#like are you seriously telling me ky ren fans would go as hard if he wasn’t a particular demographic set?

[bluewithpurplepolkadots]

I think the weirdest fandom criticism I keep seeing is the insistence that distaste for certain redemption arcs is solely based on Christian based ideas of purity and suffering and like while a part of me gets this idea, I’m kind of like… the religion that focuses on and is literally famous for forgiveness?

You don’t think those defending often criticised redemption arcs, don’t have any potentially similar blind spots which can show in really ugly ways? That they are somehow immune from such influences?

Christian forgiveness, sometimes takes it too far and can push it to the detriment of victims in their communities and beyond. Especially when the abuser is more powerful in some way in their community. (And let’s be real: abusers by definition always have more power in some way, it’s when they get up the nose of someone with more power than them or those people give a shit /enough people group together against it that sparks can fly).

While I have experienced the anxiety from ‘all sins being equal’ and the resulting guilt: it also has very famously gone the other way and had people downplaying really horrific stuff. To dismiss those hurt. For after all: ‘we’re all sinners’.

Rather like in some of these botched redemption arc stories where the villain and hero almost always have to be bosom buddies: it can have communities make the victim have to interact with the one who hurt them instead of being allowed to at least peace out without losing everything they have ever known. That this will allow access to future and past victims because forgiving means forgetting to them. (Or at least pretending to). Because having a missing stair for new members or those unaware is apparently also fine?

But only being for punitive and worthless punishment can have Christian roots? The reverse extreme doesn’t have this issue? Nah mate.

Like maybe it’s more that almost any major religion or philosophy has its good sides or even ideas you can understand the root/benefit of: but almost nothing is above being exploited or abused by those in power. There’s nothing immune from corruption.

Personal interpretations can go to bizarre lengths. Leaving interpretations up to others to do it for you has its own obvious issues. It’s life and it’s messy just in general. Even trying to find a middle ground between the two methods and discussion can be hard. And you are going to fuck up sometimes. There’s no easy trickty trick trick or perfect level you can keep to forever for perfect results every single time you have to make a decision. You can fail by refusing to make one too.

Christianity has major political and social powers itself in a wider society to the point it’s shaped it for centuries, even affecting non-believers internally in ways they don’t think about.

The perfect religion or philosophy does not exist. It never will. All you can do is the best you can and keep trying. And even then like I said: you’re going to fuck up.

A redemption arc isn’t always good or a good idea just because you projected onto/lusted after the character getting or not getting it. It isn’t always bad it happened because you can’t personally relate or like the character either.

[certifiedskywalker]

Nothing You Could Have Done - Kylo Ren

evanfan96 said:

Hello it’s me again! I hope you don’t mind me sending in another request because I really liked the last one you did for me! Could you do another one with Kylo Ren and the reader dating? Something with the song ‘Come Out and Play’ by The Offspring with both the reader’s and Kylo’s point of view. Thanks! 💕

AN: I listened to the song, which is really good, but I found it hard to weave the meaning/lyrics of it within a romantic setting. Sorry if it isn’t exactly what you wanted. I hope you like it though!

You had witnessed enough to know that The First Order was a failing regime. Kylo knew it too, that his empire was crumbling. It was only a matter of time. You could only hope that Kylo had enough sense to find his focus once more and hone in on what’s most important.

You paced the tiled floor of your personal quarters, wringing your hands nervously as you moved. It had become a habit for you. After hours at your post, listening to rebel communication lines and rewiring First Order comms, you would retire with more worries than you woke with. When you would make it back to your room, you would wait for Kylo to join you. Oftentimes he would make you forget your troubles as, under his warm touch, they would melt slowly right off your skin.

Tonight was no different, except for the fact that you could no longer ignore the pulling at your heart. Despite the rules in place to keep what relative peace was left in the galaxy, the First Order was falling apart and your relationship with the newly appointed Supreme Leader was being crushed under the organization's weight. It wasn’t just that your relationship was frowned upon but the fact Kylo’s new position was stealing away time.

-

As he made his way down the hall, Kylo had to fight the urge to hurl his fist into the nearest wall. Yet another inferior officer showed their disdain with Kylo’s relationship with Y/N. He knew, being Snoke’s apprentice, that their affections broke binding elements of the First Order’s code but he was the Supreme Leader now. After threatening the admiral, Kylo  pledged for a movement to amend the stipulation.

It was more of a demand than a pledge. However, the alteration would take time, time that Kylo did not want to waste. So even as he walked back to the quarters he shared with Y/N, Kylo was thinking of all the ways he could push his agenda along. There was never a moment of rest for the Supreme Leader and he could sense that it was taking its toll on you. Kylo could feel your discomfort, your worry, even when you thought it was hidden.

He knew that you had to hear each loss, every life stolen in the First Order’s name. One person jailed for every five slain, violence was not something you took joy in. It was one of the many things he loved about you. Unlike him, you were collected, knew right from wrong. He was surprised to find someone like you aligned with the First Order to begin with. When he learned it was Snoke testing him, Kylo understood your desire to fight against manipulation.

Killing Snoke wasn’t just to save Rey or even himself because, at that point, Kylo knew that he was too far gone. He had realized that he did it to save you. To free you of your bindings and bring about the change you longed to see in the galaxy; but something was still holding you back. As Kylo pushed through the door to your quarters, the answer became clear: it was him.

