#lightside endings

[ctcaptaincorgi]

Don't ask me why they're on Rakata Prime, but they are and more importantly, they're happy and I'm happy because I have a new desktop background. I tried to include as many companions as possible, but I'll be honest, there's only so much room and only so many companions would it make sense to say "screw it, I'm finding Revan" or my personal headcannon where Meetra tries to go alone because Kreia said she would and is too dangerous, and Atton promptly responds with "Screw that old witch, I'm coming with you." And then just about everyone else follows his lead, probably except G0-T0. Anyway, sorry Mission, Zaalbar, Mical "The Disciple", Bao-Dur, and Carth. I probably draw most of you another time.

Dog designs:

HK was more fun to design than I thought he'd be, I basically just dogified his preexisting design. Miralukas I've decided are Lhasa Apsos because the images I saw of them online so frequently show them with their eyes being covered by their hair similar to some miraluka headdresses. Bastila is a pomeranian because the way Jonny Devaney (YouTuber that makes skits about dog breeds) portrayed their attitude reminded me a little of Bastila. However, believe it or not, pomeranian wearing clothes is surprisingly hard to draw. Jolee is a schnauzer because that breed looks like an old grumpy grandpa. Cathars are basenji with cat like eyes and nose. I would've picked something else, but for whatever reason, everywhere I looked, that breed was called the most cat like so I felt like I had to. Mira, on account of being Mandalorian, though I forgot she was adopted into the Mandalorian clans until I already drew her, is a belgian malinois much like Canderous. T3 I felt needed no changes because he wasn't made to look even remotely humanoid shaped, unlike HK-47 and "other" protocol droids.

Throughout drawing, I CANNOT overstate how helpful SWTOR was with figuring out costume details. Naturally, I looked first and foremost to the kotor and kotor 2 references, with also occasional help from Galaxy of Heroes, but when I really needed to zoom in for a close up, SWTOR always had my back.

[nchlsdmn]

Full Plot of the Cancelled Sith Shrine arc from Star Wars The Clone Wars: Season 8

The plot of this arc was repurposed in Star Wars Rebels, when Ezra and Maul merge Holocrons together – as well as for the Sith temple on Malachor. The design for the temple and the wasteland where the swords are impaled in the ground were all concepts that were created for Star Wars: The Clone Wars, but were later reused in Star Wars Rebels; and the Sith temple which was supposed to be located deep beneath Coruscant became a planet of its own instead of Malachor.

Yoda gets lured by Sidious like he did in Season 6 when he was messing with Yoda’s mind. Palpatine activates the temple and the disturbance in the Force lures Master Yoda. Additionally, Sidious partially messing with Yoda’s mind, since he knew that Yoda was likely the only one who had an idea of what was to come.

Sidious wanted Yoda to open a Holocron for him, but Yoda refuses, so he decides to hold Yoda hostage and to have other Jedi come down in an attempt to rescue him. The plan was for the other Jedi to open the Holocron for Sidious instead, in order to free Yoda in exchange. Ahsoka realizes this, and went to inform the Jedi that chasing after Yoda was wrong because it was a trap. Sidious would have also tried to sacrifice Yoda because in ancient times, the Sith used to sacrifice Jedi on altars.

Sidious wanted a Jedi Holocron – which Ahsoka would have then secured and returned back to the vault, and she would seal the door shut with her lightsaber while Sidious was on the other side shooting lightning at her. This would be her only glimpse at Sidious, even though she didn't exactly know who he was.

The Geonosians were utilized by Dooku in order to look for the temple itself. Sidious and Dooku didn’t know where it was but Sidious heard about it, so they had to find it first. The Jedi also need to use the Geonosians as guides, because the Geonosians being creatures that live in catacombs and depths by nature, were useful. The Jedi then free Poggle in order to tell them where all of those Geonosians were going (the Geonosians used by Dooku).

The Temple had kaiju-like monsters called "protectors." They lived in the depths and had moved to those caves to live in them. After a while they started acting as custodians or protectors of the ruins beneath the surface. The Jedi had to get past them in order gain access. Their role in the story was more so for lore-building rather than vital to the plot itself.

The Sith temple was only one. But still underground, just above the surface of the buried Sith temple there would have been both Sith and Jedi architecture sometimes even mixed together testifying how the Jedi had gradually started building on top of more ancient Sith ruins and ended up "overwriting" the history of those locations by imposing Jedi architecture and Jedi culture that concealed or sometimes even destroyed past Sith architecture.

This would have also shown the battle that happened between the Sith and the Jedi, so it had more than simply a cultural relevance. The whole plot and theme of the arc was similar to the ruins of Mar in the Jak and Daxter franchise where the ruins of Mar are buried deep beneath Haven City and the city was built on top of it.

The Jedi would have also used capsule-like vehicles to descend deep beneath the surface because they had trouble descending in Level 0. The main Jedi accompanying Ahsoka were Anakin and Obi-Wan. There would have been scenes where Plo Koon, Kit Fisto, Mace Windu, Ki-Adi Mundi appear – but the main ones involved are Anakin, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka.

The reward for mixing Darkside arts and the knowledge contained in a Jedi Holocron was similar to what Ezra and Maul obtained in Star Wars Rebels, although at the time when they wrote the Sith Temple arc, they had decided that the reward for mixing Darkside and Lightside was a vision of the future – and Sidious wanted to see the future to know if his enemies would be defeated and if his schemes would actually come to fruition, or if he had to retrace his steps and change some things and to see how his enemies would have reacted.

As far as how the arc ended – the Jedi rescue Yoda, Poggle returns to Dooku (hence his return in ROTS), and the Temple would have been destroyed similar to what happens in Star Wars Rebels with Malachor. The Jedi decide to keep the matter a secret -- even from other Jedi who didn’t know – because the fact that the Darkside of the Force was so close to them, and they never noticed or sensed it would make the Jedi look weak.

Also, according to them – in the end it was better that the temple was destroyed because the Jedi had the mindset that the Darkside has nothing to offer them or to show them, so it’s better off if it was destroyed and buried forever. But this would leave Master Yoda disturbed because it meant that their enemies were much much closer than they had initially realized.

Ahsoka would have "returned" to the Jedi, but she would have acted as a sort of "external informant" on their behalf for some time; and this is where her role comes into place with this arc – because she would have investigated in the lower world and found out where Master Yoda was taken. In the original intentions for the show, Ahsoka was not so sour with the Jedi after she left them.

Anakin initially is upset that Ahsoka left to begin with, but by the end of the arc, he accepts that Ahsoka made her own decision, a nod to Obi-Wan's wise words in the Utapau arc: "She made the decision..." Ahsoka doesn't fully commit to the Jedi until the Siege of Mandalore arc, which is where she joins with Rex and the 332nd.

Unrelated, but one element that was removed from Dark Disciple is Ahsoka's role, because in the original version, Ahsoka still held a close relationship with the Jedi despite being outside the order; and she would act as an external informant or agent for the Jedi when the Jedi themselves were limited by their own morality or code. So the Jedi would have gotten Ahsoka to contact Ventress for the job they wanted Ventress to do for them (assassinate Dooku with Quinlan Vos) because they thought Ventress would be more open to listening to Ahsoka and also because Ahsoka lived in the underworld so she could find out Ventress’s location at the time and approach her.

[chimerathekid]

absolutely

hello again 12 darkside detective fans. Has anyone ever thought about McGhouley

[gffa]

It has been about eight months since I came back to BATFAMILY fic and this will be my ninth set of recs, which means I'm at about 500 or so for this one fandom, which is kind of blowing my mind a little, but also tracks pretty well, given how amazing the fic in the fandom can be. There's just so much that's scratching the itch of softer Batfam content or really digging into the angsty possibilities or exploring the characters in ways the source material won't/can't or just finding a dozen different ways to hit my id straight on and make it such a fun, exciting experience to be swimming through all this amazing fic. And, in that vein, yeah I may have a Dick Grayson Is The Most Important Guy In The World Problem, but I also have Dick Grayson Is The Most Important Guy In The World Solutions which is basically a metric truckload of fic by incredible authors and trying to lure more people into crying about these characters with me because I AM CRYING A LOT ABOUT THEM because fandom has PROVIDED ME WITH THE TOOLS TO DRAG YOU IN AND I AM GOING TO USE THEM. And, okay, I've got some good Jason, Tim, Damian, Babs, Steph, and Bruce stuff in there, too. Fandom is great at helping me get some really great variety in, too! Basically ALL THE BATS ARE MY LOVES AND I WANT TO DRAG OTHERS IN WITH ME.

