#star wars is about people yall
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yolowritter · 4 months ago
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Well yes, but actually no. Star Wars does have a simple approach to good and evil on the surface level, that is true. But there is also a lot of complexity here. Star Wars has (imo) never been about Light vs Dark, or Good vs Evil. It's always been about people. Those on either side of the Big Picture, whose choices affect themselves and those around them. It's an extremely nuanced world, which I refuse to see as black and white. Sometimes it is hard to tell who the villains are, because people can't always know if they're doing the right thing.
Count Dooku, Syfo Dias and Anakin Skywalker are amazing examples of how the road to hell is paved with good intentions. However, there's also cases of the opposite happening. People on the wrong side choosing to be better. Iden Versio, Revan, Darth Marr, and others as well. There's a lot I want to say here, so I'll cut for whoever wants to scroll by. To those interested, please head below.
Dooku saw the corruption in the Republic, saw the suffering of people across the Galaxy that the bloated, money-hungry senators were ignoring. He saw what was ignored by the rest of the Jedi Order. The Republic was failing. Had been failing long before he was even born. And Dooku tried so hard to fix it. He argued with the Council, went on missions around the whole galaxy as a Jedi Master, helped people. But all he saw was more and more suffering, always ignored and often caused by the Republic which he was meant to protect. How could a Jedi, whose mandate is of a peacekeeper and protector, ever stand aside and do nothing? That's what Dooku asked himself about the Council, which had grown complacent on Coruscant, locked away in a literal ivory tower away from the people they were supposedly protecting. All of this culminated in Dooku making a deal with the devil (Sidious) and becoming the thing he swore to destroy.
Syfo Dias had been plagued by visions ever since he was young; he watched the Galaxy burn countless times. And always, he saw it's defenders. The Jedi. The people he was a part of and believed in the most. Those who stood against oppression and slavery and injustice. He saw an army of brave soldiers in white, marching against the forces of darkness. And later in life, he discovered Kamino. He was the linchpin to Sidious' plan about the Clone Army. In his attempts to help the Jedi, Syfo Dias unknowingly damned them all to betrayal. And the Clones? Born and trained to die, thrown like cannon fodder at an endless army of unfeeling machines. Slaves to the Republic. They became everything the Jedi were meant to stand against.
Anakin Skywalker is a familiar story. Born into slavery and desperately wanting to save people from a young age, Anakin's life was filled with loss. As a slave, he had little control of his surroundings. People he knew, friends even, would be sold and bought on the whims of other, often very cruel people. And those Anakin knew would die. Eventually, Qui Gon Jinn would arrive on Tatooine and rescue a young Anakin Skywalker...only to die barely a few days later, leaving Anakin without a father figure. Later, his mother would die too, tortured and alone except in her final moments. During the Clone Wars, the men Anakin served with would die too. Again and again and again, Anakin Skywalker would lose the people he loved, never strong enough to protect them. And then, we all know what happened. Darth Sidious swept in and corrupted the Chosen One, turning him into Darth Vader. Anakin Skywalker, who wanted only to save those he cared about, ended up killing them one by one with his very own hands.
On the other hand, there's the cases of people realizing they're the villains, and choosing to be better. Iden Versio is one such example, one of countless Imperials who defected to the Rebellion upon realizing what the Empire actually was. They saw the same thing that Dooku had so many years ago, only too late. Only now, instead of a somewhat-fixable Republic, it's a Sith Empire ruling the Galaxy. The fact is that a lot of Imperials simply didn't realize they were the villains until it was undeniable. For the audience, it's obvious from the opening minutes of A New Hope, but not for them. It's a parallel to the real world. Sometimes people just don't realize they're wrong.
To give a more specific example, Revan. I could go on and on about Revan, but we all know what happened there. Revan very much believed he was doing the right thing, up until the moment that Malak betrayed him and the amnesia set in. Once again, it's obvious for the audience that Sith = Bad Guys, but Darth Revan didn't see it that way. He wasn't corrupted into some Machiavellian maniac, he had reasons for doing the very evil acts he committed. Revan still thought he was the hero of the story, up until the very end.
As an honorable mention, Darth Marr. He was leader of the Sith Empire during the Second Galactic War (I think so anyway, feel free to correct me), and cooperated with Satile Shan, Grandmaster of the Jedi Order at the time, to beat back the first invasion of the Eternal Empire. This marked one of the very few times in history where Sith and Jedi worked together. Marr put aside his ambitions for power, and out of loyalty to the Empire he was ruling over, perhaps even out of care, brokered a peace with ancient enemies and gladly gave his life in an attempt to kill Vitiate, the Eternal Emperor.
What I'm trying to say with all of this is that Star Wars has a clearly defined Good and Evil, but what's mattered is always the people. Yes, there are purely evil characters like Palpatine we can point to, and I agree that a vast majority of Star Wars is how heroes can become the villains. Dooku, Anakin, the Republic itself, etc. But for me, the individuals in Star Wars will always matter more than the Bigger Picture. It was a bunch of scruffy rebels that blew up 2 Death Stars and defeated the Empire. It was a farm boy turned Jedi and a redeemed Darth Vader who killed the Emperor. It was a decorated hero and beloved Jedi that destroyed the Order. It was a man of morals and stern conviction that helped Darth Sidious incite civil war across the stars. Star Wars has always been about people, and that's why I adore it so much.
