#also for as much as luke loved beru and owen lars for raising him well he never identified with them as mom and dad

[gch1995]

Hi! Been thinking about Luke and Vader. How do you think Luke went from wanting to die to believing there was good in Vader? What caused that change/acceptance?

I have a lot of sympathy for Anakin/Darth Vader, and I don’t think it’s fair to place blame on just him for becoming such a deeply dysfunctional and horrifying human disaster as an adult, considering how deeply compromised his agency was his entire life under a series of abusive, hypocritical, and oppressive authority figures within a dystopian galaxy’s fucked up institutions. However, that doesn’t mean Luke wouldn’t have still had absolutely every right to hate his father for hurting him, his friends, and the many other people throughout the galaxy either.

Yet, ultimately Luke didn’t hate his father, even after Darth Vader reached out to him through the force by torturing his son’s friends, stalking him, abducting him, terrorizing him, threatening him, and cutting off his hand to try to coerce him to join the dark side in Empire Strikes Back.

Why?

I think the most obvious reason is that, with a little space and time to recover from the trauma that his father put him through in his efforts to find him and recruit him to the dark side, Luke ultimately sensed the good within Anakin beneath the darkness after he revealed that he was doing all this because Luke was his son, his family, who wanted freedom from Sidious and someone better to bond with than that sadistic asshole his current master was.

Also, in spite of how awful and dangerous it was for Anakin to terrorize Luke, cut off his hand, and threaten him like that on Bespin to try to recruit him to the dark side, he intentionally goes out of his way to avoid outright killing his son by going easy on him battle, giving him chances to escape, and trying to recruit him to the dark side to bond with his son and gain freedom, rather than bringing him to the Emperor.

Yes, he’s being awful, cowardly, and selfish in his methods, but Anakin is also trying to more easily avoid the possibility of one of them getting killed by Palpatine or one another by going after his son to try to recruit him to the dark side to overthrow the Emperor because he knows his master will do worse to Luke and/or himself if he finds out the truth about his son still being alive and a Jedi.

In Empire Strikes Back, Anakin also tells Luke “Don’t make me destroy you” when his son skitters away from him in terror. Though he went about looking for Luke pretty obsessively to try to recruit him for the dark side, once his son actually refuses to be swayed to the dark side by his father on Bespin after being abducted, terrorized, and amputated by him, Anakin notably doesn’t keep hunting down Luke to try to recruit him to the dark side or personally kill him for refusing after he runs away in terror in the movie. He’s upset about it, sure, but he really never wanted for Luke to be killed or hurt long term either.

Then, you also have to examine the fact that Luke didn’t really ever view Owen and Beru Lars as his parents. Though they loved Luke, and he loved them, Owen and Beru still never encouraged Luke to view them as his parents either. They were Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen to Luke, but never mom and dad to him. Luke really wanted someone to be able to identify as his parents. Anakin, flawed as he was, was the first person in Luke’s life to identify themselves as one his parents he had been missing his whole life, which is also why he was particularly desperate to bond with his father and inspire him to turn back to the light side.

If you guys want to chime in, you can!

@abla-soso

@fanfic-lover-girl

@fanfictasia

@komikbookgeek

@yoghurtconsumer

[tired-but-willing]

I wholeheartedly do not understand the take of "Luke is Padmés child"/"Leia is Anakins child". I understand it's very popular within the fandom, and it's a way for fans to create a connection between characters— but I just don't see it.

Long-winded rant coming. Hope it makes sense. No spoilers for recent Star Wars media, but I do briefly talk about the Original Trilogy, the Prequels, the books (Legends and Canon), and the comics.

The biggest argument that I have seen for both sides is temperament. "Leia has Anakins temper" "Luke has Padmés calm". But really, that's not wholly accurate. Every time that we see Leia becoming angry, it's righteous anger. She's been taken captive. Her planet has been threatened. Her planet has been destroyed.

Now compare that to Anakin. He's mad Padmé won't return his advances. He's mad the council doesn't trust him— for good reason, but we'll touch on that later in a different post.

A major difference that sits between Leia and Anakin (aside from the obvious), is timing. Leia knows when the time for sarcastic quips is. She knows when the time for angry comments is. And she also knows when to shut it down. If you want to compare her to anyone out of the family, it should be to Padmé; but I'll do you one better. Leia's temperament is all Bail and Breha Organa.

It's plenty sweet to want to connect the twins to the mother they lost, but truthfully, they don't get their personality traits from her. If Leia were to take after anyone, it would be the parents who raised her. The ones who brought her up to be good and kind and care about the people of Alderaan. I went off on a tangent: Leia does not have Anakins temper. Not even close.

Compare her moments of righteous anger to his outburst in the council chambers. Mace Windu— quite fairly, in my opinion— tells Anakin to sit down when his adult self starts throwing a temper tantrum for not becoming a barely-out-of-teens Jedi Master. He's entitled. He thinks he deserves the position, regardless of meeting very few qualifications. I'll likely make another post about that as well. The main point of this paragraph being; for Leia to share Anakins anger, it would need to come from a place of entitlement. It does not.

Now onto Luke. I see people attempting to mould him into Padmé for a multitude of reasons. Some want to, as I said, connect the twins to their mother in a way that is easy. They want a parallel to Padmé and Anakin that can be found in their children. Others, I'm sure, just want to make Luke "softer" (though Padmé is far from soft; some people just lack media comprehension). Luke is not some patron saint of patience. He CAN be patient, yes; but it is not his defining character trait. Throughout the movies, books, and comics, Luke has had outbursts. He's not some holier than thou figure who never gets angry. He just works to overcome that anger. Maybe that is a bit reminiscent of Padmé; but do you know who it reminds me of?

Beru Lars.

The same way his stubborn determination (look at him, look at me in my eyes, and tell me he's not stubborn) reminds me of both Owen and Beru.

There's no crime in comparing the twins to their biological parents. I understand the want. I love parallels in media as much as anyone else. I only wish that Star Wars fans would quit labeling Leia as "just Anakin's daughter" because she got a little angry That One Time when That One Thing happened, and quit labeling Luke as " just Padmé's son" because he's a Cool and Collected Jedi. There is so much more to their characters than just their biological parentage. I am begging people to read more into the characters who actually raised them and gave them love for nineteen years of their lives.

Long-winded and incomprehensible rant over <3 ty for reading.

[gffa]

You know what I’m looking forward to?  Owen Lars being an absolutely fascinating character, because he loves Luke so much and has every reason to be afraid of him becoming a Jedi, because the galaxy wasn’t kind to Jedi before and it’s a hundred times worse now that the Empire has declared them treasonous just to exist. He’s not wrong that Obi-Wan will bring trouble, he’s hitting hard with that line about “Like you trained his father?” because Owen Lars is terrified that something will happen, Luke is already a bright and curious child, we know he grows up fascinating with his father, that he longs for adventure, that he has his eyes on the horizon, that he’s restless, of course Owen sees that in him, probably even as a child.  That’s what he’s afraid of, especially when Luke is so young. Obi-Wan Kenobi is a Jedi Master, who could tell Luke all these incredible exciting stories about his father, Obi-Wan could so easily lure that child’s heart away, to Owen’s mind.  It doesn’t matter that Obi-Wan does his best to respect Owen’s wishes and keep at a distance, just Obi-Wan’s existence on Tatooine is enough to make Owen terrified. But it also doesn’t come without what we know of A New Hope or how Star Wars works--you can’t deny people their fate.  Luke Skywalker is fated to be a Jedi and we know Owen will tighten his grip on Luke enough that he chafes at it, enough that Luke was argues with him about going to the Imperial Academy instead of being forced to stay on Tatooine for another year.  It’s Beru who has to gentle things and remind Owen, “Luke’s just not a farmer.”  Owen says he’ll make it up to him next year, rather than admit to what Beru says is true. He never gets a chance to really let go--though, I think he eventually would have--to let Luke make his own choices and find the path he’s meant to be on, but also Luke will always carry the people who raised him in his heart.  I maintain that Beru Whitesun Lars is the one who truly wove kindness into Luke Skywalker’s bones, but that Owen Lars gave that kid safety and warmth and love. Owen struggled with his attachment to Luke, the fear of living without this kid he so loved, his desire to force his own life onto Luke, but you could see that Owen Lars was a good man.  His fear is understandable and I don’t think there’s a compassionate person in the galaxy who wouldn’t understand where it was coming from and that it was out of love, even if sometimes it was a little too much fear. The Jedi Order loved their children as well, but in a galaxy that had genocided them nearly out of existence, they couldn’t offer safety and community in the same way they used to.  Obi-Wan just being on the same planet was a risk, even if it wound up saving Luke’s life multiple times and was the Force trying to help bring the light of the Jedi back to the galaxy. So, Owen Lars and Beru Whitesun Lars were the people who were able to provide that safety and love that Luke needed, because the Empire wasn’t looking for them and because they loved that kid with their whole heart and they raised a sweet, kind boy. And all of it is going to make me absolutely bawl about it.

[canichangemyblogname]

Just thinking about Owen and Beru Lars. Not just about how they took in a practical stranger's child (who is also his mother's grandchild), but also how hard they tried to give Luke a childhood. They tried so hard to protect him and give him a normal life and provide him with love and stability.

And I'm thinking of how many times they had to face impossible odds and navigate the dangers of authoritarianism and a Sith Empire just to protect Luke. They had to face extraordinary and terrifying powers that they were practically powerless against. And they still gave it their all; trying so hard to just be left alone to raise him.

And they did this all the well knowing that this child; this boy, was very strong with the force. They knew that he was in danger and they knew that he might one day influence the fate of the entire galaxy. He (and his sister, tbh) was the galaxy's New Hope, and might one day face off against the very forces that had been terrorizing them, and help defeat them. He was fated to help bring balance to the galaxy.

And I wonder if they ever felt guilt. Guilt because it sometimes felt like they were raising him like a pig for slaughter. Guilt because they kept so much from him, like the reality of his parentage. Guilt because they felt powerless to protect this child from the powerful villains hunting him and those with powers like his.

And I wonder how much they feared. How much they feared losing him. How much they feared finding him dead or hearing that he'd been killed by an agent of the Evil Empire. How much they feared that maybe he'd meet the same fate as Anakin; Shmi's son who met some terrible end in the final days of the war and the collapse of the Republic.

And I wonder if, in that moment that Imperial Troops raided their home looking for a farm boy and two droids, if they cried. Did fear that he'd die over take them? Did guilt that they failed to protect him consume them? Did anger at the injustice of it all assume their thoughts? Did they fret; their hearts preoccupied with dread at the thought they will come for Luke next?

Was Beru's last thought before she die relief and hope? Relief that Luke had left the farm that morning. Hope that they won't find him.

[allthingskenobi]

Obi-Wan in Exile – Owen Lars

(Originally published on AllThingsKenobi.com January 10, 2021)

Welcome to the second in a series of looks into Obi-Wan Kenobi’s time in exile on Tatooine between Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. We’ve tried to mine as much Legends and canon material as possible to help guide you through some of the period’s most common and repetitive themes so that when the new Obi-Wan Kenobi series airs, you’ll be ready.

Not everything he ever did in the entire 19 years will be explored here, but as we said, we’ve tried our best to pick out the most prominent and impactful moments to give everyone a better understanding of exactly what one hermit had to endure out there all alone in the sandy deserts of Tatooine.

There’s no way around it: Owen Lars hated Obi-Wan Kenobi. But why? A young Luke Skywalker could have benefited greatly from the two men working together, but it was not to be so. Here we will look at just a few of the many times the Jedi was rejected by the hardened moisture farmer in an attempt to understand just how fraught with tension their relationship really was.

“That wizard’s just a crazy old man.”

STAR WARS EPISODE IV: A NEW HOPE C

Owen Lars was the very first person to ever paint a picture for us of the now-illustrious Obi-Wan Kenobi, and this is what he had to say about him. Though we, alongside Luke, quickly recognize Owen’s words for the untruths they are, we were left to wonder exactly where the animosity, and possible bad blood, between the two men began. Especially since well up until Attack of the Clones was released, Owen was Obi-Wan’s biological brother (as confirmed in original drafts of Return of the Jedi), which made the exchange all the more tragic.

“But what if this Obi-Wan comes looking for him?”

“He won’t, I don’t think he exists any more. He died about the same time as your father.”

STAR WARS EPISODE IV: A NEW HOPE C

Owen continues to try and deter Luke by point-blank telling him that Obi-Wan is dead. It’s another clear falsehood that, at the time, carried little to no weight until twenty-eight years later when we witnessed the “deaths” of both Anakin and Obi-Wan on the slopes of Mustafar in Revenge of the Sith. But that’s a story for another time…

“He makes his terms abundantly clear: “We’ll take him in, but you’ll play no part in his upbringing. If you have to stay on Tatooine, you keep your distance, do you hear? You neither see the boy nor speak to him. He must know nothing about his father.”

“TIME OF DEATH” – FROM A CERTAIN POINT OF VIEW C

“Obi-Wan was glad and relieved that Beru and Owen agreed to raise Luke, but his mission did not end there, as it was also his duty to watch over the boy. He had thought that his ongoing presence would be some comfort to Owen and Beru. He soon learned that he was mistaken.”

LIFE AND LEGEND OF OBI-WAN KENOBI L

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

From the moment Obi-Wan arrived on Tatooine with a newborn Luke Skywalker, Owen made it abundantly clear that the Jedi would have nothing to do with the child. It was an unfair set of terms that Obi-Wan, while doing his best to adhere to, would breach with regular frequency, often pushing his already contentious relationship with the farmer to its breaking point.

Over the years, not only would Obi-Wan often be forced into interceding on the family’s behalf as protection (much to Owen’s chagrin), but he would also willingly cross the line to try and form a relationship with Luke from afar. Whether it was a simple gift of parts for Luke’s skyhopper (1) or a handmade wooden toy (2), the attempts would be vehemently denied and Obi-Wan would find himself right back where he started.

Star Wars 15 C

Was Owen right to be concerned that trouble would follow Obi-Wan back to Luke and their homestead? Of course. Obi-Wan understands and even acknowledges that his watchful gaze could attract attention (3), so he backs off, moving farther out into the Jundland Wastes until the time comes when he is needed. (3)(4) But Owen took his concerns above and beyond, twisting reason into a deep-seated personal hatred of the other man.

“The hut was approximately 136 kilometers from the Lars homestead—farther than Obi-Wan would have preferred, but probably still too close to satisfy Owen Lars.”

LIFE AND LEGEND OF OBI-WAN KENOBI L

“I managed to steer clear of Owen Lars this time. The man doesn’t like me at all.”

KENOBI L

“I’d always believed – always hoped – that Owen’s anger would cool toward me, that one day I would be allowed to train young Luke in the ways of the Force.”

“TIME OF DEATH” – FROM A CERTAIN POINT OF VIEW C

“Old Wounds” – Star Wars Visionaries L

Why? Why did Owen Lars hate Obi-Wan Kenobi so much? First and foremost, he placed the blame of Anakin’s downfall solely on Obi-Wan, going so far as to accuse Obi-Wan of “murder.” (1) It’s interesting to say the least that Owen would have such strong opinions about a man he’d only met once (5), but it seems to become more clear when you take into consideration that Owen adored his step-mother, Shmi. But while Shmi no doubt loved her adoptive family, she often spent her time looking to the horizon waiting for the day when Anakin would return. (6) So for Obi-Wan to have lost Shmi’s beloved son might have been too much for Owen to bear.