BATFAM FIC RECS - BABY DICK IS THE CUTEST FERAL ROBIN I'M NOT HEARING ANY ARGUMENTS: ✦ Robin is Looking for a Sidekick by Writer_loves_tropes, dick & bruce, 4k     Eight year old Dick Grayson is already a crime fighting Robin and he needs a sidekick. Batman seems like he would be a good choice. Robin and Batman has a nice ring to it. Bruce has thoughts about that. aka, How could Bruce resist adopting this tiny child? ✦ The Pancake Predicament by Lightsider, dick & bruce & alfred, 2.1k     On his second Father's Day at Wayne Manor, Dick decides to make pancakes. -or- The reason Dick's not allowed unsupervised kitchen use, which isn't fair. The pancakes were delicious, and he was 10! ✦ Counting Elephants by PrincessMariana, bruce & dick & alfred, 3k     When kidnappers break into the manor, Dick runs straight to Alfred. Alfred will do anything to protect his family. Or, Dick gets scared, and Alfred is a badass. ✦ World's Finest: Christmas Morning by WingFeathers, dick & bruce/clark & ma kent & alfred & cast, 9k     Twelve hours of a Christmas morning in Gotham: Bruce foregoes sleep and grapples with change, Clark navigates Christmas at Wayne Manor and his boyfriend's emotional distance, and Dick gets the best presents. Also: Ma and Pa Kent and Alfred are the greatest. ✦ There is a Monster at the End of This Book by Trekkele, dick & bruce & cast, vampires, 2.6k     There was something deeply wrong with Bruce Wayne. This wasn’t exactly news, of course. Opening any one of the local Gotham tabloids would give you plenty of evidence to back his claims up, but Tyler liked to think his profession gave him an edge, an added insight into the strangeness that was Gotham’s ‘beloved billionaire’. ✦ Safe by Jinmukang, dick & bruce, 2.5k     Or, a baby Robin wakes up very lost and very alone in the middle of Gotham. ✦ Stars, Hide Your Fires by FidotheFinch, dick & bruce, 10.8k     Dick Grayson doesn't want to leave the circus he's called home his entire life. When he overhears Pop Haly talking to a strange man about sending Dick away for 'training,' he decides he'll do whatever he can to stop it. Even if he has to make a deal with a demon. ✦ It's who I am by Tiredteengaer, dick & bruce & wally & artemis & conner & kaldur & m'gann & cast, 44k     how each member of the team found out Robin's real identity. ✦ Drowning, Headaches, and being beaten by Penguin by PandasandDucks1, dick & bruce & wally & artemis, 1.7k     He couldn’t breathe. ✦ The Eldest Wayne's by Remarcely, dick & bruce & alfred & cast, 3k     ‘With all their talks about how to behave, Bruce had the upmost faith in Dick to talk to the other Gala-attenders with respect under his supervision. When Dick grew bored and wandered off, entirely unnoticed by a Bruce deep in conversation, he’d be lying if he pretended that faith didn’t waver’ Or Bruce and Dick throughout the years as they slowly learn how to be a family.

BATFAM FIC RECS - ADULT BATSON AND BATDAD ARE MY KRYPTONITE, I FOLD LIKE WET CARDBOARD FOR THEM: ✦ Rebalancing by SirenAlpha, dick & bruce & damian, 2.5k     Bruce was back from his trip through time. Dick expected to heal up from surgery, head back to Blüdhaven, and be Nightwing again. He did not expect Bruce to have a discussion on the nature of Batman, Nightwing, and if Robin really only needed one of them. ✦ Capitulate by Antiquity, dick & bruce, 5k     After Wally's death, Bruce tries to hold Dick together before he shakes himself apart. ✦ No Good Deed by I_Have_To_Get_Off_This_Planet, dick & bruce, 1.2k     While trying to stop a robber, Dick breaks two ribs. It's not a good time. ✦ Superficial Wounds by fleetfoot1, dick & bruce, ~1k     Bruce swore softly as he tilted Dick’s face to the side, his gaze flicking down the bruises covering his cheekbone. Dick swallowed, before opening his mouth. “I--” his voice cracked on the syllable. God, he was just so tired of arguing. ✦ fabric (frayed but holding) by Tevya, dick & bruce & cast, 5.1k     A few months after Dick returns to speaking terms with Bruce, he gets stuck in Gotham with the flu. ✦ aristocracy by brandywine421, dick & bruce & jason & tim & damian & cass & steph & alfred, 2.4k     "I really wish it was for a different reason. I - need a favor." "There are no favors between us, Dick, you know that," Bruce said, moving around the desk to take the seat beside him. "Tell me." "God, it's so stupid, I - could handle it myself, but - I don't want to. I just want - I just want to forget it ever happened," Dick said. That didn't sound like Dick. "Tell me," he repeated. ✦ Memories Fade by Lady_of_Lorule, dick & bruce & cast, 2.2k     “Miss Gordon sent in her daily report and Master Tim called to inform you that he will be in San Francisco for a few days. Also, Master Dick is upstairs.” Bruce froze. “Dick is here?” “Yes, sir.” “I thought he was in Central City visiting Wally West.” Alfred raised an eyebrow, pale eyes piercing. “It seems that he is back, then. I believe he is waiting for you.” ✦ On-Call by motleyfam, dick & bruce & jason & oc & cast, 1.6k     Kiran Devabhaktuni, medical doctor and close family friend of the Waynes, agreed to join them for one more Thanksgiving at the Kent Farm. It's a good thing he did, too. ✦ a day before midnight by batofgoodintent (crownedcrusader), dick & bruce, 2.1k     After you lose pieces of yourself, they don't always fit back the same. - Post-Ric Grayson.

BATFAM FIC RECS - EVERYBODY LOVES DICK: ✦ the more i look inside (the more you're real to me) by starsonthewalls, dick & bruce & john/mary & tim, 2.8k     Dick tensed defensively. “It’s not like I can do anything about that, Dad,” he grumbled, accepting the glass to clear his throat. “You know how B is about patrols.” “And who is ‘B’ supposed to be?” his mom asked. “One of your video game friends?” Dick froze- what did mom mean, who is B? ✦ You Won't Wake Up Alone by DawnsEternalLight, dick & bruce & jason & tim & damian, 5.2k     Dick's captured and drugged and probably about to die. The last thing he wants to do is die in front of his family, especially not his baby brothers, all he wants is to be with Bruce and feel safe again. ✦ Jason's Gift by Neoinean, dick & bruce & jason & tim & barbara & cast, 17.3k     As Dick’s birthday goes from mediocre to bad to worse, he finds himself so wrapped up in the chain of events that he fails to correctly piece together the clues. Will he discover the truth before its too late? ✦ they don't know me and you by konan_konan, dick & bruce & jason & tim & barbara & zatanna & cast, de-aged!dick, 4.5k     "The cold helps neutralize him," says Bruce, talking about Dick like he's a threat. "It'll keep him from hurting himself," says Barbara, talking about Dick like he's a child. They're both correct right now, and Jason hates it. ✦ If You Don't Know by TylerM, dick & bruce & jason, 10.2k     An exploration of Sick!Dick Grayson from little and big Jason's point of view. Because I honestly don't believe in there ever being too many of the same damn fic.

BATFAM FIC RECS - JASON TODD IS AN ASSHOLE CAT, I'M GONNA THROW HIM AT THE OTHER BATS BECAUSE IT'S FUNNY: ✦ bury me softly by Nokomis, jason & steph, 4k     After a tunnel collapse, Stephanie and Jason bond while trapped together.

