in school,” she said seriously. “I know how she probably must feel. I’ll tell Rory and we’ll make adjustments to an old upstairs room,” she said as she got up almost excitedly. “You forgot to pay!” Luke yelled out. “You can cover the bill for me ol’ diner boy!” she yelled out.

Jess got the news and began helping out Rory and Lorelai with moving everything and making sure everything was perfect for when Y/N and Liam arrived. He paid for furniture and sheets while Lorelai and Rory cleaned up some of Rory’s baby furniture to give to Jess and Y/N. Although they were girly it was better than nothing after all. Then suddenly everyone in Stars Hollow now knew Jess Mariano the 17-year-old schoolboy had a son. “Thank you guys so much, for letting us stay, I’m sorry for the bother, Liam cries only when his diaper is wet I promise I’ll try to keep quiet,” Y/N said as she carried Liam into the house while Rory helped with her luggage. “I’ll clean and cook, anything you tell me I’ll do,” she said. Lorelai smiled, “Well, thanks our wallets are crying from takeout every day.” she joked “But seriously it’s fine I was in your shoes before and I understand how hard it is for you to be so young. it’s fine.” Jess came in with bags in his hands filled with baby stuff. “I was gonna surprise you but I guess not,” he said smiling. Y/N sped walked towards him and hugged him while Liam was in between the two.

“I’m glad you're here,” he said softly in her ear. He kissed her softly and pulled away to take Liam from her arms. “Hey.’ Jess smiled at Liam. His black hair shone in the sun from the window as the baby smiled and tugged on Jess’ shirt. “Hopefully you haven't been giving your mom a hard time these past few weeks,” he said to him smiling. Liam laid his head on Jess’ chest as he sucked his pacifier while Jess’ carried him around the house while Rory and Lorelai were giving Y/N a small tour of everything in the House as well as Stars Hollow. Everyone in Stars Hollow was suddenly interested in the new mom and son in town Including Kirk who offered to babysit for the very specific price of 23.99. Although the people were strange (Kirk) and people began asking about her and Liam it was finally Jess and Y/N alone in their room with Liam right in between them.

“I’ve missed you” he whispered to her. His fingers ran through her hair as he looked into her eyes. Y/N closed her eyes as she took in everything. “Me too, just afraid I guess. It’s much quieter than New York I'll say that.” she smiled. She looked down to see Liam softly snoring in between them. Her hands went to the soft black hair he got from Jess as she smiled. “This wasn’t the life I expected, but I’m glad I’m down this path with you and I don’t regret it one bit…” she said softly. Y/N leaned in and kissed Jess softly and passionately. This was their fresh start in life in the small town of Stars Hollow.

#jess mariano #jess mariano x reader #jess mariano x you #jess mariano x y/n #gilmore girls #rory gilmore #lorelai gilmore #oneshot

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nalyra-dreaming · 5 months ago

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Hi! I’m sorry if you’ve already been sent this, but I wanted to share my thoughts! I think Armand chased Daniel and kept tabs on him after San Francisco, they had a past relationship. Now in present time, I don’t think Daniel remembers any of it, even after becoming a vampire those memories are still lost to him. I think for season 3 we might get Daniel interviewing Lestat (I think Lestat would like Daniel 😂). I hope we’ll get the scene of Daniel being turned and what happened immediately after Louis left the penthouse (maybe in season 3?). I do think we will get some scenes of them. A time jump happened (idk how long the editing and publishing for a book world), so maybe Daniel and Armand have a conversation/spent some time together or Daniel roasted Armand (as he should). I really wonder if we’ll get Luke back as young Daniel and have scenes of him and Armand in the 70s & 80s. I hope so, I really liked how he played younger Daniel and his chemistry with Assad.

I wonder if Daniel will chase Armand in present time since I think they had a past relationship and it was Armand who chased Daniel. How funny it would be if the roles were reversed now.

I love that Louis seems to be taking some time to find himself and how he redecorated the penthouse with bright colors. The friendship between Louis and Daniel, AH! I love it so much! The acting from everyone was amazing! I’m so excited for season 3! Who would you like to see as Akasha and how do you think they’ll do rockstar Lestat?❤️

Oh absolutely. Daniel was turned from love. I‘ll die on that hill^^

I‘m not sure who I would like to see as Akasha. There were a few fancasts a whilembacl, you can find them in the tag. But whoever it will be it will be perfect I bet, as every casting so far.

If they do rockstar Lestat in the present then it will be intermeshed with social media I bet. Either way I hope AMC sells fake band merch :)) And I hope we get a whole album!!!

I do think we will see both the past chase and the inverted present chase. I think that will be awesome, actually. With both us and Daniel finding out what happened and what is happening.

IF there is not even more going on… but we will see :))

#anonymous #ask nalyra #iwtv s2 #interview with the vampire #iwtv #amc iwtv #amc interview with the vampire #armand #daniel molloy #the devil’s minion

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swsequelsalt · 10 months ago

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"Why The Last Jedi Isn't Just Bad - It's Toxic" by M. Krasava

DISCLAIMER: This editorial was originally published on Scavenger's Holocron, a sadly-now-defunct Star Wars news site. I feel like it's a tragedy to have it deleted from the Internet and only accessible to dedicated parties who know about it via the Wayback Machine, so I'm reposting it here as a form of greater preservation/availability.

Currently being regarded as the most controversial Star Wars film to date, fans of the popular franchise seem to have settled into two groups: this is either the best Star Wars film ever made, or the worst. Cinematically speaking, the movie has stunning visuals and a great cast of actors, but that’s not the problem.

The problem is that while The Last Jedi is being branded as the most feminist Star Wars film to date, its “feminism” seems like a cheap marketing ploy to appeal to a wiser audience and downplays some of the key problems within the film itself: it’s built on a foundation of sexism, misogyny, and racism. In other words, if you’re anything other than a white male, this film isn’t made for you.

And director Rian Johnson hasn’t exactly been shy about his opinion regarding the film’s white male villain, Kylo Ren. Rian told Empire Magazine that, “We can all relate to Kylo: to that anger of being in the turmoil of adolescence and figuring out who he’s going to be as a man.”

The only problem is that we can’t. Despite Rian’s insistence that this film is about the “transition from adolescence into adulthood,” Kylo Ren is already a well-established adult with a history of bad choices. We know from the canon Star Wars novel Bloodline, written by Claudia Gray, that Kylo Ren was at least 23 years old when he destroyed Luke’s Academy. At this point, he’s already an adult capable of making his own choices.

The film reveals that the final push towards the “dark side” was when Ben Solo awoke to see Luke standing over him with his lightsaber while he was sleeping. Without considering the possibility of a miscommunication, Ben Solo brought the roof down on the last Jedi, and then systemically went about converting or eliminating the rest of the students in Luke’s school before burning it to the ground. From there it can be presumed that he officially took on the role of Snoke’s apprentice, dubbing himself Kylo Ren as he joined the ranks of the First Order.

The problem is that it doesn’t matter. There’s nothing relateable about being a white adult male who decides to sign up with a Nazi organization and the very premise that we should try to have sympathy for such a character is chilling, especially when you consider that he murdered Han Solo not more than a week prior in film time.

(PUTTING THE REST UNDER A CUT)

But there’s another element to Kylo Ren that makes him harder to relate to. He comes from a place of privilege in society. Ben Solo was born to two war heroes, and while those might be big shoes to fill, there’s nothing that would indicate that Han and Leia were terrible parents to their son. In The Force Awakens, Leia admits that she sent Ben to train with Luke because she feared Snoke’s growing influence on her son (turns out, she had a right to be concerned). In Chuck Wendig’s canon novel, Empire’s End, from the Star Wars: Aftermath series, we see Han excited, if not a little daunted, about the possibility of becoming a father.

In other words, there’s nothing relateable when you think about a wealthy white male growing up sure of his place in the world and deciding to leave it all behind to join a fascist organization.

Compounding on this, there is someone who is relateable: Finn. Finn was not born from a place of privilege. If anything, we still know very little about Finn’s origins aside from the fact that he was abducted from his parents and raised to be a Stormtrooper. Despite years of conditioning and being ranked as the top cadet in his class, Finn was able to maintain his sense of self and when it came down to his first battle, he decided not to shoot and kill an unarmed villager.

This is the character that most people should be able to relate to. Finn is a character that isn’t sure of his place in the world. He grew up with the First Order and left everything that he knew behind him in order to try to do what he thought was right. Although he initially planned to seek a quick exit from the conflict at Maz’s castle, he didn’t hesitate to rejoin the struggle when he discovered that Rey was in danger. Finn spent most of his time in The Force Awakens running away from something – the First Order, from Jakku, from delivering BB-8 to the Resistance, but we see his progression throughout the movie to the point where he risks his life for Rey and helps the Resistance destroy the Starkiller base. At this point, Finn has rightfully earned his status as a hero.

Until The Last Jedi where Finn is again painted as selfish and cowardly, and the film does not shy away from this fact. Initially branded as a traitor by Rose when he tries to get the beacon as far away as possible to prevent Rey from falling into a trap, he is consistently belittled by Rose throughout the film. She consistently calls him cowardly and self-centered, and Finn’s characterization seems to shift in order to fit this description. When Finn is explaining his plan on hyperspace tracking to Poe, he is excited and confident: he can do this. When he gets to Canto Bight, he suddenly regresses, becoming immature and distracted by the glitz and glamour all around him. Finn knows what’s on the line. Rey is on the line. Poe is on the line. The Resistance has less than 24 hours, and yet he suddenly becomes bumbling and distracted.

This becomes Finn’s character throughout the rest of the film. Brash, impulsive, and worse, being frequently portrayed as the butt of everyone’s jokes. When we first see Finn, he is wandering about the halls of the Resistance in nothing but a bacta suit, as if Finn has suddenly forgotten how to care for himself. The film plays into the stereotypes that many people have about black male individuals. Instead of being treated as the hero of the Resistance, Finn is relegated to a comedic side role based on slapstick humor and unfunny comedy that ultimately doesn’t contribute anything to the plot.

In other words, Finn’s side plot reflects the film’s stance of diversity: we’ll wave it in your face for a few minutes before we wave it aside to make way for the two white protagonists. It’s a bold statement, but not untrue. Rian Johnson first joked that it would be “funny” to leave Finn in a coma for the entire film: “We did at some point joke that it would be great to just have him be in a coma for the whole movie and keep cutting back to him.” He explains that each of these cuts back to Finn would have him uttering some nonsense in his unconscious state, and at no point in the entire run time of the movie would the former Stormtrooper wake up.

When John Boyega first accepted the role of Finn, JJ Abrams told him that he was going to be the new star of Star Wars. Rian Johnson blatantly admitted that it would be “funny” to simply delegate the black lead to the sidelines, where he doesn’t have more than a few scenes of incoherent babbling to serve as comic relief.

Not to mention, it’s Rose who ultimately has to teach Finn about the seedy belly of Canto Bight and how it operates: through slave labor. Another character shouldn’t have to explain to Finn, of all characters, the tortures and ills of slavery. After all, that’s the only life Finn’s known, taken as his family and raised in a life of servitude as a Stormtrooper to the First Order.

The underlying racism in The Last Jedi does not, unfortunately, stop with Finn’s character. We know a lot more about Poe Dameron’s character from the popular Poe Dameron comic series that highlights Poe’s adventures with Black Squadron before they find Lor San Tekka.

In fact, Poe’s arc is highlighted by its racism, as Poe’s character is reduced to a mere stereotype of his ethnicity. From the Before the Awakening, piloting flight logs, and comic series, we have a complete picture of who Poe is as a character. He tells L’ulo, “I’m the best. But you’re the best too” which highlights who he is as a person. He is a gentle soul that sees the best in people, trusting Finn not only to help him escape, but to lower the shields on the Starkiller Base when he said he could. Poe is a genuine nice guy who would give the shirt, er, jacket off their back to help a stranger.

And we see absolutely none of this in The Last Jedi.

Poe is described as rash, dangerous, and aggressive by Vice Admiral Holdo, played by veteran actress Laura Dern. She’s dismissive of him, and while a part of it does play into more harmful stereotypes that I’ll get into later, in this instance, it’s hard not to. In the opening first scene, Poe is prepared to let everyone, everyone die just to take out a First Order Dreadnought. Even though successful, Poe seems more focused on the success of his mission than the countless deaths of his fellow Resistance fighters.

And that is not who Poe Dameron is. To say so makes a complete mockery of a fantastic character whose character has already been set and esteemed by fans. Changing his character to comply with stereotypes in order to try to advance the plot isn’t “moral ambiguity” or “challenging the character” – it’s just bad writing.