We’ll discuss this more in depth later, but Owen even removed Shmi’s headstone, along with the stones of other family members, so that Obi-Wan could no longer visit the site. (7) Consequently, it also ensured that Luke would never know about his grandmother. At least not while he lived at the homestead.

“If killing me would have brought [Anakin’s] mother back to life, I know he would have killed me then and there. I could see it in his eyes.”

LIFE AND LEGEND OF OBI-WAN KENOBI L

At some point, Owen also seemed to have distrusted the Jedi as a whole. It was a prejudice formed the day he watched an angry and unrepentant Anakin Skywalker return from slaughtering a village of Sand People. (2) That being his only interaction with a Jedi before Obi-Wan came along, Owen didn’t want Luke to have anything to do with what he saw in Anakin that day.

“Everyone was stunned when Owen abruptly told Ben to leave and not to come back. The experience had left Luke baffled. Even now, some ten years after the incident, he still did not know why Owen had been so angry with Ben. From what little he knew, he assumed that Ben’s purpose on Tatooine had been to discreetly watch over him while Owen and Beru raised him as if he were an ordinary child, not the son of a Jedi-turned-Sith Lord. But if both Ben and Owen had been responsible for protecting Luke, why hadn’t they gotten along? Luke could only imagine why Owen had so aggressively objected to Ben’s presence. Luke remembered listening to conversations between his uncle and aunt, practically spying on them, hoping to hear any small detail about his father or Ben Kenobi. Owen and Beru never revealed much but merely reinforced that they preferred not to discuss either man.”

LIFE AND LEGEND OF OBI-WAN KENOBI L

Luke cheers, running full pelt toward me, arms as wide as his smile. There is a crunch behind me and I turn, Owen’s fist burying itself in my nose. I slam down hard on the ground, the lightsaber skittering from my hand. All my training, all my experience, and a humble moisture farmer has achieved what neither battle droid nor Sith has achieved, knocking me flat on my back.

“Uncle Owen!” Luke cries in confusion as his uncle manhandles the boy toward his aunt before turning to glower at me.

“Go,” he all but spits, an accusatory finger punctuating the furious decree. “Get away from here. Haven’t you people done enough to this family?”

“TIME OF DEATH” – FROM A CERTAIN POINT OF VIEW C

Lastly, and most unfortunately, Owen never minded expressing his distaste for Obi-Wan in front of Luke, going so far as to strike Obi-Wan and send him away while the boy watched. Would Owen’s treatment of the strange desert hermit help one day drive a wedge between the boy and his uncle? Maybe. Maybe not. All we do know is that Luke, like his father before him, was already inextricably linked to Obi-Wan Kenobi. And there was nothing Owen Lars could do about it.

Citations:

Star Wars 15 by Jason Aaron C

“Time of Death” – From a Certain Point of View by Cavan Scott C

Kenobi by John Jackson Miller L

Life and Legend of Obi-Wan Kenobi by Ryder Windham L

Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones C

Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones Novelization by R. A. Salvatore L

A New Hope: The Life of Luke Skywalker by Ryder Windham L

[hecckyeah]

I will never (ever) stop yelling about Beru Lars. I think she is the most underrated, underappreciated character in all of star wars, and people actually have the audacity to hate on her and Owen???

Listen. Listen listen.

Here's this girl who grew up on Tatooine--an actual sand hell planet--probably in poverty, like most people there. She's an excellent cook, a quiet sweetheart, and she catches the eye of a moisture farmer and they end up marrying, inheriting the farm after Cliegg dies. From what I understand, Beru is unable to have kids, even though she wanted them. (Correct me if I'm wrong--lore is not my strong point lol.)

One day while she and Owen are still just dating, she meets this angry dark-robed Jedi, probably the first one she's ever met, who Owen says is his long-lost step brother. Also, she probably knew Shmi really well and heard all about little Ani. Shmi dies, Anakin is angry af, and he leaves without saying goodbye, taking their protocol droid with him. That's all she ever sees of Anakin and Padme, and she goes on to marry Owen and start running the farm, probably forgetting about those weird two days after a while.

Three years and an entire galaxy-wide war later, Beru gets a call from another Jedi, saying Anakin and Padme are dead and they left a son behind, and Owen and Beru are the only family he has left. Are they willing to take him in and raise him?

And oh my goodness, Beru DOES. She loves that pure blond ray of sunshine like he's her flesh and blood, and she pours all her goodness and kindness and just.... pours all her love into that boy, even though his dad was a walking detonator waiting to blow, and his mom was sad and distant. Beru's actual familial relation to Luke is barely there--she's like...his step aunt by marriage or something. But does that stop her? Of course not. And here's what I think.

I think Owen was worried about Luke turning into Anakin and running off to be a Jedi and leaving his family in the dust. And that's completely understandable. (Sidenote: in NO universe is Owen abusive, no matter what the fandom says. He's protective of his son/nephew. That's all. End of story.)

Owen might see too much of Anakin in Luke, but I think Beru sees all the good, wonderful qualities she saw in Shmi. I think Beru loved Shmi for the time she knew her. I can see them having a very close bond. And I think Luke is the embodiment of his grandmother in Beru's eyes.

I think there were nights where Luke lay awake in his bunk in a Rebel base somewhere and wished for his aunt again. She was his mother in every single way but blood. When Padme wasn't there to instill virtues of honor and love and patience in Luke, Beru did. When Padme wasn't there to kiss him goodnight and tuck him into bed and tell him stories, Beru did. When Padme wasn't there to wipe his tears and wrap him in a crushing hug, Beru did. When Padme wasn't there to love her son and teach him to love others selflessly and relentlessly, Beru did.

Luke might share many of his parents' traits by blood, but I believe his core qualities--what make him so pure and unbreakable--came straight from his aunt. And we just don't recognize that enough.

I just. I have so much respect for that beautiful space aunt. Rest in peace, Beru, and know that Luke still loves you, and you'll always be his mom, no matter what.

[dalekofchaos]

If Vader raised Luke and Obi-Wan trained Leia

Let’s say sometime after Mustafar. Darth Vader in his meditation in his castle, Vader felt a presence he hasn’t felt since.....Padme. Since he felt his unborn child through the force. His child is alive. Sidious lied. The Jedi took his son from him. They will all pay. So here is what would happen if Vader sensed, found and raised Luke. 

Darth Vader would’ve killed Owen and Beru instantly and burned the Lars homestead

Obi-Wan would rush to face Vader. Vader would overpower Obi-Wan, mortally wound him and throw him into the burning homestead and use the force to crush the roof onto an unconscious Obi-Wan 

Darth Vader would hold a baby Luke in his hands and  for some reason Luke is not afraid, but drawn to this dark figure. 

Vader would simply say “Luke. Son...”

Vader takes Luke to his castle on Mustafar

Obi-Wan would crawl out of the remains of the Lars Homestead. Injured, but alive. Obi-Wan failed. He contacted Yoda and told him Vader found and took Luke. Yoda will simply tell him “There is another.” All he can do is call Bail for transport to Alderaan. He failed Luke, but he will not fail Leia. 

Bail and Breha would teach Leia about politics and Obi-Wan would train Leia to become a Jedi

Luke would spend his entire childhood to adulthood in the depths of Fortress Vader. Training and submerging himself in the dark side of the force. 

Vader would indoctrinate his son into hating the Jedi. Hating The Emperor and instructing his son that only together could they destroy The Emperor and the last of the Jedi.

By the events of Rogue One/A New Hope. Luke’s training would be complete. “You were weak when I found you. Now your hatred has become your strength. At last the dark side is your ally. Henceforth, you shall be known as Darth Zhoun. Rise, my son.”  Source 1. Source 2

Luke would be Vader’s assassin. Carrying out assassinations in the name of the Empire. Killing the last of the Jedi. Enemies of The Empire. His identity is unknown to the Emperor and Rebellion, but his reputation would strike fear in the Rebel Alliance. He is simply known as “Vader’s Shadow.”

Palpatine feels a disturbance in the force, but for some reason, he cannot detect Luke. All he can sense is “a shadow”

Luke fully embraced the dark side and is consumed by it. When Master Shaak Ti tries to turn him away from his path, before killing her(What is this her 5th death????) Luke will say “My father’s fate is my own.”

Vader’s final test for his son would be to pit him against his old Padawan. Luke kills Maul with ease as he decapitates him. Luke uses Ahsoka’s need to save her friends against her and when she attempts to save them, Luke cuts Ahsoka down. 

Thrawn would request the aid of Vader, in his stead, Vader once again sends his son. Luke would kill Ezra and save Thrawn. “Lord Vader has need of you, Grand Admiral. Set up the TIE Defenders program in the Unknown Regions and return with a fleet of them.” Thrawn would call off the fleet and let Lord Zhoun deal with the Rebels. Luke would then slaughter the Rebels on Lothal

Sometime after securing Thrawn’s victory on Lothal, as a gift. Thrawn has given Vader and Luke their own personal TIE Defenders. 

Vader and Zhoun would slaughter Cal and Cere. The Holocron is theirs. 

The existence of Darth Zhoun would only be known to Vader, Admiral Piett and General Veers.(you’ll see why)

Leia had a decade of training. On Alderaan and on Dagobah. Yoda and Obi-Wan together completed Leia’s training. Leia is now a fully fledged Jedi Knight and is ready to lead the Rebellion and confront her father and brother.  art source

Yoda and Obi-Wan would tell Leia the truth. Darth Vader is her father and his secret assassin is her brother, Luke. Due to a decade of training, Leia would prove strong and wise enough to learn the truth of her family.

Also Leia would ask about her mother. “Tell me, what was my mother like, my real mother.” “Your mother was Padme Amidala, a senator, queen and a kind and beautiful..” “Strong, was your mother. Believed in peace and diplomacy did she.” “And my father? Was he always Vader?” “Your mother loved your father. Anakin Skywalker was a good man. But he was consumed to stop the people he loved from dying. His mother was killed by the Tusken Raiders on Tatooine and the Emperor seized the opportunity to turn your father to the dark side. One day, your father was plagued by nightmares of Padme dying in childbirth, The Emperor promised him the power to save your mother, but in doing so Anakin became twisted by the dark side and became Darth Vader.” 

Leia believes her family could be turned. Obi-Wan would object. He's more machine now than man. Twisted and evil.” When insisting that Luke could be saved. Obi-Wan would be remorseful. “I failed my duty to save Luke, I should have followed Vader and staged a rescue, but you needed to be trained, you were our only hope.” 

Leia would be contacted by Bail requesting aid on Scarif. Yoda gives his blessing for Leia to go. Saying Ready to reveal herself to the galaxy, she is. Obi-Wan would join her as he must confront Vader one last time.

Leia and Obi-Wan get there just in time and they save the Rogue One Crew. Jyn personally gives Leia the plans. Obi-Wan tells her. “What is it?” All Leia can tell her master is “Hope.”

Leia would transmit the plans to the Tantive IV where her father would be there to receive the plans.

Vader and Luke board the ship to slaughter the rebels. Before they can get the Death Star plans back. They are confronted by Obi-Wan Kenobi and Leia. 

Darth Vader and Obi-Wan would duel similar to how they did in ANH aboard the ship. Leia and Obi-Wan are in desperate need to escape

Leia is able to defensively take down her brother, Obi-Wan momentarily stuns Vader and they escape with the plans.

As The Tantive IV is boarded, Leia and Obi-Wan are able to evade detection and hide in the escape pods with C-3PO and R2-D2

In place of Leia captured by the Empire, it is Bail Organa. Bail gives the plans to his daughter and pleads with Leia to leave with Master Kenobi. 

Leia and the droids wander Tatooine for a long walk. All Leia can think is “so much sand. so much fucking sand.”

Leia would store the plans in R2. Just in case something happens.

Leia is guided by Obi-Wan. “We must find passage to save Bail.”

Leia and Obi-Wan finds Mos Eisley Cantina and there they meet Han and Chewie. Leia asks for passage to Alderaan for herself and her droids no questions asked. “Is it a fast ship?” “Fast ship? You’ve never heard of The Millennium Falcon? It's the ship that made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs! I've outrun Imperial starships, not the local bulk-cruisers, mind you.” All Leia can do is roll her eyes and takes Han’s word for it. Leia tells her “Once we get to Alderaan, my father Senator Organa will pay you handsomely. Say 15,000 credits?” Han just smiles that cocky Solo smile and says “you got yourself a deal princess”

Once Leia sees the Falcon. “You fly in that thing? You’re braver than I thought.” Han retorts “She'll make point five past lightspeed. She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts, Princess. I've made a lot of special modifications myself.”

Leia and Han bicker like an old married couple and Chewie just decided “that’s it I ship it” Obi-Wan would see the writing on the walls. “Oh, this is like watching me and Satine” 

Bail watches the destruction of Alderaan

Leia would convince Han to help her free her father. Han is hesitant, but Leia will insist “my father will be very grateful, I’m sure we can triple the rewar-” Han would say so quickly “DONE!”

Han and Leia are pretty much battle couple goals while taking down Stormtroopers and Imperial Officers in the detention center.

Leia saves her father and embraces him in a hug.

Vader and Obi-Wan duels and Obi-Wan sacrifices himself to save Leia and Bail

Bail is forever in Han’s debt. He saved his life and his daughter’s life. He will pay Han anything. Being indebted to a Hutt is no way to live a life. He pays Han what he’s owed, but asks if he can join the Rebellion after clearing the debt as the Rebellion is in dire need of good pilots. Chewie is all for it, but Han is having none of it, but looks at Leia and says “I’m not saying yes, Senator, but...maybe.” Bail sees that he’s looking at Leia and says “I see” and knows he fancies his daughter.

Leia would fly in her personal Jedi X-wing Starfighter(Just imagine a mix between Anakin’s Jedi Starfighter and an X-Wing) during the Battle Of Yavin IV Leia’s hypothetical ship would look like this(source) but realistically it would be colored blue and white

Han would make the save and Leia would destroy the Death Star(btw Han now will not shut up that he saved Leia, ya know in a way, princess I helped destroyed the Death Star. I saved you from Vader and gave you the confidence you needed to destroy the Death Star. Sometimes I amaze even myself. Leia rolls her eyes and smiles...and blushes. Bail notices this and is happy his daughter is in love but knows she will never admit it) 

Leia would be knocked out and captured by a Wampa. Leia defeats it.

Han would save Leia. “Don’t worry, your worship I’ll save you.” Leia now wishes for death, he would not stop bringing up saving her during the Death Star, but now she owes him twice. Is the force punishing her?

Darth Vader and Darth Zhoun are on the hunt for the Jedi Princess. 

Bail requests Leia and Han to bring Master Yoda back into the fight. 

When Han and Leia escape. Bail stays behind. Darth Vader kills him and Leia feels the loss of Bail and breaks down. 

Instead of bickering and bantering, Han comforts Leia. Leia embraces Han in a hug and a kiss. Leia lets him in.

Leia and Han make it to Dagobah. Leia is very patient with her old master, but Han thinks he should be bigger. “This is Yoda?” Leia confirms and Chewie says so as well an goes “and how would you know that???” “I fought in the Clone Wars, Han” “Well, what do you want, a medal???”

