#quote dump

[liesandnights]

Perhaps they were right putting love into books. Perhaps it could not live anywhere else.

[helenaredamancy]

august of another summer, and once again

the pond by mary oliver // nothing twice by wislawa szymborska // late august by margaret atwood // august by alex dimitrov // paradoxes and oxymorons by john ashbery // again august by haley mlotek //

[wantonwinnie]

Nemik Dialogue

After watching the Andor finale and hearing a portion of Nemik's manifesto, I really wanted to go back and record his other insightful dialogue from the show.

__________________________________________________

1. Manifesto background.

Cassian is on Aldhani preparing for the heist with the rest of the crew, and he begins a conversation with Nemik about the strange milk and Nemik's navigational tool.

Nemik: "One of the best navigational tools ever built. Can't be jammed or intercepted. Something breaks, you can fix it yourself."

Andor: "Hard to learn."

Nemik: "Yes, but once you've mastered it, you're free. We've grown reliant on Imperial tech, and we've made ourselves vulnerable. There's a growing list of things we've known and forgotten, things they've pushed us to forget. Things like freedom."

Skeen: "Nemik sees oppression everywhere."

[...]

Nemik: "It’s so confusing, isn't it? So much going wrong, so much to say, and all of it happening so quickly. The pace of repression outstrips our ability to understand it. And that is the real trick of the Imperial thought machine. It’s easier to hide behind 40 atrocities than a single incident. But they have a fight on their hands, don't they? Our elemental rights are such a simple thing to hold, they will have to shake the galaxy hard to loosen our grip."

[...]

Nemik: "[The manifesto is] a work in progress, and I know that there's a great deal left to say. I mean, look. Right here. Fresh inspiration. Two seemingly random objects, and yet this charts an astral path, this maps the trail of political consciousness. Both systems based on truth, both navigating toward clear and achievable outcomes."

S1E5 "Aldhani" (11:08-12:35)

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2. Tie fighter inspiration

After practicing for the heist, a tie fighter on patrol does a low altitude flyby to instill fear in the group.

Nemik: "They'll soon see. Surprise from above is never as shocking as one from below."

S1E5 "Aldhani" (20:08)

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3. Mercenary role.

It’s morning on the day of the heist.

Nemik: "I couldn't sleep."

Andor: "It’s natural."

Nemik: "I need to be at my best."

Andor: "Don't worry. The excitement will kick in."

Nemik: "I'm struggling to understand why my faith doesn't calm me. I believe in something. Why am I so unsettled? I mean, you have nothing, you sleep like a stone. I write when I can't sleep. Wrote about you last night. Not you, specifically, not 'Clem.' Although I'm assuming that's not your real name, anyway. 'The Role of Mercenaries in The Galactic Struggle for Freedom.' My conclusion is simple. Weapons are tools. Those that use them are, by extension, assets that we must use to our best advantage. The Empire has no moral boundaries, why should we not take hold of every chance we can? Let them see how an insurgency adapts."

Andor: "Well, you're half-right. The Empire doesn't play by the rules."

Nemik: "And how am I wrong?"

Andor: "They don't care enough to learn. They don't have to. You mean nothing to them."

Nemik: "Perhaps they'll think differently tomorrow."

Andor: "Be careful what you wish for."

Nemik: "So you think it’s hopeless, do you? Freedom? Independence? Justice? We should just submit and be thankful? Just take what we’re given?"

Andor: "Do I look thankful to you?"

Nemik: "No. But I'm glad you're here. No matter what the reason."

S1E6 "The Eye" (2:53-4:36)

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4. Pathfinder.

The group (minus a few members) are attempting to escape Aldhani through the Eye.

Andor: "I'm flying blind!"

Nemik: "Climb!"

Andor: "Climb? Look out the window."

Nemik: "Climb. Full climb now!"

S1E6 "The Eye" (37:13-34)

[gaytheys]

song lyrics about my favorite holiday

awesome party, dude! - sorry mom // halloween - phoebe bridgers // doomsday - lizzy mcalpine

[silicon-based-life]

the vivienne beaudrie collection, pt.1

[a-dauntless-daffodil]

Charlie: "Sometimes I just wish I could get on your level! You know, really see things from YOUR perspective!"

Vaggie: "Metaphorically from my perspective?"

Charlie: "....."

Vaggie: "...you mean metaphorically from my perspective, right babe?

Charlie: "........."