In short, Poe becomes aggressive, dangerous and hotheaded, all to fulfill the stereotypical role that the narrative wants him to play. His character attitudes are changed in order to fulfill a plot device, and that’s the conflict set up between himself and Vice Admiral Holdo.

This conflict is disappointing. It focuses on a female leader putting an aggressive, chauvinistic male in his place. It’s supposed to be empowering, but it’s not, especially when you have to have one character act so differently in order to get to that point. The problem is that the kind of feminism this movie is preaching is white feminism, which is dangerous in and of itself.

But what does white feminism mean in this case? Vice Admiral Holdo, and even Rose, both undermine and belittle Finn and Poe, treating them like children. This concept of infantalization upholds racist stereotypes of black and Latino men being both incompetent and irrational. In Poe’s case, it works to also uplift the alleged moral superiority of white women over people of color. And it’s not feminism.

It’s just disgusting.

Holdo is held up as someone that people in the Resistance are supposed to respect as a leader, and yet she refuses to tell the very people she’s leading what their plan is, citing Poe’s earlier reckless actions as an excuse. Even according to the Navy’s Leadership Principles, keeping your people informed is the second principle on the list. In other words? It’s pretty important. Vice Admiral Holdo’s refusal to do so is driven by petty motives, and while Poe is painted as ridiculous and childish the entire movie, he’s actually proven right when the First Order does the very thing he was afraid they would do.

One of the “lessons” from Poe’s story line is you should always blindly trust authority figures even when they provide no valid reason for doing so, and this is an extremely dangerous and topic example to set, especially in today’s society when people of color are so often made targets of police brutality, which again feeds back into the movie’s underlying theme of systematic racism.

Holdo herself seeks redemption from her mistakes by turning around and ramming her ship through theirs – an admittedly cool move, although it would be cooler had we not seen Admiral Raddus suggest the idea of plowing through a ship no more than a year earlier – and dies so that Leia can explain to Poe that Holdo was a good leader (without really stating how) because she was more concerned with fulfilling the mission without getting credit for it.

The problem with this? It means that Holdo had to die in order for Poe to “understand” what it meant to be a leader. This doesn’t work for two reasons. For one, Poe is a decorated Commander who had already served as a leader in the Republic Navy before joining the Resistance. Painting him as a cocky flyboy with a chip on his shoulder just doesn’t work when it goes against everything we’ve been told about his character. The “lesson” Poe was supposed to learn was one he already knew.

The second problem is that it meant that Holdo had to die in order for Poe to learn this lesson. In other words, we’re back to that age-old trope: a woman had to die in order to advance the plot/characterization of a male character.

And that’s where we get to our final topic: sexism. For a movie that preaches itself as so overtly feminist, it is rich with sexist undertones that are immediately apparent on the surface. Most of these are notably in the interactions between Rey and Kylo Ren, but there’s another character that I wanted to touch upon first. Rose Tico.

Despite Kelly Marie Tran’s boundless enthusiasm for her role, Rose Tico is ultimately underwhelming as a character. Despite mourning the death of her sister, her ultimate presence in the film seemed to be reduced to a girl with a bad crush on Finn.

I’ve already touched upon how poorly Rose treats Finn, but Rose herself seems to have gotten the short end of the stick in terms of the plot. Her character exists only to serve Rian’s image that your heroes aren’t what they seem, tazing Finn when she sees him trying to escape. From then on, Rose’s status seems to be downgraded to “Finn’s crush” as seen in the description of this deleted scene:

Originally, the film spent some more time clarifying the dynamic between Rey and Finn, and further setting up Rose’s crush on the Resistance “hero.” Rose chastises Finn for “pining for Rey,” which Finn quickly denies, claiming that he was “raised to fight” and that he finally found something to fight for in his friend, Rey. “Whatever,” responds Rose with a hint of jealousy.

Rose’s constant nagging of Finn and being catty about Rey enforces a negative female stereotype that has no business in a Hollywood blockbuster that claims to be catered to young girls, especially when it seems that Rose’s role has been reduced to working the love triangle dynamic between Finn and Rey. This seems like it could only lead to a destructive end for the character, especially considering how she attempts to save Finn’s life by almost sacrificing her own at the end of the film. Rose presents us once again with the trope that a female character must sacrifice herself in order to advance the plot of the male character, in this case, to prove her love for him. It’s a frustrating trope, made all the more exhausting when you consider what her role might be in the next film.

If you focus on the look Rey gives Finn putting a blanket over the unconscious Rose, it sets up tension for the next film: assuming Rey and Rose engage in competition for Finn’s attention, putting the two girls at odds with one another.

Because if the sexism in this movie wasn’t blatant enough, that’s just what Star Wars needs: two girls fighting over a guy. While frustrating to watch, it’s also extremely degrading to both characters and reduces both of their arcs into nothing more than instruments to direct the story of a male character.

Hopefully JJ will take the next episode in a different direction, but the damage that has already occurred in this film cannot be understated. There is, unfortunately, a lot of ground to cover regarding Rey’s story, so I’m going to start with the most visually striking one: Rey’s costume.

In The Last Jedi, Rey adopts what has been dubbed her “Jedi Training” outfit, trading out her three signature buns for a simpler hairstyle and trading out her light Jedi garb for a bit of a darker color. It’s a way for Rey to separate herself from the girl we saw crying desperately over her parent’s retreating ship on Jakku, keeping the same appearance a decade later in the hopes that they would come back to recognize her.

Many who speculated that Rey would undergo this physical transition after she discovered the true origin of her parents and worked to free herself of that disappointment found themselves disappointed. Rey didn’t change her clothes and her hair after she learned about her parentage from Kylo Ren, she learned about it after.

Despite being wet from the rain, another reason for this change is that she was shipping herself off in a box to see Kylo Ren, prompting those who want them to be romantically involved to start citing the Snow White parallels. It’s not hard to believe that the reason for this change was to make Rey appear more feminine. With her hair down, she looks more like a girl and less like the hardened warrior who had to fend for herself back on Jakku.

But wait, wouldn’t that mean that Rey’s entire role in the movie basically focused on developing Kylo Ren as a character? It does, and you wouldn’t be wrong to think that way. Even during Rey’s training sessions with Luke, the conversation is always geared back to Kylo Ren in some way, whether it’s Luke talking about his past or Rey assuring Luke that she won’t end up like Kylo. Either way, we hear Kylo’s name spoken more times between them than we actually hear anything about the Jedi or the things that Luke learned about the Force on his travels (say, Pillio, perhaps?)

It becomes clear early on that despite Rian Johnson saying that the film isn’t about what the fans want, that certain scenes were added in to appeal to a certain demographic. For example, Adam Driver’s uncomfortable shirtless scene?

Rian himself says that the scene had a “specific purpose” of creating an increasing feeling of “uncomfortable intimacy.” In other words, Kylo Ren’s shirtless scene is basically synonymous with a dick pic: no one asked for it, but there it is, one of the most subtle forms of sexual harassment. Think about this another way: if Rey’s character was really a boy, would the shirtless scene still be present? Or necessary?

Hint: it’s not.

The fact that Rey’s character only seems to exist to play a role in Kylo’s story is concerning, considering that she is touted as the protagonist of the sequel trilogy. Even though she witnessed him murder Han Solo no more than a few days prior, she becomes emotionally intimate with him pretty quickly, opening up to him about the strange experiences she had in the “dark place” beneath the island.

And therein lies the problem. When they touched hands, Snoke gave her a vision of Kylo Ren turning back to the light side to compel her to rush off to the Supremacy in the hopes that she could turn Kylo Ren back to the light and turn the tide of the war.

There’s only one problem with that.

It’s not her problem.

Rey was a civilian. As Kylo Ren himself told her, “You have no place in this story.” She has no part in the conflict between the First Order and the Resistance, and yet she was swept up in it all the same. It shouldn’t be necessary for her to rush off and turn the tide of the war, and while it fits with the Star Wars theme of how one person can make a difference, the trope that a woman must rush off and sacrifice herself in order to progress a man’s character and offer him redemption has been a long-running frustrating trope. If Rey wants to help the Resistance, that’s her choice, but it shouldn’t be necessary to rush off and try to save the person who kidnapped and abused her.

It’s one of the things that makes any sort of Kylo Ren and Rey team-up so off-putting. In The Force Awakens, he kidnaps her and invades her mind in order to try to find the location of the map. After she escapes, he confronts her in the forest, throwing her into a tree several feet up in the air in a move that could have potentially killed her. Then she wakes up just in time to watch him slice through Finn in a move that could have killed him.

Oh, and did I forget to mention how she watched him murder a defenseless Han Solo right before her eyes only moments before? The man who, as Kylo himself taunted, presented a father figure that she never had?

In other words, Rey has absolutely no reason to trust Kylo Ren. She has no reason to even want him to get redemption. For all of Rian’s talk about how he wanted to keep this film “morally grey,” trying to make a genocidal murderer relateable, or even redeemable, was not a step in the right direction. Wouldn’t it have been more compelling to watch Rey wrestle with the ramifications of eliminating Kylo Ren once and for all? Instead of trying to find redemption for the dark side, wouldn’t it have been far more interesting to explore a situation in which Rey realizes that good people must sometimes do bad things for an overall good to result?

Perhaps, but that’s not the film we got. Instead we got a team-up between Kylo Ren and Rey where, moments after they work together, their alliance is quickly severed. Rey asks Kylo to call off the attack that is sure to eliminate the Resistance, including Finn. Kylo, however, refuses and tells her to move on and join him in ruling. He tells her, “You come from nothing. You’re nothing. But not to me.”

Fortunately Rey grabs the lightsaber and rejects his offer, and the final scene of her closing the Millennium Falcon doors on him seems to confirm that she has severed her connection for good. The problem? The damage has already been done.

Rian Johnson has already set up the Kylo Ren and Rey dynamic to be potentially romantic, between the shirtless scene, the hand touching scene, to be filled with an uncomfortable kind of sexual tension between the girl that declared to Maz, “I don’t want a part of any of this” and the man that murdered his father.

As troubling as that notion is, it does get worse. Kylo Ren tells Rey, “You come from nothing. You are nothing. But not to me.”

The problem is that Kylo Ren’s frequent gaslighting and emotional manipulation throughout the two films reaches its climax: he has discarded Snoke and wants to use the powerful, yet naive Rey, to further his own power. Still, the sexual if not romantic implications are there, pushed along by a group of shippers that call themselves “Reylos,” who desperately seek for Rey to redeem Kylo through, well, you get the idea.

There are several problems with this. One of the first ones is the fact that Kylo Ren is 32 years old, whereas Rey is only 19. While many are quick to claim that age is just a number, Rey is emotionally immature, having been isolated on Jakku for most of her life. There is absolutely no good reason to try to push her into any sort of relationship with someone who is so destructive, especially when the sole reason for doing so is to help Kylo Ren find redemption.

The line, “You’re nothing…but not to me” is a quote that unfortunately most women have heard far too often. It’s an emotional manipulation tactic in order to try to isolate a woman from her friends and family until she only relies on her abuser for support, and this is exactly what Kylo Ren is trying to do here. With Luke unwilling to teach her, Kylo wants Rey to rely on him, and solely him, so that he can use her power and manipulate her to further his own goals (which is to lead the First Order to…conquer the galaxy? It’s not quite clear.)

It’s a frightening message, especially when you think about who this movie is supposedly marketed to. Think about how many children dressed up as Rey for Halloween. How do we explain to girls that the man who killed Han Solo, the man who emotionally manipulated her and tried to use her just to validate himself, is the person that she should ultimately fall in love with? It paints a dangerous picture that girls internalize before they have enough experience to make their own decisions regarding their own relationships.

Remember Edward Cullen’s creepy manipulation in Twilight? Apparently that’s crept into Star Wars as well.

And this gets to the heart of the overall problem. The Last Jedi is ultimately soaked in sexism, misogyny and racism, and yet Kathleen Kennedy and Bob Iger widely praised the film before its release. How can Kathleen Kennedy, who said that she was proud to have a feminist icon in Rey, be willing to reduce Rey’s entire story to “the love interest?” If the executives and storygroup approved such blatant racism and actively worked to rewrite characters in order to fit their stereotypical narrative, what hope do we have that the next trilogy will be better, especially when they gave Rian Johnson full control over its content?