Chewie would embrace Yoda in a hug. Yoda would warmly greet his old friend. “Chewbacca, missed you I did.”

Leia and Han asks Yoda to return to aid the Rebel Alliance. He doesn't have to fight but advise the leaders as what they must do. Yoda is willing, but first he must complete Leia’s training. With this, Leia tells Han to go and pay off Jabba’s debt. and kisses Han goodbye. Han says “When you’re done, meet me on Bespin, I’m going to see an old friend.”

Meanwhile aboard the Executer, Vader and Luke set in motion the plan to destroy The Emperor. Everyone aboard The Executer, especially Admiral Piett and General Veers are loyal to Vader and his son. The Emperor lies in his throne in the safety of the Imperial city, while Lord Vader is a man of action who fights on the front lines with his soldiers. They will stand by Lord Vader and his son, soon more will follow. 

Vader’s call with The Emperor happens as same, but Palpatine says “We have a new enemy. There is a great disturbance in the force. The Rebel Princess who destroyed the Death Star.” “She is just a girl, Obi-Wan and her father can no longer help her. “I have a feeling she is the daughter of Anakin Skywalker.” “How is this possible?” “Search your feelings Lord Vader, you know it to be true.” “If she can be turned, she can be a powerful ally.” “Yes...can it be done Lord Vader? “She will join us or die.”

Vader internally is pissed, but also pleased. Vader tells his son. “A Twin Sister, you have a twin sister. If she can be turned, we will destroy The Emperor and rule the galaxy as a family.” “What if my sister doesn’t join us?” “Then she will die. 

Leia’s training is complete. Yoda dubs Leia the rank of Jedi Master. Leia senses Han is in danger. Yoda tells her to go. “Be here, I shall be. May the force be with you, Master Leia.”

Despite paying off his debt to Jabba, Vader still intends to test Han Solo into carbonite freezing him. And Jabba would be overjoyed to have Han as a decoration. 

Vader orders Luke to bring his sister in the fold or kill her. “As you wish, father.”

Leia is too late. She sees Han frozen in carbonite. 

Leia feels the presence of her brother. They duel and they evenly matched. One wrong move and the fight is over. Luke cuts Leia’s hand off and asks his sister to join him and his father. Leia defiantly refuses. “Vader killed my master and my true father, I’LL NEVER JOIN YOU!” “The Jedi betrayed our father. turned our mother against him and had us separated, luckily he found me and rescued me. With our combined strength, we can destroy the Emperor and bring order to the galaxy as a family.” Leia refuses and falls..

Thanks to Yoda guiding Lando and Chewie, they find her just in time.

Despite not having Leia, Vader and Luke has everything they need to pull a coup on The Emperor

Vader has his son. Admiral Piett. Grand Admiral Thrawn. The Death Squadron. Death Troopers. A legion of TIE Defenders and more and more are drawn to Vader. Vader and Zhoun make their attack on Coruscant. 

Darth Vader and Darth Zhoun face Palpatine. The Throne room is lit up with force lightning and crimson blades. The battle is powerful and raw, but ultimately Luke and Vader overpower The Emperor. There is nowhere where Palpatine can escape to. Not Exegol or anywhere. Vader decapitates his old master. 

Vader broadcasts to the galaxy. “The Emperor is dead. I am now your Emperor. Those who serve me and my son, you will achieve greatness as we bring order to the galaxy. Those who stay loyal to The Emperor, die.” There would be a small civil war, but eventually all those who stayed loyal to Palpatine would be rounded up and killed.

Leia rescues Han. Leia does not resort to allowing herself to be captured. Nor does Leia need to be forced to wear that slave outfit. Leia gives Jabba one chance to free Han. Jabba refuses and since a Jedi would be impossible to be enslaved, he plans to feed Leia to his pet Rancor. That would be Jabba’s undoing. Leia would use animal bond/beast control on the Rancor and successfully tames the beast. After Leia convinces the Rancor to help her, Leia unleashes the beast on Jabba and his men Source

Leia unfreezes Han, rescues Chewie, Lando and the droids. 

In addition to rescuing Han, Leia also rescues Oola and all the slaves in Jabba’s palace.

Leia and Han would fight Boba Fett. With Boba Fett at their mercy, Leia decides to save him. Leia thinking “he could be so much more.” Han makes the decision to save him.  Han and Boba Fett finally bury their rivalry and leave it in the past and shake hands. Boba would declare that Han’s bounty will no longer exists and he won’t chased by him and exits the story. This would work because it would show that Han has grown from the rogue who would shot a man dead without question in ANH to someone who is willing to find an alternate solution to his problems. It’d also give some layers to Boba Fett of being a man of honor.

Yoda dies, but tells her that she is the only hope in saving her brother and stopping Vader. 

With Vader as Emperor, he has no intentions with building a second Death Star. Instead he intends to wipe out the Rebellion from the face of the galaxy. 

Luke feels a pull to the light. After a life of darkness and evil, Luke feels remorse. He sees what his father as Emperor is doing is wrong and if he feels these feelings, it’s all over. 

The Rebellion plans to make one last ditch effort to end the Empire once and for all. A Coup. The battle on the ground would now take place in the Imperial City and the area surrounding the Imperial Palace. The dogfights between X-Wings and TIE Fighters would take place in the skies above instead of in space. The confrontation between Leia,  Luke and Vader and would take place in the Imperial Palace in The Emperor's Throne Room.

Leia would contact Luke in order to get close to the palace.

Leia feels the conflict within her brother. Luke is trying to keep her out. Eventually Leia gets in and pleads with her brother to help him destroy Vader. But Luke takes her before Vader

Vader taunts Leia that the Rebellion will die today, but they can all be saved if she gives in to the dark side and joins her family

Vader forces Luke and Leia to fight to the death. Only one can serve him. Leia refuses to join him, but Vader and Luke are not giving her a choice. 

Leia and Luke’s duel is a mix between Anakin/Obi-Wan and Vader/Luke in terms of how the fight would go. In the end. Neither Luke nor Leia can kill the other. They both deactivate their lightsabers and embrace in a hug. For the first time in a long time, Luke’s yellow eyes turn blue. This ignites the wrath of their father. 

Vader force chokes both his children with full intentions of killing them. The only thing that can save them? Leia remembers on what Obi-Wan spoke about her mother. “Our mother was Padme Amidala.” Vader is stunned and enraged by the mere mention of her name. All Vader can say is “Do. Not. Say. Her. Name.” 

Vader ignites his lightsaber preparing to kill. While Luke and Leia are ready to defend themselves. Luke lands a strike that is similar to Ahsoka’s where Vader’s face is visibly seen

With Vader down. Leia continues to speak about her mother. “She was kind and beautiful. You were deceived and betrayed by The Emperor. He turned you from the most compassionate Jedi Knight to ever live into a dark lord. You do not have to be this way. You are free. You and Luke are free. Padme loved you. Obi-Wan loved you. You are Anakin Skywalker, our father. Call off the fleet and let us bring peace to the galaxy as a family.”

Anakin concedes to his children. 

The war is over. The Empire has ended. Vader agrees to whatever punishment the Rebellion has for him. 

Leia is in charge of Luke. Leia helps Luke on his path of atonement. 

Vader is sentenced for execution. His final request. “Let me see my children one last time.” Leia and Luke are saddened, but Anakin assures his children he has made peace with his fate. His final request from his children is to take his mask off. “ Just for once, let me look on you with my own eyes.”

[sheepfulsheepyardinspace]

Do you have any Star Wars fanfic recommendations, or have a link to someone else's list? I really wanna veg out.

oh my god, DO I. this may have been the best ask in the world. i’m not really sure what u want a feel for, so i threw together some of my favorite longfics for maximum veg time from the ot/pt and links for swr and swtcw recs. they’re pretty much all luke-anakin/vader centric, since that’s kinda my bread and butter.

let’s start with frodogenic, who wrote the first longfic i ever read in sw and might be one of the funniest authors ever. they once reviewed my fanfic & i nearly cried from joy. anyway. 

The Father, 284k+, complete. “Ten years after ROTS, tormenting nightmares of his unborn child drive Darth Vader to extraordinary measures with unexpectedly drastic consequences. Clearly, experience has taught Darth Vader nothing...” 

this is my og star wars fic and boy oh boy is it amazing. i will never get over this. i don’t want to spoil anything but when i say the final chapters are great? i mean they’re legendary. sometimes i still think about them & wish upon a star that i could be such a great writer. vader’s amazing, han is spectacular, and the ocs are fantastic.

Far More Than Rubies, 70k+, complete. “Nine years after AOTC, tragedy revisits the Lars Homestead. Little Luke Skywalker is suddenly plunged into chaos as the rebel movements discover a secret military project that may make a crucial difference in the war with the Empire.”

the spiritual twin of The Father, FMTR takes a look at padmé’s character and relationship with both luke and anakin/vader that’s hard to beat. it’s darker and heavier than The Father, but it hits those same sweet, sweet emotional beats while raising the age-old question: if padmé had lived, what would she have done?

The Family Tree, 12k, complete. “In which Luke Skywalker is stranded in a tree waiting for a flash flood to recede. Too bad he's got company...”

okay, i admit, this isn’t a longfic, but it is a longshot, and it’s amazing. the imagery and description always blow me away, and the interaction (canon-compliant) between luke and vader just [chef’s kiss] get me. vader’s in full, glorious form, and it makes it all the harder when luke wrestles with the knowledge that vader is his father.

Sibling Revelry, 25k, complete. “After Bespin and before Endor, Darth Vader is shocked to discover that Luke and Leia are twins. He's even more shocked when Imperial Intelligence reports that Organa and Skywalker are, erm, a tad closer than previously suspected.”

this is complete crack and humor in the best way possible. it’s crack treated entirely seriously, and you will be in stitches, i promise. no matter how many times i’ve read this i break down.

KittandChips (@kittandchips) writes what i can only describe as food for the soul. the luke-vader interaction is insanely amazing, the world building of daily imperial life and imperial governance is amazing, and vader just has a special je ne sais quoi that u must read to understand––tragic, funny, and so, so fatherly. they’re currently rewriting the Force Bond Series to fit in with newer canon, so i will joyously binge reread the entire again (including the new Force Bond: Mustafar Weekend).

Force Bond 1: Orphan, 47k, complete. “After Owen and Beru are killed by a mysterious stranger, young Luke ends up as an orphan on Coruscant. It's a race against time as Obi-Wan struggles to find Luke before Vader realizes the boy is his son.”

Orphan kicks off the series, which tracks vader and luke’s relationship through the perils of luke’s teenagerhood while growing up under the eye of the emperor and imperial court. it’s filled with slow growth, struggle and misunderstandings as darth vader tries to single parent, and pay off in every installment. the entire series clocks in around 777k+ and is the most joyful, fulfilling reading you’ll ever have. promise.

darth-nickels (@darth--nickels) writes darker, twistier, and terribly, terribly heartwrenching aus. they’ve got a whole host, but let me introduce to my two favorites. also, check out their faux-academia on vader. it’s amazing and i love it, but i admit i am an academia hoe.

Dooku Captured, Pt 2, 16k, complete. “Dooku is taken alive onboard the Invisible Hand, and Sidious' web is torn. The Sith Lord wonders if death might have been preferable to clumsy interrogation by Anakin Skywalker.”

Dooku Captured is a longshot au told from Dooku’s pov which takes the beginning of ROTS and throws it on its head. it’s a fascinating outside perspective of anakin and obi-wan’s relationship and such and interesting examination of dooku’s psyche and especially his complex relationship with the jedi order, qui-gon, yoda, and palpatine. i cannot rec this one enough.

Black Mirror, 90k, incomplete. “The Ghost crew returns to the Lothal when they hear the Empire is investigating the Jedi Temple there. They learn Vader is alone and decide to take him out-- but what they find could change the course of Galactic history.”

Black Mirror diverges into swr territory, but make no mistake: this is entirely an examination of vader and, later, obi-wan as well as ahsoka. luke makes his appearance later in the game, and boy oh boy will you love luke’s portrayal is a microcosm of luke and vader’s relationship within canon. heed the tags, though.

jerseydevious ( @jerseydevious ) is, first and foremost, one of my favorite people on earth. secondly, though, she’s an amazing writer with a deep understanding of vader’s character and psyche, a flair for beautiful depictions, and the true ability to wring every emotion out of your body.

Two and a Half Men (with a baby), 13k, incomplete. “After a long day of bargaining with Hutts and attempting to ignore his past, Darth Vader is nearing the end of his rope. When he discovers his two-year-old son, it's the straw that breaks the semi-rational Sith Lord's back; in a rash act worthy of the Skywalker name, he scoops his son into his arms, steals a shuttle from his own fleet, and punches in random hyperspace coordinates to a destination on the other side of the galaxy. Unfortunately, father and son are not the only ones on the ship.”

Two and a Half Men will stick with you, dude. like no other. i promise. it’s a whirlwind ride with obi-wan, vader, and piett and as funny as it is heartbreaking. it touches on some heavy issues and doesn’t shy away from looking at the damage done to vader––again, heed the tags.

Helioseismology, 4k, complete. “Luke gets shot down on a supply run and caught in an ice storm. It's extremely lucky that his father followed him there.“

i’ll admit. im completely biased about this one because it was a birthday gift to me and i am sucker for litcherally anything when jd puts pen to paper, but believe me when i say you will be awed by the depth and tangled relationships between these luke and vader that jersey can illustrate in a stroke of the paintbrush. im love. always.

izzythehutt ( @izzythehutt ) i am blown away by the intricate dialogue and characterization, always. and the latin puns? im sold. im also a sucker for latin puns, but that’s a story for a different time.

In Loco Pirates, 34k, complete. “A down-on-his-luck Hondo Ohnaka manages to capture the unicorn of all bounties--Luke Skywalker, which sends Darth Vader, Lord of the Sith, on a painfully familiar trip to the planet Florrum to collect his prize. The failed negotiations leave Vader in the awkward position of being stuck in a besieged pirate bunker, trying to balance keeping his wayward child safe (and in his custody) with controlling the tongue of a loose-lipped pirate who--to the surprise of no one--has a bad habit of telling 'amusing' anecdotes from the Clone Wars.”

hondo, aka the best character of swtcw, is brought to life just as vividly on paper as on screen. his entire personality brings luke and vader’s difficulties in a sort of incredulous light, which makes it as funny as it is vulnerable and tragic. the sequel, Palpatine Ad Portas, brings piett into the spotlight, and oh man do his interactions with palpatine and vader bring u all the uncomfortable vibes. relish in it.

sparklight ( @littlesparklight ) man. lemme introduce u to an amazing prolific and detailed writer. i will never get over the series they’ve written & neither will u.

Where Our Intrepid Hero Doesn’t Get Away, 122k, incomplete. “One-shots surrounding either AU situations of canon/legends works where Luke would normally have gotten away (or Vader is simply inserted into the action to come pick his child up) but in these instances doesn't, or completely new scenarios of the same. There are no deep ruminations on consequences of the situations here, just our awful Sith dad picking his son up when he'd rather not be.”

exactly what it says on the tin. u know those glorious moments of fanfic where luke’s gotten captured and ur on pins and needles, waiting for vader to show up in a moment of dark glory? here’s the moment. here’s all the moments.