I'm sorry for rambling as long as I have, I just really wanted to rant about it for ages and giving my two cents on this topic was the perfect excuse. As always, this isn't an argument to be won. There are no right and wrong opinions; I just want to start up a (civil) discussion about it. Anyway, those are just my thoughts, and @incorrect-kotor-quotes is right; Star Wars doesn't deserve so much criticism for how it handles morality.
I'm really tired of people criticizing Star Wars for its simple approach to good and evil, because that ignores the point.
Star Wars is not about morally complex situations where it's hard to tell who the villains are.
Star Wars is about how easy it is to become one of the villains.
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froglover7789 · 4 months ago
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i love dinluke meet the family fics. like yessss give me han shitting himself and leia being like "luke whys the Mand'alor in your kitchen" and din trying to kill 3po and luke and boba begrudgingly getting along (read: talking shit about han) and also grogu is there doing baby things. just give me luke having family and being happy :3
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antidisneyinc · 6 months ago
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so I'm learning that outside of the usual deluge of violent racism at having to see black skin onscreen, one of the major complaints about the acolyte is that it yet again doesn't portray the jedi as pure unabashed heroes who never did anything wrong. which is an issue I've seen in the tags on this site for other star wars things before and it is such an absolutely freakish hill to die on. why is the jedi's purity as an institution so important to you. are you vicariously defending a real life institution you believe to be pure and unproblematic? 🤨 why do you think what happens to the jedi is only tragic if they embody some ideal of heroism that doesn't exist? why do you demand that they fill a two dimensional role of goodness that isn't necessary in stories that go beyond the binary of empire vs. rebels? why are you allergic to exploring the flaws that exist in every religious organization fictitious or otherwise? why does this world need to be a cartoon in order for it to make sense to you?
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maeaniseyas · 6 months ago
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How can you praise Andor for its nuance in its portrayal of Imperials and the Rebellion, but can’t accept any nuance when it comes to the Jedi, the Sith, and the Force. George Lucas, the literal creator of Star Wars, was the one to introduce the idea that the Jedi weren’t perfect and made many mistakes, and he helped his apprentice Dave Filoni showcase this even more in The Clone Wars, and then Dave continued to expand on George’s own ideas about the force in Rebels and his later projects.
So don’t be mad at Dave Filoni or Leslye Headland that the Jedi aren’t perfect, be mad at the literal creator of this franchise. Also, no project has ever made the case “The Jedi are just as bad as the Sith”. The Sith are very noticeably worse than the Jedi, always.
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marcmorrigan · 8 months ago
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According to the artist, when it was suggested that a smile might benefit the look of the finished portrait, Attaché Nohell reportedly replied, "I thought the purpose of this was to be honest."
Super fun commission of @waterloggedsoliloquy's OC Sicely Nohell (they/them) and their terrible, horrible, no good, very bad lusus figure Commanding Officer.
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tangents-within-tangents · 2 months ago
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The thing about the "Clone Rebellion" show
I've become a lot more critical of The Bad Batch lately and I think I realized that’s because it’s over. 
That means that 1. I can look back on the whole show retrospectively, and 2. any issues or hopes I had no longer have a chance to be addressed or resolved.
I realized I’ve been very caught up in thinking about the missed potential of the show, and a lot of my disappointment/frustration with the direction TBB took (esp in regards to the "reg" clones) is coming from the fact that a Clone Rebellion show does not exist to make up for it. For now this is all we have, and it’s hard for me to just accept TBB for what it is, because I at least have been operating under the assumption that this is all we're going to get, that this fabled spin-off show is just not going to happen. 
Because here’s the thing: We all kinda talk about it as if it's a given, a not if but when, but as far as I can tell the concept came entirely from the fans. Just speculation and wish-fulfillment. I don’t really keep up with news/interviews/behind the scenes stuff, but I’m pretty sure there have never been any mentions from official sources (y'all freaked out about one animation job listing that could be for literally anything). If there's something I’ve missed let me know, but for now at least there have been no announcements or plans or anything.
The only thing really is that the gaps left in TBB feel like intentional setup (we never got an Echo and Rex solo episode like we did with Crosshair and Cody which feels like they are saving it for something else, Echo’s fate was specifically left open-ended by not mentioning him (for better or for worse) in the epilogue, Emerie joins them at the end setting up for a female character to be in the main cast, etc) but that still doesn’t guarantee that we will ever actually get a show. That feels more like leaving the possibility open, not necessarily making plans. Especially since TBB actually puts any potential Clone Rebellion show in a really weird position:
There's a lot of important clone-relevant stuff going on during TBB (like Order 66, Kamino, the stormtrooper bill, Tantiss) but I doubt they would go back and show that again since it would either be repetitive by rehashing TBB’s timeline, or confusing by relying too much on people having watched another show. Yeah most people probably would have, but that still doesn’t work very well narratively if your important beats are just implied and happening offscreen. Like I would kill to see more of Nemec and Fireball but then they would just disappear after being killed off (for pretty much no reason) in another show! Hemlock and Tantiss base were designed specifically to be clone-centered threats, and the underground network were the ones who actually spent time searching for it, but then they weren’t there for the rescue so there would be no resolution. But if we instead pick up at the end of TBB it seems like most clones have already been phased out of the Empire by then anyway. Yes you could still make things work either way and come up with new plots and stuff but it’s still a tight spot to be in and it doesn’t really feel like the writers took that into account.
