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thaeonblade · 2 years

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Logics Insight: The Star Wars Prequel Trilogy 2/2

https://www.deviantart.com/thaeonblade/art/Logics-Insight-The-Star-Wars-Prequel-Trilogy-2-2-919810236 Part 2

The Importance of Darth Vader and the Characterization of Anakin Skywalker

I agree with Redlettermedia when he says that Anakin's characterization was the biggest misstep in the Prequel Trilogy. Instead of having a profound and nuanced exploration of how and why Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader, we instead got a cluttered mess. This is because Anakin's importance in the Star Wars mythos was way overemphasized in a way that not only doesn't work, but actually causes more problems for the world-building of the Prequels.

I'm not necessarily talking about Anakin killing younglings or murdering Tusken Raiders. Those incidents don't help, but they'd actually be good for Anakin's fall into darkness if everything else worked properly. Considering that Anakin is the tragic hero of the Prequel Trilogy, it make sense that he'll eventually get his hands bloody on his path to the dark side.

The problem is that George Lucas spent too much time focusing on Anakin's importance rather than letting him breath and develop as a character. George spent too much time trying to tell people how powerful Anakin is or to show off how special Anakin is rather than putting Anakin on a journey. A journey where Anakin reaches great heights before he falls down into a great fall right into villainy and evil.

So to accomplish this ill-conceived goal, George apparently messed up a lot of aspects about the Jedi and the Force to make Anakin this all important character. And George did all of this merely because Darth Vader is the most popular character in all of Star Wars and so Lucas let Vader's reputation outside of the story affect his role in the story.

So here's my thesis, I believe that George developed the no romance rule for the Jedi to force a forbidden love story onto Anakin and Padme's relationship. I also believe that the concept of midi-chlorians and the prophecy about a chosen one were specifically created and set up to make Anakin seem like the most powerful jedi ever. But instead of adding to Anakin's story, these things merely take away from them. George overlooked the idea that sometimes less is more and convoluted something that could've stayed simple and yet very effective and dramatic.

In fact, I'd dare say that removing these three aspects from the movies wouldn't change much at all other than streamline and make the world-building more consistent with itself.

Allow me a moment to break things down, shall we?

Midi-chlorians and Prophecies

"Que guitar riff"

This is Science Fantasy and generally, that means that we have a Sci-fi universe with a strong science fiction aesthetic. But remember, this is still primarily a fantasy story with the sci fi stuff being secondary in all honesty. That means that certain details don't need to be meticulously explained unless its absolutely necessary for the story and characters.

For instance, we don't know what Yoda's species and we don't need to know.

Does it make sense that Wookies can't speak english and others can't speak wookie, but Han and Chewbacca can understand each other completely? No, but who cares.

Why do star ships need to be so close to each for fleet battles? Who cares.

Why aren't people using drone fighters instead of piloted snub fighters? Doesn't matter.

Do the physics of the lightsaber make sense? Not really, but it doesn't matter.

Most fantasy fans don't question how heroes can jump into battle after battle without suffering major fatigue and exhaustion nor how they brush off realistically career ending injuries. Even the most pedantic nerd will just shrug and go with something that doesn't make sense to them if its in keeping with a good story.

A lot of battles in fantasy and sci-fi are made by people who are lacking in terms of a worthwhile sense of scale. Logistical reality should make some of the huge army numbers that we see utterly impossible to support for long periods of time. In reality, it would be a logistical nightmare to feed and supply ten thousand medieval soldiers for more than a few months. So good luck trying to support a hundred thousand soldiers.

We also often seen a lot of battles where participants use tactics that don't make sense. Lines of soldiers charging headlong into battle and clashing together into competing lethal mosh pits just didn't happen. Trained armies of all eras preferred to keep their formations and attack with the best weapons that suited their particular battle lines and strategies. In fact, the spear and bow were the most common and practical weapons to use in medieval and ancient warfare because they were cheap to make or get and it was useful in groups or individually. The sword was either a secondary weapon or a ceremonial weapon and those were only drawn when the primary weapon was set aside or lost.

But swords are just cooler so naturally we see characters using swords as main weapons in fantasy or even sci fi.

I bring all of this pedantic and nitpicky stuff up to make a point on details in your world-building. Details definitely matter, but you as the writer must consider and assess which details are most important for the story you are trying to tell. The story needs to engage your reader on an emotional level and any detail that doesn't help do that must be trimmed or set aside.

If your detail on how money works or what the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow is doesn't matter on a character, story, thematic or plot level, then it's not a detail worth dwelling on. In fact, it's fine to let certain aspects of your world-building remain ambiguous and unanswered to create mystery and intrigue in your audience.

And this is why the concept of midichlorians is something that creates more problems than it solves.

It was an over-explanation for a question that no one wanted to have answer nor was it a question that needed to be answered.

So with that said, why oh why did George feel like he had to explain the Force with midichlorians?

In fact, George's original concept for the Force was that it was an energy field that technically anyone could tap into. Yes! Anyone could be force sensitive with the right discipline, mindset, dedication and spirituality. To paraphrase George himself when answering an interviewer who asked if the Force was available to anyone who could hook into it?

“Yes, anybody could do it. Not just the Jedi. It's just the Jedi who take the time to do it. They use it like a technique. If you want to take the time to do it, you can do it. But the ones what really want to do it are the ones who are into that kind of thing. Also like karate.”

In all fairness, that interview as many decades ago and it's fine if George changed his mind and decided that force sensitivity is a bit more different.

The concept does nothing, but muddle what was otherwise a mystical, but simplistic understanding of the Force as being a spiritual energy field that binds the galaxy together. Midichlorians undermine the mystery and wonder of the Force by adding an unnecessary and even contradictory scientific element when no one asked for it. It also infers an upward limit on someone's Force power even though the Force is meant to be beyond such things.

"Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter."

Granted, the Original Trilogy did introduce a biological element to the Force by saying that the Force flows strongly through bloodlines and that Force Sensitivity can be passed down through offspring. Which makes sense when the Force penetrates basically everything in life and surrounds and connects life. However, nothing more needed to be elaborated on than that.

Now let's talk about the other issue...namely the Chosen One Prophecy.

“Que guitar riff”

As for the Chosen One thing, it's both under-explained, contradictory and unnecessary. Just have Anakin be a really talented and gifted youngster who got recruited because his potential in the force is amazingly high for reasons that are NEVER stated. Is it destiny? Genetics? Is he a lost descendant from a family of strong jedi lords? Who knows? What matters is Anakin developing that talent, becoming a great jedi knight and being seduced to the Dark Side to become Darth Vader.

I don't personally have a problem with prophecies or Chosen Ones. These are story ideas that are very old and they've been done in various ways both good and bad. Sometimes prophecy is used in a way to where the story centers on a character trying to avoid destiny, but meeting destiny on the road they took to avoid it. Often times, you'll have characters trying to defy fate and while some may succeed, others end up fulfilling their own doom.

Prophecy, Chosen Ones and Destiny are story ideas that have potential to be very good or very bad. Just like in real history, prophecies were often misread, misinterpreted, flat out wrong, or turned out to be correct earlier or later than people anticipated. There are many cultures with some tradition about seers and oracles who can perceive the future and use their visions to give warnings in the present. I bring this up so you know where I'm coming from on the Jedi Prophecy about Balance.

Largely that it's too vague to be worthwhile in the story.

First off, the prophecy is never actually explained in any detail beyond that it exists and Anakin is supposedly meant to bring balance to the force. What does bringing balance to the Force mean in the prophecy's context? What is causing the unbalance in the Force? How will Anakin bring balance to the Force exactly? What will happen once the Force's balance is restored? Why is it a bad thing if the Force is out of balance? What does balance look like? Is balance achieved when the Light and Dark sides of the Force are in total balance? Or does the Light need to be dominant over the Dark to create balance?

According to George Lucas, the presence of the Sith and their actions are creating a cancerous blight within the Force. This blight causes the dark side to get stronger and snuff out the light. Therefore, Anakin fulfilled the prophecy when he destroyed the Sith when he killed Palpatine and then died right afterwards. Thus the Sith were destroyed, the darkness that they created weakens and the light is able to grow in strength thus creating balance and harmony in the Force.

However, it was not until Episode 3 that we learn any hint about what bringing balance meant. We're told that Anakin must destroy the Sith and that's how he'll bring balance. That's in line with what George said, but how is it that Anakin is the only one who can destroy the Sith? Does it matter if someone else like Obi Wan, Yoda or Mace Windu killed Sidious? If killing the Sith is what Anakin is meant to do then why was it a bad thing and a step to the dark side when he killed Count Dooku? Even if Palpatine was manipulating Anakin, he's still doing exactly what the prophecy said he needs to do. So how is that a bad thing?

This is why the movie needs to clarify and explain the Chosen One Prophecy if its going to be important to Anakin's development or significance. It would be nice if the movies spent a few minutes explaining where the prophecy came from and why the Jedi think it's worth preserving. Was there a previous Jedi Grandmaster who was a seer or something? Maybe they were a wise teacher whose prophecies were always right one way or another and the Chosen One Prophecy was the last prediction that they made before they died, retired or disappeared.

Maybe the Jedi Seer was around when the Last Sith Empire was destroyed and all of the other Jedi thought that the Sith were dead. This lone seer insisted that the sith had survived and foresaw that the sith survivors were in the shadows hiding and getting more powerful. Then in the future, the Sith would return for their Revenge and only the Chosen One could defeat them and restore balance to the Force. This could also be how Yoda knows about the Rule of Two because the Seer foresaw that the Rule of Two was how the Sith were surviving and hiding and would've warned a young Yoda about it.

With respect to George, I don't think he thought that far ahead.

It's just all the more bluntly obvious that midichlorians and the Prophecy were only introduced to over-hype Anakin.

Think about it? We first learn that Anakin didn't have a father and Shmi was knocked up by the Force. Then we first hear about midichlorians when Qui-Gon takes Anakin's blood sample and we learn that Anakin's midichlorian count is higher than even Master Yoda. At Coruscant, Qui-Gon gives his findings to the council and this also introduces the first mention of the Prophecy about a Chosen One who will bring balance to the Force and that Anakin is that Chosen One. Before leaving for Naboo, Anakin asks about midichlorians and Qui-Gon explains that they are the middle-men between life and the Force and without them, no one could hear the Force.

I can't lay it out more plainly than I just did.

George claims that he had the concept back in the Original Trilogy, but just couldn't introduce it. However, the sequence of events where midi-chlorians play a role in the story strongly implies that their only role is to explain why Anakin is so powerful and to prop up his role as the Chosen One. So this is a clear case of informed ability where we are told that someone is incredible for such-and-such reason, but never actually demonstrates it.

For instance, Anakin is shown to be a strong Jedi, but it's not clear that he's more powerful than any other Jedi. Does he use any force abilities that are either rare or difficult for even older and wiser jedi to use? Does he demonstrate an insight and wisdom in the Force beyond his years? Did he finish his training faster than any other padawan? Looks like 10 years is the rough average and Anakin's training doesn't seem too different apart from his unorthodox age.

In George's haste to make Anakin special, he's created a hard-locked cap on how powerful any jedi could ever become based on their midichlorian level. No matter how enlightened, serene, wise or experienced that a jedi becomes, their power will never go higher than a pre-set ceiling while someone with only half as much training and given effort could become twice as powerful due to having a bigger midichlorian count.

And I don't care if the EU clarifies that a high midichlorian count does not always equal high force power.

It's Not In The Movie.

We need the movies to show us how Anakin is powerful and not just tell us that he's powerful. Instead of having all of his training take place off screen, have some key moments shown in Episode I and II. First, Qui Gon teaches Anakin some rudimentary universal lessons on accessing the force and Anakin later uses these lessons to help save Naboo. In the next movie, Obi Wan is shown guiding Anakin through a more advanced lesson or he and Anakin spar where we see that Anakin is very skilled and powerful, but immature and impatient. We are shown how strong Anakin has become and we also see how he has much that he still has to learn.

Or perhaps Anakin learns about a strong jedi technique that usually takes a long time to master and Anakin does so in record time. Perhaps Anakin uses the ionize technique or disable droid technique in a powerful way. Perhaps Anakin is shown to be talented with telekinetically lifting and manipulating things with expert accuracy and control. Maybe Anakin has a very strong innate connection to the force's energy flow that is unusual to someone as young as Anakin.

Now I'm not expecting something over the top like Anakin pulling down a Star Destroyer and making it look easy. But I'd say that Anakin's progression as a Jedi and his power in the Force was something that would be stronger conveyed with visual storytelling rather than making up new rules to give him an informed ability that doesn't match what's shown on the story.

Perhaps you could keep the prophecy in the movie and make it a question of whether Anakin is the chosen one or not. Anakin's quick success and rise in prominence would make his fellow jedi believe that he's really the chosen one despite their initial misgivings. Then when he turns to the dark side, it's a true shock to the jedi and perhaps shocking for the audience for may have forgoten that Anakin is going to be Darth Vader.

Maybe the Jedi were wrong about Anakin being the chosen one and the chosen one is actually Anakin's son Luke. Something which Obi Wan wouldn't realize until much later and this makes Luke all the more the new hope for the Jedi. Maybe Anakin is the chosen one, but bringing balance to the force means destroying the jedi and the sith so that his son luke can rebuild a new order of guardians from the ashes.

Maybe the Chosen One thing could be something that's left ambiguous and left to the audience to the decide for themselves. Meh, who knows?

George went too far in a few places

Anakin starts out too Young and dipped into the dark side too drastically and too soon in his character arc. I'd translate this issue as being how Anakin's story has great payoff with a mostly good set up, but the build up and few set up details are wonky.

For Anakin, we got a lot about his flaws, his darkness and the seeds that would lead to the dark side. But ultimately, the prequels lacked a demonstration of his more positive aspects apart from being a good pilot and warrior. Old Ben described Anakin as a good and noble jedi champion who was a great friend and whose turn to the dark side was a tragedy and a shocking surprise. Yet, the prequels display Anakin as a bad seed from Episode 2 onwards and they fail to make him likable, especially in 2 where he spends most of his screentime whining, complaining, expressing support for a fascist dictatorship as long as "it worked", obsessing over a girl he hasn't seen in ten years and mass murdering an entire tribe of raiders including women and children and going on a maniacal rant about it like a serial killer. Yeah, I understand that he was mad and grieving about his mother dying in his arms, but that doesn't excuse slaughtering innocents nor is it helped by how utterly unsympathetic and borderline sociopathic he seemed in previous scenes.

By Episode 3 where we finally do see some humanity and likability in Anakin, it's too little too late and fleeting compared to how he spends half of the movie as Darth Vader betraying his fellow jedi and slaughtering children (again) because of a vague promise that Palpatine would give him the power to save Padme. Furthermore, the "tragic hero" of the story chokes out his pregnant mother and yet we're supposed to leave that movie with the idea that there's still a sliver of good in this man. Or at least enough good in him to where he'll eventually sacrifice himself to save his son by killing the Emperor and then dying as himself.

I assert this missed opportunity as a demonstration of how "Darker isn't always better".

Nothing against Jake Lloyd, but Anakin should've started off as a young teen to make characterization and development between the three movies more consistent. It would also allow for the actor playing Anakin to play the role in all three movies instead of just 2 and give more time for them to get acclimated and comfortable with the role. That's one big reason why Ewan McGregor got better and better as Obi-Wan, because he got used to the role over the course of 3 movies whereas Hayden only had two. Hayden did a decent job with what he had, but being able to play the role in a third movie would've improved things immensely.

If you think it would be ridiculous to have Hayden Christenson or whoever play a teenager when they're an adult, I'd point out that adults have been playing teens since the Slasher films. Keep in mind Natatlie Portman has portrayed teenagers as well such as she does in Episode I and has the youthful appearance and short stature to pull it off. Combine that with some make up, de-aging CGI, clothing that a teen would wear and some uncertain posturing and mannerisms and I can see a young male actor being passed off as a teenager.

I'd also make Anakin a little less perfect and spotless as he was in Episode 1. I'd still have Anakin be an overall good talent person who wants to help people and do the right thing. But also give him an edge as he's forced to bottle up fear, anger and hatred at his life as a slave and how he and his mother could be sold or killed at the push of a button. Maybe this could come out in a scene or two where he subconsciously uses the force to hurt or nearly kill someone like Sebulba or Watto. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan would see this and that would motivate them to take Anakin in. Deciding that Anakin would fall to the Dark Side and become a Dark Jedi if he stayed on Tatooine and instead should be raised by the Jedi to use his powers for good.

In fact, let's have a scene that underlines how harsh slavery is for Anakin while growing up. It always annoys me when slavery is put into a story and its shown to be a minor nuisance at best. In the Phantom Menace, Anakin's life as a slave is treated as a part time job. He gets to wander around town without supervision; make friends and play with other friends; he and his mom have their own home and its no better or worse than anyone else's home; and Anakin even has enough room in the garage to build and work on his own podracer.

I'm not saying get rid of that stuff since historically some slaves did have some small luxuries depending on their masters and their positions. But the audience is only told of how bad slavery is and are only told about the bomb that will kill escapees. Instead, throw in a scene where Anakin gets really angry and is about to throw a punch, but Watto holds up a remote threatening to blow him or his mother. Maybe a slave at an auction is sold to a lecherous asshole and she runs away as the new owner blows her up. Anakin sees this and would seethe with anger about how powerless he is and how much he wants to be free and to make his slave master pay for how they treat him and his mom.

Instead of having Anakin be rejected initially for being “too old”, he's rejected by the Jedi Council because of the fear, anger and hate simmering inside of him. The Jedi are wary that Anakin's a ticking time bomb that'll explode if trained with power that he can't handle. Qui-Gon would vouch for Anakin with full faith in the boy while Obi-Wan would be neutral, wanting to help Anakin and seeing the good in him while also acknowledging the council's concern and fear of the dark edge hiding inside of the kind hearted Anakin.

