#meanwhile Luke is sleeping or meditating

[childrensbread]

Miracle Week: Encounter the Resurrector

Jesus Raises a Dead Girl

💜 While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” he said. “Don’t bother the teacher anymore.”

Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.”

When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child’s father and mother.

Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. “Stop wailing,” Jesus said. “She is not dead but asleep.”

They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead.

But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!”

Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat.

Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.

~Luke 8:49-56 ✝️

Devotional

What in your life feels like it's dead or dying? Where has purpose vanished? Where has hope evaporated?

This Holy Week, we're reflecting on Jesus' earthly miracles as we seek to tangibly encounter the miracle-working God.

We've been discovering that everything Jesus did on this planet hinted towards a bigger picture: Humanity's redemption. Christ's whole life was a motif. Every miracle unveiled His eternal purposes. Every word revealed His messianic identity. Jesus is a living, breathing expression of God's cosmic salvation plan. The kingdom of heaven had arrived.

Today, we meet Jesus as our resurrector.

All four Gospels describe Christ's resurrection. However, three of them also record a separate occasion where Jesus raises a dead person. Resurrection is a recurring theme for Jesus. Death flees in His presence.

Our passage recounts the story of Jairus' daughter.

Whenever we find resurrection in scripture, it should stop us in our tracks. Not only do these episodes anticipate Jesus' own resurrection, but they also substantiate Jesus' claim to be the eternal "resurrection and the life" (John 11:25). It's our reminder that Christ wasn't just some moral teacher. He's the holy God: The sole bringer of life and conqueror of death.

Today's episode, then, invites our contemplation.

"Imaginative prayer" is an immersive spiritual exercise that brings scripture off the page. It involves mindfully putting ourselves into a Biblical scene, prayerfully contemplating the events with the Spirit's help. We imagine the sights, sounds and smells as if we were there. It's a practice which encourages us to engage with Jesus' reality.

Let's try an example.

Pause for a moment. Use today's scripture to picture the scene as Jesus enters Jairus' house.

What do you see? What can you hear?

Listen to the overwhelming grief. The wailing. The pain. Continue moving closer. Enter the room where Jairus' daughter was laid.

Watch as Jesus takes the girl's hand. Listen to His words: "My child, get up!"

Don't rush. Experience the moment. Observe life flooding through the girl. Tune into the shock, joy and weeping.

Embrace what's just happened: Jesus has brought a dead girl to life! This is the spectacular God you serve.

In today's cynical world, we cannot become numb to Christ's miracles. They're a megaphone revealing God's purposes to us. By raising Jairus's daughter, Jesus shows, ahead of time, his Father's power over the ultimate enemy. He treats death as if it were sleep!

Hear those words again: "My child, get up!"

Let them resonate in your own soul.

Without Christ, we're all dead in our sin, lost and without hope. Yet, in Christ, our Heavenly Father's voice shatters the darkness: "My child, get up!" He's talking to you.

This is Easter's message. Death has been defeated. In Jesus, you're raised to new life. Find space today to meditate on God's unfathomable power. You have nothing left to fear. 🙏🙂💜

Source: Glorify App

Image: Google

My Glorify Referral Link: https://share.glorify-app.com/MRSPINO777 ✝️

[starwarslostclone]

The conversation I imagine happened between r2 and Grogu before the the two disasters stole an x wing and ran off to Tatooine

Grogu after he picked up the armour and stole the lightsaber : Otay! droid we go to Dad now!

R2-D2: Let me get the keys

[mightydragoon]

Luke and Leia vs the Galaxy

@silvereddaye 

.Our favourite Space Twins against the Empire with varying degrees of success. 

1. Legacy ---myrlendi (thehistorygeek)

Three months after the Battle of Endor, Luke Skywalker goes in search of a rumoured Jedi temple in a secluded part of the Mid Rim. He finds within the temple nothing but a strange artifact, which unexpectedly brings him much closer to the Jedi of old than he ever thought he would be.

When Luke fails to return from his mission, Leia goes after him, retracing his steps to the ancient temple — and to the past, to the time of the Clone Wars and the waning years of the Old Republic. Under suspicion by the Jedi Order, the twins struggle to find a way back to their own time while trying to keep their knowledge of the future from affecting the past.

This, however, turns out to not be as simple as it seems.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/15221810/chapters/35304947

2.  Skywalker Family Values- Ariel_Sojourner

Camp Chippewa is proud to be the Empire’s foremost camp resort for privileged young adults. Located on the picturesque forest moon of Endor, your child will have the opportunity to participate in wholesome outdoor activities and socialize appropriately with their peers. We invite your offspring to join us for the experience of a lifetime and a bright future in service of the greater glory of the Empire.

On opposite sides of the galaxy, on opposite sides of a civil war, Darth Vader and Padme Amidala unwittingly send Luke and Leia to the same camp during school break. Chaos naturally ensues.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/14258124/chapters/32883750

3. Back To The Future - PinkEasterEggs

Teenage Princess Leia, heir to Alderaan's throne and her twin, Luke Vader, heir to the Imperial throne, get thrown back in time with the chance to save their parents before it's too late. With the Force finally on their side, they decide to have a little fun whilst they try and save their father's soul.

What could go wrong?

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22217674/chapters/53048092

(Part of the Back To The Future series. https://archiveofourown.org/series/1648657) 

4. No Time Like The Present - PinkEasterEggs

In a Galaxy where Princess Leia Organa and Imperial Prince Luke Vader didn't Time Travel to save their father's soul, a deadly discovery by their biggest enemy throws their entire lives upside down. Yet again.

Now on the run from the Empire, the Skywalker Twins find it their mission to bring peace back to the Galaxy once more. And with Darth Vader on their trail, that mission is far more complicated than they originally believed.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/24754825/chapters/59851300

(Part of the Back To The Future series. https://archiveofourown.org/series/1648657)

5. Great as the Sea-- Valkirin

Rescuing the last of Alderaan's survivors was an important duty, not an obsession, and Leia did not need to take a break. She did not have time to think about Darth Vader, the Force, or Luke Skywalker. It’s just her luck that the Force sends her with Luke Skywalker to a time where Darth Vader is about to rise.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/11384253/chapters/25491066

6. turn my sorrow into treasured gold - cosmicocean:

“It might be better for you to die,” Obi-Wan muses as she holds her children in her arms. Padmé looks up at him and arches an eyebrow.

“I didn’t mean literally,” he clarifies.

“I know what you meant. I’m thinking about it.”

Padmé survives childbirth, dies as far as the rest of the galaxy is concerned, takes her children with Obi-Wan, and runs.

Pay me back in kind and reap just what you sow.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/7435467

7. The Assassin's Blade - LadyVader23

Two years after Order 66, Padme is both an assassin for the Rebellion and a mother of twins. She will stop at nothing to bring democracy back to the Galaxy, even if it means killing Imperials to do it. But news of suspicious assassinations reaches Sidious, who dispatches Vader to hunt down this mysterious assassin. What Vader discovers will change the fate of the Galaxy.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/20432867/chapters/48475367

8. anything is possible the second time around cloverblob

Leia Organa is sure that she died. She laid herself down, ready to become one with the Force. Except that she isn't dead--she hasn't even been born. So how did she end up on Tatooine? And why would fate bring her right here, right now?

https://archiveofourown.org/works/21941050/chapters/52364929

9.  Influence of Time Cateyes1401 and  SkylaDoragon

A freak accident sends Luke, Leia, and Vader splitting off to different points of the galaxy, over twenty years in the past. While Vader is careful to correct any errors his sudden appearance may cause in the timeline, Luke and Leia are not so cautious.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/20333248/chapters/48211621

10.  Laying Down the Sand - Knitzkampf

An AU set at the time of ESB. Han Solo abandons Luke, Leia and Chewie to settle some unfinished business and sparks a series of events that challenges each one's destiny and the fate of the galaxy. An epic tale of friendship, love, family and lightsabers.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/9921947/chapters/22232960

11.  Binary Sunsets, Binary Siblings - Coffeesforcatchers

The projection was as blue as the Tatooinian sky, making it hard for Luke to discern its features. But as the audio began to play, Luke felt his heart seize in his chest.

"Help me, Obi Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope."

Luke stared at the droid, his mouth open. "That's my sister!"

https://archiveofourown.org/works/14111466/chapters/32514372

12.  Deja Vu - oncomingstorm42

Time travel AU fix-it wherein Luke and Leia are sent back in time to halfway through The Phantom Menace. They proceed to unscrew the timeline and save their parents while also kicking ass.

(note* Private story. To read you must have an AO3 account) 

https://archiveofourown.org/works/10408782/chapters/22984893

13. Heralding Home -planningconquest

Family can be what we make of it. It can be lost and found and comes together in strange and amazing ways.

(Note* Modern Au but still same principal applies) 

https://archiveofourown.org/works/17130767/chapters/40288283

14.  Like Fire in Our Bones --- acuteneurosis

With all of the most important things in the galaxy literally exploding around her, Leia is given the chance to go back and help keep a promise she never personally made.

But then, for Skywalkers, saving the galaxy was always a family matter.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/19735813/chapters/46710241

15.  I am as Strong as the Seas are Stormy (And as Proud as an Eagle's Scream)- RhiannonOfTheRoses

Leia Skywalker is only hours old when the Empire rises.

Leia Organa is twenty-three when it finally falls.

OR: The one in which Leia Organa is explored, and her life is uncovered.

16.  Of Queens, Knights, and Pawns chancecraz

I went to sleep on the worst day of my life and woke to find myself in the past on the second worst day of my life. As experiences go, I don’t recommend it.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/8543680/chapters/19586203

(Part of the Of Queens, Knights, and Pawns series https://archiveofourown.org/series/825216)

17.  Runaway SilverDaye

Imperial Prince Luke runs away from home to escape his overprotective father Emperor Vader. Jumping from planet to planet he finds himself creditless on Tatooine. While working for more money to leave the planet, Luke meets an old man named Ben Kenobi. But Luke knows he can't stay in one place for long for surely his father is hunting him down.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/14630196/chapters/33813027

18.  take the spade from my hands (and fill in the holes you've made) A_Different_Type_of_Flower

With her dying father's last request, eighteen-year-old Leia Organa sets out for the Outer Rim to find an exiled Jedi master and a brother she knew nothing about.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/9219026/chapters/20908517

19.  Sparks SpellCleaver

Vader had every intention of ignoring that petty—if notorious—burglar on Coruscant, until evidence suggested that this "Angel" had Rebel ties.

Meanwhile, Luke never expected his father to actively hunt him down, and he doesn't like it.

20.  the price of forgetting - surabayuh

 Vader always thought that epiphany would come in waves; in the middle of meditation, perhaps, or a dream while he was resting, giving him unimaginable glee and satisfaction at its revelation.

He’d never thought epiphany would sledgehammer him here, at cell room number 2187, in the middle of an interrogation session, with an unconscious Alderaanian Princess laying on the floor.

(Part of the  the bang the war-drums series) 

(Note* Read the rest of this series seriously its so good) 

21.  heirs of the desert -- surabayuh

There was something about her, something familiar beyond the hairstyle or the attire; It was like a hole in his chest mended back by her presence. They walked closer to one another, slowly, slowly—like a planet realigning to their axis.

Dreams of a different life, a different reality, haunting him for as long as he could remember. Dreams of lush greeneries, of clear blue waters, of a high castle, of a brunette with bright brown eyes crinkling with laughter.

Leia, her name was Leia and he felt like he had known her his whole life, as if he'd known her as old as he had known time.

Around them, the Force sang.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22226950/chapters/53070706

(Part of the  the bang the war-drums series)

22. taste the regret (it's bittersweet.) - surabayuh

Han Solo didn't want much, really; he only agreed to pilot his way away from the grips of Jabba the Hutt, and maybe have a little adventure along the way. That was why he said yes to that old man's offer, back in Tatooine, why he came back to aid the Rebellion, back in Yavin.

But then again, who knew that somewhere down the line, he would have to be the middle-man in a galactic family drama that could determine the very fate of the universe?

Well; certainly not him.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22452316/chapters/53646223

(Part of the  the bang the war-drums series)

23. Endings and Beginnings, and Everything in Between - ITookTheOneLessTravelled

Dad might be mad at them, but Leia doesn't regret it. Luke and Leia Skywalker might be only fifteen, but they'd never have left their Dad in an Imperial prison cell to rot.

OR: Anakin raises the twins. Everything changes, but also nothing does.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/6757639

24.  No Heroes on the High Seas - SpellCleaver

When Luke's aunt and uncle are executed by order of the Emperor's right hand, Lord Vader, he flees his home to search for his sister and the mother he never knew. But then Obi-Wan Kenobi stows away aboard the same ship, Vader gives chase, and Luke is dragged into a conflict that his family are at the very heart of.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/17092340/chapters/40194893

25.  Ad Utrumque Paratus - obeyingthemuse

It's hard to bring balance to the Force when the only method you've seen is your black-cloaked psychic cyborg sorcerer dad with a severe breathing problem throwing an old man down the Death Star reactor shaft. As much as Luke would like to see the not-yet-Emperor dead, he doesn't want to be arrested by his unusually attractive(?) war-hero dad and spend the rest of his indeterminate time in the past dropping Ewok beats in a jail cell. Also Leia would probably kill him. But not before breaking him out of jail.

So when the twins wake up on Tatooine decades in the past, they play it safe. They take over a planet, reconnect with their adoptive and real parents without weirding them out (too much), and accidentally cause the Chancellor perpetual near-death experiences.

Nailed it.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/7168628/chapters/16273712

Tags 

Leia Organa & Luke Skywalker 

[affcgato-archived]

Ben Solo / main verse (heavily, heavily divergent)

The heir to the Skywalker bloodline, Solo possessed raw strength in the Force & had the potential for limitless power. He was born at the end of the Galactic Civil War in 5 ABY, when the Galactic Empire surrendered to the New Republic. His parents, General Han Solo & Princess Leia Organa, were considered great heroes of the Alliance to Restore the Republic.

During the New Republic Era, Solo was part of a new generation of Jedi apprentices trained by his uncle, Jedi Master Luke Skywalker. However, Solo was seduced by the dark side through the machinations of the phantom Sith Lord Darth Sidious & his creation, Supreme Leader Snoke.

Under the thrall of Snoke, Solo destroyed his master's training temple & killed his fellow students - acts which earned him the moniker "Jedi Killer" along with the new identity of Kylo Ren.

early life

Ben Solo was born in 5 ABY in Hanna City, Chandrila on the day that the Galactic Concordance was signed between the New Republic & the Galactic Empire, formally ending the Galactic Civil War - which had already resulted in the deaths of the late emperor palpatine, & ben's maternal grandfather anakin skywalker, redeemed in his dying moments from his sith persona darth vader.

Ben almost never stood a chance. Even before he was born, his mother could feel the light & the dark at war within him - likening her unborn son to a living band of light that occasionally dimmed & was sometimes thrust through with a vein of darkness.

