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The Aesthetic Disparity of Padmé Amidala’s Dresses in the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy Part 1

The Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, directed by George Lucas, introduced audiences to an era of galactic grandeur and political intrigue, particularly through the character of Padmé Amidala. As the Queen of Naboo and later a senator, Padmé's wardrobe features elaborate, highly stylized outfits that, while visually striking, appear out of place within the broader aesthetic of the Star Wars universe. This essay explores why her costumes often seem ridiculous in context, particularly when compared to other characters, including those of her own background and social standing.

Overly Extravagant Designs in a Practical Universe

One of the defining characteristics of Star Wars is its lived-in, functional aesthetic. The Original Trilogy, in particular, set a precedent for a universe where costumes reflect the personalities, professions, and environments of characters. Even in the Prequel Trilogy, most characters—such as Jedi, senators, and military officers—wear practical and culturally cohesive attire. In contrast, Padmé’s wardrobe consists of excessively elaborate gowns, towering headpieces, and layers of unnecessary ornamentation.

Take, for example, her regal outfits in The Phantom Menace. While it is understandable that Naboo royalty would dress formally, her queenly attire pushes beyond the realm of believable ceremonial fashion. Her red gown with a built-in lighting system and her massive, stiff collars seem impractical for anything other than standing still. The sheer impracticality of such clothing raises questions about whether these designs prioritize function or merely aim for spectacle.

Lack of Consistency with Naboo Culture

While Naboo is depicted as an artistic and refined society, Padmé’s dresses appear exaggerated even in comparison to other Naboo figures. Her handmaidens, who are meant to blend in with her as decoys, wear relatively simple, flowing robes, suggesting that Naboo fashion favors elegance over excess. Likewise, the Naboo military and politicians, such as Governor Sio Bibble, wear structured, yet reasonable clothing that aligns with their roles. Padmé’s outlandish ensembles seem disconnected from this aesthetic, as if she belongs to a completely different culture.

Moreover, when Padmé transitions from queen to senator in Attack of the Clones, one might expect her wardrobe to shift toward the more understated robes worn by other senators, such as Bail Organa or Mon Mothma in the Original Trilogy. Instead, she continues wearing elaborate dresses, sometimes more suited to a high-fashion runway than a political chamber. Her rainbow-colored lake dress and backless corset outfit are particularly jarring, as they bear little resemblance to anything worn by her fellow politicians.

Unfitting for Her Character and Role

Padmé’s character is depicted as a strong-willed leader, diplomat, and warrior when necessary. However, her wardrobe often contradicts this image. Compared to Leia Organa, her daughter in the Original Trilogy, Padmé's extravagant clothing makes her seem passive and ornamental rather than active and commanding. Leia’s outfits—ranging from her practical combat gear on Hoth to her simple yet regal white gowns—enhance her role as a leader and fighter. Padmé, on the other hand, is frequently weighed down by heavy fabrics and impractical designs that do not suit her dynamic personality.

Even within the Prequel Trilogy, Padmé sometimes dons more functional attire, such as her Geonosis battle outfit in Attack of the Clones. These outfits feel far more appropriate for her character, proving that when her costumes align with the rest of the Star Wars aesthetic, she appears more natural within the universe. Unfortunately, these moments are rare, and the majority of her wardrobe consists of ostentatious dresses that contrast with the otherwise grounded world around her.

Inconsistent with the Overall Theme of Star Wars

The Star Wars franchise is known for its universal themes of heroism, struggle, and rebellion. The characters of Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, for instance, are defined by their personal journeys, with their clothing choices supporting their respective roles. Anakin's gradual shift from Jedi to Sith is reflected in the change of his clothing—his robes growing darker, his armor becoming more menacing. Similarly, Obi-Wan’s traditional Jedi robes and simple attire underscore his wisdom, humility, and connection to the Force.

Padmé’s outfits, on the other hand, are more ornamental than reflective of any internal conflict or journey. The clothes are not a visual cue for her development but a distraction. Rather than showcasing her growth from a youthful queen to a determined senator, her fashion makes it appear as though she is constantly playing a role rather than evolving. The outfits also do not align with the rebellion and strife occurring throughout the galaxy. Where other characters are suffering or fighting for survival, Padmé appears to be a symbol of wealth, privilege, and a bygone era—an odd stance for someone deeply involved in the fight for democracy.

Conclusion

Padmé Amidala’s costumes in the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, while visually striking, often appear ridiculous and out of place when compared to the rest of the universe. Their excessive ornamentation contradicts the practical and cohesive designs of most other characters, including those from her own culture and political sphere. Instead of reinforcing her role as a capable leader, her wardrobe frequently reduces her to a decorative figure, undermining her character’s intended strength and agency. While Star Wars is a space fantasy that embraces stylistic variety, Padmé’s outfits push the boundaries too far, making her appear disconnected from the world she inhabits.

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Bella’s Selfish Investment in Jacob and Renesmee’s Relationship

In Twilight, Bella Swan’s acceptance of Jacob Black imprinting on her newborn daughter, Renesmee, is often presented as a result of her trust in Jacob and her belief in the supernatural mechanics of imprinting. However, a deeper analysis of her motivations reveals a more self-serving reason: Bella gets to have everything she wants without making any sacrifices. She chooses Edward and the immortal life of a vampire while still keeping Jacob, her "best friend," tethered to her life and family. Her willingness to embrace the imprinting bond is less about what is best for Renesmee and more about preserving her own perfect reality.

Jacob as Bella’s Emotional Security Blanket

Throughout the series, Bella struggles with the choice between Edward and Jacob. While her romantic love for Edward ultimately wins, she still harbors a deep emotional attachment to Jacob. When she chooses Edward, she knows it causes Jacob immense pain, which in turn makes her feel guilty. Jacob imprinting on Renesmee provides her with an instant resolution to this dilemma—he is now bound to her family forever, but in a way that removes the romantic conflict. This means Bella can keep Jacob close without feeling guilty for breaking his heart. She never truly has to let him go, making imprinting an incredibly convenient solution for her emotional struggle.

The Illusion of a “Perfect Family”

Bella has always wanted Jacob to be a part of her family, and imprinting makes this a reality. She directly admits to wanting Jacob in her life permanently, even imagining a scenario in which he was her cousin or brother. When Jacob imprints on Renesmee, it cements his role in her life in a way that does not threaten her relationship with Edward. For Bella, this is the best of both worlds: she gets her soulmate, and she also gets to keep her best friend as part of her new vampire existence.

This arrangement creates an illusion of a perfect family dynamic, where past heartbreaks and conflicts are erased. However, this vision depends entirely on Renesmee reciprocating Jacob’s imprint-induced feelings when she comes of age. If she were to reject Jacob, it would disrupt Bella’s carefully maintained fantasy of unity and harmony.

Why Renesmee’s Rejection of Jacob Would Shatter Bella’s Illusion

If Renesmee were to reject Jacob, Bella would be forced to confront the uncomfortable truth that imprinting does not guarantee happiness. This would mean that Jacob’s lifelong devotion was not a perfect solution after all, and it would also bring back Bella’s unresolved guilt about the pain she caused him. If Renesmee does not fulfill her supposed destiny by loving Jacob in return, Bella’s carefully maintained illusion of a happy, conflict-free family would crumble.

Additionally, Bella’s acceptance of imprinting hinges on the idea that it is an inescapable fate. If Renesmee were to exercise agency and refuse the bond, it would challenge the very foundation of Bella’s justification for Jacob’s role in her life. She would have to admit that she enabled a potentially harmful dynamic rather than a predestined romance, which would make her complicit in Jacob’s suffering rather than a passive bystander.

Bella’s Subconscious Investment in Jacob’s Happiness

At her core, Bella wants to feel absolved of the guilt she carries over choosing Edward and rejecting Jacob. If Renesmee accepts Jacob as her partner, it means that Bella’s decision did not ultimately hurt Jacob in the long run—it would mean that everything worked out "as it was supposed to." Her investment in their relationship succeeding is not purely about what is best for her daughter but about what makes her feel better about herself.

By securing Jacob within her family, she removes any lingering sense of regret, allowing herself to believe that she never truly lost him—he just took on a different role. This subconscious investment is what makes it crucial for her that Renesmee and Jacob end up together. If they do not, it disrupts the narrative she has built for herself, one in which no one really loses, and all choices lead to a happy ending.

Conclusion

Bella’s acceptance of Jacob imprinting on Renesmee is not just about trusting the supernatural process—it is about securing her own ideal reality. By ensuring Jacob remains in her life without romantic complications, she gets to have it all: her eternal love with Edward and the continued presence of her best friend. However, this vision depends entirely on Renesmee conforming to expectations. If she were to reject Jacob, Bella would have to face the fact that imprinting does not erase past pain and that her perfect family was built on a fragile foundation. Her support for their relationship is, at its core, a means of self-preservation—allowing her to avoid confronting her guilt while maintaining the illusion that no one ever truly got hurt.

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My issues with imprinting part 6

The Social Pressure and Guilt Imprintees Face in Twilight

The Twilight series presents imprinting as an unbreakable, fated bond that guarantees the ultimate happiness of both the werewolf and the person they imprint on. However, this supernatural mechanism introduces profound ethical and psychological concerns for the imprintees, particularly regarding the immense pressure they may feel to reciprocate feelings they never consented to. While defenders argue that imprintees are free to make their own choices, the reality of imprinting makes such freedom nearly impossible due to social expectations, emotional guilt, and the deeply ingrained power imbalances between the imprinter and the imprintee.