Whether we do get another show or not, I think it still had a negative impact on TBB though. Like that show already had a cameo problem, but 'setting up potential future show at the expense of the current one' is such an issue in any media (esp Star Wars and Marvel these days). Since we got pieces of both 'important stuff happening to the clones' and 'fun mercenary adventures with the Batch' rather than just committing to one or the other, or equally to both, it just causes issues for both shows. I’ve been working on a full post about the lost potential, but for now I’ll summarize as:
It hurts TBB bc we get these glimpses of a more meaningful story that our main characters, the ones the show decides to dedicate screen time to, choose not to participate in. It’s like that trope/bad writing thing where the story they mention (Budapest, or like the Cullens' backstories) sounds more interesting than the one they are actually showing us. Like it’s okay that the Batch didn’t take the same route as Echo and Rex, but the route they did take should be of equal or greater importance/intrigue, and it just really wasn’t. It was mostly directionless side quests and that made the characters seem selfish and a lot of the plots feel filler-y because there are so many important things going on elsewhere. 
It's just starting to feel unlikely that we'll get TWO post-RotS "clone-centered" shows, so why waste the one we did get avoiding the more important clone-centered storyline? Why not at the least equally divide the time you did have between the Batch and Echo and Rex? Why make an ensemble show if you're not going to try to actually balance all the characters? Why bring back a fan favorite clone just to push him to the sidelines and ignore all his potential? Why focus on the "clones" who aren't affected by/don't care about clone issues?
Believe me, I still want a show focusing on Rex and Echo's efforts to save the clones (I just wish it was the show we got in the first place)! I genuinely hope that we will get this show someday, not just because I love clones and this concept, but because I really see a need for it, there's a lot of gaps and potential to be filled there (which is also why I'm okay waiting bc frankly I don't trust the current state of Star Wars writers to properly handle that potential). But I’m treating it with a more “not until proven otherwise” approach (because we all know what happens when we get our hopes up lolll). So for now this is what we have, and unless that changes, I think we should treat it as such.
A lot of times when I see people mention the idea of a new show it's as a way to fix any issues within TBB. Like ‘this wasn’t resolved that well, maybe in the clone rebellion show…’ ‘Maybe Tech could still come back in the clone rebellion show’ ‘Maybe Crosshair’s character arc could be more complete…’ etc. But again we don’t know for sure if there ever will be another show, and even if there is, TBB should be able to stand on its own. There are some things I think another show could do (like address the plot hole of why the Empire never came back to Pabu, or actually doing something with the CX troopers) but narratively it does not work for major plot arcs or character development like that to be resolved elsewhere (like how a major Mandalorian plot point happened in the middle of TBOBF???). If we do get a Clone Rebellion show I don't think it would make much sense for the Batch to play much of a role in it. TBB ended with a clear send off for those characters, whether that was fully satisfying to you or not, that was the narrative intention. The Batch could show up as cameos, but this wouldn’t be their story anymore, and we know it couldn’t be because they were very intent on retiring and clearly never cared much about the regs or Empire so why would they suddenly change their minds?
A Tech lives plotline would have to be centered on the Batch, that’s his family, but that would just be really out of place in a separate show, especially post-finale (which confirmed that Tech did not come back in canon (at least until Omega joins the rebellion, if you want to be nitpicky ig)). There always could be ways to make it work anyway if you really wanted to, but we saw what retcon battles did to the Sequel Trilogy, and it still wouldn’t really fix any problems in TBB as a show. I’ve said it before, but if the writers were going to bring Tech back then they simply would/should have (they knew season 3 was the final season and they had plenty of time which they spent fighting space gators and whatnot instead).
I'm not saying this to spoil the fun or like dash anyone's hopes or anything. I don't actually know any more than anyone else, I have no impact on what Disney and Lucasfilm do (and clearly they don't really care about making narratively functional choices anyway, get roasted). For all I know this post could age horribly. I just had some thoughts to get off my chest, because I think it’s unproductive to judge TBB based on the idea of an unconfirmed potential other show--that does not (yet?) exist and wouldn't be about them--instead of looking at it for what it is. 
TBB is over. Canon happened, what we have is what we got. We can love it and hate it and critique it and write our au’s and fix-its, but I really think that it’s done. We have to make space for endings, that's an important part of storytelling (which is also why they need to be well-written but whatever). And we also have to make space for other stories to be told. The Batch had their show, they spent the screen time they had on what they did. Those characters got their time and they got a happy ending wrap up, and now it's (hopefully) time to let some other clones take the spotlight.
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skd-988 · 2 months ago
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Checking in on the Thrawn tumblr community's opinion on Arihnda Pryce every once in a few months just to see they're still as dumb and the reading comprehension is somehow still declining.
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canisvesperus · 6 months ago
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Ben Solo is baby (honk honk), Daenerys Targaryen is the rightful queen of Westeros, Anders was right (bombing the Catholic Church is always morally correct), and Eridan has never done a single thing wrong thing in his life.