In his youth, Solo's parents had active lives in their respective professions. Han, a smuggler before joining the Rebellion, was unable to stay in one place for long, while Organa became occupied with routine senatorial duties. Ben, who aspired to become a pilot like his father since childhood, inherited amazing piloting skills from him. Organa, meanwhile, became a respected senator in the New Republic. The busy lives of Organa & Han often kept them away from their son, causing Solo to develop a sense of loneliness.

Jedi Training

As the Force awakened in young Solo, his parents grew to believe that he needed guidance despite their efforts to build a normal life for him. In 15 ABY, Ben began his Jedi training as part of Skywalker's initiative to restore the Jedi Order. He became Skywalker's apprentice prior to his tenth birthday, & was already his uncle's "most prized student." Even then, it was clear to Skywalker that his nephew was inherently powerful with the Force despite his lack of training in the Jedi arts, a testament to the raw power of his family's bloodline.

Through Skywalker's training, Ben developed a strong sense of devotion to the ways of the Jedi. He kept a calligraphy set filled with Jedi insights in his quarters during his time with Skywalker. As master & apprentice, they traveled across the galaxy accumulating artifacts and learning more about the Jedi Order's ancient history in the hope of fully restoring it.

beginning of divergence

It was during this period in Solo's life that he came into contact with Snoke, an enigmatic Force user who was strong with the dark side. While Snoke's intention was to cultivate a friendship with the young jedi that he could use to coax him down the path to the dark side of the Force, that plan would never fully materialize.

Ben had heard a voice throughout his young life, & long believed it to be Snoke's. He told no one about this voice at first, as he had long felt isolated & lonely with his parents' erratic schedule. it was under Skywalker's training, & his own personal study into the recovered archives from the jedi temple, that he would begin to recognize the dangers that might accompany the voice if left alone & unchecked. It would eventually come to head when the conflicting emotions arising from the emotional manipullation caused Ben to lash out during training, injuring himself & his training partner enough for Luke to notice.

Taking his apprentice aside, Luke would finally talk to him about the Skywalker bloodline, & the legacy it carried with it - easing the sense of isolation Ben had long felt while acknowledging his own doubts & concerns. Knowing his apprentice was being targeted by something sinister, but not knowing the source of the malignancy, Luke began teaching him advance techniques to help him shield himself, & his mind, as well as how to distance himself from the Force as a last resort defense should something arise from this presence.

first confrontation with the knights of ren

During the early years of Solo's apprenticeship, Lor San Tekka, a traveler noted for his expertise on the Jedi Order, informed Skywalker about the discovery of an ancient Jedi outpost on the planet Elphrona. Embarking on a mission to investigate San Tekka's findings, Skywalker brought Ben with him, knowing that, like himself, Solo was interested in discovering Jedi artifacts. Along the way, Solo was contacted by Snoke. While he kept up the ruse of allowing this dark presence into his mind, he later informed his Master as to what has transpired, causing further concern as Luke recognized the tactics.

The outpost that they discovered was well preserved and the entrance intact. Both master & apprentice were impressed by it, though Skywalker warned that they should exercise caution while exploring the outpost, recounting a similar situation that nearly ended with his death in years past. The outpost was a repository of holocrons & other artifacts that Skywalker likened to a treasure trove.

A group of marauders, dressed in black, entered the outpost after the two Jedi & their explorer companion. A warrior calling himself "Ren" spoke on the group's behalf, declaring that the outpost and its contents were claimed by the Knights of Ren. Rejecting the Knights' claim, Skywalker drew his lightsaber & introduced himself as the last Jedi. Ben also activated his weapon, but remained out of the ensuing fight, as Skywalker instructed him to protect San Tekka.

Ren conceded the battle after his Knights were defeated by Skywalker. During the confrontation, however, he sensed that the dark side was strong with Ben. He invited Ven to seek out the Knights in the future, offering to teach the young apprentice about aspects of the Force contrary to Jedi teachings.

During this trip, Luke would take Ben traveling to the edge between the known galaxy & unexplored space, as he had many times before to test the seemingly limitless capacity of his apprentice & nephew.

a new generation of jedi

It was not long before the Order expanded to include more than Skywalker & Solo, as the former took it upon himself to train multiple apprentices at the same time. In addition to several new recruits, Hennix, Tai, & Voe were apprenticed to Skywalker, * as such, they became acquainted with his first & strongest pupil. As children, they would sit on the temple grounds learning about the Force through Skywalker's lectures, while, at the same time, honing their skills by levitating rocks.

Solo's natural affinity with the Force did not go unnoticed by his peers, particularly Voe, who struggled to hone her skills despite training just as hard as Skywalker's nephew. While training on the temple grounds, Voe watched as Solo levitated a large rock with ease, & wondered why he was far stronger than her. According to Skywalker, however, strength had nothing to do with how the Force worked. He likened using the Force to opening a door, explaining that the Force flowed more easily through those who were open to its energy.

Notwithstanding Skywalker's view on the Force, Solo surpassed his peers in every aspect of their training, including lightsaber combat & meditation. At one point, he defeated Voe in a sparring match. As their training progressed, Solo suspected that Voe resented him for his power.

His relationships with the other students were different. Hennix could make Solo laugh, & Tai tried to help him cope with the pressures of being a Skywalker. Solo assured his fellow Jedi student that he held nothing back, but through the Force Tai perceived a side to Solo that he hid from the others, including himself. Solo listened, but said nothing while Tai expressed his belief that everyone should be themselves.

further diversion from canon

While undergoing further training during this time period, Ben began to feel the ramped up pressure of the dark presence in his mind, & as such, he began spending more & more time deep in study even apart from his own Master as his sense of foreboding began to set him on edge. His anxiety was realized when, twenty-four years after the Battle of Endor, the truth about the parentage of Solo's mother was revealed by Organa's political enemies in the New Republic Senate.

It was a small mercy that Luke had prepared for this moment, having given Ben the truth of his bloodline & legacy against his sister's wishes many years before, & the fallout was largely contained. Ben would take advantage of the chaos this revelation created, though, letting the voice that had long dipped into his nightmares believe its plans were well underway so that he & his master might finally get ahead of whatever lurked in the shadows.

The revelation would come with a fanfare of fire; one night when Skywalker went to his nephew's bedroom one evening, he found the young man asleep. Standing over his sleeping student, Skywalker reached out through the Force & saw a vision of what would come to pass if this dark presence was allowed to fully sink its claws into his apprentice, & claim him as its own; he saw the death & destruction Solo would someday bring to everything Skywalker loved.

When Ben awakened hours later, it was to Luke offering him his hand, & telling him it was time they talked about the moment they had once realized may come to pass. it was time. in the early, pre-dawn hours, there was an explosion that brought down the entire hut, ostensibly resulting in the death of the once-prodigy. twenty-three year old Ben Organa-Solo would be buried, & mourned, his presence lost in the Force to all because of a tragic accident.

or at least - that would be the official story, with the truth only known to the Master that packed his apprentice into a t-65B X-wing with coordinates known only to the the young boy piloting, the droid R2-D2, & Lor San Tekka.

ahch-to, & study in exile

Ben had learned of the location of the remote aquatic planet Ahch-To during his early tears as Skywalker's apprentice, having read about it & studied it in the ancient relics & holocrons they had come across in their many travels. On fleeing in the pre-dawn hours, the remote planet in a largely unknown part of the galaxy was Ben's logical first choice, & upon landing there, he tamped down hard on his connection to the Force - all but fully severing himself from it bar the bar minimum that would allow him to continue guidance & training from those who came before him - obi-wan kenobi, & yoda, among others.

It was his intent to live out his life in exile, keeping himself far from the reaches of whatever dark force sought to turn him into a weapon against his family & other loved ones. Once his Master had rooted out this evil, R2-D2 would relay his location. What was supposed to take months, howeverm turned into years. Eventually, Ben felt the suffocating loneliness start to close in on him. Six years after he fled to ahch-to, he would find another landing on the planet.

another, searching for him.

[dettiot]

Hi! Could you write a hurt/comfort with Anakin and Leia? I'd assume Leia was hurt &/or felt guilty about loosing men on the field (as im sure she would be a general even in a redemption arc) and would be showing signs of bad coping mechanisms?

(This got real sad real quick!)

It was nearly morning after a long night, which had followed a long day. But she still hadn’t slept.

If Luke had been here, he would have gently urged her to sleep, threatening a sleep suggestion if she didn’t lay down. If Han had been here, he would have not-so-gently pointed out how she was practically falling over and “damn it, Leia, just kriffin’ sleep already” before he’d pull her into bed and wrap his arms around her.

But neither of them were here. So General Leia Organa wasn’t sleeping.

“Stubborn,” a voice whispered. A voice she knew.

“Like you’re not,” she muttered, bracing herself for who she was about to see.

Turning around, Leia felt her eyebrows go up at her father’s appearance. Not her papa, the man who had raised her and loved her and protected her.

But her father.

Instead of his normal cream-and-brown Jedi robes, though, Anakin Skywalker was wearing all black, a glove covering his mechanical hand. He was younger than he normally was when she saw him--not that he ever looked all that old. From the first time he had appeared to her, Anakin always looked younger than Leia was.

Or maybe he just looked younger than she had ever felt.

The scar by his eye pulled as he smirked. “Surprised?”

“By you showing up?” she remarked tartly as she took a seat on her bed.

“Leia,” he said quietly. Too quietly. Too much like Luke.

Thanks to decades of experience, she knew her face didn’t show what she felt. But that had never mattered to Luke, or Han, or her father.

“I thought you could use General Skywalker tonight,” Anakin said lightly, sinking down onto the floor and crossing his legs. “Luke agreed with me.”

Of course he did. Luke must be delighted to sit around all day and talk about the Force with their father, Leia thought. Hating that any thought of Luke was tinged with bitterness. But she was just so . . . angry. Angry and hurt and sad, especially since the cause of all of this was her very own son. And meanwhile, she had to send young men and women to face Ben, knowing so many of them wouldn’t come back.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault,” Leia said, rubbing a hand over her eyes.

Anakin hummed and when she looked up at him, his head was tilted to the side, like he was listening to someone. Then he looked at her, with eyes so like Luke’s, and said, “When I Fell, I had spent three years fighting the Clone Wars. I was living off ration bars and barely sleeping because of nightmares.”

It was on the tip of her tongue to make a crack about not being in danger of falling to the Dark Side, but she would bet Anakin wouldn’t be afraid to come back with the obvious answer. And maybe she was just feeling too tired to argue with him.

Perhaps it would be better to just let him say what he wanted to say and get him to leave.

“Although,” Anakin said after a few moments of silence, “the worst was after a mission to Zygerria. When I had to stand by and watch people be enslaved--wait attendance on the Zygerrian queen--see my Padawan be treated like I had been.”

Leia felt her mouth go dry.

“That should have been my wake-up call,” Anakin continued. “I should have left the Jedi then . . . do what I always intended to do with my freedom: free other slaves.”

He looked at her, his lips quirking up. “Of course, there’s a lot of points that should have been my wake-up call. Like listening to the people who cared about me when they told me to sleep, to eat, to get my injuries treated.”

Who was there to care about her now?

The thought echoed in her mind, making her breath catch in her throat and her hand grip the head of her cane.

“No one’s ever really alone,” another voice whispered to her.

“Obi-Wan helped me sleep after Zygerria by staying with me,” Anakin said. “He’d sit on the floor of my room and meditate. And with him near . . . I could sleep.”

When she looked at her father, Leia could see a glimpse of what her life might have been like if Anakin Skywalker had been more than this too-young man. If he had been the one to raise her and love her and protect her.

And almost without realizing it, she found herself laying back on her bed, a blanket rising to cover her. She opened her mouth to say something, but . . . what could she say?

Anakin gave her a small smile. “Sleep, Leia.”

As she watched, he closed his eyes, slipping into meditation. And the whole room felt calm, removed from the war outside her door.

And Leia slept.

End.

[capricornus-rex]

A Shadow of What You Used to Be (7)

Chapter 7: On Her Trail | Cal Kestis x Irele Skywalker

Summary: There is another! Years after young Anakin Skywalker departed Tatooine, his mother Shmi delivers a second child—this time, a daughter. Whilst the circumstance of the girl’s birth remains unexplained, Irele Skywalker has yet to choose the true path between those laid out for her.

Tags: Fem! OC, Irele Skywalker, Force-sensitive! OC, Anakin’s Younger Sister, Skywalker! OC, Darth Vader’s Secret Apprentice, Long-lost Sibling, Darth Vader

Requesting to be tagged: @heavenly1927​

Also in AO3

Chapters: Prelude – 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 | Previous: Part 6 | Next: Part 8 | Masterlist

8 of ?

As she had promised to Ben Kenobi, Irele took care of Luke in every capacity. She was more of a big sister to him than an aunt, the boy barely felt like she was an aunt, insofar as insisting he just calls her “big sister” or refers to her as one when he’s asked about her relation to her. Irele eventually gave up counter-insisting her nephew, as it would confuse other people on how they’re truly related.

“Tell you what,” proposed Irele. “No need to call me Big Sis or Aunt—though the last one makes me feel old—just call me Irele, okay, Luke?”

“Okay… Irele!”

Satisfied that their little impasse has been taken care of, Irele tussled Luke’s head full of sandy blonde hair.

Sometimes, she would sense Ben Kenobi’s presence within the radius of their homestead. She does not see him, but she can feel the exact same sage, calming aura that he exuded when she first met him. Irele would think that he was also watching over Luke, albeit from afar.

As Luke grew, their relationship and close connection with one another was so strong, that it often worried Obi-Wan—but at the same time piqued his curiosity, with so many questions piling on top of the next—whenever he would approach the homestead to take a closer look on the boy and perhaps the teenage girl as well. However, the boy’s uncle, Owen, became stingier towards the middle-aged hermit when he noticed old Ben interacting with the two children as if he was a visiting relative.

It confused Irele as to why her brother was so harsh towards this kindly man. Despite being thrown with words in a voice that Irele has never heard escape Owen’s mouth, she noticed that Kenobi remained calm—which she perceived somewhat as defeat in every right. He would not speak back, he would simply straighten the creases of his tattering robe, bow to Irele, and tussle both of their hairs before he departs. Never to be seen again—at least for Owen.

“Will we see him again, Irele?”

“I don’t know, Luke,” the girl sighed.

It was like reliving the day Kenobi came to their homestead to deliver Luke to them, except this time, the boy was standing by her side. Irele stole a glance at her little nephew and wondered: Just how important is Luke to the great, big galaxy beyond this dust ball of a planet?

–

16 BBY

Irele, now sixteen years of age, unshakably adventurous and—more often than not—stubborn, which was something Owen theorized she’s gotten from her brother, has grown to become more independent. Helping out her family as much as she can with the odd jobs she takes in Tatooine’s three main towns—Anchorhead and Mos Espa being her more frequent haunts.