Rian himself believes that Darth Vader was worse than Kylo Ren, and while that is probably a conversation as controversial as the movie itself, Rian still wholeheartedly believes that despite what happened in The Last Jedi, that Kylo Ren can be redeemed. It shows that the storyline that JJ Abrams set up has been reduced to simply furthering the narrative of the white villain, and the rest of the characters are simply players in his story, which is why they exist as nothing more than stereotypes in Rian Johnson’s version of Star Wars.

And that’s the disappointment. While The Force Awakens received criticism for being too similar to its predecessor, A New Hope, JJ did set up some interesting and mysterious characters. While Captain Phasma’s role was ultimately underwhelming, fans were assured that she would have a much bigger role to play in Rian Johnson’s world.

Unfortunately, we all know how that turned out.

Phasma’s quick dismissal wasn’t the only disappointment. Snoke was killed off without any satisfying explanation to who he was or even what he wanted the First Order to do. The Knights of Ren, which were mentioned in The Force Awakens and played a role in Rey’s vision, disappeared from the narrative entirely, instead being replaced by Rian’s Praetorian Guards.

For many, Luke Skywalker’s return was the biggest disappointment. Mark has made no secret in recent weeks citing how he didn’t agree with Rian Johnson’s vision of Luke and how he wished George Lucas had directed the sequel trilogy instead, a mere three days before The Last Jedi hit theatres. It fits into Rian Johnson’s grim version of reality: our heroes can be defeated, and idolizing legends is ultimately unsettling and disappointing when faced with reality.

But by disappearing into the Force, did Luke not himself become a legend, the very thing that Rian seems to chide against? The film’s “message” seems to give audiences such mixed signals, it’s not surprising that audiences claim that the film seemed better after a second viewing: basic elements of the plot just doesn’t make sense, like how the First Order has suddenly developed hyperspace tracking despite the film only taking place a few days after the events of The Force Awakens.

There are other plot holes that point out the flaws in logic in the story: where did Rey learn to swim on Jakku? How can bombers drop bombs in space when there’s no gravity for the bombs to fall? Since space exists in three dimensions, why didn’t the First Order just have a ship drop out into hyperspace in front of the Resistance Star Cruiser and blow it to bits? And why was General Hux, a serious, straight-faced villain in The Force Awakens, who ordered the destruction of the Hosnian System, delegated to a comedic side role who’s only function was to serve as a cheap laugh and be the butt of an awkward your mom joke? Instead of using the antagonism between Kylo Ren and General Hux to show the crumbling of the First Order and how the small band of Resistance heroes we’re left with at the end of the movie might stand a chance against them, it seems that the First Order’s army, which was flowing with Nazi imagery in The Force Awakens has just been reduced to campy slapstick humor.

Despite these obvious problems, the most glaring ones still remain in the fact that Star Wars is a film that claims to market itself to the people it exploits and ultimately rejects. It’s no wonder that merchandise and ticket sales have dropped when the movie is back to focusing on a white male lead, like so many other before it. Kylo Ren tells Rey that you have no part in this story, that she doesn’t belong – something that minorities, women, and the LGBTQ+ community have been hearing their whole lives.

But if this movie isn’t made for these people, then why does Disney keep trying to insist that it is? Most people who have been critical of the film have been met with the chorus of, “You’re just upset that you didn’t get what you wanted” as if it’s somehow wrong to expect more from what you receive. The story was set up so that we would get answers. How someone as powerful as Snoke managed to manipulate Kylo Ren from the womb and grow the First Order from the seeds of the Empire, Phasma’s increased involvement, and especially the question of Rey’s parentage, has been dangled in front of us like a carrot on a stick for the past two years, and it’s ultimately unsatisfying to see all those threads being clipped off and brushed aside with a, “Oh! It didn’t even matter!”

If it didn’t matter, then why feel the need to keep up the secrecy and suspense for two years, when the final product is ultimately disappointing? (Point not withstanding, Kylo Ren tells Rey that Snoke showed him that her parents were buried in a pauper’s grave on Jakku. Why her parents would actually return to Jakku, or whether Snoke was actually telling the truth, is a matter that JJ has yet to resolve.)

It’s not wrong to be a critical consumer of the media that we consume. It’s not wrong to say that we deserve something better. Minorities and women can and should demand to be treated with more respect than they were shown in this film, and the overwhelming amount of racism and misogyny in this film is something that most avid fans of the film have not provided an answer for.

People who claim that The Last Jedi is a good movie, while at the same time acknowledging how deeply misogynistic and racist it is, are contributing to the larger problem we have as a society. It’s saying, “I know it’s racist and misogynistic, but it entertained me, so I’m okay with it.”

It might just be fiction. It might just be a story. But all media we consume influences us, subconsciously or not, in ways that we may not even be aware of. Star Wars may not be real. These characters may not be real.

But it still affects how you feel, and that seems pretty real to me.

#anti-tlj #anti-the last jedi #anti-disney star wars #star wars negativity #star wars sequel negativity #star wars #why the last jedi isn't just bad - it's toxic #last jedi toxic #the last jedi is toxic #tlj toxic #tlj is toxic #scavenger's holocron

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a-man-for-hire-and-his-archives · 9 months ago

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Australian & New Zealand Author Showcase No 20 – Luke Arnold

February 9, 2024 by Charlie Cavendish

An idea squeezed into my head in 2023, after seeing so many of the book community gathering at conventions across the US and UK. And once my FOMO subsided, I got to thinking about who might be gathered together if we had similar conventions closer to home. Pending the master planning required to arrange a massive convention, I thought the next best thing might be to run an Australian & New Zealand author showcase. So, I sent out the call, with the only prerequisite for participating being the author had to have been born in either country or currently live there.

Its now 2024 and the Aussie / New Zealand Author Showcase is gathering steam again. Just when I thought it was over even more talent has emerged, at this rate its threatening to become year long event! I will continue to post their individual showcases at regular intervals. So hopefully you will enjoy these interactions with some very talented people. Please be sure to check out their work, sign up to their newsletters and follow them on their social media of choice. I make no apologies for any damage inflicted to your TBR’s!

Showcase No 20 finds me chatting with very talented Luke Arnold. Luke is the award-winning actor from projects such as Black Sails, Glitch and Never Tear Us Apart: The Untold Story of INXS as well as the author of The Fetch Phillips Archives; a series of fantastical detective stories which has third instalments to date.

Do you feel that being an Aussie / Kiwi (or residing there) influences your writing?

Absolutely. I didn’t leave Australia until I was in my twenties so, for better or worse, I was brought up with a distinctly Australian outlook. It’s something that can be easily mischaracterised and also requires some distance to properly understand. Being both a young and old country, we’re still finding ourselves, experiencing growing pains, and struggling with our identity.

At the same time, isolation and an abundance of natural resources means a lot of us are able to benefit from a high quality of life without working as hard as we’d need to in many other places in the world. I think a lot of Aussies know this in their bones, and it makes us nervous of “rocking the boat” for fear that we might lose the advantages we have.

This aversion to change has some embarrassing repercussions on relationships between European Australians and Australia’s First Nations People, as well as our treatment of immigrants and asylum seekers.

We have a different kind of national identity to other western countries like the USA or Britain. We’re still trying to play the underdog – the little colony down under that punches above its weight – but that persona no longer fits us the way it used to. These themes seep into all my work.

Fetch Phillips may have the outward appearance of a classic American hard-boiled hero, but he has an Australian heart. He’s someone who feels separate, a bit ignorant, reticent to become a leader, and happy to defer to those he sees as being older and more experienced. He values being humble and self-effacing, but there is safety in that identity.

It allows him to shirk responsibility and hide in the shadows, even when it should be his moment to step forward. He’s a man who didn’t grow up when he was supposed to and is struggling to come of age too late. I feel like Australia is going through the same thing.

What are some of the challenges being located so far away from the rest of the world, do have any tips for overcoming these?

When I was first trying to get published, I was lucky in that I was already working overseas and had some profile from my acting career. That’s a clear advantage I don’t take lightly. Though I’d always wanted to write, the thing that pushed me to finish my first manuscript was a desire to spend more time at home. My acting career was reaching a point where every job was in a different city, and I wanted to know that I could keep working creatively without needing to get on a plane. There are numerous advantages to being creative in Australia.

One thing that is easily overlooked is that we have more safety nets that some other countries. I really notice this when I’m in the US. It’s terrifying to have no money in America. Of course, cost of living is going up everywhere, but I still think there are more ways to find a balanced life in Australia where you can keep a roof over your head and be creative at the same time. Yes, it’s a smaller market and it can be hard to break out overseas, but if the goal is to live a creative life where you do the thing you love without panicking that someone’s going to kick you out on the street, this is one of the best places in the world to establish yourself.

Personally, I know I couldn’t have survived as a young actor long enough to build my career without the support systems that Australia offers.

3. How do you go about establishing connections in the book community? (any tips / suggestions)

I’m terrible at this. My first two novels came out in 2020 when we were all locked inside, and I’ve only met a handful of other authors in person. So of course, social media is a huge asset.

I mostly rely on creatives I’ve known for a long time. Every couple of weeks, I catch up with an author friend, Steven Lochran, I’ve known since high school, and we read each other’s stuff and discuss what we’re working on. I have a number of other people, some writers some not, who I use as beta readers when they have the time.

Finding your own colleagues that you trust and feel comfortable to share your work with is more important than trying to network your way onto tables with notable people in the industry. If you do good work, then that will happen naturally.

4. Do you have a favourite character to write? And conversely are there any of your characters that are the more of a struggle?

Fetch is fun because he still surprises me. There’s a lot of me in him, and he’s dumb enough that I can stuff my own fears and ideas into his head and have him try and make sense of things. It’s always harder when I have to write someone more intelligent – someone who might have the answers he seeks – because then I need to get ahead of my own pondering and come to some conclusions. Perhaps that’s why everyone is fallible in my world, and even those who seem to have the answers will likely fall to pieces before the end of the story.

5. So aliens finally reveal themselves to us and your work is presented to them as example of what humanity has to offer, what do you hope they will take away from this intergalactic exchange?

I hope they’d see that we’re flawed, confused, vulnerable little things, and yet we keep trying to be better. Individually and collectively. My books are noir in tone, but the point isn’t to say that we’re all broken and corrupt. It’s about celebrating the way we keep trying to be good, even in the face of terrible darkness. Even when we’ve made mistakes that should he unforgivable. Even when the pressure – both without and within – feels like it’s going to crush us. Hopefully, if they’re looking at the state of things right now, it might help them see that we’re not completely lost.

6. Tell us something about yourself that not many people know?

In this relentlessly online world, it’s hard to think of something that isn’t already out there. So I’m trying to think of something obscure. Maybe I’ll share that I play a bit of Beat Saber in VR and I’m determined get to the top of the leader board for Billie Eilish’s Happier Than Ever (normal difficulty). I’m broken the top 100 but I’m gunning for a top ten spot.

What would you say is the best thing about being an author and the worst?

The best thing is that your work is all yours. There are very few creative endeavours out there where you can give so much of your internal world to another person. While our editors and publishers are integral, it’s not the same collaboration as making a film or playing a song with a band. This is all you.

The worst thing is that your work is all yours. You can get feedback and guidance, but it’s only your name on the cover. You must write every word, alone, without anyone encouraging you or sharing the load. Every time I write a book, I’m struck by what a monumental act of faith it is. One word after the other, day after day, for months, hoping that by the end it will be at all interesting to anyone else. Some days I can’t write a text to someone without crumbling under self-doubt, but then I have to find the motivation to pump out a few thousand words of fiction.

And at the end of it all, when someone else enjoys the finished product, they will also be alone, somewhere far away, playing out the story in their own head, and you’ll be completely oblivious to how it’s making them feel. It requires a level of self-belief that is easier to summon some days more than others.

8. Any other Aussie / Kiwi creatives you’d like to give a shout out for? (let’s spread the love)

I’m embarrassed to say that my reading really dropped off over the last year, but if you want some more noir, this time with a sci-fi twist, the 36 Streets by T.R.Napper’s is a fantastic cyberpunk story set in future Vietnam.

And I finally jumped into Maria Lewis’s The Rose Daughter and am bloody loving it.

9. What’s your favourite quote or passage from one of your books?

Shit. The ones I love one day, I cringe at the next. The chapters about Fetch’s love interest, Amari, in The Last Smile in Sunder City still hold a special place for me though. They were the first pieces I felt confident sharing with other people.

There’s a part where Fetch just lists the days they spent together. As the series continues, I have to keep returning to it to make sure that if I allude to an encounter between Fetch and Amari, it’s related to one of the occasions included in that list. It’s simple, and Fetch doesn’t include much emotion or embellishment, but every time I go back to it, that tragic romantic melancholy gets back under my skin.