The Burden of an Imprinter’s Devotion

Imprinting binds a werewolf to another person in a way that makes them utterly devoted, unable to love anyone else, and entirely centered around their imprintee’s happiness. This intense, all-encompassing attachment puts significant emotional pressure on the imprintee, as rejecting or failing to reciprocate such devotion would cause their imprinter immense emotional and even physical distress.

For the imprintee, especially someone like Renesmee or Claire who were imprinted on as children, this creates a suffocating dilemma. They grow up knowing that someone’s entire existence revolves around them, that their well-being is entirely dependent on their happiness. If they ever develop romantic feelings for someone else or simply do not wish to pursue a relationship with their imprinter, they are forced to weigh their own happiness against the pain of another who has no choice but to love them.

The Role of Social Expectations

Beyond the imprinter’s emotional suffering, the imprintee must also contend with the expectations of those around them. The Quileute community and the Cullen family are shown to accept imprinting as an unavoidable and even desirable phenomenon. In this environment, rejecting an imprinter may not just be seen as an individual choice but as an act of cruelty or ingratitude.

Since the entire community views imprinting as sacred and necessary for the happiness of the werewolves, an imprintee who refuses the bond could face significant social backlash. They may be seen as selfish, heartless, or incapable of appreciating the sacrifice their imprinter has made for them. This is particularly troubling in cases where the imprintee has been raised in an environment where imprinting is considered an unchangeable destiny, making resistance seem futile or even wrong.

The Problematic Transition from Guardian to Romantic Partner

The most disturbing aspect of imprinting is how it blurs the lines between familial and romantic relationships. Many imprintees, such as Renesmee and Claire, are imprinted on as infants or young children. During their formative years, their imprinter often assumes a parental, sibling, or protector role. They see their imprinter as a big brother, uncle, or father figure—someone who nurtures, cares for, and guides them as they grow.

Then, upon reaching maturity, the expectation suddenly shifts: what was once a purely protective, familial relationship is supposed to evolve into a romantic and sexual one. This transition is not only unnatural but also psychologically distressing. The imprintee must suddenly reframe their relationship with someone they have known and trusted as a guardian into something romantic, even if they have never seen them in such a way.

In real-world terms, this parallels deeply concerning dynamics seen in grooming, where an authority figure cultivates a close, dependent relationship with a child and later transitions it into something romantic or sexual. Even if the imprintee is legally of age when this shift occurs, the psychological impact of being conditioned into such a relationship over the years cannot be ignored.

The Inescapability of Imprinting

Unlike normal relationships, where both parties can fall in and out of love organically, imprinting is a binding force. The imprinter cannot develop feelings for anyone else, nor can they move on if their imprintee rejects them. This means that the imprintee knows, from an early age, that their rejection would leave their imprinter in a state of permanent emotional limbo.

This situation creates an overwhelming sense of duty in the imprintee. They may feel obligated to return their imprinter’s feelings, not because they genuinely reciprocate them, but because refusing would make them the cause of someone else’s suffering. In essence, the imprintee is stripped of the ability to make an independent choice about love, as any decision that does not conform to the expectations of imprinting comes with severe emotional consequences.

Conclusion

While Twilight attempts to depict imprinting as a beautiful and destined form of love, the reality for the imprintees is far more troubling. The weight of an imprinter’s unconditional devotion, combined with the expectations of their community and the transition from familial to romantic relationships, creates a dynamic riddled with psychological coercion. The imprintee is never truly free to choose, as rejecting their imprinter means hurting someone whose entire existence has been shaped around them. This is not a fairytale romance—it is an inescapable obligation that denies imprintees the right to love on their own terms.

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The Disturbing Ethical Issues of Jacob and Edward’s Actions in Breaking Dawn

The Twilight series, despite its popularity, contains numerous problematic elements, especially regarding the treatment of Bella and Renesmee. Beyond the unsettling concept of imprinting, a particularly disturbing aspect of Breaking Dawn is how Jacob initially wanted to kill Renesmee and only stopped because he imprinted on her at the last moment. Additionally, Edward’s actions during Bella’s pregnancy raise serious ethical concerns, as he actively sought Jacob’s help in persuading Bella to have an abortion under manipulative pretenses. This essay will explore these unsettling themes and their implications regarding autonomy, consent, and morality.

1. Jacob’s Initial Desire to Kill Renesmee

Jacob Black, once deeply in love with Bella, views Renesmee as an abomination before he imprints on her. He initially sees her as a monster that is responsible for Bella’s suffering and assumes she must be destroyed. His abrupt reversal—shifting from wanting her dead to becoming her eternal protector and future romantic partner—happens purely because of imprinting, not because he naturally develops a paternal or protective instinct. This transition suggests that Jacob’s emotions are not based on free will but rather on supernatural coercion, which raises severe ethical concerns. It also means that, had the imprinting not occurred, he would have gone through with murdering an innocent child simply because of his preconceived biases.

2. Edward’s Manipulative Plan Behind Bella’s Back

During Bella’s pregnancy, Edward is desperate to save her life as the half-vampire fetus is draining her from within. Rather than supporting Bella in making her own decisions, he approaches Jacob with a proposition that is both disturbing and unethical: he suggests that Jacob convince Bella to abort Renesmee so that she can later conceive Jacob’s biological children instead. This means Edward is essentially offering his wife’s body as a surrogate womb for another man’s offspring without her initial knowledge or consent. The idea that two men are conspiring to decide the fate of a woman’s body without her involvement reinforces deeply problematic themes of patriarchal control.

3. The Lack of Bella’s Agency

Bella, throughout much of the series, struggles to exert control over her own body and choices. In Breaking Dawn, her pregnancy becomes a battleground where the men around her—especially Edward and Jacob—try to dictate her decisions. Edward, who has always prided himself on his supposed love for Bella, bypasses her autonomy by seeking Jacob’s influence to persuade her into terminating the pregnancy. This highlights a deeply unsettling dynamic where Bella’s own husband does not trust her to make her own choices. That he even considers offering her as a mother for Jacob’s children demonstrates a lack of respect for her bodily autonomy and personal agency.

4. The Underlying Themes of Ownership and Control

This entire situation reinforces troubling themes of male ownership over female bodies. Edward, despite loving Bella, treats her pregnancy as a problem that must be solved on his terms, and Jacob—who still harbors feelings for Bella—becomes a participant in this scheme. That they make these decisions in secret, without Bella’s initial knowledge, reflects a broader issue in Twilight: the idea that women’s bodies are subject to male decision-making rather than being fully their own. Even when Bella eventually chooses to keep the baby, it is after an exhausting battle where her will is constantly questioned, rather than a decision that is inherently respected from the start.

Conclusion

While Twilight is often framed as a romance series, it is riddled with deeply problematic ethical concerns. Jacob’s abrupt shift from wanting to kill Renesmee to being bound to her via imprinting strips him of his free will and emphasizes the coercive nature of supernatural destiny. Meanwhile, Edward’s willingness to secretly manipulate Bella’s reproductive choices, even going so far as to suggest that Jacob impregnate her instead, reveals a deeply disturbing perspective on consent and bodily autonomy. These moments highlight how Twilight romanticizes control, coercion, and the idea that male figures should have the final say over a woman’s body—issues that should not be ignored when critically analyzing the series.

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Both Edward and Jacob are as bad as each other

The Toxicity of Edward and Jacob as Partners and Parents in Twilight

The Twilight series presents Edward Cullen and Jacob Black as romantic heroes, yet a closer examination of their relationships with Bella Swan and Renesmee Cullen reveals deeply toxic behaviors. Edward is emotionally manipulative and controlling in his relationship with Bella, while Jacob uses emotional blackmail and coercion to assert his influence over her. Additionally, Jacob's imprinting on Renesmee raises serious concerns about future emotional manipulation, and Edward's parental approach to Renesmee reveals a troubling lack of prioritization for her well-being. This essay will explore these dynamics in four sections.

1. Edward and Bella’s Relationship: A Study in Manipulation and Control

Edward Cullen’s relationship with Bella is riddled with emotional manipulation, gaslighting, and control disguised as protection. One of the most blatant examples of this is when he sabotages Bella’s autonomy by removing the battery from her truck to prevent her from visiting Jacob, his romantic rival. Instead of allowing Bella to make her own choices, he enforces his will under the guise of ensuring her safety. Even more disturbing is how he conspires with Alice to keep Bella captive in the Cullen home, preventing her from going to La Push by physically restricting her movement.

Edward’s controlling behavior escalates during Bella’s pregnancy. He views the unborn child as a threat to Bella’s life and takes drastic measures, even attempting to enlist his family’s help in physically restraining her to force an abortion. If not for Rosalie intervening as Bella’s protector, Edward’s plan would have been carried out against Bella’s will. His willingness to override Bella’s agency in major life decisions paints a picture of a deeply toxic partner who prioritizes control over mutual respect.

2. Jacob and Bella’s Relationship: Coercion and Assault

While Jacob Black is often framed as the warm, passionate alternative to Edward, his actions towards Bella reveal a pattern of emotional manipulation and coercion. One of the most disturbing examples occurs when he forces an unwanted kiss on her against her will. Bella, rightfully angry, reacts by punching him, but this incident is ultimately brushed off as playful rather than being addressed as sexual assault. Jacob also uses emotional blackmail to manipulate Bella into kissing him by threatening suicide if she does not comply. This is a classic abusive tactic that pressures the victim into actions they do not want to take, making Jacob’s behavior highly problematic.

Throughout their interactions, Jacob continually disregards Bella’s boundaries, assuming that he knows what’s best for her even when she explicitly tells him otherwise. His entitlement to Bella’s affections and refusal to respect her choices reinforce the idea that love should be about persistence and force rather than consent and mutual respect.