She groups herself with people her age, and like her—they hop jobs when it’s convenient, or most of the time, safer. Currently, her clique is composed of two tan Twi’lek siblings—brother and sister, aged fourteen and fifteen respectively—a seventeen-year-old human female, and a human male who is perhaps the oldest of the group. The four youths work as animal wranglers. Their common target? Banthas, at least the undomesticated ones that still roam in the Dune Sea.

These enormous, woolly beasts have two fates once captured. One: butchered and then sold as raw meat. Second: a steed that one can rent in the absence of a speeder, or perhaps was too broke to afford one. Irele had no favorite choice, she always chose whichever gave the highest bid—only for her family to have something to put on the table.

With her busy work lifestyle, it’s almost impossible she would stop and remember Anakin, wondering what has he been doing ever since he left Tatooine on the day of Shmi’s funeral. As much as she hates it, she cannot shake the dark thoughts that intrude her mind, and there were times that she’s awakened by the nightmare of a dark figure donned in black and cloaked in silver fog; this figure always spoke nothing, but she vividly remembers the heavy breathing it exuded.

This horrendous figure appears in her nightmares, it would abruptly reach for her neck, but not touch it, and yet she always felt like—even in her dream state—her life is literally being choked out of her… and it would growl her name. And she would wake screaming for Shmi, as if begging to be rescued.

“MOM!!!” she shot up from her bed, ruffling her blankets, alarming Beru who scurried into the girl’s bedroom.

“Irele, hey, it’s okay, you were dreaming!” Beru hushed.

Her sister-in-law took her by the shoulders, gave it a quick and soothing rub to calm her down, and patiently waited for Irele to bring back her breathing’s rhythm.

“Is it the same one again?”

Irele swallowed and nodded.

“Oh, Irele,” Beru brushed up the stray hairs that fell to Irele’s face. “Do you want me to fix up something for you?”

“No, thank you, Beru. Sorry I woke you. Did I wake Luke too?”

Beru shook her head and asked Irele once more if she’s sure she doesn’t want any food or drink. Irele’s answer remained the same and that prompted the older woman to return to her bedroom. That night, Irele struggled to go back to sleep.

Another long night, she thought.

–

Meanwhile, in the rather cold solace of a mediation chamber, sat Darth Vader—the walking shell of once Anakin Skywalker—and remained stiller than a statue on where he sat. He cannot live denying that, sometimes, he is the man he was before his body became the black encasement that he dons; and there are fragments that slither into his mind—voices, scenes, and even faces.

My place is here with them. Echoed Irele’s words from countless moons ago. Through the red-filmed sockets of his helmet, using his mind and whatever scraps of memories he can get by, a vision of her forms—he invented what she would have looked like from the last time he saw Irele, who was a small girl at that time. Now with six years past, surely, she must have grown.

Vader imagined Irele to be a little taller, perhaps with longer hair; but the one thing he cannot seem to change was the pair of hazel eyes—readable, expressive, yet enigmatic and rather sad all at the same time—contrasting emotions swimming and smudging his mental painting of his only known blood relative.

He dared not to say her name.

At least not with him around.

A single beep interrupted him, signalling an incoming transmission. He recomposed himself before activating the communication podium in which he knelt as he waited for the holo to materialize. In front of him was a holoprojection of a cloaked individual’s bust: the master he answers to, Darth Sidious.

The holoprojection coats Darth Vader’s black shell a faint cyan light. He keeps his head bowed until Darth Sidious says otherwise.

“What is thy bidding, my Master?” said Vader, his words by rote every time he presents himself.

“I sense a vergence in the Force,” croaked the dark master.

Vader remained silent for a moment, waiting for Sidious to continue.

“I… I have felt it too, my Lord.”

For the benefit of the doubt, Sidious feigned an indifferent expression despite brimming with curiosity. As if he already knows that so does Vader has sensed it. A talent that he has prided himself and perfected over time until his senior age. Sidious only hummed in reply.

“Indeed, my Lord,” admitted Vader. “A remnant of Anakin Skywalker… lives. She is to be destroyed.”

Sidious angled his head ever so slightly that nobody would notice it, “She?”

“Yes, my Lord. If my memory serves me correctly, she is blood of his blood.”

“Then she is strong with the Force, no doubt,” Sidious hummed, his holoprojection fizzled in static and then returned to clarity, “The Force grants you insight, my apprentice. Seek her out. She must be delivered to our side… or she will be destroyed.”

Vader somewhat hesitated to say, “Yes, Master.” but say it he did, and Sidious’s holoprojection dissolved into thin air.

In obeisance, Darth Vader returned to his meditation chamber; now seated, he had the luxury of privacy and removed his helmet which came in two parts—first was the cap, next was the mask itself where it’s laden with electronics. Finally being able to breathe without the use of the gadget, he truly had time and his space to himself, to think.

He denies the fragments of his sister he had imagined. He almost did not want to do it—but he had no choice.

[annes-andromeda]

Star Wars: Rise of the Fates (PART 3)

Third part of the TROS rewrite. It’s a mix of TROS plot, Dual of the Fates plot, and my own ideas.

(⚠️❗️WARNING: VERY LONG BOI AHEAD❗️⚠️)

On Kef Bir, the team alongside Company 77 are eating their meals and conversing with each other. Jannah would speak of how her and the Company took refuge on Kef Bir to escape the First Order, and that they earned the loyalty of the fauna, especially the Orbaks. It seems that the Orbak Finn tamed had grown fond of him, sitting at his side and sniffing his face playfully. The creature, named Mila, was apparently a female looking for a rider, and Jannah even allowed Finn to keep her as a gift. Finn thanked her, and offered to take her and the company back to the Resistance where they’d be safe. Rey then admits that she’s afraid of what’s coming, of how much the Galaxy has suffered and that the mission would be for nothing if failed. She’s felt something through the Force that makes her worry about Luke. Her friends reassure her and remind her that people will rise up for what they believe in, and that her master will be ok. To lighten the mood, Rose suggests that Poe sings for the group. Despite refusing at first, Poe ultimately agrees and sings a small song that, not surprisingly, awes Zorii and cements his growing feelings for the pilot. Rey, now feeling at bit more hopeful, lays her head on Finns shoulder, as they provide comfort for each other in the darkest times. Later that night while everyone is asleep, Finn has trouble sleeping and tries once again to heal Luke’s Sith kyber crystal by meditating. But it still doesn’t work. All of a sudden, Anakin’s voice is heard by Finn once again. His voice tells Finn that he needs to show him something important. Finn doesn’t want to leave Rey, but then he hears the voices of the other Jedi that came before, telling him that they’ll protect her and keep her safe. Putting his trust in them, Finn leaves the camp riding Mila along with being guided by Anakin’s voice. He eventually comes across the site of the fallen Death Star from the last war, which he uses a skimmer to get through the harsh waves. On the wreckage, Finn senses that something is off. While searching inside the Death Star, he eventually comes across the Emperors throne room where the war was ended by Anakin’s final act. Finn understands that Anakin wanted to show him this to refer back to the prophecy. He also realizes that if Palpatine was Darkness, then there’s only one person who would be Death: Kylo Ren. This is enough to give Finn the feeling that Kylo has grown more powerful than ever, and that his patience is shattering. Before returning back to the camp, however, Finn is drawn in by dark whispers calling to him. It’s then revealed that Kylo had been tracking Finn down, sensing his Force surge on Bonadon. Toying with Finn, Kylo takes the form of different visions: Rey as a Sith, who Finn is forced to battle, a dark version of Finn himself, and then he takes the form of an endless sea that attempts to drown Finn. Kylo then claims that he knows who Finn is, and what his story is. Despite not trusting him, Finn is intrigued of his unknown past, but the visions stop before anything else happens.

Back on Wavett, the trio are making sure that the Coaxium nor the Hyperfuel are damaged. Thankful, they haven’t been tampered with or overheated. However, the ship is permanently destroyed, and cannot be repaired. So, they try to find shelter in a nearby villa, which isn’t so populated due to the harsh weather. The trio make sure to stay in the shadows, as not to get caught by any oncoming Sithtroopers or any other First Order authorities. As they’re walking through the shadows, they notice a ship called the Knife-9 landing, which meant that the Knights of Ren were coming. They quickly disperse, finding barren locations to hide, while Luke and Leia cut themselves from the Force so as not to be sensed by the Knights. Blaster shots are heard echoing through the streets, along with the barking and howling of the Night Hounds scouting about. Vicrul goes after Leia, using his Force abilities to make her fear more extreme, which results in him finding her and a dual erupts. Han tries hiding from Cardo, who proceeds to use a flamethrower so as to destroy any obstacles Han is hiding behind. Finally, Luke and R2 are hiding from Ap’lek, who uses a smoke dispenser to obscure Luke’s vision and disrupt R2’s sensors. Before Ap’lek can attack the Jedi master, Han comes in to force one of Cardo’s grenades to hit Ap’lek, causing him to have a concussion and give Luke enough time recover and strike him along with Cardo. Han and Luke then try looking for Leia, who’s still battling Vicrul. Right before Vicrul can get a hold of Leia, she’s grabbed by a mysterious figure who shoots the Knight dead in his tracks. The figure reveals himself to be Lando, who followed the trio after he found out that the Knights of Ren were looking for them. Delighted to be reunited with his princess, Lando and Leia embrace along with returning to Han and Luke. However, the reunion is cut short when Lando suggests hiding as night raids were going to begin soon. He leads the trio to a remote hut where they hide from the Sithtroopers. Inside, the team try to find a way to contact the Resistance so they can get out of Wavett. Luke then senses that Finn was in distress and that something terrible has happened. He begins to worry of his apprentices and their friends, but Han reminds him that the First Order is decreasing in numbers and that they’ll be destroyed in no one time. Feeling a bit more confident, the two share an intimate moment, sharing a long, passionate kiss before Han whispers under his breath for Luke to marry him. Luke is first confused, before Han gets on one knee and proposes to him with the ring he got from Takodana. He says yes, and they continue with their intimate moment, having more hope for the future than ever. In the other room, Leia and Lando speak to each other, with Lando asking Leia what she was going to do once the war was over. Leia says that she doesn’t know. She wants to believe that Poe, Rose, and the others are closer to stopping the First Order than the Resistance is. She remembers the battle of Crait, where they sent a message for anyone in the Galaxy, but no one came. In a vulnerable state and loosing hope, Lando comforts Leia in her darkest moment, where she is reminded of some similar moments between them: the days after Ben had turned to the Dark side and when Lando’s daughter was kidnapped by the First Order. The two had promised to be there for each other whenever they needed it, especially when their children were lost. Lando inspires Leia, telling her that the last war had people who fought against an oppressive system, and that now, people had joined another war because they believed in the cause and in Leia. With that, Leia decides to be the one to make the message for the beacon and transmit it back to the Resistance base. She walks up to R2-D2, the same way she once did many years ago, and begins to record the message.

On Kef Bir, Rey had sensed that Finn was in danger and that Kylo Ren was behind it. Once Finn had returned from the destroyed Death Star, he told everyone that they needed to build the beacon fast before the First Order committed genocide. Rose retaliates, saying that they need a strong enough connection for the beacon to be seen by the entire Galaxy. Zorii then suggests taking the Falcon to Coruscant, since it was a main influence on the government system. However, the team realized that the planet was overtaken by the First Order and that it was too much of a risk. However, they were willing to take it if it meant that the Resistance would get the help they so desperately needed. While boarding the Falcon along with Jannah, who ordered her company to stay on Kef Bir for their own safety, the heroes get a message from Lieutenant Connix, saying that the base had received a transmission from General Organa on the planet Wavett and that they finally had the message for the beacon. A turning point in the mission, this was the final piece of the puzzle. Connix then informed the team that the Resistance was going to retrieve Leia, Luke, and Han, and she sends the message for the team to build the beacon on Coruscant.

The Falcon arrives on Coruscant, and then lands on a remote landing platform so as not to be seen by the Sithtroopers. The team walk around the abandoned streets of the city, trying to find a secluded place to build the beacon. They then hear Sithtroopers marching closer for parol, and before they’re caught, civilians lure them underground where the rest of the population was hiding from the First Order. After raids became a common practice once Chancellor Hux came into power, the civilians moved underground so as to protect themselves and their children. Jannah and Rose share a moment together, unable to handle the imagery of kids and babies being torn from their parents arms. The civilians then lead the group to an abandoned tower where Rose begins to build the beacon with the help of Poe and Jannah while Chewie keeps watch. Rey doesn’t trust the fact that they were able to get into the city so easily, and feels as if something’s wrong. Finn can sense it too, and urges Rose to finish the beacon. Meanwhile, Poe worries about Leia and gets anxious about the Resistance getting caught, but Zorii reassures him, telling him that the First Order wants him to loose hope and give up. That they win when people subdue to them and fear them. Poe then asks the question he’s been thinking about for a while: what did the First Order do to Zorii. Before he could answer, Rose announces that the beacon is finished. She sets the beacon to analog, and begins to play Leia’s message for the Galaxy to see. Once the message is finished, Finn looks outside to see the Oblivion has arrived on Coruscant, knowing that Kylo Ren has come for him and Rey. Zorii then states that the Oblivion has a Stormtrooper training facility where the stolen children are, which motivates Jannah to want to raid the ship. Despite the danger and backlash from the others, Finn also wants to board the Eclipse Destroyer to confront Kylo about his heritage, to see if he was lying or not. Meanwhile, Kylo Ren awaits for Finn on the Oblivion, who orders for all the commanders to be on guard and to allow the Millennium Falcon passage into the vessel. He reminds Hux once more of his promise, giving him a dagger and saying “This is your chance. Don’t fail me”

The Falcon lands on the docking bay without question, and the team takes down the Sithtroopers. They command the droids to keep watch and protect the Falcon while the team scouts the ship. While looking around they split into two groups: Rose, Poe, Jannah, and Zorii go looking for the training facility, while Rey, Finn, and Chewie look for Kylo. Rey then senses something through the Force, which leads her to the cells where tortured rebels were kept prisoner. With the help of Chewie and Finn keeping watch, Rey frees the rebels from their restraints and equips them with the weapons of the fallen Sithtroopers. At that moment, Finn can sense Kylo’s presence, confirming that he really did follow them. Rey wishes to go with Finn, but he stops her and tells her to reunite with the others while he confronts Kylo. Despite wanting to retaliate, Rey agrees and gives Finn Anakin’s lightsaber for protection. Meanwhile, Jannah and the others find the facility where the children are held, and even most of the Stormtroopers who were revealed to wanting to defect. All of them have shaved heads and wear the same armor, stripped of their individuality. The defected troopers agree to help the team save the children and take them to Korilev where they’ll be safe for the time being. However, commanding officers come in and alarm the Sithtroopers of the uprising, which causes a battle between Storm and Sith troopers. At the same time, Rose and Jannah lead the children back to the Falcon, while Poe and Zorii lead the escaped rebels and defected Stormtroopers. They eventually lead up with Rey and Chewie, while they stall for Finn. Despite this, Rey can’t wait and goes looking for him herself.