9. What’s your favourite quote or passage from one of your books?

10. What can you say about your current project or what you are planning next?

The fourth instalment of The Fetch Phillips Archives is in the editing phase, and I’m really excited to get it in people’s hands. I’ve enjoyed the fact that Fetch has not yet lived up to being either a hard-boiled detective or a fantasy hero. His guilt, self-doubt, and insecurity have taken his investigations (and in some cases the plot of the books) off the rails. That was always intentional, and I found that journey interesting to write, but Book 4 is a different beast. Fetch is still a problematic guy, but he’s put himself together enough to tackle his next case with more determination. So, for the first time, we have a more focused narrative revolving around a single string of murders. There are a lot of rewarding moments in this one for readers who were hoping Fetch might eventually catch a break.

But it’s still noir, so don’t except all sunshine and roses. Just a mystery where the main character isn’t getting in his own way quite so much.

Bonus Question: Lastly Vegemite* yes or no?

Absolutely. Thin layer with plenty of butter. It’s not something I crave when I’m away from home but get me back in the Aussie bush and I’ll be searching for a jar in no time.

* An iconic dark salty spread that (most) Australians slap on toast for breakfast (NB explanation for the rest of the world)

Author Bio:

Luke Arnold was born in Australia and has spent the last decade acting his way around the world, playing iconic roles such as Long John Silver in the Emmy-winning Black Sails, Martin Scarsden in the screen adaptation of Chris Hammer’s Scrublands, and his award-winning turn as Michael Hutchence in the INXS mini-series Never Tear Us Apart. When he isn’t performing, Luke is a screenwriter, director and novelist.

He has published three books in The Fetch Phillips Archives, with the fourth instalment on the way. He performs the audiobooks for all his works, and The Last Smile in Sunder City was nominated for Best Fantasy at the 2021 Audie Awards.

Book/ Series Links

Social Media Links

@longlukearnold on Insta, X, and TikTok

Source: FanFi Addict

#black sails #luke arnold #fanfi addict #the last smile in sunder city #the fetch phillips archives #fetch phillips #interview

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emmalostinwonderland · 11 months ago

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I can't believe this year is already just about over... 2023 has been huge for me in terms of fandom and in real life spaces. This was my first full year publicly out as queer, and it felt at times like the rest of the world was kinda celebrating with me. I made so many new fandom friends and got a lot more involved with the things I'm passionate about. I joined 5 fandom discord servers, beta'd more than a few fics, cheer-read a few others, and participated in 4 fanfiction events. I spent most of the year whining about how I can't get any writing done, but apparently I wrote and posted more fics this year than in 2020, 2021, and 2022 combined! I wrote nearly 50,000 words this year. Thank you to everyone who supported me, encouraged me, laughed and cried with me, or spent time with me in any capacity. I cherish you all.

Anyway, now for the part people actually want lol- here are the 6 fics I published in 2023:

Embers Barely Showing (Proof of Life in the Shadows)

Pairing: Steve/Bucky Rated: M Word Count: <1k Summary: Steve freezes in the doorway. He makes himself breath slowly and deeply, and he takes a moment to get his heart rate back to normal before addressing the man holding a gun to his temple. “Buck, it’s me." // Steve comes home while Bucky is having a dissociative episode.

Judged By The Cover (collab w/ @louikazooie)

Pairing: Steve/Bucky Rated: E Word Count: 32k Summary: Bucky Barnes, award-winning romance novelist, is dismayed to learn that his publisher is sending him on a book tour with Steve Rogers, a fantasy author who recently topped the NY Times Bestseller list for his first and only romance novel and Bucky’s personal authorial adversary. As they’re sent off to spend several months touring 50 US cities together, they’ll attempt to overcome their differences and leave the past behind them… maybe they’ll even find love.

The Hazards of Falling in Love (Rescue Me)

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rated: T Word Count: 4k Summary: “So that’s your name?” Rogers hasn't looked away from him once. His eyes are a piercing blue, and Tony barely manages to keep from squirming under his gaze. “Yeah. Or Telecommunications Operator Stark, if we’re getting technical about it.” “Are we?” Tony tilts his head slightly. “Depends. Can I call you Steve?” The man grins. “Wouldn’t have it any other way, Tony.” // Tony Stark doesn't date firemen. But he'll make an exception for Battalion Chief Steve Rogers.

Promises, Promises

Pairing: FirstPrince Rated: E Word Count: 1k Summary: “Works for me. Let me get undress-” Henry stops him with a hand over his. “Slow down, love. I’m going to make you listen to me for once.” “Oh my god,” Alex whispers, seemingly unintentionally. // Alex breaks his promise of a work-free trip. Henry gives him just what he deserves.

Should History Forget Us

Pairing: Steve/Bucky/Tony Rated: E Word Count: est 15k (WIP) Summary: War is over for the kingdom of Starkholde, and King Anthony's knights have returned home at long last. With peacetime comes many changes... as well as its own dangers. Through joy, through pain, through fear, through love- Steve, Bucky, and Tony must navigate the shifting tides together and make their mark on history.

StarDads Secret Santa 2023

Pairing: Din/Luke **This fic is part of a gift exchange and creator reveals are not until after the new year. I'll post the link to my fic once it's available, but for now, the whole collection is linked here.

#stucky #stony #dinluke #firstprince #stuckony #fanfiction #ao3 #writing #year in review #2023

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cosmos-dot-semicolon · 7 months ago

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you know I think one problem with like. trying to write a critique for inscryption that most people probably only experienced it through markiplier. much like with pony island.

I feel like most people already knew like half of what was going on and were already invested in the lore and ARG and whatnot, rather than actually experiencing the game itself like a normal person. I think it's also prominent with Inscryption because the game itself is written under the assumption that the average player is already a fan of Daniel Mullins' shtick and is used to it.

And I guess when you're coming at it from there, you're primed not to look into the game from any other angle and miss a lot of the cool things it had going on that it never followed up with. The Scrybes representing the creative process. Their blue and orange morality. A critique of the game industry literally kiling one of its employees for business reasons.

like. you know what happened to luke carder. That literally happened 2 years after the game released:

and it would've been such a biting critique if Inscryption had genuinely leaned into that theme as a cautionary tale! Like holy shit, that'd be one of the most important fucking contributions to the medium of video games as an artform you could make!

But as it stands, Luke's plotline is only really there because the developer wanted to join this game to the Hex, and because there's an ARG. It's obviously not the fault of the dev that this happened. But it feels almost insulting that he came up with a theme this relevant and real and then just. Did not give it the gravity it deserved.

I've heard a similar thing happened with Ace Attorney twitter where half the fandom apparently hasn't played the fucking game. I mean with AA it's more forgivable because it's a visual novel, but it comes from the same desire to just join in the latest fandom without actually engaging with the art it comes from.

idk I just think. maybe people should experience things for themselves instead of getting their opinions from a third party standing over their shoulder. It'd make for more interesting art.

#i also had a bit I wanted to say about the whole secret nazi nuke plot because I actually know enough about physics for that to annoy me #like there are pretty concrete historical (antisemitic) reasons on why that wouldn't have happened. it's so uncomfortable if you Know #somebody let me know if they want that. bc it's like the epitome of 'bestie you should perhaps not use that theme just for the aesthetic'#video games #dots dots dots

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deathcoach · 2 years ago

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What was the process of getting yourself published? Did you get an agent or did you shop it yourself? Who edited it your or someone else? How long did it take from beginning to end? Was your story originally a fan fic? Who is your publisher / what printing house / company took you on? Thanks!

Thank you so much for these questions @twinsoulvisionary! There is a lot here so I will try to keep it brief and helpful!

I’ll go a little out of order so it makes more sense! Follow me below the cut!

Death Coach was written because I have two people in my life, one a published romance novelist and the other a family member, who had read lots of my fanfic and said I should write something original. So I took a few days to come up with an idea for something I thought I would care about enough to write an original novel about it.

The idea was simple “Detective gets involved with serial killer he’s hunting.” That was it. 😈

As to the question of if it was originally a fanfic, it was written explicitly to NOT be a fanfic, explicity to be something I could sell. However it’s no secret to anyone who knows me that Detective Walker is a thinly-veiled Luke Skywalker avatar, and Terana is at least physically very much like Mara Jade. There are tons of Easter Eggs in my novel for Star Wars fans, and I don’t want to drop them all here, but absolutely you will find other Star Wars-inspired characters in the book.

About the timeline:

Death Coach was finished in Dec 2018 and published in Dec 2022, so four years later. How about that? I’m just so happy it’s done! *checks box*

How long did it take to write?

Everyone writes at a different pace, but when I’m writing and have time to do it, I am super fast. I think Death Coach was written (first draft complete of 80k) in about 3 weeks. The first two days after I started it, I was already 20k into the book. I edit as I go—one of my habits with this book, so I didn’t lose any threads, was to reread what I’d written at least every other day. I could fix things, tweak, and proofread as I read. I think especially if you are writing a story where there are aspects of mystery or clues needing to be dropped, it’s a good habit to reread your draft often before you continue.

So I was on fire and the story wrote itself (as my stories often do).

I edited it myself (I consider myself an excellent editor, no false modesty here) but my sister, who is also a great proofreader, double-checked (and did find things I’d missed).

For getting published, it was a long and rocky road. I sent the book to many agents and publishers at the same time. I made a packet, query letter, checked all the boxes.

I did get a few offers fairly quickly, but they always seemed unappealing. For example, one publisher came back and said they loved the story but since their readership was primarily into dominant males, they suggested flipping the characters or making Terana more sub and Walker more domineering. That (if you’ve read the book you’ll understand) is a completely different novel, and not a story that interested me. One asked for more queer sexual content. One wanted more explicit childhood trauma for the serial killer. Another wrote back and offered me $1000 advance with a cap on royalties of $1,000. Since I am doing this as a hobby, it wasn’t so much about the money, but that seemed low to me and why would I want to cap royalties?

The most encouraging responses were actually from agents or publishers who were like “we can’t sell this right now but we like your style, send us something else/send us a different book.” Well, this was THE book I wrote and I wasn’t going to write another one until I’d published this one…but that was still nice to hear. Lots of positivity but no takers.

One of the funniest responses I got was from an agent who was super excited about the premise and emailed me about how much he was looking forward to reading it and then emailed me a couple days later and was like “Uh…this is X rated. I thought it would be a nice book.” I was laughing like uh…ok so a NICE book about a serial killer? Did he even read the synopsis? Anyway, clearly too prudish to enjoy the smutastic Death Coach.

About a year after I wrote it, one of my friends who had been published under contract with Harlequin for years switched to self-publishing, and made about twice as much as she had under contract (she was making about $14k a book). She suggested I do it, but I didn’t have the time or energy (as I mentioned, writing is a hobby for me and not a life goal or anything). She also had the benefit of a following, a known name in the romance business, something I do not.

I am under no illusions about the limited demographic for Death Coach—it’s gritty and graphic in both violent death and sex. People who are reading Mills & Boon don’t want to read about cunts and sex in the dirt, and people who are reading hard crime aren’t expecting lots of explicit fucking breaking up their action. But I thought maybe I would go after self-publishing when I had time and see if the book found an audience.

So fast-forward several years (!) and this past August I had some time to explore options. My friend who has self-published used Ingram Spark, who have global distribution and don’t try to keep any rights over your product. I worked with her to setup the title on her account, so I didn’t have to start from scratch (but I think it’s pretty easy if you want to set up your own—although if you are getting the impression I am lazy about it, you are right).

One benefit of Ingram is the option to refuse returns, because sometimes authors actually OWE money when royalties go into the negative due to returns. So I used SpiroBooks.com for my layout, got the ISBNs myself, had the super-talented @jadedjo do my cover art, and voila, here we are.

I think it’s important to stress again that I do this as a HOBBY. If I was interested in being a professional author who does it as a career, there were a lot of things I would do differently, including joining professional associations, spending more time and effort on finding an agent, and writing books that are commercial and similar to what is selling (or what the publishers told me they were looking for). Along the path, I had several opportunities to compromise and sell the book to other entities, but what was important to me was the fact this was written, I liked it as it was, and I had no real reason or motivation to change the story or rewrite, etc.

My goal in publishing this was to see if people liked it, and maybe make a series out of it if it was profitable. I do love Detective Walker and wouldn’t mind seeing what erotic adventures he has in the future, but I also am happy writing fanfic and working the dayjob. So we’ll see how it shakes out and if I should continue 🥰

I should mention that I’m overwhelmed and touched by the immense support the book has here on tumblr and in fandom spaces with my friends. I love everyone who bought it (I think I don’t get sales stats until next month) and thank each of you for giving such a hard-to-categorize novel an audience.