3. Jacob and Renesmee: A Future of Coercion and Manipulation

Jacob’s imprinting on Renesmee introduces another layer of concern. Although Meyer tries to frame imprinting as an innocent and protective bond, Jacob’s past behavior with Bella suggests that he will eventually attempt to push Renesmee into a romantic relationship whether she wants it or not. Just as he coerced Bella into kissing him and continually pressured her emotionally, it is likely that once Renesmee matures, Jacob will use similar tactics to secure her as his romantic partner.

The idea that Renesmee has no true choice in her relationship with Jacob is deeply unsettling. While the narrative suggests that imprinting ensures happiness, in reality, it removes autonomy. If Renesmee were to reject Jacob’s romantic advances in the future, his past actions suggest that he would guilt or pressure her into compliance. This dynamic sets the stage for a highly manipulative and coercive relationship in adulthood.

4. Edward and Renesmee: A Distant and Conditional Love

Edward’s relationship with Renesmee is flawed from the start. Initially, he views her as a threat to Bella and does not develop affection for her until he realizes that she is not intentionally harming her mother. This means that his love for his daughter is conditional—he only accepts her once he sees that she aligns with his desires.

Furthermore, Edward continuously places Bella above Renesmee in importance. This is painfully evident in a moment when Renesmee, feeling self-conscious about her lack of a vampire-like sparkle, seeks reassurance from her mother. Bella lovingly tells Renesmee that she is still the most beautiful in her eyes, but Edward interjects, stating that he cannot agree. While the statement is left open-ended, it heavily implies that Edward sees Bella as more beautiful than their daughter. This remark, made in front of a child already experiencing insecurity, is both insensitive and damaging to Renesmee’s self-esteem. A good parent prioritizes their child’s emotional well-being, yet Edward’s comment reinforces Renesmee’s feelings of inadequacy rather than comforting her.

Conclusion

Both Edward Cullen and Jacob Black exhibit deeply toxic behaviors as partners and parental figures. Edward’s relationship with Bella is characterized by manipulation, control, and a disregard for her autonomy, while Jacob uses coercion and emotional blackmail to influence her decisions. Jacob’s imprinting on Renesmee suggests that he will continue his manipulative patterns in a future relationship with her, and Edward’s parental approach places Renesmee in a secondary position to Bella, damaging her self-worth. These elements highlight the problematic nature of their characters and challenge the romanticized portrayals that Twilight attempts to present.

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My issues with imprinting part 5

The Dark Side of Imprinting: The Dangerous Power Imprintee Has Over the Imprinter

In Twilight, the concept of imprinting is portrayed as a powerful, irreversible bond between a shapeshifter and a person of the opposite sex, designed to ensure the strongest possible offspring. While defenders argue that imprinting is an act of devotion rather than control, they ignore a deeply troubling implication: the imprintee holds near-total power over the imprinter. Since the imprinter is biologically "brainwashed" into serving the imprintee’s every need and desire, there is virtually nothing stopping an imprintee—whether Renesmee or any other—from misusing this power. This essay explores how the extreme imbalance of control in an imprinting relationship can lead to dangerous consequences, especially if the imprintee is manipulative, immoral, or outright malevolent.

1. Imprinting Strips the Imprinter of Free Will

The most disturbing aspect of imprinting is that it completely overrides the imprinter’s personality, agency, and personal desires. Jacob himself describes the experience as being pulled by an "invisible tether," where the imprintee becomes the center of his universe, and nothing else matters—not his previous romantic attachments, his personal ambitions, or even his moral compass. This means that an imprinter is left in an incredibly vulnerable position where he is forced to prioritize the imprintee’s wants above his own.

The extent of this control is staggering:

The only thing the imprinter can deny the imprintee is leaving her. Everything else—whether she wants affection, companionship, protection, or something more—is automatically granted.

The imprinter cannot fall in love with someone else, nor can he form new attachments that could challenge his devotion to the imprintee. His entire emotional and psychological state is reshaped around this one person.

Since the imprintee can be a literal newborn (as in Renesmee’s case) or a toddler (as in Claire’s case with Quil), this bond does not develop naturally but is imposed instantly by a biological impulse, without regard for personal compatibility or morality.

Since the imprinter is hardwired to be loyal and devoted, it creates a scenario where the imprintee can use this devotion in any way she pleases, with little to no resistance from the imprinter himself.

2. The Imprintee’s Personality Is Not Considered in the Bond

Because imprinting is determined biologically based on genetic compatibility rather than emotional or ethical compatibility, it does not take into account whether the imprintee is a good person or even a decent one. Unlike real-life relationships, where people form bonds based on shared values and mutual respect, imprinting disregards personality altogether. This creates a major issue: what happens if a werewolf imprints on someone who is selfish, cruel, or even outright evil?

Since imprinting does not discriminate between moral character, an imprinter could very well find himself bonded to someone who:

Uses the imprinter’s devotion for personal gain, demanding excessive loyalty, gifts, or obedience.

Encourages or manipulates the imprinter into harmful behavior.

Uses the imprinter as a tool to commit immoral or even criminal acts, knowing that he will not refuse her.

The imprinter is bound to the imprintee no matter what—even if she turns out to be manipulative, abusive, or even dangerous. If she demanded that the imprinter lie, steal, or even commit violence, he would have no real ability to resist, as his entire existence revolves around fulfilling her needs.

3. What If an Imprinter Falls for a Criminal or a Malicious Person?

A particularly horrifying possibility is that a werewolf could imprint on someone who is outright dangerous—perhaps a criminal, an abuser, or someone with violent tendencies. Since imprinting is not based on moral compatibility, there is absolutely nothing stopping a werewolf from imprinting on someone who exploits his devotion in deeply unethical ways.

Imagine a scenario where:

An imprinter falls for a manipulative con artist who exploits him for money and resources.

A criminal imprintee uses her imprinter as a weapon, demanding that he hurt people on her behalf.

An abuser imprintee mistreats her imprinter, knowing he will never leave her and will always forgive her.

Given how imprinting works, the imprinter would be biologically compelled to obey, regardless of how much he might rationally understand that what he is doing is wrong. This creates a scenario where an imprinter could be manipulated into participating in horrifying acts simply because he cannot say no.

4. The Disturbing Case of Renesmee and Claire

Even in Twilight, we see how imprinting ignores the imprintee’s personality and free will. Renesmee, for instance, is a literal blank slate at birth—she has no developed personality, yet Jacob immediately becomes devoted to her, proving that imprinting has nothing to do with emotional connection or personal compatibility.

Claire, another imprintee, is an even worse case. Unlike Renesmee, who at least has supernatural intelligence, Claire is a regular toddler when Quil imprints on her. This means that Quil’s devotion to her is completely independent of anything she says or does. She could grow up to be kind and generous, or she could grow up to be selfish and cruel—either way, Quil is permanently bound to her and will never be able to leave her side.

Since imprinting is a biological impulse rather than a choice, there is no guarantee that the imprintee will be a good person. And because the imprinter is biologically programmed to obey, the potential for abuse in this dynamic is disturbingly high.

5. The Inevitable Romantic and Sexual Element

Defenders of imprinting argue that it is innocent because it "starts off" as platonic. However, this ignores the biological purpose of imprinting: reproduction. The fact that imprinting only occurs between opposite-sex individuals proves that it is designed for one purpose—breeding the strongest offspring. This means that no matter how innocent the bond may seem in the beginning, it is guaranteed to become romantic and sexual once the imprintee is old enough.

This further increases the potential for exploitation, as an imprinter is not only emotionally devoted but will also inevitably become physically devoted to the imprintee. If the imprintee is manipulative or power-hungry, she could use this knowledge to ensure that the imprinter never questions or resists her, even in the most intimate aspects of their relationship.

Conclusion

Imprinting in Twilight is often defended as an act of ultimate devotion, but in reality, it creates a deeply disturbing power imbalance where the imprinter is left utterly vulnerable to the imprintee’s whims. Since imprinting ignores personality and moral compatibility, an imprinter could just as easily fall for a selfish, manipulative, or outright dangerous person as for a kind and loving one. Because the imprinter’s free will is overridden by an uncontrollable biological force, there is nothing stopping an immoral imprintee from exploiting him for personal gain, forcing him into unethical actions, or even abusing him outright.

Furthermore, since imprinting is designed for reproduction, it cannot remain platonic—no matter how it starts, it will always become romantic and sexual. This means that even if an imprinter begins as a protector or friend, he is destined to become a romantic partner, whether the imprintee wants it or not. This creates a dangerous, coercive dynamic where both the imprinter and imprintee are trapped in a relationship with no escape, and the imprintee is given an unparalleled level of control over another human being.

Ultimately, imprinting is not a fairy-tale romance—it is a biological form of enslavement that can easily be twisted into something deeply abusive, particularly if the imprintee is not a good person. And since imprinting does not consider morality or personality, there is nothing stopping a werewolf from imprinting on the wrong person—with devastating consequences.

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My issues with imprinting part 4

The Illusion of Innocence: Why Jacob’s Involuntary Imprinting Doesn’t Make It Less Problematic

One of the most common defenses of Jacob Black´s imprinting in Twilight is the argument that he had no choice in the matter. According to this logic, because imprinting is an instinctual and involuntary process that happens beyond the control of the shapeshifters, Jacob cannot be blamed for his attachment to Renesmee, and therefore, the situation is not morally problematic. However, this argument ignores the deeper ethical issues at play. While it is true that Jacob himself is a victim of imprinting—his autonomy stripped away in favor of Renesmee’s needs—the fact remains that, regardless of his intent or lack of control, he is still an inherently harmful presence in her life. Defending him by saying it is "not his fault" does not change the reality that Renesmee is still subjected to a relationship dynamic that is deeply exploitative and disturbing.