This is the dark edge that Palpatine would sense and quietly nurture in Anakin as he grows in the ways of the Jedi and the Force. Anakin in the films should've been close to what he was in the Clone Wars tv show, a genuinely heroic, noble, brave, loyal and good man with a dark shadow that kept growing as the war continued. As Anakin starts to doubt if the Jedi or the Republic are helping anyone, Palpatine could be there to groom him towards the idea that a Master of the Dark Side could bring order and peace to the galaxy. That the Dark Side could give Anakin true freedom from the forces controlling his life and hindering him from making a difference.

Which, to be fair, is what we kind of got in the films. The films do hint that Palpatine had been grooming Anakin for dark side conversion throughout the years and Episode 3 was the finishing touch. But the idea is screwed when Palpatine gives Anakin a super vague legend about a Sith Lord who could use the Dark Side to save people from death. And this is enough for Anakin to throw every everything he's ever stood for and fully commit to the Dark Side. By now, Anakin should've seen some proof that the Dark Side could actually do that. Maybe Palpatine could heal a grievously injured clonetrooper in the medbay to convince Anakin of the dark side's power, but right after Anakin leaves, the trooper dies because he wasn't actually healed.

Instead, Anakin betrayed the jedi based on a vague story about a sith who could save people from death? And despite no proof that Palpatine wasn't just lying and playing on Anakin's fears, Anakin bows to monster mash and pledges himself to the graveyard smash. Then goes on to murder children based on an unspecific notion that the dark side will help him save Padme.

Anakin's especially dumb when you realize that he knows Palpatine is the Sith Lord whose been lying and manipulating everyone for the past 13 years. The one behind the Naboo Crisis; The Clone Wars; Qui-Gon's death; the attempts on Padme's life; the loss of Anakin's arm; and is responsible for the deaths of countless billions if not trillions of people because of that. And Anakin follows him anyway? Also, why doesn't Anakin just arrange for a really good doctor to look after Padme and make sure she doesn't die in childbirth? Are you telling me that death by childbirth is still a thing in this magnificent technological wonderland?

Now lets take a few steps back here.

I will acknowledge that having Anakin murder the jedi younglings was bleak and dark, but a bold creative choice. As much as I would've preferred to see Anakin mowing down Jedi knights and masters in some badass dramatic fight scene, showing him preparing to murder younglings was the kind of scene that can make or break a character like Anakin.

George Lucas isn't sugarcoating how evil Anakin is or how far he's fallen. He doesn't want the audience to have anything that will take away from the shock of this scene. If Anakin killed older jedi adults, this would be mitigated by how “badass” and “awesome” Darth Vader is acting. But George doesn't want an evil sith lord to look cool, at least not in this moment. He wants you to see the raw deal of how cruel the dark side will make you.

The problem is that we already got this once before in Attack of the Clones with the Tusken Raider massacre. There isn't a smooth transition from innocent kind hearted youth into the cold, ruthless and evil murder machine that is Darth Vader. He's innocent and pure in Episode I and then abruptly becomes troubled and murderous in II and III. If you want Anakin's deeds in Episode III to be shocking and horrific, then he can't do something like this in Episode II while he's still meant to be a good guy.

While I'd keep the Tusken Raider murder scene and the death of Anakin's mother, I'd rework them slightly. I'd make it so that Anakin's mom isn't tortured to death and was being kept as a hostage for ransom. Anakin saves her, kills a few tusken guards and successfully rides away with her. He takes his mom back to the Lars homestead where Anakin has a wholesome moment with Padme and Shmi. Everything seems happy, Anakin is bonding with his step brother and step father while Shmi gives her blessing for Padme to pursue Anakin and help him be happy.

Then tragedy strikes as a Tusken Raider war party attacks the homestead.

Cligg Lars dies from a thermal detonator, Shmi gets wounded by gunmen and dies in a shocked Anakin's arms. The world goes cold around him and he sees the tuskens holding Owen, Beru and Padme prisoner. They single out Padme and tie her up to be beaten to death as she's an outsider from Tatooine. Anakin's blood boils, the anger, grief and pain overflows and he uses the force and his lightsaber to slaughter the Tusken warriors.

The tuskens try to run away, but Anakin in a great show of force power holds their speeders in place and rips the raiders from their bikes. Anakin then hunts them all down, hunting and slaughtering every single tusken raider like animals. As he's hacking into a dead tusken, Padme hugs him from behind and tells him to stop since it won't change anything.

Seeing his stepbrother act so viciously, Owen Lars cuts ties with Anakin and irrationally blames him for both his father's death and for Shmi's death. Anakin believes him, thinking that he wasn't strong enough to control the situation or keep his loved ones from dying. He wasn't strong enough until he gave into the dark side.

Padme neither condemns nor condones Anakin's actions due to the situation and her own feelings. Obi Wan would be sympathetic, but would throw the jedi code at Anakin while also neglecting to report the situation to the council. Palpatine of course would offer assurance and tell him that he did nothing wrong. Here Anakin would confess to what it felt to use the dark side and that a part of him enjoyed what he did. Palpatine then tells Anakin that he may need to call upon that anger again one day and not to reject it, one day he may need his hate to make him strong regardless of what the jedi say.

This would plant into Anakin the idea that being good and staying on the light side won't save his loved ones. But being dark sided could give him that power, something that Palpatine waters over the course of the clone wars until Episode III. It would be small transforming moment where good guy Anakin starts to slip towards the dark side which would snowball into his actions in Episode III.

Instead, Anakin slaughters every tusken in the camp and goes on a maniacal rant about it looking like a crazy person. I'd forgive you if you thought that Anakin had already turned to the dark side here. Becoming a sith lord, taking the name Darth Vader and killing the jedi was just a formality. Of course, I know Anakin only killed the tuskens because they kidnapped and tortured his mother to death, but that doesn't change how its too soon in Anakin's story to do something this dark and bleak.

By tempering down the tusken raider event, it still has the same broad strokes and effect as in canon. However, there would still be room to show that this was Anakin being driven to a wall and was not an action that good guy Anakin would normally do. Combine this with earlier scenes of Anakin being a kind hearted, selfless young man trying to do good and strive for the right thing and this would help make Anakin's eventual fall to the dark side sad and shocking.

For a character like Anakin, his fall to the dark side should come as a shock and surprise to the audience. They should look at Anakin in Episode I and II and be unable to comprehend how this good hearted kid could ever fall to the dark side. They should want him to overcome whatever inner darkness is simmering in him and be given hope that Anakin will prevail. They should wail with frustration and sorrow when Anakin succumbs to his inner darkness and becomes Darth Vader.

In short, Anakin needed to be more of a hero to make the tragedy part stronger.

The Romance

The romance arc between Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala was entertainingly bad at worst and dull at best.

At this point in my life, I can say it's far from the worst love story I've ever seen. Everyone's gone into its problems and I won't add too much here. I do appreciate the love story for following through on its tragic set up and build up. There was no way that love would prevail here with Anakin being fated to become Darth Vader.

I guess for me, I was never really sold on them being in love apart from the story telling us that they're in love. Anakin and Padme meet when he's a kid and she's a teen. He's neither old enough to be interested in girls nor is he old enough to be considered a viable romantic partner by Padme. They were just really good friends who bonded over a crisis and then he helped free her planet.

Then they never see or talk to each other for ten years. They're brought back together where Anakin starts talking about how he's obsessed and thought about her everyday. It then turns out that Padme has felt the same and they decided to be in love. Let me get this straight, they spend a few days together, kiss twice and decide to get married.

Now some defenders chalk up Anakin's awkward actions, stares and corny lines to being inexperienced with love. Which I can definitely identify with and many of us can do the same when we feel strongly for someone, but don't know how to express it. Perhaps if the dialogue wasn't made to be efficient filler in between the action scenes, I could get behind this defense.

Still, there's a difference between being inexperienced and being in love with someone you haven't seen for ten years...when you were a child. That's obsession. Anakin was in love with a shadow and a thought. Did Anakin really know Padme Amidala? Can you be in love with someone who you don't truly know? Was Anakin in love with Padme or just the idea of being in love with someone? A smarter story would explore this distinction, but not this one.

Still a bigger problem was that Lucas introduced the whole concept of "Celibate Jedi" for the sake of giving the romance a "forbidden edge". Except that this was never brought up in Episode 1 or the Previous trilogy and neither Old Ben nor Yoda had any qualms about training the child of a jedi. It could be because of desperation, but it can be heavily inferred that the celibate jedi concept didn't exist until Episode 2 and this along with other problems with the Jedi Order that I discussed in a previous essay don't do the romance any favors.

In fact, introducing this element and the age restriction thing makes the Jedi look like some kind of closed off cult. Once you're in the Order, you can't have any relationships outside of the order which means you're cut off from your family and culture. Your identity is now molded into whatever your instructors tell you to become without any choice on your part. Your life is laid out before you by a strict code and it was a life that the typical jedi youngling must take on without any choice.

I know that some will say that a Jedi can leave anytime like Count Dooku did. However, Dooku was the exception rather than the norm due to his unique personality and perspective. It also helps that he was the heir to a noble house ruling a whole planet, so he has a life to go to when he leaves. The average jedi would have nothing if they left, no friends, no family, no money or shelter, and it's not guaranteed that the jedi will give them vital skills with which they can gain meaningful employment.

Not to mention with all of the indoctrination that the jedi kids had to go through, few of them would ever think of leaving. They've been brainwashed into uncritically accepting the jedi way of life to where the option to leave the order would be unthinkable. Even Ahsoka only left the order because of extreme and unique circumstances and before then, she was happy and eager to be a jedi.

Anakin's only able to resist indoctrination because he already had an identity before he joined the Order. An identity and personality that he maintains despite all efforts to prune them out of him. But Anakin's desire for meaningful and loving relationships is viewed as a bad thing by the jedi and so he has to hide his love for Padme. If anything, this set up makes it seem like the Jedi pushed Anakin to the dark side through trying to isolate him from his own humanity like they did the other jedi. It's not what George intended, but good luck inferring this from the movie.

Furthermore, why would Padme be resistant to a relationship? There's never been any law that restricted senators from marrying or having relationships, hell the ancient roman senators were the biggest hedonists in town. Greek city state senators, warlords, kings and so on of many levels of power all had sex slaves, lovers and concubines for their pleasure and to make as many kids as possible.

If we're going with the whole "celebate jedi angle" (which is inherently flawed in the context of star wars and I'm glad that Lucas EU Luke eventually threw out that rule), then what's wrong with having Padme be the "temptress" and the metaphorical Eve for Anakin? Anakin has feelings, but he doesn't want to act on them out of duty while Padme encourages him that he can still have a heart and still be a good jedi. Padme sees that Anakin is unhappy and lonely and so she wants to help him by loving him and showing him that he's not alone or unloved.

While well-intentioned and wholesome on her part, this does unintentionally open a floodgate in Anakin which eventually causes him to lose control of his emotions and do something cruel like kill a helpless enemy like Asajj Ventress and it makes him doubt himself. Padme is there to help him and tells him that he's not a bad person and that he's just human. But Anakin gets the wrong message and decides that using the dark side isn't bad and only after it's too late does Padme sadly realize that she unknowingly pushed Anakin towards the dark side.

We should've seen something more organic like in the original trilogy. Or, have a slightly older Anakin and Padme hit it off really well with strong romantic chemistry between them in Episode I. But due to important matters like the Naboo crisis and Anakin joining the jedi, they can't do anything at the moment. But they'd definitely have each other's affection and respect by the movie's end which would grow into a full on romance in Episode II and turn to tragedy in Episode III.

In fact, I'd have Padme gamble her freedom in the podrace so that Shmi Skywalker is saved. Qui Gon would tell her that he could only free Anakin and Padme decides to fix that. Padme sees how much Anakin loves his mother and how it would destroy him to leave her in bondage while he is freed. So Padme goes to Watto and gambles her own freedom against Shmi's freedom if Anakin wins the podrace.

This would be a moment that shows Padme's compassion for others and when Anakin eventually finds out, he'd be deeply grateful to Padme since risking her freedom liberated his mother. Maybe Padme would even offer Shmi a job as a handmaiden for the queen or when Shmi chooses to stay of her own free will, Padme gives her some valuables that she could sell to get enough money to get her own moisture farm and start a new life.

It's a small change and doesn't change the overall plot really. But it would be something that jumpstarts Anakin's affection and love for Padme. He'd see that Padme respects him as a human being rather than just as a slave or as a tool. He would be loyal to Padme and would want to return the favor which would motivate him to go to the Battle of Naboo and do what he could to help free Padme's people just like she and Qui gon freed him and his mother.

Another misstep was cutting the Rebel Alliance subplot for Padme Amidala.

In short, this was a series of scenes for Revenge of the Sith where Padme is discussing the current political state of the Republic with Mon Mothma, Bail Organa and other senators. They and other critics of Palpatine are concerned about him holding executive powers indefinitely and start considering contingencies. These contingencies would eventually lead to the Rebel Alliance's creation in the Original Trilogy.

But George Lucas cut out this subplot because he thought it would detract from Anakin's storyline. Which is directly contradicted with how Palpatine is using Padme's objection to Palpatine's executive powers to make a rift between Padme and Anakin. Which in turn would start to make Anakin consider the idea that Padme will betray him to Obi-Wan. This would also tragically culminate in Anakin choking Padme believing that she brought Kenobi to him on Mustafar to kill him.

Another reason cutting subplot was a mistake is that Padme basically has nothing to do in Revenge of the Sith. Yeah, she can't exactly run around and be a badass gun fighter while pregnant with twins. But it's not exactly great to see Padme sitting on the sidelines crying about Anakin compared to her actions in the first two movies.

Having Padme play a role in the pre planning of the Rebel Alliance heightens Padme's importance to the Star Wars saga. It's the organization that will fight and destroy the Empire where the Jedi failed. It's the Rebellion which her children Leia and Luke would lead to ultimate victory over the Empire. In the novel, Padme gave Organa, Mon Mothma and the other allies key advice about hiding out and not openly defying Palpatine's new empire until the time was right.

In a tragic sense, Padme Amidala has to watch the Republic that she helped create turn into an Empire. But she would be morally vindicated by the Alliance she helped make and by her twins as they destroy the Empire. Then Luke would go on to rebuild the Jedi Order which her husband had been apart of. Her daughter would help rebuild a New Republic to continue the good that the Old Republic had made.

Also, this could be a rift for Padme and Anakin that tests their relationship. Both Anakin and Padme are loyal to the Republic in their own way. Both have their criticisms of the Republic and different ideas on how to make things right. Padme wants to correct the system from within by pruning out bad or corrupt aspects and upholding good and lawful ones. Anakin wants to make things right by throwing out the system and replacing it with one based on control and power.

Then as the story progresses, both realize for different reasons that the current state of the Republic is too inflexible for change. So they would clash about how where they think the Republic should go. Anakin would be more in favor of a stronger executive branch akin to dictatorship like Palpatine is doing. Meanwhile, Padme would start to sympathize with the non-evil and non-corporate elements of the Separatists and believe that the Republic needs to kick out Palpatine or abolish the Republic and any galactic government entirely since it's doing more harm than good.

We kind of get this in the films, but not really. In Episode II, Anakin and Padme do discuss the senate and Anakin reveals that he supports a fascist dictatorship. However, that scene is written off in a way that it looks like Anakin's joking around with Padme. In Episode III, Padme probes Anakin and wonders if the Republic has indeed fallen. Anakin accuses her of being a senator, but Padme stands her ground and insists that the Clone Wars was a result of the Republic's failure to communicate and listen.

In fact, I think Anakin and Padme's relationship would improve if Anakin played devil's advocate about her opposition to a Republic military. He'd point out how Naboo was invaded because it didn't have an army and was only saved by allying with the Gungan army. So it's only prudent to have an army and not need it than to need one and not have it.

Padme would counter with how creating a military would signal escalation and would make peace with the Separatists more difficult. Also, a military would be able to wield undue power and influence over the system to where they could intimidate the senate into doing what they wanted. The military could also be used to make the chancellor a dictator and what the military would do after any war would be a great concern.

Anakin may point out that the Jedi had an army against the Sith and disbanded it when the wars were over. So Anakin would say that the new military would do the same and remain inactive unless nedded. Padme would acknowledge this and point out that few people in the galaxy are as noble and selfless as the jedi. Being in command of an army is a lot of power and few people will readily give up power, even for the good of others.

I guess I'm bringing this in because it would be an opportunity for Anakin and Padme to get to know each other through discussing something that they both care about. They would initially bond over their mutual love of the Republic and splinter over what they believe and how they'd react to the Republic's fall and transformation into an Empire.

Then when talk about a new Empire appears, Anakin would embrace it since an empire would get things done. Padme would strongly disagree and start fermenting ideas and talks that would lead to the Rebellion in the Old Trilogy. Anakin may discover this and would be conflicted between his love for Padme and his loyalty to Palpatine. Tragically, he'd pick Palpatine since he believes that serving the dark side would be for everyone's greater good. But all that would do is drive Padme away from him and the rest would be history.

And yes, we did kind of get this in the Third Movie considering their tragic end, but not as well as it could have been. Keeping the Rebel Alliance subplot would've been a step in the right direction for Padme's character and for her relationship with Anakin. Once more, we get the tragedy element in droves, but we don't quite get the romantic aspect of this tragic romance.

After all, tragic romances always have happy endings.

Temptation and Tragedy

I will acknowledge that I like the element of temptation present with Anakin' story.