Space Race, 122k, incomplete. “Owen gives in to Luke's wish to attend the Imperial Academy and Obi-Wan is too late to avert it, though he's not too late to make sure Luke leaves Arkanis before Vader can gets his hands on him. Luke spends over a month running around the galaxy before his father gets him, and from there...”

this story relishes in chase and boy is it fun. it will keep you on the edge of your seat and it’s an amazing ride.

The Suns of Tatooine, 85k, complete. “Luke ends up on a moon swamped in dark side energy after a mission goes wrong, then his father appears... and then they go on a bit of a learning experience. This could've been the only thing that would come of getting through a Sith complex with his father, but thanks to going to free Han earlier than the gang did otherwise, more revelations are had. Will that change anything?”

this series is a thoughtful, contemplative piece examining the nature of the force and the relationship the skywalkers have with tatooine. the descriptions are beautiful, the inventiveness is amazing, and you’ll be thinking about it for long afterwards.

an additional few…

Between Flight and Longing; 34k, complete. “Luke Skywalker and Han Solo journey to the planet Balen'ar on a desperate mission and find more than they'd bargained for.”

a classic and it is for a reason. the interaction between han, luke, and vader is so spectacular and the slow trudge of going through the forest with your greatest enemy and best friend is something hilarious. the end is bittersweet and fantastic.

The Sith Who Brought Life Day, 13k, complete. “An Imperial officer loses a bet and has to get Darth Vader a present for Life Day.”

somewhere between terrifying and dull, this fic presents a canon-compliant look at the hunt for luke and the grinding wheels of the empire. the oc is amazing and it echoes in true star wars spirit: sometimes it’s just some dude who can change the galaxy.

Quintessence, 5k, complete. ‘“Well, Master, I think I’ve found the one positive aspect of this situation.” “Which is?” “The Temple won’t have to pay the costs for our funeral pyres.”’

pure hilarity and shenanigans abound in pre-aotc obi-wan and anakin hijink goodness. lemme tell u––u will deeply sympathize with mace windu afterwards. additionally, check out the rest of the author’s oneshots! they’re deeply thoughtful and the interactions the author writes between obi-wan and anakin are always gold.

some extras & shameless self-promotion

here’s a full list of recommendations for star wars rebels fanfic in case this is what you’re looking for (remember when this used to be a swr blog, lmao)

i’ve also written sw fanfic, both swr and luke-vader centric. drop by and tell me if it’s any good!

[jasontoddiefor]

hey so for the emporer luke thing would luke eventually get to see biggs/meet him cuz they're cool

As if I could leave my second fave Tatooine kid out of any OT story! Read on AO3

Biggs Darklighter was fifteen years old and he still dreamed of going to the stars someday. He was a good son, helped in the household, and took care of his younger siblings, and would his parents ask him to stay, then Biggs would. If they’d let him go though, Biggs would seek the unknown parts of the galaxy, chase after the adventures he had dreamed of ever since he was a little boy, running around in the courtyard of his family’s home or jumping up and down on Luke’s bed, pretending to be a ship in the sky.

It was strange how easily he had accepted Luke’s disappearance when he was younger. Tatooine was a harsh planet, cruel to the bone, and the death of a loved one happened far too often to be unfamiliar with how tightly life and death were woven together. He hadn’t forgotten about Luke, had mourned his friend and joined his mother on her trips to the Lars homestead, but he hadn’t let Luke’s fate dominate his every waking thought. There had been other things to worry about, such as the suddenly escalating conflicts due to Jabba’s death.

Now it seemed like the exact opposite was happening to Biggs. He couldn’t keep his friend out of his mind. The weekly trips to the Lars homestead, checking in on its state and the refugees hiding there for the next transport that would them smuggle off-world, were now spent trying to see whether Biggs could find any sign of His Imperial Highness in the murals and carvings they had made into Luke’s bedroom walls as children. He had been there when they had found Beru and Owen’s bodies, eleven years old and wondering whether Luke had made used of his uncanny ability to hide away so that he hadn’t been killed too. His aunt and uncle had been half-buried in the sand already, left behind to rot without a proper funeral. It had been easy to figure out what exactly had caused their deaths and what it meant for Luke. In the aftermath, when the news of Jabba’s violent end had reached even the Darklighters, they had traveled to the palace and the nearby city once, trying to see if anybody had heard of a child by the name of Luke Skywalker, but nobody had known a thing.

And then, just a year later, Luke had appeared again.

The Republic had never really cared about Tatooine and neither had the Empire, but even they had heard rather quickly about the Emperor’s death and his heir.

The Luke in the holos had looked like a doll, fake and imaginary, like a wind spirit. His face hadn’t been any different, it still matched the one Biggs remembered, but nothing else seemed to fit, not his name, not even his accent.

And yet he had been sure that the child appearing in front of the Senate was his friend.

All that had remained from Luke Skywalker were his blue eyes, the blond hair and the kindness that had made the other children scoff at him. Luke had been too good to understand, to naïve or perhaps he just hadn’t cared for their petty words. Biggs hadn’t known how he could smile so openly when the others took their teasing to far, but Luke had never lowered his head, at least not where he could see it.

Biggs missed his best friend, the one who would help him fix up old droids and fly speeders and skyhoppers more accurately than anybody else, even though he really shouldn’t be able to do so. Luke would certainly have the time of his life now, rushing across the sands at maximum speed, the wind hitting his face so harshly it almost cut into it. Luke had always enjoyed listening to the wind, from the sweet breezes in spring to the heavy sandstorms towards the end of drought season. Being stuck inside with nothing to do hadn’t been too bad with Luke around to narrate what the wind was telling him.

The distance between the Darklighter homestead and the Lars’ Rest, as they had come to call that safehouse, wasn’t too large. Biggs crossed it quickly even in his slightly beat-up ride that could use an upgrade or two. As far as he knew, no runaways should be staying there for the remainder of the week until they got the next group through. There were fewer and fewer slaves in need of transport nowadays. Tatooine was still, as it had been for the last years since Luke’s disappearance, caught in civil war between the former Hutt slaves, freedom fighters, whatever good soul they could convince to join their cause and those crime syndicates who sought to make use of cheap labor. Where the Hutts had that thought they could reclaim Tatooine quickly following Jabba’s death, Tatooine had wanted to prove them wrong. More and more slaves had escaped every day, more people stood up to fight for what they believed to be right.

Biggs wasn’t allowed to do much, not really. His older sister and her partners were heavily involved in the fights while Biggs could only do supply runs. He knew they were important, but he itched to do something more proactive.

But perhaps that wouldn’t be necessary anymore.

It had become more and more obvious that the Hutts were also a thorn in the side of the Empire and whoever was actually pulling the strings behind their Emperor was set to do something about it. There had been skirmishes so far, a few imprisonments. Nothing too large yet, but the horizon was darkening and if the last years had shown anything, then that the Empire didn’t tolerate disobedience. Biggs wasn’t sure how it would influence Tatooine at large. He didn’t know all that much about the way the Hutts operated on a galactic scale, but he figured that whatever took their attention away from Tatooine, even if just for a while, was good.

Soon Biggs was approaching Lars’ Rest and was surprised to see figures standing in the distance. Biggs frowned and slowed down his craft. He was absolutely certain that no group should be coming in today. The position of Lars’ Rest was kept quiet so that no slaver would discover this particular hideout. The only other groups that knew of it were smugglers and the sand people, though they hardly bothered coming down the underground tracks these days. They had decided to target moisture farms far deeper into their territory or, in the case of some clans who were not as isolated,  target the rich of Tatooine so the poor would cease trying to expand further into the desert.

Biggs reached for his rifle. If they were slavers, he had to be ready. It was obvious that he was doing supply runs, who else would be out here, and if they took him, that could be disastrous for the whole organization.

Tatooine was a horrible planet to plan an ambush on. Sand for miles, the open desert, and skies, nothing could hide you or provide adequate cover. Once your enemy spotted you, that was it.

Biggs could of course leave, drive back home. They didn’t keep anything too incriminating at their homestead, so even if they were to follow him, there was be nothing to be found there. And yet, somehow, Biggs couldn’t bring himself to do so as anger flared up in his stomach like the midday heat.

That house had belonged to his best friend. It was supposed to be a safe haven now when before its inhabitants had found death or worse. Nobody had any right to ruin those memories.

With newfound bravery and strength, Biggs sped up again. He was a good shot, the best in his family, he’d definitely hit them before they could shoot him.

As Biggs got closer, he saw that the group was larger than he had thought at first. Ten, perhaps fifteen figures. He had been confused because their forms had not been easy to make out with the sun bearing down on their light uniforms, no, armor. The armor was mostly white, but some patterns appeared to have been drawn on it. He saw the green ones first, their color standing out the most against the yellow and blue background of Tatooine. Then there some men with blue, orange, and red patterns, those being much harder to see. Biggs’ eyes were good, but not that excellent.

Nevertheless, he readied his rifle. It was easy to get stormtrooper uniform, and to paint it in the color of the Emperor’s guard was even easier.

Biggs took aim. He wasn’t going to shoot unprovoked, but he was going to shoot first if the situation escalated.

“Hey!” He shouted once he was within hearing distance. “Get the hell out of here!”

As expected, the armed men immediately raised their weapons as well. Biggs didn’t know why they hadn’t done that the moment they had seen him. Now that he was standing in front of them, Biggs wasn’t so sure his move had been the smartest. There were way too many of them and only one him.

“Move away,” one of the troopers, a red one, said.

His armor looked pristine, the paint new. This has to be a trick, though he no idea what somebody would get from parading around in trooper armor here. There were certainly more effective ways to pretend to have more power than you actually did on this planet.

“This land doesn’t belong to you,” Biggs said, forcing his voice not to waver. “Move.”

“Listen here, kid,” one of the troopers said, then suddenly stopped talking. Another man had put his hand on the man’s shoulder and leaned forward, probably telling him something. Even though Biggs couldn’t see their faces, they didn’t look too concerned by it all

“I’m not joking!” Biggs insisted and raised his blaster just a little more, set on using it if need be. “I will-“

“Biggs?”

The voice was barely louder than a whisper, certainly not above the noise the wind and the engine were making, and yet Biggs still heard it clearly.

“Your Majesty-“ The red trooper hissed, but in between the trooper’s bodies, a smaller form pushed through.

The person was short, but not as by far not as tall as the holos made him out to be. His hair had darkened as well, wasn’t the light blond Biggs remembered, but the eyes, clear blue, were definitely the same.

“Luke?” Biggs couldn’t believe it.

His clothes were far too fine for Tatooine, at least for standing outside where sand could easily get stuck everywhere on your skin. His robes looked soft and were decorated with gold and red lines interconnecting to images reminiscent of flowers and vines.

The boy's face split into a smile and he looked like he’d jump into a sprint if not for the trooper’s hand on his shoulder.

“Biggs! It really is you!” Luke said excitedly. “I didn’t think I’d see you again. I was hoping someone would look after the farm, but I-“

He cut himself off to shake his head, a gesture so familiar that it had to be Luke standing in front of him, brilliant pilot, Emperor of the galaxy.

Biggs hurried off his speeder and fell to his knees.

[duchess-of-mandalore]

Kenobi Show Idea

Korkie Kryze and his friends escape after Satine's death and end up going ... somewhere. Idk, but considering he's not in any of the other episodes in spite of the fact that he's clearly got military training and whatnot, they probably disappear for a while. 

After the death of his pacifist "aunt" (his only real family since his “mother” Bo-Katan's been gone so long), Korkie determines that Satine's mentality of peace was completely ineffectual (I mean, look at what happened!). He dives into his military training whole-heartedly and believes that justice can only be pursued by a strong hand that takes up the offensive when need be. 

(I’m not sure what his thoughts would be on the rise of the Empire ... but obviously, that’s all happening in the first couple of years after Satine’s death)

He harbors a sense of resentment toward Satine for basically opening up Mandalore to attack by asserting their neutrality in the war, and this half-justified animosity continues well into Korkie’s adult life. It’s clear that he’s never dealt with Satine’s death (and probably the fact that he couldn’t save her). Instead, he’s stuffed his grief down and hidden it in anger.

Eventually Bo-Katan comes clean and tells him that he's the son of Satine and "that Jedi knight who spent a year protecting her." Korkie's shocked but it explains a lot, including his appearance and the fact that as a kid there were several moments that (he retroactively realizes) he displayed a minor force-sensitivity [he’s a mirror of Luke, who never knew about his force-sensitivity until he was basically an adult and Obi-Wan gave him the language to describe his differences].

Desperate to know more, Korkie ends up somehow tracking Obi-Wan [or rather Ben] down in Tatooine.  Obi-Wan is shocked, but probably not terribly surprised that Satine never told him. 

(Also, I demand Liam Neeson come back so that Force-ghost Qui-Gon can basically just smile knowingly and shake his head because it’s just so obvious that this young man is the son of his former padawan and the fiery Duchess of Mandalore)

I’m not really sure how Obi-Wan would react to Korkie’s presence at first (I think he accepts that Korkie’s his son basically without hesitation because he can feel that it’s true), but I could see Obi-Wan being a rather grumpy and frustrated man at the start of the Kenobi show, perhaps due to the isolation (there’s only so much even an introvert like Obi-Wan can take) and the frustration surrounding Owen and Beru’s refusal to let him have a relationship with Luke.   

Ultimately, the Kenobi show is the growth of Obi-Wan and Korkie’s relationship. Obi-Wan trains him as a “sort-of” Jedi, though it’s difficult. Not only because he’s an adult and very headstrong, but Korkie’s very resistant to the ideas of surrendering to the force and finding peace through meditation, since all of his unresolved issues that he had shoved down come flooding back. Obi-Wan’s grief over Anakin rears itself again as he trains his new “sort-of” padawan, and of course the topic of Satine’s is a weighty and difficult topic for both of them.  

The rest of the show (which I’m hoping is just one season long; relatively short and sweet) is Obi-Wan and Korkie fighting some local threat together, keeping Luke safe from afar, and working through their issues and grief regarding everything that has happened to Satine, Anakin, and the galaxy in general.

Regarding how it ends: You could say there’s already a problem with Korkie being force-sensitive because it raises questions about where he was during the original trilogy (and his whereabouts would have to be accounted for later on in terms of Luke truly being “last Jedi”). Perhaps he’s force-sensitive, but doesn’t pursue it further. I’m not sure, but what I refuse to have happen is for Korkie to die on Tatooine (dying, inevitably, in Obi-Wan’s arms). That would just be rubbing salt in too many wounds.

Still, I see this story having a satisfying but melancholy ending. I think that at the end, Korkie would leave to go back to whatever his duties involving Mandalore are. He would return with a much better understanding of Satine’s pursuit of peace and the Jedi way, which would make him a better leader. Obi-Wan is more at peace with what happened with Satine and Anakin and with his purpose in continuing to watch over the Lars homestead. But I think they both know that Korkie can’t come back to Tatooine again, since it risks drawing too much attention to Luke and Obi-Wan’s presence, so their parting is final, but full of new-found love for one another.

(Ugh!! I really have to tell myself not to get too attached to this idea in case the writers have no intention exploring this!! Stop it, stop it ... attachments only lead to pain!!)

[lukeleiahan]

Bail Organa is not a ‘child stealer’

I just got a review on one of my fics, claiming that Bail Organa is “a certified child thief. Glorifying him feels wrong.“. Because the reviewer is on anon, I can’t answer that directly, but I’m pissed enough that I feel I should address this. Therefore, have a rant.