1. Lack of Choice Does Not Erase Harm

The core of the argument hinges on the idea that because Jacob did not choose to imprint on Renesmee, he should not be held accountable for the ethical implications of his attachment to her. However, a lack of choice does not negate the harm done. If anything, it makes the situation even more unsettling, as it creates a relationship dynamic where Renesmee is essentially bound to a man who is biologically compelled to prioritize her over everything else in his life, regardless of what she wants. While Jacob is a victim in his own right, the reality remains that Renesmee—who is a literal newborn at the time of imprinting—is placed in an unavoidable situation where she is expected to eventually develop romantic feelings for a man who has been in her life since infancy.

Additionally, just because Jacob did not consciously choose to imprint does not mean he is free from the responsibility of how he interacts with Renesmee as she grows. A harmful situation does not suddenly become acceptable just because the person causing the harm did not choose to be in that position. The fact remains that Jacob will still experience an eventual shift in feelings from a platonic guardian role to a romantic partner, meaning Renesmee is subjected to a lifelong grooming process whether she consents to it or not.

2. The Power Imbalance and Emotional Bonding Issue

Another major flaw in this defense is that it completely disregards the extreme power imbalance between Jacob and Renesmee. Even if Jacob does not express romantic or sexual interest in Renesmee as a child, the bond he has with her is deeply controlling. His entire existence revolves around her well-being, and since she grows up with this absolute devotion, it becomes a form of conditioning that makes it nearly impossible for her to develop relationships outside of Jacob. No matter what choices she makes in the future, she will always know that Jacob is bound to her in a way that no one else can be. This creates an unhealthy psychological environment where Renesmee is not given the freedom to experience relationships naturally but is instead pushed toward an inevitable outcome.

The defense that Jacob is merely her "protector" until she is older also ignores the long-term implications of such a setup. Because of the way imprinting works, Renesmee will never know a life without Jacob’s presence, and this attachment will likely shape her emotional development in a way that pressures her into a romantic relationship with him later in life. Even if Jacob is not consciously manipulative, the circumstances of imprinting create a scenario where Renesmee is primed for eventual romantic involvement with him.

3. Jacob as a Victim Still Does Not Make Him Safe for Renesmee

It is crucial to acknowledge that Jacob himself is a victim of imprinting, as he has been stripped of his agency and forced into an unbreakable connection against his will. However, just because he suffers does not mean he is not also an agent of harm. In any real-world situation, a person who has been forced into an unhealthy dynamic is still capable of perpetuating that same dynamic onto someone else—especially when the nature of imprinting ensures that Renesmee will always hold the power in their relationship, with Jacob unable to deny her anything except leaving her entirely.

The inherent issue is that Jacob’s suffering does not outweigh the fact that Renesmee is still subjected to a relationship dynamic she never chose. While Jacob did not choose this path, Renesmee didn’t either, and unlike him, she was born into it with no prior life experience. She has no opportunity to make a truly free decision about her relationship with Jacob because she will never know a life where he wasn’t devoted to her. Even though Jacob did not consciously decide to become her lifelong guardian and eventual romantic partner, the end result is the same—Renesmee grows up in a relationship that heavily resembles grooming, where she is guided toward a predetermined romantic fate.

4. The False Moral Justification of Involuntariness

By arguing that Jacob's imprinting is involuntary, his defenders attempt to absolve him of responsibility, but this ignores the fact that Renesmee is the one who will suffer the most in this equation. Regardless of how or why the imprinting happened, she is the one who will grow up with an older male figure whose role in her life will eventually shift to a romantic one. Just because Jacob did not initially desire this does not mean it is not problematic when it inevitably happens. If anything, the "involuntariness" of imprinting makes the entire situation worse, as it removes any possibility of consent from either party. Jacob does not consent to imprinting, and Renesmee certainly does not consent to being imprinted on—yet she will still have to live with the consequences of this supernatural bond for the rest of her life.

In the real world, no court would accept "I didn’t choose to feel this way" as a defense for grooming or coercive relationships. Yet, Jacob´s defenders use this exact reasoning to dismiss concerns about his and Renesmee’s dynamic. The fact that something is beyond a person’s control does not mean it is not harmful, and Jacob's eventual shift from guardian to lover remains disturbing, regardless of whether he initially wanted it or not.

Conclusion

The argument that imprinting is "not Jacob’s fault" is an attempt to sidestep the fundamental issue of consent and agency. While Jacob is indeed a victim of the imprinting process, this does not negate the reality that his relationship with Renesmee will always be fundamentally unhealthy. The claim that Jacob did not choose this path does not change the fact that Renesmee will still experience an unbalanced, coercive relationship dynamic where she is expected to develop romantic feelings for a man who has been attached to her since infancy. Just because Jacob did not choose to be a groomer does not mean that he is not placed in the role of one by the very nature of imprinting. The "involuntary" aspect of imprinting does not make it less problematic—it makes it even worse, as it removes agency from both Jacob and Renesmee while still ensuring a deeply troubling outcome.

[superbrieflightstudentlove]

My issues with imprinting part 3

The Flawed "Old Soul" Defense of Imprinting in Twilight

Another argument that defenders of this narrative often use is that imprinting is not harmful because Renesmee is not a "real child" in the conventional sense. As a half-vampire, she matures mentally and emotionally at an accelerated rate, leading some to claim that she is effectively an "old soul" or a miniature adult in a toddler’s body. However, this defense is deeply flawed, as it overlooks the crucial difference between intelligence and lived experience. No matter how quickly a child learns, they cannot bypass the essential developmental stages necessary for emotional maturity and autonomy.

1. The False Equivalence Between Intelligence and Maturity

Renesmee’s rapid intellectual development does not equate to the emotional and social growth required for informed decision-making in relationships. Even real-world child prodigies, despite their advanced cognitive abilities, still lack the life experiences that shape adult judgment and self-awareness. Intelligence is not a substitute for personal growth, emotional resilience, or the ability to navigate complex relationships. The argument that Renesmee is "old enough" because she learns quickly ignores this fundamental truth.

Additionally, the portrayal of Renesmee as an exceptionally mature child is problematic because it feeds into a dangerous narrative often used to justify exploitative relationships. The notion that a child can be "mature for their age" has historically been wielded to excuse predatory behavior, dismissing the inherent power imbalances between an adult and a minor. Even if Renesmee reaches adulthood physically and mentally faster than a human child, she is still growing up under Jacob’s influence, which raises serious ethical concerns about consent and autonomy.

2. The Impact of Preordained Relationships on Development

Another issue with the "old soul" argument is that it assumes Renesmee’s accelerated development allows her to engage in relationships free from manipulation or coercion. However, Jacob’s presence in her life from birth ensures that she is raised with the knowledge that he is her inevitable partner. This removes her ability to form relationships independently and develop a true sense of personal agency.

Even if Renesmee becomes aware of her future romantic relationship with Jacob as she grows, the conditioning she has experienced since birth will make it difficult for her to reject him. This is a classic grooming dynamic, in which a child is gradually prepared for an adult relationship without recognizing the coercion at play. Grooming does not require overt manipulation; it can occur simply by embedding the idea of an inevitable romantic future in a child’s mind before they are old enough to make their own decisions.

3. The Power Imbalance Between Jacob and Renesmee

Regardless of Renesmee’s rapid maturation, there remains a fundamental power imbalance between her and Jacob. As an adult werewolf with years of life experience, Jacob has a psychological and emotional advantage over Renesmee, making their future relationship inherently unequal. Even if Renesmee reaches adulthood faster than a normal human, she will still have grown up under Jacob’s watchful eye, fostering an unbalanced dynamic in which she may feel obligated to reciprocate his feelings.

This imbalance is exacerbated by the fact that imprinting is depicted as an unbreakable bond. While Jacob and other werewolves insist that imprinting is not about romance at first, the narrative makes it clear that the imprinted person is expected to eventually fall in love with their imprinter. This expectation denies Renesmee the ability to explore her own romantic choices freely and forces her into a relationship that was decided for her before she was even capable of understanding love.

4. The Broader Implications of the "Old Soul" Argument

The argument that Renesmee is not a "real child" due to her accelerated development is not only flawed but also dangerous. It reinforces the idea that intelligence can replace emotional growth and lived experience, which is simply not true. Moreover, it normalizes the expectation that a child—regardless of how fast they mature—can be conditioned for a relationship with an older figure, ignoring the long-term psychological consequences.

Even in fantasy settings, relationships should be portrayed with an awareness of real-world ethical concerns. The idea that a supernatural child can be fast-tracked into an adult relationship disregards the importance of personal growth and consent. Renesmee, despite her unique physiology, is still a child being shaped by an adult who has already determined their romantic future together. This is not a harmless love story—it is a problematic depiction of grooming disguised as destiny.

Conclusion

The "old soul" argument used to justify Jacob’s imprinting on Renesmee fails to address the real issues at play. Regardless of her intelligence or rapid development, Renesmee remains a child lacking the necessary experience to engage in a romantic relationship free from coercion. The expectation that she will one day fall in love with Jacob, despite having no say in the matter, mirrors real-world grooming tactics and sets a dangerous precedent. No amount of supernatural justifications can erase the fact that imprinting in Twilight strips Renesmee of her autonomy and normalizes deeply troubling relationship dynamics.

[superbrieflightstudentlove]

My issues with imprinting part 2

The Problematic Nature of Imprinting in Twilight: Grooming Disguised as Fate

One of the most contentious aspects of the Twilight series is the concept of imprinting, particularly Jacob Black’s imprinting on Renesmee Cullen. Defenders of this narrative device—both within the story and in real-world discussions—often argue that imprinting is not pedophilia because Jacob does not initially experience romantic or sexual feelings toward Renesmee. However, this argument conveniently ignores the fact that those feelings are expected to develop once Renesmee matures. While this may not be pedophilia in the strictest sense, it undeniably falls into the realm of grooming, which is equally damaging to a victim’s psyche.

