#trope wars

[wintersrealm]

LawLight Polls - Opening January 25, 2024

Please note: this is the starting of the new poll thread. This can be considered a repost of the final re-blog on the initial Lawlight Polls thread. [With additional information at the bottom]

After facing several blockades, I am happy to announce that we are FINALLY KICKING OFF - and things are going to look different.

There will be ONE work vs. work to start off the polls.

The Longfic Lawlight MVPs

The Sweet Taste of Silver by LumiOlivier (Tumblr: @lumiolivierlithium) vs. Passengers by Pyreneese (Tumblr: @pyreneese)

Poll Open Date: January 25, 2024

Special Hashtag: #WintersLawlightBible

Thank you both for interacting/agreeing to participate! Both of your works were fantastic and deserve all the recognition in the world.

Additional big thank you to all authors who replied. I was going to try to find a way to include each other who gave permission/interacted a work vs. work poll - but INSTEAD, I will just be ensuring that they are showcased in the polls yet to come.

As a general reminder, don't be a dick. Fanfiction author's work for free. Read them, give them some love, they are both amazing stories and deserve all the praise in the world.

Read below: Future Poll Introduction/questions that no one asked, but I'm answering anyway

What will the polls look like in the future?

I have changed the format so that the polls will focus on Lawlight tropes. Each poll will have my own recommended Fan Fics in that category, and I will invite others to showcase any stories that they recommend in either of the tropes.

For example:

Politician Light vs. Detective Light

L played a character to trick Light vs. L is exactly the unkempt genius he portrays himself to be

Yotsuba Arc vs. Alternate Universe

This way we can include short fics and longfics all in one. It doesn't require me to have to review and search for tropes in each story (as long as I know the ones that I've read myself) (this is so I don't get overworked again and die).

***To avoid any possibility of thinking that the polls are merely a circular way of comparing two specific works, my own suggestions will always include as many as possible. They are to be used as reference, not as a "one or the other". ***

This was, in my opinion, the best way to respect the majority of author's works and wishes.

From my experience of myself and speaking to other fanfic author's, the idea of people talking about and recommending their fanfic is awesome, but the idea of using it as a competition is unnecessary stress or possible other ick feelings.

From hereforth, I will do my best to have as many discussions and recommendations about Lawlight fic as possible in ways that makes everyone as happy as possible!

How will my fanfic recommendations be included in the polls?

This may change around. When I first had the idea, I wanted to make an indexed list. - obviously when you go on A03 there are tropes and you are able to look things up yourself. However, I wanted to make an index that would help with the themes we might have a hard time explaining.

Such as, "L is playing a part vs. L is actually the weirdo he is as displayed in the show".

All this to say, I want to save them and make record of them, but I don't know how well an actual indexed concept would work. So then - I introduce - HELLO IT WILL BE A MESS BUT I WILL SHOWCASE THEM TO MY BEST ABILITIES.

For each trope, any recommended Fanfictions that came in, they will all be shared along with the final poll Re-Blog.

This will be lined up fairly simple. Trope 1: [List underneath] Trope 2: [List underneath]

What is even the point of your recommendations if others are expected to also share their favourites in that trope?

*huff*. Well - my recommendations will be up there for the polling period in hopes to get the gears rolling.

I feel like after all of this work and reading if I didn't share some of my favourites it would be weird.

I'm an author and I want to recommend my Lawlight fan fiction to be included?

THIS IS IMPORTANT TO ME.

If you are an author and you want your work showcased in ANY of the polls, just reblog this post, or make a post and tag me in it (with the WintersLawlightBible hashtag) saying that you wrote a fanfic and include the link. As long as it is A03, I will read it and include it into as many themes as I find possible.

(Also, if you shared it, and was like - actually, my story also fits in this theme too, but you seemed to miss it. Let me know and I'll add it again.)

I want this event to be something that helps A03 authors.

What can I do to make this work better so everyone can see the most fanfictions as possible?

Leave Kudos and kind comments on the authors works.

Respond/Re-blog with any suggested tropes you may have.

Closing Thoughts

I am excited to start moving forward, hopefully we can turn this stress case of a project into something fun!

I am already working on scheduling the next polls and compiling the proper recommendation lists.

I won't have a set schedule because a roller coaster has less ups and downs than I do - but I will aim to do around one a month.

WOOOT LET'S DO THIS.

[the-overanalyst]

it's always so fascinating and heartbreaking when a character in a story is simultaneously idolized and abused. a chosen prophet destined for martyrdom. a child prodigy forced to grow up too fast. a powerful warrior raised as nothing but a weapon. there's just something so uniquely messed up about singing someone's praises whilst destroying them.

