#torilaa rants

[torilaa]

So, idk if it's just me or if I'm just in a pessimistic mood...but what exactly is there to look forward to with Star Wars right now? Yeah, I haven't gotten to Ahsoka yet so there's that...but everything else? Mandalorian season 3 was meh...very meh. Movies? What movies. The KOTOR remake, which I wasn't completely positive about, is dead in the water. I think I'm only looking forward to Andor season two. I looked into the High Republic and some things look interesting...but most of it isn't really my thing. Which is fine, that's how it was in the EU, but there were other things to grab my attention.

So, I'm making my own fun which...is fine. Better than nothing. I consider a lot of the fan stuff/fan fiction right now to be more akin to the old EU and so I'm happy for that. I miss the EU times only because there was so much content to comb through. Look at Wookiepedia. Look between the "Canon" tab and the "Legends" tab. Which one is bigger? Most of the time it's Legends. I just feel like Lucasfilm dumped so much good material. Though at this point...I doubt they could do any of it justice. I wish I didn't think that way since I love Star Wars and want it to succeed. But that's how I feel.

[torilaa]

Agreed Revan and the Exile can be whatever gender you want. That's how it was from the start and they should have done it the Elder Scrolls way where Revan or the Exile are "ambiguous." Reddit can be ignored because...it's reddit lol toxicity thrives there.

Though I would have headcanoned what happens after kotor 2 no matter what gender since I just do not like what happens. Revan failing to defeat the Emperor and leaving behind Bastila (or Carth if you romance him) is just too damn depressing and...kinda anticlimactic. Both of those heroes should have been the key players to defeat the Sith (oh and we get a generic Emperor in SWTOR not the cool abeloth-type that was planned in kotor 3...yay) but they simply "help." No, no, these heroes started it they should finish it! Imagine if Anakin and Luke merely staved off the Emperor at the end of Return of the Jedi and didn't defeat him actually (oh wait...).

So, yeah, to me Star Wars = whatever canon I like and I don't care if people tell me otherwise :D

One thing that’s been bothering me about Star Wars fans on reddit is that a lot of them care waaaaayy too much about “canon”.

I used to care too much about canon too, but then I came to sw tumblr and realised it doesn’t matter.

Yes, this is about the gender of Revan and the Exile from KOTOR. The games where you can CHOOSE the gender of both characters. Who kriffing cares if Revan is “canonically” male and Exile “canonically” female. Don’t listen to “canon” literature and things announced *after* the game. The swtor canon only matters in swtor.

If you want Revan to be a woman, she is! If you want the Exile to be a man, he is! Don’t let lucasfilms, bioware, or angry dudes on reddit stop you!!

[torilaa]

So...chapter 22 of mando was...ehh

I will say I like that they reminded us that Din hates droids since, yah know, they killed his parents. That was a good call back.

The cameos...it's weird seeing celebs in Star Wars but we had Samual L Jackson before. I think it's fine (and they're silly side characters anyway not main characters so no harm really).

Now, the darksaber...Bo Katan accepted it way too easily in my opinion. I can see that she is going through character development surrounding the Mandalorian culture (...the character development I thought DIN was going to go through) but it's not believable to me yet. That loophole was a bit too...idk bullshit?

Though, maybe she realized how kinda bullshit the darksaber rule is just like how she thought the mask rule was bullshit at the start. She literally defeated that guy in combat and that wasn't enough? What kind of Mandalorians are they?!? She already demonstrated that she could lead them but they needed symbols to actually think of her as a leader? That...is awful if you think about it. And if I was Bo I would feel awful.

See, I'd hoped they would have gone down that route. Make it so the darksaber no longer determines the ruler of Mandalore. Bo Katan can become Mandalore without it, she can lead with her own blood sweat and tears, without baggage from the past. Break the curse. THAT would be an interesting character arc. I mean she was already doing it with that band before! The Mandalorians refuse strong leadership due to an archaic rule—they are only hurting themselves. And Din could have helped her realize this! Maybe at the end, her mask would become the new mask of Mandalore creating a new way.