Finn comes across Kylo’s lair, where he sits on his throne, almost mocking him. Kylo complains of how difficult Finn was to find and that he ruined everything for him: the Order, the Stormtroopers, and now, his very power. Finn takes out the Skywalker lightsaber, ready for Kylo to attack. But he doesn’t. Instead, he reveals that there’s more to Finn than meets the eye. Finn can’t help but listen, despite being untrustworthy of the Supreme Leader. Kylo speaks of Lieutenant Damarcus, revealing that the allegations of treason against him were true. To taunt Finn even more, Kylo forces him to remember Damarcus’s execution, and saying “It must’ve been difficult, a child your age. To see your own father die before your very eyes”. This news causes Finn to drop the lightsaber in shock, which allows Kylo to trap him through the Force. Not caring of the mans pleas to stop, Kylo proceeds with his newfound knowledge. He states that Damarcus apparently joined the First Order and turned Finn in with the name ‘FN-2187’, a play on his own sons name. Apparently Damarcus had come from a planet in the Myto sector, after an invasion from the First Order looking for resources and children to take into the Stormtrooper army. The planet was named Artorias, and Damarcus wasn’t the man’s name at all. It was Caled. Caled Galfridian. The fallen King who supposedly fell with his own kingdom. With this, Finn gets a Force vision of Artorias on the day of its invasion, and he sees his father with a white haired woman holding baby Finn in her arms. The woman’s name was Asherah, who was the former Queen, and she was instructing her husband to take their son to a safe place, as she was going to protect the citizens. But she never came back. Kylo can only watch in satisfaction and sickening amusement as Finn’s past and pain unravels. All the pieces put together, Finn comes to the conclusion that his last name is Galfridian, and that he was the prince of Artorias. But the conversation didn’t stop there. Kylo begins to get angry as he spoke more of Finn, and reveals why he was hearing Anakin’s voice. It was because of the prophecy. Finn knew where this was going. He had figured out that Kylo was the Death to be destroyed. It was only a matter of time before Kylo found out that Finn was the Moon sent to cause his demise. And he wasn’t going to accept it.

Rey, who began to worry about Finn and sensed his distress, runs through the corridors shooting any Sithtroopers in her way, desperate to save her boyfriend. Finn tries to free himself of his restraints but he can’t. Kylo then does the unthinkable: he takes the Skywalker lightsaber, and destroys it to the point of no return. This is enough to cause Finn to let out another Force surge, which breaks his restraints and allows Rey to find him. Finn quickly grabs the kyber crystal of the broken lightsaber and the two run back to the Falcon, where the crew is being attacked by Sithtroopers. Kylo sends out his Night Hounds to snatch them and kill them before they can escape. There seems to be not enough ships to transport the defected Stormtroopers and children, which some are being slaughtered by the Sithtroopers. When all seems lost, a Resistance ship comes to the deck holding Luke, Leia, Han, and Lando inside, who refused to leave the team by themselves. They board the remaining defectors onto the ship, while the others try to hold the attackers off. Hux, refusing to disappoint the Supreme Leader, shoots Zorii on the back, much to Poe’s dismay. Despite being hurt, Zorii won’t let Poe or his friends get taken. He battles Hux, who stabs the Mandalorian multiple times with Kylo’s dagger. Jannah and Rey try saving him, but Rey is taken back by the last of the Knights of Ren. Jannah comes to Zorii’s aid and shoots Hux with her bow, a death befitting of the man who caused innocent children so much pain. Rey sees Zorii injured and begins to get angered, as she violently cuts through the Knights. Once killing the last one, she proceeds to massacre the Sithtroopers, which begins to worry the rest of the crew who were yelling at her to board the Falcon. It wasn’t until she heard Luke and Finn’s voices that Rey stopped abruptly, horrified at what she’d done. Instead of boarding the transport, she takes a TIE fighter and abandons the team, unable to face them after her actions. The Falcon leaves along with the Resistance transporter back to Korilev. Despite retrieving enough defectors, the mission felt more like a failure than a success, as they had just provoked the First Order and Kylo Ren even more. Plus, the saved troopers and children were unfortunately not all of them, as some were lost during the raid.

Sorry if this one seems longer than the first two, but I wanted to write the mission scene for a while now. I feel like there weren’t a lot of scenes in the sequels that felt like the characters were in real danger, so I did the job for the writers responsible for them. The last part will be posted shortly, and then hopefully some art. I hope. Respectful criticism is much appreciated.

[dekko-61]

Omniverse war

The arrival of Harry Potter the boy who lived is still heading towards its call. The end of June is coming and Hagrid has still not gotten back to Dumbledore with a response on his mission to retrieve the boy or a certain Item he was supposed to collect to give him later. Dumbledore would not give up hope yet. He was hoping the Squad team of the Leaf would arrive sooner but he remembered that they will not until tomorrow mourning though he still felt lonely. He also feared that the overly excited princess that was to arrive here shortly could ruin his plans for Harry and the Leaf Shinobi on their way. Dumbledore looked soundly at his Phoenix sleeping peacefully while here he was worried stiff.

"Professor?"

Dumbledore turns his head. "Oh you have arrived Fin tanin." Replied Dumbledore. "I have."says Fin."and I came to tell you Professor that I would like to do say that my cousin will be here as a first year and he is quite the curious one. I'm asking that when he comes to Hogwarts please watch his back would you?" Dumbledore:"It won't be a problem Fin I can arrange meetings with your cousin when he arrives to see how he feels at Hogwarts school." Fin:"That would be nice...". Dumbledore:"Fin are you alright congratulations for your cousin being chosen by Hogwarts as well." Fin:"Well thanks professor but I just feel negative energy from the air and I get the feeling something bad is coming...

Meanwhile...

Universe-WT980

A long time ago in a galaxy far far away...

STAR WARS

EPISODE 8.1

RETURN OF THE SACRED TEXTS

The Resistance is now on the run from the evil First order after the great battle of Crait. The great loss of Jedi Master Luke Skywalker is tightening the weak hearts of the resistance as they saw him as their last hope once again... now with all of them on the run from Kylo Ren and his army they search for refuge on a safe passage to the unknown regions where they will not be easy to find. Rey is now reading the ancient Jedi text while at loss of her master's death and her failed attempt at saving Ben Solo. The deaths of Han and Luke hit her hard and she is released to know that one of her friends Finn has not died as a cause of her actions.

C3PO:"mistress Rey are you alright." Rey:"no C3PO.I failed everything. I don't even understand the sacred text...*sigh*" C3PO:"Perhaps I may be of some assistance..." Rey hands C3PO the Book and he scans it. Rey:"what makes you think you can read it C3PO?" C3PO:"I'm fluent in over 6,000 languages Mistress Rey.The language is very sacred so I can't translate it word to word but I can translate it to a degree and according to this book it says..."

We see Finn and Poe stairing outside at the star's across the cosmos. Finn:"So thanks for telling me what happened after I was out.So what's the plan now?" Poe:"we wait for general Leia's orders Finn." Finn*sigh* Poe:"Hey Finn?" Finn:"Yes Poe?" Poe:"how is your back injury dude?" Finn:"well ever since I woke up.I forgot about it. I can barely feel it anymore." Poe:"wow that medi droid really did know its stuff." Finn:"Medi droid?" Poe:"yeah the Medi droid was able to heal light saber wounds but since it was pretty old I just wanted to be sure y'know." Finn:" .... heh right." Rey then walks in. Rey:"You guys I believe you can be of help for wha I'm about to do."Poe:"Rey what exactly do you have in mind." Finn:"are we planning an attack on the first Oder?" Rey:"no actually but this will be our guide".*she holds out the book of sacred texts* Finn:"what?" Rey:"In order to defeat the first order we're going to need help and I can find it." Finn:"were are we going to find this help." Rey:"well I thought of this and I remembered General Leia used help from our allies from the unknown regions to help us escape the first order so I plan to find us allies from different areas outside our Galaxy." Finn:"what how the hell is that possible Rey." Rey:"Don't worry Finn it's just a Jedi thing but in order to do it I need two other people to meditate with me in a circle around my book.It will release a blue energy that will take my mind to places outside our Galaxy so I can contact potential help to defeat the first order." Poe:"It sounds risky.How do you even know their is life outside our Galaxy." Rey:"I can sense through the force plus the sacred text said so.Besides Poe you make risky choices a lot from what I've herd of from the other resistance members when you guys fought the first order." Poe:"yeah when I knew their was a possible outcome I could achieve when I took those risk and gained it in the end.This sounds not just risky but you don't really know the outcome if we try this." Rey:"Maybe but I can still believe..." Finn:"I agree with Poe we can't do this it's too risky Rey." Rey:" You know what ... fine I'll do it myself!*storms off angrily*" Finn*sigh* Poe:"...." Finn:"Do you think Rose is Ok?" Poe:"......."

Meanwhile

(Earth-1/Universe 1 of the Golden Multiverse)

(Flashback to the year 2001 In the Batcave....)

Batman was studying a mysterious tool he found in the cave last Night after the Leagues very first battle with the notorious Darkseid.

Batman:"What could be?What does it mean?" Alfred:"excuse me for asking sir but what kind of device is that?" Batman:"It seems to be some kind of weapon used for combat/or a tool used for cutting objects know is that it may be able to cut through almost anything." Alfred:"Quite odd sir but considering last night anything is possible." Batman:"well this seems to be very advanced tech to hold a beam of light in one direction to cut... Its some kind of laser technology.I have to analyze it some more." Alfred:"well sir would you like dinner tonight?" Batman:"Thank you Alfred but tonight is gonna be very busy." "if you say so sir.Good night Sir" replied Alfred. Batman:"Good night Alfred."

(Flashback ended)

"I will always remember that night.For I know it's time! ... The Omniverse war is about to begin."

[marybeatriceofmodena]

So I saw TLJ for the second time yesterday, this time with my sisters.

They absolutely loved the movie: and this time around, with me thinking about and digesting everything, I actually really loved the movie this time around, since at first, I liked it, but I didn’t love it, and I wasn’t sure if it was going to worsen or get better after more viewings.

TLJ is divisive, which I expected, but I didn’t expect it to be *that* divisive. I do think it will be better received after IX comes out, though.

With this said, that movie is going to age very well. Sure, it’s far from perfect, but it’s going to become a textbook example of a Heroine’s Journey with all the big sexual awakening metaphors, while Finn and Rose’s plot has very universal themes about the Dog Eats Dog side of politics in the greater scheme of things that have always proven true throughout history, and that will sadly probably always stay around.

I did notice a few things this time around – there are some things I’m going to skip since I’m keeping them for the other parts of my very long TLJ review (one will be all about the Skywalker Drama with bonus Snoke and the other about Finn and Rose, and maybe I’ll squeeze the Resistance in as well), but I have other little details to add, notably about Reylo.

Also, there is no fucking way Ben won’t be redeemed and Reylo won’t be the endgame in some way or another. And if they make the stupid-ass decision of keeping it platonic (yes, it’s stupid-ass at this point, no one will convince me otherwise), it’s going to be one of the biggest wastes in the history of cinema. I’m not even exaggerating. But after TLJ and with all the overt sexual subtext going on, I’ll be mighty surprised if the Mouse House still has cold feet about Reylo. My prediction about it pre-TLJ was “Go big or go home”, and they definitely went big. With the second viewing, I’m pretty solid on that perspective.

I’m going to try and see it again next week, because that might be the last opportunity I get to see it before going back to class. 

Now that I know the plot to the movie, the editing feels a lot less choppy for me. It’s not so much how they’re placed, because I can understand why they’re placed the way they are, but the transition between scenes is not always smooth and sometimes, some scenes that should all be merged into a longer one get cut, which kind of breaks the overall feel. But I get that the reason is that TLJ is so multilayered and has so many things going on at once with a big cast that it’s hard to manage.

Hux’s facial expressions are absolutely hysterical. He’s become one of my favorite characters I love to hate. Also, Domhnall Gleeson is a phenomenal actor.

I wasn’t so sure after my first viewing, but now, I’m pretty certain Kylo thinks Leia died after the TIE Fighters bombing the Raddus’ bridge. It would make sense, considering she had a near death experience and was then comatose, so perhaps that made her unresponsive through the Force, which led Kylo to believe she was gone. Therefore, him wanting to burn the Resistance to the ground, while it’s not good at all, makes a lot of sense and becomes all the more heartbreaking: remember how Kylo was pissed at Finn in TFA? It’s partially because he views him as being responsible for bringing Han to him. That’s how Kylo is: he tends to lash out on the world and whoever he believes wronged him (and most of the time, it isn’t really justified), and TLJ pretty much showed why he’s the way he is. He hates the Resistance because, like the Rebellion and the New Republic, she chose to fight rather than to be present, and ultimately, that’s what caused her death. So him telling Rey to “let it burn” becomes all the more heartbreaking. What’s worse? When he picks up the golden dice in the Rebel base on Crait, I think it’s at that moment he realizes that woops, Mommy was alive all along and he fucked up. Big time.

Rose is still my favorite character in the entire movie. Fight me. 

Maz totally banged the Master Codebreaker. No one will convince me otherwise. 

Rey’s first time meditating with Luke? That was totally a metaphor for masturbation and her discovering her body. Sorry not sorry. It all ends with her seeing the hole on Ahch-To that’s supposedly the “Dark Side” and is basically a big metaphor for a vagina, and her gasp that sounds an awful lot like a gasp of pleasure while water comes out of the hole? IT’S FORCE MASTURBATION GUYS. DON’T LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT, BLAME RIAN. And of course, Luke is terrified because a) He’s a sixty-year-old virgin, and b) He’s the Father figure here, and he’s terrified not only of the Heroine becoming a woman by exploring her forbidden sexuality, but also of her Other Half who’s in the middle of a pretty ugly adolescent turmoil and can’t seem to truly go from boy to man.

And of course, straight after, we get some Force bond scenes with Kylo with off-the-charts UST/BST, where Kylo is peacocking around and looks every inch the Dangerous Dreamboat/Byronic Hero ready to seduce the Gothic Heroine, and Rey standing her own and matching his intensity is why the scenes don’t come out as predatory (same went with Han and Leia in ESB, though they went more for the old Hollywood screwball comedy approach).

Also, there should have been another Force bond scene between the third and the fourth. To refresh your memory, the third is when Kylo tells Rey what really happened between him and Luke at the Jedi Temple, and the fourth is the hand touching. The Mirror scene happens in between. Like, it works fine, but there was a little transition missing.