BATFAM FIC RECS - DICK AND DAMIAN WERE THE BEST BATMAN & ROBIN, I'M NOT HEARING ARGUMENTS ABOUT THAT EITHER: ✦ ties bind none by eryndew, dick & damian & bruce, 2k     Bruce discovers a son. Repercussions and choices follow. ✦ restless heart by emavee, dick & damian, 2.3k     It’s ridiculous to act like this one weekend really means anything in the grand scheme of things, but he can’t help it. It isn’t fair. He only gets these few days, and now Grayson is up in space fighting aliens or whatever and Damian is alone on the couch watching Jeopardy by himself. Or: Dick goes off world and Damian misses him ✦ Need To Know Basis by WordsAblaze, dick & damian, 1.1k     day sixteen, where damian has zero tolerance for dick hiding injuries from him… ✦ a killer time by konan_konan, dick & damian & alfred & bruce, 4.1k     The vent cover clatters to the floor, and Dick flings the knife at Croc, trusting that he's going to be a more of a threat than his goons. Croc roars in pain, or maybe just rage, and Dick scrambles toward the vent, Damian already inside, and - And Killer Croc grabs him by the ankle, slams him into the wood. He feels something break, and he gasps, hardly able to catch his breath. Some sort of metallic clang echoes from behind, and he thinks if Damian comes out of the vent and gets us both killed… ✦ as love carries its strength, but not its labels by AlterHarpia, dick & damian, 2.7k     Bruce is on a trip beyond Earth’s Solar System for longer than he intended, making Dick and Damian fall into an old pattern. “I'm not Batman.” A mere reminder, perhaps, but when said to Damian it always sounds like an apology.

BATFAM FIC RECS - BATKIDS ALL HAVE MANY SIBLINGS AND THEY'RE ALL PETTY ASSHOLES AND/OR WONDERFUL BABIES AND I LOVE THEM WITH MY WHOLE BEING: ✦ a study by bernard dowd by cv_angels, tim/bernard & conner & cassie & bart, 4.8k     Bernard opens the laptop, spinning it to face Tim with a flourish. It’s a powerpoint with a truly hideous red background, and Tim feels a moment of relief that Bernard isn’t breaking up with him before he registers the words on the slide. REASONS WHY TIMOTHY DRAKE-WAYNE IS A SUPERHERO, A STUDY BY BERNARD DOWD. ✦ princess carry by CreamofTomatoSoup, tim/bernard & duke & tam & damian, 3.1k     Tim almost gets shot during a public speech, which is a pretty average Tuesday. Being rescued by his civilian boyfriend, however, is not. ✦ beep beep!! by CreamofTomatoSoup, tim/bernard & bruce & dick & jason & tim & cass & duke, 6.1k     Bernard learned to drive from his henchman uncle. The last place he expects to use this skill is at a dinner with his boyfriend's family. ✦ little menace by InkpotSprite, bruce & dick & jason & tim & damian & alfred, de-aged!tim, 16.2k wip     "Did a two year old just outrun you?" Jason asked, wanting to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. Bruce clenched his jaw. "I didn't want to hurt him." He growled. "Liar!" Tim piped up from under the desk. Jason was starting to like this version of his successor. ✦ It Wasn't Supposed to Be Like This: I wouldn't Change a Thing by Grayson1996, bruce & dick & steph, 4.1k     She smiled tightly at him and stiffly beckoned him forward. If Bruce had to guess they weren’t close in the future, or perhaps she just didn’t know him. Regardless he stepped forward, though he didn’t turn to look at the figure on the bed just yet. For a moment the two simply stared at one another before Stephanie rolled her eyes at him. “Here’s where you apologize for pushing me against the wall.” Bruce felt guilt stir at the words despite the fact that she was clearly joking. ✦ in the lungs by hellsreluctantheir, tim & steph & cast, 2.8k     It went bad the way things always went bad. All at once. Steph had taken out two thugs (and maybe picked up a sprained wrist though she wasn’t counting her chickens before they hatched) and Tim was almost finished up with his third, when she saw him get launched backwards, head hitting the railing at the side with a resounding clang. She saw him slump to the deck, saw him struggle weakly as the thug pulled him up by his cape and looked at him for a moment, before tossing him directly into the Gotham River.

BATFAM FIC RECS - I SAY THIS IS A BATFAM REC LIST BUT SOMETIMES YOU JUST GOTTA SHOVE THOSE ASSHOLES OUT OF THE WAY AND READ SOME SUPERFIC: ✦ Troublemakers by Kannika, clark & lois & conner, ~1k     Introducing Conner and Lois is the worst mistake Clark has made in a long time. Because they're getting along. ✦ oh brother by corvidspectre, conner & lois & jon, 1.2k     “So what are you being for Halloween?” Kon had asked when he got to the Kent's place. “Superboy!” Jon smiled, making Lois chuckle under her breath. ✦ Gut Feeling by Ao3time, lois & conner, 18.7k wip     Lois Lane rescues a teenager who looks a lot like someone she knows...

BATFAM FIC RECS - TAKE THE ANGST DIAL, TURN IT UP TO ELEVEN, AND BREAK THE KNOB OFF, THAT'S WHAT I'M HERE FOR: ✦ my threads are coming loose by dizarys, dick & talia & cast, ~1k     “Oh good, I see both you and Bruce are on the same page about unrealistic expectations for grieving,” muttered Dick. Talia sucked her teeth and turned back to the grave, long hair swinging. The sound was so much like Damian’s iconic tut that fresh tears welled in Dick’s eyes. ✦ Fatherhood; a Knife that Never Stops Cutting by minnow_doodle_doo, bruce & dick & alfred, no powers au, 2.1k     There always seemed to be a thread that tied all their histories, from Alfred to Bruce back to Dick. Repeated over and over. And now it seemed that Dick found that the thread had been longer than he first thought. ✦ Tap Out by withthekeyisking, bruce & dick & jason & tim & damian, read the tags, 4.8k     Dick knows the importance of tapping out in training, so your partner doesn't accidentally hurt you. It becomes instinct, so heavily ingrained in him. He doesn't understand why his brothers don't do it, too. (Until they do, and it's too late.) ✦ A Death in the Family by PrincessMariana, bruce & dick & jason, yandere!bruce (?), read the tags, 12.4k     The Joker has killed Jason Todd. Bruce tells Dick immediately, and Dick returns to the manor. Bruce will do anything to keep his remaining son safe and close. Dick thinks it's the grief that's keeping him exhausted. ✦ Car Crashes and Hot Chocolate by PrincessMariana, bruce & dick, yandere!bruce (?), read the tags, 2.3k     Dick almost dies trying to escape Bruce. Neither of them are happy about the outcome, and so they talk about it. This is a follow-up oneshot for A Death in the Family and is set before Into the Gilded Cage. This can technically be read alone, though it does have spoilers for A Death in the Family. ✦ Into the Gilded Cage by PrincessMariana , bruce & dick & tim, yandere!bruce (?), read the tags, 17.5k     Tim investigates if Dick Grayson is being held against his will by Bruce Wayne. He somehow ends up spending the summer with the two at Wayne Manor. It might be a prison for Dick, but the more Tim stays, the less he wants to leave. This follows A Death in the Family, but you don't need to read that to read this. It might be useful, though. ✦ The Third Robin's Flight by PrincessMariana, bruce & dick & tim, yandere!bruce (?), read the tags, 13.7k wip     Tim accepts his place as Bruce' third - and most loyal - son. When his mother dies and his father returns to Gotham, Tim once again must pick a side, but Bruce never lets go of his children easily. Meanwhile, Dick struggles with the ramifications of finding the Joker, and Bruce remembers why Batman needs a Robin. This follows Into the Gilded Cage. ✦ Family Crisis by librarylexicon, bruce & dick & tim & cass & steph & leslie & barbara & selina & amy & cast, read the tags, 78.1k wip     At the close of the gang war, Batman uncovers an attempted deception concerning the life of his former protégé Stephanie Brown, and suddenly nothing is as important as his family. While Dick seeks absolution, Tim struggles with grief, Cassandra searches for belonging and Steph rebuilds her sense of self, Bruce faces the return of ghosts from his own past and psyche. (War Games AU) ✦ New Again by dustorange, dick & bruce & thomas wayne jr., 10.1k wip     “I’m not a good man,” says Thomas. “No," Dick hesitates, then comes closer, "but you're not an old man either." (a.k.a. Earth 3's Thomas Wayne Jr. "helps" Batman and Robin get back to their world, only for Bruce alone to be sent back, leaving Dick stranded in Earth 3��with Thomas.) ✦ not anything, anymore by emavee, dick & bruce, 2k     Bruce kicked him out four months ago. Apparently these particular kidnappers didn't get the memo.