[let-them-fight]

can we stop doing this trope

[galactic-rhea]

Ah yes, the "evil" family.

I thought it would be even more funny if it was Luke, of all people, the one who wanted to watch Bloodbath in the Black Moon of the Dragon System.

First || Next

[a-compass-without-a-needle]

This is what happened after 3.1 isn't it?

[the-black-paladin]

Kenobi series where everything is the same except Cody is there helping Obi-Wan cause he just happened to show up after Bail called. They have to think of a cover story which goes smth like:

Obi-Wan: “We need a cover story. We’re farmers from Tawl, you’re my brother and we’re looking for our niece who was kidnapped.”

Cody: “That would never work, we look nothing alike.”

Obi-Wan: “Do you have a better idea?”

Cody: “Yes, we are parents looking for our lost daughter. Much more believable.”

Obi-Wan: “We’re married?”

Cody: “We’re married. Now start acting like it, my love.”

[kindaorangey]

dads will literally have a revelation about how poorly they've treated you and then die in a magical act of self-sacrifice just to give themselves the most complicated legacy and you the most inscrutable daddy issues in the world

[foxika]

please support your brothers properly; dangling legs makes them feel insecure

[beskarfrog]

diplomacy

[eggdrawsthings]

my old brainrot meeting my new one :3

[kongatom]

JACK & JOKER (2024) episode 07.

[renstardust]

Two months.

It had been exactly two months since you fled the First Order, leaving behind your life as Apprentice beneath Commander Ren.

You left without any trace or explanation. Ren assumed you left because you didn’t think anyone would care; that they could track down another dark side loving Force-user with ease. He worried that maybe, you thought you were disposable.

It’s not like the lingering glances or touches between you and your Master meant anything anyway — it was all just business. Neither of you had time for feelings or any of that soft shit.

He assumed you’d think he wouldn’t care if you left. That if anything, he’d probably be relieved. That he could find someone older, stronger, more serious about being in one of the most sought after positions in the galaxy.

Kylo was losing his fucking mind, actually.

The worst part was that he could feel you. Everywhere. Not just in the Force signature you’d left behind that lingered in the cold, metal hallways of the Supremacy, or in your former quarters (the same quarters he now only visits once a day, sometimes twice), but he could feel you, out there, running about.

Driving him utterly insane.

He replayed every little conversation in his head, every moment you’d spent together: training sessions, meditations, meal times, quiet moments in cockpits during missions. Trying to piece together every memory, trying to figure out exactly when and how he screwed up.

What he did — or didn’t do — to keep you.

Losing you made Kylo realize how deeply he actually felt about you. The sound of your voice that he felt soothed by, the way your black clothes hugged your body in a manner that would make his pants feel uncomfortably tight, how graceful and calculative your combat skills looked, both in training and actual fights.

He missed the warmth of your scent. The softness of your hair. Those beautiful fucking eyes. Your little quirks, your sense of humor, your confidence, your occasional stubbornness, your persistence.

Gods, he missed you. You haunted his dreams, interrupted his meditation sessions, caused a tightness in his chest that hasn’t disappeared since the day you were suddenly gone.

As if you were never here to begin with.

Kylo’s lip trembled, tears pricking at his hazel eyes as he sat in his quarters after a particularly rough day of training with the Knights. He shook his head, shoving his feelings aside, including the everlasting urge to go sit in your old quarters across the hall and try to smell the barely-there scent of your perfume. He still hasn’t let the cleaning droids come near that room.

Was he….grieving you?

Should he go looking for you? Maybe he could coax you back-

“Why is everyone being a dick to me today?”

Your voice suddenly filled his quarters, pulling him from his daze, the metal door sliding shut behind you. Kylo blinked, tense as ever, quickly rising from his seat and adjusting himself. His eyes were wide, eyebrows furrowed, lips parted.

“I get it, I took a little leave to visit my family, but I really needed it, and I’m glad I did it. Two months without my datapad was really refreshing too. It’s not my fault everyone else here is married to their job.”

Kylo cleared his throat, confused as all hell.

“Apprentice-“

“Especially Hux! He looked at me like I was a ghost. I get that we aren’t on the greatest terms, but he could’ve at least acknowledged me with a nicety.”

“APPRENTICE.”

Your lips snapped shut, eyes widening at your Master’s stern, husky voice. The extra deep version that you only heard when he was at his breaking point.

“What, Kylo?”

“Where the hell have you been?”

“…On vacation? I sent everyone notice like three weeks before I left. And the night before…?”

“Nobody knew you went on vacation.”

“But Officer Mitaka told me to have fun before I left.”

A beat of silence. A creak of leather in Kylo’s gloved hands, now squeezing into big fists. Tight, trembling fists.