I hope that answered all your questions @twinsoulvisionary! Thank you so much for the ask and interest, and I wish you luck in your own writing and publishing endeavors!!! 😘 Feel free to ask other stuff, you or anyone else with a question!

#authors on tumblr #books #publishing #self publishing #getting published #death coach #ask the author #novel

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madam-mitsume2023 · 2 years ago

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Silenced Voice

You were walking home alone, again. You were used to it though. Every brother always bailed out on you for the same purpose along with the prince, his butler, a wizard and shoulder exposed angel, for the same person. Alma the new exchange student from the human realm. Her coffee black hair, her chocolate eyes, Velvet tan skin, she had the brothers around her finger. They always crave for her attention. Never you.

"I have brought in a new student, Alma Nassule!" Diavolo spoke as the 2 braided girl walked in. She had a smile on with a nervous face, the boys didn't pay too much attention to her at first. "I am Y/N L/N!" You introduced and shook her hand, she became more nervous but her smile remained. As if she was hiding the fact she hated you. Eventually she got settled into your original room and started to know the brothers more and more, until one day you came back home and instead of a warm greeting, you were greeted with a "go clean Alma's Room that you trashed filthy pig." Lucifer never called you that at all, or any of the brothers since they started calling you that as well. What did she say to them? All you did was sit in your room and skip classes until you were sent back into the human realm.

Ever since your return you were lonely, but you found a coping mechanism, to sing. You wrote some songs and got them published. Your stage name is MC. Your voice was well known but nobody knew your identity except your parents. Currently you got asked to this singing competition. The winner gets a million dollars in scholarships. Luckily for you, you are encouraged to wear a mask the whole competition, along with a costume of your choice, there was a theme for your songs and it was personal feelings/thoughts. So you got ready and entered the competition

You walked onto the stage and as soon as you saw who the judges were, you felt beyond dewy from inside the mask. "May we ask for your name 31?" Asked Lucifer, his traitorous brothers and Diavolo and Barbatos immediately payed attention to you, along with Solomon and Simeon who sat in the front seat. You gulped "m-my name is Y- I mean MC!" You stammered. After the introductions of the boys you already knew, you started your first song

youtube

remember, years ago

Someone told me I should take

Caution when it comes to love, I did

And you were strong and I was not

My illusion, my mistake

I was careless, I forgot, I did

And now

When all is done, there is nothing to say

You have gone and so effortlessly

You have won, you can go ahead, tell them

Tell them all I know now

Shout it from the rooftops

Write it on the skyline

All we had is gone now

Tell them I was happy

And my heart is broken

All my scars are open

Tell them what I hoped would be impossible

Impossible

Falling out of love is hard

Falling for betrayal is worse

Broken trust and broken hearts

I know, I know

And thinking all you need is there

Building faith on love and words

Empty promises will wear

I know

I know and now

When all is done, there is nothing to say

And if you're done with embarrassing me

On your own, you can go ahead, tell them

Tell them all I know now

Shout it from the rooftops

Write it on the skyline

All we had is gone now

Tell them I was happy

And my heart is broken

All my scars are open

Tell them what I hoped would be impossible

Impossible

I remember, years ago

Someone told me I should take

Caution when it comes to love

I did

Tell them all I know now

Shout it from the rooftops

Write it on the skyline

All we had is gone now

Tell them I was happy

And my heart is broken

Oh, hoped would be impossible

Impossible (impossible)

(Impossible)

impossible

(Impossible) impossible

(Impossible)

Impossible

You sang your heart out and the crowed cheered. All of the boys except Luke who supported you, stared at you with wide eyes and jaws. "That. Was. Phenomenal. MC" Asmodeus spoke. "I agree with Asmo" said Satan and the others nodded. You were then sent to the semi final

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Artists

Thanks for treating me like everyone you meet

So please come in and take a seat

Here's the part where I learn, and you will teach

On how to treat people like a piece of meat

I want a genuine, not a replica

Lethal medicine, a pin to the cornea

A sight for sore eyes

While others consume the lie, I'll run and hide

No doors exist on my fortress

The only entrance is the one I bear

You're nothing more than a temptress

I fell victim to a heartless snare

Burn the bitch down

I never will cross that bridge again

I cannot trust you easily

Or think that I'm the only one

I never let people in

And I have you to remind me why

So, baby, burn the bitch down

I never will cross that bridge again

I'd rather drown

I'm the master of construction

Because I'm building walls like it's my occupation

If you portray a liar

I'll shut you out without hesitation

It's an art form of consummate skill

Oh, how she plays them like the pawn

Making boys drool at her will

Like Pavlov to the dogs

No doors exist on my fortress

The only entrance is the one I bear

You're nothing more than a temptress

I fell victim to a heartless snare

Burn the bitch down

I never will cross that bridge again

I cannot trust you easily

Or think that I'm the only one

I never let people in

And I have you to remind me why

So, baby, burn the bitch down

I never will cross that bridge again

I'd rather, I'd rather, I'd rather

Drown me, slit my throat so lightly

Pick me up and drop me right into my grave

And now I wonder, sit alone and ponder

Should I even bother, when I see your face?

The itch I couldn't scratch

Thought I'd come crawling back, but no

I'd much rather, rather, rather, rather, rather (sing it, boys)

I'd rather burn the bitch down

I never will cross that bridge again

I cannot trust you easily

Or think that I'm the only one

I never let people in

And I have you to remind me why

So, baby, burn the bitch down

I never will cross that bridge again

Go ahead and burn the bridge right down

It's what you wanted

Burn the bridge right down

I'm not the only one, the only one

So, baby, burn the bitch down

I never will cross that bridge again

I'd rather drown

The audience was again roaring at your performance and the traitors in front of you were clapping with smiles, Beel wasn't even eating, Belphie wasn't sleeping, Satan wasn't reading a book, Asmodeus not fixing his appearance, No Levi playing games. All their eyes were on you. You sweat even though you were sent to the grand finale.

You were performing your song and everyone in the crowd was cheering your name

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I wish I never saw your face

Then I wouldn't need a place to frame you in my mind

Hanging on the wall

My memories and all

But you're not tangible

Stuck on sentimental

The history we never had

Almost accidental

The way you live inside my head

And I would kill to be a mile away

To feel the breath you'll take

But fate won't let me

Distance disturbs me

I wish we never met

I wish I could forget who you are

Distance disturbs me

Cause we just can't connect

I found my one regret and it was you

Distance disturbs me

Separated by a scream

It's just a bitter sweet success with a dash of failure

Im hanging by a thread

Intentions cut to shred

Im starting to lose my grip

So someone please distract me

I need a new obsession

Am I just going crazy?

I'll never learn my lesson cause

Find more lyrics at ※ Mojim.com

I would kill to be a mile away

To feel the breath you'll take

but fate won't let me

Distance disturbs me

I wish we never met

I wish I could forget who you are

Distance disturbs me

Cause we just can't connect

I found my one regret and it was you

Distance disturbs me

Throw it all away

For just one rainy day

Throw it all away

For just one rainy day with you

With you

I would kill to be a mile away

Or the breath you'll take but fate won't let me

Distance disturbs me

I wish we never met

I wish I could forget who you are

Distance disturbs me

Cause we just can't connect

I found my one regret and it was you

Again the audience roared and cheered out your name. You went off stage to relax in your room for tonight. You were hanging out in your closet because it had your stress relief stuff inside. But you had in uninvited company, the brothers.

"Yo MC! Your voice is Amazin!" Mammon cheered but was elbowed by Asmo "Shush you idiot! They need to relax" the brothers turn around to notice you were nowhere in sight, but something clicked to Satan. "MC isn't here... their voice is great but their original songs... are sad... are they heartbroken...?" Satan spoke only for his brothers to open their eyes wider in realization the middle brother is correct. "Whoever caused them heartbreak will recieve Karma."

"I wish Y/N were here..." Beel spoke. "We drove them away because of Alma who only wanted control of all 3 realms.. we knew them for 2 years and only knew Alma for 2 months.." Lucifer spoke and Diavolo sighed with Barbatos at his side when he came in. "my powers must have been messed with... Y/N told the truth the whole time.." the songs Alma picked showed her homewrecker and traitor sides to her, her true self.

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"It turns out she was jealous of Y/N's relationship with us since she was a loner. And dumped other friends she had since they didn't benefit her." Simeon walked in beside Solomon. "But we don't know where they are now." Simeon spoke quietly. Belphie fell onto your bed. "It still smells like them...." Belphie then dug his face into your pillow. "They were never a pig... it was Alma..." with that the brothers kept an item of yours to remember the good times with you. You being a secretary for Lucifer, treating Mammon's wounds, gaming with Levi, reading books with Satan, Eating with Beel, cuddling Belphie, hanging out with Simeon, trying potions with Solomon, baking with Luke. It all went to waste because of them. Eventually they all left except Luke because he knew you were there. "Big Bro/Sib/Sis!" He hugged you like he always has and you smiled. "You and Setsukata have to reveal your faces and names tomorrow... I don't want you hurt again.." Luke whined only for you to pet his head. "It will be okay."

It was the day, someone was announced winner. It was you or Setsukata, someone you got along well with. The results came in.

Your eyes widened as tears flowed down your face inside your mask. Luke gave you a hug. "Y/N you did it!" The judges faces look shook. You finally took off your mask and threw it to the crowd. Only for your Best friend to catch it. You smiled brightly and the traitors of boys followed after you when you were about to leave

"Y/N wait!"

Part 2

#Youtube #obey me #lucifer obey me #obey me beel #obey me belphegor #obey me mammon #shall we date obey me #obey me x mc #obeyme #obey me leviathan

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biblenewsprophecy · 7 months ago

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CEI Deleted Matthew 18:11 about Jesus coming to save the lost. Why?

COGwriter

A reader in Italy sent me the following link, https://www.marcotosatti.com/2024/04/09/bibbia-2008-cancellato-un-versetto-in-matteo-1811-perche-investigatore-biblico/ which I machine-translated into English. Here are excerpts:

Bible 2008, Deleted a Verse in Matthew 18,11. Why? Biblical Investigator.

9 April 2024 Published by Marco Tosatti

Bible CEI 2008: “Sensatory: an entire verse deleted: Matthew 18,11. Who has the right to such changes?” by BIBLICAL INVESTIGATOR

Starting from the healthy question ‘has anyone else noticed?’, I searched for bibliography on the subject, even online, but no response.

The sensational thing is another deletion of a verse of the Word of God in the CEI 2008 Bible . …

In the case in question the verse in Mt 18.11 has been magically crossed out.

We therefore present the usual comparison with the previous edition.

Cei 74 in Mt 18.11 reports:

“ For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost ” ( Mt 18:11 )

CEI 2008 , however, completely skips the v. 11, placing a footnote, where it is written:

“ the verse (…) is missing in many manuscripts; a similar phrase occurs in Luke 19:10 “.

It is not known which are the ‘many manuscripts’ in which the verse is missing, and the matter is approved without any mention.

Reading, however, the text of the Gospel of Matthew in Greek, here is what I find in verse 11:

“ Elthen gar o uios tou anthropou sosai to apolosos ” which, translated, precisely, is:

“ For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost ”.

Now, there are 2 cases:

– I am the only biblical scholar in the world to have a Greek text where verse 11 appears (therefore the new translators must demonstrate and present in which manuscripts this verse does not appear)

– they are doing some prank or experiment

Having said this, the verse of Matthew 18.11 appears in the Vulgate of Saint Jerome, is present in the Martini Bible (18th century) and in the Ricciotti Bible (1940s), just to give a few examples.

But, be careful!, it was also canceled in the New Vulgate. …

Do new translators claim the right to decide what is the Word of God and what is not?

Is the verse not to our liking and therefore we proceed to delete it without mincing words?

I’ll go further.

If in 2024 it is decided arbitrarily, with censorship, what is the Word of God and what is not, who will prevent, for example, that in 10 years the new edition of the Bible avoids containing Romans 1 to be more politically correct?

Other than a basic bias against the Bible, the ‘Bible Investigator’ did not give a specific reason why he feels that the CEI translators left the verse out.

But he is correct that some do not care for Romans 1. For example, we already know that governments, particularly in Canada, do not like Romans 1 (watch Canadian censoring of the Bible).