✦ dreamer by day by justbeyondstars, dick & bruce & jason & tim, 5.3k     In the next room over, Jason and Tim are laughing, and it startles Dick back into his body to remember he’s not alone. He feels impossibly empty, unmovable, untouchable. He almost forgets he's still on the phone until a voice says, “Is there anything I can do for you, Dick? Anything you need to make this easier?” Or: Dick is a lot of things to a lot of people. After getting some bad news, he has to grapple with the fact it might not always be enough. ✦ watching the world go dark by daringyounggrayson, dick & bruce, 3.5k     It wasn’t that Dick was suicidal exactly, but if an opportunity came about where he would have to actively save himself from death, he might just let go. He might not be suicidal, but he's not self-preserving either, and it’s becoming a real problem. Luckily, Bruce is a worried parent with a few detective skills. ✦ hold me like water (or hold me like a knife) by dizarys, bruce & dick & tim, 2k     Dick's recovery after a amnesiac year as Ric Grayson is taking longer than expected. And has some difficult side effects.

BATFAM FIC RECS - SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED TO TAKE ALL THE SERIOUSNESS OUT OF THE ROOM AND STAY SOFT FOR AWHILE: ✦ And There Was Only One Bed: Family Edition by RandomReader13, bruce & dick & jason & tim & damian & cass, 1.7k     “You’ve gotta be kidding me.” Dick stood on his toes to peek over Jason’s shoulder into the hotel room and grimaced. “Uh, Bruce…” “There was a mix-up with the reservation,” Bruce grunted. ✦ so everyone's just a fucking scalie huh by destiny919, bruce & dick & jason & tim & damian & cass, 1.1k     "Birds are animals, Jay." "What the fuck? No. Aren't they basically reptiles?" Jason demands. "First of all, no, you're thinking of dinosaurs, which is what they actually are in the Flintstones. Second of all, reptiles are animals." "Bullshit." "Okay, I..." Tim pinches his nose. "Okay. I think I see the problem here." "Yes, Todd sustained a traumatic brain injury the other night and didn't see fit to inform anyone before we left on this inane trip." ✦ The Batmobile (and other Bat things) by JeanjacketCarf, bruce & dick & clark & justice league, 2k     “Batmobile?!” Barry looked incredulous. It was clear he was missing the point of the story. “He called it the Batmobile? Out loud? In front of you?” Clark shrugged. “Yeah, twice. I’m sure I heard it right.” “Batmobile, my god,” Barry said shaking his head. “I can’t believe it.” Or Apparently, the Bat-Man is not a cryptid, he's a guy who gives his stuff silly names ✦ Vampire Bats by Sohotthateveryonedied, bruce & dick & jason & tim & damian & cass & steph & duke & cast, 4.1k     Despite the many, many obstacles, having his kids turn into vampires isn’t as tragic as Bruce anticipated it would be. Whenever one of them is grounded, all Bruce has to do is hang a cross on their door and they’re sufficiently contained. And the energy boost has been incredibly helpful on patrols. ✦ Adventures in Batsitting by raven_of_hydecastle, bruce & dick & clark & lois & justice league, 10k wip     "What, you're telling me the great Batman couldn't stop a nine-year-old from sneaking out?" Green Lantern scoffed. "At least come up with a believable excuse." It was Batman's turn to scoff. "Like anyone else could do better. If you can keep Robin off the streets for a week, I'll buy you a Porsche." *** AKA The JLA stages an intervention with Batman to get Robin off the streets. it goes downhill from there.

BATFAM FIC RECS - THROW BABY DICK AT BATTISON, C'MON DO IT, IT'LL BE HILARIOUS: ✦ though the sun and sky may fade (all shall be remade) by queenofthestarrrs, dick & bruce & alfred, 1.8k     Dick Grayson asks a lot of questions. ✦ My Little Robin by tyrianzzz, jim & dick & bruce, 1.6k     After being Partners with the Bat for so long Gordon tries not to question his life choices. Until Robin comes along. ✦ I Wish My Father Had More Sons by shipNslash, bruce & dick & jason & alfred, 9.4k     Jason Todd and Dick Grayson, from strangers to brothers to enemies and back again.

[one-little-nerd-stayed-home]

........ What if I went completely off the rails and made an Eldermourne Star Wars AU.

Cause, like. The hexblood/clone war parallel.

The prophet/inquisitor parallel!!!!!!!! Oh I HAVE to draw inquisitor cain that would fuck so hard……

Jedi-in-hiding Bathilda…… Fia eventually inherits Bathildas lightsaber……

Putting in a cut because OOPS IVE PUT THOUGHT INTO THIS NOW. FUCK.

Obviously the Hexbuds would be like. Spec Ops troopers or smthn from the clone wars. And through luck of the draw they wind up aging slower than most other cloned troops. OH. OR theyre mandalorians. Adopted into a specific clan and fought at Galidraan and then fucked off into the galaxy shortly after.

Fia is a force User who was trained by Ex Jedi Bathilda. Bathilda goes to a meeting with some of the other surviving Jedi and never comes back prompting The Plot. (Zabrack Fia also….. imagine…..)

Bukvar would have to be like. A sentient holocron or something in this au… idk dont think about it too hard

Dr Nebbel was a republic surgeon during the war and takes on Zirk who is doing his best to avoid getting recruited into the Imperial Unethical Science Division. Except Oops he was actually also a jedi healer and gets Got by inquisitor Cain.

Spritel would not need to change At All cause Star Wars is just like that.

Also tangentially the Trickster Lightside vs Reaper darkside COULD make for a very interesting interpretation of the Force but also the easiest conclusion of that is to go the “grey Jedi’ route which I detest.

ANYWAY Henry is Very force sensitive and never got any training and accidentally got possessed by the ghost of a past life (idk the force is weird don't worry about it) and is having A Really Bad Time sort of generally.

The prophets are Imperial Inquisitors hunting down force users generally but looking specifically for Fias childhood friend Irina.

Irina is the only one of the third mate adjacent people aside from Bathilda who actually lived in the Jedi Temple. She escaped during the purge to Fias village on a planet in the Mid Rim which ended up being Really Empire friendly so when they caught Fia and Irina using the Force they wanted to turn them in so they didn't get accused of harbouring Jedi and the rest of hat is basically unchanged except instead of a horror Fia was almost executed by purge troopers.

Also I want to say Irina is Mirilan because i think it would be neat.

Moxora is EITHER The Grand inquisitor or like the exact midpoint between the emperor and Vader depending on whether this is "the gang exists in Star wars" or "I take the two stories and slam them into eachother until it creates something vaguely coherent".

[eclipsecrowned]

seeing ye olde ‘arry patootie discourse crop up again. i personally keep my opinions shut bc i closed that fandom chapter years ago and this fight has nothing to do with me, neither my circus nor my monkey, but i get where people might be coming from missing it as a foundational fandom to them and wanting to scratch the itch in rp while being morally opposed to touching the creators work at all.

this is a totally incomplete list but here’s a few fandoms whose canon allows for different aspects of the series in question that someone might be looking to recreate.

‘Kadi I liked the sorting aspect, the idea of belonging to a group and having a shorthand for my character type was the most fun in terms of generating dynamics’

The lightsided version of this in modern fantasy is The St0rmlight Archives to me. Those who gain miraculous magical power are effectively slotted into one of ten orders defined by their personal traits, skills, and goals. There’s even a quiz on the creator’s website to sort yourself or your characters.

Middle of the road would be anything W0rld of Darkness or related media. Character development in anything under their wheelhouse is dependent on what groups your character belongs to, be it Vampires, Werewolves, Mages, or even Hunters.

Darksided, aim for M4gnus Archives. There’s a set number of forces in that universe that can empower those who serve them relative to which Entity they are. Using my OCs for example, Lea is tied to The End, and this aligned to fears related to Death, while her associate Dolores is with The Stranger, aligned to the Uncanny Valley and related concepts. The Entities are malevolent though, and your muse is a monster the moment they sign up, so by definition this is a build-an-antagonist version of sorting if you mean for the muse to last.

‘Well, I like the school aspect. It allowed for some good development and sideplots in a limited setting.’

Gr1shaverse has a palace for their mages in R4vka, which can function much the same as an academy. Their magic is even referred to as a science.

The Mag1cians. I do not go here but I have moots that swear by it as an alternative.

L3gacies. I also do not go here but if you want mystical supernatural teenybop stuff, this one is here for you from what I’ve seen.