I do enjoy how Anakin's ambition, desire to be a powerful hero and need to protect his loved ones are twisted and inverted against him. A few execution issues aside, Anakin's tragedy was a great element of the Prequel story and was one of the reasons why Revenge of the Sith was so great. It's almost Shakespearean in a sense when you think about it.

In the Original Trilogy, Luke Skywalker wasn't really tempted to the dark side at all. Note that I'm not pointing this out as a flaw or criticism of the Original Trilogy. I'm just bringing this up as a point of comparison between the stories of Luke and Anakin. While Anakin was actually seduced, tempted and tricked into turning to the dark side, this element of temptation was absent in Luke's story.

If anything, Vader and Palpatine were just trying to threaten and bully Luke to the dark side. They threatened his life and his friends if he didn't convert; they tried to tell him about how powerful the dark side would make Luke if he submitted; and they each offered Luke a chance to rule the Empire and the Galaxy at their side.

But Luke wasn't afraid to die, so threatening him with submission or death was always going to fail. Even at his lowest point in Bespin, Luke would've rather died than join Darth Vader. Luke partook in the Death Star run when it was basically a suicide mission. He fought on the front lines of the Galactic Civil War as leader of Rogue Squadron. He even calmly went to the confrontation with the Emperor accepting the idea that he'd die when the Rebels destroyed the second Death Star.

While Luke did care about his friends, Luke learned from his impulsiveness on Bespin. He learned to have faith in the abilities and capabilities of Han, Leia and the others. So he just had to hold faith in his friends to overcome the threat laid upon them by Vader. A faith which proved valid and vindicated when Han and Leia destroyed the Endor shield generator and Lando and Wedge destroyed the Second Death Star. It also helps that Luke's bonds with his friends and sister was what was anchoring him to the light side despite all of his hardships, more on this later.

Luke also never wanted to dominate or rule anything or anyone. He was a humble soul who never sought power for power's sake. He yearned more for adventure and self-discovery than for the power of the Force. And when he did get power, he only used it to help others and was very reserved with calling upon the Force unless necessary and only in a way that didn't hurt people.

For instance, Luke could've easily wiped out the ewoks when they captured him and the others. Considering that the ewoks were trying to cook and eat them, Luke would've completely justified in using self defense for himself and his friends. But instead he used the force to make C3PO look like a deity and that made the ewoks let the others go and that put out the conflict to where rebels and ewoks eventually became allies.

So when Vader and the Emperor tempt Luke with the power of the dark side and control of the whole galaxy, it's really not hard for Luke to just say no.

Temptation only works if the individual is taunted with something that they actually want. Being tempted with lots of money in exchange for selling out a friend doesn't work if you don't need money or aren't hurting for money. Being tempted to commit a crime isn't hard to resist if there isn't any urgency that may make you consider putting aside your morals and values.

On the other hand, there's lots of stories of people who were on bad times and needed money. So they joined gangs and became criminals because they felt like they had no other way. There's also stories of people in similar situations who were really tempted to do something illegal or shameful if it alleviated their financial woes. But ultimately, they stood their ground and worked through a difficult path to find a better way.

So for Anakin, I can completely understand why he would be tempted to join the Dark Side of the Force. We're talking about a former slave whose spent most of his life under someone else's control and authority. Anakin just wants to live his life by his term and use his abilities to do good for others. But there's always something in the way like Watto, the Jedi Code, the Republic's weakness or from his point of view, his own weakness.

Add to that the stress of the Clone Wars; his unresolved grief over the death of his mother; worrying about Padme and their relationship; his growing frustration with the Jedi, the Republic and his own life; and Palpatine grooming him and being his false friend and mentor, yeah Anakin has an uphill battle to deal with. I can definitely see how Anakin would be vulnerable to temptation and how its logical for hi to fall to that temptation.

Anakin wants control of his own life and he wants the power to keep that control. Anakin wants to make his loved ones safe and he wants to make the galaxy a better place, so he'd want power to do that. Anakin doesn't just want to be a good jedi, he wants to be the most heroic and most powerful jedi to have ever been born and getting power can help him do that. Anakin wants the power to keep people from dying and the dark side is supposedly a pathway to do just that.

Ironically, Anakin's ambition and desire for control and power actually gave him tunnel vision. Anakin could have chosen to leave the Jedi Order entirely and so live his relationship with Padme publicly and without shame. He could still help the Republic as a key technician or even a general in the military. Anakin could have found a jedi healer and told them to watch over Padme so that she doesn't die from childbirth complications. Perhaps he could have gone to Obi-Wan for help and accepted any consequences that came with uncovering his secrets.

The problem is that doing these or other options would require Anakin to give something up or relinquish control to another. While this could be seen as putting a healthy amount of trust in others, Anakin would see it as weakness. Anakin wants everything, he wants to be with Padme, control his own life, make the galaxy better, and be the best the Jedi ever. Leaving the order means giving up his dream and Anakin is too ambitious to give up the things that he wants.

So he wants to hold everything and in the end Anakin is left with nothing.

He ends up betraying and destroying the Jedi Order; he helps create an Empire that will make galaxy a horrible place to live and kill trillions of innocent people; he loses all of his friends; and his wife dies because of his anger and her grief at what Anakin became for her sake. Anakin even loses his body and his soul, having the spend the rest of his life cast in a dark side armor under constant pain and self hatred. Living on as a cyborg revenant at the constant mercy and command of his tempter and corrupter, able to be disposed of at any moment by the Emperor with Vader unable to do anything but abide by his master's will.

All of which would be better if George had committed to an additional tragedy

Did Anakin fail the Jedi or did the Jedi fail Anakin?

As I mentioned in part 1, it's strange that George can't make up his mind on the Jedi's role in this whole tragedy. Without EU material, it's hard to tell on whether George intended for the Jedi to be flawless paragons brought low by betrayal or if the Jedi were meant to be well intended but flawed actors whose failures helped the Republic and for Anakin to fall. Even if you try to say that both are true, you'd be right, but the movies don't solidly support this either because they can't make up their mind.

What makes this especially strange is that the Revenge of the Sith novel very directly states that the Jedi failed the Republic and Anakin. The author Matthew Stover stated that Lucas had personally looked over and edited the novel before its release and included stuff from his screenplay. This included dialogue, exposition, word selection and so on as though George not only wanted the novel to most definitely line up with the movie, but also with his conception of Episode III.

To quote Matthew Stover himself, “What's in that book is there because Mr. Lucas wanted it to be there. What's not in that book is not there because Mr. Lucas wanted it gone. Period.”

In the novel, Yoda reflects on the Jedi Order during his fight with Palpatine and while meditating on Polis Massa. He acknowledges that the Jedi were beaten by the sith before the Clones ever started because the jedi were prepared for the wrong war. The Jedi had become complacent, stagnant and inflexible and expected the Sith to be the same as they were a thousand years ago. Meanwhile, the Sith had constantly changed and adapted to the realities of the galaxy and so they were able to manipulate the game board to where they controlled even the Jedi.

The Jedi could have stopped the Clone Wars from happening if they had done more to stand up or speak out against the Republic's corruption and weakness. Instead the Jedi did nothing and gave complicit acceptance to the Republic's fall through their silence and inaction. They could have tried to negotiate peaceful co-existence between the Republic and the Confederacy. Instead, they completely sided with the Republic without trying to understand or empathize with why thousands of systems wanted to leave the Republic.

Hell, the Jedi could have stayed out of the Clone Wars entirely and continued to advocate for peace rather than galactic war. They could have instead put all of their energy towards finding the Sith Lords with the idea that capturing and killing the sith would end the war since they're controlling both sides. This would've been deep unpopular with the people and senate, but would be validated when Sidious is eventually exposed and Palpatine either arrested, killed or forced to go into hiding.

In that same vein, the Jedi could have been more welcoming and understanding of Anakin. The reason why Anakin fell to the dark side was because the Jedi was too stagnant and set in their ways to be able to handle an unorthodox jedi like Anakin. If the Jedi had been able to see things from his perspective and perhaps explore the roots of his volatile emotions, then Anakin would've been far less vulnerable to the dark side.

Instead, the Jedi shunned and rebuked Anakin for just being himself. Obi-Wan was the only jedi who truly tried to empathize with Anakin, but could only go so far because Kenobi himself was a leader of the Jedi Order and had to stay somewhat neutral between the council and Anakin. Anakin was friendless with the exception of Kenobi and so he sought for companionship with Padme and Palpatine. Palpatine saw a chance to make Anakin reliant on him for emotional support and used their bond to turn Anakin against the Jedi and to groom him to eventually join the Sith.

So it's really odd to me that George would acknowledge the Jedi's failure with the official novelization that he helped edit and was based on his screenplay. But then almost none of this is ever shown or reflected on in the movies. Thus, any aesop that's supposed to validate or condemn the Jedi is incomplete because not enough is there to support it.

The Jedi were right about Anakin's anger turning him to the dark side, but they did nothing to address the source of that anger. The Original Trilogy clearly shows that love will save you from the dark side. But the Prequel Trilogy seems to imply and show that love will lead you to the dark side. Audience's can point out plenty of faults in the Jedi way and their actions, but the movies are largely silent about these things. There isn't even enough to argue that the issue is being left up for interpretation by the audience because there's too many conflicting and contradictory pieces to try to fit together.

I think that Anakin's story and the story of the Prequels would've been stronger if George had brought in more stuff from his interviews and novels into the actual movies. At the very least, the audience could understand the Jedi's point of view and have a clearer picture of who all is responsible for the events that unfold. It would also be brave to show that even good guy factions aren't perfect and would introduce nuance and grayness without undermining the objective good vs evil dichotomy that Star Wars is based on.

In Conclusion

So to reiterate, there's a lot of characterization stuff with Anakin that doesn't work. But the temptation and tragedy elements are the strongest elements of Anakin's character development. I like the idea of Anakin starting with humble origins and a lot of potential that's forced down by his unfortunate life realities. If the other elements were reworked and changed, then the strong stuff would be stronger.

However, I think the problems with Anakin's story comes from George telling us about Anakin rather than showing us. Rather then showing Anakin train his ass off to become the most powerful jedi ever, George invents Midichlorians and prophecies to tell us that Anakin is already awesome and powerful. Instead of showing Anakin and Padme fall in love in a wholesome, heartwarming and organic way, they're forced together and we have to be told that they're in love.

It all culminates into Anakin being so central to the prequel trilogy and the Star Wars universe that he becomes an anchor that pulls everything else down with him. George could have made Anakin the main character of the Prequel trilogy and important to the story of course. But Anakin needed to be an important, but smaller part of a larger story rather than being the most important piece over all others.

I'll give credit to George for being willing to make a tragic character the main character of the Prequel Trilogy. It would've been easy for George to play things safe and have Anakin be mind controlled into becoming evil. Instead, he allowed Anakin to fall by his own choices and wanted to show the audience how that fall occurred. A reminder that the potential of good and evil exists in us all and while Luke choose good, his father Anakin chose evil.

I could go on and on about how the Prequels could have been different than what we had. However, we have to ask at the end of the day if what we got was worthwhile or not?

I'd say that it was flawed, but overall good.

Above all else, George Lucas tried.

Even when he missed the mark, George Lucas was clearly trying to tell a deep story the way he wanted to tell it. A story that he didn't originally want to direct because he knew his limitations, but went through it anyway because he was the only one who could. A story that resonates well with both those who love the Prequels and even those who criticize and dislike them.

Sure the plot and characters weren't perfect at all. But there was enough present to where you can pick out and appreciate the message the George was trying to convey. Even the themes of the prequels are really applicable to both real life and current events without being too obvious or forced. That's because George understood that themes within storytelling need to be both relatable and applicable to the universal human experience.

It's the kind of sincerity that I miss about George even at his worst. “Insert Holiday Special Flashbacks”

The fact that so many people enjoy and defend the Prequels shows that a lot of people were inspired and entertained enough to want to stand against the hatedom. In the current day, I doubt that my mixed review will change anyone's minds or won't confirm what they already knew or believed. The Prequel Trilogy will remain a tale that someone will love and that some will hate. As a work of art, this is to be expected as some works of art are inherently divisive and no one will truly agree on it because they see the same thing and different thoughts are brought to their minds.

It may seem very odd to some of you that I've spent so much time typing and writing about the flaws of the Prequels when I admit that I like them. Or that I liked the Prequels even before Disney started sinking the ship. Though I will acknowledge that Disney's missups did give me a higher appreciation for how good I and other fans had it under Lucas in spite of missteps like Midichlorians or the taxation of the trade routes.

My ultimate takeaway about the Phantom Menace, the Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith is that they're good movies with deep ideas that weren't well translated or conveyed. The people who love these movies love them because they love Star Wars and enjoyed what they saw. The people who criticized, hated or were mixed about the Prequels also love Star Wars and thought that it deserved or could been better. So in the end, everyone wins because we all love Star Wars and can cross the aisle and share that love despite our disagreements and bickering.

And as long we can still do that then we can all be friends right? It's not like anyone would ever intentionally make a divisive Star Wars movie and deliberately paint the fanbase against itself while gaslighting critics with hypocritical politics that you don't actually believe in and are only pushing out to try and sell your brand to the naive masses-

Oh wait, I'm the darkest timeline!

“Inhales...”

Soon...

Very Soon...

THE END

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gardeningintrests · 3 years

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What if Aliens dont need education to our level in order to work?

like, we humans study for years on end and some even kill them selves because they cannot pass the examinations whoch means they wouldnt have a fufilling life. Now what if the Aliens dont work that way? what if they just need you to trian and pass a normal and easy test, physical test and some of you ability to do things and then they see which job suits them best. what would they think about our education?

little story down here :)

Log 12 #4567 logger : TEVILAAN

Subject: Travelling to Teran and do a log on how humans operate their tests's for their species and how they sort them.

Time : 2nd of Summer, 30394

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As we land to the port of the Terran International Space Station, we are quite looking foward to how Terran looked from the inside. We were accompanied by Humans along the way, some of them looked to the screens infront of them as they keep walking! This is incredible! I really want to know how they did that (this is going to be in another story) The humans brought us down, and we went into medium metal compartments, inside the compartment is nice. The humans informed Xi and Xi's crew that we are going to be visiting one of their universities { Xi has no idea what that is but Xi'm sure Xi will understand soon enough }

As the metal compartment { also known as "cars" } came to a stop, we exit out of it and was impressed by what we saw, a castle like building was infront of us. Xi and XI's crew are very keen to undertand how it works! it looks beautiful with the culture of modern technology and Art. Once we reached inside, we heard from the humans that it was class time so there arent going to be "students" around, Xi was curious and asked what are "students" and The human said that they are adolocents humans { human younglings from the age 10-21 but human ages differ diffrently at diffrent regions }who are studying for their future. Xi is very upmost confused Students? studying? Human younglings got the jobs so quickly? Xi wondered so much that i asked the human what age do Human Younglings get sorted into their workspaces. The reply Xi gotten was... unsettling.. The human laughed. Xi and Xi's crew was...dumbfounded, what were they laughing for? Then the human told Xi something horrifying, Human Younglings dont have a specific age for them to do the Job test! They dont sort them into Jobs! They have to study loads of subjects and then every year they have examinations where they have to rely solemly on their heads! if they fail, they might not get something called a 'degree" and without this so called "degree" they are unable to work and provide for their families or themselves! Humans have to find work themselves! While the human younglings are studying, some dont sleep for nights! and according to the 《Human Health Menu》 Human younglings need at least 8 hours of sleep daily in order to work preperly for the day and stay healthy for their growth! Xi and Xi's group were shocked and didnt know how to respond. why would they shove subjects they cannot handle to their children? CHILDREN! Children arent suppose to study! that is an adults { Matured Talibaans ( the species of Tevliaan) } and by the time they explained their so called "education system" a bell rang. "ah it seems like it is lunch time for the students " lunch time, time int he afternoon where humans eat their second meal of the day { humans need to eat 3 meals a day, breakfeast, ,lunch and dinner } We heard loud voices comming out of the hallways and stairways, Xi and Xi's group saw humans! Hundreds of them walking, and talking, some were holding books, papers, pencil cases and simple comunicating technology al so known as phones , some where holding onto medium high technology also known as Laptops

They all look diffrent in some way, but all Xi could see was that the humans are younglings sure enough, and most of them havent even touched their food the moment they came down, they were reading and writting eevrywhere and working on their medium high technology device.

Xi were expecting the human younglings to look at Xi and be scared or shocked on the sudden appearence of a so called "alien" but they paied no attention to us, some even walked pass us without a single word. they were like the living dead. after the visit to the so called university, Xi and Xi's crew found out that humans are...very pitiful...

to be forced to study subjects you are not good at and even memorise useless information that take up your brain memory is really unfortunate, they start doing this even just a few years after their younglings were born! it really is, if they have such vast internet and information directly in their hands, why do they still need to do such useless and wasteful process in order to provide for their own lives? When Xi got onto Xi's ship, Xi prayed for the unfortunate Younglings that has to go through such process. Maybe its just in the human nature, maybe its just the effect of another horrible history they have. end message

#humans are space australians #humans are weird #humans are space orcs #humans are space fae #humans are terrifying #earth is a deathworld #earth is space australia #humans are deathworlders

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azapofinspiration · 3 years

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So a lot of people noted previously that despite all of the descriptions and texts describing each kind of demon as terrifying and ferocious, at each turn the actual demons in question were a lot more… underwhelming.

The prevailing theory was that someone (probably Belos) did something that stole power from demons and left them in their current sorry state with their memories broken.

Now I propose a new theory, in light of the revelations from this week’s episode.

All of the descriptions, pictures, and tales about these creatures are based on the adults of each species. The previous generation as it were.

Every type of demon or creature we’ve encountered that was nothing like their description is just one of the babies and younglings.