1. The In-Universe Justification: A Convenient Omission

Jacob, as well as the other werewolves who imprint, claim that imprinting is about protection and support rather than immediate romantic or sexual interest. However, this justification is deeply flawed, as it sets up an unavoidable expectation that the relationship will eventually evolve into a romantic and sexual one. Jacob himself acknowledges that once Renesmee grows up, he will likely become her partner, effectively conditioning both himself and her for a predetermined outcome.

Edward, despite initially being horrified by Jacob’s imprinting, ultimately accepts it once he is convinced that Jacob is not currently romantically attracted to Renesmee. This acceptance ignores the disturbing reality that Jacob is still being positioned as Renesmee’s future romantic partner, stripping her of the ability to choose her own path free from external influence.

2. Real-World Defenders: Ignoring the Core Issue

Many Twilight fans who defend imprinting echo the same arguments made within the story, insisting that Jacob’s feelings for Renesmee are purely protective in the beginning. However, this defense sidesteps the fundamental issue: grooming does not require immediate romantic or sexual intent. Grooming is the process of conditioning a child to accept an inevitable relationship with an adult figure, gradually shifting the dynamic over time so that the victim does not recognize the coercion at play. Jacob’s presence in Renesmee’s life is framed as being for her own good, but in reality, it ensures that she grows up with an unavoidable expectation of romantic involvement with him.

3. The Psychological Harm of Grooming

Even if Jacob does not exhibit romantic feelings for Renesmee while she is a child, the knowledge that he will one day pursue her fundamentally alters the dynamic between them. Renesmee is deprived of a childhood free from preordained romantic expectations, as she is constantly under the influence of someone who has already decided their future together. This is a classic grooming tactic—establishing an emotional dependency so that when the child is older, they are more likely to accept the relationship as normal and inevitable.

Furthermore, Renesmee is denied the opportunity to develop relationships on her own terms. Since Jacob is always present and acts as a constant protector, she is subtly coerced into relying on him, which will make rejecting him later nearly impossible. This lack of true agency is a significant marker of grooming, where a victim is manipulated into believing that they have freely chosen a relationship when, in reality, they have been conditioned to accept it as their only option.

4. The Larger Implications

Imprinting in Twilight is framed as a supernatural force that removes free will from the equation, making it seem inevitable and therefore acceptable. However, inevitability does not make something ethical. By portraying Jacob’s imprinting as a benign act of devotion, the narrative normalizes behaviors that mirror grooming tactics in the real world. The fact that both in-universe characters and real-world defenders insist that there is no problem because the relationship is not yet romantic conveniently ignores the long-term psychological consequences of such conditioning.

Conclusion

While defenders of imprinting argue that it is not pedophilia because no immediate romantic or sexual attraction exists, this defense falls apart under scrutiny. The fact that Jacob will eventually pursue Renesmee when she is older means that he is, knowingly or not, engaging in grooming behavior. This dynamic is incredibly harmful, as it conditions Renesmee from birth to see Jacob as her inevitable romantic partner, robbing her of true autonomy. By normalizing this concept, Twilight perpetuates a deeply troubling message about consent and predestined relationships that should not be overlooked.

[superbrieflightstudentlove]

My issues with imprinting part 1

Why Imprinting in Twilight is Deeply Problematic

Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series introduced many fantastical elements, from sparkling vampires to psychic powers. Among these, one of the most controversial concepts is imprinting, a supernatural bond experienced by the shape-shifting Quileute werewolves. While Meyer presents imprinting as a beautiful, soul-deep connection, a closer examination reveals deeply unsettling implications, particularly regarding consent, free will, and gender dynamics.

Lack of Free Will and Consent

One of the most disturbing aspects of imprinting is that it overrides the free will of the individual who experiences it. In the books, Meyer describes imprinting as an involuntary, all-consuming attraction to another person, which dictates the werewolf’s future relationships. Once a werewolf imprints, their life revolves entirely around the imprinted person, regardless of whether they themselves would have chosen such a bond. This raises troubling questions about autonomy: if an individual has no control over whom they love or how they feel, is it truly love at all?

Moreover, the person who is imprinted upon has no say in this connection either. They are effectively chosen, rather than given the opportunity to reciprocate naturally. This one-sided dynamic mirrors possessive or obsessive relationships in real life, where one partner’s emotions and needs completely subsume the other’s. In a healthy relationship, love is mutual and developed over time, not forced by supernatural means.

Disturbing Age and Power Dynamics

The most infamous example of imprinting in the Twilight saga is Jacob Black imprinting on Renesmee, the newborn daughter of Bella and Edward. The idea that an adult werewolf is fated to be with an infant is inherently unsettling. Meyer attempts to justify this by explaining that Jacob’s role in Renesmee’s life will start as a protector and evolve into a romantic partner only if she chooses it later. However, this ignores the reality of grooming—a process in which an older individual builds trust and emotional dependence in a younger person, ultimately shaping their future romantic or sexual decisions.

Even if Meyer insists that imprinting is not predatory, the fundamental imbalance remains. Jacob, as the imprinted, has an unavoidable and unwavering devotion to Renesmee, meaning she grows up with the knowledge that she has been claimed. The pressure of such a connection can heavily influence her perception of relationships and reduce her ability to make independent choices.

Gender and Relationship Expectations

Another troubling aspect of imprinting is its reinforcement of outdated gender roles. In every imprinting scenario depicted in the series, the werewolf—always male—becomes wholly dedicated to the needs and desires of the imprinted person, almost to the point of self-erasure. While devotion in relationships is not inherently bad, the idea that a man’s entire existence should revolve around a single woman plays into archaic and unrealistic expectations of romance.

Additionally, there is a disturbing lack of agency for women in these relationships. They are imprinted upon, rather than being equal partners in forming a connection. Leah Clearwater, the only female werewolf in the series, notably never imprints on anyone, and her pain over her ex-boyfriend imprinting on another woman is dismissed rather than explored in depth. This implies that imprinting is a male-dominated phenomenon, reinforcing traditional dynamics where men choose and women are chosen.

A Romanticized but Unhealthy Bond

Meyer frames imprinting as a beautiful, soul-deep bond that ensures happiness, but in reality, it reads more like emotional coercion. The werewolves lose all autonomy in love, and those imprinted upon are pressured into accepting an unnatural connection. Real love is built on mutual attraction, respect, and the freedom to make choices. Imprinting removes these fundamental components, making it less of a romantic ideal and more of a disturbing narrative device that strips characters of their agency.

Conclusion

While Twilight is a work of fiction, its portrayal of relationships influences how readers perceive romance. Imprinting, as depicted in the series, promotes unhealthy dynamics where free will, consent, and balanced partnerships are sacrificed in favor of an inescapable supernatural bond. By romanticizing such an idea, the series normalizes problematic power imbalances and presents them as desirable. Rather than being a symbol of true love, imprinting is, at its core, an unsettling concept that raises serious ethical concerns.

[superbrieflightstudentlove]

Padmé Amidala’s Fantasy-Driven Love for Anakin Skywalker

“Her life before Anakin belonged to someone else, some lesser being to be pitied, some poor impoverished spirit who could never suspect how profoundly life should be lived.

Her real life began the first time she looked into Anakin Skywalker’s eyes and found in there not the uncritical worship of little Annie from Tatooine, but the direct, unashamed, smoldering passion of a powerful Jedi: a young man, to be sure, but every centimeter a man - a man whose legend was already growing within the Jedi Order and beyond. A man who knew exactly what he wanted and was honest enough to simply ask for it; a man strong enough to unroll his deepest feelings before her without fear and without shame. A man who had loved her for a decade, with faithful and patient heart, while he waited for the act of destiny he was sure would someday open her own heart to the fire in his.

But though she loves her husband without reservation, love does not blind her to his faults. She is older than he, and wise enough to understand him better than he does himself. He is not a perfect man: he is prideful, and moody, and quick to anger - but these faults only make her love him the more, for his every flaw is more than balanced by the greatness within him, his capacity for joy and cleansing laughter, his extraordinary generosity of spirit, his passionate devotion not only to her but also in the service of every living being.

He is a wild creature that has come gently to her hand, a vine tiger purring against her cheek. Every softness of his touch, every kind glance or loving word is a small miracle in itself. How can she not be grateful for such gifts?”

From the novelization of RotS.

Padmé Amidala’s inner monologue from the Revenge of the Sith novelization offers a fascinating but deeply flawed insight into her perspective, exposing glaring inconsistencies in her character and worldview. While Padmé is often portrayed as an empathetic and wise leader, her thoughts here betray a sense of immaturity, condescension, and a disturbing romanticization of Anakin’s deeply problematic behavior.

Condescension and Elitism

Padmé’s reflection on her life before Anakin is alarmingly dismissive of not only herself but also the people she claimed to serve. Describing her previous existence as belonging to "some lesser being to be pitied, some poor impoverished spirit," she inadvertently exposes a deep-seated elitism. This sentiment starkly contrasts with her public image as a compassionate leader devoted to uplifting the disenfranchised. Her words betray an inherent belief in her own superiority, rooted in her privilege as Naboo nobility, which feels jarringly disconnected from her political career as a champion of the underprivileged.