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random-chaotic-bitch · 1 year ago
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Siren's Song - Chapter 2
Alisha pulled her long curls back into a loose bun, secured by the black mask she pulled over her face. She nodded at Cole, Jay, and Zane. The four tiptoed into the monastery, and Alisha pulled them aside. "Now, it's time to figure out what Sensei's been keeping from us. He's been training you guys to be ninjas and helping me continue my original training. But he's been acting weird these past couple of weeks. And we're about to find out why."
The three boys nodded back at her. "We'll follow your lead," Cole assured her. She grinned beneath her mask, checking the straps holding her spear in place. "Let's go."
They jumped to the ceiling rafters, noting Wu's nightly meditation before continuing. They stopped by a bathroom, watching a kid in red pajamas brushing his teeth. Alisha glanced around to the others, nodding her head when one of them, probably Jay, made a motion pointing down. They stealthily dropped into the corners of the room, readying weapons. Somehow, the kid didn't notice them, too caught up in his thoughts. "Take this! And this! And this!"
His last exclamation trailed off as he realized he was pointing a toothbrush at Cole, who held his weapon threateningly before him. All around him, the other black-clad figures closed in. Realizing the situation he was in, his face fell. "Oops."
A moment passed, the four warriors holding weapons to the weaponless boy. He grinned suddenly, catching Jay's shoulder and using it to get into the rafters. Alisha scoffed, casually leaping up and meeting the kid there. His eyes widened as she chased after him, the other three not far behind. They converged on him in the courtyard, weapons flashing in the moonlight.
The kid was smart, triggering the training course to use it to his advantage. It worked as he fought off Cole, Zane, and Jay. But he forgot about Alisha until she had crept up behind him and pulled him into a headlock. His first instinct was to go limp, throwing himself to the floor. It worked, and he slid right out of her grasp. She snarled as she tackled him onto the ground, trying to punch him in the face.
Alisha had the stranger pinned beneath her until he grabbed her ankle and twisted her off. She hissed in pain as her back hit the wall of the courtyard. Zane took over, both him and the new guy fighting on the ground. When Mystery Dude pinned Zane, Jay, Cole, and Alisha piled on top to subdue him. Until they heard a voice shout. "Stop!"
The four black-clad figures shot to their feet, bowing with respect. "Yes, Sensei."
The strange guy in red frowned. "Wait, they're your students too?"
When Wu nodded, he continued. "This was my final test, wasn't it?"
Jay cut him off. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! You never said anything about a fifth. It's always four. The Fantastic Four, Ghostbusters, The Beatles-"
Alisha hit him in the head. "Those are my references!"
Cole sighed. "Uh, what he's trying to say, Sensei Wu, is that the four of us have trained together. We're solid," he explained. The new guy scoffed. "Didn't look so solid to me."
Zane spoke up next. "Master, what is the meaning of this?"
Wu's eyes gleamed mischievously. "Each of you have been chosen. Each is in tune with elemental properties. But first, ninja-go!"
He shifted into Spinjitzu, and in a blur of light, all five had more colorful gear. Alisha watched the other four gape at their new outfits, expecting to remain in her training gear. Except when she looked down at herself, her eyes widened. She wore the navy blue combat suit of a siren lieutenant, accented with brighter blue seams and matching boots. A glance down at her back revealed a matching long cape. The blonde reached a hand up to her head, feeling the lieutenant's headpiece across her hairline. With her complete change in attire, she realized she wasn't wearing a hood like the others anymore, but instead, a fabric mask that covered her mouth and nose. Her blonde curls had escaped their loose bun, remaining in a ponytail down her back.
Alisha's thoughts returned to her surroundings when Wu introduced the ninjas and their respective elements. "Kai, Master of Fire. It burns bright in you. Jay is blue, Master of Lightning."
Jay chuckled. "Heh, that's not all I'm the master of. I do a little inventing. I dabble in model building, a touch of cooking, a little poetry," he began to ramble. Alisha rolled her eyes as Cole groaned. "More like Mouth of Lightning," he grumbled. Wu turned to him next. "Black Ninja is Cole, solid as rock. Master of Earth."
Cole turned to Kai, removing his hood. "Nice to meet you, kid. I got your back, and for the record, there ain't nothing in this world I'm afraid of."
Zane spoke up from the other end of the line. "Except for dragons."
Cole huffed out a breath. "Dragons aren't from this world, Zane. I said in this world."
Wu pointed his staff at Zane. "And White Ninja is Zane. Master of Ice and Seer with the sixth sense."
Zane brought out his shurikens quickly, spinning them and making them disappear just as fast. Kai scoffed. "I sense this one takes things a little too seriously."
Zane removed his hood, eyes wide. "You have the gift too?"
Jay laughed, pulling off his hood. "He's just making a joke, Zane. Remember what we talked about? Your sense of humor? Huh?"
Alisha nodded. "Yeah. From what I know, you and I are the only ones with some degree of Force abilities."
Zane looked forward, smiling. "Yes, it was a joke. Ha ha."
Jay shook his head in disappointment. Alisha laughed at the exchange, brown eyes sparkling in the light from inside the monastery. Kai looked at her, frowning. "Who's the chick?"
Cole's eyes widened in horror. "Oh no, you did not just call her a chick."
Alisha whirled around, eyes flashing. "Llamame una chick un tiempo mas, y tu tendras mas de un ojo morado," she seethed in rapid Spanish. Kai took a step back. "Woah, woah, okay! No offense intended!"