Someone or something destroyed the previous generation of demons and creatures, most likely seeking to wipe them out entirely. All that’s left are their young who appear to have very little idea of what and who they are. The Snaggleback didn’t have a clue about how he was described and the powers he was supposed to have until King whines about it right to his face.

And considering how King didn’t hatch from his egg until this was thing was long over (as the ancient castle was already in a state of decay when he was born) and how Jean-Luc fought so hard to protect him, it seems like whatever did all this didn’t intend for there to be any survivors.

It also may indicate that whatever’s going on started long before Belos as there’s no records of these ruins and language anywhere.

Though it seems he may be continuing it. After all, in the premiere he ordered the destruction of the Selkidomus, despite her not having done anything.

This may be a bit more complicated that I originally thought…

#the owl house #toh spoilers #king #demons

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chaoticevilbean · 3 years

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An (Un)Official List Of Things Only Anakin Skywalker Can Do

Originally written by Ayala Secura

Blow people up with his mind on accident

Anakin expressed concern over his lack of emotional control. He gave many examples of normal problems that can arise from this. He then casually added one that is not common, usual, or even plausible for known Jedi. From his recollection, he would often cause beings who enraged him to spontaneously and violently combust.

I did my best to reassure him that such things were considered unusual, but weren't reason for him to be fearful. At the time, I simply didn't wish to increase his worries. I did maintain that the exploding of beings is very bad, and that he should work on finding ways to productively release such strong emotions.

I apologize here for the "renovation" of the hangar. (Secura)

Hear as far as the length of the Temple (without meditation)

Amendment: Hear as far as the diameter of Coruscant (without meditation)

Anakin once again was expressing concerns over his lack of control. He also complained that it was causing him headaches. Upon my questioning, he explained that he could hear the younglings playing on the other side of the Temple. I tested this by having us stand on either end of the longest part of the Temple we could reach. I asked if he could hear me (without a comm) and he responded that he could (using a comm).

Later, when he was still within the Temple, I found myself on a mission with my Master. It was not a very rushed assignment, and I began humming. Upon my return to the Temple, Anakin asked me if I knew what song it was, humming the exact tune I had. Apparently, he had been walking with his own Master and had heard me, though he hadn't been focusing enough to identify what he was doing. (Secura)

Smell differences within water despite being a non-variant Human

Smell differences within air despite being a non-variant Human

He accompanied me to the Room of a Thousand Fountains. It was a normal walk through the gardens, until we came across one of the smaller ponds. He commented that someone had cleaned it recently. When I asked how he knew, he explained that it smelled different.

He and I were sitting within his quarters. We were simply chatting when he complained that someone had messed with the ventilation without alerting him or Knight Kenobi. He could smell the air was slightly different than before. As he put it, the smell wasn't the problem, but the lack of communication was.

Both instances, he couldn't elaborate on what exactly the smells were, nor how he knew what each one meant. He simply knows these things. When tested with some other Padawans, the only ones that came close to knowing such things were Nautolans, out of a base group of 15 species. The experiment is listed in the Archives as Liquid and Gaseous Change Detection. (Secura)

Eat death sticks without consequence

Both of our Masters brought us to the lower levels in order to fulfill a mission. Anakin and I were left in a corner booth, with instructions to remain there and cause a commotion if someone attempted to harm or harrass us.

I looked away for TEN SECONDS. Ten seconds, and he was being offered a death stick by a clearly intoxicated individual who had no sense of what should and shouldn't be given to a barely ten-cycle-old. Anakin had no experience with such things. He had no idea what he was being given, and managed to get instructions to pour the liquid into his fizzyglug within the fleeting moment I was not paying attention.

He consumed it, chugging the liquid when I attempted to order him to stop, and then take it from him when he didn't listen. The individual who gave him the death stick had the sense to begin to panic, finally realizing Anakin's youth. However, Anakin finished off every drop with nothing but a smile. I got our Masters attention, but even after taking him to the nearest medcenter and runnign multiple scans, there were no signs of any harm. I have received significant therapy for that event, and Anakin has since been informed to not take anything from strangers. (Secura)

Generate electricity on levels that a (non-variant) Human cannot perform (without a health declination)

He was making his hair do that weird static thing that Human hair does every time he got excited. He also kept causing screens and pads to glitch or turn off whenever he picked them up while in a similar state. A solution of temporary insulating gloves and frequent reminders helped him gain control. (Secura)

Communicate words through the Force with minimal bonding

Amendment: No bonding is necessary for this form of communication, and is possible within the expanse of the Temple

Amendment: Communication is possible over most distances

He asked me if Aayla was available to study (with the Force) because his mouth was full and he'd already been told off that day. (Vos)

Skywalker told me that my Padawan was experiencing a panic attack from across the Temple. No bond existed between us before or after the interaction. (Fisto)

Skywalker informed me of a mission delay over several systems. He explained later that he was attempting to prevent his Master's worry about informing the Council and knew I would inform the other members for Kenobi. (Windu)

Consume raw meat (without a health declination) despite being a non-variant Human

Nervous to eat lunch alone, he was. Asked to eat together, I did. Showed him the kitchens, I did. Ate five live frogs, he did. Proud, I am. (Yoda)

I handed him a rodent I had found within my quarters, asking him to hold it so I could call someone. I was going to call a being who could help me prevent further instances and get rid of this rodent. I needn't have worried about relocating or disposing of the creature, though. I remember hearing a loud squeal, then turning to find Skywalker trying to tear away the fur of the rodent. He had no notion that it was an unusual habit for a Human. (Ti)

Jump into the Temple vents without using the walls

Amendment: Without using any aid

Amendment: Jump in/out of the Temple vents and on/off obstacles of similar height without any aid whatsoever

He's proved this multiple times over various training excercises, and occasionally his attempts to avoid said excercises. There's footage of it from the Temple's cameras. He has no regard for safety when it comes to jumping off of ledges, cliffs, or roofs/out windows. Caution advisory does nothing. (Kenobi)

Send emotions through the Force without a bond

Amendment: Send emotions without a bond, over great distances, with extreme precision and without any meditation or prior preparation - such emotions will likely be magnified upon reception, and can cause fainting, among other symptoms

Upon the death of notable Jedi Master Pak'll Tiffn, I had decided to participate in their culture's traditional week-long mourning practices. Near the end of this, young Skywalker asked me why I seemed so "down". I explained my grief at the death of Master Tiffn, and he continued to question me on the cause of my "distress". When he discovered I had technically finished the practices an hour before, he sent such a strong wave of excitement to me that I found it hard to not smile for the following three days.

I also found myself wishing to work on starfighter engines, which I attribute to the excitement being of Skywalker's creation. (Tiin)

I had a migraine while on a mission. Skywalker sent me a wave of comfort that caused me to pass out. He has since been informed that he should not interact with Jedi in the field unless he is certain they are in a safe enough position to do so. (Windu)

Accidentally cause plants to grow at a visibly accelerated rate

Anakin fell asleep in the Room of a Thousand Fountains while attempting to meditate. Upon my arrival, I found the grass already past my knees in height, and several nearby shrubs beginning to flower. I write my apologies here to the caretakers of the Room, and express my gratitude that none of you commented on it. (Kenobi)

Accidental levitation whilst walking

Amendment: Accidental levitation whilst walking, running, and other movement in which one is not standing/sitting/lying in a singular place

Witnessed during sparring practice with Master Kit Fisto and Master Ki-Adi Mundi

Bypass shielding enough to receive a clear perception of a being's emotions

I was working through some guilt over a recent mission and the requirements to fulfill it. Anakin walked over and did his best to comfort me without any understanding of why I was feeling that way, but knowing exactly what I was feeling. Throughout our entire interaction, my shields remained firmly in place, and strong enough that he really shouldn't have been able to even know where I was.

Oh yeah. He came from across the Temple to find me. He bypassed my shielding from across the Temple, without realizing his actions, and did so with better precision than a fully trained Master. (Vos)

Carry items of any weight without strain from channeling

According to Skywalker, the only trouble he has with lifting all the furniture in his quarters is he has to focus on the act while also looking for his missing holopad. (Koon)

(regarding previous entry) Reminds me of the time he lifted all the ships in Hangar 6 in order to find a single wrench, which was in somehow within the vents. (Billaba)

Cause a building-wide power outage from a nightmare/vision

Incident recorded as Padawan-induced. (Nu)

Bite through beskar when curious

Taste the strength of metals

Skywalker is no longer allowed in the forges without someone actively supervising him and him alone. He saw a piece of beskar I had managed to aquire. He was curious about the ore, due to it being unknown to him. I caught him with it in his mouth like some youngling sneaking a cookie. Apparently it tasted really strong. I thought he meant the taste was pungent, until he said that even durasteel didn't taste as strong. (Ria)

Heal minor personal wounds immediately, within a few seconds and without discernible energy usage

Heal major personal wounds immediately, up to halving recovery time and with lessened energy usage

Incidents recorded in mission reports including Skywalker (Nu)

Accidentally mind trick crowds of 20 or more

Amendment: Untested limit of how many can be affected, although the effectiveness of the tricks varies between individuals, and can reach up to 50 beings (recorded)

Note to all those who may serve a diplomatic mission with Skywalker: he can safely diffuse mobs, protests, and other upset crowds. He will need time to calm his own emotions afterwards, as it is (theoretically) his increasing anxiety that causes such effects. (Fisto)

Learn a language after hearing it only once

Amendment: Anakin will not know this is happening. He will simply begin to speak the language back at whoever spoke it to him.

Incidents recorded in mission reports including Skywalker (Nu)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

All Jedi are now welcome to add to the (Un)Official List of Things Only Anakin Skywalker Can Do. All editors are asked to put some form of a source, even if such source is simply a page-long rant about Padawan Skywalker's habit of not checking if a substance should be poisonous to him (condolences to Knight Vos).

Please also include some sort of identifier to connect each edit to the being(s) who created them.

Sincerest gratitude and condolences to all Jedi who find themselves editing this file. (Secura)

#star wars #anakin skywalker #fanon #jedi #jedi temple #aayla secura #quinlan vos #obi-wan kenobi #kit fisto #mace windu #saesee tiin #jocasta nu #ki-adi mundi #depa billaba #plo koon #shaak ti #yoda #minch yoda

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transmalewife · 3 years

Text

Alright, let's talk about attachment

I can’t find clear information on when exactly the non-attachment rule was added to the code. It was either soon before or soon after the great sith war. Either way, for the VAST majority of the existence of the Jedi, it wasn’t a thing. Jedi got married and had families for over 20000 years, then added the non-attachment rule, which ultimately led to their destruction. And before anyone tries to tell me I believe they deserved to be genocided, I don’t. I have never actually seen anyone say that, but I see people argue against it constantly, and imply anyone who doesn’t think the Jedi were perfect and blameless thinks that. I don’t think they deserved to die, I think they needed to change. And Yoda says that himself, many times. The Jedi weren’t prepared for the return of the sith, or the war. They had separated from the military 1000 years before, and the galaxy was in relative peace all this time, so the order’s role changed to one that worked very well with their rules. Detachment meant they could be impartial when overseeing political disagreements, lack of possessions meant they would be focused on the mission at hand and not prone to taking bribes, and distancing themselves from the general population meant they were more or less uniform, and could be trusted not to side with someone for personal reasons.

All of this falls apart once they become an army again. Impartiality is a flaw when they have to defend one side at all cost and not even allow themselves to consider compromise. Lack of possessions and attachment to people means they are prone to taking unnecessary risks, because they have nothing to lose, and do things like send 14 year olds into battle, thinking of the “greater good” over the safety of children. And the order being a monolith, with set rules and philosophy distinct from the rest of the population meant the Jedi trusted Dooku long after they should have stopped, because he used to be a Jedi after all, surely he still follows the code.

Now, I am not saying non-attachment is always bad, I think it served a very specific purpose in the order, and to some extent worked for many years. However.

Humans are a social species. Human babies NEED physical contact and affection to develop physically. Children need a stable, strong, and supportive relationship to their caregiver to properly develop psychologically. And after last year I don’t think anyone will argue that adults don't need connection with other people just as much. And not just shallow interactions, but open affection and love. Love of any kind, because claiming that the Jedi only forbid romantic love is just untrue. I think people tend to forget that "Compassion, which I would define as unconditional love, is essential to a Jedi's life. So you might say, that we are encouraged to love." isn’t the actual doctrine, it’s a literal pick up line that Anakin uses on Padme.

Ahsoka and Obi-Wan both get criticized by other Jedi for their entirely platonic attachment to Anakin, and vice versa. Now, humans are the most common species in the galaxy, and in the Jedi order. Many other species are near-human, so it’s safe to assume at least some, if not most of them also need that companionship and affection to develop and live happy and stable lives. I do believe that non-attachment is a valid philosophy and chosen path in life if done carefully and within reason, I just don’t think we have a single major character that actually applies to. And chosen is an important word here. Jedi don’t get much of a choice. I’m not trying to start the baby-stealing debate here. I hear the argument of ‘force sensitives are dangerous if left untrained, and said training should start as early as possible’. I think finding a way to deal with that problem was an insanely complicated decision, and taking children into the temple as young as possible is not a bad solution. I don’t entirely agree with not letting them see their families later, (especially since in legends Obi-Wan was allowed to visit his family, which implies Anakin couldn’t go free his mother specifically because he was already too attached), but the idea is sound. I do also understand that no one is forcing Jedi to stay in the order and they can leave for whatever reason at any time. But that isn’t exactly a free choice either. Leaving the order means leaving the only home you remember, the only people you know to make your own way in the galaxy, and staying with those people means you can never fully love them. It’s a difficult solution to a complicated question, and for the most part, it worked (not always, and not exactly as intended, but I’ll come back to that.) Children grew up in the order, were trained to control themselves and the force, and became Jedi who were impartial, patient, and balanced. But everything falls apart when you introduce someone who wasn’t raised in the temple.

In The Rising Force, 13 year old Obi-Wan had barely been off Coruscant in his life. He describes himself as sheltered and unaware of all the pain in the galaxy, and says it was done on purpose, so younglings wouldn’t have to face the dark side before they were ready for it. But Anakin had seen nothing but darkness, pain and injustice before he joined the order. He was severely traumatized, and while the temple might have had some ways of dealing with trauma and PTSD in adults, they had no experience in treating the same in a child, because their children were kept safe and protected. The idea of letting go of your pain and fear only works if you know you have a safe place to come back to, if you’ve spent the first decade or so of your life in the most protected place in the galaxy. Anakin spent the first decade of his life as a slave. He couldn’t let go of his fear, because fear was what kept him alive. Fear is not irrational if you are constantly in danger, it’s what protects you, keeps you aware of the limits you can push before you get punished. And that mindset doesn’t fade just because you’re out of that situation, especially if your only family, the closest person to you, is still facing that danger every day.

I’ve seen people use every excuse possible to explain why Anakin didn’t see his mother again to avoid blaming the council, including, and I shit you not, “He just didn’t have her comm number”. But to me that seems disingenuous, when we see in his first meeting with the council that they already consider him too attached. It's one of the main reasons they don’t want him to be trained, so it seems logical that they wouldn’t allow him to see her once he became a padawan. I also want to mention that what Yoda says, “Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.” Is just… blatant catastrophizing. Right? Like we can all see that the escalation is not rational there at all. Maybe it could apply to something else, but not to a child who just left his mother for the first time in his life and went from a tiny dustball in the middle of nowhere to the most populated planet in the galaxy, and is now being tested by a bunch of old people with the power to decide his future. Obviously he’s afraid, and obviously he’s not dealing with it the way Jedi younglings do. That, in and of itself doesn't doom him to fall. Also what Yoda misses there is that suffering leads to fear. This is a closed loop, and one that has defined Anakin’s entire childhood.

Let’s come back to how the system doesn’t always work. The way I see it, most of the characters we see are attached. Obi-Wan is considered one of the greatest Jedi of his time. Windu describes him as “our most cunning and insightful Master—and our most tenacious”. And yet, he was not insightful enough to look past his love for Anakin, his attachment, and see how close to falling he was. Ahsoka was so attached to Anakin she refused to listen to Maul on Mandalore, refused to even consider the posibility he could fall. She was arguably the person with the best shot at preventing the empire forming at that point, and she loved anakin so much she doomed him and the entire galaxy. Aayla admitted to thinking of Quinlan as her father, and also, apparently in legends had a long relationship with Kit. Even Mace didn’t follow the code when he decided to kill Palpatine, which directly led to his death and the empire. He also indirectly caused the war to start. According to wookiepedia “Windu viewed Dooku as the shatterpoint of the entire Separatist movement, which meant striking Dooku down would theoretically end the imminent clone war before it even began. However, Windu's prior attachments to Dooku clouded his judgment.” I’m not even going to mention Kanan and Ezra, who are obviously family.

So basically everyone is attached and lying about it. How has no one thought that maybe this isn’t the healthiest way to live and tried to change the code? Well, I have a theory, and it’s Yoda. He was 900 years old when he died, and was on the council for the vast majority of his life. I can’t find when exactly he became grand master, but it’s safe to assume he held some degree of power over the entire order for most of a millennium. At the end of TPM he tells Obi-Wan “Confer on you the level of Jedi knight, the council does. But agree with your taking this boy as your padawan learner, I do not.” Then he reverses that decision by himself. So either he has the power to veto the council’s word, or who gets trained is entirely up to him. Either way, not great, considering his lifespan is so much longer than most Jedi, and therefore his approach to life is vastly different. Humans need love and closeness to live. However, while we don’t know much about Yoda’s species, it probably isn’t a social one. You could count all the characters of this species on two (human) hands, and Yoda lived in complete isolation for 20 years on Dagobah, and only went a little bit insane. They are naturally rare, and therefore probably lead solitary lives in nature. Moreover, Yoda outlived every master who trained him, and almost every padawan he trained himself, (there’s a great post about that here) so even if he wasn’t naturally predisposed to non-attachment, he would have had to learn it to deal with all the loss he had to live through over the years.