If Bail Organa is a child stealer, who did he steal Leia from? Honest question. Let’s go though it:

Padme Amidala, the biological mother. She’s dead.

Anakin Skywalker, the biological father. He literally just murdered a bunch of actual children, and therefore kinda permanently disqualified himself from being left alone with any child, much less parenting anyone. Then he attacked his wife, Leia’s mother, while she was heavily pregnant. Bail has to consider Leia’s safety here, not Anakin’s feelings, and Anakin after he has fallen is not at all a safe person for anyone to be around. Also, at that point, there is reason to believe he might be dead as well.

Shmi Skywalker, the biological paternal grandmother. Also dead.

Ruwal, Jobee and Sola Naberrie, the biological maternal grandparents and aunt. Alive, and capable of raising a child, but also the very first address Palpatine and/or Vader would look for if they went searching for Padme’s child. Especially with how thoroughly Palpatine planned his rise to Emperor, it would be a huge oversight not to watch the Naberries closely, which Bail as a former mentee of Palpatine’s and just in general a decent strategician would realize. Bringing Leia to them would be essentially presenting her to Palpatine on a silver platter.

Owen and Beru Whitesun Lars. The biological paternal step uncle and aunt. Alive, and capable of taking care of a child. At the point where Bail says he’s going to adopt Leia, there is a decent chance he doesn’t know they exist, though, Obi-Wan mentiones them only later. Also, they go on to raise Luke. It was Yoda and Obi-Wan who decided that the twins must be separated. Bail didn’t fight that, but well, Yoda and Obi-Wan were Jedi masters, and they had to protect the twins from two Sith, so it makes sense that he assumed they knew what they were talking about. So, leaving Leia with the Lars is also out.

And... that’s it. Those where the possibilities. You could argue the handmaidens, but we honestly speaking have to little on them canonically to know whether they would have wanted that/were that trustworthy/wouldn’t have been under just as much scrutiny as the Naberries.

Now, Bail Organa. He’s from what we can see in the movies one of Padme’s closest friends. If you add TCW into it, you even have a decent argument that he’s her best friend. He already knows pretty much all the dark secrets. He has a stable home to raise a child in, he’s willing to protect Leia. He wanted to adopt a child anyway, and as vice roy of Alderaan he’s capable of fudging some records so that Leia’s adoption doesn’t raise any red flags. He can and probably did tell her about Padme, if not as her biological mother then as his old friend. He hired Sabe, one of Padme’s first handmaidens and oldest friends as a governess, probably so that Leia can have even more of a connection to her biological mother without it raising any red flags.

And he and Breha do raise Leia wonderfully. She grows up loved, supported, a part of good, strong family. The young woman we see in the movies... she’s not that way because she is Anakin and Padme’s biological daughter. She’s that way because she’s Leia Organa, raised that way by Bail and Breha Organa. Sure, there are some traits that will be inhereted from her biological parents, I’d point to her anger and determination as things she got from Anakin and Padme respectively, but her morals? Her political mind? That’s Bail and Breha.

TLDR: Bail Organa did not steal Leia. He adopted a young girl who was orphaned, by death on her mother’s side and by choice of murdering children on her fathers. He and his wife Breha did an amazing job raising her. Nobody has time for your hate.

[starsandthedyad]

I’m fleshing out Beru’s Empire/First Order au verse. Here’s one version of the verse:

Name: Beru Whitesun Lars

Age: 40-44 (original trilogy), 73-74 (sequel trilogy)

Homeworld: Tatooine

Occupation: moisture farmer (formerly), unofficial second in command/aid to Wilhiff Tarkin, Allegiant General of the First Order

Nick Names: Aunt Beru, Clever farm girl, the Last Jedi’s Aunt, the Calmer, Lord Vader’s Punishment

Loyalty: Her family, Wilhuff Tarkin and by extension the Empire, the First Order

Hair Color: Blonde (younger), Gray-white (older)

Eye Color: Gray with hints of blue

Height: 5′ 4″

Marital Status: Widowed

Spouse: Owen Lars (deceased)

Children: Luke Skywalker (step nephew who she raised since he was a newborn)

Other Relatives: Whitesun family (birth family), Cleigg Lars (father-in-law, deceased), Owen’s mother (mother-in-law, deceased), Shmi Skywalker (mother-in-law, deceased), Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader (step brother-in-law), Padme Amidala (step sister-in-law), Leia Organa (step niece), Han Solo (step nephew-in-law), Ben Solo/Kylo Ren (step great nephew)

Friend of Significance: Wilhuff Tarkin

Enemies: Enric Pryde, the Rebel Alliance, the Resistance

Neutral: Sheev Palpatine/Darth Sidious

Bio: Born on Tatooine, Beru Whitesun was raised in a harsh climate with a family that supported the abolishment of slavery. Despite their good work, Beru dreamed of one day leaving Tatooine to explore the galaxy. However, everything changed when she was out one night at one of the few festivals held on Tatooine, where she met a charming, who appeared rough when needed, farm boy, Owen Lars. She fell in love with Owen and the pair began dating. 

At some point during their time as a dating couple, Beru helped to rescue Shmi Skywalker and the former slave married Cleigg Lars. After a few years, Shmi was captured by the sand people, a certain death sentence. It was then that Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala appeared at the homestead. Anakin went to rescue Shmi, but it was too late to save her.

Two years during the Clone Wars would pass. Beru would marry Owen after he tried to impress her with a failed attempt at making bantha custard, which she found somehow sweet and charming. 

It was at the end of the Clone Wars that Owen and Beru were contacted by Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, who came to them to give them Anakin’s newborn, motherless son, Luke Skywalker. It was love at first sight for Beru and she treasured her step nephew, who she raised as if he was her own. While Owen and Beru did try to have children of their own as well, there were fertility issues and they never had a Lars child. Luke became their very much loved heir.

When Luke was nineteen, Beru, while wanting to protect her nephew, knew that he needed to spread his wings. After her husband and nephew purchased two droids to help work the moisture farm, everything changed.

While her nephew went in pursuit of the white and blue astromech with their new protocol droid in tow, Beru left the homestead at the request of her husband to investigate some of disturbances at the far side of their large property. Armed with a blaster, she went to investigate. But her time was cut short when she saw smoke rising from their homestead. By the time she reached the homestead that stormtroopers were gone, leaving behind a burned home and the charred remains of Owen Lars. There she saw Luke, who was also mourning the loss of Owen. Together the aunt and nephew buried the uncle. Having nothing left, Beru left with Luke to go with him and Obi-Wan to Alderaan to deliver a message to the prince consort.

Unfortunately, they were too late and instead of Alderaan, they found the first Death Star. Beru at some point got separated from her nephew’s party. She ended up causing quite a disturbance, defending herself from stormtroopers. However, she was caught and brought to Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin. She ended up distracting him while Han, Luke, and Leia escaped. 

Taken prisoner, she managed to escape during the chaos of the Rebel Alliance attacking the Death Star. While she wasn’t the greatest pilot, she was decent and ended up chasing Wilhuff off of the Death Star accidentally saving his life.

Beru hunted Tarkin for some time before catching up to him. But during her hunt, she felt a sense of freedom, exploring more of the galaxy than she had dreamed of. Eventually when she caught up with Tarkin, the two began to talk and the most unlikely thing developed between them, a friendship. She soon began to aid Tarkin, particularly in some of his orders from the Emperor himself. She always used her new power in the Empire to keep an eye on her nephew, trying to protect him as best she could.

At some point, she learned the truth that Darth Vader was indeed Anakin Skywalker. She was furious out Anakin for abandoning his son and went after him to give him a piece of her mind. The Emperor found this amusing and started using Beru as a way to punish and annoy Vader.

After the death of the Emperor and Anakin and the fall of the Empire, Beru ended up going into the Unknown Regions with Wilhuff, but spent most of her time exploring that part of the galaxy then technically assisting any imperial activities. However, she did keep in contact with her nephew, wishing him well. She also kept in contact with Leia and Han and met little Ben several times, who she absolutely spoiled. 

A few years before the First Order rose, Wilhuff died of natural causes at any old age and Beru mourned the lost of her dear friend and she sought to settle down, doing so on Yavin IV, where her nephew’s temple was located. She became known to the students of Luke’s Jedi Order as a friendly face and someone who spoiled them.

After Luke’s temple was destroyed, Beru mourned for her nephew, although she believed in Ben’s story that Luke attacked him in his sleep. She also knew that Han and Leia had been known to neglect Ben for their own lives. She ended up joining the First Order, where despite being in her late sixties to seventies was considered a great tactician and promoted to Allegiant General. However, this was also because she seemed to be the only one that Kylo appeared to calm down for and actually listen to. She does went to find Luke, however. She has a great mistrust of Allegiant General Pryde, but she is loyal to her great nephew.

@general-kalani, @wearenotthesameasyesterday, @jedishope, @lvkexskywvlker, @cracked-kyber-crystal, @darthdescent, @darksidewalker, @chromium-siren, @thechosenscrewup, @dyadalone, @forcexbound, @usemyknowledge

[strrne]

If Disney ever made an obi-wan tv show, starring ewan mcgregor of course, what are some things that you’d want to see in it?

thanks for the question anon! according to the most recent rumors, I think we might just be getting one…?

unpopular opinion. I was pretty ambivalent about the Obi-Wan movie (originally it was supposed to be a movie, like Solo) from the very beginning. Obi-Wan's Tatooine years have their place in canon, I think, but for me personally? I'd relegate them to the lower tiers of canon, like the novels and comics. heck, I'd prefer leave that to the fanfics, because heaven forbid something be left to the fans' imagination. like sure, there's stories to explore there, but the overall premise is much like parallel parking to me. you gotta figure out how to fit it comfortably between two sets of untouchable canon, which kinda makes some of it… almost predictable to me? like, yeah, he's going to be sad. the Jedi are gone, Anakin is gone… oh there's little Luke being a paragon of innocence. sure puts a doleful smile on my face. sand, sand, sand… unsung heroism. sparsely furnished hovel. Anakin's lightsaber. sadness, loneliness, angst. Anakin is Vader??!!! get out of town!  

maybe this is an overly cynical viewpoint, so I'll try to be positive. after all, I enjoyed Rogue One and even ended up liking Solo for what it was, despite the fact that both were set during a very specific point in the timeline and a little too concerned with explaining existing canon and tying it all together. so there's no reason that I wouldn't potentially enjoy this one, too? and, let's be real, even if the end product is abysmal, like I'm NOT gonna watch lol.  

my final caveat is that… I usually try not to make 'wish lists' in regards to media I consume. sure, I'll form my opinions on the plot and the characters and draw my own conclusions about what I think is going to happen vs. what I would like to happen… but I try not to get too invested in my own headcanons/theories/ideas (in this context. fanfics are an entirely different animal bwahahaha). the production of (Hollywood) media is an extremely complicated process involving many, many creative minds and decision-makers and external factors, so I don't really see the point of actively wanting something to happen and then being inevitably disappointed. at this point I've sort of internalized this mindset, so these days I go to movies/watch shows etc. with an open mind, looking forward to seeing the story unfold the way it unfolds. then I will either like, it or not like it, or land somewhere in between.

(tl;dr, it's complicated, actual answer + actual positivity starts below!)

what I would like to see in an Obi-Wan solo series:  

I'll just go ahead and assume this will take place during his Tatooine years following the events of rots.

- I'd definitely want to see a cameo from Hayden Christensen, maybe even have him on as a recurring character, or rather, a presence, in the form of a hallucination/dream or some such. I'm an unabashed fan of Hayden's portrayal of Anakin, flawed directing and all, and I don't really see myself getting invested in the show the same way if the character of Anakin, arguably the most important relationship in Obi-Wan's life, is merely given a throw-away mention or a shot of his lightsaber and maybe a leitmotif. I also don't see the inevitable Vader 'reveal' having the same emotional weight if Anakin, his past self, is not given proper focus and… well, literal presence.  

- and you know… you kind of need Qui-Gon there as well? (you're Disney, slap some of that de-aging magic on Liam Neeson if you need to.) I mean… he's literally a Force Ghost at this point, and kind of also an important figure in Obi-Wan's life… and that Force Ghost training, anyone? and then they could be sad about Anakin together, yay! and you could also do flashbacks with these two. or with Anakin! or both! 

- MAUUUUUUUUL nah, jk. :D but then again it would be HILARIOUS. and I'll take hilarious over predictable.

- I would love to have at least one episode (or even a major theme) dedicated to the clones (Temuera Morrison yaaayy), like some Empire defectors or Clone War deserters who kind of just cross paths with him (on an unremarkable, obscure planet like Tatooine I think it's entirely believable). there could be some tension/mistrust between them first (kind of like in Rebels), but Obi-Wan, of course, would get to showcase his strengths as a communicator and they would sort out the whole Order 66 disaster and the Republic slave labor thingy and… uh, become BFFs? up until Obi would go, this has been nice, but I'm already late for my infinite sadness over there, may the Force be with you, gentlemen.

- obviously there would be some Friendly Neighborhood Space Wizard stuff. go settle those disputes and help those orphans and overthrow some crime lords. bonus points if this is used to explore his Anakin-related angst as he reminisces about how Anakin always wanted to return to Tatooine and free the slaves. and then maybe he has an epiphany like, yeah, this is how the Jedi should have been serving the Galaxy all along. we meant well but made mistakes etc etc. which will result in a THEME and also it will be fun to see how he accomplishes all these small acts of heroism without attracting too much attention but at the same time gaining that 'weird old hermit' reputation.

- I wouldn't mind seeing Owen and Beru Lars as recurring characters. a simple cameo would feel a little hollow, as they are literally Tatooine residents and Obi's next-door neighbors almost and they get a REALLY rough deal in the OT. one of my biggest gripes with the OT is Luke's complete non-reaction to the violent deaths of his foster parents (they ARE his parents! they raised him from infancy! hello???) and while that can't necessarily be 'fixed' here, I would at least love to see them being a little family and living their simple lives.

- there's nothing to stop Obi-Wan from visiting other planets from time to time. I think the Tatooine setting would eventually get a little too limited and tedious. I would especially love to see Alderaan in all its glory, before… well ya know. and then the Royal family would have to cameo. little Leia, and BREHA ORGANA! (and Bail, of course.) 

- this is getting into the 'wildly improbable' territory, but maybe you could bring back a couple of Padmé's handmaidens (Sabé?) and we could have some Padmé feels? they could even team up with Obi on a mission or something! there's your resident Action Girl right there. also, my memory of the Rebels/Ahsoka novel canon is a little fuzzy, so this would probably be somehow contradictory, but… AHSOKA.  

- but since there would inevitably be new characters… my only wish is that they would be well thought-out and interesting (which is subjective, I know). also, you're Disney, you have the budget to do aliens, do aliens. more aliens pls.

I could come up with more, and there's probably something really obvious I'm missing or maybe an error in there somewhere, but here are some of the things I would like to see on an Obi-Wan show. as you can probably tell, I'm conflicted. on one hand, I'm one of those fans who never really actively needed for this to be a thing, but if you get me going about its potential, I actually get kind of excited. the limited scope thingy is a bit meh to me (yes, I say this as a fan of the prequels) since as a consumer of media I'm fond of such things as stakes, surprises, plot twists and creative freedom, and as someone with imagination I don't really need every time period in SW canon to be covered in meticulous detail. BUT! if the Obi-Wan show does happen, one thing is for sure: I will be really happy for Ewan McGregor, who I know absolutely adores his character and has been very open about his desire to play him again.