Sigh...but nope! That would mean throwing out a nostalgic item that can be made into toys, can't have that!

I hope the next episodes get a bit better...I was hoping we'd see Moff Gideon in this episode. Then maybe Din would have some actual conflict...like protecting Grogu again or....something. Anything at this point.

[torilaa]

Sigh…man FFN reviews crack me up sometimes. Most are lovely, and if you read and/or review my stories on there - thank you. Others…well, there is the spare “fanboy” who expect Gary Stu(tm) Revan to slaughter everything in his path. Oh, and apparently Fragmented, told from the perspective of Wes who is Darth Revan who was rebooted by the Jedi, is too grimdark and miserable. Oh and Bastila hasn’t fallen in love with Darth fricking Revan immediately so how is this romance? I—

I do appreciate concrit at times (like I know my pacing is a bit…slow) but man I question some people’s reading comprehension. Wes is like the biggest troll at the start. Carth can barely handle that chaotic idiot (and you should feel sorry for him). I can’t imagine what they would think at the Leviathan chapter—they might have a heart attack if they didn’t think the beginning was lighthearted 😆

Just some observations after I dared to read reviews on there out of boredom. It’s all hilarious to me and makes me appreciate those who like my stories even more!

[torilaa]

Man, what is with Disney Star Wars shows being so….meh recently?? It’s the fourth episode of Obi-Wan Kenobi and they still haven’t explained or fleshed out Reva at all (they aren’t gonna leave her back story till the end right?). Leia gets kidnapped….again. Sigh. Also why aren’t they just taking Leia home now?? Why go to the Jedi rescue base and endanger her more?? Oh and also, everyone knows Reva kidnapped Leia, a senator’s daughter, and Vader isn’t questioning that? Like why would Leia draw out Obi-Wan? Makes me wonder how the rebellion started with so much suspicion on their heads.

I mean, I’m still enjoying the show in a non-serious way (like I would a fan film), like I love the moments between Leia and Obi-Wan, but the writing and plot is getting to be a bit too……convenient/contrived to really ignore. I will give it a chance to maybe explain some of these things in the next two episodes.…but not gonna have high expectations now.

[torilaa]

Ah no I don’t mind rambles :)! Master Ell is painfully self-aware…painful only because he succumbs to peer pressure so easily that none of his revelations matter in the end 🥲

I think you’re right there. It depends on who Revan is. See the question kotor 2 likes to propose a lot is…who is Revan? Only Revan can answer that (which is why it’s so frustrating kotor 3 never came out). Everyone who talks about them are biased in some way. HK only knows lawful evil Revan since that’s how he was programmed to perceive his Master. Would he have seen what Revan was like behind their mask ever? Especially since I doubt Revan ever let their guard down as a sith. And Kreia…even more so when it came to Revan.

I could possibly see Revan being redeemed sure if we went the boring canon route of “oh, Revan was brainwashed to be evil so of course they deserve another chance.” But I call the boring canon route boring for a reason ;) The problem with Revan’s redemption is exactly what you said - they wouldn’t have wanted to be redeemed since they “never fell.” But to me, I always took that line to mean Revan was in self-denial about falling. They thought “well, if I use the dark side to save the galaxy, to sacrifice myself, is it really a fall?” Which no they fell but wouldn’t admit it! Just like Kreia. Just like Atris. Just like the Jedi Masters that killed their students, like some on the Jedi Council. It’s a pattern, huh? A demented pattern.

Also I love no-mindwipe AUs. I love seeing those fics tackle this particular issue…who exactly could snap Revan out of their “sacrifice”? Or are they ever redeemed? We need more of these :)

Bleeeh finished Nar Shaddaa....let's just say that planet isn't my favorite. I love the events that happen in it, of course, but gameplay wise... you are never given a break. I need to make and upgrade gear please...where are the benches.....