A lot of people think that Anakin fell because he had attachments, which is not true. He fell because of how his attachments played out and/or ended. The most obvious example being Palpatine, who used Anakin’s trust and friendship to groom him for over a decade and actively undermine Anakin’s trust towards anyone else, especially the order. (more on that here). Obi-Wan refused to take on the role of a father figure that Anakin tried to shove him into, so he turned to someone who did accept it. It’s not Anakin’s fault that it turned out to be the worst person alive, nor can we expect him to notice when he’s known Palpatine since he was a child. Another failure of jedi non-attachment, because a loving parent or guardian would not let their child be used as a bargaining chip when the most powerful politician in the galaxy blackmailed the order into allowing him to meet Anakin regularly, but a distant teacher and detached knight thinking of the greater good might. The other attachments Anakin had were taken from him (Shmi and Ahsoka, the last orchestrated by Palpatine who was fully ready to give her the death penalty to make Anakin more unstable), or he was forced to lie and hide them, compromising his vows as a Jedi (Padme) or refused to choose Anakin over the order/their principles (Obi-Wan, and again Ahsoka, and to some extent Padme, but he’d already fallen then). All these people had every right to make the choices they made, but it wasn’t the act of loving them that made Anakin turn to the dark side, it was how those attachments played out.

I think everyone agrees that Yoda is as detached as a Jedi should, if not can, be, and that didn’t prevent Dooku from falling. We see that explored in more detail with Barriss and Luminara. Luminara is detached and distant, she’s fond of Barriss, but their relationship is not familial in the slightest, and she repeatedly shows her willingness to put the greater good and the mission before Barriss’ safety and even life. And yet Barriss still falls. A complex combination of events and choices caused each of those characters to fall, not the simple presence or absence of attachment.

And lastly, just as attachment can make you unstable if your relationship with that person is unstable, it can also make you stronger. There is a reason Anakin and Obi-Wan were the face of the army. Not only did their obvious attachment (the strongest between two jedi we are shown) make them more relatable to the public, but they, when working as a team, are shown repeatedly to be more or less undefeatable. They spend half of aotc flinging themselves off great heights because they know the other will be there to catch them. They know from years of experience that they have backup and they know each other well enough (or force bond communicate) that they can trust the other will be where he needs to be to help/save them. Contrast that to how Windu and Palpatine fight in rots once the window breaks- very carefully, clearly holding back to keep themselves safe. Neither of them has backup until Anakin arrives, but until the last second they can't be sure which one he will choose. Anakin and Obi-Wan fight the same way on Mustafar, especially when balancing on that thin bridge. No acrobatics, swinging arms to keep balance, keeping their distance, being almost uncharacteristically careful compared to how they treated heights in aotc, in tcw, and on the invisible hand in rots, because they both know the other won't catch them if they fall this time.

#star wars meta #attachment #star wars #anakin skywalker #obi wan kenobi #yoda #jedi order #mine

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writings-of-a-british-fangirl · 3 years

Text

A Lesson In Traditions [Din Djarin x Reader]

Title: A Lesson In Traditions Summary: After the brief spark, you felt between you and Din, you are longing for it to be recreated. And, maybe a shiny trinket from Mandalorian tradition can help you with that. Warnings: None I don't think ? Request: N/A

A/N: Some of you wanted a part two to A Lesson In Mando'a so here's the follow up! I might make this a series if anyone is interested

A/N 2: I made up the idea of betrothal necklaces. I don't think these exist in Mandalorian culture, but I took inspiration from water benders in Avatar the Last Airbender, because I thought the idea was cute! So credit to that series!

PART 1: A Lesson In Mando’a PART 2: A Lesson In Traditions PART 3: A Lesson In Touch

Din Djarin~A Lesson In Traditions

It had been a while since Din had told you what cyar'ika had meant, and ever since then the two of you had been dancing around each other. Surely, he knew you liked him by now- you had tried to hint at him several times: lingering touches, longer conversations, closeness to him. And, yet the Mandalorian remained oblivious. You supposed that no matter the species or creed, men were all as dense as each other.

You huffed as you held the child on your lap.

"I don't know what I'm going to do, little one," you murmured, "I think I'm having more luck communicating with you, than I am with your dad. ...Maybe I should just give up. He has his creed to follow anyway..."

The child looked at you, his head slightly tilted. His big eyes stared up at you. Despite not saying anything at all, you knew he was understanding you. He was a pretty great listener, even if he was only a youngling.

"You know, you're right. Maybe I- maybe we just need a day out. Some fresh air. What do you think? Do you want to take a little trip? We need some more supplies anyway, I'm getting sick of rations, and I'd like some fresh food. What about you?"

The child perked up at the mention of food, and you smiled.

"I'll take that as a yes," you giggled, "Let me go speak to your daddy."

You placed the child gently down in his bed, and made your way up to the cockpit, where Din was flying the ship. Your head peeked up from the ladder, and you clambered up and stood awkwardly for a second at the back of the room. Din heard you enter, and waited for you to speak. He turned his head ever so slightly, his beskar glinting from the faint light the stars around the ship were producing.

"Hi," you murmured, wandering over to where Din was sitting, "How far away are we from the next stop?"

"About an hour," Din replied, "Why do you ask?"

You fold your hands neatly in front of you, you shift your weight slightly forward, and almost rock on the balls of your feet.

"Well, I was thinking that I- well, us... You, me and the kid could take a trip to the local market on our next stop. It's just we need more food anyways, and I'm going a bit stir crazy. It'll do us some good to get some fresh air, especially the kid. He can't spend his whole life in this ship."

Din contemplates for a second.

"I know what you're going to say- It's dangerous, we're being hunted but-"

"-I was actually going to say okay."

"Really? I mean, great. Thank you!"

Din smiles under his helmet, not that you can tell, and continues, "As you said, we need food anyway, and the next planet we're going to land on is remote enough. It's definitely not Imp friendly either."

You nod, and flash Din a smile. The tension slowly builds in the room; you can feel his eyes on you. Despite not being able to see his eyes (hell, you didn't even know what colour they were), you could sense them: trained on you. You coughed awkwardly.

"I'm going to go check on the kid. Uh- Give me a shout when we're about to land."

"I will, cyar'ika."

Your heart jumps at the nickname.

~~~

As soon as you landed, you grabbed your bag, your gun and a set of knives. Despite not technically being employed by any bounty hunting guilds right now, it never hurt to be prepared: especially when the small green creature you were travelling with had such a high price on his head. And, then you turned to Din. He was also carrying his fair share of weapons, and of course the child. He was situated in Din's bag, his cute little face peaking out over the top. You smiled at him, before beginning to walk down the ramp.

The Mandalorian made his way into the town, with you by his side, and his small son literally at his side. He didn't feel uneasy about this place- it looked relatively safe, but he was still on high alert. And, he wanted you to be as well.

Despite having only known you a couple of months, he didn't dare think about the possibility of something happening to you. He knew he had to protect the child, that was a given, but the growing affection he had for you was uncharted. As a boy, he had learned about Mandalorians caring for foundlings (just as they had done with him as a boy), but romantic relationships were something out of his reach. He knew they occurred; they had to. The Mandalorians, while being a creed of highly trained soldiers, still held family at their core. After all, how were they to make more warriors without romantic relationships. But, truthfully, they were something unfamiliar to him. It had never been possible in his life, not with the creed. With you, his thoughts had begun to wander more and more lately. About you being next to him, being his family. He knew Mandalorians were allowed to take their helmets off for family, for those in their Clan. The more time you spent with him, the more he considered you to be apart of his Clan... He shook himself slightly. 'Stop,' he thought, 'You shouldn't have this on your mind. Y/N doesn't think of you that way. They're here for the child. That's it.'

If only Din knew how far from the truth that was.

"I need you to take him," Din says to you, carefully taking the child from his bag and handing him to you, "I'm going to go into the cantina, and see if I can find me- us some work. I trust you can manage to get us some supplies?"

"You insult me, my love," you laugh, holding the child in your arms, "I am more than capable. I hope you save me at least one good bounty. I can't let you have all the fun."

"I'll keep an eye out. Meet me here in half an hour."

"Will do, my love," you smile and walk away from him.

Din was glad for the distance being put between the two of you, because he was sure if you were any closer to him, you would be able to hear his heart racing behind his beskar. 'My love,' he pondered. He quite liked the way that sounded rolling off your tongue, perhaps even more than he liked hearing you say his own name. He gave one last look over his shoulder, just to make sure you were okay, before heading into the cantina.

~~~

You'd successfully made it to the market, and had made your way around over half of the stalls, and you had basically bought all the food for you and your Mandalorian. As you continued walking through the market, most of the stalls you passed by were food, but some were trinkets, toys, and even weapons. You'd hesitated by one particular booth. They were selling crystals, luxury cloth, and jewellery. Usually, you weren't one for such fine things (in your life style, things like that would end up ruined, stolen or pawned), but you'd been drawn in by one particular necklace. The chain was made up of two types of metal from what you could tell: a shinning silver, and a deep, darker grey. Attached to the chain was an unfamiliar symbol. It curved into a symmetrical shape, one that looked like two halves of a whole.

"That's real beskar, you know," the seller assured, "It would look beautiful sitting around your neck."

The seller was an older woman. She wore blue and purple robes, dirtied only a little by the sand- no doubt from the extensive sand desert that lay just outside the town. She had a kind face, her eyes smiling up at you. You'd almost forgotten to reply.

"What do you say? Can I interest you in such a fine, unique piece?"

"Oh, I'm not sure-"

"-I'm sure your husband would like it: it would match his own armour after all," the lady added, taking the necklace off of its stand and presenting it to you.

"Oh, he's not- He's not my husband. We're just travel companions, that's all."

"Someone should tell him that. The way he looks at you... Only few people are so lucky. Looks at you like you hung the stars in the sky."

"How do you know that? His helmet-"

"-There's some things you just know with age, dearie. Love is one of them."

You were rendered speechless. Did he really look at you like that? Was is that obvious? Did his heart beat for yours the way yours beats for his? You hardly had time to process the thought of you and Din together that close, as spouses, before the seller spoke again.

"So what do you say? Can I tempt you with this necklace? I can even throw in a free toy for the little one," she smiled, cooing to the child from across the table.

You looked at the seller, and then down to him.

"What do you say, little guy? Do you want a new toy?" you murmured to him; when you saw his eyes gleam with excitement, you knew it was all over.

"I think he said yes," the merchant laughs.

"I think you're right," you reply, reaching into your bag for your purse, "I usually wouldn't spend credits on a thing like this... But, it is quite beautiful. And, you do deserve a new toy."

You handed the lady her credits, and took the necklace from her. She'd placed it into a small, black, velvet box. The box had small silver hinges and a clasp at the front. You felt a little giddy. It had been a while since you'd made such an unessential purchase, and there was a small part of you that hoped if you wore this you might get the attention of a certain masked warrior. You shook your head, granted it was a little desperate, but you figured worth a shot.

The child also received his gift too. It was a small figurine of an animal. You weren't quite sure which one, but he seemed to like it, and that was good enough for you.

You slipped the velvet box into your bag, and caught a glimpse of your watch. Fuck, you were late. You jostled the child closer to your chest and began to almost sprint back to the cantina: you did not want to have to deal with a grumpy Mandalorian, least of all if you were the cause of his grumpiness. The closer you got, the easier it was to make out his figure.

"Look, before you say anything, I'm sorry I'm late. Time must have slipped my mind, and I ran into a strange lady at one of the stalls, and she sold me this- You know what, you probably don't need to know all that. Just know we've got enough food to last us at least a month, and the child had fun."

"He has a new toy."

"I- Yeah," you replied, "Not exactly an essential, I know, but don't worry I used my credits. Besides, it'll hopefully stop him wrecking your cockpit for a toy."

Din nodded. You don't know why you expected him to say more. He wasn't a man of many words, and you were apparently no exception. You made your way back to the ship with the Mandalorian in silence. It wasn't unpleasant by any means, but also it felt like you both had lots to say: you just didn't know how to say it.

"Did you buy anything for yourself?" Din asked, looking over to you as you reached the ship.

How did he know?

Din obviously sensed your confusion.

"I- You said that a lady sold you something, that's all," Din clarified.

"Oooh, oh that," you said, looking down at your bag, "Yeah, I did. A bit of an impulse buy if I'm honest, but the lady was too nice to deny. She sold me a necklace. Maybe you can help me put it on."

Din nodded; that should be easy. It was just a necklace after all. He'd fought off enemies twice his size, survived when the odds were against him, and was one of the best bounty hunters there was... It should be easy. So why was his heart racing?

You placed the child down on the floor of the Razor Crest, and reached inside your bag for the box. Your hands traced the inside of your bag blindly, before feelings the soft touch of velvet. Carefully, you took it out of the bag, and revealed the box. Din's eyes watched with intrigue. You unfastened the clasp and opened the box. It snapped back on its hinges, and revealed the chain.

Din's eyes registered the metal before his brain could even process it: a betrothal necklace.

"The lady said it was genuine beskar, but I'm not so sure. I think it's just silver, probably some iron too- but it's pretty either way. Do you mind helping me put it on still?"

Din's mind was still racing. He'd heard about the tradition of giving a betrothal necklace from urban tales and word of mouth from other Mandalorians, but he'd never actually seen one this close. The tradition stated that the Mandalorian proposing would take part of their beskar and part of their riduur-to-be's beskar and melt them into a necklace, with the two swirling around each other before eventually combining into a symbol at the bottom. Usually it was a good luck symbol, or for fertility. Something along those lines. It felt almost surreal seeing one close up.

"Are you alright, Din?" you ask, "Is something up?"

He wasn't sure if he should mention the tradition, what the necklace meant to the Mandalorians... It was basically a dead tradition now, anyway. There was no harm in not telling you, right? After all, there were very few Mandalorians left, and even fewer that managed to have the privilege of finding a riduur: you didn't need to know..

"No, no... I'm fine," he reassures, "I- Hand me the necklace."

Din took the necklace from you and instructed you to hold your hair out of the way. You obliged, and felt him lace the necklace around your neck before fastening it in the back. There was a small pause, where the two of you just stayed there: in the moment. It took everything in you not to shiver as you felt a rush down your spine. The sensation of Din's hands on you, even just for a moment, was almost too much. You turned around to face him.

"Do you like it?" you ask, holding the pendant of your new necklace between your thumb and your index finger.

"It suits you," he affirmed, "Mesh'la."

"Thank you," you blushed, making a mental note to ask what 'Mesh'la' meant at a later date, "I- I'm going to go put the food supplies away."

Din decided against telling you about the origin of your neckalce; you looked far too radiant wearing it for him to say anything that may shift the tone. He couldn't bring himself to say anything, so he just let you walk past him. Part of him felt guilty for not saying anything, but another part of him selfishly thought it looked beautiful sat around your neck. For a moment he could almost imagine that he had given you that..

...That you were his riduur.

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littlemisspascal · 3 years

Text

The Last Mandalorian

Chapter One: The Warrior in Carbonite Part 2

Fandom: The Mandalorian / Pedro Pascal

Eventual Pairing: Din x Togruta!Female!Reader

Word Count: 3,400

Rating: G

Summary: A series that is a mixture of Mandalorian, Star Wars, ATLA, and my own imagination. The Imps have seized control of the majority of the galaxy, including your homeworld Shili. You and your sister Ahsoka have developed a daily routine despite the stormtroopers keeping your village imprisoned. One morning you make a startling discovery that will change the course of your lives forever.

Warnings: plot plot plot, mild descriptions of violence, worldbuilding, dialogue heavy, sloooooooooooooow burn – seriously, we’re just getting started so it’s gonna be a bit before feelings are involved, reader is 17 and Din is 19 so I’m going to warn this as underage even though nothing sexual or even vaguely romantic happens in this chapter.

Author Note: The plan right now is for there to be 3 parts of Chapter 1. Tumblr isn’t doing a good job notifying my taglist, so I apologize if I bother anyone reblogging this a few times trying to get it to work. Thank you everyone out there for each like, comment, ask and reblog! The support means the world to me 🥰

Part 1 Part 3

Cross-posted on AO3

The village is a small community with less than a hundred citizens living there total, yet it is visible from miles away due to the bright paints used to decorate the houses. Murals depicting the village’s history and its residents adorn every house with details added by each new generation so that no one is ever forgotten. Back when visitors would pass through, they would always compliment the village’s beauty, but there is nothing beautiful at all about the electric fence the Imps erected shortly after seizing control, emitting shocks harsh enough to kill.

Originally the stormtroopers said it was to protect the village from threats, but nobody believed the lie. The only threat to the community was the Empire. They don’t bother making up excuses anymore, now they like to remind everyone the whole village is their prisoner, usually by a show of violence so unbelievably malicious it stuns everyone into compliance.

There are some horrors time will never erase from your mind.

Juni trees grow beside the fence outside the perimeter, the only species of tree amongst the shrubbery and turu-grass, and they are tall enough for their thick orange branches to extend over the uppermost wire. In the mornings, Ahsoka climbs out your bedroom window, slides down the sloped roof of the house and leaps onto a nearby branch. You follow after her, trusting that she won’t let you fall when you stretch out your hand for her to catch you and lift you up using a bit of Force to give you a boost. The two of you sneak back inside the village using the same tree, only instead of leaping at the house, you drop the short fall onto the ground beneath. Five years and the stormtroopers haven’t caught onto your trick yet.

Except now the tree isn’t an option. Not when you both are half-carrying, half-dragging two-hundred pounds of flesh and metal.