(but also; seriously, ya better deliver on the Christensen.)

[gffa]

I DEFINITELY DO. While I get why in canon (both in terms of “because that was the set-up we had to work with” and “Obi-Wan had just had his whole world burned down by the person he loved most, he wasn’t in the right place for a kid” terms), my heart still cries out for any AU where Obi-Wan raises Luke (or Leia!) and fandom does provide! And, yes, there’s going to be a lot of crying. STAR WARS FIC RECS - OBI-WAN RAISES LUKE: → Island in a Sea of Sand by mybluerose, obi-wan & luke, 42.5k    Obi-Wan Kenobi never intended to be a father. He never intended to be a moisture farmer, either. But when he arrives on the Lars homestead to find Owen and Beru slain by Sand people, he finds himself raising Luke, the galaxy’s best hope of defeating the Empire, on a desert planet thousands of light years from his friends and allies. → Names by Erisette, obi-wan & luke & leia, 3.8k    He has held these children in his arms for five minutes, Padme’s body is still warm on the medical table, and he rejects the Jedi’s delusions and any denial of his attachment. (Obi-Wan raising the twins) → To Live Among Wolves by FireflyFish, obi-wan & luke & cast, 33.1k wip    A father and his son are on the run from bounty hunters, five years after the creation of the Galactic Empire. → Beneath the Sand by LurkingCrow, obi-wan & beru & luke, 2.9k    A change in Imperial policy leads to a small but significant change to matters on Tatooine. A short exploration of how a sad hermit may have ended up a little less lonely. → Master and Padawan by Katharos, obi-wan & luke & cast, 15.5k wip    What if Luke was raised by Obi-Wan as his Padawan? → Tatooine AU by Nisa, obi-wan/anakin & luke, 6.2k    In a world where Obi-Wan doesn’t know how lucky he is the worst has never happened, he still finds it hard to go on. → Path of Choice by UnknownFigment, obi-wan & mara & luke & owen/beru & cast, 45k wip    Five years after RotS, Obi-Wan agrees to protect a young girl rescued from the Empire. Then protection becomes training, one student becomes two, and the galaxy is set on a different course. → turn my sorrow into treasured gold by cosmicocean, obi-wan/padme & luke & leia, 15.6k    Padmé survives childbirth, dies as far as the rest of the galaxy is concerned, takes her children with Obi-Wan, and runs. → World Come Undone by crazyundeadfairy, obi-wan/anakin & luke + background anakin/padme, 68.3k wip    Unexpected things happen when ObiWan takes Luke to Tatooine. + BONUS RECS UNDER THE CUT 

→ Island in a Sea of Sand by mybluerose, obi-wan & luke, 42.5k    Obi-Wan Kenobi never intended to be a father. He never intended to be a moisture farmer, either. But when he arrives on the Lars homestead to find Owen and Beru slain by Sand people, he finds himself raising Luke, the galaxy’s best hope of defeating the Empire, on a desert planet thousands of light years from his friends and allies.    The first fic is up on AO3 and I’ve linked to that one (its sequel is here) but it’s much further along on FFNET, here and here, hence the word count discrepency! I haven’t finished reading this one, but I’ve really enjoyed what I have of it so far (and possibly am hoarding it for a rainy day, just a little bit!) and I believe A Delicate Fury enjoyed it as well, so I feel comfortable recommending it already! It’s pretty much exactly what one wants out of “Obi-Wan raises Luke in an AU” and just has this really charismatic, warm feeling to it! → Names by Erisette, obi-wan & luke & leia, 3.8k    He has held these children in his arms for five minutes, Padme’s body is still warm on the medical table, and he rejects the Jedi’s delusions and any denial of his attachment. (Obi-Wan raising the twins)    Holy shit, I did not know I needed Obi-Wan raising Luke and Leia as badly as I did until I read this and it was just a straight goddamned shot to my heart. The differences, yet echoes of canon, the way so much changes and yet some things stay the same, the way Obi-Wan loves these last pieces of Anakin, but also loves them for themselves, the beautiful writing of the scenes as they grow up and begin to fight in this war, all of it. All of it. I loved all of it. I’d have read 100k of this and come back for more, even as satisfying as it is in just under 4k. There’s a brief bit of attachment = love that goes against canon, but it’s mostly just in the beginning and I don’t remember it much beyond that (though, my memory is fuzzy) and Obi-Wan’s not in a good headspace! → To Live Among Wolves by FireflyFish, obi-wan & luke & cast, 33.1k wip    A father and his son are on the run from bounty hunters, five years after the creation of the Galactic Empire.    While I understand why canon went the way it did, because who knows if there was enough left of Obi-Wan to raise a kid, I love love love AU fics where Obi-Wan is instead the one who raises Luke, who loves him because this is the last piece of Anakin he has, but then comes to love him for himself. And I love that he well and truly is Luke’s father here, that as much as Luke is Anakin’s biological son and that’s important, the fic is about Obi-Wan being there in Luke’s life, truly being the one who raises him, who is his father here. And it’s balanced with a plot, where they’re constantly on the run and that’s such a hard life, but it’s not a bad one, there’s such joy in the small things, Luke is so bright in personality and in the Force, and the fic does a really lovely job with showing that to the reader. There’s a mix of something that feels like slice-of-life with the greater, more frantic running from the Empire, something that feels very true to Star Wars and the characters, something that really kept me engaged with the fic the entire time.    And, indeed, I pretty much read the whole thing in about two sittings, because it sailed along so smoothly, and I would have easily read another 100k of this, had it already been written. I also don’t mind that it’s a wip (aside from that, of course I want more!) because it’s not really about the end, it’s about the journey there. The point of it is seeing the daily moments where Luke is this little ball of sunshine that’s so bright in the Force, the point is seeing Obi-Wan find something that makes him live again, not just survive, the point is showing life under the Empire, especially for a Jedi and the child of Anakin Skywalker. All of which this story does a lovely job with and was a great read to pick up! → Beneath the Sand by LurkingCrow, obi-wan & beru & luke, 2.9k    A change in Imperial policy leads to a small but significant change to matters on Tatooine. A short exploration of how a sad hermit may have ended up a little less lonely.    Oh, I didn’t know how much I needed this fic until I had it–where things are mostly the same post-ROTS, except Beru takes one look at Obi-Wan and says, okay, he’s coming with us. I love this because it doesn’t diminish how important Owen and Beru are to Luke’s future, especially because Obi-Wan’s not really in a place to raise a kid, but it also makes things better for Obi-Wan, gives him something more to live for, rather than just a distant sort of promise and affection. This is a slightly kinder to Obi-Wan Kenobi universe and I love it, I love the gentleness of Beru here that’s layered over steel, I love how warm it is here, it’s bittersweet but in a really good way, and just soothed something in me that always needs soothing. It was a beautiful fic. → Master and Padawan by Katharos, obi-wan & luke & cast, 15.5k wip    What if Luke was raised by Obi-Wan as his Padawan? ��  This was a fic written post-TPM, but pre-AOTC or ROTS, so a lot of stuff is going to be different here, but it doesn’t really matter that much, because it’s a story about Obi-Wan raising Luke, halfway as his son and halfway as his apprentice, in a story that’s just CUTENESS ALL THE WAY AROUND. I really loved tearing through it and I don’t mind that it’s a wip that hasn’t been updated in ~15 years because it’s not one that’s about resolution, it’s about the slice of life dynamic between these characters as Luke (who is a ball of sunshine, of course, even as he’s also a little shit sometimes) grows up and Obi-Wan adores him and loves him. That it’s a heartwarming fic set on Tatooine, with Luke making friends with Biggs and they go to see a podrace with Obi-Wan as the exasperated dad chasing after energetic kids, with teaching Luke to be patient and let go of his anger and frustration, all of it was just really sweet and a nice read. → Tatooine AU by Nisa, obi-wan/anakin & luke, 6.2k    In a world where Obi-Wan doesn’t know how lucky he is the worst has never happened, he still finds it hard to go on.    This is a pretty fluffy AU, where Anakin didn’t turn and went with Obi-Wan and Luke to Tatooine. It’s a combination of a happier universe for the two of them with a lot of focus on Luke growing up, which was nicely adorable. It’s one of those fics that I read everything together and it was just… nice to read, even when bad things started happening in the final fic, it just… was a better, softer universe and sometimes I really need that. → Path of Choice by UnknownFigment, obi-wan & mara & luke & owen/beru & cast, 45k wip    Five years after RotS, Obi-Wan agrees to protect a young girl rescued from the Empire. Then protection becomes training, one student becomes two, and the galaxy is set on a different course.    I’ll warn ahead of time that this is a WIP, but it’s really more of a slice of life kind of fic, where Obi-Wan takes on a young Mara Jade to raise, which affects the events of the story so that Luke comes into proper orbit sooner, and you get a ton of the good stuff in what’s already here! Plus, it was recently-ish updated, so it’s entirely likely that we’ll still get more to come. But, honestly, I could have kissed this fic for doing what my heart was braced against: So often when I go into AU fics like this, unless I’m going for fic specifically geared towards it, the relationship between Obi-Wan and Anakin gets entirely downplayed and it hurts my heart to think of any universe where they weren’t best friends/brothers who loved each other. While the fic is absolutely not about that, it’s about Obi-Wan raising Mara and training both her and Luke, you can feel in the background how deeply Obi-Wan’s feeling about Anakin go. How much he loved (and probably still loves, underneath everything) that boy he trained. It’s a perfect amount, it’s never directly said, you just feel it, in the way he moves and talks and interacts with Luke and Mara. But the heart of the fic is really on his relationships with them, as well as their relationship with each other, and I love love love that Luke/Mara feels like it’s kind of there, but it’s also kind of not because they have other shit going on and this universe is so much better for Mara, who will always be bruised around the edges, will always have sharp corners, but has learned to love and care and be loved in turn here. It’s sort of fluffy, it’s slice of life as the kids grow up, they have play dates together, they train together, they go on “missions” together, they learn the way of the Jedi, but also it’s not really the same, they’re a new generation that’s their own thing. There’s greater plot machinations happening in the background, they’re being trained to take on the Emperor and Vader, but the heart is firmly on their growing up on Tattoine and it was such a delightful read, mixed in with just enough revelations (the scenes were Obi-Wan told Luke about Anakin!) and history of the galaxy to make it feel suitably Star Wars. → turn my sorrow into treasured gold by cosmicocean, obi-wan/padme & luke & leia, 15.6k    Padmé survives childbirth, dies as far as the rest of the galaxy is concerned, takes her children with Obi-Wan, and runs.    Oh, I was just utterly engrossed by this fic, it’s such a lovely story about Obi-Wan and Padme post-ROTS and how they slowly develop a relationship, how Obi-Wan is absolutely Luke and Leia’s father even if they’re not his by blood, how Padme is their mother, how so many things are the same and yet so many things are different, how the fic can still break my heart and yet provide something a little better for these characters. The only way Obi-Wan/Padme usually works for me is when Anakin’s ghost both is and isn’t there, which this fic does perfectly, they both loved (love) him but he’s gone and they’re building something for the twins, they’re building something between the two of them as well, which all these little details and moments in the fic builds up towards. I love how much presence all four of them have here, that none of them are left out or forgotten by the story, I love that the fic is just so solidly good and I would have read another 100k of it, both for how much it pleased my id and just how well-told it was all the way around. This is a terrible rec, but this fic was an absolutely wonderful addition to the Padme Lives fic in the fandom, as well as for Obi-Wan raising the twins. → World Come Undone by crazyundeadfairy, obi-wan/anakin (?) & luke + background anakin/padme, 68.3k wip    Unexpected things happen when ObiWan takes Luke to Tatooine.    [Note: This is one of the fics that I read most early on in my time in SW fandom, when I wasn’t that familiar with canon, so caveat that I don’t know how it holds up over time! It may go against the Jedi of canon or my better understanding of Obi-Wan and Anakin’s characters, I can’t say without a reread! But I have SUCH fond memories of this fic and it definitely fits the bill!] Oh, lord, this fic. I cannot tell you how hard this fic grabbed me and would not let go until I finished it! There are a couple of caveats: The first two chapters are fairly slow, a lot of monologuing over things actually happening, but once Luke starts talking, it kicks into gear and doesn’t let go. It’s also a WIP and hasn’t been updated in a few years, but the author has gone years between updates before, so you never know, but more importantly! You get so much of the good stuff in what’s already here! So, while I would have loved to have had the rest of the fic, I’m genuinely content with what we had here as well, because let me tell you about my feelings on Obi-Wan raising Luke, who is this amazingly sweet little moppet that I was instantly in love with, as well as Anakin eventually finds out and tries to steal Luke away but gets in his own way too much and finds himself trapped in a situation that he’s not sure how to get out of. I was initially skimming ahead to just read the confrontation between Obi-Wan and Anakin when they saw each other again, just to see if the fic picked up, and found myself getting sucked in because the fic does a great job with each scene making me want to read the next and the next and the next, so I had to go back to my original place and then I just hungrily read the entire thing because Anakin wants to take Luke and kill Obi-Wan, but he can’t because he wants Luke to lovehim and that won’t happen if Luke knows he killed the only father he’s ever known, yet Anakin still burns that Obi-Wan has taken Luke, despite that Obi-Wan has always talked about Anakin to Luke, always told him stories, and Luke can already feel that there’s still love there, no matter how much anger and hate is held onto, sometimes on both sides, after all that’s happened. It’s one of those fics where they’re forced to be semi-civil to each other again, but underneath is all this emotional tension and hurt that made my fannish heart absolutely ache while reading it, yet was delicious candy at the same time because it hit my id perfectly. Getting well-written fic that does justice to the iddy concept it has is such a rare treat in fandom and I love this fic for doing that for me! It’s one of those situations that I would dream up without trying to properly justify it in my head just because I wanted it, but the fic actually sold me on it and doesn’t shortchance that Anakin is full of rage and hates Obi-Wan, even as you feel how much of it is borne out of still loving him. Obi-Wan is fantastic, he’s so steady and solid, but that doesn’t mean he’s passive or without his own anger on Anakin’s actions, even as he’s still willing to try to help him again. And Anakin feels so right to me, that he’s not there yet, he’s not doing any of this for the right reasons, his love for Luke is still selfish and obsessive, but there’s hope in him and you can see the sparks of maybe something still good in there. And I’m labeling this as Obi-Wan/Anakin because the author has written slash fic for them before and the relationship is very central to the story, even if there’s no kissing, and Anakin’s relationship with Padme is very important and I just really, really was hit spot on by this fic, okay. So good. BONUS - PADME LIVES: These are more Padme-centric fics, but have Obi-Wan as the twins’ father as a sub-plot, so if you want to read more, these might help scratch that itch! → Keep Breathing by Yesac, obi-wan/padme + some anakin/padme + luke & leia & oc, 45.8k    Padme doesn’t die at the end of Revenge of the Sith. Instead, she decides to take the twins and join Obi-Wan in exile. → the family amidala by dirgewithoutmusic, padme & obi-wan & luke & leia, 6.8k    Padme lives. She runs. → Circles by ambiguously, obi-wan/padme & luke & leia & anakin + past anakin/padme, 4.2k    Padmé and Obi-Wan raise the twins together while hiding from the Empire. BONUS - UNREAD: These are ones I haven’t read yet (but are tucked away on my reader to do so!) but either they look promising or I like the author, so I’m reasonably confident recommending them! But if there’s something in them that would have me turning away (you all know my general tastes!) I can’t say for certain about them yet, either. → The Hermit’s Son by landsail0r, obi-wan & luke, 1.2k    AU where Obi-Wan raises Luke. → we were born for better days by FireflysLove, obi-wan & anakin & ahsoka & luke & cast, 3.6k wip    Obi-Wan attempts to save Vader from the Dark Side, but the Rebellion, especially Bail Organa and Ahsoka Tano, are not going to believe that after a decade of terrorizing the galaxy, Anakin Skywalker can possibly be saved. → Hope is a Four Letter Word by laniew1, obi-wan & luke, 3.2k wip    Obi-Wan’s life is simple; he wakes, he eats, he meditates and on some mornings he watches Luke (or the Obi-Wan raises Luke instead AU).