I grabbed Visas, Mira, and Goto (his goddamn headache maze of a ship). Visas ended up being a bit of a headache too since she triggered after the Ebon Hawk raid (I was being TOO good apparently XD). I hadn't made my lightsaber despite having the parts—Bao-Dur was too unconscious to help me. I was able to get her though after running like a coward around the ship....sniff Atton would be proud.

(my headcanon now is that my Exile didn't want to make a lightsaber really but after almost dying to Visas...well, she realized maybe making one would be a good idea)

One thing from Zez-Kai Ell that I always find interesting is how he brings up the fact that Revan wasn't truly redeemed really...since they were forced to fight for them via brainwash. Would Revan have redeemed themselves without the Jedi's meddling? Unfortunately, I don't think it would have happened :(

[torilaa]

So, I don’t really like talking about in-real-life stuff since...I’m not a fan of social media and I have trust issues cause of it but I reallly have to get something off my chest for once (and maybe I’m a bit tipsy lol)

At-Will employment is stupid my god. They let off five people without warning and...while that doesn’t sound like a lot, I work at a small company and I know them. It becomes a bit personal. They suffered for the company owner’s mistakes. That is cowardly. These people don’t care about you even if they pretend to. Especially if a business owner, like the one I work for, puts their ego first!!! They blamed covid when...covid doesn’t affect our jobs (we work from home). The economy is bad at the moment, sure, but instead of spreading out and playing it safe, the company owner chose to focus and sell only ONE product. Why? Cause it’s pricer. Well, guess what genius, everyone else is poor too at the moment. That’s putting all of your eggs in one basket for real. It’s like Apple deciding to only sell the most expensive option. I don’t have a business major but even I know that’s stupid.

My advice if you do live in an At-Will state - don’t get comfortable. If your company is incompetent (like mine) they cut the “lesser” people first. Even though I think they were important. And, honestly, it’s bad business to do that - now everyone is fucking paranoid and looking over their shoulders. Morale is down. Cause who’s next? It’s just a shitty thing to do. And idiotic.

Yeah, TLDR, rant makes no sense, watch out for yourself, don’t trust no one at your job even if you’re “like family”, don’t be afraid to cut your losses, and I’m looking for another job on the sly......yay. SIGH. 

[torilaa]

So, I don’t hide the fact that I dislike the Revan novel. I’ve tried to read it for fic research but...I’m using it as a guide on what not to do. I can’t even get past the first few chapters anymore. There are just so many things that make no sense when it concerns Revan’s character (and other characters). If you do like the book, it’s alright - it’s just fiction after all. I’ve noticed that a lot of people in the Star Wars fandom are very reactionary against others with different opinions and I try not to be that person. For that reason, I’ve put all of the reasons why I do not like the novel’s version of Revan under the line if you don’t want to hear a sarcastic rant:

The author, Karpyshyn, made Revan "both light and dark”….ugh. No. Force alignment is a literal alignment. Having “both” suggests Revan is on both ends of the spectrum AT ALL TIMES which…is not possible (without time travel or parallel universes or Doctor Who...man I want a good Doctor Who/KOTOR fic now...sorry what was I saying?). This whole “Revan is both light and dark” thing also created that whole “split personality” in the MMO which...yeah I thought that was dumb.

He could be a gray Jedi I suppose, but there are still problems with that considering how the novel characterizes Revan. He’s mega powerful. Lightning shooting out of hands, burning people to a crisp...sounds like a Sith to me (even though he says he is “the light”). He isn’t a gray Jedi if he can use Force lightning. My understand is that “gray” Jedi are considered weak compared to pure Jedi and pure Sith. Why? Because gray Jedi can’t use light-side or dark-side powers to the fullest extent. The moment they can, they aren’t gray anymore. So, no Force lightning.��

When Revan’s memories returned, instead of having some deeply emotional reaction to it, he goes, “btw, Meetra, I was brainwashed by the Sith Emperor. That’s why I was evil, ‘mkay?” Because Revan falling because he wanted to save the galaxy the “quick and easy” way would be way too interesting and relatable. And sure, Revan breaks out of the brainwash (while Malak didn’t)...but now we have a character reacting to what happens to him instead of being a proactive protagonist. Now this Revan didn’t make the decision to start using the dark side for his own ends during the war, he started to fall because of the Sith Emperor. I would have loved this brainwash plotline if it was a red herring - if Revan believed he’d been brainwashed by the Emperor. Cause anyone would grasp at anything to explain why they went evil, wouldn’t they? But surprise, he learns that he chose that path out of his own free will. 