Hiding behind a clump of coyal bushes, you and Ahsoka scout the entrance booth where a pair of stormtroopers dressed in their characteristic white armor stand guard, holding blaster rifles. There are others on patrol, walking along the fence and checking its integrity, gradually stepping further and further out of view, but they will be back eventually. Your window of opportunity is limited.

You adjust the warrior’s arm over your shoulders, quietly groaning when your muscles protest the heaviness. “What are we going to do? Stormies might share one brain cell, but they’re definitely going to notice this heap of metal we’re carrying. And as soon as they find out we don’t have passes, they’re going to start shooting.”

Passes are only given to a handful of the community’s traders each week. It is a three day ride on a repulsorlift speeder to the capital where they have a short span of time to sell their goods and then return home within the week with essential supplies. To ensure no one tries to run away, the Imps set up strict rules. If the traders are late, even if only by a few minutes or due to reasons outside their control, the rest of the villagers pay the price. Usually the punishment is a public beating, but sometimes the stormtroopers get creative and tie their chosen victims to a pole overnight by their head-tails.

Nobody, not even the younglings, sleep those nights.

“We’ll be fine,” Ahsoka answers, firm and confident, gaze fixed upon the gate. “Just follow my lead. I’ve got an idea.”

She doesn’t spare you a second to protest, stepping out into the open and forcing you to follow or else drop the warrior’s body.

The stormtroopers spot the three of you immediately, relaxed postures stiffening with alarm, and you have to remind yourself over and over to breathe, to not let them see any hint of the anxiety buzzing beneath your skin.

“Hold it right there!” One of the stormtroopers orders when the distance between you and them has shortened to a mere three feet. You freeze at once, heart pounding as fast as a thimiar’s seconds away from being eaten. A quick glance at Ahsoka reveals no fear in her expression. She stares at them indifferently, as if she is about to talk about the weather.

“Explain yourselves.” It is not a request.

You squirm, nearly knocking your head against the warrior’s bowed head, on the verge of losing your composure, when you notice Ahsoka lifting her arm.

“You will let us pass,” she says, adopting a suggestive tone while waving her hand in front of their visors.

They respond in unison, seemingly entranced. “We will let you pass.”

You bite your lip as you and Ahsoka pass between the stormtroopers and through the gate, not wanting to break the spell by letting loose the barrage of questions forming on your tongue. What your sister had done was as amazing as it was frightening. She had manipulated them with such confident ease you are certain this isn’t the first time she has performed the trick on someone.

“When did Aunt Shaak teach you that?”

“She didn’t,” Ahsoka replies lowly, casting a quick glance around. “I taught myself.”

Your skin prickles as you also become aware of the increasing number of eyes staring at you. With the sun fully awake and bringing morning light with it, several villagers are carrying on with their daily routines outside of their homes. Most of them seem a mixture of confused and concerned about the stranger, but you spy the Elders looking displeased by the new addition amongst their ranks.

You are not looking forward to being inevitably summoned and interrogated by them.

“How?” you ask, copying her hushed cadence. Then, a pulse of panic blooms in your chest. “Have you ever—?”

“No, I haven’t messed with your mind before. Never even considered it,” Ahsoka interrupts, sensing your worries. “I don’t practice often, but when I do it’s just harmless little suggestions. Like convincing Huno to give the younglings an extra sugar biscuit when he has some to spare or persuading Jaelee to go to bed early when I know she’s been overworking herself. To tell you the truth, I wasn’t really sure the trick would work on those bucket heads since I’ve never tried it on two minds at once before. Lucky us, right?”

You nearly trip over your own feet. “What?”

Is she being serious right now? They would be dead right now if her gamble hadn’t paid off.

Ahsoka pretends not to hear you, nodding her head towards the blue-painted house up ahead. “C’mon, Maar probably already knows we’re coming.”

Maar Vashee has been the village’s healer for a little over fifty years. The purple-skinned Togruta helped deliver you and Ahsoka, and was considered by your mother when she was still living to be a dear friend. Her connection to the Force is especially sensitive due to her intricate relationship with the flora of the planet, using various herbs and plants to create remedies, and as such she developed a type of sixth sense where she instinctively knows when her skills are needed.

Entering her home that doubles as her clinic, you find Maar had indeed anticipated your arrival and set up a cot to place the warrior upon. Once he is laid down, you roll your aching shoulders, biting back a wince as the movement irritates the headache lingering at the back of your head.

The warrior hadn’t made one noise the entirety of the trip bringing him here. Even now as he rests on the cot, his breaths are so quiet you would fear he wasn’t breathing at all if not for his chest moving. You touch his hand impulsively, laying yours over his gloved one. There is no response, not a twitch or spasm.

A sharp gasp of surprise has you whirling around, eyes landing upon Maar standing in the doorway between the clinic and her living quarters. She clutches a glass jar of spotted red herbs labeled nysillin against her chest, staring at the warrior like she is looking at a ghost.

“Maar,” Ahsoka calls out softly, coming to stand by your side. A long moment of silence passes before the older Togruta manages to drag her gaze away to focus on you and Ahsoka, green eyes a bit too wide-eyed and haunted. Your sister’s gentle tone remains when she inquires, “What’s wrong? Do you...do you know him?”

Maar chokes out a brittle noise sounding like a cross between a dry laugh and a derisive scoff. “Personally? No.” She moves closer to the cot, the white circular markings around her eyes softening with what you confusingly identify as sympathy. “I’ve heard stories of his kind though. Years ago, many considered the Mandalorians the only ones capable of defeating the Imperials.”

“Holy frak,” you gasp before you can stop yourself.

As a youngling, your mother used to tell you stories about the fiercest fighters in the galaxy known as Mandalorians. They lived on Mandalore and had a special connection with their weapons, a bond nobody else could understand or mimic, trained to handle guns and knives as soon as they could walk. They defended the galaxy from unlawful rulers and the threat of enslavement, unafraid to spill blood when they knew peace would follow. Your mother told you they never lost a battle. Defeat was a word unknown to them.

At least until—

“Mandalorians were wiped out during the Decimation of Alderaan,” Ahsoka interrupts your thoughts, voice pitched high with disbelief. “And the few who lived were hunted down shortly after. The Imps made sure there weren’t any left to challenge them.”

As if triggered, you recall a detail from your brain glitch, a thought that had crossed your mind when you were flying through the storm. You had been looking for Aldera, the capital of Alderaan.

It’s just a coincidence, you think. But a voice in the back of your head that sounds suspiciously like your Aunt Shaak counters, there are no coincidences.

And as much as you loathe admitting it, that voice is right. Having the image of a mudhorn slip into your brain shortly before you find a warrior—no, a karking Mandalorian of all people—with the same creature on his armor? It is too precise to be a coincidence. Your paths were meant to cross each other.

If only you had the slightest clue as to why.

Maar sets the jar down on a nearby table, then picks up the Mandalorian’s wrist to check his pulse. “That is what we all thought,” she agrees after a minute of counting has passed, dropping his hand. “His armor is characteristic of their kind. Nothing in the galaxy is as strong or valuable as their beskar. Let’s pray to Ai our beliefs about the Mandalorians’ extinction are mistaken,” she nods towards the unconscious warrior, “especially for his sake.”

Realization creates a sickening pit in your stomach.

Regardless of the status of his kind, when he wakes up his whole world is going to be flipped upside down.

Three hours later, not much has changed except the room is brighter, afternoon sunlight pouring in through the window, and smells sweet due to the bowl of herbs Maar left simmering on the table near the Mandalorian’s head, explaining the aroma will cure him of his hibernation sickness as he breathes it in.

“He’ll wake up when the marg sabls open tomorrow,” Maar told you with a gesture towards the potted red-and-pink flowers in the windowsill. They grow all over Shili, popular because they open their petals in a sunburst shape every morning.

Ahsoka comes and goes, blessedly not criticizing your decision to sit at the warrior’s bedside when you have a list of chores to complete—doubled now that you lost your bet with Ahsoka earlier. She intercepts curious younglings hoping to sneak a glimpse of the Mandalorian whose presence has become known throughout the village. Nothing stays a secret long in the community. Gossip spreads as quickly as colds and takes twice as long to get over.

If the stormtroopers catch on, the consequences will be disastrous. For once, Ahsoka shares your fears, admitting she isn’t capable of tricking a whole platoon.

“The Elders aren’t happy,” Ahsoka says in-between sips of bone broth. “They think it’s too dangerous having him here.”

You swallow your mouthful, shaking your head. “I think it’s the opposite.”

“What do you mean?”

Averting your gaze towards your lap, you scratch at an imaginary stain on your leggings. “Just a feeling I have.”

Ahsoka leans forward in her seat, pointing an accusing finger at you, causing your head to jerk back up. “The Force connected with you again, didn’t it? I knew you were acting weird before we found him.” She frowns, hurt flickering in her eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I never wanted to be special, Ahsoka,” you reply honestly. “I never wished or prayed to have visions, to have these random details pop into my head, to feel others’ emotions so strongly it’s like I’m trapped inside their bodies. There is nothing cool or entertaining about it. It’s…” Your voice cracks embarrassingly, forcing you to take a pause. You inhale a shaky breath. “It’s terrifying.”

“I had no idea you were struggling so much,” your sister murmurs, voice soft with contrition.

“How could you when I didn’t even want myself to acknowledge that I was?” you counter, feeling as if a weight has been lifted from your shoulders as the truth sinks in. “I tried to ignore it all as best as I could. If not for meeting our friend over here,” you tilt your head in the Mandalorian’s direction, “I’d probably still be in denial. But I can’t ignore the Force this time. Not when the message is this important.”

“What is it?”

“We were meant to find him. To bring him back with us. I think—I believe he’s important. Remember what Maar said? About how people used to believe Mandalorians would beat the Empire?”

Ahsoka’s brow furrows incredulously. “You really think one warrior can defeat Emperor Gideon’s army? The rebels have been trying for years and the Emperor is always one step ahead.”

You can’t help deflating a bit, shoulders slumping. “Well when you put it like that…”

“Have you considered an alternative reason why he’s important?” she asks. When you don’t answer right away, she takes it as a cue to continue, “Maybe you’re right and he is going to change the galaxy for the better. But he could also be a warning. The Imps wiped out his kind, what if they plan to do the same to us?”

Your lips part to respond, only to close again wordlessly. You thought by accepting your brain glitches as messages from the Force they would become clearer, easier to understand. A lantern guiding you through this maze of darkness epitomizing your life.

But you have never felt more lost.

Falling asleep is a mistake.

You didn’t know this when you rejected Maar’s suggestion to head home and sleep in your comfortable bed instead of curling up on her spare cot that squeaks whenever you move. The prideful side of you believed it was best if you were the first face the Mandalorian saw when he woke up because he would remember you and the promise you swore. He would trust you to explain everything to him.

Within a second of waking up, you realize how naive you were to think you had even a shred of influence over him.

The sound of something shattering has you nearly tumbling off the side of the cot, jerking awake with a sudden burst of fear. You blink rapidly to clear the haziness of sleep from your vision, struggling to make sense of what you are seeing.

Pieces of Maar’s ceramic bowl litter the floor along with bits of charcoal and ash. Ahsoka and the Mandalorian stand on opposite sides of the room, staring each other down, poised to fight. The Mandalorian has a vibroblade clenched in his hand, while your sister crouches low, fists raised. You know Ahsoka can hold her own in a fight, even without the advantage of a weapon, but fear winds its way down your spine, cold and slimy, when you can’t help but notice how small she looks compared to him. Not only because he is a few inches taller, but because he also exudes an undeniable aura of intimidation: his unwavering silence, the skilled manner he wields his knife, even the sharp gleam of his beskar pieces reflecting the pale morning light has your chest tightening with dread.

The clinic’s lights flick on right as Maar announces her presence by cocking a blaster pistol. It is the Mandalorian’s own weapon, removed from his holster when Maar examined him earlier. “Alright,” she says to the room at large as she fully enters, dressed in her sleeping robe. “Let’s all settle down. Blood isn’t an easy stain to clean and I’d prefer it if none was spilt.”

You see the moment the Mandalorian decides to comply, shoulders loosening beneath the pauldrons and stance shifting from defensive to neutral, as he processes he doesn’t need to fight his way out of here. The vibroblade is sheathed within his right boot in one fluid motion and it is startling, truly, how quick he transforms from a dangerous threat to a potentially dangerous threat.

Ahsoka is reluctant to yield, staring him up and down for a drawn out moment that does little to soothe your frayed nerves. Only when Maar pointedly clears her throat does your sister finally obey, straightening to full height with a hand propped on her hip, the picture perfect image of nonchalance. In another life she would have made a fantastic actress in a holovid drama.

“That’s better.” Maar nods, satisfied. “Now why don’t we—”

The Mandalorian moves so quickly that you jerk in anticipation of attack, eyes widening to the size of moons as you watch the pistol fly out of Maar’s hand and straight into his outstretched one. Your lungs seize up, a single thought flashing through your mind. This is it, the moment we all die.

Except instead of shooting, he re-engages the safety mechanism and promptly holsters the gun at his side where it belonged. Without saying anything.

Ahsoka’s slack-jawed expression would have been comical if it hadn’t matched your own stunned face. Even Maar, who has witnessed over fifty years worth of shocking spectacles, looks awed by the unexpected display.

You recover first, somehow managing to piece together the right words to ask a coherent question. “Are you a Jedi?”

It is only because you are staring directly at him that you notice the virtually imperceptible tilting of his head. “I’m a Mandalorian,” he answers bluntly, oblivious to how your heart skips a beat. “Weapons are part of my religion. It’s important to earn their trust.” He addresses Maar then, adding, “Especially if they’re stolen from us.”

His baritone voice has changed from when he spoke on the ship. Without the exhaustion wrapped around his vocal chords you are able to hear his normal timbre. Due to the modulator in his helmet, it has a husky quality, an intriguing mix of smoke and honey. But that is not what has your montrals prickling and your spine straightening.

“I disarm all my patients,” Maar replies, back to being her cool, calm, and collected self. “I would have given it back—”

“How old are you?”

You don’t realize you have spoken until two pairs of eyes and an expressionless visor look at you.

The Mandalorian’s fingers curl and uncurl at his sides once, twice. “Nineteen,” he answers after a few seconds of lapsing silence.

“Oh Ai,” Maar murmurs, vocalizing your own thoughts.

All this time you have been thinking of the Mandalorian as a man beneath the amor. A hardened and seasoned fighter who has seen a lifetime of bloodshed and violence. But the reality is he is only two years older than you. Standing right on that thin, blurry line between being seen as a teenager and being considered an adult.

“Who are you?” the Mandalorian asks, glancing first at you then your sister and back to Maar. Frustration and wariness blend together, sharpening his voice. “Why am I here? What happened?”

Ahsoka meets your eye with a question in her gaze, one you don’t have the answer for: where do we even begin?

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silkling · 3 years

Note

Hi! I remember you said you liked angst. So... Can you write another fanfic on the AU where the rescue bots were found by the Autobots, with the following plot: Blades is forced to repair one of his comrades, who was seriously injured in battle?(either Chase or Heatwave, your choice) 👀

Ooh, I like this idea! Imma do it. I’m going to make it worse though. Just because. Apparently I really like hurting my favorite characters. Go figure, huh? Also, for those who didn’t read the first, this fic is in the same verse as this one.

Also, beware that there will be descriptions of graphic injury, so be wary if that’s something that upsets you.

———————————————————————————————————

The stars were silent. They always were, of course, but during the Ark’s recharge cycle the silence was all-consuming. Blades was in the rec room, sitting in the little viewport alcove that took up a small portion of the wall. They were passing by the same star system where the Sigma had been found by the Autobots, all those stellar cycles ago. 5 vorns or so had passed since then, which felt both like an eternity and like no time at all.

Blades knew Cybertronians lived a long time. In reality, 5 vorns was barely any time at all for one of their kind. But for Blades, who had once only ever known what it was to save lives, the past 5 vorns that he’d spent learning to take them had dragged on and felt almost unbearably long. He hadn’t actually killed yet, but he’d already learned how do so with a blaster, how to do it by hand, and even how to get in close and use a blade. Apparently, he was particularly talented at that last one. Given his name, the Protectobot found it rather ironic.

“Blades? What are you doing up? You do not have any duties this night cycle.”

The motorcycle startled, his engine revving and his processor snapping to attention at the unexpected voice. He hadn’t killed any bot yet, but he’d been in many, many, many battles now, some of which still gave him nightmares. He’d developed battle protocols very quickly after joining the Autobots, and now took being surprised as poorly as most of the others did. His optics sharpened and focused on his unexpected visitor with unnerving intensity, before his sighed and relaxed, tense armor plating loosening once more.

“Chase.” he greeted. “I know. I couldn’t sleep. I was remembering that last battle.”

“Ah.” Here, his friend’s voice softened, and the blue and white bot walked over to join him. He nudged the slimmer youngling aside until there was room in the small alcove for them both, sitting opposite from his friend and letting their pedes entangle. “I understand now.”

And he did. The last battle had been fought on a young planet, one with plentiful energon mines, and where the local species were still primitive. It had been a difficult fight. Blades, like always, had fought on the front lines with Hot Spot, Groove and Streetwise. Chase and Heatwave had been nearby, too. Somehow, they always found themselves fighting near each other. As with most of their battles, Boulder and First Aid had remained behind at the Ark, away from the battle proper. It hadn’t been a very unique battle, at first. Then the Deceptions had unveiled a new weapon. It had destroyed the planet, and every life that called it home had died with it. The Autobots had been too late to realize what was going on. They hadn’t been able to stop it, only flee before they too fell to the new weapon.