Fourth W1ng. I also don’t go here but apparently it’s a school for dragon riders? Fucking neato, where was this stuff when I was in the demographic?

While the schools are usually not a focus, DC, Marvel, and Dunge0ns and Dragons all have magic schools in their lore, or for those who aren’t as fussed about it being magic as much as a school for those with powers to congregate and have drama… Xavier’s is upstate.

‘I dunno, Kadi, I really want a big active fandom and a lot of those are small, dead, or scary.’

Again, Marvel and DC are two of the biggest fandoms on the platform. They far outstrip the comm we’re talking alternatives for even in its heyday — and I would know, I was there.

‘I will never be over the concept of that one animal soul spell’

If it’s the bond between spirit and mage, St0rmlight. If it’s soul as a tangible aspect of the character, His D4rk Materials.

‘I like big worldbuild, in universe history, and fatass tomes for my bookshelf.

St0rmlight

Dunge0ns and Dragons

‘Bri’ish :<‘

The M4gnus Archives

[residentialsinyomakai]

LOL, YEAH THERES A LOT ! Not even including the 2019 and 2022 ykw series,,,, although I havent found a fansub for 2022 yet TuT but! That's besides the point.

heres for episodes 1-190! The link should take you directly to 109 already OuO If you need any of the movies (or other series) ever too, they're either on that site or you can always shoot me a dm >:)

found this online. im curious to see what episode this is in...

anyone know? from what i know, venoct only appears in the segments in episode 50 through, and i never saw this in any of those episodes. either its a fake screenshot, or im missing something.

could someone maybe tell me what season and episode this is in, please? if its even in an episode at all. and where can i watch it?

i just kinda really like seeing venoct and hearing his voice, so uhhh yeah hehehe

i would be most appreciative! :>

[tragedy-for-sale]

Tales of the Underworld: Ventress

Significance Beyond the Screen

Greeting! Let's talk about the significance of this scene. Now, we'll get a few things out of the way. Dark Disciple, if you're unfamiliar, is a story, that in a nutshell, follows Quinlan and Ventress, it came out in 2015. The main thing to keep in mind: this book was based on 8 scripted but uncompleted episodes of the Clone Wars we never got to see. The final episode of this arc being titled 'The Path." That is SUCH a downplay explanation of the book, but this intro is very long as is, so, perhaps we'll get into that later, mh?

Now, Quinlan's story gets a little tricky, there's a lot in legends and in the comics that can make his lore hard to follow in complete depth. For the sake of this post, let's talk timeline, this also gets a little crowded, so hold on; Dark Disciple takes place after season 6, but before the Siege of Mandalore. After the first four episodes of S7 (I.e. TBB introduction) is where chapters 1-25 will take place, then, the comic series Darth Maul: Son of Dathomir takes place before chapters 26-42. Then, you'd reach the SoM. You could even add the unfinished CW episode 'Crystal Crisis on Utapau' right before TBB episodes. Also, if you're unfamiliar with Quinlan and Obi-Wan's relationship, they met as padawans, etc... and when Quinlan starts drifting dark, it's Obi-Wan that pulls him back to the light. (I don't remember the details of that comic)

In this post, there will be spoilers of Ventress' arc in Tales of the Underworld and the Dark Disciple novel. You will also be subjected to listening to me tell you why you should read Dark Disciple.

─── ❖ ── ✦ ── ❖ ───

||The bleakest part about being a Jedi, is when we fail||

Obi-Wan Kenobi is the one in which this quote belongs, in the novel, we see Obi-Wan advocating for not just Quinlan, but for Ventress. When you think of Obi-Wan as being so true to the lightside, this book confirms it. It very much lives up to the "You cannot save everyone, Master Kenobi."

There is a deep significance that should scream to you, seeing Obi-Wan with Quinlan, to see his grief as much as his own. In the Clone Wars series, you hear Obi-Wan say he never liked hanging out with Quinlan, but for someone he doesn't like being with, in canon and legends, Obi-Wan never leaves Quinlan's side. To understand that in its entirety, we must reflect upon Quinlan's past, and how Obi-Wan was there. (He sits alone for almost two hours just waiting for Quinlan).

Perhaps because he sees a wild Jedi walking on the thin line of light and dark and cannot help but to root for him, because if he can overcome his darkness, so can Anakin... Right?

There is something so poetic about Quinlan's last words to Ventress being "I will always love you," Sound a little familiar, right? Quinlan lowering Ventress after watching her die for him, him continuing to follow the path of the light, when he's at the darkest point in his life, he returns Ventress to her home and he and Obi-Wan leave together? The way Obi-Wan is the person he never got when he lost everything.

All of this is happening right on the cusp of Episode 3; this is a story where the Jedi Council doubts, where we can understand how Jedi like Qui-Gon and Anakin start to stand apart from the Council ideals. Like them, Quinlan is often at odds with them, and we see his journey of light a battle he fights alone because of this.

In her death, Obi-Wan defends Ventress to The Council for saving Quinlan. In almost a desperate plea that they will see, for all her bad deeds, despite her past, in the end, she was worthy of loving, she was worth mourning. I am not painting The Council as villains in this story either, it is, however, quite a read to see how they approach the events of this novel.

Dark Disciple is as much about Quinlan and Ventress as it is Obi-Wan and Ventress. We see Quinlan and Ventress fall in love, and we see Obi-Wan defending that love and mourning with his friend when that love is gone.

Really, I just love how much Ventress is supported and understood by Obi-Wan too, not just Quinlan. How he offers the same unconditional love to a fellow Jedi and someone who tried to kill him.

Ventress sacrifices herself to save Quinlan; It is the redemption of people not just broken but shattered and how they are granted the chance to try again. This is a story of acceptance of faults and the knowledge that comes with growth. Ventress gets resurrected, and it does stick true to the theme of the book because she gets to try again, even at the end of her arc, she gets the chance to try again.

[sessju]

I was browsing Kotor mods a couple weeks ago and I came across this gem - 2 Altered Endings. But the screenshot they used for the lightside ending has haunted my brain since then.

Like... how is this man so tall?? This is why I didn't understand the Malak was supposed to be human till well into my Kotor 2 playthrough

honestly the energy is just

[amf-studios]

The spooky month is upon us!

But before I begin my plans for Halloween festivities, I'd like to introduce you all to last year's Halloween yokai! These are some the first fankai I ever made and post(so go easy on them. XP)

First up, the vampire nemesis, Dracula and Desperatu!

These boys are my interpretations of characters from Bram stokers world famous Gothic horror novel, Dracula!

The titular character has already been name dropped in yokai watch before, however he has not made an on-screen appearance. So I corrected that~!

Dracula is an S rank, drain attribute of the shady tribe, with the soultimate "blood moon blitz" where he transforms into a swarm of bats to drain his opponents vitality!

Now the other guy is a bit more inspired! Desperatu is a portmanteau of Desperado(a term often used in wild west stories) and Nosfuratu(another word for Vampire). This Gothic cowboy is the spirit of Quincy P. Morris, which if you've actually read Dracula, you'd know as the man who got the killing blow on old drac!

Being a walking representation of the state of Texas, I played up his already present cowboy influence, and made him a vampire-hunting, cowboy vampire!

Desperatu is an S rank yokai of the brave tribe. He's a Merican yokai, a fire attribute, and has the soultimate "high moon showdown!" Where he fires of six shots from each of his silver-bullet-loaded guns.

If I were to ever make a game, these guys would be the Kyubi/venoct, Arachnus/toadel dude equivalents.

With the vamps out of the way, here's a werewolf! Or should I say, Blairwolf!

By day a young girl named Blair akafudo is a sporty outdoorsman with some mild canine quirks. But by night she's the fierce and a strong Blairwolf!

Like Dracula, we know werewolves exist in yokai watch, we've just never seen them. Though there was an academy Y episode that had weredog/jinmenkin hybrids. Speaking of hybrids, Blair also has some inspiration from the Okuri Inu, a ghostly black dog with piercing red eyes.

But despite her fierce inspiration, she's more like a were-puppy than anything. She's loyal, fun-loving and very affectionate toward her friends!

Blairwolf is D rank, earth attribute of the charming tribe. Her soultimate is called "Lycan-throw" where she digs up a Boulder to throw at her unsuspecting opponents!

Moving on to the next of the big three monsters, time for Frankenstein!