The fourth Force bond scene managed to be EVEN BETTER on second viewing? Like, Rey tells Kylo what happened in the Mirror scene, and you can feel her voice tearing up a bit. Meanwhile, not only Kylo is listening, but you can clearly see his eyes are glassy, and he looks like he’s about to cry as well. He sympathizes with her, and you just know he understands exactly how abandoned and lost she feels. “Don’t be afraid, I feel it too”, amirite?

First time, I didn’t notice Rey and Ben tearing up when they touch hands. I think I got all teary-eyed too, lol. I don’t think they only see each other’s future, but I think they also see each other as who they truly are. And that’s the moment where Rey falls in love with Ben.

I am… honestly not sure what exactly Rey saw, and what exactly Ben saw when they talk about each other’s future. At first, I thought they saw the two of them fighting against the Praetorian Guards, but I really don’t know at this point. I think it’s possible Rey saw that, but I think Ben saw something else. And if it’s the case… count me excited for IX. But Reylo is real, guys, and it’s endgame. 

Rey is at her prettiest whenever she’s around Kylo/Ben. Like, in the coffin/pod and in the elevator, her face is all lit up, and it makes her traits look very soft and sweet. Seriously, she totally spent hours in the shower and fussing around with her appearance before boarding the Supremacy, to the point it really feels like a teenage girl going on her first date, I’m not even kidding. Boy do I love couples who go and kill gross old humanoids and their guards on the first date.

I’m going to mention it in the Finnrose part of my review, but boy did they waste Gwendoline Christie.

The transition between “Rey gets her heart broken and leaves the Throne Room while Kylo’s unconscious” and “Rey shows up in the Millennium Falcon happily gunning at FO TIE fighters” is still kind of jarring, but not as much as the first time. I wonder at this point if she’s having pretty much the same “screw you” disposition Kylo’s having on the other side of the battle. But of course, for both of them, it fades away pretty quickly when they have to face reality again and realize that “Welp, we screwed up”. Kylo gets that realization when he sees Rey on the MF’s threshold via Force Bond while holding Han’s dice, and Rey at first is a mix of sadness, compassion/pity but also a fair amount of “You’re sleeping on the couch tonight”, but when she sees Finn caring for Rose later, I think it’s at that moment she’s starting to get inklings of “I may have made a mistake…”. I think she’s going to understand it fully only in IX, though. It won’t be as harsh of a realization as it’s going to be for Kylo, but still.

Hux is totally going to backstab Kylo at the first opportunity he gets. Just the smug look he gives Kylo just before he goes in the control room and finds Han’s dice, you can tell that Supreme Leader or not, he still considers himself far superior. So because of that, I really don’t think there’s going to be a big time jump between TLJ and IX.

I probably forgot a ton of little things, so next time I’m seeing the movie, I’m taking notes. 

[thisgarbagepicker]

“Real, Not True” - Reylo Weekly Challenge

My contribution to the sixth @two-halves-of-reylo Tumblr weekly challenge, “Fear” theme. 

“Real, Not True” (AO3)

Words: 2,325

Rating: T

Summary:  At night, Kylo's mind returns to a day in his youth when Luke attempted to lead him in a meditation technique focusing on the nature of fear. When mere memory turns into nightmare, he finds rescue where he isn't expecting it. Afterward, Rey tries to make sense of the realities and cruelties of the unguarded sleeping mind.

“Ben. Are you listening?”

“Wha—yeaaa . . .” Ben tears his eyes away from the water, where he’s been watching a pod of porpoises clip through the waves. “Uh. No.”

Luke is unamused. Contrite, Ben amends, “Sorry. What?”

“I asked if you’re ready to begin.”

Despite his pointed stare a moment ago, he doesn’t sound terribly annoyed, and his eyes have softened a little. It’s hard to believe, but Luke was fifteen once, too. His mind must have drifted when it wasn't supposed to back then, the way Ben’s does. Given the distant expression he sometimes catches on his uncle’s face, it likely still does.

This place is mostly all water, and the slim, green, crescent-shaped island they’ve camped on is the only one in view over the vast expanse of ocean—though there are supposedly others, with actual people living on them. It’s been years since he’s seen Chandrila, with its fragrant forests and staggering mountain ranges. It had oceans, too, but nothing like this. Ben still thinks Lew’el must be a weird place to live by comparison. Its flatness is . . . soothing, he supposes, but not very interesting. The porpoises were the first break in the monotony of the horizon he’s seen all morning.

“I am. Ready to begin.” Ben is careful to echo the words precisely, to indicate that he’s really, definitely listening now.

He sits, figuring that anticipation of Luke’s instructions will further redeem him for his inattention. He knows they’re doing some sort of meditation here, probably linked with the local belief system. The native population adheres to something called the Tide, which Luke has explained is essentially the Force by another name. He has been here before. There are stories; Ben’s heard them. But when he asked Luke about them, it was only to be told that stories exaggerate the truth. That Ben shouldn’t be so quick to believe everything he hears.

And Ben isn’t. It’s just that by now, he also isn’t sure he’s ever going to reach a point where he is fully able to separate the legend that is his uncle from the man. It’s hard to know what is exaggeration when he barely knows what the truth is to begin with. Maybe it doesn’t matter. He scans the shoreline before him, a stretch of smooth pinkish pebbles that look nice but aren’t very comfortable for sitting.

“Good.” Luke joins Ben on the ground and makes a face that suggests he, too, is reconsidering their choice of location. They observe the water in silence, and Luke tosses one of the stones out onto the still surface, watching it skip along and finally sink before he says, “You can feel them out there, can’t you?”

It takes a moment, but Ben realizes he means the porpoises.

“In a way, yeah, I guess,” he says simply. He resists the urge to get too chatty about it. He likes his uncle, most of the time, and under different circumstances he would tell him more. How he can feel them, in the Force, if he reaches. The porpoises are happy in a very pure, uncomplicated way. United in their pod, having fun after a hunt. (Must be nice. Ben is still half-asleep and wants breakfast.) But he senses that Luke is in Master Skywalker mode right now, so that means it’s down to business.

“We’re going to try something different today.”

Ben stifles a yawn. “Okay.”

“Hey, focus,” Luke reminds him with a nudge. “We’re turning our reach inward rather than out. This practice will bring us closer to what we fear. Fear has its place, but we can’t let ourselves be ruled by it, either. So, we identify it, sit with it, and then let the Tide—the Force—take it into its ebb and flow. Restore its proper order.”

Ben feels a squirm in his stomach. Closer to what we fear. His eyes are closed and he forces himself not to open them and look at Luke. Does he know that Ben couldn’t sleep the last few nights? Does he know why? The timing of this seems awfully convenient. Ben takes a chance. “What do you fear?”

“That’s not how this works,” Luke says, mildly chastising. If Ben hopes to get any kind of answer he actually wants, he’ll have to wait until later. “Are you ready?”

He hesitates, but it won’t change anything. “Yes.”

He feels like he’s being watched. Not by the man sitting beside him. From afar. He ignores that, as he long ago learned to do. He turns inward, as Luke instructed.

What does Ben fear? Never being a pilot—sometimes. Sleep—often. Never seeing home again—more often. That his parents think there is something wrong with him—nearly all the time. That what they think is true—always.

It is true.

There it is. The fear. His first instinct is to resist it, fight it off, bury it back down. He knows it’s the right one because it bites back the hardest. Ben feels simmering anger at the mere thought, and he’d rather fight. He forgets what he was told to do: identify it, sit with it, let it be taken. Fuck that. His pulse is quickening and he begins to feel hot.

“No,” he seethes.

“Focus, Ben . . .” Luke’s voice sounds far away, and there’s something new now that Ben picks up on despite his agitation. Another fear. But it isn’t his. It’s Luke’s. Curious, he probes at that, and is dismayed by what he finds. Luke’s fear—it’s of him. Around them, the pebbles begin to quiver.

“You’re unbalanced.” That isn’t Luke at all. Another voice. Scornful, not warning.

He opens his eyes. The ocean is churning. The pebbles on the beach are shaking and leaping and have turned red. Further down the shoreline, large grayish lumps writhe in the shallows—the porpoises have beached themselves. Above, wind-trusters and smaller birds are already circling, sensing an imminent meal. He doesn’t want to look, but his eyes scan left until his head has no choice but to follow suit. Luke is gone. A gaunt, pale, disfigured man hunches beside him now, swathed in a thin gold robe. He’s revolting, but despite this, Ben can only stare.

“You’re unbalanced,” the man repeats. He speaks slowly, and his sunken cheek trembles with each syllable. “And you’re afraid. And you’re alone. A monster, a monster, a monster . . .”

The words echo over and over again, the man’s voice distorting until it’s not only one voice but many. Voices from Ben’s past and, he senses, from his future. Some he recognizes, others he doesn’t. Horrified, he crabwalks backward over skittering crimson pebbles as everything roars around him. It’s all just noise now. He can’t distinguish the words, but he knows what they’re saying. The vibration of it is shattering him from the inside out. The beach warps and becomes impossibly long.

“Ben!”

One clear word in all the din. The only voice he wants to hear. He bumps roughly against something behind him and cranes his neck to look. It’s her. The girl. She’s standing there above him. He’s seen her in dreams, but he never knows who she is except . . . he does now. He knows her name. He knows her. He loves her.

“Rey?”

“Ben, listen. Wake up.” She crouches in front of him and grabs his arm, staring urgently into his face. “You’re dreaming.”

Bewildered, Ben tries to argue. “How do you kn—”

He jolts and his eyes fly open. Her face is there, still so close, hovering above his. This place is warm and quiet, and their bodies are pressed together, and there isn’t much space. A bunk. Her bunk. It’s dark. Her fingers are digging so hard into his arm that it’s probably going to leave a mark.

“—know?” His mouth finishes what he was saying in the dream before he can put a thought together to stop it.

“No?” Rey says. The concern in her face eases, and she looks almost mystified.

“No. I mean . . . not ‘no’ . . .” He winces and turns his face from hers, then exhales sharply like he’s dispelling whatever might be left of the dream. “Can you let go of my arm please? That sort of hurts.”

“Oh. Oh, kriff. Yeah.”

She relinquishes her grip and settles down beside him, fidgeting with the blanket. He realizes, or remembers, that both of them are naked. He’s still half in a fog, but details are coming back. He’d been unable to sleep. He walked down to Rey’s room, because she’s one of the few people here who has her own. They talked a while. They did what they’ve been doing in her bunk at night for the last week or so when he can get there without being noticed. They talked more afterward, until they fell asleep. And then . . . that.

“I shouldn’t still be here,” he murmurs. He doesn’t move to go.

Rey shrugs. “We went over this hours ago. Keep quiet and no one will know. Not if you wait ‘til people’ve started going on with their morning stuff. Just wait for the hall to be empty and fall in with it.”

He does remember that discussion now. He also remembers not being entirely convinced of the soundness of the plan—physically speaking, he isn’t exactly inconspicuous. But his lack of desire to leave won out, and after more pillow talk he’d been as good as unconscious. Besides, they’re both deluding themselves if they think people haven’t noticed, or won't soon.

“I didn’t yell or anything, did I?”

“No. I don’t think so. I was sleeping.” She lays an arm over him and circles her fingertips along his shoulder. “It was really weird, though. Something got crossed again. I ended up in your head. I’m sorry.”

“Wasn’t your fault.”

“I know. And it wasn’t your fault last time. But it’s not like either of us invites the other to . . . dream with them. We really ought to figure out a way to handle this when it happens, because it doesn’t seem like it’s about to stop.” He wonders if she wants it to stop, and if he does. He’s not sure. Meanwhile, Rey seems to have accepted that they won’t get it settled tonight, so she changes tacks. “You all right?”

“Yeah. That was relatively tame,” he says after brief deliberation. It still sounds on the verge of self-pity, which he didn’t want, but it’s the truth. There was history there, but it was definitely a nightmare and he’s had much worse, to say nothing of waking life.

Rey nods as her hand wanders from his shoulder to stroke his cheek, and he shifts to his side to face her. He doesn’t know if he needs it, the way her touch is so instantly, deeply soothing, but he craves it badly enough that it must be the same thing in the end.

“Was all of it only a dream? Some of it felt realer. Like a memory. You were so young.” They both know how a dream can be more than a dream. She wants to parse this, even if he can sense her apprehension at prying further into something that wasn’t strictly hers.

“Parts were. ‘Realer.’ The beginning was more memory.” Some of that was no doubt changed by time and experience, he knows, but there had been no distinction in the dream. As for the end, it was utter nonsense. Awful, but nonsense just the same. Rey waits expectantly for him to continue. He thought he wouldn’t want to talk about it, but he finds he doesn’t mind explaining further. “The stuff with . . . Luke, and that island. On Lew’el. The Tide, and the meditation, too. The rest was just my brain throwing things together where they didn’t belong.”

Rey is reflecting on this, and her expression is one of understanding rather than pity. Not that he’d expect it of her. She’s getting to know the inside of his head too well. That would have terrified him once, but it doesn’t anymore. He wants to be known by her. It goes both ways. He kisses the flurry of freckles on her shoulder, and the two-pronged scar a little lower down her arm. He doesn’t stop when she finally speaks, but he’s listening.

“‘Didn’t belong’ is an understatement. Some of that may have been real, but . . . none of it was true. The mind can be cruel enough when we’re awake. It’s worse when we sleep, sometimes.” She stops and pokes him in the ribs. “Hey, are you listening?”

“Yes.” He pauses what he’s doing and pillows his head on her chest instead. “You’ve been reading too many of those old texts. Continue, Master Rey.”

“Very funny. Believe it or not, I’ve had a lot of time to think about these things.” She runs her hands through his hair and tugs a little out of pique, but then smooths it back more gently and lets her fingers curl at the base of his skull. “I’m trying to make you feel better.”

“I do,” he says. “I woke up, you were there, I felt better. You don’t have to try.”

There’s a hint of a smile in her voice. “Then you understand why I want you to stay right here. You’re not the only one of us who feels better waking up to the other.”

“Good.”

The sound of Rey’s heartbeat is sending him off faster than he expected, and when she winds her arms around him he knows he isn’t going anywhere until morning. It doesn’t come naturally to him to not be fighting something. This is it, though. One of the rare moments when he doesn’t feel compelled to do so. He isn’t sure he believes in a time when the nights will be easier for them both. If such a time does exist, he hopes it comes soon. If it proves too much to hope for, at least there will still be this.