Blades had taken it particularly hard. The small motorcycle was a deeply empathetic bot, and it had hurt him to know they they had brought their war to another planet, and that it had resulted in the destruction of that planet and the loss of the lives there. Chase couldn’t blame him. All of Sigma-17 had felt that loss particularly hard. For all they had become soldiers after being awoken from stasis, all four younglings were still Rescue Bots at spark.

“We will simply have to stop Megatron next time and destroy his weapon before he can ever use it again.” Chase said after a moment of silence. He knew Blades wouldn’t be reassured by useless platitudes.

“Yeah.” His voice was quiet, distant. “Yeah.” he repeated, sounding a little more present as his optics hardened. “We will. He can’t do that again.”

Blades turned to meet his friend’s gaze, chin lifting. “We won’t let him do that again.”

Chase smiled, nodding. “No, we will not.” he agreed.

Blades relaxed completely then, sighing and shifting until he could lean into Chase’s chest. “Thank you, Chase.” he whispered.

“Of course.” he said, his arms coming around to press the smaller bot to his chest. “I will always be there to support you, when you have need of it. I am your Amica, after all.”

That was another thing that had changed in the past few vorns. Blades and Chase had always been fairly close, since they found they balanced each other out quiet nicely. Even before stasis, they’d been close friends. Blades appreciated Chase’s calm, peaceful logic and found it helped bring him him back from some of his nervous breakdowns, and Chase found Blades’s natural easy-going and sociable demeanor soothing and helpful at understanding situations which normally gave him pause. It had only taken them a couple vorns after coming out of stasis to formally perform the ritus and become Amica Endura.

Blades laughed, his hands raising to curl across the arms pressed to his chestplate. “Yeah, you are. And I’m yours. You can always count on me, Chase.”

A small smiled tugged at his lips, and he turned his gaze to the stars outside the viewport, in his chest, his spark pulsed, warm and fond with affection and belonging. He knew that Blades was feeling the same right now, both younglings basking in the quiet peace and comfort of each others’ presence.

“I know.”

Outside the Ark, the vast expanse of space stretched on. The billions of stars shone brightly, and life moved ever forward. Time ticked on, and though this moment was calm and soft, there would be many moments to come that would not be. What the future held exactly, only Primus knew. All his children could do now was hold on and ride out the storms to come.

——————————

When it finally happened, Blades would later reflect that he was surprised it had taken as long as it had. But then again, First Aid and Ratchet would probably have done their best to keep it from happening, to make sure his own emotional turmoil wouldn’t cause him to falter. They couldn’t stall it forever though, because this was War and at the end of it all that only meant he would have been forced into a situation like this eventually.

The orn had stared out like most other orns. The only difference has been that the Ark had landed on a planet that apparently was fairly rich in energon. The planet was also largely uninhabited, save some plant life, so they wouldn’t have to worry too much about harming the local inhabitants. Everything had been going well. They’d managed to collect energon, enough to halfway fill one of the storage hangars, and had been in the process of mining more when the Decepticon attacked.

Blades still wasn’t sure where they’d come from. Maybe they’d landed the Nemesis on the other side in the planet and travelled the rest of the way themselves. Maybe the Nemesis was still above them all, and the ‘Cons had just made planet fall on their own in order to attack. Either way, Megatron and his soldiers had showed up, and once again a battle had begun. Blades hadn’t been near his team or his brothers when the attack had begun, so he hadn’t been able to join them for the fight. That had made him nervous, but he’d fought anyway, shooting at any Decepticons who got close and using the terrain as cover.

It hadn’t been long before there’d been a call for medical attention, and Blades had reacted on instinct. He’d sprung from behind the large stone he was hiding behind, following the call until he came across Cliffjumper and Arcee. The other two-wheeler was unconscious, a shot leaking energon from her neck. Blades had been quick to get Cliffjumper’s help to drag her behind another nearby outcropping, and he’d settled down to begin triage care. As soon as he’d been assured of her survival, he’d swiftly ordered the red mech to bring her to the med-bay. Usually, he didn’t have the rank to order other bots around, but he’d found that all the Autobots would tend to do what he told them when it came to medical matters.

He’d turned to rejoin the battle when Sunstreaker had dragged his twin around the outcropping, dropping Sideswipe with a snarled demand to fix him. Blades hadn’t taken offense. They were split spark twins. They shared a spark bond with each other, like he did with his brothers. It wasn’t the same exact type of bond, but it was close enough that he understood the panic. He’d fixed the severed fuel lines, patched up the sparking wires, and welded the gashes in red armor before telling Sunstreaker to get his brother out of the battlefield. Sideswipe wouldn’t be able to fight further with his wounds, even though Blades had managed to repair the damage completely. He’d need to recover.

It had seemed that, after that, the Autobots must have figured out that the outcropping was where emergency triage was being done. They’d probably passed the information along their comm. system while Blades had been working on Arcee. After the Twins, Blades had found himself busy with many bots. Most had only surface level wounds, injuries that needed a quick patch so they could rejoin the fight. Others needed a full field repair and a retreat, like Sideswipe had. Blaster had been dragged to him by his Cassettes in critical condition, and Blades had had to quickly patch the life threatening damage, then order Ironhide, who’d come in to get a leaking fuel line patched, to take the host mech to Ratchet and First Aid immediately.

Once he’d done that and turned to his next field patient, he’d caught sight of blue and white armor. His processor was deep in its rescue and medical protocols, so much so he initially tuned out all his surroundings. It wasn’t until something in the back of his mind whispered that the shade of blue was familiar that he paused, taking in the full extent of the damage. It was bad. The bot’s chest was the worst off. It looked like they’d been hit point blank with an explosion. The metal armor of the chestplate was melted and twisted, with large areas gone altogether. Blades could see into their chest and realized that even their internals were damaged. The fuel pump was dented and had been pierced with a shard of blue armor, there were several sparking wires and spurting lines, and worst of all, the bot’s spark chamber was caved in and cracked. The motorcycle could see the weak glow of the bot’s spark. That wasn’t even all the damage. The poor bot was missing a leg, and it looked like one of their arms had been practically shredded. Even beyond that, most of the bot’s frame was dented or damaged in some way. Blades could barely pick out the paint job under all the damage.

Even so, his processor started screaming louder as he realized that, despite all that, the colors and patterns of that paint were familiar. Blades froze, his spark almost spasming with dawning horror, and he turned his gaze up to the bot’s face. As soon as he locked onto the slack face, saw the darkened optics that he knew should be a glowing amber, he couldn’t hold back the agonized keen as his medical protocols stuttered.

It was Chase.

His next vent came out in a harsh whine, and he couldn’t take his optics off the slack face of his Amica. Blades almost jumped when a hand landed on his shoulder, and he looked up to see Jazz looking at him with a grim expression. The Third in Command nodded his helm at the prone form of his teammate.

“I know it’s tough’.” he said. “But ya gotta take care o’ him. If he don’t get the care he needs now, he ain’t gonna survive the trip to old’ Ratch. He needs you, mechlin’, so don’t spiral now.”

Blades stared at him for a sparkbeat, and then jolted as if he’d been physically shocked. He turned back to Chase, trying to ignore that it was his Amica who was wounded and dying in front of him, and got to work. He took in the damage once more, fingertips transforming into the tools he needed, and with a hard vent he forced his emotional processes to mute themselves in his processor, letting medical response protocols rise to the surface uninterrupted. Abruptly, his previously distraught EM field went blank and numb, making the bots around him wince with the suddenness if it.

Jazz stepped back, a flicker of regret in his visored optics. He recognized what Blades had done. He’d shut down his emotional response core. It wasn’t something the average bot could do, and he suspected the youngling only knew how to because of his medical training. The only other bot he’d seen do that was Prowl, and the Praxian had to do it if he wanted to come up with his tactics without crippling himself emotionally. Luckily, the emotional core could be brought back online later, but he knew it was never a pleasant process for the bot who had done so to come out of the emotional numbness. He only regretted that Blades had found it necessary to do so in the first place. No youngling should have to do something so drastic. It wasn’t right.

In front of Jazz and the other Autobots who were gathered behind the outcropping for minor repair, Blades worked on. He ignored the sounds of weapons fire and destruction beyond the small safe haven he was huddled in, focusing only on the task in front of him. He had to make sure Chase survived. He had to.

Failure wasn’t an option.

——————————

The rest of the orn passed in a haze. Blades was aware of things distantly, but wasn’t processing anything emotionally. He knew Jazz took Chase off to the Ark as soon as he’d ensured his friend wouldn’t die in the next few groons, until Ratchet or First Aid could get to him. After that, things happened quickly. He’d patched up the other bots around his outcropping who’d only needed minor repair, but he’d had no major patients after that. And then Megatron was calling a retreat, and Ironhide had come to guide Blades back to the Ark. None of the older bots seemed upset at the two-wheeler’s numb demeanor. He was in shock. He knew it. They knew it. They didn’t hold it against him.

Once he had been safely delivered to the starship, Ironhide had gone off. Blades wasn’t paying attention to where he’d gone. Maybe some of the others were gathering the last of the energon. Maybe everyone was preparing for take off. He wasn’t fully aware, wasn’t fully processing his surroundings. He drifted along in a haze, until he found himself in front of the medbay doors. That was when his focus sharpened. Usually after a battle, he’d join Ratchet and his brother in the medbay and do his part to help. He needed to go in.

The only thing making him hesitate was Chase. His Amica was in there. He’d done all he could on the battlefield, but had it been enough? Could he face it again?

He would have to. He stiffened his spinal strut and steeled his resolve, then stepped forward and the doors opened. He stepped into the medbay, his optics roving over the occupied berths, until they landed on a trio of berths by the far wall. On one, there was a familiar blue and white frame. Chase. On the second, a red mech lay prone and limp. Heatwave. On the third, a bulky green bot was resting on his side, unconscious and unaware. Boulder.

No.

Blades’s spark screamed in agony. He could see some of the damage from here, but he couldn’t see it all. Heatwave’s lower half looked like it had been crushed under something extremely heavy. The metal armor was dented and almost flattened. Blades could also see that the red mech’s optics were blackened and shattered, if if they’d been hit by a blaster bolt. Boulder wasn’t much better off. His entire back was a melted, twisted mess. Blades could see his spinal strut poking out of the ruined armor. There was so much energon. All three of his teammates were covered in it. It almost looked like they’d decided to incorporate pink into their paint jobs.

An agonized keen tore its way free from his vocalizer, and and medical protocols he had been ready to engage fell away under the onslaught of emotional anguish. He didn’t notice how First Aid had gasped and pressed a hand to his chest plates the second he’d noticed Sigma-17’s damaged states. He didn’t hear his brother call out to him in concern as he keened. He didn’t see Ratchet curse and begin to turn towards him, looking both irritated and worried.

He did, however, feel the hands that clasped his shoulders, the chest that pressed up against his back. He startled, drawing in a rasping gasp, and then he felt a soft warmth wrap around his spark. He knew that presence.

“Streetwise.” he whimpered, twisting to stare up at his oldest brother with wide, over-bright optics.

“Hey, Blades.” Streetwise gave him a small smile. “Let’s go, yeah?”

“B-But I have to stay. I need-“

“Ratchet and ‘Aid can handle it. This was an easy battle. They handled a lot worse than this before you came along.” he cut it. “You won’t be of any use in the state you’re in, Blades. Besides, I’m fairly sure it goes against medical code to come in and treat patients when you’re covered in filth from outside.” he said sternly.

Blades made to protest, but the soothing pulse in his spark from First Aid distracted him enough that Streetwise was able to guide him out of the medbay. He started gently ushering his brother towards the communal washracks, making sure Blades didn’t run into anyone in his shocked state.

“Streetwise, I gotta go back. They need me, I-I can’t-“

“None of that now. You did plenty today. Blades, let them handle it. Your well-being matters too. Right now, that’s actually all I care about. Your team will be fine. Have faith in Ratchet and ‘Aid, yeah?”

Blades whimpered, but he didn’t have the chance to argue further because that was when they came upon the washracks. Hot Spot was there, and he grimaced when he saw the state of his brother, but he forced a smile a moment later and reached out to rub Blades’s audial fins in a way he knew the smaller bot liked. The finial under his fingers quivered faintly, and Hot Spot wrapped a hand around Blades’s wrist to tug him into the washracks. He’d managed to get the others out earlier, and they’d been fairly understanding when he’d explained that Blades was in shock and needed a proper cleaning.

“Come on, bitty Blades.” The largest Protectobot whispered. “Let’s get you cleaned up, yeah? You’re covered in energon, that can’t feel good.”

Blades went stiff at his brother’s words, looking down at his frame and noticing for the first time that his armor was covered in energon. Chase’s energon. A pained whine was pulled from his vocalizer, and Hot Spot winced when he realized he’d said the wrong thing.

Streetwise shot the bigger bot an unimpressed look, but both knew that talking to Blades now would be useless. The smallest Protectobot, though not by too much, had always been prone to worry and panic. Blades was an anxious bot, it was just part of who he was. It meant that sometimes, his worry overcame him and he spiraled. His brothers could always tell when that happened, because his spark pulsed almost frantically and they could sense the overwhelming panic through the bond. When Blades got like this, he lost awareness of his surroundings. They’d long since learned that the best way to soothe him was to use the bond and send comfort and safety along it, to wrap their brother’s spark in feelings of love and reassurance and peace, and pull him out of his panic that way. Thankfully, Blades didn’t spiral often. He was overly nervous, sure, but he’d never let it stop him from doing what was needed of him, and he’d learned to not let it control him. That didn’t mean his emotions didn’t get the better of him sometimes, though.

Hot Spot gently tugged them all over to one of the cubicles, where he’d already grabbed the items they needed. With all three of them in there, it was a little crowded, but they could make it work. The spray of solvent was turned on, and Blades barely twitched as it hit his frame. Neither Streetwise nor Hot Spot were bothered as their younger brother remained silent. They worked together to clean up the mess that was Blades, using wash rags to wipe away the dirt and energon, and then smaller brushes to get in between the armor plating and into the transformation seams. It took some time, especially with Blades so unresponsive, but eventually they had him fully cleaned and dried, and were tugging him back towards their berthroom.

Blades himself was still in a daze. The energon was gone from his armor, and that certainly helped, but he couldn’t stop thinking of his teammates in such dire condition in the medbay. He couldn’t get the image of Chase’s broken frame on the battlefield out of his processor.

Blades was a gentle spark, perhaps even more so than his easy-going flyer brother. Groove was a pacifist, and Blades was deeply empathetic and his brothers knew that he felt things on an emotional level far more keenly than they were really able to grasp. The rest of the Protectobots had been able to adapt to the War, especially since their introduction to it had been more gradual. But Blades, who had always hated seeing anyone hurt, to the point he’d taken any extra classes he could at the Rescue Academy just to be able to help as many others as he could? The War was hard on him. He’d adapt, in time, but with how sudden his introduction to it had been it would be a while yet before the violence stopped making him so upset.

The trio eventually arrived at their berthroom, and when the door closed behind them Blades felt Streetwise and Hot Spot move away from him. A klik later, he felt another frame press against him, and a pair of arms wrapped tightly around his shoulders. It took only a beat for him to recognize Groove. He whimpered, his fingers twitching and clinging to the copter bot. Blades felt soothing warmth wrap around his spark from the bond, coming from all four of his brothers. Love, warmth, assurance, and peace soaked into his spark, and Blades let out a broken noise as everything from the day crashed into him.

Groove crooned gently, tightening his grip on his younger brother. “Easy, Blades.” he whispered. “We have you. We won’t let you fall, yeah? Just let it out.” he soothed.

Blades shuddered, then sobbed and clung tighter to his brother. He felt Streetwise press up against his back, and Hot Spot’s arms came to way around them all. The four of them stood there for a while, Blades sobbing and gasping as all his panic and worry rushed through him at once. He hadn’t been able to really process it, before. That was the danger of muting ones emotional core, as he had done earlier. It meant that he’d need to handle the emotions he’d blocked off all at once instead of steadily and as they came. So, he was forced to stay in his brothers’ hold, letting them keep him from falling as everything crashed into him. For many breems, he wept into Groove’s shoulder, his own shoulders shaking with the force of what he was feeling.

But, finally, his cries petered out, and then he was just venting harshly, shaking faintly in the aftermath of it all. He felt Hot Spot smooth a hand down his side, then come back up to rub his finial before his biggest brother spoke.

“How about we watch some of that old drama we used to like before the War? We still have the whole series downloaded on the old travel holo-pad. I know you missed a lot of the episodes that came out while you were in stasis, bitty Blades.” he said.

Blades reset his vocalizer, wincing at his staticky and rough his voice was even after doing so. “You have the whole series of But a Chance?”

Streetwise hummed. “You bet we do. We kept downloading the new episodes that came out after…” he paused, trailing off. Blades knew what he was talking about. “Well, we kept downloading the new ones. Never watched them, though. Not beyond the ones that came out before them Purge.”

“Didn’t feel right. Not without you there to make all your little comments.” Hot Spot quipped.

Blades huffed a weak sound of amusement. “You still watched some without me, though.”

“Awe, only a couple, bitty Blades.” Hot Spot smiled. “Not too many. So? What do you say?”

Blades gave another huff. “Yeah.” he agreed,

“Good, because I’ve already got it set up.” Groove said cheerfully.

“Presumptuous.” Streetwise teased.

“Shut it. You’re the one who told me to prepare for a Blades Cheer Up Night.” Groove snipped back.

“We all knew it was time for a Blades Cheer Up Night. Why are you sparklings arguing?” Hot Spot asked playfully.

“I’m older than you.” Streetwise said, frowning.

“Only by half a breem.” Hot Spot sang.

“And I’m not a sparkling!” Groove protested.

“Hush, little brother.” the two older Protectobots said at the same time.