Say hello to Adam Frankenstein, the famous monster from Mary Shelly's sci-fi horror novel! Along with his shadowside form, Krankenstein!

The two forms represent the juxtaposition between the Monster in the book, who was an intelligent, tragic figure abandoned by his creator for his imperfect eyes, from the monster in the movie, which was a hulking, mindless brute.

Adam is normally intelligent and reasonable, but... he has quite the explosive temper if you can get him angry.

In both forms, he is an A rank, lightning attribute of the Eerie tribe. In his lightside, his soultimate is "Charged Adam" which boosts his stats. While his shadowside's is called "ITS ALIVE!" which boosts the entire parties stats!

Next are a more generic monster, a redesign I made of yokai watch style Zombies!

While I love yokai watch 3 and think zombie night was a brilliant idea, I can't say I've always liked their basic Zombie designs. The core part of a Zombie that makes them scary is they still resemble a human, and the yokai watch ones do, just not enough.

So, I ended up making more humanish Zombie designs. You could interpret these ones as more recently deceased then the ones in Canon. Haven't had as much time to rot just yet!

Next up, the spirit of Halloween himself, Stingy Jack/Jack O'Lantern!

The spirit of the man who managed to trick the devil herself, now forced to wonder the earth by lanterns light. Everyone's heard of this pumpkin headed freak in some way or other, even if they don't know his story.

Jack here is a C rank of the shady tribe. A fire attribute with the soultimate "lose your head!" Where he used the alcohol swishing around in his pumpkin head to make it into a molotov cocktail, and throws it at the enemy!

This of course also acts as a self destruct soultimate, because he doesn't have a head after using it. XP

And finally, a yokai late to the batch, but still fitting the Halloween vibes! Here's Potianna!

Ending things off with a wicked witch, Potianna (potion+anna) was one of the best potion brewers of her time, before the witch hunts finally caught up with her.

Now as yokai, she's fused to her beloved cauldron and keeps up her prized work~!

Potianna is a C rank, water attribute of the charming tribe. Her soultimate is called "Brutal Brew" where she dumps her cauldron onto the enemy team, both dealing damage and giving them a random debuff.

She also has a unique skill, "Alchemy" which heals her up every time she's hit with her own element!

I hope you enjoy these Halloween yokai of yesteryear, and look forward to this year's festivities~!

[anchanted-one]

Koth Vortena Theories

I think it's well-known by now that I'm a massive Lana Beniko fan. But one character I don't talk much about as much, though I like him a lot as well, is Koth Vortena, arguably one of the biggest missed opportunities of SWTOR.

This is going to be a big post about Koth Vortena, unsung hero of Zakuul.

Apologies for the bad drawing.

So here's what little we know about Koth.

He's against harming civilians. To the point he'll walk away from leaders he finds too cruel and/or tyrannical. Sort of resolved in the game. His loyalty increases over time if you're Light, and evaporates if Dark.

Like most Zakuulans not in the know, he is a devotee of Valkorion. This is never resolved.

He has a conflict with Senya that goes nowhere. She cryptically tells you to keep an eye on him, as he has already betrayed one master. But this warning is only relevant in the most obvious way (see point 1). A Lightsider wouldn't have to worry at all. Not to mention, Senya is also a defector. So we don't know where her venom comes from. Her accusation that Koth abandoned his post flies in the face of her later statement that the Knights of Zakuul should've rebelled once Arcann slaughtered the Scions (who are way more legitimate targets than the civilians of Denon)

He is still loyal to Zakuul itself. If you are Lightsided (i.e. he stays with you past KOTFE) he is the only one who advocates for Zakuul. Even Arcann and Senya don't.

All of these paint a rather incomplete story.

I know KOTFEET got more rushed as time went on, but Koth's story is the one that stands as the most obviously abandoned.

The biggest nonresolution is his devotion to Valky. And by extension, the Eternal Empire's adherence to Valkorionism. The citizens of Zakuul still believe in Valk by the end of KOTET, and we have no reason to believe that they're any closer to figuring out the truth.

I recall that in cut content, there was a discarded accusation from Senya about his ambitions. We also know that KOTFEET was supposed to be a three-parter, with Arcann being the big bad for KOTFE, Vaylin for KOTET, and Valk for Part III (KOTIE? KOT Immortal Emperor?).

One theory I had was that Koth might have become a new host for Valkorion at the end of KOTET. Willingly or otherwise, perhaps depending on player choices. And that perhaps his eyes would be opened at the end of III, which would end in an Echoes of Oblivion-esque way.

The second theory is related to another piece of cut dialogue, this one from Vaylin. She tells Arcann "Thexan isn't our only sibling," or something similar. Now, the obvious implication is that the Player Character is this mysterious missing sibling, but after a quick look at this reddit post's summary, I had a different theory. A very tinfoily theory.

(Quick summary: this post compares the Imperial family to the Zakuulan pantheon. Valk is Izax, Senya is Scyva, Arcann is Esne, Vaylin is Tyth, and Thexan is Aivela. Which leaves Nahut, the god of apathy or the hated son)

Maybe that other sibling--or half-sibling, per my tinfoil hat theory--was Koth Vortena. I don't know if it was confirmed that it was the Outlander for sure, but this kinda clashes with the roleplaying aspect of the game. And the species. Our player character is definitely not a hybrid.

Maybe at some point, Valkorion had another mistress who bore him another son, but who got exiled with him for some unknown offense. Possibly, before the twins were born, as Koth appears to be a bit older than Arcann.

Reasons why I was thinking about this now.

He is the only other major Zakuulan we frequently interact with. While it still makes sense that he's an ordinary guy, it could've also meant that he was going to play a significant role in the future of Zakuul.

Senya's dislike of Koth would be a little more understandable if she always saw him as a threat to her own children's legitimacy, and couldn't let go of it even after all this time. It also goes with her accusation about his ambition. Koth might not know about his parentage, as his in-game reason for hating Senya totally makes sense. She was Arcann's loyal Knight who hunted him and his crew, and nearly killed them on at least a few occasions. But then, he might just as easily resent her for believing that she was the reason why his mother was cast aside, even if she had nothing to do with it.

Again, his unflinching loyalty to Zakuul no matter its inner darkness. His continued mission to keep it safe, even after KOTFEET. He is an excellent candidate for the new leader (emperor/king) of Zakuul, had it not been instead given to... who's that other guy? Doesn't matter.

This theory actually goes well with the 'Maybe Koth was meant to be Valkorion's new vessel' angle.

Combining both theories, here's what Koth's originally intended story might have been like, but got cut because it was seen as racist.

Despite the obvious problems in this story, I feel like this would've had a more complete arc for Koth, and allowed him to have a story of his own that wasn't relegated to the background.

Koth would become a contender for the Eternal Throne after proving his lineage.

He helps the Alliance overthrow Arcann and Vaylin, but perhaps in a more prominent leadership role. Zakuulans disaffected with Arcann would flock to his banner.

He is approached by Valkorion, who manages to escape the Outlander's body.

Koth accepts--perhaps reluctantly--to serve as his vessel. He is still loyal, after all. Perhaps he might request Valkorion not to destroy an Outlander he's grown fond of (and Lana.)

Inside Valkorion's psyche, he gets horrified, finally seeing the man for what he really is. The revitalized Immortal Emperor may be openly harsh and cruel, even to the people of Zakuul, which might be the reason why they also lose their faith in him. Or the Alliance could find proof revealing his true nature.

Inside his own head, Koth helps the Alliance (who at this time might include OL, Lana, Theron, Scourge, Kira, Satele, Marr, Revan, the Exile, the Tiralls, and maybe even others like Dramath) fight and slay Tenebrae/Vitiate/Valkorion. He might survive, or not. If he does, he's the new Emperor of Zakuul, but with only a small portion its once endless fleet. (Perhaps the Alliance was forced to sacrifice the Gravestone to bring it to this state. But there are enough ships left that the Pub and Imp decide not to tangle with them)

I would like you guys' opinions on this!

[nicki0kaye]

Look, I know like nothing about SW Legends, I've only watched a handful of shows and the first six movies, so my understanding of the Force and canon at large is very lacking. I have never actually seen the mythological Grey Jedi depicted so have no idea how their philosophy or duties are presented. I literally only know and care about the 'middle' of the force bc of the Bendu

however I still have Strong Feelings about the Grey Jedi, 'Balance' within the Force and what and who the Bendu is, and it's a take I never see, esp when ppl are arguing against the idea Grey Jedi can exist.