By referring to others as “poor impoverished spirits,” Padmé reduces the lived experiences of countless beings across the galaxy to pitiable, shallow existences, implicitly suggesting that they lack the capacity to truly understand life’s profundities. Such condescension undermines her credibility as an empathetic leader who is supposed to value all lives equally. For someone who ostensibly devoted herself to serving the needs of the downtrodden, these thoughts suggest a deep-seated disconnect from the very people she claims to represent. How can someone who views the galaxy’s poor as "lesser beings" genuinely champion their rights? Her compassion, as implied by these musings, is framed not as equality but as an almost victorian noblesse oblige, a patronizing obligation to protect those she implicitly considers beneath her.

Condescension Towards Anakin

Padmé’s description of Anakin as someone she understands better than he understands himself is patronizing at best and dismissive of his autonomy at worst. While it is true that she is older than Anakin and likely more experienced, her framing positions herself as his intellectual and emotional superior, diminishing him to a wild, untamed creature she has tamed through her grace and love.

Referring to him as a "vine tiger purring against her cheek" infantilizes and romanticizes him in equal measure, echoing an unhealthy dynamic where she both elevates and diminishes him simultaneously, reducing him to a being she controls rather than a partner she respects as an equal. This language strips Anakin of complexity and humanity, framing him as a prize she has won rather than a partner of the same standing as she.

She views him almost as a project—someone she must guide and “fix.” This attitude not only undermines the mutual respect required in a healthy relationship but also sets her up as an idealized, almost maternal figure in Anakin’s life, which is problematic given his apparent yearning for a nurturing presence to replace his mother and his well-documented struggles with emotional regulation, anger, and trauma.

Instead of addressing these issues with the seriousness they deserve, Padmé romanticizes his volatility, viewing his faults as charming quirks rather than dangerous red flags. Instead she positions herself as a benevolent overseer of Anakin's flaws as endearing traits she is uniquely equipped to handle. This naïve approach not only undermines her judgment but also places her in harm's way, as evidenced by his eventual violent actions toward her.

Immaturity and Naivety

For a 27-year-old woman who has spent years navigating the intricacies of politics and war, Padmé’s thoughts read more like the diary of a lovestruck teenager than the reflections of a seasoned leader. Her infatuation with Anakin’s “smoldering passion” and the “fire in his eyes” feels shallow and disproportionate, especially considering the stakes of their relationship at this point in the story. She is on the verge of giving birth during a galactic war, yet her focus remains on idealizing a man who has already demonstrated significant moral and ethical failings.

This immaturity is further highlighted by her dismissal of Anakin’s violent tendencies and inability to handle rejection or criticism. She acknowledges his pride, moodiness, and quick temper, yet brushes them aside as minor flaws overshadowed by his supposed “greatness.” This blind devotion prevents her from confronting the reality of Anakin’s descent into darkness, instead choosing to cling to a fantasy of who she wants him to be.

Romanticizing Unhealthy Behavior

Padmé’s belief that Anakin has loved her faithfully for a decade borders on absurdity when one considers the context. Anakin was a nine-year-old child when they first met, a child incapable of comprehending romantic love in a meaningful way. His “love” for her at that age was more akin to hero worship or a childhood crush. His fixation on her during the intervening years is less a testament to his devotion and more indicative of an unhealthy obsession. By the time they reunite, Anakin is an emotionally stunted teenager with significant anger issues and a propensity for violence, as demonstrated by his massacre of the Tusken village.

Padmé’s dismissal of this atrocity, coupled with her romanticization of his flaws, reveals her inability to see Anakin for who he truly is. Instead, she projects onto him qualities he does not possess, such as a supposed “devotion to every living being,” which is blatantly contradicted by his actions. Anakin’s loyalty is limited to a small circle of people he cares about, and he is willing to sacrifice entire planets and populations to protect them. Far from being selfless, his actions are often driven by selfishness and a refusal to let go of those he loves.

Padmé’s inner thoughts in this passage are deeply problematic, exposing a condescending attitude toward others, an immature understanding of love, and a dangerous tendency to romanticize unhealthy behavior. Far from being the wise and compassionate leader she is often portrayed as, this depiction reveals her as naïve, elitist, and out of touch with reality. Her unwavering idealization of Anakin blinds her to his faults and enables his destructive behavior, ultimately contributing to the tragedy that unfolds. In this light, Padmé’s story becomes not just one of personal loss but also of the devastating consequences of failing to confront uncomfortable truths.

Her thoughts reveal that her attachment to Anakin is not rooted in a deep understanding or acceptance of who he truly is but rather in an idealized, almost fictionalized version of him. This essay explores the possibility that Padmé’s love for Anakin is based more on his physical attractiveness, status, and the thrilling fantasy he represents, rather than on a genuine emotional connection.

Infatuation with Power, Fame, and Status

Padmé’s admiration for Anakin’s physical appearance and reputation is evident in her thoughts:

“...the direct, unashamed, smoldering passion of a powerful Jedi: a young man, to be sure, but every centimeter a man— a man whose legend was already growing within the Jedi Order and beyond.”

This description emphasizes Anakin’s physical allure and his rising fame within the galaxy. Padmé appears captivated by his role as a Jedi hero and “the Chosen One,” as if these external attributes define his worth. Her fixation on his power and status raises questions about whether she would have been as drawn to him if he were an ordinary person without his heroic image.

Anakin’s role in the Clone Wars as a celebrated warrior likely amplified this allure. To Padmé, his deeds on the battlefield and his “larger-than-life” persona may have symbolized strength, protection, and excitement—qualities that fed into her romantic fantasy. However, this focus on external attributes creates a shallow foundation for their relationship, where Padmé values what Anakin represents rather than who he truly is.

Resistance to the Ordinary

Padmé’s reluctance to acknowledge the realities of her relationship and her insistence on secrecy reflect her fear of losing the fantasy she has built. By keeping their marriage a secret, Padmé avoids the mundane responsibilities that come with open commitment, especially as parents. This secrecy also ensures that Anakin remains in the Jedi Order, maintaining the illusion of him as the heroic “Chosen One” rather than an ordinary man.

Her hesitation to accept Anakin leaving the Jedi Order—despite his willingness to do so for her and their child—further underscores her attachment to his status. Without the prestige of his Jedi identity, Anakin would lose much of the mystique that fuels Padmé’s romanticized view of him. A life outside the Order, where Anakin might take on a humble, civilian role, would lack the excitement and grandeur she associates with their relationship.

The Fantasy of the Hero and the Damsel

Padmé’s perception of her relationship with Anakin resembles a narrative straight out of a teenage romantic novel. In this fantasy, she casts herself as the heroine, a damsel in distress rescued and cherished by a dashing knight in shining armor:

“Her real life began the first time she looked into Anakin Skywalker’s eyes..."

This statement diminishes her achievements and reduces her identity to being the object of Anakin’s affection. It also reveals her belief that her relationship with Anakin has elevated her life to a level of profound significance that others can only dream of. This is the crux of her fantasy: she views herself as living out a romantic narrative, one in which she is the main character and Anakin is the larger-than-life hero who completes her.

The thrill of their forbidden love, heightened by the secrecy and danger of the Clone Wars, making it feel like a dramatic, star-crossed love story rather than a grounded partnership, fuels this fantasy. Their brief, adrenaline-filled encounters allow Padmé to avoid confronting the complexities and flaws in their relationship. She seems more captivated by the excitement and drama of their circumstances than by Anakin himself.

What´s more, this perspective also reduces her to a passive figure whose identity revolves around her romantic connection. Padmé’s reflections diminish her own sense of agency and independence. By framing her life before Anakin as belonging to a "lesser being," she effectively erases her accomplishments as queen and senator. This framing reduces her identity to her relationship with Anakin, portraying her as a woman who finds her "real life" only through her husband. She views her pre-Anakin self—and by extension, the very people she claims to serve—as pitiable, as though her life only gained meaning through her relationship with a powerful man. This is particularly problematic given that Padmé is supposed to be a role model of strength and leadership. Her thoughts here make her seem more like a character in Anakin’s story than the protagonist of her own.

The Cost of Living in a Fantasy

Padmé’s refusal to wake from this romantic fantasy has far-reaching consequences. Her inability to confront the reality of Anakin’s flaws—his possessiveness, violent tendencies, moral compromises and growing obsession with power—allows his darker impulses to grow unchecked. When Anakin confesses to murdering the Tuskens, including women and children, Padmé rationalizes his actions rather than addressing the gravity of what he has done because acknowledging these realities would shatter her romantic illusion.

This denial extends to her pregnancy. Padmé’s insistence on keeping their relationship secret under the guise of duty to the common people of the galaxy and protecting Anakin’s position within the Jedi Order, even as she approaches the birth of their child, reveals a troubling prioritization of the romantic fantasy over practical concerns. A child would inevitably expose their relationship, yet Padmé continues to cling to the illusion that they can maintain their double lives. This decision suggests that Padmé values the drama and excitement of their forbidden love more than the stability and safety of their unborn child. The fantasy of being a romantic heroine takes precedence over her role as a mother.

This failure to confront reality not only endangers her but also their unborn children. Padmé’s prioritization of the fantasy over practical concerns means that her children are born into chaos, with no stable foundation or clear future. Her eventual death from heartbreak underscores the destructive power of her refusal to let go of the fantasy, as she chooses to die rather than face life without Anakin. This choice illustrates the ultimate consequence of clinging to an illusion: the loss of self, family, and the opportunity to create a meaningful legacy.

Conclusion

Padmé Amidala’s love for Anakin Skywalker, as depicted in the Revenge of the Sith novelization, is deeply rooted in an idealized fantasy. Her admiration for his physical attractiveness, fame, and status as a Jedi hero overshadows a genuine understanding of who he is. This fantasy-driven love blinds her to the flaws in their relationship and prevents her from confronting the responsibilities of motherhood and partnership.