What is the CEI? Well that stands for the CONFERENZA EPISCOPALE ITALIANA (CEI). That group has been headed up by the Roman Catholic Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Archbishop of Bologna. Their Bible is an Italian translation and according to Bible Gateway, that Bible is in the public domain in the United States.

That said, the fact that Jesus came to save the lost is an important doctrine.

But, while it was taught by early Christians, and seemingly also once understood by people who became part of the Greco-Roman church alliance (see the free online book: Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church: Could a remnant group have continuing apostolic succession?), that alliance changed the meaning of that (though the Eastern Orthodox still have some conception of it). Most modern Protestants do not know what early Christians believed related to several aspects of God’s plan of salvation (see also the free online book: Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God Differs from Protestantism).

Here is some information about that verse (and a similar one in Luke 19) as well as more on the lost and God’s plan of salvation from the free online book: Universal OFFER of Salvation, Apokatastasis: Can God save the lost in an age to come? Hundreds of scriptures reveal God’s plan of salvation:

The Bible shows that it is appointed for all to die once, and after this will come the judgment (Hebrews 9:27). Yet, the Bible also shows that those judged can attain mercy upon repentance (cf. James 2:13) and even those lost can be found (cf. Matthew 10:6-13).

Perhaps it should be pointed out that babies who die are not lost for sinning against God. Nowhere in the Bible does it state that those who never heard the truth of the gospel message will be lost.

It should be noted that Roman Catholic theology, while normally allowing for a higher percentage of people receiving salvation than what many Protestant and Baptist groups seem to teach, also tends to condemn most who ever lived to eternal torment and torturing.

Since Protestants have often claimed sola scriptura as their doctrinal source, and Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox point to scripture as a doctrinal source, it is to the Bible that Greco-Roman-Protestants should go to in order to see God’s plans for all.

Sadly, despite claiming “sola Scriptura,” Protestant scholars have tended to reason around various biblical passages regarding God’s plan of salvation. Notice one such mis-reasoning example related to Luke 3:6 (bolding in the version cited):

And all flesh shall see the salvation of God. The writer makes plain at the outset of Jesus’ ministry that He had a universal message. (from The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1962 by Moody Press).

Contrary to the interpretation above, Luke 3:6 DOES NOT state that the message is universal–it teaches that all flesh SHALL SEE the salvation of God. ALL will have an opportunity for salvation. That will be now for the elect and later for the rest.

Plus the message is not universal if most in the universe never properly hear it.

Luke 2:10, states:

10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.

There is to be good tidings for ALL PEOPLE. All will have an opportunity for salvation (cf. Luke 3:6).

Jesus will be joy to all people who will accept Him. …

The Gospels show that Jesus came to save the lost:

9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; 10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:9-10)

11 For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. (Matthew 18:11)

11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. (Matthew 18:11, DRB)

Notice that Jesus came to save the lost, not just a small amount of elect people. If the lost could not be saved, why would Jesus then have come?

Saving those who are currently lost is part of God’s plan as Ezekiel 34:11-16 shows:

11 ‘For thus says the Lord God: “Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. 12 As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered on a cloudy and dark day. 13 And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land; I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, in the valleys and in all the inhabited places of the country. 14 I will feed them in good pasture, and their fold shall be on the high mountains of Israel. There they shall lie down in a good fold and feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. 15 I will feed My flock, and I will make them lie down,” says the Lord God. 16 “I will seek what was lost and bring back what was driven away, bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick; but I will destroy the fat and the strong, and feed them in judgment.”

Notice that the lost were driven away (by false teachings and their own issues) but God will bring them back and FEED THEM IN JUDGMENT. Ezekiel did not say condemning them to everlasting torment in that judgment. While Jesus sought to reach various ones who were lost (Matthew 18:11), God did not gather the people from the countries then, hence this prophecy in Ezekiel is for a future time.

Furthermore, doesn’t “feed them in judgment” sound fairly positive? …

Satan has basically held the world captive through deceit. Notice also what Revelation 12:9 teaches:

9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world;

Notice that the whole world has been allowed to be deceived. They have not intentionally chosen the wrong.

2 Corinthians 4:3 teaches:

3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost (KJV).

While Calvinists and others misunderstand this verse, consider that just because someone is lost does NOT mean that they cannot be found!

2 Corinthians 4:4 teaches about those:

4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.

So, right now the gospel is hid—during this age—and some now are lost as they have been blinded by Satan—the god of this age—from knowing the truth (to learn more about the gospel, check out our free book, available online at www.ccog.org, The Gospel of the Kingdom of God). Paul also calls our time “this present evil age” (Galatians 1:4), which implies a better age to come (which will happen per Revelation 21:1-7).

Would a just God who allowed Satan to blind the world so that it could not see the truth of the Gospel not have a plan to later call those who are now lost?

The Bible clearly teaches that two ages will be coming where Satan will NOT be around (Revelation 20:1-3, 10), hence people will have an opportunity for salvation without being under the sway of Satan.

Anyway, yes, the lost can be found.

The Vatican, which has strong connections to the CEI, has declared that God does not have a plan to offer salvation later. Notice something that Joseph Ratzinger wrote in a paper titled The Theology of History in St. Bonaventure prior to becoming Pope Benedict XVI:

“…both Chiliasm [the teaching of the Millennium] and Montanism were declared heretical and were excluded from the universal church; for they both denied this vision [the “Christ is the end of the ages” vision] and awaited still another period of more definitive salvation to follow after the age of Christ” (as cited in Birch, pp. 515-516; note the comments within [] were from the Roman Catholic writer Birch).

This was an odd statement for several reasons. It was the leaders in Asia Minor who stood for the Millennium and were the first to oppose Montanism–whom the Roman Catholics originally tolerated (please see the article Location of the Early Church)–hence the belief in one is NOT necessarily related to the other.

The other reason this condemnation is odd, is that even though Origen of the 3rd century was opposed to the millennium, Origen also taught that there was definitive salvation after what then Cardinal Ratzinger calls “the age of Christ” (please see the article Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God Differs from Protestantism). Yet the late Pope Benedict XVI publicly praised Origen as a “true teacher” (for documentation, see What is the Appropriate Form of Biblical Interpretation?).

Perhaps Satan influenced those who took Matthew 18:11 out as Satan does not want people to realize that God is love, has a broader plan of salvation than many understand, and is actually fair.

The fact is that God does have a fantastic plan, and it includes reaching those who are now lost.

Notice and consider how our free book, Universal OFFER of Salvation, Apokatastasis: Can God save the lost in an age to come? Hundreds of scriptures reveal God’s plan of salvation, starts off:

Does God have a plan of salvation that makes sense?

The Bible teaches that “God is love” (1 John 4:8), “God is the God of salvation” (Psalm 68:20), God is good (Mark 10:18), and God is all-powerful, all-knowing (Isaiah 46:9-11).

Would not such a God be wise enough to come up with a plan of salvation that works, and does not doom the overwhelming majority of humans that ever lived to punishing that never ends?

Could that be a major part of why He sent His Son (John 3:16-17; 10:10)?

Will God offer salvation to all human beings who ever lived?

Is the view that God plans to offer salvation to all human beings biblical?

Has such a view had at least a degree of historical support, even among certain religious leaders still praised by the Greco-Roman-Protestant churches?

The answer to these questions is, yes, absolutely!

God’s plan makes sense.

More on God’s loving plan of salvation can be found in our free online book: Universal OFFER of Salvation, Apokatastasis: Can God save the lost in an age to come? Hundreds of scriptures reveal God’s plan of salvation.

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yhwhrulz · 1 year ago

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Today's Daily Encounter Tuesday, August 8, 2023

Obedience and Action

"As he entered a village there, ten men with leprosy stood at a distance, crying out, 'Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!' He looked at them and said, 'Go show yourselves to the priests. And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy."1

Many of you will be familiar with the story of the "Ten Lepers" which we read about in today's passage. If you recall, Leprosy was pretty much the worst disease you could have in Jesus' day. Having leprosy meant that you were unclean and unfit for society. You were separated from your family and friends without any hope for a cure. In addition to the physical pain associated with this disfiguring disease, lepers also suffered the emotional pain of feeling worthless, ashamed, and unloved.

In today's passage we see this group of ten lepers come to Jesus desperate to be healed. Jesus responds to them in compassion, as we often see him do, but before he heals them, he gives them instructions. Jesus asks them to step out in faith and go present themselves to the priest for inspection as if they had already been healed. In addition to religious duties, the priest was also responsible for deeming them healed and giving them clearance to return to social life. The lepers did not question Jesus and headed out to see the priest. AS THEY WENT , they were cleansed of their leprosy. Jesus had the power to heal them immediately, but he chose to give the lepers the choice of obedience, which then leads to their healing.

When hardships come our way, we often cry out to God asking him to solve the problem. If we do not see the desired response immediately, we get impatient and either get angry with God because he is not answering, or we take the problem back and try to solve it on our own. However, I encourage you to stop and think of what we can possibly learn from the problem. Have you stopped and listened to what God is telling you? When you hear him, do you obey and take the action he is asking you to take? We may not always see God answer the way we want him to, but He tells us to trust him and lean not on our own understanding.2

One thing God reminds me of often is the importance of seeking him first, making HIM my priority, and believing that He will take care of the rest. God speaks to all of us in different ways, but we are all called to obey. God is all powerful and all knowing. He could say the word and make everything better, but just as in the story of the lepers, He is also telling us to step out in faith, trust him, and obey.

Suggested prayer: Dear God, it is easy to ask you to answer our prayers, but many times it is not as easy to obey your instructions. I pray that you would allow me to trust your will and obey despite how I feel, believing that your plans are perfect, even when they are not my plans. I ask that you give me wisdom to make good choices and act in obedience when you tell me to do so. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. In Jesus' name, amen.

Luke 17:11-14 (NLT ).

Proverbs 3:5. Today's Encounter was written by: Crystal B.

NOTE: If you would like to accept God's forgiveness for all your sins and His invitation for a full pardon Click on: http://www.actsweb.org/invitation.php. Or if you would like to re-commit your life to Jesus Christ, please click on http://www.actsweb.org/decision.php to note this.

Daily Encounter is published at no charge by ACTS International, a non-profit organization, and made possible through the donations of interested friends. Donations can be sent at: http://www.actscom.com

ACTS International P.O. Box 73545 San Clemente, California 92673-0119 U.S.A.

Phone: 949-940-9050 http://www.actsweb.org

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andybondurant · 2 years ago

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New Post has been published on Andy Bondurant

New Post has been published on https://andybondurant.com/2023/02/03/walk-through-scripture-luke-13-15/

Walk Through Scripture: Luke 13-15

Can you believe we are already one month into 2023! We are starting the year walking through the Gospel of Luke together, but here are three tools to help you as you read Scripture through the rest of the year:

5 Steps to Understand the Bible. Start here. Give yourself a fighting chance of understanding what you are reading.

If you are beginning with the first book of the Bible, Genesis, I wrote a series of posts on the story of Joseph. Joseph is a major character at the end of the book of Genesis, and the story of Joseph and his brothers is a little messy and complicated. Here is the first of those posts: Joseph: A Story of Redemption.

If you aren’t starting in Genesis, the Gospels (stories of Jesus) is a good place to begin. Over several weeks, I’m walking through Luke, 3 chapters a week. This is the third post, to find the earlier posts, check them out here:

Walk Through the Bible: Luke 1-3

Walk Through the Bible: Luke 4-6

Walk Through the Bible: Luke 7-9

Walk Through the Bible: Luke 10-12

Luke 13 – turned up but pressing on.

I don’t know if you can feel it. It began a few chapters back, and it’s something I notice in each of the Gospels — the intensity rising. Every town Jesus visits, each person Jesus heals, every word Jesus speaks has more emotion behind it.

We find the reason in a passing comment on Jesus’ travels.

“Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he went, always pressing on toward Jerusalem.” -Luke‬ ‭13:22‬

Jesus was always pressing on because in Jerusalem laid his ultimate goal. He was called there to be the sacrifice for the world. He was working his way to Jerusalem to lay down his life, so you and I could have real, true life.

You have been called to something greater. At moments of your life, it will be the most difficult thing you’ve ever attempted. You must press on to your own personal Jerusalem. Others will tell you to quit, run, change course, but you must ignore them. Your call requires you to put your head down and press on.

What are you called to? Whether today represents a difficult moment or an easy one in your calling…press on.

Luke 14 – the perils of leading (your own life)

At the beginning of the American Civil War, the North was beset by horrible leadership. It set the war back months, possibly years.