I don't think there is a 'right' way to be a force user, and I don't think walking the middle path is like the secret better third option. I think if it as it's described; a walk. An action you do. A journey you take. I've come to associate the middle path with being true to ones self and accepting that Light and Darkness co-exist for a reason. That the Force is not comprised of both of these unintentionally, and that the balance of the two is always going to be something in flux. You cannot have one without the other and you cannot end their dance for dominance in the lives of mortals.

In this way, any search for balance is a balancing act. It is a state of flux where Darkness and Light ebb and flow through someone in accordance to their unique soul born of the Force. That's what makes the middle path distinct; it's an inherently selfish path that prioritizes self-acceptance and living true to ones nature over striving for an unobtainable ideal--be that ultimate tranquility or ultimate power. Those that walk the middle path still care about the Force's will similarly to the standard Jedi, but total submission to the Force's will is weighed against what is right for the individual, with the understanding that more often than not, the two will align.

if I knew more about Buddhism, I'd likely have a better idea of how to differentiate the Lightside Jedi ideal of balance and a middle path ideal of balance. Unfortunately I don't so here's how I reconcile that in my ignorance; balance for the Jedi is still tied to their ideals, inherently favoring the Light and discouraging any dalliances with the dark to reach equilibrium within oneself and within the Force. The middle path allows for one to fuck around with the dark, if it's in service of maintaining balance, primarily on a person-by-person basis. If your true balance is Light-heavy, cool, you can still walk the middle path so long as you're remaining true to yourself. Just like how the Bendu doesn't steer Kanan and Ezra away from the Light, those on the middle path don't try and force their idea of balance on others. They observe and then encourage steps that would bring an individual back into equilibrium.

obviously what fucks with this idea the most is the 'fall' of a Jedi to the darkside and how that's portrayed in Canon as something you can only sorta not really take back. Like it's always handled as a big deal and the implication is often once you go Darkside you can't go back. That isn't true, there's plenty of Jedi in the series who fight their way back to the Light, but it isn't easy and it seems like the sunk cost fallacy weighs heavily in the Dark's favor.

But to me that's more of an ideology problem than a rule of reality. If you accept and are cool with putting your toesies in the Dark now and then but Refuse to outright submit to its will, to seek its boons, to adhere to its ideology, why couldn't you just access it now and then, just as one accesses the Light side? Like it's not shown as easy to balance these two diametrically opposed aspects of reality, but canonical Jedi do it. Mace Windu does it, because he personally, individually, interacts with the Force in a way unique to him and his soul. He's a Lightsider, staunchly and unwaveringly, but what is stopping someone from straddling that line as their actual job? Who consciously chooses to access the Light and Dark when needed? Who interacts with the Force on a sliding scale that otherwise is taboo for Jedi and Sith?

I don't think there's anything stopping them beyond ideology and methodology. I think that the Force is so varied, nebulous and powerful that it's much easier than one might think to just...play in the space without hitting a hard line of Light or Dark, except in very specific cases.

Cuz lets be clear; Light and Dark are concepts created and categorized by mortals FOR mortals so they can rationalize the magic they're able to preform. Even the 'living embodiments' of the Force are hindered by a specific mortal's ideals (worst dad award goes to That Guy). They aren't hard realities; they are squishy tiny minds doing their best to wrap around something vast and unknowable. They are made up rules based on observation and trial and error, tainted by mortal feelings and ideals.

That's why it feels so much like gender to me. It's this thing that is real and has certain hard binaries that feel unquestionable and concrete to most ppl. It's a fact of life, and it's unusual for people to fall outside those boarders. It's also extremely malleable, constantly in flux, specific to and influenced by society--and most importantly, Entirely Fucking Morally Neutral, even tho some ppl want to believe coloring outside the lines makes you a bad person.

The Light and Dark sides are not like Gender in that sense bc choosing to adhere to a side is not neutral at all. They're very impactful and moral decisions, so even trying to find a middle path is also a moral decision that will by the very nature skew one side or the other. I'm sure you could direct the actions of a 'grey' force user and neatly section all they do into boxes and then tally up exactly how much good and evil they participate in, and from that assign them a Light or Dark status.

That's not the fucking point, tho. The point is to embrace the nebulous nature of reality, of individuality. To accept that our ideals are flawed by default bc we are squishy tiny beings incapable of perfect reason or emotional control and we are just making shit up to make things easier for us. That our experience is both shared and unique. That we exist as an individual and within a collective. That life is full of these contradictions and to try and impose order onto it is antithetical to being one with it. That we must try and categorize things to the best of our understanding because that's how we interact with it at all. That we can never be perfect, nor can we fully be authentic to ourselves, as we are always in conversation with ourselves. That one walks in the middle, and the journey is never ending, and there is no goal beyond one we set ourselves, and we are a single speck of the Force; we will never influence it more than it influences us. That we have a responsibility to ourselves, and accepting that requires us to accept the same for others.

I don't think of walking in the middle as amoral. I think it's impossible for someone to be entirely amoral or removed from the wider picture enough to feign it. I look to the Bendu's characterization as a model; he is selfish, in that he didn't want to deal with any of the war. The wider conflict between his siblings and all the little mortals they were influencing didn't interest him. He, however, didn't let Kanan or Ezra stagnate when in crisis on his planet. He guided them gently towards what would bring them balance, despite doing so directly affecting the wider conflict and aiding the Light. I don't think this makes him a hypocrite. I think the individual nature is key, the personal interest, the curiosity. I think he knows his place within reality, and it is not Big Picture Stuff. That's the realm of his siblings. He, by his nature, cannot take a hard stance on anything, because every individual has unique needs and desires, and a unique destiny that will take them through the gambit of what both his siblings have to offer. It'd be antithetical to him to draw a line as one size cannot fit all, and death and conflict are as natural as birth and compromise.

idk those are my thoughts on grey jedi, as a very uneducated person re: the real world concepts Lucas was drawing from and how those concepts have been reinterpreted and conveyed in the expanded world of Star Wars

[marvelstars]

I am really linking this series of interviews by George Lucas going with his analysis for each character in this case Anakin and Obi-Wan.

Here in Anakin´s chapter, Lucas explains Anakin´s real issue isn´t really the darkside or it´s temptations, in fact when he was a kid he already possesed many virtues related to the Jedi, he was generous, without malice, wanted to help and very compassionate despite being raised on slavery in a very horrible environment , his only issue, if you want to call it that, was that he was raised by a loving mother who he loved as well, having a family for him was something natural and neccesary and his main issue when it came to the order was that they simply didn´t work with family units, they worked in a master -apprentice relationships which were foreing to him, he had bonds with people because he was born in a family and a community. The fact he quickly could lose them given many of them were slaves only made him bond with even more intensity which translated into him having difficulty in letting go of his loved ones.

So in Lucas vision, Anakin needed a master like Qui-Gon to teach him the way of the jedi while making a transition between having a family and having a master - apprentice relationship, Qui-Gon actually WANTED to be that father figure Anakin was looking for even when he lived with his mother.

This obviously didn´t happen with Obi-Wan, who wasn´t really into the idea of being Anakin´s father figure and who wanted Anakin to adapt into the Jedi´s life as if he was raised on the temple. Lucas tells Obi-Wan´s biggest regret in both trilogies was having failed as a master for Anakin, because he didn´t adapt to Anakin´s personal needs like Qui-Gon would have done neither did he stablished many reflective opportunties over the nature or the dark and lightside like Yoda did with Luke, Obi-Wan´s teaching style was more "by the book" so in Lucas view Obi-Wan is indirectly to blame for Anakin´s fall to the darkside and the end of the republic. I think there are many attenuating circunstances about this but I could see Obi-Wan seeing it that way. Obi-Wan then begins to make similar mistakes with Luke who also gets in danger of falling like his father before him but who ultimately doesn´t fall because his training was slighty different and had Yoda´s involvement and of course because Luke himself decides to embrace compassion and value family, his bond with the father he barely knew.