Blades giggled weakly. “Yeah, hush. The big bots are talking.” he rasped.

Groove turned an offended look on him. “We’re all older than you. And bigger.” he sniffed.

“I’m prettier though.”

There were noises of outrage around him, and Blades felt his lips quirk up. Even as Hot Spot tweaked his finial in retaliation, he just felt his smile relax a little more. His spark was still heavy with grief and fear, but already it felt warmer and lighter. He didn’t protest as Streetwise eventually got the other two to simmer down, pushing them all towards the large berth. At the head of the berth, the holo-pad was set up on a small desk. As soon as all four brothers were settled, Groove started the episode Blades remembered having left off on, and they settled down to watch.

Things were peaceful, for a while. They got another episode in, and Blades couldn’t help himself then as he watched the characters go about on screen.

“I’m sorry, Clearview did what now? That’s stupid. She’s stupid. Why would she even do that?”

“Well,” Groove purred. “It could be because she’s actually-“

“No!” Blades hissed, drawing back a pede and planting it firmly in his brother’s hip, sending the flyer tumbling off the berth. “No spoilers!”

Groove cackled, but crawled back onto the berth and flopped on top of his younger brother. “Okay, okay. Have it your way.”

“You two are being far too loud for anyone else to enjoy to show.” Streetwise said blandly.

“Blame Groove.” Blades sniffed. “He started it.”

“You’re the one who kicked me!” Groove squawked, outraged.

“I will not be spoiled! Bots who spoil the show for other bots recharge on the couch, remember? That’s the rule!”

“Well, we don’t have a couch.” Groove said smugly. “So there.”

“We have a floor, don’t we?”

“I’m not recharging on the floor!”

“You are if I make you!”

“Try it!”

“Fine!” Blades huffed, and proceeded to launch himself at his brother.

Groove yelped, not expecting Blades to actually go through with it, and the two wrestled on the berth before their elder brothers pulled them apart. Streetwise grabbed Groove and rolled on top of him, while Hot Spot dragged Blades into his lap and wrapped the motorcycle in his arms.

“Hush.” he admonished. “It’s show time now, not wrestle like feral sparklings time.”

“We’re not sparklings!” Groove and Blades protested in unison.

“Then stop acting like it. Now shut up and watch.” Streetwise said, though they could all hear the grin in his voice.

There were grumbling protests, but the two younger bots obeyed and went still. After another couple episodes, they were released to drape across each other. Time wore on, and the Ark slipped into it’s nightly recharge cycle. By this time, Blades’s brothers were in recharge themselves, curled around and on top of each other while Blades himself continued to watch the drama. He was waiting, after all.

Another groon passed, and the door to their berthroom opened. First Aid trudged in, exhaustion hanging from his frame. He went straight for the berth, tipping right into it and not even bothering to get his legs in. Blades huffed a laugh, gently tugging his younger brother up into the berth. He reached out to turn off the holo-pad, then refocused on First Aid as the youngest Protectobot cuddled firmly into his side. He knew his brother was tired. Pit, he could feel the depths of First Aid’s exhaustion over the bond. But he had to know.

“‘Aid? Are they…?”

“They’re fine.” First Aid mumbled. “They’ll make a full recovery. You don’t have to worry, Blades.”

All at once, the last of the fear and worry left him, and Blades released all tension in his frame with a heavy vent. “Thank you.” he whispered.

First Aid hummed softly. “‘Course. They took care of you when we couldn’t. I won’t let you lose your team if I can help it, Blades. ‘Specially not your Amica.” he mumbled, his words slurring towards the end.

Blades smiled, his arms wrapping around the little medic as First Aid nuzzled into his embrace. “Yeah.” he murmured. They really had taken care of him. “Recharge, ‘Aid. You need it.”

“You too.”

“I will.” Blades agreed. “Goodnight, little brother.”

“‘Night.” First Aid made a sleepy, content churring noise. “Love you…”

Blades blinked, then tightened his grip around him. “Yeah.” he whispered. “Love you too.”

He watched his youngest brother drift off into recharge, then offlined his optics ans let himself drift off as well. Just before he fell unconscious, he felt Groove roll on top of them both, and Hot Spot’s arms coming around all three of them. From the other side of the largest Protectobot, Streetwise’s hand came to rest on Blades’s head, his thumb twitching against his finial.

Comfortable and warm, his frame and spark both surrounded by the peace and love of his brothers, Blades drifted off into recharge, his rest easy and quiet with the reassurance that his Amica and his team would recover. His spark was warm with the sheer joy, adoration, and contentment that pulsed all along the bond, and his rest was easy and undisturbed.

Beyond the walls of the Ark, the stars were silent.

———————————————————————————————————

And here it is! What did y’all think? For those who don’t remember, the Purge that Streetwise mentioned was the massacre of the Rescue Bots.

Also, poor Blades. He has it rough. At least he’s not alone, right?

Let me know how you liked that! If you want more of this verse, I might expand on it after I take care of more prompts. (Or you could request a specific scenario yourself.)

Until next time, folks!

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imaginationoverspill · 3 years

Text

Long time no see

Summary : Two years into an undercover mission, you find yourself meeting the very man you had to leave behind.

Obi-Wan Kenodi x Genderneutral!reader

The low boom of the bass permeated through the sweaty bar as Master Kenobi and his padawan moved through the crowd.

“Master are you sure this the right place ?”, Anakin mumbled to his master, uncomfortable in the civilian clothes that many of the regulars wore. His status as a padawan hidden as his braid was tucked under the shoulder-length wig.

“Yes Anakin, I’m sure and please stop fidgeting, you’re drawing attention”, he replied as he glanced around the crowd inconspicuously.

“Yes Master”.

Eventually, the pair found an empty booth in a more secluded part of the club, but also a lot closer to one of the many circular platforms dotted around that were mainly used by scantily-clad dancers of varying species and gender. One of the platforms was directly in front of Obi-Wan’s line of sight and was a lot larger than the other platforms, probably used as the main stage. At the moment it was empty as the generic low-bass music continued to play.

“So this informant, any idea how we’re supposed to find them ?”

“Patience, young one”, replied Obi-Wan.

The music suddenly changed and the lights dimmed so that the main stage was lit up. Both men looked at the stage as two twi’leks, one male and one female, start dancing along to the beat.

Here we go again. Just like every other night for the past two years, you sat in the dressing room getting ready for your performance. At least this time, you know two Jedi will be waiting for you for information. They should be easy enough to spot, even if they think they’re amazing at being disguised. Most of the time ordinary people don’t notice them when they’re not in their robes, you, however, could spot them a mile away so it didn’t really matter that you had no idea who the Jedi you were supposed to meet was. Hopefully, after you’ve dropped the info, your undercover mission will be over and you can get back to what you’re fantastic at : bounty hunting.

“Come on honey! We’re up!”, shouted Iyal’, a young yellow twi’lek that was your only friend among the dancers.

You took your robe off, revealing the provocative outfit and sauntered on stage as your back-up dancers, Iyal’ and another twi’lek, began dancing to the beat of the song. They separated to reveal you to the audience and you began singing.

As you sing and dance sensually to the song, you check out the crowd entranced by your performance in search of the two Jedi. Your gaze lands on the two men sat in a booth near one of the smaller dance platforms and you falter slightly as you recognise him.

“Kriff”

Anakin glances confusingly at his master’s swearing. The usually calm and composed Jedi master was visible flustered at the sight of the beautiful singer on the main stage.

“Master, are you alright ?”

Obi-Wan cleared his throat and readjusted himself so as not to seem affected by the performance. When he was told to meet up with an undercover agent, you were the last person that he had expected to see.

You gave it your all on the final note, the club whistles and applauses your performance. The twi’leks move off-stage as the generic low-bass music returns. You walk off-stage in the direction of the booth.

Nervous butterflies were fluttering around in your stomach despite your confident strut towards the two Jedi. Holy Sith! Why does he have to be so hot? He was already attractive when he was a padawan but the long hair and beard just make him ten times hotter.

As you reach them, you coyly sit next to the older one.

“Of all the places I thought I would see you again Kenobi, this is certainly not one of them”

“Likewise my dear”, he responded coldly.

Anakin furrowed his eyebrows at his master’s cold greeting before introducing himself.

“Pleasure to meet you”, you reply smirking and coyly extending your hand for him to shake. Despite the coldness from Obi-Wan, you still had an act to maintain.

“Anakin, why don’t you go get us both drinks whilst I discuss matters with our informant”, Obi-Wan ordered.

“But-”.

“Now, Anakin.”

He nodded his head towards you both before getting up, slightly concerned at his master’s strange behaviour.

“ Master”, you say as if testing the way it sounded. “It suits you.”

“Yes well ... thank you”, he coughs. You smile slightly, glad you could break his impassiveness, even if only for a moment.“From what I understand, you have some information on a potential terrorist attack”

“It’s always straight to business with you, even when we were younglings”

“I hardly see why that’s a bad thing”

You smirk at him before gently removing a disc hidden in your bra.

“This disc has everything I could gather without being caught”

Obi-Wan briefly glanced down but quickly looked away before you noticed where he was looking.

“Your effort is greatly appreciated by the council”, he curtly replied as he took the disc from you.

You felt disappointed at the lack of reaction. You always knew that if you did ever see him again, the encounter would be at the least awkward, but you still hoped that somewhere deep down, he was happy to see you.

The sound of shouting above the music catches your attention. Anakin was stood with his fists clenched and struggling to stay calm as a Rodian screeched at him. The second you look at the scene, you notice a determined group walk in your direction. You recognise them immediately as henchmen from the separatist group that run the club as cover.

“Fuck, we’ve got to get out of here. Grab Anakin and meet me at the back”. If they figure out that you’re with a Jedi, your cover will be blown. You get up to meet the group of intimidating aliens, still maintaining your flirty persona.

"Hi fellas, what can a gal get ya’ ?" You flirtatiously greet.

" How about two Jedi scum.", growled the big Trandoshan. You try to hide your nervous giggle.

" Oh sugar, if that's what you want, you ain't gonna find any here"

"Really", he stepped closer to you, "then why did we catch you chatting them up." Crap.

"Oh, don't be silly. Those two fellas were just here for a good time. Here, let me grab you fellas some drinks, on the house"

You quickly turn away to escape but the Trandoshan roughly grips onto your arm. You slam your heel into his foot, causing him to yell in pain and let your arm go. Time to get out of here. You start running and pushing through the crowd of semi-drunk club-goers.

"GET AFTER THEM !"

The group draw their blasters and run after you.

You manage to run out into a dark and dirty alleyway with a dead-end.“Not so fast”, two Devaronians block both sides of the alleyway, cutting off your escape route. Oh, crap.

Suddenly the sounds of lightsabers and blaster fire catch your attention. Upon the rooftop, you spot the two Jedi deflecting blasts close to the edge. They make quick work of the thugs attacking before Obi-wan notices the trouble you’re in the alleyway below as the two Devaronians trapping you rush at you.

Without much thought -and to Anakin’s confusion- he calls your name and throws his deactivated lightsaber to you. You catch the lightsaber and ignite, smirking at the two thugs who suddenly stopped at the sight of the blue blade. They start firing their blasters but you gracefully deflect the bolts back to them before swiftly cutting one of the Devaronian’s arm off and roundhouse kick him in the face, incapacitating him. You promptly twist to face the other thug who had stepped back slightly in fear. Swinging the sabre skilfully, you use the force to pull the blaster out of his hand before slamming the hilt into his face, effectively knocking him out.

Both Jedi smoothly leap down from the roof to join you.

“You’re a Jedi ?!”, exclaimed Anakin incredulously.

“Was. I’m not any more.”, you admitted.

“Yes well, let’s get out of here”, said Obi-Wan, quickly cutting off whatever Anakin was about to say to your reply.

The three of you headed out of the alleyway and headed to the parked speeder hidden in the shadows. Upon approaching the speeder, you noticed that only seated two people and stood awkwardly looking at the men, wondering how we were going to get around the problem. Obi-Wan noticed the same issue as you. As Anakin sat in the driver’s seat, he took his place in the passenger’s side and simply patted his lap. You flushed at the action. When you didn’t immediately move, he looked at you with a slight smirk and raised an eyebrow.

Over the past two years, you became used to the flirtatious smirks and sexual remarks from both attractive and unattractive customers whilst working in the seedy club in the lower decks of Coruscant. You were used to dancing provocatively in front of an enraptured audience. But one simple hand gesture from him and suddenly you were blushing mess. You also realised this is the first time that he’s somewhat smiled since seeing him again. This only made you blush more. In an attempt to mask how flustered he made you, you moved to gently sit in his lap. He wrapped his arms around your waist to secure you, making you blush even harder and making the resurfaced butterflies flutter crazily in your stomach but thankfully he couldn’t see your face. Anakin, however, saw the entire exchange but decided not to say anything. He’ll have to question his master later.

Anakin flew the speeder to the Jedi temple, much to your reluctance. After the feeling of disappointing your master by leaving the order, the thought of ever returning made you feel queasy and the warmth of his arms wrapped around you didn’t help. As Anakin landed the speeder, Master Yoda, a blue and white astromech droid and a gold protocol droid greeted you. You stood behind the two Jedi, hoping to be ignored by your former master. No such look as he greeted you :

“Good to see you, it is, my former padawan”

“Master Yoda”, you greeted, bowing in respect, “it has been a long time.”

“Have become a fine Jedi, you would, but become an invaluable ally, instead you have. If correct, your information is, prevent losses, it may. Hmm. Been prepared for your arrival, a room has. Show you the way, C3PO will. Discuss further action with the council, we must. Talk later, we will.”

During the walk to your new room, you ignored the ramblings of the protocol droid as the familiar corridors of the Jedi Temple made you feel nostalgic. You remember the times you and Obi-wan would get in trouble as children. You shared everything with each other. But as you got older, you developed a crush that no amount of meditating would get rid of it. You had to hide your feelings as it was against the code to form attachments. However, it was far too late. You thought by distancing yourself more would make a difference but no matter what you did, his smile, his laughter, everything about him would make your heart flutter. Dismissing the droid once when you reached the room, you decided that a shower was in order.

The sound of the door knocking pulled you from the meditative state you had been in. After your shower, you started your bedtime ritual which included a small meditation session. Since leaving the order, you were no longer obligated to follow their rules and rituals but nothing helped calm you down better than meditating. It was currently three o’clock in the morning and so you definitely were not expecting anyone to come knocking. You opened the door :

“Obi-Wan ?”

“I realise it is far too late and I should be leaving you to rest but I can’t sleep.”

You silently gesture for him to come in before closing the door. As padawans, it wasn’t unusual for one of you to go see the other when we had difficulty sleeping. Nothing had to be said. You started making two cups of tea as he sat on the small couch near the window of your room. He wasn’t wearing his robes but a thin cotton shirt and trousers. For a brief moment, you both felt like padawans again.

As you handed him his tea, he shifted and the moment of nostalgia was over :

“I’ve come to apologise”, he started, “I was unfairly rude to you and I would also like to apologise for blowing your cover”.

“I somehow don’t think it was your fault. Something tells me that they had known about me long before you even turned up”

“You suspect they knew you were a spy ?”

“Yeah, call it a gut feeling”

He nodded in agreement, stroking his beard. You didn’t think he could be any more attractive but the sight of him sat on your couch in his casual clothes made everything seem intimate. You had to tear your gaze away from the hand near his mouth, hoping he didn’t sense what you were feeling.

“I hated being there anyway, so I’m definitely not upset over never having to go back there ever again”

His brows furrowed at your statement :

“More so than here ?”

“What ?”, you reply in confusion.

“I - Did you hate it there more than being at the Temple ?”

You looked at him, wondering why he would ask such a question. Normally, you would just ignore such a question and try to change the subject, but had been a very tiring day and something about the moment just made you want to give in.

“I never hated being at the Temple.”

A heavy silence followed your answer. When you left the order, you promised you would never tell anyone your reasons, afraid of rumours would spread and Obi-Wan’s devotion to the order and the code would be put into question.

“Why did you leave ?”

“Obi-Wan, I-”

“No please. I never understood why you left. I thought you were happy at the Temple. I remember the fun we had as children.”

“Obi-Wan please -”

He gently picked your hands up and held them, gently rubbing the back of your hands with his thumbs. The rough but soft caress of his thumbs made you feel weak and you felt resolve crumble.

“I loved you”, you quietly whispered. Hoping maybe he hadn’t heard you, but the sudden freezing of his thumbs confirmed that he had.“ I tried not to”, you quickly added. “ I tried so hard to be a good Jedi but it didn’t work. If anything it made me love you more. So I left. I didn’t want to ‘corrupt’ you. I knew how much becoming a Jedi Knight meant to you.”

You couldn’t look him in the eye, afraid of what you’ll see. Afraid that he would turn cold again and that it would truly be last time you ever see him again. Instead, you heard him move closer and felt his forehead gently rest against the side of your face. Confused, you gently turn your face to him so both of your foreheads rested against each other. He had his eyes closed and you closed your own. You could feel his warm breath softly flow over your face he slowly leaned in more. His nose brushed softly against yours as his lips pressed to yours. Your lips touched for a few seconds before he leaned in more, deepening the kiss. One of his hands moved up to gently cup your jaw.

After what felt like hours, but probably was only a few minutes, you both separated. You were in a daze and felt on top of the world.

AN : I had to repost this because Tumblr glitched, but anyways here it is. I spent way to much time on this and I’m still not entirely happy with it but I hope you enjoy it !

PS : Please tell me I’m not alone in struggling to find titles for their fanfictions.

#starwars #obi wan kenobi x reader #obi wan fanfiction #obiwan x reader #obi wan kenobi #padawan anakin #anakin skywalker

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