[kisstheprincessofpurewhite]

After My Father’s Funeral Chapter 1

Summary: Funerals can be stressful, but so can weddings--especially with a family as effed up as theirs. Unfortunately for Leia, she has both to attend in one go. So much for repression. Modern AU 

Pairings: Leia/Han, Mara/Luke, Jyn/Cassian, Leia&Han&Luke&Mara&Cassian&Jyn, Uncle Owen/Aunt Beru

Chapter summary: Let the past die, bury it if you have to.

Chapter pairings: Mara/Luke, Jyn/Cassian, Past!Leia/Cassian, Luke&Leia&Mara

A/N:  Based on the idea that it would be really traumatizing to be a Skywalker in the modern day.  See Ao3 and FFN versions for full authors notes.

If Leia had learned anything from her albeit limited experience traveling, it was that bureaucracy was a bitch. “Bureaucracy is a lawyer’s best friend, Miss Organa,” her boss, Akbar, had told her. “These people, they try so hard to cover every little crack and crevice, but it’s our job to find where they were wrong.” Today, in-line at the airport, Leia was fairly certain it was the whole idea that was wrong with bureaucracy. After her ticket failed to work, she had to wait in-line to speak with a representative, having already spoken with two other employees and a supervisor. It was as if the universe was preventing her from going home, which she desperately wanted to take as a sign to switch her flight to someplace with tropical beaches. She was even considering Canto Bight, when it was her turn in line.

“Thank you for flying Rebel Air. How can I help you, ma’am?” The smiling woman said.

“Yes, hello, I have a last-minute booking to Naboo, and my tick-“

“We have a policy on exchanging flights for last-minute bookings, ma’am. I’m sorry.” The response was tired, rehearsed, as if countless people had tried to weasel out of the policy of the company.

She sighed inwardly, bidding the dream of the casino goodbye. “I don’t want to exchange, I want to get on my plane, my ticket won’t check me in.”

“How odd, may I see your ticket and some ID, please.” Leia handed both over, and the woman scanned it. “Naboo, huh?”

Leia was not in the mood for smalltalk. “Yep.” The airport had to be the worst place for small talk.

“What brings you there? Big racing down there, I hear.”

“Yeah, yeah, I grew up there. I’m going for family stuff, you know. A funeral and then a wedding.” The representative nodded and smiled knowingly. How ironic, there’s no way she could’ve known.

The computer made a noise, not a good one either, and the rep made a face, and tried again. “Hmmm,” she said. “Odd, let me get my supervisor.”

Leia groaned and laid her face on the counter. She hated to leave her fate in the hands of strangers, without any agency as to getting anywhere. After a few moments, she huffed, trying not to lose her temper. She wasn’t in a hurry per se, but also wasn’t in the mood to spend any more time than she had to with airport employees.

The rep appeared with another employee. “I’m sorry about that Ms. Organa, here’s a new ticket for you, should work now,” the (presumed) supervisor told her, scanning the ticket. There was a happy sounding beep, and she took her ticket with a thanks.

She checked her bags, and sat down at her gate. The tv above the gate was on; she immediately regretted glancing at it.

“…the noted activist, and so-called ‘Champion of Free Speech’ Anakin Skywalker has died. The 65-year old had been battling lung cancer for nearly a decade before passing away at his home in Naboo on Friday. Skywalker first rose to fame as a leader of the Imperialists under the name ‘Vader.’ But Skywalker had moved away from the group in recent years—even calling it a ‘cult’ in one noted interview—to support pro-environmentalist groups. His family asks to make any donations to…”

“Quite the enigma, that man.” The voice made Leia jump, and she looked over to see a man sitting next to her looking at the TV. He saw that she had looked over and continued. “I read his book ‘Anti-anti-‘, and let me say—“ She immediately got up, took her carry-on bag, and moved to sit on the opposite side of the seating area with her back to the stranger. If the man was at all offended by her behavior, she neither knew nor cared.Skywalker certainly had a way of ruining everything, even the flight to his funeral.

The Naboo airport held one of her most treasured memories: when she had parted with her brother, Luke, for the first time since what she had dubbed the Ruling. They who had spent a majority of their formative years apart, only to be reunited at 16 through the worst of all circumstances, left each other for the first time since then in a tearful goodbye at the airport four years ago. At the time, she knew she wouldn’t miss the city, her old college, or even her (recently) ex-boyfriend, but she hated leaving her twin after trying so hard to stay together.

So today it was only fitting that it be Luke’s face to greet her at the gate. Their embrace was tight and full of longing, she hadn’t seen her brother since before they had turned 25. Leia turned and greeted the woman beside Luke with her own tender embrace and a kiss on the cheek.

“Mara, you look so well,” Leia said, gripping her soon-to-be sister-in-law’s forearms.

“Thank you, as do you as always. Thank you for coming sooner than we’d originally talked about, I’m sorry if it spoiled any of your plans.” She blew her red hair out of her face, smiling broadly.

“Well, if they were spoiled it’s how ol’ dad would’ve wanted it,” Leia released Mara and heading towards baggage claim.

“Now, Leia-“ Luke’s voice was a warning, one that she wasn’t about to heed.

“‘Now, Leia’” Leia mockingly repeated. “I promise to keep my comments to myself during the wake and the funeral, but I make no such guarantees about anywhere else.”

She couldn’t hear Luke’s sigh, but she knew it was there. They picked up her bag, and hopped into Luke’s old truck.

“When’re you going to get a new car?” Leia asked. “The windows still roll down.”

“Luke had said something about the end of days, but that is in contention,” Mara joked from the backseat.

Luke only smiled. Leia knew that he wasn’t bothered at all at Mara’s comment, or even at her’s towards Skywalker. Her brother had the most positive temperament of anyone she’d ever met; she resented him just a little for that.

“I hope you don’t mind staying with Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru,” Luke said as they crossed over Amidala bridge. The bridge connected the inner city and the boroughs of Naboo, a passion project of their late mother’s. They had named it after her, a symbol of how much she had been universally loved in her local community.

“Of course not,” Leia stated, only lying a little bit. It was difficult to pin blame on anyone for the unpleasantness that had framed the last ten years of her life. Luke was definitely not a candidate, and therefore should not have to suffer her contention. Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru were contenders as well as her own dear parents. The only person who Leia could surely, 100%, be blamed was Anakin Skywalker. And blame him she did.

They pulled into the drive-way of the Lars’ Farm, and all three each rolled out of the hot car—Luke’s air conditioning had quit sometime in college. Her Uncle and Aunt greeted her warmly, showing her to the guest room, which had, at one time, been Luke’s room. After the Ruling, Leia had sat with Luke in this very room and imagined their lives together growing up as they might have been. The faces of those who would raise them were blurry, but so many of the memories she’d constructed had felt so real, it was bittersweet to think of her childhood without him. Now the walls were bare of Luke’s Ahch-To and X-wing posters and the room certainly smelled better.

She was debating between living out of her suitcase or unpacking when Luke came in with his hands in his pockets and a peculiar smile on his face. Leia knew that look, as she knew every look--every movement even--of her brother’s. Choice words were about to be said, and she was sure she wasn’t going to like them.

“A bit different from when we were 18,” Luke commented.

“Certainly smells better.” That got a chuckle, but it didn’t really reach his eyes.

“Leia…” She sighed, and crossed her arms. “I’ve never been able to tell you what to do-

“Nor will you ever.”

“-but could you at least keep your comments about dad, our dad, to a minimum? Or at least confine them to just between us?”

“Mara knows perfectly well what I think about your father, no sense in hiding from her.” She tried not to be exclamatory, only firm, in her distinction of “your.”

Luke was not having said distinction. “He was your father too.” His tone was matter-of-fact, not loud.

“No, he wasn’t. A father is there for you, a father teaches you how to ride a bike and playfully threatens your prom date. Anakin Skywalker was not my father.”

Luke sighed, exasperated. “What more could he have done to redeem himself to you?”

Leia rolled her eyes. “Well, there’s no use asking that question now as there isn’t anything more he could do. He’s dead.”

“I know that, but what could he have done?”

“Not be a racist? Not inspire god-knows how many to kill? Not left our mother to die? Taken care of us after she died? Oh, and when he didn’t do all those things, how about not putting the fact that we are related to him in the goddamn public record? You know how many opportunities I’ve lost because of him? All a potential connection need do is google my name and right there is ‘daughter of noted activist Anakin Skywalker.’” She stood from the bed, ready to defend her viewpoint in the impending argument.

“You think I haven’t had doors closed in my face too? You really think you’re the only one to suffer?” They weren’t yelling, Luke never yelled. But his voice was firm and contentious.

“No, but you still defend him, he ruined our lives!” Leia didn’t understand how Luke could see the events of the past and come to any other conclusion.

“What would you have done, Leia? If you were in his shoes, what would you have done?” He had always seen the world through their results: Skywalker had brought them back together as brother and sister so ergo Skywalker was good.

“How can you continue to defend him? He’s ruined your wedding!” There were tears in her eyes now, threatening to fall.

“By dying? It’s not like he could choose when-“

“I wouldn’t put it past him.”

Luke sighed, and she felt the tension drop. Their argument would not escalate further. “Mara and I already live together, and we have the rest of our lives, the wedding is just a day.”

“One of the only days in your life where you have all of your loved ones together in one room.”

Luke shrugged. “Maybe you’re right, maybe he was comforted by the idea that everyone was going to be here anyway.”

Leia bit back her comment, knowing it was no use to argue with him. She sat back down, her temper deflated. Luke kneeled on the bed beside her and laid a hand on her shoulder.

“You have every right to be angry, and I hope one day you decide to let it go. Either way, I’m glad you’re here.” Leia bit back the tears until Luke embraced her and she let them fall, silently crying into his arms.

“Luke, Aunt Beru wants to know-“ Mara said, poking her head into the room. “Oh, sorry. Is everything alright?”

Leia nodded and wiped her face as Luke rubbed her back. “Yeah, it's just a lot, you know, to be back here, in this room. We tried weed in here, one time, did Luke tell you?” Luke was right, there was no use dragging Mara into her trauma.

Luke didn’t seem phased that she had lied about what was going on, and groaned. “Never again, I will never understand the appeal.” The three of them laughed and Leia fingered the duvet cover. She tried to tell herself it was only the jet-lag and airport that had made her so upset.

The Wake was the next day, and flew by before Leia even noticed. Both the funeral and visitation were closed events, invitation only, with enforcers hired to keep any unwanted company out. There was a slight mix-up that involved a Senator from Scarif but was soon sorted out without much hassle. Overall, the night was full of people wishing both her brother and her well. Though the stream of mourners was steady, there couldn’t have been more than a few dozen. Mara had mentioned something about the event conflicting with the races, and Leia laughed to herself that not even her father’s funeral could compete with this town’s obsession with racing. Most of the guests were also wedding guests, and promised to be there in a little over two weeks under much lighter circumstances.

“I hope they all RSPV’d, otherwise it's going to be terribly awkward to turn them away,” Luke said to Mara and Leia during a small break between mourners.

“‘Sorry great-aunt Myla, I know you said you’d be here two weeks ago, but that was then and this was now,’” Mara mimed Luke turning away elderly potential wedding guests. The three all cracked a smile and greeted another couple, Anakin’s former editor and his wife.

They had chosen a closed casket for both events. Still, Leia couldn’t help but glance at the casket every so often with a sick desire to set her eyes on Skywalker one more time. To see if he was really dead? Would she find joy in knowing he’d finally gotten what he’d deserved: a slow death, probably most of it in pain? She snapped her head away and shook her head. Pretty soon, she’d turn out like him: evil.

The funeral was the Friday after. In front of the mirror, Leia was hoping no one would notice that she’d worn the same black dress to both the wake and the funeral. She only had maybe two black dresses to begin with—white was more her color. And, even then, she’d had to pack for nearly a month and could only take so much with her. Besides, she was grieving, right? Who expected someone to be en vogue while in mourning? To finish the outfit, she wore big, dark glasses so that—hopefully—no one saw her rolling her eyes during the ceremony.

The temple was surrounded by natural beauty, flowering trees and even a waterfall. She was sure Luke had picked out this place. Another receiving line, more mourners. After a dozen or so, she was stifling a yawn and excused herself to get some water.

It was on her way down the hall that she ran into someone she had not expected to, and, from the look on his face, he had not expected her either.

“Cassian?” She said, removing her glasses.

“Leia, its good to see you again.” They awkwardly stood in the hallway. Cassian was with a very pretty woman their age, with big blue eyes and somewhat of a European face. If the rumors from Luke were true, then this must be...

“Leia, this is my fiancé, Jyn Erso. Jyn, this is…an old friend, Leia Organa. We went to school together.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” Leia said, smiling and extending her hand.

“Ditto.” So she was English. “Sorry about your loss.” She shook Leia’s hand. It shouldn’t feel weird, should it? To meet your ex’s fiancé. She tried to smile and push it out of her mind.

“Thank you both for coming, but, in truth, I had not expected you to be here.”

“It was more for your brother and Mara-“

“And you, of course,” Jyn interjected.

“Of course. You and Luke and Mara, we came to support you. How are you doing?” She couldn’t make out his tone, and therefore if he was referring to her life in general, the funeral, or the wedding. She said as much. Cassian chuckled and Jyn even cracked a smile. “All three, I guess.”

She addressed each in sequence. “Fine, ehh, and fine.”

“We should get together and catch up, the fo- five of us,” Cassian said.

“We’re having a party tomorrow night to celebrate the wedding,” Jyn said. “You’re invited, of course.”

“Well then, of course I’ll come,” Leia assured. The three of them started back towards the entrance where her brother and Mara were waiting.

“And we’ll have to meet, and catch up,” Cassian reminded.

“Yes, catching up, let’s. It was nice seeing you both, I’ll see you in there, and maybe after. Definitely tomorrow.” Leia talked as they walked. She took her place next to Luke as Mara kissed the cheek of some tall scruffy-looking guy. Leia figured he was probably one of her family as she had never seen him before, but thoughts of the man were quickly put out of her mind.

“Cassian! Jyn!” Luke said, shaking the hand of the two, Mara embraced them both.

“It’s great that you’re both here, we’ll see you tomorrow.” Mara told them and Leia nodded, already turning to the next person in line.