Speaking of free will, Revan does NOT think what the Council did to him was shady in any way. He “deserved” it. No bitch. No one deserves that. Not even my worst enemy. He has a right to be put off by it. But nope, blank slate, he’s a Jedi Master now(?) and wants to be. I’m sorry, but Revan is not a good Jedi...at least not good enough to be a Master.

This Revan has very little personality (except around Canderous funnily enough which I do find their scenes hilarious). You would think if his memories were slowly coming back he’d lose the “blank slate” features from the first game. Oh, I forgot, apparently, the writer didn’t play KOTOR 2 so he didn’t know Revan actually had a personality.

Oh, wait, silly me. He does have opinions. About...

He cares about marriage for Jedi cause I guess he needs vows in order to be in love with Bastila? Roll my freaking eyes. Also, priorities. If he wanted to marry Bastila, they would literally just pull a Bindo. It’s not a cause I see Revan bothering with when I highly doubt he’d care about actually being a Jedi in the first place.

WHY did Karp make Revan so old? 38?? Lol not that 38 is old old but it makes his relationship with Bastila a bit weird. Thanks for that. Did Karp forget how old Bastila was? He didn’t technically write her character so that would make sense (yeah, I’m side eyeing him now...). When I first played kotor, I placed Revan between the ages of 28-32 and Bastila around 20-23. Yah know, ages that would make sense?

Revan stayed on Coruscant. Why? I can see there being reasons, but the novel doesn’t give good ones. Err yeah, the whole “he can blend in with a crowd” excuse Revan gives because of a beard isn’t believable to me. They have the holonet??? People would likely try to have him assassinated for, I don’t know, being the dark lord of the Sith? Like imagine a dictator was “rehabilitated” and let out in New York or something. I think MORE people would stalk/recognize him there than on some backwater planet even years later. Also...why did the Jedi tell people that Revan was alive? That seemed...a bit dumb of them. I always imagined it was leaked by someone who discovered the truth a year or so later (and had a grudge) and not revealed to the public immediately. Everyone isn’t as forgiving as the Jedi and the Jedi would know this. Because they aren’t stupid (I think). 

Also, wouldn’t it be more interesting if Revan had to deal with the masses opinions about him? Like...I seriously doubt a court would throw out a war criminal case in our world because the defense had “amnesia.” Yes, the prosecutor could possibly use this to help with the sentencing...yet they still committed war crimes. They still would be “punished.” Maybe not with the death penalty...but they would be punished.

No? They aren’t addressing this highly interesting political conundrum? Alright... 

Also, where is HK? Carth? Juhani? Kreia is never mentioned too... Actually, only Revan, Bastila, Canderous, the Exile, and T3 (for some reason) matter here. How strange...

Finally, and most importantly, I think it was a huge mistake to make any choices the player makes in KOTOR “canon.” Why? Because KOTOR was based on D&D and in D&D the player makes the characters (based on given parameters like classes). Why would I bother making different Revans when the game master, at the very end, says “oh, nope actually your character was not what I had in mind. This is what actually happened.” It defeats the purpose of a role playing game. It would suck even more if the game master didn’t know how to make a good character (cough cough).

So, yeah, there are probably more reasons... 

Honestly, it would be easy to blame Karp for this. I blame it on the MMO Revan expansion and Lucasfilm. This book feels like it had to check stuff off a corporate list for the express purpose to put Revan in the MMO. I doubt this book would have been written if the expansion didn’t need some wild explanation for Revan to appear hundreds of years later to start a cult. I doubt even the best writer would have conjured up something to explain that....