- one perspective change later -

Husk: "Why the FUCK are you carrying your girlfriend piggyback around the hotel??"

Vaggie: "It's an experiment."

Charlie: (awed) "Everything seems so BIG from down here..."

Vaggie: "It's also a test of my love for her."

Charlie: "You are very VERY brave for being so small."

Vaggie: "I love you so much I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that."

[det2x-fanfic-dump]

If I ever write a retelling of the Twst Masquerade event, This is how it will go..Thank you Rollo for giving me inspiration~!

I named my MC Yuki for these things.

When everyone sees Rollo for the first time:

Azul: //quickly covers Yuki's eyes// don't look into his eyes Yuki! We shall not let your white hair and droopy eyes harem increase anymore.

Yuki: my what?

Ruggie: my eyes look droopy but I'm not white haired...

Malleus: I'm part of the harem and my hair isn't white nor have droopy eyes.

Deuce: Same...

Silver: I'm both white haired and sleepy but I don't think I can be romantically involved with the prefect with Malleus-sama around.

Riddle: But you don't look sleepy nor lazy Azul...

Azul: I have my sleepless nights...

Rollo: //bombastic side eyes and covers mouth looking disgusted or slightly offended//

[child-of-icarus]

Dorcas: I’m Cas and I fell in love with a Gryffindor, I brought licorice wands

Regulus: I’m Regulus and I am the forced heir to the noble house of black, I brought Sugar Quills

Evan: My names Evan and I have crippling nightmares and insomnia, I brought Jelly Slugs

Barty: I’m Bartimus and I’m secretly in love with my best friend, I brought chocolate frogs

Evan: wHAT

[petes-5yr-cocoa]

yeah idk what to title this one we got a bit of everything bruv

+ shoutout to @ihavenoideamanokay for the wonderful idea that bailey & richie are related

richie has like 23.62 uncles now in my head & you can pry that from my cold dead hands

Those teenagers scare the living shit outta me

Putting the “fun” in “disfunctional”

[ranna-alga]

"Icarus" by luvbug

[koalchicine]

My fractured soul has become entangled in yours.

[helenaredamancy]

"but i like making you happy" || quote dump

where the wild things are \\ marvin at the psychiatrist \\ phantom thread \\ western nights \\ mermaids \\ no exit \\ first time \\ normal people

[wantonwinnie]

I was fortunate enough to get the High Republic vol. 1 artbook for Christmas (!!!), and there were a lot of great quotes in it that I want to share. They relate to Jedi, meta, politics, etc. I might unpack some of them later or use them in reference to other discussions. Of course, spoilers ahead (including for Phase 1 material) if you wish to experience the tidbits for yourself alongside the art, which was also fantastic. The book itself was a great read, and I highly recommend it.

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1. The Force made manifest.

"The Force, by coming through the earth, literally manifests itself up in the air and it can't keep a shape because it’s everything. Here's the thing about the Force--maybe it’s just my interpretation of it, but I thought it was something George [Lucas] told us back on The Phantom Menace: There was no light [versus] dark side of the Force. The dark side is part of the Force. What keeps it in balance is saying no to it, allowing it to do what it does, to warn and to frighten and to guide us through our dark emotions, and then you're using all of the Force, not just one little piece, which is where the dark side always goes wrong. They're only using a piece of it. But what [the Jedi are] calling the light side is the entirety of the Force. So, let's see a place where the Force is manifest and it’s everything. It’s good, it’s bad, and it changes every second. It can't hold the form because it’s just so exuberant with life and imagination."

Artist Iain McCaig, The Art of Star Wars: The High Republic: (Volume 1) (in reference to his sketch of a planet where the Force bubbles out of the ground), p. 19.

2. Padmé and Darth Maul.

"When I was designing [for The Phantom Menace] there was no pressure really on Darth Maul to be any kind of icon. He was just a new Sith Lord. And as for Queen Amidala, it didn't matter to me and still doesn't if anyone made her the main character. She was my main character. She was the strength of the whole movie. And I needed someone that could stand up to Darth Maul . . . No matter how fearful she was, you can tell that she's going to do [the right thing], whether it’s going to kill her or not."

Iain McCaig, The Art of Star Wars: The High Republic: (Volume 1) (in reference to Padmé concept art), p. 25.