[haruka89]

To say that Luke didn't have patience is a bit unfair, I think. The way the movie is cut makes it appear that Luke is only on Dagobah for days/a few weeks and that he prepared to leave immediately after that vision, but it was likely months of training and probably a few days between the vision and the scene where Luke leaves. Luke outright states that he couldn't get the vision out of his head. That means he DID try to ignore/forget it, with possible repeat performances while sleeping or meditating. Considering that Luke has been a soldier for three years at this point, basically went AWOL for this training and has no way of finding out if and how many of his comrades made it, all while having no idea how long this training will actually take? His decision to leave is to be expected and probably more a sign of his patience finally running out. Also, what nobody seems to consider is that Leia in Vaders hand is actually a LOT more dangerous for the galaxy. Figuring out she's force-sensitive is more likely the more time she spends around him, she doesn't have the grounding in Jedi philosophy Luke has and thus in more danger to fall, and she is high up in the Rebel Alliance command structure so prime material for interrogation. Also, 3PO's memory banks. Luke, meanwhile, only commands a squadron and has learned quite a bit by this point And while Luke did need rescuing, without his and R2's presence they wouldn't even have been able to escape, never mind come back to rescue him. Luke's presence distracting Vader makes the attempt even possible, while R2 does some of the heavy lifting. While going to Bespin turned out to be a mistake for him personally, I'm not sure it was actually the wrong decision. If only because Endor happened not even a year later, and none of the really important players would have been there. (Han, Leia, Chewie, R2, 3PO wouldn't have been on Endor, Lando wouldn't have let the attack on the Death Star, Luke probably would have been on Dagobah instead of Endor, meaning the Emperor and Vader would have had ample opportunity to leave before the Death Star went boom.)

Every so often sometimes I’ll see posts pop up on my dash talking about the scene in ESB where Yoda and Obi Wan are trying to keep Luke from flying off to Bespin after Han and Leia and everyone’s always lauding Luke for being a “TRUE hero who sticks it to the meanie evil Jedi who just want him to blindly obey their evil oppressive orders and let his friends die >:(”

And it’s like. Okay. Okay, that sure is a funny way of saying “Luke blatantly ignoring his masters trying to tell him not to walk into the Obvious Fucking Trap Vader is purposefully using his friends’ pain to set for him, walks smack into it anyway, fails to rescue one friend and needs to have the other rescue herself and then HIM after he gets his arm amputated and loses his lightsaber and nearly dies” but OKAY.

o k a y . . .

[aion-rsa]

Star Wars: Did Kylo Ren Kill Grogu After The Mandalorian?

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This Star Wars: The Mandalorian article contains spoilers.

I know. No one really wants to consider the edgiest villain in the galaxy touching a hair on Grogu’s head with malice. But The Mandalorian takes place at a time when the events of the Sequel Trilogy are already being seeded. All this, the lawless Outer Rim and the ineffective New Republic police, will be swallowed up by the First Order eventually. And Grogu has a long enough lifespan to see this and many other governments rise and fall. How might his story intersect with the Sequel Trilogy timeline?

Just in case this article stresses you out as much it does me, take a moment for some Grogu Meditation. Close your eyes. Breathe in. Picture the little guy eating a macaron with his heavily armored dad. Breathe out.

Okay, let’s break this down:

Thanks to the season 2 finale, “The Rescue,” we now know that Luke Skywalker does indeed take Grogu as his student to be trained in the ways of the Force. In the years immediately after Return of the Jedi, Luke is busy learning all he can about the old Jedi Order and building his own academy, the same one we’ll see burning in flashbacks throughout the Sequel Trilogy and the comic book miniseries The Rise of Kylo Ren by Charles Soule and Will Sliney. But there’s a lot of time between The Mandalorian and anything we’ve seen elsewhere.

Let’s run some numbers. The Mandalorian takes place in 9 ABY (After the Battle of Yavin). Meanwhile, The Force Awakens takes place in 34 ABY, and Ben Solo was born in 5 ABY. The academy existed until about 28 ABY, at which point Ben destroyed it and became Kylo Ren. Just 19 years after the events of “The Rescue,” Grogu wouldn’t even be 100. He’d still be a child in terms of the way his species ages. So it’s almost certain he’d be alive when Luke’s academy fell.

Stream your Star Wars favorites right here!

But Ben’s betrayal wasn’t an organized massacre like Order 66. He doesn’t go from room to room striking down students like Anakin did with the younglings in Revenge of the Sith.

In The Rise of Kylo Ren, we learn Ben is surprised by his own dark side powers, as his anger leads to large storm clouds forming over the temple that strike it with lightning, burning iy down and killing most of the other students inside in the process. At one point, Ben tries to run into the temple to save whoever is left inside but is knocked back by another explosion of lightning. A mysterious voice in his head tells him that the fate of his fellow students is Luke’s fault, and it’s pretty clear in the scene that this is Snoke’s voice (aka the Emperor) compelling Ben to commit atrocities and become Kylo Ren.

Ben does kill the three Jedi survivors who chase after him after the massacre, but even then, he seems hesitant to take their lives. It seems at this early stage in his transformation that he wouldn’t have the stomach to kill a likely still defenseless Grogu.

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So what if Baby Yoda was trapped in the burning Jedi Temple? We already know he can protect himself from fire with the Force, as he did in “Redemption.” That said, this is all speculation. We don’t know where Grogu’s story is headed next after Luke takes him.

Judging by how timid Disney has been about exploring more of Luke’s post-Return of the Jedi story, it’s likely that we won’t learn more about his academy for some time, especially as the books and some of the shows turn to the High Republic era. That means that there will be almost two decades of Grogu’s life that will likely remain unwritten for the next few years. Anything could happen to Grogu in that time. There’s even the chance Kylo Ren could encounter Grogu much later, before the official emergence of the First Order but after his fall and Luke’s self-imposed exile.

But let’s be honest: is Grogu’s time away from The Mandalorian really going to stick? From a narrative standpoint, it would be surprising if Grogu and Din Djarin were really apart for long. The bond between the child and his surprised father figure is at the core of what’s made the show a success. Why would Disney want to break from such a captivating formula?

We know there are definitely more seasons of The Mandalorian coming, and with Pedro Pascal on board, the little guy probably will be too. Does that mean Luke returns him for some reason? Or that Din changes his mind about leaving the child behind like he did in season one? These are questions we just don’t have answers to yet.

So, will Kylo Ren end the baby’s story? Probably not, except maybe metaphorically in that the Sequel Trilogy pretty much exists in a different universe from what’s happening on the show. Maybe that will change; after all, it’s still unclear whether Moff Gideon is using the baby’s DNA for Emperor Palpatine’s Snoke project.

Honestly, the biggest argument against whether Baby Yoda is now doomed to be destroyed because of the Jedi Master he stays with is a tonal one. Star Wars is about darkness sometimes, but much more often about hope and light. Or maybe I’m just trying to get some sleep tonight. Remember the meditation!

The post Star Wars: Did Kylo Ren Kill Grogu After The Mandalorian? appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[dettiot]

Fic: late-night interruption 8/?

late-night interruption Author: dettiot Rating: G (for now) Summary: When Obi-Wan receives a late-night comm from Sabé, he’s not sure what to expect. But what he learns will change many lives . . . and the fate of the Republic.

Also on AO3!

XXX When he awoke, he felt odd. It took a few moments for Obi-Wan to realize why. 

It wasn’t because he was in a strange room--the guest room in Padmé’s apartment, he remembered--or due to the swell of happiness he felt from Anakin.

He felt odd because he hadn’t meditated before he fell asleep. And there had been a dream. Satine had been there, but--but he couldn’t remember now what happened. He closed his eyes and tried to strengthen his memory, but the dream slipped away, like sand sliding between his fingers. 

What was the Force trying to tell him with these visions of Satine? He opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling, searching for an answer. He was no stranger to seeing Satine in his dreams, even before they had met again, since they had revealed the truth of their feelings for each other. 

Satine loved him. And he would have left the Jedi Order for her.

Her words had haunted his dreams and only meditation before bed helped keep the dreams somewhat at bay. But after her death at the hands of Maul . . . the dreams had come more frequently. Filled with the possibilities of what might have been if he had left the Order. If he had been faster, stronger, better.

Breathing out slowly, Obi-Wan rose from his bed and sat cross-legged on the floor. With slow, even breaths, he sank into a meditative state, seeking calm and peace after a tumultuous night. 

For the first few minutes, he simply existed, letting the flow of the Force wrap around him. And then, he allowed himself to touch on his feelings for Satine: on the regret, the heartbreak, the loneliness. 

Obi-Wan didn’t know how often he had tried to release these feelings into the Force. He wasn’t sure if he would ever be able to fully rid himself of the emotions Satine stirred in him. But he kept trying, because he knew Satine would not want him to feel this way. To feel guilty about what he hadn’t been able to do, to regret ever knowing her. 

Thank the Force he at least had an option for healing himself. 

A small smile touched his lips. During their year on the run, Satine had often asked him questions about the Force, trying to understand it. She had been especially curious about the practice of releasing emotions into the Force. Her interest was sincere, but Obi-Wan knew  Satine thought the idea of letting go of feelings to be unnatural. She was a pacifist and an idealist, but she was still a Mandalorian. Satine was too passionate to discard her emotions, even if her duty kept her from always showing those emotions.  

Slowly, he felt his guilt and sadness begin to recede and ease. His mind felt clearer, the galaxy opening up before him. Obi-Wan felt his shoulders relax as he kept meditating, finding the clearness he sought. 

When he opened his eyes, he felt ready for the rest of the day. Rising to his feet, Obi-Wan went to the small guest refresher and cleaned up before pulling on his tunic and trousers. Then he went to the kitchen in search of some tea. 

The moment he stepped into the kitchen, he had to hold back a laugh at the sight of Anakin. His hair was utterly disheveled, his tunic was rumpled and covered in blobs of milky-colored, half-dried liquid, and he was staring at the caffmaker as if it held the answers to all the questions in the galaxy. 

Clearing his throat to push down his amusement, Obi-Wan said, “Long night?” 

Anakin nodded then straightened up to look at him. A small smile flitted across his face, at odds with the bags under his eyes. “Yeah. But it was great.”

“Being woken up several times?” Obi-Wan asked as he put the kettle on for his tea. 

“Because I got to spend time with the twins! And with Padmé. She’s so amazing. Nothing flusters her. Even when she’s feeding both of the babies. At the same time, Obi-Wan!” 

It had been a long time since Obi-Wan had heard such enthusiasm in Anakin’s voice. It reminded him of the boy Anakin used to be, chattering on about droids or lightsaber forms. Obi-Wan smiled slowly at his former Padawan. 

“How are the babies?” he asked, letting his pride and happiness shade his Force presence. 

Anakin smiled widely. “The twins are just--they’re amazing. Luke has the sweetest smile, and Leia is so stubborn, but she already loves Luke and will do what he says. He’s going to be the one to keep her calm, I can tell.”

Obi-Wan smiled. “I hope I can spend a bit more time with them this morning before Ahsoka arrives.” 

Nodding, Anakin poured himself some caff. “Me, too. I’m hoping to keep the twins occupied until Padmé is ready to wake up. She’s got it harder than me, since she has to feed the twins every time they’re hungry, and she can’t have caff.” 

“Can’t have caff? Why--oh,” Obi-Wan said, as the reason became clear to him. It couldn’t be healthy for two newborns to ingest caffeine, and since their source of food was Padmé . . . 

With a lopsided grin, Anakin nodded and sipped his caff. “The lack of caff is the reason why Padmé is still sleeping.”

The kettle whistled and Obi-Wan poured the hot water over the tea leaves. Although not his usual spicy blend, it was soothing and pleasant, and Obi-Wan enjoyed his sips. Feeling strengthened, he looked at Anakin.

“I suppose you haven’t had much time to think about the news Ahsoka is bringing us.” 

“More than you might think,” Anakin said, leaning against the table. “It’s weird, isn’t it, that Mandalore is coming to the Jedi, to the Republic--right?”

“It is, although as Ahsoka said, she’s affiliated with one of the factions battling for control,” Obi-Wan said. “Perhaps this faction is willing to assist the Republic when it suits their interests.” 

Anakin grunted. “That’s not exactly reassuring.” 

“No,” Obi-Wan agreed. “There’s so little information coming out of Mandalore about what’s happening there . . .”

“Don’t get me wrong, I trust Ahoska,” Anakin said. “And she’s not easily taken in. I’m just wondering what it all means.” 

“I know,” Obi-Wan said, stroking his beard. “Especially the idea that the Kaminoans are telling tales about the clones they’ve created.” 

His former Padawan frowned. “That’s even weirder.” 

Obi-Wan nodded as he sipped his tea. That was the strange thing about all of this: the Kaminoans were so reclusive, so xenophobic, they had arranged for their planet to be removed from the Jedi archives. Yet here they were, passing along information about the Grand Army of the Republic to the leading neutral planet in the galaxy. And for any Mandalorian citizens willing to share this information with the Jedi?

It was all so very strange. 

“I suppose we must simply wait for Ahsoka’s arrival to find out more,” Obi-Wan said. 

“And in the meanwhile . . . you need more time with the twins,” Anakin said, smiling a little. 

Chuckling softly, Obi-Wan placed his cup on the counter. “I think that’s a lovely idea.” 

Anakin drank down the rest of his caff and put his mug next to Obi-Wan’s. “Then let’s go!” 

He hadn’t realized how much having children--and being open about his relationship with Padmé--would change Anakin. How it would lighten the load he had been carrying on his shoulders. A load Obi-Wan had thought was the war. 

Perhaps having his family safe, being honest about who mattered to him, was what Anakin needed to face the challenges and struggles of war. 

To face all that lay ahead of them. 

Watching Anakin’s face, how animated and bright it was as he talked about the babies, just as bright as his Force presence . . . Obi-Wan was truly happy for him. A happiness that wasn’t born out of envy or vicarious living. No, it was a simple, pure happiness. 

As simple and pure as the two children waiting in the nursery to see them.

XXX

The closer their ship got to Coruscant, the more Satine had to tell herself not to be nervous. As if by telling herself not to be nervous, she wouldn’t feel that way. Which was ridiculous, of course. 

There was nothing she could do to keep herself from feeling nervous. 

Once they landed, they would go to Padmé’s apartment. Satine would keep herself cloaked while Ahsoka and Bo presented the information about the clone army. And . . . and she would reveal the truth about her survival. In front of Obi-Wan Kenobi. 

And there was the nerves. 

Taking a few deep breaths, Satine leaned back in her chair in the small passenger cabin. Her stomach muscles throbbed and a stabbing pain lanced through her midsection. Even though she was alone, Satine pressed her hand against her side and tried to hold back a gasp. 

She hadn’t thought traveling to Coruscant would affect her so much, on a physical level. It was just sitting on a ship for several hours, but it seemed it was different from sitting in that small cabin on Kalevala. 

But Satine kept breathing through the pain and eventually, it faded. Now she just felt exhausted. But at least she wasn’t so nervous.

It was ironic, really. Now she had a better understanding of how Obi-Wan had felt, during that whole Rako Hardeen mess. At the time, she couldn’t fathom why he wouldn’t tell her the truth. How he could think she wouldn’t have kept the secret of his undercover mission. 

But now . . . she could see the situation from his point of view more clearly. Truly, it had all come down to Obi-Wan doing his duty. To achieve his mission without jeopardizing it. Just like she had stayed withdrawn while she healed, so she could then take her place as the Duchess of Mandalore without any major restrictions.   