Ultimately, Padmé’s refusal to let go of the romanticized narrative she has created not only undermines her character’s maturity but also contributes to the tragic downfall of both herself and Anakin. By clinging to an illusion, she sacrifices the opportunity to build a grounded, meaningful life for herself and her child. In doing so, her story serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of idealizing relationships and clinging to illusions at the expense of truth and responsibility.

[superbrieflightstudentlove]

The destruction and disrespect of Luke in the Disney "Canon"

Hello, any Original EU/"Legends" Star Wars fans here? I wanted to share some of my opinions about the current Disney Canon not only in terms of the movies, but also their comics and novels too. So let's start with my biggest gripe - the handling of Luke Skywalker, once the main hero of the beloved franchise.

We already know that Disney hates Luke Skywalker for the crime of being a "white, heterosexual guy" aka not diverse enough for modern woke politics. We all know how they handled him in the "Sequel Trilogy", the less said about that, the better. Their novels also try very hard to throw as much shade (and many times outright hate and contemp) at him as they could and portray his twin sister Leia as the superior one in every way, whether it's Force potential, mental resilience, emotional control or even moral compass.

Their comics from what I heard tend to be somewhat kinder to him, to a point, but even then some writers are just itching to portray him as lame and as much of a failure as possible. One such instance that pissed me off was when I heard that in one of the comics taking place after "Empire Strikes Back", Luke encounters another Force sensitive, a young woman who is also an aspiring Jedi, who somehow manages to get into Luke's mind deep enough to see the memory of Darth Vader telling him that he is Luke's father. Immediately afterwards, she manages to trap Luke inside a nearby hole and use her Force Powers to fill it with water. Luke somehow forgot how to use his own Force Powers (even after being trained by Yoda himself for months and enough to impress even his father Darth Vader during their battle at Bespin, even though it was clear that Luke was still no match for him by that point, Luke's progress was still big enough to leave an impression on Vader), and literally drowns there. Yes, you read that correctly. Luke doesn't just almost die, he actually temporarily dies for real, before Artoo zips the Force Sensitive gal unconscious and resustitiates Luke back to life.

Now I don't know who this Force Sensitive girl was, it's possible that she might have been at least partially trained Padawan during the Clone Wars, who somewhow avoided being slaughtered during Order 66 like Reva, but it seems quite unlikely. From what I heard, I got the impression that she was still young around the timeline of the "Original Trilogy", around Luke's age, so if she was raised in the Temple of the Old Order, she must have been still youngling, just like Reva was. So how come Luke, at this point in his training, was completely unable to defend himself against someone who is in most likelihood just a beginner, while he should be just as advanced if not more so considering by whom he was trained and that not that long from now, he is going to go toe to toe with Vader himself?

Now we know that Disney tried to portray Luke as average, or even below average, so no Jedi Prodigy here, despite being the son of the literal Chosen One and according to George Lucas inheriting the same Force Potential as his father, but they still have to fit this somehow with the original movies, yet I find it hard to believe that if Luke was this much of a weakling, he would be able to stand against Vader in the "Return of the Jedi". Even if you say that Vader was just that emotionally conflicted and torned apart by having to fight his own son, so he held massively back, it still doesn't explain why would Emperor Palpatine even agree to Vader's proposition to turn Luke to the Dark Side and make him one of his apprentices. What would be the point? He needs a strong replacement for Vader, considering he is paranoid that his "old friend" is getting some rebellious ideas into overthrowing him, and if Luke can't provide a reasonable alternative, why just not destroy the young man outright and be done with it?

It's honestly strange. I know that Disney stated that Vader never lost his potential even after Mustafar unlike in the original EU and Lucas' vision for the OT and PT movies, so it might make perfect sense for Vader to be naturally much stronger than Luke and that he was always just going easy on him and that's why Luke managed to get the upper hand on the Death Star, if they didn't want to keep the fact that Luke inherited his father's full potential from the old EU, but they also made their version of Vader not caring about Luke nowhere near as much as the old one did. He even actively attempts to kill Luke after Bespin in one of his comics. This is after he knows this is his son, the only thing of his beloved wife left in the world.

In fact they made Vader's redemption almost entirely about Padmé, rather than Luke in his own right. It's after Darth Vader investigates his wife's death and sees a video of her saying on her deathbed that there is still good in him, that brings his old self to the surface, not the fact he finally found out he has a son that he presumed was dead for two decades because of his actions. And after the Emperor whoops Vader's ass again, he forgets even about his wife's words on her deathbed, and actively tries to murder their child. Lovely. But of course when it comes to Padme's identical Handmaidens, especially Sabé who looks most like her, he stops his hand. Even when he was still Anakin, they made him even more obsessed with her than he already was in the PT or anywhere in the old EU material and that says a lot. In one of their books he even thinks about how for Padmé he would burn the whole galaxy down, sacrifice everything and everyone else dear to him, including their own unborn child. And I swear that I saw some people on Tumblr sharing excerpts of this, swooning how romantic this is.

On one of their next encounters, he gets turned on on Luke's fear of him and says something along the lines of only sparing him because his Master ordered him to. Heck even Palpatine seems to bizarelly care about Luke more than Vader does, when he is shown worrying that Vader might kill Luke despite the fact that it was originally Vader who convinced Palpatine in "Empire Strikes Back" to spare him, declaring him as "just a boy". So why the sudden going easy on my clearly incompetent weakling of a son in the final movie? Siths despise weakness! What is the point of luring Luke to the Dark Side if he is always going to be just a slightly above average Force user, even with proper training? Remember Vader believed in the second movie that Luke's potential in the Force is big enough to finally make a difference in his fight against Palpatine in order to overthrow him! This is after Vader beats the absolute shit out of Luke on Bespin, yet still believes his son has enough of a potential to be a serious threat against the Emperor once fully trained. This might be just a wishful thinking on Vader's part, but the fact that Palpatine agreed to his proposal to turn Luke speaks volumes about his talent and potential in the Force. It's clearly not just a father's sentimentality or nostalgic feelings involved.

What is even more insulting is, they made Luke to be beaten up pretty badly by a random Imperial Guard when he surrendered to Vader on Endor. This is shortly before their meeting, yet in the movie, Luke appears perfectly healthy and without any bruises or injuries when he faced his father for a private little chit chat before he is brought to Palpatine. Why did Luke, at this point a very skilled Force User, let himself be beaten without any resistance? Alright, I understand he was trying to lay low for his plan to work and not get himself killed when he is unarmed and outnumbered, but why is there no physical evidence of it in the movie itself? What is the point of even including it in the first place then?

And don't get me started on making Sabé try to kill Luke too after she finds out whose son he is. She was one of the closest, if not the closest companions and dear friends of his mother. It is even implied that she was in love with Padmé, however unreciprocated it was. Now the weirdness of being sexually and romantically attracted to someone almost identical to you aside, she has sworn a solem vow to protect her Queen with everything she has got, even laying down her life for her if need be, which she stated she is perfectly happy to do directly to Padmé's face no less. After her death, she, alongside every other Handmaiden, vowed to get revenge for their Queen's death and Anakin's death too (they saw both of them as heroes and didn't know that Anakin became Vader. To them Vader was the one who killed them). They even created an organisation within the Rebel Forces called Amidalans for this purpose.

Now, it's true that at first Sabé was forced to work with Vader against her will and wanted to kill him, but after she discovered his true identity as Anakin Skywalker, she began to view him in a different light and started to cooperate willingly. She agreed to help him overthrow the Emperor and to crown him instead. She starts to think how ineffective the Republic was and how the Empire in the right hands would be a much better system of governance. How she came to the conclusion that exchanging one genocidical maniac for yet another one is a good thing, is anyone's guess but here we go. Funnily enough, she even thinks that she (Sabé) is the one who can redeem him and bring him back to the light based on Padmé's words that there is still good in Vader.

After Vader grows tired of her and kicks her out of his servises, she develops an ingenious plan to test Luke on whether he is susceptible into following in his father's footsteps, prepared to kill him if he shows any signs of anger, by literally ambushing him, shooting at him relentlessly and threatening one of his allies at gunpoint. Unbelievable. This absolutely hypocritical ass even dares to call him a Sith to his face when he is just defending himself after he crushes her sniper, which you know, she was just using to shoot at him. Why she thinks she has any moral highround here to play a judge, jury and executioner over a life of someone who did nothing to warrant it, just because he happenes to share DNA with someone is beyond me, especially since not so long ago, she was happily serving Vader herself and even considered him a viable option for a galactic ruler.

What's funny, is that the other Handmaidens even pointed out how by joining Vader and the Empire, she is going against everything Padmé stood for and if she was still alive, she wouldn't approve of Sabé's actions in the slightest. She even chose Vader over the rest of the Handmaidens at some point, yet she has the gall to play a morally superior being and judging her Queen's child's character while she herself is morally compromised and far from being a saint, by playing sick, twisted mind games with Luke with the intention to hurt him and potentionally kill him for the crime of being related to the same man she was fine working for not so long ago.

Yes, Luke might be Vader's son, but he is also Padmé's son, and as far as Sabé knows, her only child (she doesn't know about Leia). Does that mean nothing to her? Why be willing to sympathize with your Queen's genocidical, mass murdering, child killing hubby (she knows that he was the one who marched on the Jedi Temple and killed everyone inside, including the younglings) and wanting to make him the absolute ruler of the known universe based on nothing but the words of a dying woman you once served when he has shown absolutely no indication that he deserves it, just the opposite in fact, but not be willing to extent the same courtesy to your Queen's innocent child that has yet to do anything bad. In fact, she knows that Luke is a War Hero who works for the Rebellion and destroyed the first Death Star, so you would assume that he is far more deserving of her loyalty and protection than Vader ever was.