The funeral went by also without a hitch, though Leia had her fair share of eye-rolling and snorts—the latter of which she masked as sobs with the help of an acquired tissue. The speaker carefully skidded over Skywalker’s debatable crimes against humanity by simply referring to them as “dark times.” Leia had to pretend to blow her nose to contain the scoff from that one.

Soon enough they were wheeling the casket up the aisle and headed to the cemetery. Only close friends and family were attending, no more than ten or so people. Luke and Mara rode in Leia’s rental rather than Luke’s truck. They were right in the front behind the hearse.

“I don’t think I ever thanked you for coming early, Leia,” Luke said, and Mara rubbed his arm.

“No need, I wish I could’ve come sooner and helped out with any affairs that needed to be tended to.”

Luke shrugged. “There wasn’t much to sort, he knew it was the end and had already planned with money set aside. He was in the hospital for the last year, didn’t even have a house or many personal items. No, all he-“ Luke must’ve known that she wouldn’t’ve cared if Skywalker had wanted her at his funeral or not, and amended his statement. “All I wanted was for you to be here.”

“Then I’d do it again, one-hundred times over. Anything for my baby brother.”

Luke smiled. “I’m the oldest.”

“Are not.”

“Are to.”

“I can dig up the pictures of the birth certificates again, if you insist.”

Luke seemed to shrug. “Pictures can be doctored, unlike your attitude.”

That made Leia laugh out loud as they pulled into the cemetery, the loud bell proclaiming their purpose for visiting.

There was a small ceremony at the tomb-site, the speaker inviting anyone to come and say something. Luke gave a small speech, as did a few others, but Leia hardly noticed. She was looking over the rise to the group of men wearing all black who seemed to be staring at them. They had shaved heads. One raised a sign over his head that read: “Long-live the Emperor.” That was enough for Leia.

“Excuse me,” she said quite suddenly as she got up and to the enforcer who’d come with them, directing his attention to the intruders. He quickly spoke on a walkie-talkie, making his way in the direction Leia had pointed.

The group noticed the man heading towards them, and some started to run away. Most stayed put.

“Hold fast, brothers!” one yelled so that even the dead could hear. “They can’t stop our free speech!”

“We aren’t the government, you fucking dickhead! It's a private ceremony, and you’re intruding! Go be a waste of oxygen somewhere else, you ignorant, servile scum!” Leia shouted back.

“It’s you who are the scum! Not giving this great man a proper burial as he outlined in his 1986 manifesto!”

“Tell that to executor of his fucking estate with a will from circa 2014! Leave us to mourn in peace, and let the past die before I kill it myself!” Leia’s throat was hoarse, but she would gladly out-shout a symphony to keep skinheads away from Skywalker’s burial. Not for the sanctity of Skywalker’s grave or anything like that, instead for the sake of peace for those she loved.

“You hear that, she’s threatening me!”

By now the enforcer had caught up to them, and most of the group had fled. But the person conversing with her across the cemetery had to be restrained and escorted out. Leia sat down and with a nod, the speaker continued as if not missing a beat. No one seemed too surprised something like this would happen. All Leia could think was it figured that Skywalker could even ruin his own burial.

They lowered the casket and began burying it. As they did this, Leia made her way over to a different plot, placing the bouquet she had brought with her on the tombstone: “Here lies ORGANA Bail and Breha, loving wife, husband, parents, and friends. May the force be with us all.”

“Hi,” Leia whispered. “It’s been a minute.”

The wind whispered over the peaceful place.

“Wish you were both here, I think about you every day.”

She laid on her back, head on the flat stone as though it were a pillow, and imagined herself there, forever.

“Practicing?” A voice said and she cracked her eye open to see her brother, his tie untied, and dirt on his pants.

She nodded and closed her eyes. She heard the grass rustling as he lay next to her.

“Do you wanna be buried here?” Luke asked.

“Yeah, it’s so peaceful. You’ll be next to me, right?”

“Of course. I’ll even do you one better and split a coffin with you. Save us a lot of money.” With the private ceremony and unlisted grave, there was hardly any money left for the two of them. Leia had felt bad for Luke what with the wedding three weeks away, and had refused what small amount was left for her, insisting he take it.

Leia laughed. “Go out of this life the way we came in?”

Luke also laughed. “I didn’t even think of it that way.”

“Hey, at least we’ll be together. I never wanna not be together, in one way or another.”

Luke sighed in agreement, and took her hand. They stared at the sky together, watching the clouds.

“You two should move to Coruscant, there’s a ton of writing jobs there. And it's not too far from Ahch-To, which I know you love.”

“We’ve talked about it.”

“You should do it.”

“We’ll see.” Luke was silent for another moment. “We should be getting back.”

Leia sighed and got up. “Any more appearances until the wedding?”

Luke looked pensive for a moment as he got up. “Well there’s Cassian and Jyn’s party tomorrow, and our party that we’re throwing and-“

“Ok, ok, I guess I’ll have to always be on my best behavior.” They started walking towards the cars.

“Thanks for getting after those guys,” Luke said after a moment of walking.

“It was my pleasure, I assure you.”

“Never thought you’d defend dad’s right to have some peace.”

“I was thinking mostly about how much I didn’t want to see you try to have a calm discussion with the skin-head before he reset your clock.”

“I could’ve taken them.”

“Sure.”

They reached the cars where most everyone had left, Mara was waiting by the car.

“There you two are, I was beginning to wonder if you’d fallen into an open grave or something,” she said.

“At least then we’d leave this life the way we came in,” Luke joked.

“Gross, you know, there is such a thing as too close, you two.”

“It was Leia’s joke!” Luke said as he claimed the front seat.

They started driving back Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru’s, stopping to get a late lunch.

“You met Jyn, right?” Mara asked from the backseat. Leia nodded.

“Yeah, she and Cassian seem cute together.”

“He’s great. She’s my maid of honor.” Leia nodded. “She seems really nice, kinda quiet. But nice.” “Well, we’ve been through a lot, the two of us. I’d like if you two got along. I know there’s some history between you and Cassian, but-” Leia shook her head emphatically. “There won’t be a problem, I swear.” “You’ll have to meet my best man,” Luke piped up.

“Speaking of someone she might have a problem with,” Mara muttered.

Luke looked over his shoulder at her, but Leia didn’t catch it. He ignored Mara’s comment otherwise. “He’ll be at the party tomorrow.” Leia hummed in agreement. “Try not to kill him, will you? Or at least wait to kill him until after the wedding.”

“I make no such guarantees,” Leia quipped, getting a small laugh. “But I promise to at least try to leave him in one piece for the pictures.” She racked her brain and trying to remember if Luke had said something previously about this guy. Did Luke even mention him at all? He kept up with such a strange crowd since dating Mara, who knew a lot of people in the racing scene. Leia groaned internally, praying to god he wasn’t one of those stuck-up racing types. 

[atamascolily]

I've been reading a lot of Star Wars fic on A03 recently, and I discovered I have certain favorite subgenres. Here are a few of them, along with some fic recommendations in each category.

Subgenre: The Skywalkers Are Eldritch Horrors

-wonderterror, by peradi - Quite possibly my favorite Star Wars fic EVER. Well-written, zinging delightfully between humor and horror, with the best sex scene I've found yet in this fandom (SFW, too). Also: the premise really explains so much about the Skywalkers that canon leaves kinda vague. Brilliant! -Luke Skywalker, 19, Full Human, by samvelg - Similar premise as the above, but goes in a drastically different direction with emotional heart-to-hearts as Han tries to figure out WTF is so different about Luke and Leia and the implications for the galaxy.

Subgenre: Naive Luke Meets Water and Trees Fluff

Because watching a farmboy from a desert planet discover there's more to life is just... adoreable. And frequently hilarious. (Frequent overlaps with Post-Battle of Yavin Angst.)

-Green, by sparklight - Luke meets trees. Han is amused. -Blue, by sparklight - Luke meets water, shares a moment of grief with Leia. -Neither Is It Tears, by NikkiAgent - Luke meets rain, and Leia and Han get to share his joy. -Rain, by starlingjedi - Luke meets rain. Han and Leia have a moment. -Puddle Jumping, by justanorthernlight - What the title says.   -Ice Water, by Joysweeper - Luke's awkward and not used to ice water being served at restaurants. -Snowball's Chance on Hoth, by Sholio - Luke meets snow. -you can take the boy out of the desert, by Iorata. -More Luke water moments on Yavin.

Subgenre: Post-Battle of Yavin Angst and Other Shenanigans

-Hope is Bright Beautiful Thing, by Imaginary_Bomb - Luke and Leia hurt/comfort -Bravery, by gardnerhill - Medals don't mean to Han what they mean to Luke. -Homecoming, by Thistlerose - Luke and Leia grieve after the Battle of Yavin. -The Truth About Tatooine, by bethagain - A delightful subversion in which Luke is not as innocent and naive about life as everyone around him automatically assumes. -In Starships and Cups of Coffe, by Iorata - Han's birthday celebrations, or lack thereof. -Planning Session, by Guardian_of_Hope - The plan to rescue Han is put together... with the help of alcohol.

Subgenre: Han/Leia Hurt/Comfort

-shatter those cold bones, by philthestone -Soothing by MissRachelThalberg - Hurt/Comfort from the aftermath of Jabba's palace. Probably the most realistic post-Jabba fic I've seen thus far. -Pointy Things, by madame_alexandra - Leia has a phobia of needles after the Death star torture. Han is here to help.

Subgenre: Owen and Beru's Life on Tatooine/Obi-wan in Exile/Young!Luke fics/Luke's Pre-canon Life on Tatooine

I love, love, love this subgenre and all its various permutations to bits. Thank goodness there's a lot of fic for this. Also, Owen/Beru, Beru/Obi-wan and every possible variation of Owen/Beru/Obi-wan were the fic pairings I didn't know I needed, but I do.

-A Good Woman, by leavinghope - Beru's take on events.   -A Look Within, by iamfitzwilliamdarcy - It isn't easy being Owen Lars. -Dawn of Hope, by alexcat - Luke Skywalker's Childhood. -Family, by mosymoseys - Beru comes to terms with not having another child. -1:30, by ambiguously - Luke/Biggs fic, featuring an epic fly-through of Beggar's Canyon. -Flasback, by Elizabeth (anghraine) - The real reason why Owen refused to let Luke go to the Imperial Academy. -for when my chin is on the ground (i pick myself up), by Phosphorescent - Obi-wan gets adopted by a bantha. Hilarity ensues. -Kin, by mabel - Luke learns about family on Tatooine. -Madonna Under the Suns, by Vongchild - Beru deals with Owen, Luke and her complicated relationship with Obi-wan. -One Hundred Credits, by jedicallie (writergirlie) - Luke is injured in a farm accident, Owen is angry, Beru tells Luke about his grandmother -our shining hour, by rain_sleet_snow - Luke and Biggs have a fling and Obi-wan, Owen and Beru reflect on the implications. An Owen/Beru/Ben fic where Owen and Ben don't hate each other, wow! -Salvage, by celeste9 - Luke rescues droids and his guardians aren't sure what to think. -say hello, say hi, by ninemoons42 - Young!Luke meets Obi-wan with Beru's supervision. -Seas of Sand, by esper_aroon - Obi-wan exile angst. -Somewhere It Hides a Well, by dieplainlife - Obi-wan's watching out for Luke and keeping him out of trouble. -Split the Shroud by Desipio - Child-rearing, Tatooine-style. -The Boy from the Stars, by Lefaym -The Hermit's Son, by landsail0r - AU where Obi-wan raises Luke -The Last Cup by Acacieae -Truth, by ambiguously -what are we living for by Elizabeth (anghraine) -What I'm Afraid Of, by Beatrice_otter

Subgenre: Prequel-Era Character Studies

-a clean break, by wrennette - Obi-wan returns to Coruscant after a mission to discover that a treasured gift from Qui-Gon has... transformed. just leave me your stardust to remember you by, by stonefreak - Disney Princess Obi-wan Kenobi and all of the implications. -on the other side, by esama - Obi-wan goes into the AgriCorps, but still has to deal with Quin-Gon's Padawan.

Subgenre: Leia and Winter Friendship Fic

Okay, so Winter is a minor character from the EU/Legends canon - Leia's adopted sister/best friend on Alderaan who was off-planet when the Death Star destroyed it. She serves as Leia's aide and occasional decoy in New Republic books. She had long white hair and people frequently mistake her for Leia on account of her posture and bearing. Winter is great and more people should write fics with her in them.

-Astronomical Odds, by anonymous - Leia meets Winter again before the Battle of Endor.   -Still Here, by WinterSky101 - Han passes on a message that Leia is very happy to get.

Subgenre: Luke in Exile (Disney Canon)

I usually try to avoid the Disney canon, but apparently I'm a sucker for good angsty!Luke fics.

-Between Two Thieves, by Walutahanga - In the aftermath of the slaughter at the Jedi school, a character from the EU/Legends canon makes an offer of assistance to Luke. AWESOME ON SO MANY LEVELS. -Understanding, by ambiguously - Luke is grieving and a mess of self-pity. Obi-wan is having none of it. -Water, Water Everywhere (The Albatross Remix), by theladyscribe - Luke's past history with water means he responds to Rey's gesture at the end of TFA very differently than in canon.

Subgenre: Angsty/Grieving Luke

-Halfway Real, by Acacieae - Luke grieves for Owen and Beru, Obi-wan offers some comfort. -Holographic Blue, by sparklight - Luke stumbles across old wedding holos that Artoo still has in his data banks. -Homecoming, by Joysweeper - Luke grieves for Owen and Beru. -Only Forgotten, by treenahasthaal - Before going into Jabba's palace, Luke reflects on his early life on Tatooine. -Someplace You've Never Been Before, by jessebee - Luke grieves for Biggs and his old life. Han/Luke. -The Insolence of Office, by ATMachine - Luke has one regret about the Jabba's palace rescue. -Understanding Owen, by BeckyS -contradictory, by catbeans - Luke muses on the light/dark distinction. -for a hundred miles through the desert - wreckageofstars - Han has to go rescue Luke when Luke fucks up. Lots of angst.

Subgenre: Sedoretu

-Smugglers Make the Worst Matchmakers, by dreamiflame - An OT4 that solves every shipping problem in the entire Star Wars fandom. Talon Karrde approves. -The Invisible Corners, by Walutahanga - Padme is engaged, but Naboo marriage customs are such that that may not be an impediment to her relationship with Anakin. LOVE IT!

Miscellaneous:

-A Little Control, by Joysweeper - Or, why Luke is so good at getting out of handcuffs. Surprisingly SFW. -Always a Third Wheel, by wingsyouburn - Even in the New Republic era, Luke's still pretty good at ignoring hints from Han and Leia. -Homecoming, by GryfoTheGreat - Luke, Leia and Han fic, post-ROTJ/early New Republic. -It's Just Cake, by JediMordsith - A reconstruction of a famous Alderaanian desert gets the gang into a lot of trouble... Bonus: Luke/Mara. Fluffy as all get out. -Speak and Be Heard by ambiguously - Oola lives and the gang takes her with them when they leave Tatooine after the Jabba's palace rescue. -canis, by peradi - ANH AU where Vader realizes Leia is his daughter... and decides to rebel against the Empire in his own way. AMAZING.

There’s so much Star Wars fic out there that this is only the tip of the iceberg... but these are my favorites at the moment.

Happy reading!