“Which database did you forward the notice to?”

You raised an eyebrow. “Eleven. I usually message in eleven.”

“Highest ranking officials message in database thirteen, Apprentice.”

Your pupils dilate, lips parting. “Fuck, is that why none of you guys reacted to the pictures I sent?”

Kylo didn’t know whether he wanted to kill you, or take you right then and there. Irritation and relief pulsed through his body simultaneously as he took in slow breaths of frustration. He was fucking pissed.

And so, so fucking happy.

You were here.

You never really left.

Kylo pulled his lips into his mouth, eyes darkening before he responded. “Medbay. Now. Let’s go.”

“Why?”

“I’m getting you tagged, Apprentice.”

[human-rocket]

“The locals say these Star Showers only occur once a year. They’re quite beautiful..”

“Yes, Master. Beautiful.”

[nittroy]

When space whale design so good you can't just steal it to your own cosmoopera story so you have to draw your first fanart in years and revive your tumblr art blog to post it

[other version and image description under the cut!]

Ezra version ♡

[ID: A horizontal artwork showing Exra Bridger from season 2 of Star Wars: Rebels and the group of space whales, Purgil. The purgil are floating in space and one of them, closest to the viewing point, is positioned so that its eye coincides with one of Ezra's eyes. Their eyes are shining teal blue. Ezra is depicted in a somewhat abstract way, he stands waist high and the space behind him, but behind the whales.

In the second version of the image, Ezra is in the foreground, while the Purgil is only in the background. He is standing and holding his lightsaber, looking somewhat lost in thought. ]

[noperopesaredope]

I already wrote a similar posts on how fics of this nature annoy me, but I would like to push it further by saying that while I am fine reading it, I feel kind of weird about fics where the clones like Cody are constantly taking care of and basically babysitting their Jedi General or acting as a major emotional pillar for them.

I think the reason it makes me so uncomfortable is that not only are the clones already going through their own extremely horrific shit, but the Jedi are their superior officers and have a lot more systemic power over them. I will never stop saying that the clones are slaves, and while I don't see the Jedi as being their enslavers, I do think that they are essentially in a "master" position of power whether they like it or not. So it feels weird when the Jedi are more dependent on the clones and the clones need to basically take care of them and are always needing to look after them.

I'm a half-black American who is very passionate about African American history and anti-black systemic issues. And I can't help but be reminded of the tropes involving black characters whose are constantly forced into what is basically a caretaker role for white characters. Think of the Mammy, or the Black Best Friend, or the Magical Negro. The clones are already oppressed, already marginalized, and already forced to constantly back up and support the Jedi in charge of them. And then they are forced to be their Jedi's babysitter on top of all that.

Helping their Jedi out and generally caring about their wellbeing on places like the battlefield? Yes, that can be very sweet and often involves a lot of emotional care and trust.

Needing to force their Jedi to take care of themselves even off the battlefield and having a whole system/thing about how the Jedi "never take care of themselves and simply need the clones in order to do basic self care and not overwork themselves all the time while being oh so self-sacrificial"? Slightly weird and honestly seems to be the other way around based on both canon scenes and their respective circumstances.

I feel like perhaps part of this is just a general desire for angst and classic whump tropes, and sometimes it seems to be used as a way to showcase, "see! The Jedi do care about their troopers!" It seems like an example of the Jedi taking on the caretaker position and being the ones to protect the clones. But it almost always ends up resulting in the clones being forced into a support/caretaker role even when it seems like the Jedi is playing the role of caretaker.

Now, I don't think fics that follow this overall concept are super problematic or whatever. I also think some dynamics like this can work, such as with the Padawans and the clones (though that is for very specific reasons). I really don't want to spread too much negativity or say that anyone who writes this stuff is automatically racist or whatever. It's more of a personal discomfort/distaste than anything and people can write whatever they want, especially since I know the intent behind these tropes are often sweet in nature.

But I do think it's good for us to reflect on the parallels the clones have to real life issues and the way certain harmful tropes and mindsets can be perpetuated through metaphorical allegories (whether intentional or unintentional), and discuss the way we as a fandom treat the power dynamics between the clones and Jedi, especially in regards to things like shipping.

I don't know if I'm making any sense, but please tell me what you think, especially since I think it would be a good thing to talk about.

[changedsunlight]

"boohoo obi wan was such a stickler as a padawan he was all by the books and wouldn't break a rule to save his life"

my brother in christ. he was the worst one out of his entire lineage. he just learnt to poker face. man stayed behind on child soldier planet as a kid because he told qui gon to fuck off. he has never followed any rule but his own, he just knew how to lie. and also to be a bit more refined about it than his master and padawan