Wu turned to face them all. "Pay attention! The four of you are the elemental masters. But, the elements are bound by the universal seal of the Force. Similarly, you are bound by your fifth teammate. Alisha, ex-siren, Gray Jedi. Wielder of the Force."
The girl removed the mask from her face, holding her hands before her and levitating some loose stones. She crossed her hands in front of her body, holding the position before she flicked her wrists, sending the rocks back to their places.
Cole and Zane nodded with approval. Jay held back a grin, watching Kai's face go from confused to shocked. "Wha- but- huh?"
The four laughed at the Fire Ninja's spluttered words. Wu hit his staff against the ground, regaining their attention. "Hush! You four are the chosen ones who will protect the Four Weapons of Spinjitzu... from Lord Garmadon."
Kai stepped forward. "But what about my sister?!"
Jay's face lit up. "We're saving a girl? Is she hot?"
Alisha and Cole groaned. "Jay..."
The Lightning Ninja held his hands up in surrender. "I-I just wanna know what we're getting ourselves into. Does she like blue?"
Kai got up in his face. "Back. Off."
Wu shook his head. "When we find the weapons, we will find your sister. It is time! We must go to the first weapon!"
Cole spoke up. "Whoa! Hold on a minute. You said you were going to teach us Spinjitzu."
Wu turned back to face the Earth Ninja. "Spinjitzu is inside each and every one of you, but it will only be unlocked when the key is ready to be found," he casually explained. Alisha rolled her eyes at his cryptic riddles. After a moment, Wu's head shot up. "Come! My feet are tired. We will take the horse carriage."
As the five's teacher walked away, Cole groaned. "Great." 
Jay frowned. "Now we have to find the key?"
Alisha sighed. "Yeah, I feel he's taking us for a ride."
Kai piped in. "Well, if it means finding my sister, then sign me up."
In the morning, the four ninjas and Alisha met outside with Wu by the horse carriage. "Well shit," Alisha said upon seeing the arrangement. "First of all, we're stuck pulling the stupid thing, and second of all, there's four spots and five of us. Two people get to buddy up."
Zane wordlessly took a spot on one side, waiting patiently. Jay and Kai shook their heads. "Not it!"
Cole glanced at Alisha. "Why don't we get it over with? There won't be much room, but we probably have the best chance of not strangling one another."
She nodded exhaustedly. "Sure. Let's do that."
But Wu interrupted them before they could get into position. "Actually, Alisha will join me to discuss strategy."
The siren grinned sheepishly. "Ah, right. Strategy. Sorry boys, you're on your own!"
She hip-checked Cole with a smirk as she passed him. In retaliation, he reached for her ponytail and tugged on it playfully, earning himself a glare from the siren. Wu watched the whole exchange with a small smile. 
A few hours later, they had almost reached the first weapon. Alisha covered a laugh with her hand while listening to the bickering and banter from the four ninjas. Wu shook his head with a smile. In a low voice, he explained his worries to Alisha. "I'm not as concerned about you adjusting to the issues at hand as I am them."
The siren nodded with a serious look on her face. "They'll adapt," she promised. Wu frowned. "How can you know?"
She grinned. "The Force," she replied with a chuckle. Wu turned to face her, confused. She snickered. "I'm kidding. They'll adapt because they have to if they want to keep Ninjago safe."
Wu nodded. Ahead of them, the spindly trees started to thin out, and a rock formation came into view. He held up a hand. "Stop!"
The carriage slowed to a stop as Alisha and Wu climbed out. "The Caves of Despair," he explained as they made their way up the hill and into the clearing. "Samukai must be close to unearthing the Scythe of Quakes. Remember, do not use the weapon. For its power-" Jay cut him off as they settled in a scouting position behind a rock. "Yeah, yeah, yeah! It's too much for us mortals. Alright, guys. Let's chop-socky this lemonade stand! Cole, do you have a plan?"
Cole nodded on the other side of Wu. "Sure do. First, we lower ourselves down the ledge. And then...," he trailed off upon realizing the absence of a team member. "Where's Kai?"
Alisha's eyes widened, and she shifted her gaze to the mining equipment in search of the red-clad ninja. "Found him," she replied, pointing down to where the headstrong teen was sneaking through the camp. Jay sighed. "Let's go."
Cole took point as the four snuck into the camp, following Kai's route as safely as possible. One of the skeletons took notice of the fire ninja's presence, but the other four subdued him quickly to prevent their discovery. They followed him to the top of a tower. Jay swatted Kai in the back of the head upon reaching him, hissing, "What's the matter with you?"
Kai shushed him, watching Samukai leave the map unattended. Jay looked at it from a different angle. "It's upside-down. They're digging at the wrong spot."
Zane nodded in agreement. "The Golden Weapon is near," he replied, snagging the map with a shuriken without drawing Samukai's attention. Kai glanced at it over the Ice Ninja's shoulder. "There's no time to waste," he muttered before rushing off. Jay sighed. "What is it with that guy? Always in a rush!"
They followed Kai into the caves, catching up as he struggled to move a massive boulder. Cole held a hand up to stop him. "Hey! Before you race off again, you should remember that we're a team."
Kai rolled his eyes. "Yeah, whatever," he grumbled, letting the others help him move the boulder aside, revealing the Scythe of Quakes. Jay's eyes widened. "Wow! That is so cool!"