Lucas mentions that he considered keeping Qui-Gon out of the story and writting obi-wan as an ambitious young Jedi who wanted to train Anakin for his intense force powers, like Obi-Wan said in the OT but he later decided to include Qui-Gon so he could be the contrast with Obi-Wan personality, the difference between Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan is one in which a man pays attention and helps a beggar(Qui-Gon) who in TPM is represented by both Jar Jar and Anakin and another man(Obi-Wan) who gets annoyed at having to deal with the beggar in the first place, which is reflected in Obi-Wan´s dialogue about "Pathetic life forms". Obi-Wan is still ambitious in TPM but not in relation to Anakin, just in the sense he´s interested in advancing his career, in fact he tells Qui-Gon he could be part of the council if he didn´t discuss so much with the council, which actually means Obi-Wan pretty much wants to be part of the Council and advance in his career as a Jedi.

I belive it was Obi-Wan´s original disconnect with Anakin, his sadness/anger over Qui-Gon wanting to end his padawanship in favor of Anakin that despite trying his best to comply with Qui-Gon´s wishes, Obi-Wan and Anakin only connected later in the story when they were both adults but they had so much conflict in their master - apprentice relationship for the way their relationship began, it wasn´t fair for Obi-Wan to teach a student he was suspiscious of because of the council pov of him but it wasn´t fair to Anakin either to have a teacher who started his training out of obligation and who thought he was dangerous, this is why this relationship ultimately failed to give Anakin the emotional and mental skills needed to use his powers adecuately and have a stronger process in his decision making to make choices for himself, having being a slave Anakin had an almost crippling difficulty to make personal decisions for himself, especially when so many people around him made decisions for him, as it stands Anakin´s one decision not prompted by somebody else in the story was to marry Padme.

Anakin having the wrong training, with many regrets over leaving his mother behind, without a father figure to lean on, then gets broken inside by his mother´s death, which leads to Vader´s persona being born inside him, Vader here represents his hate, resentment, whish for revenge over the injustice, which leads to him to attack the tusken raiders and later when he learns about Padmé dying on childbirth, he listens to the "devil"(Palpatine) who tells him he can save her for a price which was a lie.

So from Lucas pov Anakin´s fall began after his mother´s death, but wasn´t fully realized until his dreams about Padmé dying, with him being unable to do anything about it except see her die, this made him want to keep her alive at any cost but the reason for his fall wasn´t about him being particulary attracted to the darkside, or violent or evil, he simply wanted to keep the people he loved around, turning his genuine love into possessive love. He didn´t get the adecuate training for him to make the transition between having a family and being part of the Order in which attachment was forbbiden, an Order in which it was expected of him to give up his family.

The author of the video goes on to reflect how Anakin could have avoided falling if he was sent to the Temple earlier but I believe, given Luke was a lot more older than Anakin when he began his training, being raised by his mother wasn´t the problem, the problem was the training he got was the standard for a Jedi but he needed a training adapted to his particular needs as someone who came late to the temple, but the Jedi Order of the era and Obi-Wan as a teacher, the people and organization of the time in which he got to live just weren´t shaped this way.

Very interesting points by Lucas himself about Anakin´s character and then the Original trilogy is the story of how Anakin gets back from the darkside by making the opposite journey, he gets back his humanity, he gets the compassion he had by loving Luke as a father but this love didn´t become possesive the way his love for Padmé did, because Anakin/Vader were ready to give up his own life if it meant saving Luke, relearning love, compassion, he used to have as a child and getting his own balance back from the time before his mothers death.

[seth-shitposts]

Somethings that I'm looking forward to exploring in SoFS&V AU (+another link)

-the dynamics. For Tua and Kallus I want to build them to have a bit of a sibling dynamic. For the three of them Tua takes the other two by surprise by often being the strongest/most stable voice. Though it can and does switch between the three of them. They support each other through the story. I also look forward to building a romance between Tua and Him. Something that ends up surprising the both of them. I promise it'll make sense the more I tell you about it-

-the entire thing of Him making and paving stone by stone his path back to the lightside. The dedication he slowly adds to it. Possible relapse to old habits that he has to work on as well. Trying to relearn faith. Trying to trust it and lean into it. And how his return to the light may differ or be similar to Reva's

-REVA. Her having spent time working on her return to the light and having had to teach herself a lot of things she's never had the chance to. What her dynamics could be with Tua and Him, her severe distrust and dislike for Him that she's Trying To Work On while on her own path to become a Jedi. And how maybe she only agrees to work with him at first because of Tua, as Tua is the one she's there to work alongside.

-intentional. Intentionally *choosing* kindness. Intentionally having to *choose* to do the right thing. Intentionally *being* gentle. Intentionally putting *effort* into being brave and bold. Choosing to stand their ground on the right thing.

-a very specific difference between Kallus and Him. Kallus having such deep guilt about the things he's done, meanwhile He doesn't. That's something I've wanted to explore for awhile. Building a moral compass that isn't dependent on the sense of what someone *should* feel, but without it. Having to scrap that together themselves. But for this story, for Him, I want him to be given support to do so- from Kallus and Tua. Unconditionally. (Which plays into the theme of doing things with *intention* and on *purpose*. *Choosing* to show compassion.)

[obiwanwhat]

love love love that we're getting a range of villan force-users. So far we have:

Ex Jedi darksider, presumably not a Sith. Please reblog this with thoughts on whether you wanna call a rogue Jedi vs dark Jedi vs grey jedi vs whatever else i LIVE for discussion on semantics like that lmao

Ex Jedi darksider's apprentice, who has a Jedi Padawan braid. So far appears to be closer to a Jedi Master/Apprentice relationship than a Sith one, except like, they use the dark side

Inquisitor (oooooooooh he has a mask, very mysterious). Ngl when he started spinning his blade at the end of the fight with ahsoka I thought he was about to helicopter blade out of there and i was going to scream

I'm just so excited to see where they go with this! it's such a great way to balance out ahsoka (lightsider ex Jedi) and Sabine (non-force sensitive(?) Jedi(?))

[cloudmancy]

clone wars era obi-wan voice: well killing yourself never solved anything, now did it anakin

also what do you think of au’s where someone else ended up being the one to take on anakin as a padawan? and i guess star wars canon divergence au’s in general

clone wars era anakin later finding out about the rako hardeen mission: 🧍🧍🧍🧍🧍🧍🧍🧍

I like canon divergence aus! ppl tend to like aus where qui-gon lives and becomes anakin's master as he originally planned but can I say something? that guy would've definitely fucked him up worse than obi wan 😭😭😭😭😭 I think anakin being given to a different master is interesting but realistically I can only see it working out with like... mace windu... obiwan is so lightsider I really do think mace windu could've connected with and understood anakin on a more visceral level and got him some coping strategies. anakin getting taught vaapad is so near and dear to me.

aus in general I love when people take a canon/extended universe book or event and tweak it juuuust slightly to detangle the collision course of everything that happens later... I love interesting 'what-if' plots I love minor canon events being changed just slightly in a butterfly's wingbeat sort of way I love time travel aus. star wars prequels is one of those tragedies where it's completely preventable from the outside but utterly unavoidable from the inside and that makes it really delicious to me. and because of that I will say I cannot understand when star wars fix-its have anidala happily stay together like sorry they're actively so terrible for each other 😭😭😭 get padme a divorce and custody of the kids OR talk about how absolutely miserable they'd be without The Horrors Of War! romeo and juliet was not a romance it was a tragedy... and I think that's true here as well.

this is a tangent but I'm like... genuinely really fascinated by every author's interpretations of anidala in most of the star wars books I've read. because it's some variation of 'I CAN fix him' or 'well I don't think I can fix him but I'm too invested to stop' or 'wow. he's got nobody but me :( nobody understands him but ME.' and it's all so incredibly funny to think about long term NEITHER of them have the foundations for a stable long term relationship with each other at all. padme is at her most fascinating to me when she's treating anakin sort of like a guy who finds a beautiful baby deer covered in the blood of 50 different people on the ground and takes it home and does not call a wildlife rehab center or leave it alone and then it grows up and starts killing people. but not her. so shes like ohhh this is rather worrying but he'd never hurt me and I like that (he does. lol!) it's genuinely very fascinating to me because both padme and obi wan are anakin's biggest apologists but to obi wan that's like... a puppydog he raised. he is not threatened by it and that thing is not going to bite him. for padme it's also a puppydog she raised but that puppydog was actually a wolf cub and she knows that but she's too enamoured with it to give it up and also it's too fucked up to go back into the wild now.