Simply recovering from her injuries was a major accomplishment. The doctors who had attended her had doubted whether she would be able to walk or eat, let alone live a full life. Satine was incredibly grateful for the care she had received, for the time taken to help her. And she knew she wanted to repay all that effort. 

That was why she was on this ship in the first place. Why she was willing to step out of hiding and take her place as the leader of Mandalore, if only long enough to lay the ground for her successor. Since she was lucky enough to be alive, she would do her duty. 

Until she could hand Mandalore over to someone who could succeed where she had failed. 

Sighing softly, Satine watched the swirl of hyperspace through the viewscreen. All these questions and thoughts about Mandalore, her duty, the future--they were something to keep her from dwelling on the most uncomfortable, uncertain one of all. 

How would Obi-Wan react to discovering she was alive? Not with anger, like she had when their positions were reversed. But with the confession she had made, with what she thought was her dying breath . . . how would Obi-Wan respond to her now? 

Would he say he loved her in return? 

Satine huffed and rose to her feet. If she was going to focus on questions she would never receive answers to, she might as well do that in the cockpit. Perhaps Ahsoka had finished her meditation and would help distract her from her thoughts. Or Bo would be available to discuss the political ramifications of Mandalore’s true leader infringing their neutrality by helping the Republic. 

Walking pulled on her stomach muscles, so she walked slowly through the corridors of the freighter Bo had arranged for the trip to Coruscant. When she arrived in the cockpit, Ahsoka was sitting at the controls, looking out at hyperspace, while Bo was in the co-pilot’s seat.

“How much longer until we arrive?” Satine asked, standing behind them and resting her hand lightly on the back of Ahsoka’s seat. 

“We’ll be reverting to realspace in just a few moments,” Ahsoka said. 

“And then it will be a matter of getting permission to land,” Bo added tartly. 

Ahsoka glanced at Bo. “That won’t be a problem. Padmé has arranged landing permission for us.” 

Bo hummed. “Must be nice to have friends in high places. If they are friends.”

“They are,” Satine said quietly. 

Both of them turned to look at her, and Satine smiled, meeting Bo’s eyes. “True friends are better than enemies of your enemy, sister. And as long as there are people within the Republic devoted to its ideals, we have true friends--even if we disagree on some of those ideals.” 

Her sister’s lips twisted, but she nodded. “Let us hope the news we bring will be enough to keep those disagreements in the background, considering what is to come.” 

Satine nodded as she looked out the viewscreen. At a soft chime, Ahsoka leaned forward, pulling back on the levers and dropping them out of hyperspace. Now instead of the blue swirl, the bustling surface of Coruscant filled the viewscreen, covered in twinkling lights even from this distance. 

And one of those lights were her friends, Satine knew. Padmé and Anakin, celebrating the birth of their children, yet still ready to defend the Republic. And Obi-Wan, who had given up so much for the Jedi and for the Republic. 

She did not support the Republic as they did. But Satine couldn’t see how the failure of the Republic was anything less than a disaster for the galaxy. All she wanted was peace. 

Peace that could only be achieved by people working together, healing from the war, preventing any more destruction from the actions of one evil man. 

This was her truest duty. She had been willing to die for it before, and she was still willing to die to achieve it. 

Her only hope was that she might be able to have a moment with Obi-Wan before her second death. A moment with more resolution than her first one.

XXX

As the three of them approached Padmé’s apartment, Ahsoka could feel the emotions gripping Satine. She could understand her upheaval--it had to be difficult for the Duchess, stepping back into her position, being in charge of so many lives, and forced to break Mandalore’s long-standing practice of neutrality. 

But she didn’t think Satine was worried about those things. 

Giving her head a shake, Ahsoka reminded herself that it wasn’t any of her business what the Duchess was worrying about, even if it was likely about Obi-Wan. She didn’t have any doubts that Satine would do the right thing. 

Ahoska took the lead as they walked up to the door of Padmé’s apartment, with Satine and Bo-Katan behind her, Satine wearing a robe with a hood to hide herself. She was lifting her hand to ring the doorbell when the door slid open, revealing her former master. 

“Ahsoka!” Anakin said, a wide smile on his face. 

The happiness rolling off Anakin almost knocked her off her feet. Ahsoka didn’t think she had ever felt him so happy--so free. His Force presence was as bright as a supernova. 

“Anakin--” she started to say, before he wrapped her in a tight hug. 

“It’s so good to see you,” he whispered against her montral.

She had to close her eyes to hold back her own emotions. To handle the overwhelming rush of happiness and hope and love from Anakin. 

“It’s good to see you, too,” she said, slowly pulling back. “I wish it was under better circumstances . . .”

“Any circumstances that bring you here are good ones,” Anakin said, resting a hand on her shoulder. He looked up and nodded to Bo-Katan and Satine. “Hello. Please come in.” 

Ahsoka followed them into the apartment, sensing Obi-Wan and Padmé already inside--and two tiny bright lights that must be the babies. 

Padmé, casually dressed in a flowing robe and contrasting with Ahsoka’s normal image of her, rose to her feet as they all came into the room. “Welcome,” she said softly, giving Ahsoka an extra-warm smile. 

From an adjoining couch, Obi-Wan stood as well, his hands clasped behind his back, his presence warm in the Force. Anakin fell into place beside Padmé, resting his hand on her back. 

For a moment, Ahsoka took in the picture presented to her, smiling at them all. Then she turned to the two Mandalorians, noticing how the Duchess hung back. She saw Obi-Wan’s eyes flick to the hooded figure, frowning slightly, his emotions turbulent enough to be sensed through his shields. 

“Senator Padmé Amidala, Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, may I present Bo-Katan Kryze of House Kryze,” Ahsoka said. “I believe Master Kenobi and Bo-Katan are already acquainted.”  

A spark of surprise from both Anakin and Obi-Wan echoed through the Force, with an added touch of concern and discomfort from Obi-Wan. “I’m surprised to see you again, Bo-Katan,” he said, folding his arms over his chest. 

One of her red eyebrows arched. “And why is that, Master Jedi?” 

“Because the last time I saw you, you were a member of Death Watch,” Obi-Wan said without hesitation. 

“I was,” Bo-Katan said simply. “I am no longer a member of that faction.” 

Ahsoka thought she sensed a flicker of anger in Obi-Wan. “Is that so?” 

“My actions led to the death of my sister,” Bo-Katan said, her eyes focused on Obi-Wan. “It made me reassess.”

At the mention of the Duchess, the anger roared to life in Obi-Wan, only to be quenched after a moment. Ahsoka blinked and looked at Anakin, silently asking if he had felt it, too. Anakin gave her a small nod and moved to stand beside Obi-Wan, while Padmé stepped forward. 

“We appreciate your arrival, Lady Kryze. I understand you have some information to share with the Jedi?” 

“Indeed,” Bo-Katan said coolly. She paused and Ahsoka wondered what was making her wait. Bo-Katan glanced back at the Duchess, who took a few steps closer to everyone else. 

“What’s going on?” Anakin asked, his frown matching Obi-Wan’s. 

There was a flash of something in Obi-Wan’s presence, too quick for Ahsoka to grasp, just before the Duchess reached up and pushed her hood back, revealing her thin face and shorn hair. She lifted her chin, her whole stance regal and proud, but Ahsoka saw how her eyes were locked on Obi-Wan. 

His lips parted, his eyes widening. Anakin openly gaped at the Duchess, while Padmé lifted a hand to her mouth in surprise. 

“The information we have on the clone army is more important than my return, although less surprising,” Satine said quietly. 

Obi-Wan stared at her, like he hadn’t heard what she said. “S-Satine?” he asked, his voice soft.

From her position, Ahsoka could only see the side of Satine’s face. So she could see the hesitant smile that flickered on her face. “Hello, Obi-Wan,” the Duchess said softly. 

“What--how--” Obi-Wan stuttered. 

Satine swallowed. “It’s . . . a long story.” 

“A long story?” Obi-Wan asked, stepping closer to her. “Satine--you were dead.” 

There was such agony in his voice, in his whole sense in the Force, that Ahsoka took a step back. The tension in the room was almost tangible, making everyone but Obi-Wan and Satine look around or shift their feet. 

Ahsoka had heard Anakin’s stories about Obi-Wan and the Mandalorian Duchess. How much they argued, how Obi-Wan claimed any romantic feelings he had for her were in the past. Anakin hadn’t believed Obi-Wan’s claims, but Ahsoka . . . well, she didn’t doubt her master, but Anakin could exaggerate. And he did like to tease Obi-Wan, especially when Obi-Wan acted more emotional, less measured--more like Anakin. 

But seeing Obi-Wan now, she could tell Anakin hadn’t exaggerated. If anything--he had no idea just how deeply Obi-Wan cared for Satine. And the depth of his feelings was matched by hers. 

“Anakin, why don’t you take Ahsoka to meet the twins? Lady Kryze, may I offer you something to drink in the kitchen?” Padmé asked, gently pushing Anakin towards Ahsoka as she lightly grasped Bo-Katan’s elbow. “Lady Kryze, just this way. You’ve had a long journey and once our other guests arrive, there will be much to discuss.” 

The tension deflated but didn’t fully vanish. Because Obi-Wan and Satine were still staring at each other--but at least they could be alone and talk in private, before everyone got down to business. 

“Right! Yeah,” Anakin said, throwing a worried look in Obi-Wan’s direction before turning to Ahsoka. “This way, Snips.” 

Nodding, Ahsoka didn’t hesitate to follow him out of the room. She looked up at Anakin, whose eyebrows were drawn together, as he led her down a hallway. 

“So . . . I guess you were right about Obi-Wan and the Duchess,” Ahsoka said, keeping her voice low. 

“Yeah--I mean, stuff happened yesterday--was it yesterday?” Anakin asked, rubbing his hand against his forehead. “It’s been crazy. But yes--I knew Obi-Wan was still dealing with Satine’s death. I . . . I don’t know what this will do to him.” 

“Isn’t this a good thing?” Ahsoka asked.

Anakin paused at a closed door, leaning against the wall. “I think it is. But I don’t know if Obi-Wan would agree. You know how he is.” 

She thought that over for a moment, thinking about Obi-Wan, who had been like a second master to her, and Satine, who had shown such kindness and strength during her recovery.

“I think Obi-Wan might surprise you,” Ahsoka said. 

“Lately, he has been,” Anakin said with a grin. “Although not as much as I’ve surprised him.” 

Ahsoka couldn’t help smiling at that. “I bet, Skyguy. I can’t believe you’re a dad!” 

“I know!” Anakin said, that sunshine-bright smile lighting up his face. “So c’mon, you need to meet the most amazing babies in the galaxy.” 

With a smile, Ahsoka nodded and watched as Anakin opened the door and looked into the room. He held a finger to his lips and then stepped inside, gesturing for her to follow him. 

She didn’t need to be asked twice--because she was very excited to meet Anakin and Padmé’s children.

End, Chapter 8

[jedimordsith]

Dancer (Part IX)

Parentheses = critical stuff I never actually wrote, included here for transitionary purposes.

[Luke meets Mara at a private resort on an upscale world after one of her assignments; he asks her to marry him. She agrees and - the galaxy being at war, after all - they marry that night, in secret, in a garden under the glow of three moons. The consummation of their marriage deepens their existing Force bond in ways neither could have anticipated but both welcome. Reluctantly, they return to their respective lives but their impatience for Mara’s escape from the Empire grows exponentially.

With the Emperor becoming ever more erratic and unstable, Luke cedes to (Force ghost) Kenobi’s pressure to seek out Yoda on Dagobah, believing proper training necessary to protect his friends and defeat the Emperor - the only way he can ensure Mara’s safety and freedom. Mara does not make their planned rendezvous before he goes. Unable to wait, he leaves her contact information for Leia and departs. When she finally makes the rendezvous point, battered and having decided that she can no longer put off getting out, Mara finds only Luke’s message waiting. Devastated and feeling betrayed, she returns bitterly to her role as Emperor’s Hand, feeding Leia information bought at ever-higher personal cost. Meanwhile, on Dagobah, Yoda declares Luke’s bond with Mara an abomination. Worse, the unique and mysterious properties of the planet’s warp on the Force cut him off from his bonds to both Mara and Leia, leaving Luke in a fully isolated bubble.]

Jedi training was intense and all-consuming, but there was never a moment in which at least some tiny sliver of Luke's brain was not hyper-aware of what he'd left behind outside the Dagobah's swampy confines. Han and Leia, trying to keep the Rebellion together and lead a galactic war. The Rogues - the squadron he had built from the stabilizers up - led by Wedge in his absence, relentlessly throwing themselves against the Imperial fleet.

And Mara.

It was impossible to know how or when she'd gotten out. What role she'd found for herself in the Rebellion. Or – the thought always made his gut twist – if she'd been forced into hiding to avoid the Emperor's furious attempts to reclaim his favored possession.

Time moved at odd, irregular intervals in the mud hole that had come to encompass the entirety of Luke's compressed existence. Hours could stretch on like decades as he struggled to meditate, endlessly practicing the exercises he was assigned until he could do them flawlessly in his sleep. Other times, entire days would explode past him, lost in deep and mind-blowing lessons with his Master, or buried in ancient texts revealing secrets he'd never imaged. He was staggered to look up one day and realize he'd been gone from his friends, his family, for more than a full year.

The thought brought a sharp pang, stinging regrets of the birthdays he'd missed, the battles and ground that would have been lost and won, and the spark of anxiety over how many friends might have been resigned to the flow of the Force in such an expanse of time. The pang was eased by a wash of relief and hope when he thought of his wife. A year. She'll be out long enough to be well settled in by now. His heart warmed at the thought of her, curled up on the Falcon's bench seat, arguing ships with Han and sneaking a decent cup of caff with Leia. Catching and crafting the few precious minutes of downtime and connection that peppered the hectic pace of war.

Part of him was selfishly disappointed that he'd missed her introduction to the Rebellion. Missed the dropped jaws of his Rogue Squad buddies when they'd discovered that their fearless leader had secretly married the hottest woman any of them had ever seen and the Rebellion's greatest undercover operative besides. Missed Mara inevitably putting people in their places when they underestimated her or tried to make a pass at her. That he hadn't been there to help her “get accustomed to” her new bunk...

[intosnarkness]

No one asked but:

We open the movie with a crawl: THE FORCE CONNECTS US

IN THE FIRST ORDER, KYLO REN IS PLANNING WITH GENERAL HUX TO STEP UP TRAINING FOR THE NEW RECRUITS. THEY HAVE MORE SHIPS THAN THEY CAN STAFF, AND THE NEW RECRUITS ARE YOUNG.