3. Jedi, technology, and attire.

"The High Republic, in relation to the prequels, is an older time technologically, but I think it’s potentially a more enlightened time . . . It’s more evolved thinking in some ways. It’s like the Jedi Order devolves while the technology evolves. [Visually,] their clothes are a little fancier, and they're a little more celebratory. Even just the fact that we have temple attire and mission attire, I think, is interesting, because it suggests this divide that maybe didn't exist so much later on."

Lucasfilm executive editor Jennifer Heddle, The Art of Star Wars: The High Republic: (Volume 1), pp. 29-30.

4. Jedi accountability.

Scott looked to the Stoics and the Knights Templar to help guide him, pulling from historical records that told of Templar warriors breaking their vows. "The other Templars wouldn't drag them in front of the master of the temple, but would just take them aside and say, 'If you're going to do this, can you not rub it in everyone's faces because other people might start doing it as well?' Or, you know, 'Are you sure you should be doing this? And if you've made that choice, think bout what it means for the Order.' I think that's how the Jedi would have been as well. So, we have Jedi who are perhaps not as celibate as other Jedi. And there's nothing wrong [with that]." . . . George Lucas himself subscribed to the same idea . . . Lucas noted [in an interview] that Jedi were permitted to have sex. "Jedi Knights aren't celibate," he said at the time. "The thing that is forbidden is attachments--and possessive relationships."

Author Cavan Scott / George Lucas, The Art of Star Wars: The High Republic: (Volume 1), p. 30.

5. Reflecting the reader.

"Star Wars should reflect the real world . . . It’s a galaxy far far away, but it’s being consumed by people who are in this galaxy, and everybody wants to see themselves in a story."

Author Charles Soule, The Art of Star Wars: The High Republic: (Volume 1) (in reference to diversity in characters), p. 30.

6. Queer representation.

Older was adamant that the love story arc should be dealt with directly, leaving no question in the readers' minds about how Lula and Zeen felt. It’s a welcome, straightforward approach to queer culture that has too frequently been ignored. "It’s so often just been the opposite of that . . . For so long it was nonexistent--across fantasy, across literature, across Star Wars, in everything. And then when [creators] finally started doing it, we did it very sloppily or just with too much vagueness or trying to hint at it. I have no tolerance for that type of stuff. I think it’s really cowardly. [In the past,] creators have failed queer fans by not providing accurate representation or any representation."

Author Daniel José Older, The Art of Star Wars: The High Republic: (Volume 1), p. 31.

7. A Jedi's emotions.

"The Jedi aren't machines, and they're not emotionless, and they should never be emotionless . . . What they should be is controlled. They are passionate, but they control it, and the passion never goes away. Half the reason we love characters is because they are struggling with things. For me, the most believable and the most basic emotion for lots of people, myself included, is fear, because it’s driven us as a species. It’s basic flight or fight, and Jedi would have to make that choice every day."

Cavan Scott, The Art of Star Wars: The High Republic: (Volume 1), p. 33.

8. Burryaga's lightsaber.

"I remember wanting the lightsaber to reflect Kashyyyk and Wookie culture, which is why it’s a more organic-looking lightsaber. I also had an idea--I wasn't entirely sure of his fighting style--for a shorter one. Then, if he wanted a broad sword, the hilt would extend, you know, for Wookie-sized hands. They ended up really liking how it looked extended and just wanted to keep it like that all the time."

Artist Jeffrey Thomas, The Art of Star Wars: The High Republic: (Volume 1), p. 67.

9. Porter Engle.

"[He] wants to be friends with you, but it’s for people to get close to him, and he finds it hard to get close to other people, and it’s very isolating. He's a character who I love, and I think his design reflects that. He's more beard than man, but he's this Jedi that has been part of the Order for 300 years and has done everything. He's an utter legend. When he gets reactivated in the story because the Nihil come calling, he becomes absolutely terrifying. I don't think you want to be anywhere near a guy like that when he is [in active combat]. The sad thing about Porter Engle is that he knows that. There's a reason he decided to go be a cook . . . I wanted [him] to feel like a happy cook because that's the version that he really wants to be And that's teh version I think people really connect with."

Author Charles Soule, The Art of Star Wars: The High Republic: (Volume 1), p. 95.

10. Preserving hope.

"The storytelling of Star Wars that we've all grown to know and love has been about the defending and reclaiming of hope . . . The High Republic begins in an era where hope is abundant, where harmony is abundant. The people of the original trilogy era are longing after something that's been gone for a very long time. And in the High Republic, it’s not gone yet, and then it starts to be taken away little by little by forces that confuse and frighten and terrify common people and Jedi alike. So I think the hope that's growing out of this story is: how do we preserve what we love?"