Cole and Alisha hushed him immediately, reminding him they had to be quiet. The Lightning Ninja laughed. "Come on. Don't be paranoid. We're totally on the opposite side of the caves."
Cole jumped down from retrieving the Scythe after tossing it to Kai. "Zip it, okay? Now that we've got it, we'll sneak out while those boneheads are still busy."
The five left the cave, unaware of the hidden dragon's jaws slowly opening behind them. Cole led them out of the system, turning back to look at them. "Alright, team. Everyone stick together. The way out is right around the corner," he said as he walked smack into Samukai. The Skulkin general laughed, and the army behind him brandished their weapons. Alisha groaned, adjusting her mask. "Ah, shit."
They charged simultaneously, the ninja doing one thing while Alisha ran at Samukai. "C'mere Bonehead," she called out. "Or are ya too chicken?"
The two engaged in a fierce duel, knives against a spear. Alisha fought with large, sweeping movements while Samukai retaliated with short but lethal strikes. However, because of the former's long-range attacks, the general couldn't get a hit on her without getting disassembled. Alisha forced him back, giving herself enough time to get to the others and join the rest of the fight. Jay gasped. "Hey, guys! It's just like the training course! Over the planks! Dodge the swords! Here comes the dummy! Cha-Ching!"
The others gaped in awe as Jay performed Spinjitzu for the first time. Kai laughed. "Spinjitzu! Jay! What's the key?!"
The blue-clad ninja shouted back to them amidst the chaos, "I'm just going through the motions! This is what Sensei must have meant when he said we already know it!"
The fire ninja nodded, satisfied with the answer. "Over the planks! Dodge the swords! Here comes the dummy!"
Cole and Zane tried it, the former laughing with joy. Alisha grinned, shifting to some flashy acrobatics. As she landed in front of Samukai, she smirked below her mask. "You guys are so screwed now!"
The ninja landed around her, Cole on one side and Kai on the other. Cole tugged off his mask, cheering. "Ha! Guess they didn't want a second serving of these babies," he exclaimed. Alisha, Kai, and Jay rolled their eyes in disappointment. "Good thing they didn't check out the merchandise in the back!"
Alisha laughed at the final comment, trying to stifle her giggles as the others celebrated around her. As the commotion died down, Cole spoke up, voice shaking. "Uh, guys?"
Zane replied with a rhetorical question. "Didn't Sensei say there was a guardian protecting the Weapons?"
The five turned around slowly to see a massive dragon behind them. Cole slowly stepped backward, eyes wide. "Is... that... a...? That's not what I think it is. Is it?"
Jay slowly reached for his nunchucks. "You mean a dragon?"
Kai started to inch backward. "Uh, that sure looks like a dragon!"
Zane shifted into a defensive position, readying his shurikens. "I sense we won't be able to spin our way out of this one!"
Alisha quickly sheathed her spear, motioning for the others to sheath their weapons. "Wait! Put away your weapons! I think I have an idea," she ordered. They hesitantly obeyed. The blonde removed her mask as she stepped forward. Reaching a hand out in a gesture of peace, she smiled reassuringly. "It's okay. We're taking the weapon somewhere safe. I promise it is safer with us for now," she whispered, moving closer to the dragon. 
Calming waves flowed through the Force, from her to the dragon. She grinned, knowing it was working. Until the dragon spat sand at herself and the others. Alisha yelped, having fallen in a heap on the ground, gasping out, "Well, he clearly doesn't want to be friends!"
Cole grabbed Alisha's hand, kneeling by her side. "Are you out of your mind?"
Alisha coughed more sand out of her mouth in response, completely unaware of the conversation in the background. Until the ground shook, and a split appeared in the ceiling. Cole hauled her to her feet, pulling her with him as they fled the cavern. 
They came out in front of Sensei Wu, Alisha still hacking sand out of her lungs. She could faintly hear the conversation in the background, with Wu lecturing the ninjas into the next week. She composed herself enough to gasp, "I'm gonna just... take a seat. I'll be fine in a minute... I think."
The siren ungracefully dropped herself onto a rock, catching her breath as best as possible. After composing herself, she looked up to see Jay offering her a water bottle. "You might want this," he pointed out with a grin. Alisha cracked a grin at the blue ninja's words. "Thanks, kid," she replied hoarsely, taking the water bottle. She took a long sip, relief hitting her parched throat. 
Alisha followed Wu and the other ninjas away from the Caves of Despair, mentally preparing for whatever challenges they might face with the next three weapons. Catching up to the group, she sighed, shaking sand out of her hair. "Well, surely finding the other weapons will be nowhere near as bad," she commented.
Approximately twenty hours later, Alisha stood on the deck of a ship, shivering between Kai and Zane. "It's so much worse," she chattered out while hugging her arms across her chest. Kai nodded in agreement, trembling beside her. Jay called out from above them, where he sat with Cole, "I spy something... white!"
Cole, out of Alisha's sightline, sighed exasperatedly. "Could you try to be quiet for once? This ain't easy."
The ship hit a chunk of ice, causing all five teens to stumble. Jay spoke up again with a groan. "I spy something broken!"
Alisha had to snicker at the comment as Kai turned to Zane. "If Sensei knows the way to the next Golden Weapon, then why isn't he steering the ship? We've been drifting aimlessly for miles."