What is happening here? How could Disney lost the plot so much? This is such an inconsistent, illogical mess. All the characters are massacred beyond reason.

But what do you think? Let me know in the comments.

[superbrieflightstudentlove]

My thoughts on the Amrita-Raj-Raadha love triangle.

Am I the only one who doesn't feel sorry for Amrita? She wanted this. She willingly entered a relationship with an already taken man. She knew he loves another and yet still pursued him, wanting to break Raj and Raadha up for the sake of her own selfish desires. She placed herself in this position of being a third wheel by standing in the way of two people who genuinely love each other, making everyone around her miserable in the process because she wanted to flex in front of the others of being Mrs Doobay. Yes she has a huge crush on him and is physically attracted to him but she also wants the prestige, position, wealth and influence that come with being his wife. I understand that she was still a "child" when the engagement happened, so I don't fully blame her. The true weight of the blame rests on her much older brother's shoulders who blackmailed Raj into this marriage and should know better as a significantly more mature and experienced individual than his adolescent baby sister. I understand that arranged marriages were common back then and he probably just wanted to secure a good match for his sister in order to make sure that she is well taken care of and her future is secured, but the way he went about it was shady AF and he should have realised, even back then, that he would be setting up his beloved little sister for a life of dissapointment, emotional neglect and heartbreak. Just imagine if the genders were reversed and it was Amrita who is being manipulated and emotionally blackmailed into a marriage and sexual relationship with a guy she doesn't want because she is already in love with somebody else. Would we still pity the guy who is forcing himself on an unwilling and resistant girl, saying that she should give him a little bit of a chance and treat him better? I don't think so. In my opinion, the true victims in this situation are Raj and Radha who truly got the worst of it. As far as Amrita is concerned, I think it would depend on how much she knew about her brother's role in all of this or whether she even approved of his scheming. But if she knew and still went along with it, then that's on her.

[superbrieflightstudentlove]

Have you seen this new subreddit r/RomanceClubDiscussion ?

Yes, I did. I just couldn't find it at first because for some reason when I typed the name on Google, it didn't show up at all. Thankfully, someone on here shared a link to the website, otherwise it's impossible to find. Take care and sorry for the delayed answer, I was busy.😀

[superbrieflightstudentlove]

Thank you so much!🥰

Why Nikkal from The Flower from Tiamat´s Fire is starting to get on my nerves

Honestly, this might be an unpopular opinion, but I’m tired of Nikkal’s jealousy. It’s childish. As if Kingu didn’t have a right to live his own life as he saw fit with whoever he wanted to hundreds of years before Nikkal was even born, before he even met her or before he even knew she was going to exist some day. It’s not like it was cheating either as they weren’t in a relationship at that point and he owed her something. Besides it’s not like Nikkal also didn’t probably have some of her own “acquintainces” over the years in the past since she is already 30 herself, so she might not be entirely inexperienced either, the mage’s extended lifespan notwithstanding. It is especially hypocritical of my own MC who had a secret threesome with Shamash and Enlil and actually cheated on Kingu without him knowing any better.🤷 Just my two cents.

Edit: People were really downvoting me because of this on Reddit and in response to them asking whether I wouldn´t be feeling the same and that it´s completely natural to feel that way and that it isn´t a sign of immaturity when someone says that they are angry that someone, who personally never did anything to them and whom they never even met, even existed just because they used to date your current boyfriend centuries ago before you were even a thing, I said this:

Perhaps at the beginning but the problem is that Nikkal is always jealous and it seems to get progressively worse even as time passes. That’s not normal and shows that you are insecure about your partner and your relationship with him.

Also whether other players had similar reactions as Nikkal or not is irrelevant to whether this is a healthy or a mature type of behavior from a grown up woman. Everyone gets jealous from time to time, that’s true, but if you don’t know limit, than it can transform into an illness.

If others find a person hating a kind and innocent woman who was cruelly manipulated and killed, a victim in her own right who did nothing to them except having the gall to have a relationship with someone hundreds of years before they were even born, relatable, I can’t stop them, but I’m sorry that I can’t feel the same. The hate Ningal gets in the fandom is too much and for pretty bizarre reasons too.

To be clear I don’t hate Nikkal, as a MC she was one of the better ones, it’s just this aspect of her personality that I don’t enjoy.

Peace!🙂

I wonder if it´s because many of the players are too attached to their MCs and to some extent view them as their own fictional alter egos, so they take everything that is said against them, even if it is just a constructive criticism meant in a good faith, as a personal attack on them. Therefore they feel threatened that there was another beautiful woman in their LIs lives that might have been more important to them at some point in time than their own MC, who for the first time isn´t the first in everything and the world might not revolve around her.

[superbrieflightstudentlove]

Same.:)

Why Nikkal from The Flower from Tiamat´s Fire is starting to get on my nerves

Honestly, this might be an unpopular opinion, but I’m tired of Nikkal’s jealousy. It’s childish. As if Kingu didn’t have a right to live his own life as he saw fit with whoever he wanted to hundreds of years before Nikkal was even born, before he even met her or before he even knew she was going to exist some day. It’s not like it was cheating either as they weren’t in a relationship at that point and he owed her something. Besides it’s not like Nikkal also didn’t probably have some of her own “acquintainces” over the years in the past since she is already 30 herself, so she might not be entirely inexperienced either, the mage’s extended lifespan notwithstanding. It is especially hypocritical of my own MC who had a secret threesome with Shamash and Enlil and actually cheated on Kingu without him knowing any better.🤷 Just my two cents.

Edit: People were really downvoting me because of this on Reddit and in response to them asking whether I wouldn´t be feeling the same and that it´s completely natural to feel that way and that it isn´t a sign of immaturity when someone says that they are angry that someone, who personally never did anything to them and whom they never even met, even existed just because they used to date your current boyfriend centuries ago before you were even a thing, I said this:

Perhaps at the beginning but the problem is that Nikkal is always jealous and it seems to get progressively worse even as time passes. That’s not normal and shows that you are insecure about your partner and your relationship with him.

Also whether other players had similar reactions as Nikkal or not is irrelevant to whether this is a healthy or a mature type of behavior from a grown up woman. Everyone gets jealous from time to time, that’s true, but if you don’t know limit, than it can transform into an illness.

If others find a person hating a kind and innocent woman who was cruelly manipulated and killed, a victim in her own right who did nothing to them except having the gall to have a relationship with someone hundreds of years before they were even born, relatable, I can’t stop them, but I’m sorry that I can’t feel the same. The hate Ningal gets in the fandom is too much and for pretty bizarre reasons too.

To be clear I don’t hate Nikkal, as a MC she was one of the better ones, it’s just this aspect of her personality that I don’t enjoy.

Peace!🙂

I wonder if it´s because many of the players are too attached to their MCs and to some extent view them as their own fictional alter egos, so they take everything that is said against them, even if it is just a constructive criticism meant in a good faith, as a personal attack on them. Therefore they feel threatened that there was another beautiful woman in their LIs lives that might have been more important to them at some point in time than their own MC, who for the first time isn´t the first in everything and the world might not revolve around her.

[superbrieflightstudentlove]

Yes exactly. To be fair many of those people might be in their late teens or early twenties, you know the RC´s target audience, so this kind of reaction is sort of understandable in light of this, but boy is it frustrating.

Why Nikkal from The Flower from Tiamat´s Fire is starting to get on my nerves

Honestly, this might be an unpopular opinion, but I’m tired of Nikkal’s jealousy. It’s childish. As if Kingu didn’t have a right to live his own life as he saw fit with whoever he wanted to hundreds of years before Nikkal was even born, before he even met her or before he even knew she was going to exist some day. It’s not like it was cheating either as they weren’t in a relationship at that point and he owed her something. Besides it’s not like Nikkal also didn’t probably have some of her own “acquintainces” over the years in the past since she is already 30 herself, so she might not be entirely inexperienced either, the mage’s extended lifespan notwithstanding. It is especially hypocritical of my own MC who had a secret threesome with Shamash and Enlil and actually cheated on Kingu without him knowing any better.🤷 Just my two cents.

Edit: People were really downvoting me because of this on Reddit and in response to them asking whether I wouldn´t be feeling the same and that it´s completely natural to feel that way and that it isn´t a sign of immaturity when someone says that they are angry that someone, who personally never did anything to them and whom they never even met, even existed just because they used to date your current boyfriend centuries ago before you were even a thing, I said this:

Perhaps at the beginning but the problem is that Nikkal is always jealous and it seems to get progressively worse even as time passes. That’s not normal and shows that you are insecure about your partner and your relationship with him.

Also whether other players had similar reactions as Nikkal or not is irrelevant to whether this is a healthy or a mature type of behavior from a grown up woman. Everyone gets jealous from time to time, that’s true, but if you don’t know limit, than it can transform into an illness.

If others find a person hating a kind and innocent woman who was cruelly manipulated and killed, a victim in her own right who did nothing to them except having the gall to have a relationship with someone hundreds of years before they were even born, relatable, I can’t stop them, but I’m sorry that I can’t feel the same. The hate Ningal gets in the fandom is too much and for pretty bizarre reasons too.

To be clear I don’t hate Nikkal, as a MC she was one of the better ones, it’s just this aspect of her personality that I don’t enjoy.

Peace!🙂

I wonder if it´s because many of the players are too attached to their MCs and to some extent view them as their own fictional alter egos, so they take everything that is said against them, even if it is just a constructive criticism meant in a good faith, as a personal attack on them. Therefore they feel threatened that there was another beautiful woman in their LIs lives that might have been more important to them at some point in time than their own MC, who for the first time isn´t the first in everything and the world might not revolve around her.