-

Still caught up in your pacing you almost missed the metallic hiss of the door opening. You jumped at the sound and the intimidating form of Kylo, still decorated in his layers of dark cloaks, looming within the entrance way. The fear eked out of your pores as he filed into the cramped space. He had retired Snoke’s more expansive chamber in the hopes of finding some domestic comfort with you in your own makeshift home.

“Y/N,” his voice was low, but not quite gruff. His dark eyes scan over your face, reading your expression like a hologram. A frown found its way to his plush lips and the knot in your stomach tightened. “What’s wrong?”

“It was just a long day,” you replied, biting your bottom lip nervously. You moved to your dresser to find a change of lounge clothes. Mindlessly trying to busy yourself, you could barely detect the sound of Kylo’s boots thumping against the floor. It wasn’t until you felt his gloved hands clasp your waist and pull your back to his chest.

“Tell me,” he ordered, his voice darker now, “come out and tell me.” You ignored the pounding of you heart in your chest as you turned in Kylo’s grip. With a sudden rush of courage, you stared into his deep brown eyes. Your jaw was set with resolve as you spoke up.

-

You looked so small to him as he stared down at you. Your lips were slightly pursed in that way you did when you had something you wanted to say. It was a look that Kylo had grown used to seeing lately. Part of him feared what words danced on your tongue in his presence. He had a sense, but the fear drove his thoughts to silence.

“If I speak will you really listen?” Your tone was hard, cold seriousness that did not dare to melt. Even with his burning gaze. Kylo couldn’t help but smile. He loved when you sounded like this: not timid, questioning, almost as if you were observing him.

“Of course,” he replied, lifting a hand to your face. He let his thumb trace under your lip slightly, resting against your chin. For a brief moment he saw your confidence waver. “Tell me what’s on your mind.”

If he really wanted to, Kylo knew he could easily bend the Force to his will and dive right into your thoughts. He held back though, as he always did. Even when the two of your were arguing, he stopped himself. Kylo had experience in knowing that his thoughts were not just his own. Snoke had watched his dreams and heard every whisper that lingered in his skull. He was not about to invade your privacy like that. Never.

“I feel like you’re wasting away,” you murmured, eye fluttering up to hold his gaze once more. “You’re breaking pieces of yourself to keep this place afloat and it’s costing you, us, everything. You need to save what you have left, Ky.”

His mouth fell open but he could not form a clear word. It was as if his own mind had turned against him, shouting that your words held his own truth; something that Kylo had swallowed again and again, everyday. He felt that he was climbed too far to go back now and hated, he despised, how right you were.

-

You had to stop yourself from gnawing at you lip as Kylo’s silence settled around your shoulders. His hand fell from your chin and, with it, all your hope seem to flee. Wide eyes scanned over your features and you felt that you had crossed a line. Antsy to make the tension go away, you rested your hand against his chest.

“Kylo, I know that-”

“You’re right.” You had never stayed long enough on a planet to see snow,but you could imagine that it felt as cold as Kylo’s tone.

“I’m right,” it felt more like a question as you spoke. You weren’t used to him agreeing with you on First Order matters, at least not this openly. “But I can’t stop it now.”

There it was. That final blaster bolt to the heart that you had been waiting for. You had expected it to break your spirit, cause you pain. However, sadness was the furthest thing from your mind. All you felt, in that moment was anger.

“But you can, Kylo. The constant spree of death and violence and hate, it can stop. You can still pull away from this.” He merely shook his head, pulling away from your touch.

“You should go,” he said, “we can send you somewhere….far...far away from here, the Resistance, everything. You can deny this.” Tears began to burn in your eyes.

“I’m not going to let the weight of this torture fall only on you,” you said, forcing the sobs down for a little while longer, “you’re not the only one you made choices that you regret.”

“Do you regret me?” He sounded like a small boy, with almond shaped, curious eyes staring back in bittersweet awe. “Y/N, do you-”

“No,” you said, “I only wish I could have told you this sooner. Helped you when I heard the first reports. No one is going to win this war.”

“You...I….they were right.”

“What?” Kylo let out a force chuckle, nearly a growl.

“We should have stayed separate,” he explained, “Snoke told me first. Love blinds, distracts from the objective. Officers, even after Snoke, still speak about us like we are a crime. But they were right.” Silence again. Uncomfortable, bitter silence that curled around the two of you like wisps of smoke.

“So you want to send me away? Pretend like nothing happened and hope you win? Kylo, you are going to drown here, and I could’ve stopped you from diving in the first place.” He looked up into your eyes then. A light glinted in his chocolate colored irises as he neared you once more. He leaned down, putting his face close to yours. His long lashes fanned out against his cheeks as he closed his eyes. A calming exercise you had taught him.

“There was nothing you could have done, Y/N,” he whispered smoothly. “I was already dead when you found me.” His lips brushed softly against yours as he spoke, hinting at those nights where you had gotten lost in the feel of his flesh. Those rose petal lips, the only soft thing about the man you loved. Perhaps he was right too.

You pulled away from him, a shaky step backwards. It felt like every step you would take now would be a step back. Away from the life you had built, away from the war, away from him; and that felt wrong. You weren’t one just to runaway; but the look in his eyes only asked, begged you: “Please.” Another step, backwards and you were falling all over again.

Only this time, Kylo Ren would not be there to catch you.