Bad leadership…

The first general of the Union army, General McClellan was overly cautious, and he worried about every potential the South could throw at him. He asked, “What does the South have that I can’t see? Will it be too wet to move the men, war machines and supplies forward? Am I making the right decision?

Months of waiting.

…and more bad leadership.

Abraham Lincoln eventually replaced General McClellan with a more aggressive option – General Burnside. Unfortunately, Burnside was so aggressive and anxious for this opportunity, he nearly destroyed the North’s army in his first battle. He sent his army to fight an enemy who had a more advantageous and fortified position. Worse, when it became obvious the battle was lost…he kept fighting.

Leading isn’t easy. Whether it’s leading a nation into war or just leading yourself into the day, decisions can be difficult. In this chapter, Jesus challenged his followers to count the cost before they committed to him. Know what your walking into.

Jesus is calling. Don’t be General Burnside and rush to follow Jesus. The life he promises is better but not easier. But don’t be General McClellan either. If you wait for the perfect time and place, it will never come.

Jesus is calling. Will you respond?

Luke 15 – lost and found

There are a host of characters in this trio of stories from Jesus. The shepherd who searched for his lost lamb. The woman who tore apart her home looking for a lost coin. The son who demanded his inheritance and ran away. The father who patiently waited and watched for the son’s return. The older son who was faithful and diligent day in and day out.

Who are you?

Are you searching for a lost son, daughter, friend co-worker — frantic to find them? Have you found yourself lost — all resources spent and out of options? Are you patiently waiting for the return of a loved one? Are you incredulous over being overlooked despite your consistent faithfulness?

God sees you. You are in these stories. He knows the pain, frustration and worry you are experiencing. He feels it too.

Don’t be anxious. There is rejoicing at the end of your story.

#Abraham Lincoln #Civil War #God #Jerusalem #Jesus #Leadership #lost #Luke

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ladyvader23 · 4 years ago

Text

The Tall Luke Conspiracy

The worst mistake of Vader’s entire career was letting the galaxy think his son was tall.

The boy was short. He always had been, from his childhood until he’d run away from home. He’d inherited his mother’s stature, among some of her other more stubborn qualities. Vader had always liked the height difference. Sometimes he pretended his son was younger than he was, much to Luke’s dismay.

But all of that changed because of the paparazzi when Luke was sixteen.

Vader had done his very best to shield Luke from the spotlight. He was therefore well aware of how desperate the media was to learn any information there was on the young prince. He coached Luke repeatedly on what to do if confronted by the mob, but he found that his son often wasn’t as up front about it as he should have been--mainly because he knew Vader would hunt them down and kill them.

Still. Luke had managed to evade the press, and it was usually a mere footnote in his daily briefing on the movements of his son through his spies.

At least, until he’d been forced to go off world. When he returned, his briefing on his son contained a tabloid with Luke’s picture on it and the title “Prince Luke’s Height Revealed!” in bold letters over the top.

He immediately sent for his son.

“What is this?” He demanded the moment Luke walked in.

A sheepish look appeared on Luke’s face. “Oh. Uh. No idea?”

Luke was a terrible liar. He always had been.

Vader scrolled to the headline article, scanning it quickly. “Then why is it that this reporter says they interviewed you and you told them you were five-nine?!”

Luke groaned. “It was an accident, I swear! It wasn’t even an interview, I got cornered--”

“You what?!” How dare they confront his son like that?! They knew who he was, they knew very well what he’d do to them and their entire miserable organization if they even thought about attacking Luke like that.

“It’s not a big deal. It’s just a height.”

“It is not even your height!” He knew exactly how tall his son was--five-five. He made sure to bring Luke to the doctor as necessary for check ups. He had since he was a little boy. He was well aware of anything to do with his son’s health.

“I panicked!” Luke held his hands out innocently. “I just wanted to get to school and it seemed like the most innocent question to distract them with before I made my escape! And it’s not even real, so who cares? They can’t somehow use it against me.”

Vader snarled, already making plans to take care of the reporters in question. “Next time, do not answer their questions and inform me or one of my spies immediately. We will handle this.”

“That’s what I was afraid of.” Luke mumbled.

Unlike Luke’s spur of the moment prediction, the height became far bigger news than either of them had thought. Even after Vader had taken care of the tabloid, other more credible news stations had reported on their prince’s height. Vader, mortified, immediately set up an appointment with the Emperor--he couldn’t very well get rid of the entire Imperial media, but the Emperor could silence them with a simple order. He had to take care of this; it was his son’s private business even if it was fake--

“Oh, I think the news is just what that boy needed.” Came the Emperor’s surprising--and infuriating--answer when Vader made the request.

Vader was silent for a few cycles, trying to choose his words carefully. “He is not five-nine.”

It wasn’t at all what he wanted to say. He wanted to say the media had no right to be snooping into a minor’s business, let alone a royal minor, but that was too much attachment. As it was, his master barely tolerated Luke’s life as it was.

“That is precisely the problem.” The Emperor growled. “Do you realize how embarrassing your pathetically small son is to the Empire? You, for all of your medical failings, are the perfect picture of strength and control.” He gestured to him. “Your son? He looks like he might get squished by a womp rat.”

Vader gritted his teeth against the Emperor’s insults against his son. Anyone else would be dead. “He is not done growing--”

“That boy is going to be short forever, Lord Vader. I have foreseen it.” Vader half wanted to ask if he’d specifically looked into the future to see if his son would grow or not, or if it was coincidence. “I will command all Imperial propaganda departments to proclaim five-nine as Luke’s official height. I do not wish to hear another word of this.”

So Vader was forced to comply.

And when, two years later, Luke betrayed him and defected to the Rebellion, he ended up regretting that decision.

While he raged and searched for his son across the galaxy, he employed numerous bounty hunters to assist. He ordered for Luke’s file to be given to any assisting, and he put a million credit “alive only” bounty on his head. In the moment, he’d forgotten about the ridiculous “tall Luke” propaganda campaign from a few years before--his sole focus was finding his son, convincing him of the error of his ways, and ensuring he never lost him again.

That was, until not only was no one able to bring him Luke, but he found out that many had actually captured Luke, only to let him go.

“You will tell me why you let my son go!” Vader snarled as he strangled a young bounty hunter. She’d actually sent him a holo proving she had him, but when he’d shown up to her ship, he was gone, and her ship crew had explicitly told him she’d let him go.

She struggled for breath, gasping as her skin paled. “Wrong....guy!”

Vader had not been expecting that answer. The holo had left him no doubt that she’d captured his son. He’d know him anywhere, even if he was dressed in Rebel fatigues. “Explain!”

She clawed at his hand around her throat. “He’s...five-seven!”

He stared at her. And stared. And stared, until she was lifeless in his hand. And even then, he stared, his mind roaring with the information she’d given him.

Finally, he dropped her, pulling his comm out before she’d even thudded to the floor.

“Yes, my lord?” Piett answered, standing to attention in the small image held in his hand.

“I need you to tell me what height is listed on my son’s bounty.” Vader ordered. He already knew, but he needed confirmation.

Piett was silent for a moment, and Vader watched as he checked for the information on his datapad. “All bounties and missing person files on Prince Luke show that he’s five-nine. Why?”

Vader closed his eyes.

Five-nine.

The boy, now eighteen, was five-seven.

He cursed Palpatine for allowing the Imperial propaganda machine to indulge in Luke’s tall-person fantasy. He cursed Luke for not listening to him when he’d told him not to engage with the paparazzi. Already, he could imagine exactly how Luke was managing to get away from everyone he sent after him:

“You’re Luke Skywalker!” The bounty hunter would say.

“No, I just look a lot like him.” Luke would retort. Force, Vader could imagine the smug tone in his son’s voice as he said it, too.

“I have your bounty right here!”

“I can’t be Luke Skywalker. I’m not tall enough.”

He’d insist until those stupid bounty hunters pulled out a measuring device to prove that he was, indeed, Prince Luke, and find that he was three inches shorter than the official Imperial bounty information.

“See?” Luke would say triumphantly, “I’m too short. But wouldn’t it be great if I was royalty? One can dream!”

Then he’d pleasantly chat the bounty hunter up until he was let go, and the bounty hunter would watch Luke fly away, probably debating on trying to pass him off as the real prince the entire time, not realizing they had, in fact, let Luke go. But the information on the prince had come directly from the Empire itself, from his own office, and he was his father--surely he’d have corrected that, right?

He wished a hole would open up in the floor and swallow him up. How could he have forgotten? He’d let Luke play his bounty hunters for months not even knowing it was his fault it was happening.

“My lord?” Piett asked, frowning. “Is there something wrong?”

Did he admit that he’d let the wrong height be published on all of Luke’s bounty information?

No.

It would make his job easier, but...no.

He couldn’t admit he, Luke’s father, had forgotten to put the correct basic information on the bounty for his own son. He had a reputation, and he wasn’t about to let Luke and his silly lie damage it.

“Place an order on all bounties instructing all suspects, regardless of how they look, are to be detained until I personally can inspect them.” He said instead. It would mean that he’d probably get contacted about suspects that most certainly were not Luke, but at least his son couldn’t keep exploiting the “Tall Luke” loophole.

“It will be done, my lord.”

He cut the transmission and glared at the body of the bounty hunter.

The moment I find you, Luke, he promised into a bond that had long grown silent, I will set straight your actual height on all Imperial material.

He could have sworn he heard the echo of Luke’s laughter, taunting him from somewhere far away.

#darth vader #luke skywalker #my writing #star wars #star wars fanfic #fanfic #tall luke conspiracy #crack

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tennessoui · 3 years ago

Note

Divorced Obi-Wan as the dad who didn't want the dog

Obi-Wan doesn’t want the dog because he’s never really cared for dogs either way, but they’re definitely messy and getting a dog would definitely depreciate the value of the house drastically

H O W E V E R

Obi-Wan understands quite well that he wouldn’t actually have to do much to take care of the dog, because he’ll be on campus and out of the house from usually 9-7 if not longer. So it’s really Anakin, the stay at home, work from home dad, that has to first understand exactly how much work a dog especially a puppy can be and then also agree to get one.

So I pose the idea that actually neither of them particularly want a dog but they also don’t want to tell the other one that they don’t want a dog because they don’t want the other to think they can’t handle it

(Padmé just tells Anakin to get the dog because she has literally no horse in the race and she was very swayed by the 17 slide slideshow leia and Luke sent her— “Ani, it’s very well argued it even has correct citations”

“Do not talk to me about correct citations, Obi-Wan taught them by telling them it was like a treasure hunt for information and now they’re playing Pirates but they’re looking for the publishing date and I can’t stand it.”)

(Quinlan is very not sympathetic to Obi-Wan’s newest plight, telling him that “well, you’re already co-parenting his kids, what’s a dog to a child?” which only serves to make Obi-Wan comatose with panic)

#asks #neither WANT the dog at first but they both end up liking the dog #and the dog ends up liking obi-wan “animal whisperer” the most because he always shows up around feeding time #so he accidentally pavlovs Chewie into thinking obi-wan means feeding #which drives anakin #the man who actually feeds him and takes him out to pee and for walkies #up the literal wall #KUWSK #keeping up with the Skywalker-kenobis

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disneydreamlights · 4 years ago

Text

I Won't Lose Her

AO3 | FFN

Summary: When Vader sends a hostage video to Padme saying he holds her daughter captive, she does the only thing she possibly could, tries to save her life for her daughter's.

A/N: For @anidalaweek Day 2: Canon Divergence. Basically a Padme lives and becomes leader of the Rebellion AU because honestly we stan.

Yes I did publish this on AO3 hours before posting it here don't worry about it.

She knew she should've told Bail not to let Leia take the mission.

Padmé Amidala sat at her desk, unable to stop staring at the notice on her page. Leia had been sent to Tatooine to collect Obi-Wan and bring him and the Death Star plans to the Rebellion.

Leia had been captured en route to Tatooine by the Executor and had failed to get to Obi-Wan.

"Padmé." At the sound of her name, Padmé looked up at the hologram of Mon. It was clear that her fellow rebel leaders regretted what had happened to her daughter by the guilty expression on Mon's face. "We have news of Leia."

"News…?" In an instant, Padmé leaned forward, her eyes wide. "What did you learn? What happened? Is Leia alright?"

When Mon didn't answer right away, Padmé felt a surge of panic. "Is...she didn't…"

"No. No. Leia is fine," Mon answered, interrupting her before Padmé could continue to focus on that idea. The emphatic denial gave Padmé some reassurance that Leia was alright. "It's...perhaps I should just show you the message."