Zane shrugged, glancing up to where Sensei Wu stood atop the front of the ship. "Sensei's wisdom is beyond my own."
Wu jumped down from where he stood. "The most powerful move in Spinjitzu can only be accomplished when all four elements are combined. Earth! Ice! Fire! Lightning!"
Jay jumped down from where he stood with Cole. "Uh, what happens when all of them are combined?"
"The Tornado of Creation. The power to create something out of nothing," Wu replied. Alisha nodded. "Legend says that it could be strengthened with the powers of a Siren and her individual Song," she added. Zane frowned. "But that's... a legend."
The siren smirked, brown eyes flashing almost dangerously. "Every legend holds a shred of truth," she replied enigmatically. Kai started to do ridiculous movements in the middle of the deck, causing Alisha to hold back a laugh. Wu shook his head in disappointment. "No, Kai! If done incorrectly, it will lead to disastrous consequences."
Kai rolled his eyes. "Disastrous consequences. Right...," he trailed off. The ship ran into something blocking its path, causing the team to stumble again. Alisha tripped, landing harshly on her bottom. "Oof," she groaned, climbing back to her feet.
Cole called down from where he had been steering the ship. "Uh... wasn't me. Everyone okay?"
Kai rubbed the back of his neck, curiosity crossing his face. "Did I do that?"
Sensei Wu shook his head. "No. We are here."
The five made their way up the icy hill and into a cave of ice. They spotted some frozen skeletons as they went further in. "Woah... looks like someone's already been here," Cole noted. They rounded the corner and saw the Shurikens of Ice floating above an icy dais. The team quickly formed a stack of people, putting Zane on top so he could grab them. As soon as he did, he was frozen into an ice cube, awakening the guardian dragon. 
Alisha gasped, having been just below him. "Zane!"
The team quickly dropped, carrying Zane, shurikens, and all above their heads as they fled. Eventually, it turned into the team practically sledding down the ice hill on top of Zane until they hit a post. They fell on top of Zane, shattering the ice off of him. Zane groaned. "Ow."
Hours later, they were climbing up through the Floating Ruins. Zane hollered from below the others, "We're being followed!"
Jay hollered from the top. "Let's go!"
He reached the top of the chain, where a platform stood. Alisha hauled herself up not far behind. Jay spotted the Nunchucks of Lightning and whooped. "Alright!"
As he grabbed them, the guardian dragon appeared out of nowhere, causing both ninja and siren to scream in sudden terror. Alisha leaped off of the platform. "Nope! Bye!"
Jay and the rest of the ninjas followed, opening the wings to their gliders. The five glided over the trees and down to their campsite in the Forest of Tranquility. As the night grew darker, the teens celebrated their victories by the campfire. Cole played the drum while Kai and Jay danced in the middle like knuckleheads. Alisha laughed from where she stood by Zane. Kai laughed, waving at Sensei Wu. "Come on, Sensei. Join us!"
Wu shook his head. "There is still one weapon left! We must get our sleep!"
Jay spoke up from where he had stopped dancing. "Aww, Sensei. Look, you gotta admit, we're kicking their boney butts," he insisted. Kai nodded. "Get up here. Show us some moves."
Wu sighed, climbing to his feet. "I guess I could. Now, this move is very special," he began. Zane spoke up from next to Alisha. "But if done incorrectly, will it lead to disastrous consequences?"
The team broke down laughing at Zane's question. Alisha was doubled over with laughter, and Kai spoke up between laughs. "Zane, is that a joke? A sense of humor... you found it!"
Alisha crumpled into more giggles, sitting on the ground next to Cole. Her laughter continued at the scene before her, Sensei Wu, Kai, and Jay dancing, Cole playing the drum, and Zane watching from the side. Eventually, they turned to Alisha. "Alisha, sing for us!" "Yeah, come on and sing!"
The blonde shook her head with a laugh. "Alright, alright, cool it! I'll sing!"
She started humming a lively tune, prompting Cole to start playing the drum to the rhythm. Alisha started to sing, her soft, melodic voice flitting across the campsite. 
There will come a Siren
Who carries a mighty sword
She will tear the enemy down
Oh lei, oh lai, oh lord
Oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh lord
She will tear the enemy down
Oh lei, oh lai, oh lord
Cole continued drumming as Alisha shifted to the second verse, grinning slightly.
There will come a Poet
Who's weapon is his word
He will slay you with his tongue
Oh lei, oh lai, oh lord
Oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh lord
He will slay you with his tongue 
Oh lei, oh lai, oh lord
The rest of the team started to clap along, and Kai shouted out, "Who's next?"
Alisha laughed. "The queen, of course!"
There will come a Ruler
Who's brow is laid in laurels
Queen of Ages soon to come
Oh lei, oh lai, oh lord
Oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh lord
Queen of Ages soon to come
Oh lei, oh lai, oh lord
Oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh lord
She will tear the enemy down
Oh lei, oh lai, oh
Cole picked up on the change of tone and changed the pattern of the drumming, letting it even out into something less syncopated. Alisha counted the beats against her leg, finding her cue to jump back in.