MEANWHILE, THE WORK OF REBELLION IS HARD AND SLOW. LED BY LEIA ORGANA, NEW GENERAL POE DAMERON IS HARD AT WORK PLANNING THE NEXT STRIKE AGAINST THE FIRST ORDER. FORMER STORMTROOPER FINN WORKS HARD TOO, HELPING TO RESETTLE REFUGEES WHO ARE FLEEING TO THE RESISTANCE AS THE FIRST ORDER STEPS UP THEIR RECRUITMENT OF UNWILLING CHILDREN TO MAKE MORE STORM TROOPERS.

FEELING SOMETHING BUILDING IN THE UNIVERSE, REY HAS STEPPED UP HER TRAINING. LEIA IS ABLE TO HELP HER, BUT HAVING ABANDONED HER OWN TRAINING EARLY, REY IS MOSTLY LED BY BOOKS AND THE VOICES OF THOSE IN HER PAST-- WHEN SHE CAN REACH THEM.

The crawl fades to focus on POE DAMERON, who is falling asleep in his chair.

We pan out to see him at a conference table with the other GENERALS of the rebellion. It seems he has been promoted. At the front of the room, LEIA is presenting plans and we hear her faintly talking about planets and formations.

POE is jolted awake and glances to his left. It is ROSE, who has kicked him.

ROSE: (whispering) Pay attention, general.

POE: (whispering) You pay attention.

ROSE: (whispering) I don’t have to lead this one.

POE: (whispering) I can change that.

ROSE: (whispering) Oh, please. Make my day.

LEIA: Rose? Poe? Something you want to share?

POE: No ma’am.

They return to the briefing, and we wipe to FINN, who is working moving boxes or something.

JANNAH: (off screen): Excuse me?

FINN starts, he thought he was alone.

FINN: Yes?

JANNAH: Are you Finn? FN-2187?

FINN: Yeah? Who are you?

JANNAH: I’m Jannah. I got here a few days ago, and I-- Well, we worked together once. Before.

FINN Before?

JANNAH: I was TZ-1719.

FINN: Oh. I-- No one told me there was another ex-trooper here.

JANNAH: There isn’t. There are about 40 of us.

FINN: What?

JANNAH explains the whole backstory, blah blah.

FINN: Oh. What-- what can I do for you?

JANNAH: The First Order is stealing kids. They have been for a long time. And we want to stop them.

FINN does not hesitate.

FINN: What’s the plan?

Wipe to REY, who is doing the meditation thing with the rocks, that was pretty cool.

---------

So now we’ve set up our main three are all alone; they are struggling to connect. Maybe add in a dinner scene where they’re supposed to meet and they all have to cancel for whatever reason and they reschedule-- again.

We see Rey and Kylo are sharing dreams, and he says creepy shit to her. She tells Leia who is like “I love him, he’s my son. But if you have to do it, do it.” They talk about Luke killing Darth, about Ben killing Han, about generational trauma.

(”I watched my entire planet destroyed,” says Leia. “the people who raised me, the ones who I was fighting to protect. I felt them snuffed out.”

“Felt?”

“You think my twin brother was force sensitive and I wasn’t?” <-this is where you introduce the idea of Leia being trained and not finishing it)

We see some time passing; Poe doesn’t get to go on missions anymore. Finn is a spokesperson against the child trafficking of the First Order. Rey is trained by force ghosts.

Blah blah there’s a mcguffin they need (the imperial buttplug or whatever) and they have their adventure but the three of them aren’t able to work in sync. Poe is seeing the 1000 foot view of every encounter (if you shoot him, you risk x and y and z) and totally overthinking everything. Finn is now a recognizable face because of the anti-child trafficking shit and can’t blend. Rey is tormented by the idea of Kylo, she can’t sleep without seeing him and she’s exhausted.

They do end up on Poe’s childhood planet because he’s the only one who had a childhood. They meet Daft Punk Keri Russel, and she’s his sister. They talk about having a perfectly normal upbringing until the First Order stole their baby brother, and then their parents joined the resistance.

The First Order stole all of their childhoods.

The rest in bullets? the rest in bullets:

Hux is the spy because he was also stolen as a child, and he can’t bear to see it keep happening at this scale. He can get killed or not, I don’t care.

The confrontation between Rey and Kylo still happens but she confronts him about how he was groomed by Snoke, his childhood stolen and his family destroyed and now he’s continuing the cycle. Kylo pulls his head out of his ass long enough that this actually throws him, and that allows Rey to get the upper hand. His confrontation with the ghost of his father (and Leia should be there, too) involves his angry words about how he was a victim and they apologize for not seeing it. They tell him he is the Skywalker who can end this, to succeed where the other have failed. He will bring true balance.

The battle at the end is a disaster because Finn and Poe can’t get on the same page. They’re out of sync. Finally when the reinforcements arrive its not just faceless no ones, its the families that have been broken, the parents whose children are gone. They’re here to end this, as well. This shakes Poe and Finn into realizing that they’ve been working together all along, and they need each other.

Jannah and Finn still take out the tower, but they don’t blow up a ship that probably has storm troopers on it. Their work has led to some kind of deprogramming beacon or other star wars mumbo jumbo that shakes the stolen kids from their reverie and turns everyone on the leaders - but it turns out the leaders themselves were mostly of the Hux variety and only those at the very top are to blame. We see some Imperial asshole get torn apart by his victims.

Kyle dies mortally wounding the Emperor. Rey finishes him. No healing bullshit because I hate it.

It legit does not matter who Rey is. Maybe she is a Palpetine, but that’s a very silly plot so I hope not. Maybe her parents hid her on Jakku to stop the Order from taking her and using her as a fighter? IDK. The point is that the First Order tore her family apart and she has built a new one, and by creating rather than destroying she has come out stronger.

Finn and Poe kiss. Sue me.

The final scene is still back at the Moisture Farm, but it’s Rey with Finn and Poe and a bunch of people who we are somehow told are the stolen kids - of all ages. They’ve built a place for families to come and find their lost kids (many of whom don’t know where they were from, there aren’t records). Jannah and Rose make out.

The lady or whatever comes by and is like "what is this place” and Rey smiles. “We call it Skywalker Shelter. A place for the lost to come and fine each other.”

And this is how the Skywalkers, who through generations (Shmi to Anakin, Anakin to Luke and Leia, Leia to Ben) were seperated and manipulated and torn asunder, truly rise.

THE END

Kathleen Kennedy, call me.

I finally watched Rise of Skywalker today and my god what a waste of potential. I can’t stop rewriting it in my head.

[naberiie]

Finnrey Somehow meeting padme? As a prompt

Anonymous, whoever you are, I love you. Do you know this? It is true. My two great Star Wars loves… incredible… but this was a scene that could not be kept under 500 words. Closer to, uh, 1700, so I guess it was a good thing I got this request last night. 

Luke Skywalker, the myth, the legendary Jedi Master, who helpedto overthrow the Empire when he was only nineteen years old, who pulled his ownfather back to the light aboard a space station filled with malevolence andhatred and pain, who had saved the galaxy, had finally met his match.

And it was two young, giggling, lovesick Padawan learners.

Learners who shouldbe focusing on their meditations andnot on distracting each other.

He cracked one eye open. Sure enough, though they sat acrossfrom him in stiff imitations of his own practiced posture – legs crossed, backstraight, hands resting on knees, forefinger and thumb lightly touching – youngFinn and Rey were barely holding themselves together. Finn, at least, was maintaininga semblance of the proper posture,but Rey – Rey was a hopeless cause. She couldn’t even look at Finn without breathlesslaughter bubbling up, clapping a hand to her mouth to hide the sound. As ifthat would have fooled Luke.

And as Luke watched, a faint smile threatening his Mean-And-Wizened-Old-Masterreputation, Finn’s hand flashed out, grabbed Rey’s, and brought it to his lips.She squealed with delight as Finn kissed the back of her hand again, proudlysmirking as he did so.

They had been meditating for three minutes and forty-twoseconds.

Luke cleared his throat and said, in as deep and grave avoice as he could muster, “If you can make it to five minutes in silence, you twocan hold hands for the rest of the session.”

Finn choked, Rey sputtered in mock indignation, and Lukelaughed. It had been so long since he had laughed – but when Rey had come backto Ahch-To with Finn in tow, identical bright smiles practically bursting fromtheir lips as they asked to both betrained as Jedi, the barriers around his heart had shifted. He was still wary,still guarded, still aching from that bone-deep pain that burned of both guiltand powerlessness. He still remembered the others. The first ones he hadtrained.

But as he watched Finn and Rey stumble their way through training,and dance in the rain together, he couldn’t help but try and push some of thatold poison out of his veins.

So he could let a few kisses slide.

He winked at them and settled back into the posture, takinga deep breath. “Try again. Clear your mind, trust in the Force, and see whereit might take you.”

Rey snuck one more quick peck on Finn’s cheek before shefollowed suit. Her lips left a warm glow on his skin despite the persistent coldgray rain. He smiled at her, his eyes moving ever so slowly over every plane ofher face, and shut his eyes.

One

Two

Three

A light breeze tickled the back of Rey’s neck. She shivered,despite its warmth.

Four

Five

Six

The colors on the back of her eyelids were shifting, shenoticed suddenly. Sliding from gray to pink, flickering like she was squinting throughbright sunlight.

Seven

Eight

Nine

She had grown used to the waves on Ahch-To, to theirconstant rhythm. So used to them, in fact, that she was only dimly aware thatthey had grown louder. Like she was waking up from a deep sleep.

Ten

Someone hummed.

She opened her eyes.

They were not on Ahch-To.

She didn’t know wherethey were. But they were not alone.

Her eyes jerked to her right – Finn was still there – she slappedhis arm as she wildly looked around, ignoring his grunts of annoyance. Thisplace was greener, warmer, gentler than Ahch-To, and they were no longer sittingin ancient brick building, ignoring the damp seeping in – Rey doubted thisplace had ever seen one minute of bad weather. The ocean wasn’t gray, here. It wasa bright turquoise, glinting in the sun. Every color frothed for her attention.Gentle hills rose on the horizon and a sickly-sweet smell rested on Rey’sshoulders like fine dust.

“Rey, come on, we canmake it to five minutes- “

“Finn!”

He opened his eyes at that. Blinked twice, his mouth hangingopen. And they both stared at the woman sitting across from them. Her deepbrown hair hung in loose curls well past her waist, and her clothes were more luxuriousthan anything Rey had ever seen. The stranger wore a long, pure white gown anda purple robe edged in gold embroidery. She was leaning against the sun-soakedmarble wall, watching them watch her.

Only when the vision didn’t snap away, when Rey wasn’tpulled to another time and place by the back of her mind, only then did Reyclear her throat and ask from her place on the marble floor, “Who are you? Areyou real? Are you a Jedi?”

The woman laughed and smiled down at them. Her eyes were sobrown that they were almost black. “My, you dohave a lot of questions, Rey. I’m certainly not a Jedi, but I have been waiting to meet you two for quite sometime now.” She crossed her legs. “My name is Padme Amidala. And I don’t think I’mreal. Not anymore.”

Rey blinked at her, glancing at Finn in confusion. Finn,meanwhile, was well on the way to giving himself whiplash the way he keptsnapping between the two. When Padme gave her name, his eyes finally locked onto the stranger’s face. “Padme Amidala, the founder of the Rebellion?” He didnot tell her what the First Order’s history data pads thought of her. Smear campaigns.

Padme laughed. Behind her, a hidden flock of gulls calledout to each other. The place was like a dream – a kinder cousin to harsh grayAhch-To – one that Rey was almost positive couldn’t really exist. Rey wanted tolearn the ways of the Force here,instead. “I prefer Senator of Naboo, but that works too. We had hoped to nip itin the bud, to prevent even the slightest need for such a cause, but – yes. I andmy peers tried to dismantle the Empire long before it had officially begun. However,”she waved her hand lazily, rising to her feet. “But we are not here to discuss my life. You can ask Luke, later. Iwanted to talk to you two.”

They rose with her, Finn’s eyes still madly darting betweenthe two women. As they followed her through the open-air corridors with columnswrapped in dense vines, Rey resisting the urge to touch every leaf, Finngrabbed her hand. “Rey! What’s going on? What is this, where are we?”

Rey squeezed his hand, her thumb running light circles onthe back of his hand. “Don’t worry,” she whispered. “It’s a Force vision, Ithink – the same thing happened to me back at Maz’s.” Padme was walking aheadof them, unaware or at least pretending to be. “It’s �� it’s like a dream,mostly. It’ll be over soon.”

He still looked worried. Rey raised herself to the balls ofher feet and kissed the furrowed place between his brows, trying to smooth thatfrown. When she came back down, Padme was silently watching, a cheeky smirkplastered on her young face. She didn’t look old enough to have been alivebefore the First Order, before the Empire. She didn’t look old enough to havebegun the Rebellion.

“I’m sorry – I didn’t mean to stare – but I can’t tell youhow happy it makes me to see that Luke is training new Jedi again. And, well,that… that you two can love each other while you’re training. It…” Padmestopped, twisting her hands together. When she raised her eyes to look at themagain, they were glistening. “It’s a lesson I wish the old Jedi could havelearned. Or at least considered.”

It was Finn who cautiously asked, “…What lesson?”

“That love, attachments, emotion – that those things makeyou you, and that they shouldn’t bediscouraged. That… that they shouldn’t be ignored, or indulged in, but rather… just experienced. It’s in our nature tolove, and being a Jedi shouldn’t cancel out that fact.”

It clicked in Rey’s mind. “You’re Luke and Leia’s mother.You married Darth –“ Padme flinched, actually shrank back from the word like ithad slapped her, “Sorry – Anakin Skywalker.”

They were silent, listening to the birdsong. Padme spokeagain, her voice soft and very far away, “Yes, I was married to Anakin. I lovedhim, and I thought I could save him. I thought many foolish things, but sometimesI wonder what would have happened if we had run away. If I had left the Senate,left politics, and he left the Order. Would our love have saved us?” She ran ahand over the marble railing, staring over the water.

Neither Finn nor Rey spoke. They still gripped each other’shands.

She fixed them with a hard glare, a mother’s glare, a lovingglare that rose up from a well of long-hidden pain. “Luke is a Jedi, like hisfather before him – in more ways than one – and now here you are.” Padmesmiled, the tears swimming in her eyes threatening to spill over. The edges ofthe mountains began to shift and blur. “I can see you love each other, reallylove each other. Perhaps you can change what I could not.”

Padme stepped forward and reached for each of their hands. Shewas tiny, her palms smooth as silk. The gulls were warping – the gentlebirdsong of this place mixing with soft bleets of the porgs on Ahch-To. “Keepthat love tight, hold it close. You two can be what Anakin and I should havebeen, what we tried to be, who we failed to be. Our love nearly destroyed thegalaxy – make yours the love that can saveit.”

A cold wind blasted Rey across the face and she gasped, eyessnapping open. They were back on Ahch-To. It had started to rain, a faintdrizzle that was more mist than liquid. Finn was gasping next to her, andacross from them Luke smiled, eyes twinkling.

“Very good,” he said.