Mon vanished, instead showing a hologram of Leia and Vader, the mysterious dark lord of the Sith. "This is a message to Senator Amidala, the true leader of the Rebellion." At the sound of Vader's voice, Padmé's blood went cold. "As I am to understand it, the news of your death was exaggerated. As I have found in the princess's mind...you have been alive and in hiding, controlling this war from the shadows while the Organas and Mothma were the face of your rebellion."

"If you would like your daughter unharmed, you will arrive on the Executor within a standard week from receiving this message. As a show of good faith, I am using a private transponder, and will not trace it to the location of your current base. If you do not arrive, Leia Skywalker will be executed. She will meet the same fate as your late husband."

"I look forward to your arrival on my ship." The hologram vanished, and Padmé fought any feelings of nausea as Mon's face returned.

"I'm sorry Padmé. We're hoping General Kenobi will get there in time, but…"

"But we don't even know if he got Leia's message." The moment she had seen the message, seen that Darth Vader held her daughter, Padmé knew there was only one option for her. "I can't leave her Mon."

"I know." Mon looked down, as though she had expected this. "Please be careful in rescuing your daughter."

Padmé nodded. Once Mon hung up the call, Padmé ran to her closet to find her flight suit.

She'd lost Luke, back when she had first given birth Obi-Wan had insisted it would be best to separate the twins, and Padmé had reluctantly agreed, giving up the chance to know her son for the best chance of life he could have. If she lost her other child too, this one to a more permanent fate, she wasn't sure if she'd be able to forgive herself for the mistake.

She had to trade herself for Leia. The Rebellion would survive without her presence. It was the only option she had.

-x-

The Executor loomed in Padmé's vision, an ominous warning of her impending fate as her small X-Wing steadily crept closer to the Star Destroyer. It was large and imposing, and the Sith inside had already done so much damage to her family that she wasn't sure how she would face him. But she kept holding onto the single hope that Leia was alive when Vader had spoken to her. She just had to keep believing that. The dark feeling in the air meant nothing. She could survive.

The radio clicked on as she received a transmission from the empire. "This is the Executor. You're in a classified zone. State your purpose or you will be shot down."

Padmé took a deep breath, hoping to keep her voice steady in spite of her nerves and fear. "This is Padmé Amidala, leader of the Alliance to Restore the Republic. I'm here to trade myself for the princess Leia Organa."

She watched, anxiously, expecting to be fired on as soon as she stated her name, expecting this to have been a trap to lure her out of the shadows she'd remained in for so long. Instead however, there was nothing but silence before a deep voice came from the radio. "Senator Amidala, I will meet you down in the hangar. Do not try anything foolish. My men will shoot without warning."

The radio cut out, and Padmé took a deep breath. So far, she was alive. A small part of her hoped that this wasn't a trap, but a genuine trade to capture a larger target. She hadn't known Vader to be a man of his word, but then again, besides the fact that he was a Sith and the one who had killed her husband, Padmé didn't know much about him at all.

The hangar bay doors opened, and rather than have to pilot herself in, her ship was grabbed by a tractor beam, slowly pulling her in. Once she was safely inside and the ship landed, she opened the cockpit and jumped out, her hand on the only weapon she had on her, her blaster. In the back, she saw a dark imposing figure with his black armor and the mask that kept his face hidden. She couldn't get a read on him, but he didn't seem keen to attack. To her disappointment, her daughter wasn't with him.

Gathering her courage to her, Padmé broke the silence that had remained between them as neither had spoken. "Lord Vader. I see the promise of my safety wasn't a lie. Where is my daughter?"

"Leia is currently being kept in my quarters." The way he said her name caused Padmé's stomach to tie itself in knots. There was a fondness to it, one the Sith never should have had. She hated to imagine any of the reasons as to why. "If you'll follow me, I'll take you to her."

"How do I know this isn't a trap?"

"If I wanted to kill you, you would already be dead."

The statement was a punch to the stomach, a reminder of what Vader was capable of, and one that left Padmé with little idea of how to respond. Her silence left an awkward void, only filled by the harsh breathing of his respirator.

Seeing no other alternative, she relented. "Very well. I will follow you. But if any harm comes to my daughter–"

"I have no desire to see her harmed, though whether you believe me or not is irrelevant." Vader's voice was harsh, and there was an underlying note of offense, as though he couldn't believe she would assume he would want to hurt Leia. With that, he started down the halls of the Star Destroyer, leaving Padmé confused.

She wasn't in binders, Vader was escorting her himself, and he had no desire to harm Leia.

None of it added up. Yet she still followed him quietly deeper into the ship, trying to figure out just what he was doing and why.

When they finally arrived in his quarters, Padmé was surprised to find that it was furnished fairly normally, although nothing besides the pod in the back looked as though it had been used in quite some time, and in the bed on the back of the room was Leia, who looked no worse for wear to her mother's relief.

"Princess." Leia looked up at Vader. At first, her eyes had been narrowed in distaste, but once she saw Padmé, her eyes widened in shock, and the biting comment she had been preparing for Vader fell silent.

"Leia." Padmé reached out.

"Mother." Leia stood up from the bed and ran into Padmé's arms. "Mother I'm so sorry. I tried to keep everything contained like Auntie 'Soka said but–"

"You did your best Leia. You did so much more than I could've ever expected against Vader." Padmé held Leia close to her, not letting her daughter go as she realized how close she had come to losing her. There weren't any marks on Leia, which meant that Vader hadn't done much to harm her beyond mentally, and Padmé couldn't fight the smile that formed in relief that her daughter was alright. "I'm so proud of you."

"I didn't want you to come. I could've handled Vader."

"I already lost so much Leia. I couldn't lose you too." Padmé kissed her daughter on the head, and Leia hugged her once more.

They stood there, holding each other, though Padmé wasn't sure for how long before she heard Leia whisper in her ear. "Artoo and Threepio got away. I think they made it to General Kenobi."

Through it all. Leia still made sure that the mission succeeded. If Padmé thought she couldn't have been prouder of the girl, she was mistaken. Leia had gotten the message to Obi-Wan (and to Luke). The Death Star would still be destroyed and the Alliance would gain the edge they may have needed to turn the tide in this war. There were still so many reasons for hope.

"It is time for you to leave, Leia. Your mother has fulfilled her end of the deal." Mother and daughter sprung apart when Vader spoke, attracting their attention. "I will escort you personally to the ship she came in."

"I don't need your escort." Leia glared at Vader. "And don't call me Leia. You have no right to use that name."

"If you do not want any of the officers or Storm Troopers to capture you once more, you will." Leia remained silent. "You are, of course, welcome to stay aboard my ship, but I would presume that's not what you wish."

Leia remained silent, as though deciding what her best course of action would be. Padmé attempted to give a reassuring smile. "Go, Leia. Find Obi-Wan. Tell him what happened."

Leia ignored Padmé's pleas and looked at Vader, who seemed to have stiffened slightly at the mention of Obi-Wan. "What do you want my mother for? Why did you spare me?" She grabbed onto Padmé's hand. "The moment you learned about her, you stopped torturing me. You refused to answer any of my questions. You forced me to compromise the entire Rebellion for a phone call for a deal that based on everything any of us know about you would be so obviously fake–"

As Leia continued her demands, Vader raised his hands. For a moment, Padmé felt fear. The last time she had seen a similar gesture from a Force Sensitive had been nineteen years ago, right before she'd lost Anakin. Thankfully, it was just a gesture to stop, as he instead spoke. "I spent nineteen years thinking I was responsible for your deaths. I would not wish to see that happen again."

"That didn't stop you from killing my Father!" Leia's words hung in the air, and Vader stepped back, as though the accusation wounded him in some way. "Don't deny it, mother–"

"Your mother was misinformed." Though Padmé couldn't tell because of his mask, it felt as though Vader's eyes were locked directly on her, and she shivered. "I did not kill your father."

"Obi-Wan said–" She was cut off before Padmé could repeat the story she'd heard.

"Kenobi lied. Or perhaps, he could not face the truth himself." Vader continued to keep her gaze, though he didn't elaborate any further on his statement. "Princess, it is time for you to go. No harm will come to Padmé so long as I am alive to see to it."

"You still haven't answered my questions!" Leia protested.

"We do not have the time for me to answer them in a way you would find satisfactory." Vader crossed his arms, finally turning back to Leia. "I cannot hide your presence here forever, and if you would like to escape to your Rebels, you will need to go now."

Knowing she had lost, Leia hugged Padmé. "I'll come back for you. With help."

"I know." Padmé hugged her back quickly. "I love you Leia. If something happens to me, never forget that."

They let go, and Leia was taken out of the room without another word.

-x-

Vader came back into the room about an hour later, Leia no longer beside him. Padmé had taken to laying on the bed that had held Leia earlier, choosing to read one of the holo novels that were on the shelves. He stood next to her on the bed, but Padmé chose to say nothing. She didn't want to talk to Vader, let alone have anything to do with him. No matter how desperate for an answer as to why he was doing everything, she wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

"Leia has left. She flew out on your ship, and will remain untracked." As though he realized Padmé wouldn't speak, Vader did instead. "I'm sorry to have threatened her, but once I knew you were alive, I knew it was the only way to bring you here." She remained quiet, pretending to be invested in the story to continue to ignore Vader. "I would never have hurt her. Had you chosen not to come, I would've found another way."

"Why?" Padmé asked. She put down the novel, finally giving Vader her attention. "You haven't explained anything to either of us Lord Vader. I have no reason to believe you when you say you won't hurt her. I have no reason to believe you won't hurt me now."

"Nineteen years ago, on Mustafar, you tried to stop me from heading down a dark path I could never come back from." Vader started, despite still remaining harsh due to the vocoder, his voice felt softer, as though he was trying to be gentle. She stiffened at the start of his story, wanting to deny everything he was implying. "I wouldn't listen, and I lashed out. I thought I'd killed you, Padmé. For nineteen years I thought I'd killed you and the child."

Padmé's eyes widened, and although Vader reached out for her, she scooched back, as far away from Vader as she could. "No. You can't be. He…" She shook her head, her hand resting over her mouth as she tried to process this. Anakin couldn't. He wouldn't.

Vader didn't deny, and instead let Padmé come to terms with the implication of his words on her own. It was everything she'd feared. Obi-Wan hadn't hidden that he'd fallen, she was aware that Anakin had attacked her that night, but she'd always hoped…

"Darth Vader destroyed him. I'm so sorry Padmé, Anakin is gone."

"I see you needed more time before I told you the news. I'd just hoped…" Vader's words fell to silence, and Padmé couldn't stop herself from staring. There had to be something to prove this wrong.

"Why?"

"I thought I'd lost everything." Vader sat down on the bed, but made no further move to get closer to her. "My master was all I thought I had. I did not care about what became of me, and I became nothing more than a weapon, until I started going through Leia's memories and I saw…"

"You saw me." Vader didn't react, but Padmé didn't need one to know it was the truth. She may not have been force sensitive, but the knowledge of the true identity of the monster in front of her held more answers than the Force ever would. "Ani…?" She reached her hand onto his mask, cupping where his cheek would've been without it.

"I'm sorry. I've done many things you wouldn't approve of since your death." He had, and there would be time for her to process that the atrocities he had committed were all performed by Anakin. There would be time for her to decide if she could forgive him. There would be time for him to prove that he deserved her forgiveness.

But in this moment, all she cared about was that the man who she had spent so many years mourning and fighting to avenge was alive. "I'd thought..."

"So had I." Vader bowed his head, moving away from the gentle touch he could not feel. "But now that I know that you and Leia are alive, I'll do everything in my power to keep both of you safe."

Padmé shook her head. "Anakin, I can't stay your prisoner. I have to go back." She had to make sure that Leia was safe. She had to meet with Obi-Wan and talk to him about this. She wanted to have the chance to truly meet Luke in more than a few holocalls that Obi-Wan managed to set up between her and her son.

To her surprise, he didn't protest. "For now, you'll have to. When Leia gets the Death Star plans to the Rebellion and destroys it, that's when there will be enough chaos in the system that you'll be able to escape without attracting suspicion." Padmé couldn't help but stare. "I'll give you an encrypted comm system to communicate with, just like we used to during the war."

"You'll let me go back?"

"If you stay here, then the Emperor will find you. It won't be safe," Vader said. "There is no other choice, my master must die. If I have to work with your Rebels to achieve that end, then so be it."

Surprising herself, Padmé smiled. "If that's the case, then we'd better get started."

#Heather Writes #Star Wars #Anakin Skywalker #Anakin #Padme Amidala #Padme #Leia Organa #Leia #Darth Vader #Anidala #Anidala Week 2021

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