Oh lei, oh lai
Oh lei, oh lai
Oh
Oh lei, oh lai
Oh lei, oh lai
Oh lei, oh lai
Oh lei, oh lai
Oh
As the song ended, the rest of the team burst into cheers. Alisha mock-bowed, hoping the semi-darkness would sufficiently hide her scarlet-flushed cheeks. The celebration drew to a close, and Alisha found herself falling asleep against the tree she and Cole were sharing. As she dozed off, she could feel herself slipping from her upright position to leaning against Cole, just like she had several times before after training. Cole wrapped an arm around her waist, preventing her from slipping farther. The last thing she registered before falling asleep was the sound of an owl hooting in the trees above them.
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autismmydearwatson · 7 months ago
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I think I need a break from the rest of the Thrawn fandom because some of you are sometimes really annoying
NOT YOU MUTUALS, THERE IS A REASON I FOLLOW YOU
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hobbithabits · 1 year ago
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I feel like there is just something special about loving a character enough to make fun of them. Being attached to them while also knowing they have some major flaws and dunking on them for it. You could try fixing them, sure, but isn’t it more fun to leave them as they are and bully the fuck out of them?
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engagemythrusters · 2 years ago
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begging solely-The Mandalorian fans to find another piece of Mandalorian lore/culture/history/etc to talk about other than a now-defunct laser sword used to keep one asshole family in power
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gayangelcrimes · 2 years ago
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Surprising none of you seem to be into Star Wars, considering it too is long as fuck and is about a chosen Some Guy who ruins the world in the process of saving it and has so much lore that it contradicts itself at points and is long as fuck and there's guys in it
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maeaniseyas · 7 months ago
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Certain losers are really still lying with their whole chest and trying to convince others The Acolyte looks “cheap and dull” lmfao. Like even in these lq screenshots from the trailer, this show is already the most visually stunning series I’ve seen from SW since The Mandalorian s1
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cuminhoid · 2 months ago
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guy who is dysphoric and on his period goes insane because people say force users say "little lights" when looking at pregnancy/tubies and don't realize that they're being... inconsistent, to say the least, in terms of claims about abortion rights and what they're writing like no!! the fetus does not shine in the force!! it's a fetus!!
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panther-os · 2 years ago
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I have hopes and dreams and predictions for the show but if they don't come true, I go "Okay, this is actually really cool in another direction" or "Damn, that was disappointing but I wonder what's gonna happen next" and I enjoy what I got and go write fanfiction about what I didn't.
"Expectations are premeditated disappointments." This doesn't mean don't have expectations, it means be aware your expectations might not be met and that you're going to have an emotional reaction about it.
And while I don't believe there's any such thing as overreacting because you feel what you feel, there is such a thing as reacting appropriately or inappropriately. So when your expectations are let down and you're having an emotional reaction about it, make sure to express that reaction appropriately.
Maybe come up with a plan in advance. "If Cody doesn't show up in the finale, I will choose something else I like about the episodes to focus on instead of obsessing over my disappointment. When I'm done watching, I will be miserable into my pillow for a bit to properly feel the emotion. Afterward, to cheer myself up, I will grab comfort food or take a shower and then make/look for fanworks about what he was doing instead or about him deus ex machina-ing the episode. I will not harass the creative team who did their jobs or my fellow fans who aren't that upset about it."
Please reblog if you're here for the story.
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I watch The Bad Batch as an exploration of the beginning of the Empire from the perspective of a group of fugitives trying to get by in a galaxy that doesn't always make sense.
I'm here for their story.
I'm here for WHATEVER the writers, artists, and composers give us in their own good time. I want the plot to be given to me slowly. I want a character's redemption or further fall to have so much meat to it that I sit back and think, "Wow. They went through hell to get here."
I want to find out what makes the characters tick one morsel at a time, and I'm NOT going to complain about where the writers take them if it's not what I envisioned for them because it's the story.
Honestly, I'm finding this fandom to be a tedious place lately. A lot of people only seem to enjoy the show if they are given exactly what they want by the writers and the moment the show deviates from that, they complain.
I'm here for the story. Please reblog this or leave me a comment if you are too because I want to surround myself with other fans who are here for the Batch's story in whatever direction it takes us.
#/incoherent noises/#star wars#the bad batch#op is right some of y'all need to learn chill like yesterday#dont even get me started on the unwh/tewashtbb gang#as a bipoc i am ashamed to share a fandom with people so aggressively proselytizing about the bare minimum#racism doesnt start and stop at whitewashing and there are far more concerning things to me in the show#like trandoshans being antisemitic caricatures who in tcw literally hunt and kill children for sport#and cid especially is greedy and selfish and only being portrayed as more and more so to play up phee#i love phee so much but pitting two marginalized women against each other is not the thing to do disney#its pretty obvious just about everybody knows tem is māori and the clones shouldn't look the way they do#just look at all the art#though some of yall take it too far in the opposite direction and make them black instead of māori#bc y'all cant tell bipoc apart ig???#i am also still very much going to die on the hill of y'all making fun of gree's hair is racist#bc it is and i have energy to defend that one small thing even though literally nobody is listening#anyways its a finished work of fiction and we're getting one chapter at a time#unless you got a time machine the writer's choices are already made and you have to live with that#everybody does bc thats how common sense works#if you dont like it read or write fanfiction that is literally what fanfiction is for#youre entitled to your opinion and your right to be disappointed and complain#but dear god please have some civility about it#anyway i said dont get me started and then got myself started#i have Opinions about this#when it comes to media hoard things that spark joy yeet things that dont and move on with your life
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