Senior editor Robert Simpson, The Art of Star Wars: The High Republic: (Volume 1), p. 139.

11. Marchion Ro's relatability.

"Hannibal Lecter is scary because he's us, you know? . . . He looks like us, but there's something that's off behind his eyes. I have this term for people that you meet in your life who are just off: spider people. That was my inspiration. Bu they can also kind of turn on the charm when they want to, like flipping a switch, and it’s very unsettling and very creepy. The other word for them is sociopaths. SO I wanted Marchion Ro to be somebody who you have this sense of unease when you're around them, but you can have a beer with them. It’s more just like the minute that you're out of the room, their face goes blank . . . What's important for a villain is that you can relate to his motivations and his choices. This is somebody that you're going to understand and identify with in some horrible way."

Charles Soule, The Art of Star Wars: The High Republic: (Volume 1), p. 140.

12. Star Wars design philosophy.

A key tenet in Star Wars design requires every hero, villain, ship, and place to be readable at a glance and easily replicated by a child capable of sketching only the most basic shapes. The densely populated worlds are often explored at a breakneck place, with little time to stop and stare. Behind the scenes, those working on vetting the designs for The High Republic adhered to a three-second rule, "understanding at a glance," [Creative Art Manager Phil] Szostak said. "Everything's got to be good or evil and it has to be read clearly," added concept artist Grant Griffin.

The Art of Star Wars: The High Republic: (Volume 1), p. 166.

13. Jedi vector design.

Created for Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, this sleek starfighter was the inspiration behind the Jedi Vector, with one small change. Instead of a socket for an astromech droid, the cockpits of the Vectors are elongated to allow room for Jedi masters to travel with their apprentices. "The Jedi, especially in this era, aren't necessarily looking for a starfighter that's going to be suitable for war because there is no war, no enemy that they're fighting . . . It’s a time of peace. And so, I think a ship like the Vector is kind of appropriate for this time. You see it from a distance: here come the Jedi. You know, it’s not just [some] boxy, utilitarian ship."

Phil Szostak, The Art of Star Wars: The High Republic: (Volume 1) (in reference to an unused Republic "skyfighter" sketch), p. 174.

14. The point of storytelling.

"It’s actually the purpose of stories, particularly the ones that are set on far-off worlds and strange fantasy lands . . . Number 1: We want to escape in hard times. Number 2: We want to have fun again and remember that there's fun in the world. And Star Wars, always at its best, was fun. And Number 3: We actually do want to talk about everything going on, but we can't do it directly. So, if you do it inside a story, it can't possibly be talking about you, yet it is exactly talking about everything--pandemics and genocides and destroying planets--in this world. You don't have to be offended by it right away. You can enjoy it first, which is a good way to teach anything."

Iain McCaig, The Art of Star Wars: The High Republic: (Volume 1), p. 201.

15. Corellian ignorance.

The insurrection at the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, directly informed a scene in Older's [Midnight Horizon] featuring a Nihil masquerade ball in Coronet City, as the upper echelon of Corellia show they are woefully blind to reality. "It’s a place where people are very much no on the lookout for the Nihil. You know, there's just a given understanding that the Nihil are not going to be able to get a foothold that deep into the core of the galaxy. And so they have been lulled into a false sense of safety, and because of that, they truly don't see it coming when that exact thing happens . . . That's very much a story about fascism and the rise of fascism anywhere, but including what we were seeing. Very specifically, there is this moment where they throw a big party and it’s such a joke to everybody that people dress up as the Nihil--totally out of touch, dressing up as the people that are actually taking down Starlight. And there are actual Nihil infiltrators in that crowd in the party dressed like themselves. They've infiltrated the police. They've infiltrated the politicians. It’s actually very easy for them to then just go ahead and rule there. And that's what we saw on January 6th, a very obvious and violent example of that."

Daniel José Older, The Art of Star Wars: The High Republic: (Volume 1), p. 205.

[mangfotingar]

in daniel matthews' case, it takes a village

[the-stag-and-the-dog]

Will: I'm gonna need a human skull but you can't ask why. Hannibal: Only if you also don't ask why. Hannibal: pulls four pristine human skulls out of his bag Will: … Will, grabbing a skull: This one will do.

[motojane]